The latest Nintendo Direct was a fast-paced showcase rife with exciting releases for fans to look forward to later this year. One of the most highly anticipated upcoming releases isZelda: Tears of the Kingdom.To cap off this Nintendo Direct, fans got a brand-new trailer that literally took them to new heights and showed off some of the ways players will be able to explore Hyrule after the events of the first game. A notable feature highlighted inZelda: Tears of the Kingdom, releasing May 12th, is amiibo compatibility that will give players access to helpful materials, weapons, and new fabric designs for Link’s paraglider.
In 2017, Nintendo releasedZelda: Breath of the Wildto overwhelmingly positive reception. Even today, it’s highly regarded as one of the best open world RPGs to date, so naturally fans have been awaiting the next installment in the series with bated breath. Despite all of its glory,one thingZelda: Breath of the Wildlacked was customization. While players were able to collect unique headgear, armor, and jewelry, these items were not necessarily cosmetic; their purpose was utilitarian in nature and usually gave the player a variety of buffs. This time around,Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomseems to address this problem in the form of amiibo compatibility.
RELATED:Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Reveals Collector’s Edition and New Link Amiibo
Amiibo support is not a completely new feature in the Nintendo universe. In fact, it’s a feature that has been around as early as the 3DS, and there are already many games that are compatible with amiibos. One such example is in Nintendo’s hit gameAnimal Crossing: New Horizonsin whichplayers can scan amiibos and amiibo cards allowing them to customize their experience. Players can use their figures or cards to invite campers to visit their island, to conduct photo shoots on Harv’s island, or to invite an animal to share a cup of coffee at The Roost. Now, Nintendo is bringing this feature to theLegend of Zeldauniverse for anyone who wants a more custom gameplay experience.
Alongside the new trailer for the game,Nintendo revealed a new amiibo in theLegend of Zeldaline up. The Link - Tears of the Kingdom amiibo shows the hero of the series donning his classic garb from the first game while holding his arm outstretched. The demand for this new figure was so high following the conclusion of the Nintendo Direct that fans actually crashed Nintendo’s site as everyone clamored to get their hands on the new amiibo.
This new figure is not the only one that will be compatible withZelda: Tears of the Kingdom.Following their presentation, Nintendo shared a series of photos on Twitter showing that there are at least four total amiibos that will be supported by the game, but whether players will be able to use other amiibos from the franchise remains to be seen. To reap the benefits of the character figurines, players will simplyscan their amiibo in game to gain access to helpful materials, weapons, or new fabric designs for Link’s paraglider. Based on the images shared by Nintendo, the designs are connected to the features of the figure scanned such as theMajora’s Maskdesign which corresponds to the amiibo of the same name. With this simple feature, Nintendo opens the door to a whole new realm of possibility in theLegend of Zeldafranchise for more customization in the future.
While it’s unclear for now how much personalization will actually be present inZelda: Tears of the Kingdom,the addition of various glider skins is a potential step into the contemporaryfor Nintendo. It’s no secret a large percentage of games released these days allow the player to customize their playable character for a gameplay experience that is unique to them. This aspect of gameplay is enjoyed by many and is so pervasive in massively successful games that it’s almost expected. The integration of customizable items inZelda: Tears of the Kingdomcould be a positive step in the right direction for Nintendo, setting the stage for customization to become even more prominent as the franchise continues. If nothing else, though, it adds a nice touch of creativity to a series that was previously devoid of customization at all.
MORE:Zelda Amiibo Restocks Appear Online Ahead of Tears of the Kingdom Launch
