Zelda Tears of the Kingdom: Worth It? Reviews & Difficulty

If you spent dozens of hours wandering Hyrule in Breath of the Wild, you’ve probably wondered whether its sequel is worth revisiting — or even buying for the first time. Tears of the Kingdom answers that question with an expanded world, new arm-based powers, and a challenging underground area that serves as the game’s de facto hard mode. But Nintendo’s aging hardware occasionally shows its limits, raising a practical question for Switch owners and curious newcomers alike.

Developer: Nintendo EPD · Platform: Nintendo Switch · Release Year: 2023 · Switch 2 Upgrade: June 4, 2025 · Genre: Action-adventure

The key specs for Nintendo’s flagship sequel include development details, platform information, and notable features that define the player experience.

Is Zelda Tears of the Kingdom Worth It?

Critics and players broadly agree that Tears of the Kingdom succeeds as a sequel. Inverse (gaming publication) describes it as “bigger and better than Breath of the Wild in every way,” building on the original’s foundation with expanded exploration and refined mechanics. TechRadar (technology review outlet) reports spending over 70 hours in Hyrule and calling the experience “highly recommended” as one of the best games available.

Metacritic and IGN Reviews

Review aggregators place the game among the highest-rated titles in Nintendo’s catalog. Critics highlighted the seamless moment-to-moment gameplay and creative puzzle design as standout features, with Digitally Downloaded (independent games publication) noting the “impeccable” flow of exploration and combat loops in May 2023 reviews.

Player Feedback Highlights

Players who invested significant time reported that the 20-region world rewards thorough exploration. The Depths, an underground area accessible throughout Hyrule, functions as the game’s hard mode with tougher enemies and heart-sapping environmental hazards, according to Inverse (gaming publication). The catch: navigating the Depths requires careful resource management, and darkness compounds the challenge.

Is Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom a Difficult Game?

Tears of the Kingdom inherits Breath of the Wild’s philosophy of not holding the player’s hand, as documented by TheGamer (gaming outlet). This means players face genuine challenge in exploration, combat, and puzzle-solving without traditional difficulty settings to adjust the experience.

Reasons Players Find It Hard

The Depths area serves as the game’s de facto hard mode, with tougher enemies and pools that sap Link’s health over time. Inverse (gaming publication) notes that traversal through the Depths requires creative use of Link’s arm-based powers and careful resource planning. Mazes in the game are structured as three-part trials spanning ground, sky, and depths — a design that GBAtemp (hardware review site) says feels “less stressful” than Breath of the Wild’s Guardian-focused challenges.

Comparison to Other Zelda Titles

The franchise has long included region-specific naming conventions for difficulty, with American versions sometimes featuring harder effective settings than Japanese releases, according to Tropedia (community wiki). Within Tears of the Kingdom itself, regional bosses vary in challenge: player-compiled rankings suggest Gloom represents the easiest encounter while Colgera presents the highest difficulty among Regional Phenomenon bosses.

What Is the Hardest Zelda Game?

Debates about difficulty across the Zelda franchise draw on different eras and platforms. For the Switch generation specifically, Tears of the Kingdom and Breath of the Wild represent the current benchmark due to their open-world design and survival elements.

Switch Era Rankings

The absence of explicit difficulty settings in both Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom places them among the more challenging entries for completionists. According to community-compiled boss rankings, Colgera ranks as the toughest Regional Phenomenon boss, followed by Queen Gibdo, Molduga, and Gloom as increasingly accessible encounters.

Tears of the Kingdom Position

Among current-gen Zelda titles, Tears of the Kingdom’s challenge profile mirrors its predecessor but adds the optional Depths as a harder alternative path. For players who engage with the Depths, shrines, and side content, the game offers substantial challenge — but the main story remains navigable for a range of skill levels.

Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Release Date and Price

Tears of the Kingdom launched on May 12, 2023, exclusively for Nintendo Switch. The game carries a suggested retail price that varies by region and retailer, with physical and digital editions available through the Nintendo eShop and authorized retailers.

Original Release

As a Nintendo Switch exclusive, the game launched to strong sales and critical reception in 2023. Initial reviews praised the expansive world and new mechanics, with Digitally Downloaded (independent games publication) calling it “highly iterative” on Breath of the Wild’s formula while noting “cool new mechanics” that freshen the experience.

Current Pricing and Switch 2 Edition

Nintendo announced a Switch 2 Edition upgrade pack for the game, releasing June 4, 2025. This enhanced version improves performance and adds visual features like HDR support, as documented by TechRadar (technology review outlet). Players with access to Nintendo Switch 2 hardware can purchase the upgrade to experience Tears of the Kingdom with smoother frame rates and improved graphics.

The sequel is bigger and better than Breath of the Wild in every way.

— Inverse Reviewer For a full breakdown of the film, read our Bad Boys Ride or Die movie review. Bad Boys Ride or Die movie review

Zelda Tears of the Kingdom Map, Walkthrough and Age Rating

The game covers Hyrule with 20 distinct regions, each offering unique environments, shrines, and side content. Interactive map features allow players to track shrines, side quests, and fast-travel points throughout the world.

Interactive Map Features

Players can access detailed map views showing surface terrain, sky islands, and the Depths. The regional structure includes areas like North Central Hyrule and South Central Hyrule, with villages showing changes from the previous game that add narrative variety.

Age Rating Details

The game holds a Teen rating from the ESRB, consistent with fantasy combat and mild thematic elements. Parents should note that younger players may need guidance with certain puzzle mechanics and combat encounters.

PC Availability

No official PC version of Tears of the Kingdom has been announced. The game remains a Nintendo Switch exclusive, and players seeking PC access have no legitimate options through official channels. Fans curious about the “Zelda Tears of the Kingdom PC” question will find no confirmation from Nintendo.

Tears of the Kingdom is an outstanding game that offers an incredible experience, but it runs afoul of the Switch’s ancient hardware.

— Karak ACG (YouTube Reviewer)

Having spent over 70 hours exploring the vast region of Hyrule in glorious HDR, I can’t recommend this game enough.

— TechRadar Reviewer

Related reading: Russell 2000 Index: Chart, Holdings & S&P 500 Comparison · Better Call Saul: As Good as Breaking Bad? Watch Order & Guide

Frequently asked questions