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"Link gets an ancient-tech ATV/combine/dragster" was not in most people's list of likely content in
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
. (credit: Nintendo)
Today's Nintendo Direct livestream gave those with sky-high but long-deferred
Zelda
hopes just enough to stay excited: ominous tones, real gameplay footage, a tease at a playable Zelda, and a definitive May 12 release date and pre-order offer. And, not for nothing, a $70 price tag.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
was
announced in mid-2019
, given
a May 2023 release date
, and had most of its details held back until today. At the end of
Nintendo's regular showcase
, Nintendo loosened the leash a bit on the
Breath of the Wild
sequel. Speaking over footage of dark, misty, eternally beset Hyrule, archvillain Ganon speaks in his best after-school-cartoon-villain mode: "Rise, rise, my servants. Sweep over Hyrule. Eliminate this kingdom and her allies. Leave no survivors!"
The February 8 Nintendo Direct, with more games than you can keep up with at typing speed (ask me how I know).
In the quick-cut moments that follow, you can see familiar elements, like Sheikah technology, the blood moon, hang-gliding, and horse-riding. But there's also rail-riding, blimp floating, a four-wheeler, a quad copter-like glider, the Hyrule equivalent of a rocket launcher, a high-tech glove, and, again, a real release date. Toward the end, Zelda's voice says, "Link, lend me your power," offering a loose but still real hint that the princess could be playable in this title.