The Legend Of Zelda: BotW Vs TotK: Which Is The Best Game?

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Since the launch of Tears of the Kingdom, the Zelda community has found itself divided, as some enthusiasts argue that Breath of the Wild remains superior, while others passionately defend the newer release.

It can be challenging to decide which is superior because both offer unique aspects, particularly when it comes to the level of creativity and customization they provide in their open-world settings. Fortunately, both games are excellent representations within the series.

2017 saw The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild sweep numerous awards due to its abundance of fresh elements. Tears of the Kingdom, too, was a serious contender for the 2023 Game of the Year, but it ultimately fell short against Baldur’s Gate 3.

Before delving into a comparison between these two exceptional games, it’s crucial to note that they stand among the greatest video games ever created, not merely within their respective series. If an opportunity arises for you to experience them, I highly recommend doing so.

One could easily agree that Tears of the Kingdom owes its existence to Breath of the Wild. However, it’s important to acknowledge the numerous areas where the sequel made significant improvements over its predecessor.

10.
Visuals

Tie

In both Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, the graphics seem quite similar.

In essence, Tears of the Kingdom offers slightly enhanced detail, a difference that becomes apparent when you compare the two games directly.

One advantage of Breath of the Wild over Tears of the Kingdom, despite being six years its senior, is that upon replaying the former after experiencing the latter, you won’t perceive it as a step back in quality.

Regardless if you’re galloping across open fields reminiscent of Hyrule, scaling mountains, or battling hordes of Bokoblins, the game’s immersive experience will make it seem familiar and welcoming, whether you started playing it first or transitioned from another game.

9.
Open World

Tears of the Kingdom

Regarding the Open World concept, Tears of the Kingdom offers numerous enhancements compared to its predecessor. Not only can you delve into the surface, but you’re also granted access to traverse the Skies and dive into the Depths.

It’s clear that Depths doesn’t offer a significant advantage in this debate, as it comes with certain shortcomings. Its main issue lies in its monotony; it seems quite redundant and offers limited opportunities for exploration.

To effectively explore the underground, it’s important to cultivate brightbloom seeds prior to your journey as well.

Although it’s the least powerful part of the game, there’s still value to be found in this area. For instance, you can gather prime weapons and Zonaite Depposits here.

After setting aside the depth offered by “Breath of the Wild,” the current game world appears more abundant and rich in detail. The Sky Islands, in particular, were enjoyable and presented a variety of intriguing puzzles.

As such, Tears of the Kingdom takes the win here.

8.
Shrines

Breath of the Wild

If you prefer puzzles with a good level of difficulty, then the Shrines in Breath of the Wild might have been just right for you, as some found those in Tears of the Kingdom to be too straightforward at times.

It seems that by employing these skills appropriately, I found it simpler to circumvent the challenges posed by the puzzles. Although it’s delightful that there isn’t a single solution required to crack them, the presence of these skills arguably made the puzzles less challenging than they were intended to be.

In contrast to what might have been expected, the shrines in Breath of the Wild weren’t necessarily easy; on the contrary, they presented quite a challenge. For instance, one such shrine, Shora Hah, offered an enjoyable experience as it encouraged creativity by allowing players to use their torch and bow to light multiple blue flames in an interesting way.

Alternatively, you might come across an item called StarPath, with no initial hint other than “Seek wisdom from the cosmos; the star patterns hold the answer.” In ten minutes, you’d likely find yourself watching a tutorial as this clue seems cryptic and unclear.

Additionally, the temple designs in Breath of the Wild appear more captivating compared to the rocky structures in Tears of the Kingdom, providing yet another compelling argument for its superiority.

7.
Temples

Tears of the Kingdom

In comparison to previous Zelda games, it seems that the dungeons in Breath of the Wild might not be as robust or challenging as the temples were. Even the Divine Beasts, when put side by side with past dungeon designs, don’t present the same level of difficulty.

One exception to note: The Divine Beast Vah Naboris, or the Camel Megazord, was particularly challenging. However, contrastingly, Vah Medoh is quite straightforward and can be completed within a range of 10-30 minutes even on your initial playthrough.

Regarding Vah Ruta and Vah Rudania, they were suitable for their level of challenge. But in contrast, the temples found in Tears of the Kingdom didn’t always follow this trend. This game does have an issue with overly simple dungeons, particularly its Water Temple. However, the other temples are generally well-designed and more challenging.

Although modern games like Twilight Princess and Ocarina of Time don’t completely replicate the traditional temple experience from older times, the developers seemed to strive hard to make the temples in Tears of the Kingdom as authentic as they could.

Additionally, I’d like to mention that I found the pre-dungeon challenges and boss battles in Tears of the Kingdom to be particularly well-executed. Consequently, when it comes to dungeons or temples, it takes the lead.

6.
Link’s Abilities

Tears of the Kingdom

In Tears of the Kingdom, Link’s capabilities surpass those seen previously, with Ultrahand being an enhanced form of Magnesis that allows for immediate manipulation of various items, eliminating the need to search for metallic objects first.

Beyond this, Ultrahand offers the ability to adhere multiple items together. This expansion in creativity enhances gameplay significantly, allowing you to construct diverse structures such as a bridge for crossing over to different areas, or an intricate trap to keep pesky Bokoblins at bay, ensuring the peace and tranquility of Hyrule continues undisturbed.

Recalling a projectile to fire back at an enemy is quite intriguing. It’s not that Stasis wasn’t useful; once upgraded, it allows you to freeze enemies as well.

Many gamers are reminiscing about Cryosis, an intriguing feature that allowed players to create ice pillars within water bodies. However, Ascend streamlines movement significantly more.

To put it simply, it’s undeniable that we all yearn for the return of Remote Bombs, given their convenience without needing to cultivate Bomb Flowers. Nevertheless, Fuse isn’t entirely unwelcome due to its utility in significant aspects.

Initially, it allows you to combine weapons, boosting both their power and longevity. Moreover, it offers a purpose for the Chuchu jellies that have been accumulating in your storage.

Given Link’s expanded skill set in Tears of the Kingdom, it seems fitting that he takes the victory here.

5.
Champions’ Powers

Breath of the Wild

It came as a surprise that the abilities of the Champions or Sages in Tears of the Kingdom seemed less potent compared to the original game, particularly because their usage was so well-executed in the first place.

Initially, there’s no need for you to pursue the Champion whose abilities you desire; they become accessible when they are ready on their own. The task of chasing after the Sages was quite burdensome, as a small mistake could lead to activating Yunobu’s summon rather than Riju’s.

Additionally, it seems the Sages’ abilities sometimes felt uncomfortable or unfamiliar. However, Tulin’s powers stand out as particularly versatile. Not only can you guide Link with his wind blast while gliding, but this ability can also repel adversaries.

Besides Tulin, the abilities of the other Sages seemed quite unusual. On the other hand, using Revali’s gust, Daruk’s shield, and Urbosa’s wrath was remarkably straightforward, and you had full command over these powers at all times.

If my previous points about the Champions’ powers not persuading you of their superiority don’t do the trick, let me offer two words that might change your mind: Mipha’s Grace. In case you find yourself in battle with no hope for survival, fear not; Mipha’s grace ensures a second chance at life.

When it comes to Champions’ powers, Breath of the Wild wins this bout by a landslide.

4.
Creative Ways To Play

Tears of the Kingdom

Upon its release, Breath of the Wild sparked an abundance of videos showcasing players demonstrating their creativity in devising unique methods for defeating enemies or navigating from one location to another.

In Hyrule, there are numerous creative methods to engage with the monsters, such as employing Magnesis to lower a metallic item onto them, or activating Stasis and charging an object to hurl it at them. It’s not just about combat; these strategies encompass a variety of unique approaches.

One popular method for navigating involves a technique called “Bullet Time Bounce”. In this maneuver, you initially halt an opponent, then leap onto them from a great height using a shield jump while simultaneously activating bullet time with the ZR key. This action propels you forward.

In Tears of the Kingdom, the Ultrahand feature continues to surprise and delight, offering fresh experiences each time you play, ensuring no two games are ever quite the same.

Instead of relying on established designs such as building a hover bike with two fans and one steering mechanism, consider experimenting with innovative creations, for instance, constructing a vehicle out of a single wooden plank, four miniature wheels, and a steering stick.

Or perhaps, if you’re seeking excitement, consider constructing a robust and mighty hydraulic press capable of defeating formidable foes like Hinox and Lynels. If you have a penchant for mecha, you could instead design complex machines tailored for Bokoblin annihilation.

Regardless of whether you’re seeking a more serious or humorous experience, Ultrahand stands out as the top choice for Tears of the Kingdom.

3.
Memories Hunt

Breath of the Wild

Memories play a vital role in shaping the narratives of both these games. In terms of cutscenes alone, they could have easily been considered equal, as each one effectively reflects its own game.

Instead, in Breath of the Wild, Princess Zelda utilized the Sheikah Slate to take various photographs throughout her adventure with Link and the Champions, which proved more effective than Tears of the Kingdom’s method.

By examining the images, you can roughly guess the places depicted. This method effectively encouraged players to discover these locations. Although you might have easily found their precise positions online, the joy of finding them independently was quite fulfilling.

In Tears of the Kingdom, this particular aspect was absent; what was provided instead were Dragon’s tears. While the concept wasn’t inherently flawed, it actually simplified the process of retrieving memories due to the presence of Geoglyphs, which made them more noticeable.

However, since the order of exploration might lead to accidental spoilers due to random encounters, there’s always a slight chance of unintentional spoiling.

In Breath of the Wild, finding memory locations wasn’t just a difficult task, but an enjoyable one as well. Therefore, it takes the prize for this round.

2.
Final Boss Fight

Tears of the Kingdom

To begin, it’s worth noting that both Breath of the Wild (BotW) and Tears of the Kingdom (TotK) share a similar approach in their boss fights: they utilized a recognizable version of Ganon or Ganondorf during one phase, while introducing a completely new design for another. This strategy offers a sense of familiarity while still presenting something new, ensuring a balance that aligns well with the legacy of previous games.

In The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, during the initial encounter with Calamity Ganon, his health drops significantly, by half, if you have previously completed the Divine Beasts. Although I found his character design intriguing, this aspect of the battle left me feeling somewhat unsatisfied.

Currently, I wouldn’t anticipate a Zelda game to deliver the same degree of challenge as Dark Souls during a boss battle. However, encountering a boss when he was only halfway through his health felt somewhat anticlimactic.

In the second phase, we fight Dark Beast Ganon, which is somehow worse than Calamity Ganon.

It was pleasant to observe Ganon in his traditional pig-like shape, but this aspect didn’t add much excitement since the battle primarily involved waiting for Zelda to create the sigils around him, which required promptly firing arrows with the Bow of Light.

Fortunately, they rectified their past errors and enhanced the experience involving Ganondorf in Tears of the Kingdom. To begin with, the initial stage of the battle consists of two phases. In the first phase, you engage in a one-on-one combat with the Demon King Ganondorf, known as “The Menace Unleashed”.

During the second stage, known as “Master of the Secret Stone,” Ganondorf generates duplicates of himself, but the sages intervene by distracting these clones. As a result, you and Ganondorf start with equal health, making the battle more balanced.

In the second round, battling the Demon Dragon seemed straightforward, but given that you had previously faced a rather tough contest in the initial phase, this later fight appeared to be more for dramatic effect, making it less disappointing.

So, for the final boss fight, Tears of the Kingdom is the winner.

1.
Winner

Tears of the Kingdom

Initially, I assumed Tears of the Kingdom would effortlessly triumph in this comparison. However, upon revisiting both games, I found myself impressed by how well Breath of the Wild kept pace with its successor.

If asked to make a choice or suggest one over the other, I’d still opt for Tears of the Kingdom. To me, it addressed some issues that Breath of the Wild had, yet neither game is subpar in my opinion. I have fondness for both, but they don’t hold equal appeal for me.

Among Tears of the Kingdom’s many strengths, two stand out as particularly impressive: Ultrahand functionality and Zonai Devices. These innovative additions could well be considered the crown jewels of the Zelda series, offering endless possibilities for creation and exploration. Whether you enjoy designing your own items or marveling at the creations of others, these features have a way of captivating players for hours on end without ever feeling tedious.

Despite the tight race, I’m delighted that Tears of the Kingdom emerged victorious. However, do I believe it to be the best Zelda game ever made? For me, no, that accolade still goes to Ocarina of Time. But is Tears of the Kingdom a close second? Most definitely!

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2025-05-24 21:10