Is Tears of the Kingdom a sequel or prequel?

Is Tears of the Kingdom a sequel or prequel?
Alex Raisbeck Updated on by

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Is Tears of the Kingdom a sequel? The Zelda series is packed with games, but relatively few sequels, so you might want to know where the latest entry slots in. With the deep story and lore Zelda games are known for, it’s important for Zelda fans to know where The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom fits in relation to the rest.

We’ve got the lowdown on whether Tears of the Kingdom is a sequel, so you can go into exploring Hyrule’s new Tears of the Kingdom map and learn how to get across it fast with all the Tears of the Kingdom Skyview Tower locations.

Tears of the Kingdom sequel: A close-up of Link with a bright open sky in the background.

Is Tears of the Kingdom a sequel to Breath of the Wild?

Yes, Tears of the Kingdom is a sequel to 2017’s The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. BotW is set in a future Hyrule, in which Link is faced with defeating Calamity Ganon, a manifestation of Ganondorf’s evil energy which has corrupted Hyrule Castle and trapped Zelda. If you want to know how old Link is in the latest game in the Zelda franchise, then you can find out about Link’s age here.

Tears of the Kingdom is set in the aftermath of this, with Link and Zelda becoming separated while exploring Hyrule, and Ganondorf being fully resurrected. The game will focus on Link’s journey to defeat Ganondorf and rescue Hyrule from his malice, an adventure that will see him wield weapons, solves puzzles, engage in thrilling combat, and make use a brand new set of abilities.

Aside from a few exceptions, most Zelda titles do not receive direct sequels, making the Nintendo Switch Tears of the Kingdom somewhat of an outlier. Given BotW’s major success, though, it’s not hard to see why Nintendo have chosen to give it a follow-up so soon.

That’s what you need to know about the latest entry in the Legend of Zelda series. Now, get playing the game and remember to check out the long list of Tears of the Kingdom abilities and how they form a central part of the gameplay. These include the likes of, the Tears of the Kingdom Ultrahand, Tears of the Kingdom Fuse, Tears of the Kingdom Ascend, and Tears of the Kingdom Recall.

Does Tears of the Kingdom take place after BOTW?

Yes, Tears of the Kingdom follows on from Link’s adventure in the 2019 game.

Does Tears of the Kingdom use the same graphics engine as BOTW?

It certainly appears so. In fact, it’s likely built on a version of Nintendo’s internal engine called “LunchPack”.