Tears of the Kingdom map reveal – is it the same map as Breath of the Wild?

Is the Tears of the Kingdom map the same as Breath of the Wild? With TotK now fully released, we have a much better understanding of how Nintendo has switched up the map compared to the previous Zelda entry. While a lot has changed, a lot hasn’t and Hyrule will be more than familiar for those that played BotW.

Here’s everything we know so far about the map in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom to supplement all the details for the new Tears of the Kingdom enemies and Tears of the Kingdom abilities.

Is Tears of the Kingdom the same map as Breath of the Wild?

Tears of the Kingdom is set among the peaks, grasslands, lakes, and gullies of Hyrule, the same setting as Breath of the Wild. However, the Tears of the Kingdom map is packed with plenty of new features, notably with an emphasis on verticality through Sky Islands and an undeground area known as the Depths.

Tears of the Kingdom surface

The Tears of the Kingdom surface is largely the same as in BotW. While there are some changes to keep the game fresh, like the new Lookout Landing settlement, you’ll recognise the majority of the settlements and areas you come across. One major change is the addition of Skyview Towers. Replacing the Sheikah Towers from BotW, they not only provide the map for the surrounding area, but also act as a cannon to shoot Link high into the sky.

Another change is that, while Shrines make a return in TotK, it’s a whole new set. The previous 120 Shrines have been completely replaced with a new set of 152 Shrines, 120 of which are on the surface. Each of these Shrines features a new set of puzzles to beat, focusing on the new abilities added to the game.

Finally, caves play a much bigger role in TotK, being a great place to find unique items and enemies. You can also dive down into wells which act as mini-caves. Each cave and well visited is marked on your map, giving you a great incentive for exploration.

Tears of the Kingdom Sky Islands

One of the biggest changes introduced to the Hyrule map in Tears of the Kingdom is the addition of a sky region. Here you’ll find Sky Islands, which are floating islands perched high up in the skies.

These are reasonably extensive areas with their own Shrines, waterways, waterfalls, points of interest, unique vegetation, enemies, and more. They come in various sizes, from single boulders to conglomerations of islands joined together to form larger landmasses

There are two main ways to reach Sky Islands in Tears of the Kingdom. The first is using Skyview Towers to shoot yourself into the sky. The second is to use Link’s new Recall ability. Occasionally, large rocks will fall from the sky, and Link can rewind their time to fly them back up to the Sky Islands they fell from.

Tears of the Kingdom Depths

Opposite the Sky Islands is a brand-new area called the Depths. This area underground Hyrule spans the entire map, and acts as a mirror of the surface. Mountains on the surface are valleys in the Depths, and vice versa. While completely dark at first, you can activate Lightroots scattered across the area to light up an area around each one, letting you explore the Depths bit by bit.

That covers everything we know so far about The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom map. Check out our Tears of the Kingdom Recall and Tears of the Kingdom Fuse explainer guides to find out some more about Link’s brand-new abilities.