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If you are looking for information on the accessibility options in Tears of the Kingdom, then don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.
Tears of the Kingdom is the latest release in the Legend of Zelda series. It is the sequel to the hugely successful Breath of the Wild. While new features such as Link’s new Ultrahand and Fuse ability have been introduced, there’s been little confirmation along the lines of which accessibility options will feature. Regardless, based on the Tears of the Kingdom accessibility report for Tears of the Kingdom on the Family Gaming Database, we have collated the information provided into a list with explanations for each one.
Let’s get into it.
Tears of the Kingdom
What are the accessibility options in Tears of the Kingdom?
We’ve separated the accessibility options reported to be in Tears of the Kingdom into three main sections. These are: Controls, Game Progress, and Text and Audio. The options that have been identified are:
- Controls
- Multiple Buttons and Two sticks
- View Control Mapping
- Motion Aiming
- Motion Tilting
- Game Progress
- Tutorials
- Recipe Cards
- Save Progress Anytime
- Head-Up Display Navigation
- Game Map
- Clear Mission Objectives
- Text and Audio
- Key Stage 3/8th Grade reading comprehension level
- Speaker Indicator
- Some Voice Acted Dialogue
Let’s explore these options in a bit more detail.
Controls
Multiple Buttons and Two sticks
There are multiple button and two sticks that can be used to play and navigate Tears of the Kingdom.
View Control Mapping
A map the controls and their functions can be brought up and overlayed over the screen. This allows you to remind yourself of which buttons correspond to which function.
Motion Aiming
The gamepad can be used as both a fine-tuner or the main mechanism for aiming within the game and requires only small movements.
Motion Tilting
Tilting the gamepad can be used in place of the two sticks for steering or other simple movement in-game.
Game Progress
Tutorials
Tutorials are provided at the start of the game informing players of how to play. These are clear and easy to follow.
Recipe Cards
Combinations of materials can be saved on recipe cards which are accessible within gameplay, reducing the amount of information that must be actively remembered.
Save Progress Anytime
An auto-save function automatically saves progress and you can manually save at any point without having to reach a save-point.
Head-Up Display Navigation
Arrows, mini-maps and markers are overlaid onto the screen indicating where to go next. You can also unlock an ability to emit a sound that will sonically indicate your closeness to a Shrine dungeon.
Game Map
You can view a map of the game at any point. On the map, locations and missions are displayed providing a clear sense of direction and navigation for the player.
Clear Mission Objectives
Clear instructions are provided on which missions can or cannot be attempted at any point, and which missions the player should head to next.
Text and Audio
Key Stage 3/8th Grade reading comprehension level
The reading required within this game is roughly around a fourteen-year-old’s general level. This is around Key Stage 3 (for the UK) or 8th Grade (for the US).
Speaker Indicator
The speaker is indicated in one of three ways: in text captions, using character icons, or through visually indicative speech bubbles.
Some Voice Acted Dialogue
Some of the narrative and dialogue is provided through voice acted audio. This is not an option to enable throughout the game, however it does lessen the visual reading load.
It is also worth noting that Tears of the Kingdom is only playable on Switch family consoles. These are the Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch Lite, and Nintendo Switch OLED model. You can find information on how to change the access/system settings for Nintendo Switch on Nintendo’s website here.
We’re going to be keeping this page updated with information as it comes in, so make sure to check back in periodically to make sure you stay up-to-date.
Frequently Asked Questions
We know that this is an issue that many people have questions that they would like answers to about. With that in mind, we’ve done our best to answer some of your most pressing questions below.
Does Tears of the Kingdom have subtitles?
Tears of the Kingdom has a mixture of visual text-based dialogue, and voice acted narration and dialogue.
Does Tears of the Kingdom have an audio description option?
No. Tears of the Kingdom does not have an audio description option. However some of the narration and dialogue is voice acted.
