The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Store

As Nintendo’s proudest exclusive game series, The Legend of Zelda has always been considered one of the best action-adventure games by many players who enjoy non-linear exploration, especially Tears of the Kingdom, which is among the best of the best.

Even today, many new players are eager to try their luck and create their own legend on the continent of Hyrule. If you’re one of them, then the comprehensive beginner’s guide to The Legend of Zelda TotK is a must-read. With the help here, you will no longer lose your way.

1. Prepare Archaic Warm Greaves in Advance

Upon first entering Zelda Tears of the Kingdom, you will be teleported to Great Sky Island to familiarize yourself with the game mechanics. This is the initial tutorial area where you will probably spend 1-2 hours exploring. Here, your first challenge is how to keep Link’s body temperature in the cold game environment.

Many new players will choose to consume Spicy Peppers and sunshrooms or use healing potions made from other TLoZ TOTK items such as warm darner dragonflies, but these only provide temporary relief. The most direct method is to find some clothing, such as Archaic Warm Greaves from the area.

This warm item requires you to first traverse the snow-covered, frigid eastern part of the island and reach Gutanbac Shrine to obtain Ascend ability, which can be used on a wooden platform extending from a huge hollow tree trunk atop the mountain outside the shrine.

In the corner of this, you will find a green zonaite chest, which contains Archaic Warm Greaves. Under its protection, all freezing effects in the basic cold regions can be automatically eliminated; combined with some other methods of keeping warm just introduced, you can easily survive the coldest environment on the island.

2. Focus on every Zonai Device Dispenses

For beginners, Zonai Devices might be a bit unfamiliar. It is a general term for the items and devices that Link can use in the game, including fans, gliders, and portable cooking pots. These devices usually appear in various locations as combat drops or wreckage, but the most effective way to use them is to summon them at any time using Dispenses.

These large spheres, which look like toy machines, are filled with capsules. You can easily obtain some by defeating Constructs or looting broken relics as long as you invest in Zonai Charges, which are essential materials for each summon. By the way, you don’t need to worry about collecting too many capsules, as there is no limit to the number you can carry in your bag.

Before heading from Great Sky Islan to the surface, be sure to interact with the two dispensers in the area to acquire more items such as fans, which they can use when they encounter abandoned vehicles that need help to push, and hang gliders, which are convenient for traversing between the sky islands.

It’s worth noting that each Device Dispenser offers a limited variety of devices, so you should always keep an eye out for device transmitters throughout Hyrule continent to ensure you have access to a wider range of devices in any situation.

3. Prioritize Completing Main Story Quest

After exploring the tutorial area, you’ll arrive at Kingdom of Hyrule, a vast area with no invisible walls obstructing your movement. However, before proceeding, complete Crisis at Hyrule Castle quest. This is an early brief adventure in The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom, which requires you to thoroughly search the remains left on the surface of Hyrule Castle.

During this process, you will encounter very few enemies, and as long as you are equipped with a high-level TOTK weapon, you will not be threatened. After dealing with them briefly, head to First Gatehouse and Dining Hall, where you can find plenty of resources and crafting materials. However, the benefits this quest brings you are far more than that.

There are more high-value rewards to collect in Guard’s Chamber, but there is a guard standing outside the room who will not let you in until you advance the story. If you want to skip the story and sneak over directly, you can look for the balcony on the ridge above the city gate tower, which could pose a risk of falling, please be careful. Once you get close to the entrance of Guard’s Chamber, the two powerful Black Bokoblins will begin attacking you. 

At this point, your only option is to run. Run along the left-hand corridor to the second passage on the left, and they will stop chasing you. After entering the room, go directly to the right, go around the broken stairs and climb to the back of the room. Then, use Ultrahand to build a temporary bridge to reach the corner, where you will find a treasure chest containing Royal Guard Uniform, which will give you 4 Defense.

4. Get Horse

In the early stages of the game, it’s difficult to build a car or learn to fly using the available materials. Therefore, a reliable horse is essential for navigating the surface. Normally, you can find a horse colony west of Lookout Landing. Please note that these horses are very easily startled, so please slow down when approaching them or simply jump from a nearby tower to launch an airstrike.

Although air raids may startle them, it’s easy to handle; simply use your remaining stamina to hold down L button to calm them down. If you run out of stamina, you can use stamina-restoring food before an air raid. Once you have tamed the horse, you can drive it to Riverside Stable in the southeast and settle it there.

As you progress through the game, the more new locations you visit, the more horses you board, and the more rewards you can obtain from Stables. By the way, if you’re a big fan of the series and own Breath of the Wild, all the horses you board there will be kept and ready for you to ride.

Above are four things that new players should pay special attention to in The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom, along with their corresponding details. Of course, the risks and challenges in this open world with its non-linear quests don’t stop there; the rest is up to you to explore with Link. Have fun playing!