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Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom guides, walkthroughs, and FAQs

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is finally here. Already one of our favorite Zelda games of all time and a confirmed spectacular sequel to 2017’s The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, this is a Hyrule adventure that players are going to spend hundreds of hours completing. While hunting down Ganondorf, Link will have to find hundreds of shrines, explore the Sky Islands and a massive underground world beneath Hyrule’s great fields, and fight off enemies of all kinds while mastering new abilities and skills.

It’s dangerous to go alone! Take advantage of our guides.

With a game this massive, everyone is going to run into spots where they need a little help. We’re publishing guides on everything under the Hylian sun — from where to find the game’s best weapons and how to boost your health to Link’s finest outfits and special horses. This guides hub will grow as we play the game more, so be sure to return when you’ve run into tough spots or have questions.

Before you start playing

Link glides with a Majora's Mask-themed glider in Tears of the Kingdom.

There’s plenty you can do to prepare for an epic Hyrule adventure before you even start playing Tears of the Kingdom. Check out these guides to get a feel for the game, find the best deals, and learn more about this entry’s place in the Legend of Zelda franchise before you start playing.

Guides

Link holding heart container in Tears of the Kingdom.

Tears of the Kingdom is all about exploration and finding your own path — but sometimes it’s a lot easier just to look up the answer. If you’re stuck and need a bit of help finding a specific weapon or horse, or solving a challenging puzzle, we’ve got your back. Check out our complete list of walkthroughs and how-tos below:

Gear and stats

Locations

Collectibles

FAQs

Hetsu in Tears of the Kingdom.

There are going to be a lot of questions regarding playing Tears of the Kingdom as more players get into the new story — we’ll tackle those as best as we can here as questions pop up.

Editors' Recommendations

Sam Hill
Sam Hill is a journalist and the gaming guides editor at Digital Trends. He's also written tech guides for Input and has…
Does Tears of the Kingdom have traditional Zelda dungeons?
Link stands in front of a large stone structure in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.

Before The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom's launch, there was one question that fans kept asking: Would the sequel bring back traditional Zelda dungeons? That was something that was sorely lacking from Breath of the Wild, which replaced them with Divine Beasts. These were technically dungeons, but ones that were much smaller in scope and revolved around specific puzzling.

Nintendo would alleviate some fears days ahead of its launch by confirming that more familiar dungeons return for the sequel, but we weren't given a full idea of what that would entail. All we knew is that they'd be bigger and be themed. So, does Tears of the Kingdom actually usher in the return of classic Zelda dungeons? It's complicated. The answer is firmly between yes and no, depending on your definition of "traditional."
What are traditional Zelda dungeons?
Let's answer a tricky question first: What do we even mean when we say "traditional Zelda dungeon." That question will net you very different answers depending on who you ask. When I conducted an informal poll on the subject on social media, I found that no two answers were exactly alike. For some, it was just about scale and theme. For others, it was more about using specific items to gradually open up a space.

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Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom: how to open the Sahasra Slope Skyview Tower
A tower stands against a skyline in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.

As was the case in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, the Hyrule map in Tears of the Kingdom will only be revealed by activating towers. There are 15 Skyview Towers located across Hyrule, most of which can be opened simply by walking inside and interacting with a panel. However, a select few force Link to solve a specific puzzle or complete a short quest first.

The most confusing of those comes from the Sahasra Slope Skyview Tower. Link will have to complete a mission to gain access to the tower, but the quest-giver deliberately misleads players. It's a funny moment, but one that may leave players frustrated. If you don't feel like knocking your head against the wall, here's what you need to know.
How to unlock the Sahasra Slope Skyview Tower

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Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom: how to trade Poes and all Bargainer’s Statue locations
Poes sit near a waterfall in The Legend of Zelda: tears of the Kingdom.

Despite taking place on the same map, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of Kingdom isn't just a direct copy-and-paste of Breath of the Wild. It brings a lot of new content to the formula, from mechanics like Zonai batteries to iconic enemies like Gleooks. It even brings back some notable Zelda staples that were suspiciously absent from its predecessor. Chief among them? Poes.

Poes are one of the Zelda series' most iconic enemies. These ghosts have appeared in most major Zelda games following A Link to the Past, so it was strange that we never saw them in Breath of the Wild. They make their grand return in Tears of the Kingdom, but they're not the ghostly enemies you remember from previous games. Rather, they're a resource that can be used to buy special items. Here's everything you need to know about Poes, including where to trade them.
What are Poes in Tears of the Kingdom?
When you first dive into Hyrule's underground area, you'll probably notice tons of blue-and-white wisps scattered around the surface in patches. Those wisps are Tears of the Kingdom's version of Poes. Yes, the classic enemy is now a simple item that you can collect.

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