Can You Keep Playing Tears of the Kingdom After Beating Ganondorf?
Yes, absolutely! After defeating Ganondorf in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (TotK), you can continue playing in the same world. However, it’s not exactly a “post-game” in the traditional sense.
What Happens After You Defeat Ganondorf?
When you triumph over Ganondorf, you’ll be treated to the ending cutscene, which wraps up the main storyline. After the credits roll, the game saves, and you’re returned to the main menu. Upon reloading your save file, you’ll find yourself back in Hyrule before the final battle. Ganondorf will still be a threat looming in the distance, and you can re-challenge him whenever you like.
No Direct Post-Game World State
The game doesn’t transform Hyrule into a “peaceful” post-Ganondorf state. The monsters, gloom, and challenges remain. This might disappoint some players hoping for a dramatically altered world, but it allows you to continue exploring and completing the myriad of side quests, shrines, and other activities that might have been left unfinished. The reason for this design choice is likely to prevent locking players out of content that might be challenging or impossible to complete in a post-game world, particularly certain quests that rely on the active conflict with Ganondorf’s forces.
What Does Carry Over?
Despite the lack of a complete world change, defeating Ganondorf does have some significant effects:
- Star on Your Save File: A star appears next to your save file, indicating that you’ve completed the main story. This is a badge of honor and a visual indicator of your accomplishment.
- Completion Percentage: Your map screen will now display a percentage showing how much of the game you’ve completed. This includes shrines, caves, wells, Korok seeds, and more. This is a significant addition for completionists, giving you a tangible goal to work towards.
- Kilton’s Medals: You can now obtain medals from Kilton for defeating specific types of monsters. This provides new challenges and rewards for those seeking to further test their combat skills.
- Photo Updates: You can purchase photos from Robbie at the Hateno Ancient Tech Lab. This is a new feature to enjoy once you have defeated Ganondorf.
Why Continue Playing?
Even though the world state doesn’t drastically change, there are plenty of reasons to keep playing after defeating Ganondorf:
- Complete Side Quests and Adventures: You can finish any side quests, shrine quests, or other adventures you might have missed. TotK is packed with content, and it’s unlikely you’ll have seen everything on your first playthrough.
- Find All the Shrines: With 152 shrines scattered across Hyrule, there’s a good chance you haven’t found them all. Completing the shrines rewards you with Light of Blessings, which increase your health and stamina.
- Collect Korok Seeds: There are a whopping 1000 Korok seeds hidden throughout the world. Finding them all is a significant challenge for even the most dedicated players.
- Upgrade Your Gear: You can continue upgrading your armor and weapons to make Link even more powerful.
- Explore and Discover: Hyrule is a vast and beautiful world filled with secrets to uncover. Even after defeating Ganondorf, there are still new places to explore and discoveries to be made.
- Kilton’s Monster Medals: Earn the medals for completing specific types of monsters, which is only possible after defeating Ganondorf.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some frequently asked questions related to playing Tears of the Kingdom after defeating Ganondorf:
1. Do I lose my progress after defeating Ganondorf?
No, you do not lose your progress. The game saves right before the final boss fight, and you’re returned to that point after the credits roll. All your items, upgrades, and completed quests remain intact.
2. Can I fight Ganondorf again?
Yes, you can fight Ganondorf as many times as you like. Simply return to the final boss location, and you can re-challenge him.
3. Does the world become peaceful after defeating Ganondorf?
No, the world doesn’t become peaceful. Monsters and gloom still exist, allowing you to continue exploring and battling enemies.
4. What does the star on my save file mean?
The star indicates that you have completed the main story by defeating Ganondorf.
5. Does defeating Ganondorf unlock any new abilities?
While you don’t get entirely new abilities, defeating Ganondorf unlocks the ability to get completion percentage for the entire game in the map.
6. Can I still complete side quests after beating Ganondorf?
Yes, you can complete all remaining side quests after defeating Ganondorf.
7. Are there any new quests that unlock after defeating Ganondorf?
Kilton’s monster medals become available, presenting a new series of challenges involving defeating specific monster types.
8. Does the ending change if I complete more side quests before fighting Ganondorf again?
No, the ending doesn’t change based on your progress after the first completion. The ending is the same each time you defeat Ganondorf after the initial victory.
9. What is the completion percentage on the map?
The completion percentage is a measure of how much of the game you have completed. It includes factors like shrines, caves, wells, Korok seeds, and discovered locations.
10. Is there DLC (Downloadable Content) planned for Tears of the Kingdom?
As of this writing, there is no confirmed DLC for Tears of the Kingdom. However, Nintendo has a history of releasing DLC for Zelda games, so it’s possible that DLC could be announced in the future.
11. Can I get all the armor sets after defeating Ganondorf?
Yes, you can obtain all armor sets after defeating Ganondorf. Many armor sets are acquired through side quests and exploration.
12. What is the purpose of collecting Korok seeds?
Collecting Korok seeds allows you to expand your inventory slots for weapons, bows, and shields.
13. Can I still use the Zonai devices after defeating Ganondorf?
Yes, you can continue to use all Zonai devices after defeating Ganondorf. They remain a crucial part of exploration and combat.
14. Does the difficulty increase if I fight Ganondorf again?
No, the difficulty remains the same each time you fight Ganondorf.
15. Where can I find the best weapons and armor after defeating Ganondorf?
The best weapons and armor can be found in various locations throughout Hyrule, including caves, shrines, and hidden chests. Completing side quests and exploring thoroughly will often lead you to powerful equipment. You can find the best weapon and armor by looking at online guides.
In conclusion, while Tears of the Kingdom doesn’t offer a drastically different post-game world, it provides ample opportunities to continue exploring, completing quests, and mastering the game’s mechanics after defeating Ganondorf. The addition of the completion percentage and Kilton’s monster medals offers new goals and challenges for dedicated players. So, grab your sword, shield, and paraglider, and continue your adventure in Hyrule!