Embarking on a New Adventure: What Happens When You Start a New Game in Tears of the Kingdom?
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So, you’re itching to dive back into the breathtaking world of Hyrule in Tears of the Kingdom (TotK)? Maybe you want to experience the story again, try a different approach, or simply start fresh. Whatever your reason, you’re likely wondering: what exactly happens when you hit that “New Game” button?
Simply put, starting a new game in Tears of the Kingdom gives you a clean slate for adventure, allowing you to re-experience the magic of Hyrule from the very beginning. Your previous save files are preserved, so you don’t have to fear losing all your hard-earned progress. However, it’s crucial to understand the specifics of how the game handles saves to avoid accidentally overwriting something precious. Let’s delve deeper into the specifics.
Understanding Save Files in Tears of the Kingdom
The most important thing to know is that Tears of the Kingdom primarily uses two types of saves:
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Manual Saves: These are your bread and butter. You can create these at any time (except during cutscenes or boss fights) by going into the game’s menu. These manual saves are persistent and won’t be automatically overwritten by a new game. They are safely stored and easily accessible, allowing you to jump back into your old adventure whenever you want.
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Quicksaves and Autosaves: The game automatically creates these saves at certain intervals and important moments. They are designed to be a safety net in case you die or make a mistake. However, these quicksaves and autosaves ARE shared between all playthroughs. Starting a new game will begin overwriting these quicksaves and autosaves with the progress from your new adventure.
What’s Carried Over (and What Isn’t)
When you begin a new game, nothing from your previous playthrough is automatically carried over. You’re starting from scratch. This means:
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Inventory Reset: You lose all your weapons, armor, materials, and consumables.
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World State Reset: All areas of the map are undiscovered, shrines are uncompleted, and side quests are unstarted. Every location reverts to its initial state.
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Abilities Reset: You start with only Link’s initial abilities and must reacquire all the powers he gains throughout the main quest.
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Story Reset: You’ll relive the narrative from the very beginning.
Managing Multiple Playthroughs
The key to enjoying multiple playthroughs of Tears of the Kingdom without losing progress is careful save management. Always create manual saves at significant points in your current game. This ensures that you can easily revert to those points should you decide to switch between playthroughs.
Before starting a new game, it’s a good idea to create a final manual save in your current playthrough. This acts as a bookmark, allowing you to return to your finished (or in-progress) game state whenever you desire.
Remember to be mindful of your autosaves. If you intend to switch between save files, it would be best to load into a regular save file immediately before closing the game in order to avoid accidentally overwriting the autosave file.
New Game Plus and Master Mode Considerations
It’s also vital to note that, unlike some other modern games, Tears of the Kingdom doesn’t feature a traditional New Game Plus mode at launch. This means you won’t be able to start a new game with any of your old character stats, weapons, or armor.
Additionally, if you’re playing on Master Mode, your saves are completely separate from your Normal Mode saves. This allows you to have one playthrough on each difficulty without any risk of overwriting. The Switch offers the ability to have multiple user profiles, and each profile can contain a normal mode file and a master mode file.
FAQs: Starting a New Game in Tears of the Kingdom
Let’s address some common questions to further clarify the process of starting a new game in Tears of the Kingdom:
1. Will starting a new game delete my old save files?
No, starting a new game will not delete your existing manual save files. However, be aware that autosaves and quicksaves are shared, meaning your new game will begin overwriting them. Always create manual saves of important progress to ensure you can return to it later.
2. Can I have multiple save files in Tears of the Kingdom?
Yes, you can effectively have multiple save files. While the game only offers a limited number of autosave slots, you can create numerous manual saves. Use these to manage different playthroughs. Alternatively, creating multiple user profiles on your Nintendo Switch is a very effective way to manage multiple save files for Tears of the Kingdom.
3. Does Tears of the Kingdom have New Game Plus?
Unfortunately, no. Tears of the Kingdom does not have a New Game Plus mode at launch. You will start completely fresh each time you begin a new game.
4. If I start a new game, will I lose my Amiibo rewards?
Amiibo rewards are generally tied to your Nintendo account and not directly to a specific save file. Therefore, starting a new game should not affect your ability to claim Amiibo rewards.
5. What happens to my map progress when I start a new game?
Your map progress is reset when you start a new game. All areas will be undiscovered, and towers will need to be reactivated.
6. Are there any permanent unlocks that carry over between playthroughs?
No, there are no permanent unlocks that carry over between playthroughs. Every new game starts with a completely fresh state.
7. How many save slots are available in Tears of the Kingdom?
Tears of the Kingdom offers a certain number of autosave slots and unlimited regular saves for you to keep the game at whatever point you so choose.
8. Does difficulty level affect save files?
Yes, Master Mode has separate save slots from Normal Mode. This means you can have one playthrough on each difficulty without them interfering with each other.
9. What should I do before starting a new game?
Before starting a new game, create a manual save of your current progress. This ensures you can easily return to your existing game whenever you want.
10. Can I revert to an older save if I accidentally overwrite it?
If you accidentally overwrite a manual save, you can not get it back. This is why creating several manual saves for your game is a very good idea. If an autosave is accidentally overwritten, but you still have manual saves for that playthrough, you can still load into that playthrough by using your manual saves.
11. Does starting a new game affect my DLC progress?
If you have purchased DLC content, it is generally tied to your Nintendo account. Your new game should still have access to any DLC you have purchased.
12. Will my unlocked memories disappear if I start a new game?
Yes, your unlocked memories will be reset when you start a new game. You will need to collect them again.
13. Does the Hero’s Path mode reset?
Yes, the Hero’s Path mode resets with each new game. This mode tracks your movement throughout the world, and the data is specific to each playthrough.
14. Can multiple users play Tears of the Kingdom on the same Switch?
Yes, multiple users can play Tears of the Kingdom on the same Switch by creating separate user profiles. Each profile will have its own save data and progression.
15. How do I manage my save files effectively?
Utilize manual saves frequently. Create them at important milestones, before boss fights, and whenever you want to ensure you can easily return to a specific point in the game. Be mindful of autosaves, and avoid overwriting them if you want to switch between multiple playthroughs.
Conclusion: Embrace the Endless Possibilities
Starting a new game in Tears of the Kingdom is an invitation to rediscover the magic of Hyrule, armed with new knowledge and a fresh perspective. While you’ll leave behind your hard-earned inventory and completed quests, you’ll retain the memories and experiences that make each playthrough unique. By understanding how save files work and managing them effectively, you can seamlessly transition between multiple adventures, ensuring that no progress is ever truly lost. So go forth, brave adventurer, and embrace the endless possibilities that await in the world of Tears of the Kingdom!
And for more insights into the intersection of gaming and learning, be sure to visit the Games Learning Society at GamesLearningSociety.org.