What To Do After Rolling Credits on Tears of the Kingdom: Hyrule’s Enduring Appeal

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So, you’ve finally done it. You’ve stared down Ganondorf, plunged the Master Sword into his demonic heart, and watched the credits roll on The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. The weight of Hyrule’s salvation rests easy on your shoulders, but the vast world remains beckoning. What’s next? The answer is simple: almost anything you want! While Tears of the Kingdom doesn’t offer a traditional post-game with story changes, it provides an unparalleled playground for continued adventure and mastery. Your save file will revert to right before the final battle, but with exciting new additions.

Embracing Hyrule’s Endless Horizon

Here’s a breakdown of what awaits you after defeating Ganondorf, effectively providing a checklist for the truly dedicated adventurer:

• Complete the Hyrule Compendium: For lore enthusiasts, this is a must. Filling the Hyrule Compendium is like crafting your personal encyclopedia of Hyrule’s flora, fauna, and fearsome foes. Completing it unlocks rewards and deepens your appreciation for the game’s intricate world.

• Tackle Remaining Shrines: With 152 Shrines scattered across Hyrule, chances are you’ve missed a few. Completing them all rewards you with the Ancient Hero’s Aspect, a unique and powerful armor set.

• Hunt Down Armor Sets: From the classic Zora Armor to the stealthy Sheikah Set, tracking down and upgrading every armor piece is a significant undertaking. Each set provides unique abilities and buffs that enhance your gameplay experience.

• Max Out Your Inventory: Expand your weapon, bow, and shield inventory slots by finding Koroks! This seemingly simple task is a monumental challenge, as there are 900 of these little guys hidden throughout the world.

• Upgrade Armor to the Max: Each armor set can be upgraded multiple times, enhancing its defensive capabilities. This requires rare materials gathered from specific enemies and locations.

• Seek Out Side Quests and Adventures: Hyrule is brimming with side quests, offering intriguing stories, challenging encounters, and valuable rewards. These quests are often more nuanced and rewarding than the main storyline.

• Experiment with Zonai Devices: The innovative Zonai Devices offer near-limitless creative possibilities. Use them to build vehicles, contraptions, and tools that solve puzzles, traverse the world, and obliterate enemies in spectacular fashion.

• Master Combat Techniques: Hone your skills in parrying, dodging, and flurry rushing. Practice executing perfect dodges and unleash devastating attacks. There is always a way to improve your fighting prowess.

• Challenge Yourself with Difficult Enemies: Seek out challenging enemies like Lynels, Gleeoks, and upgraded versions of classic monsters. Test your skills and strategies against the toughest foes Hyrule has to offer.

• Explore Every Corner of the Map: Dive deep into every cave, scale every mountain, and unearth every secret hidden within Hyrule’s vast landscape. There’s always something new to discover. Don’t forget The Depths!

• Dive into Cooking and Elixir Crafting: Become a master chef and alchemist by experimenting with different ingredients and recipes. Create powerful meals and elixirs that provide buffs, heal damage, and grant resistance to various environmental hazards.

• Unlock the “True Ending” Cutscene: Ensure you’ve completed specific side quests and requirements to unlock the extended ending cutscene. It’s a rewarding addition to the narrative that provides closure and insights into the game’s lore.

• Track Your Progress: A star will appear next to your save file on the load screen, indicating you’ve defeated Ganondorf. This is a subtle but satisfying recognition of your accomplishment. Additionally, you will now see percentage completion of the map.

• Complete Kilton’s Monster Medals: After defeating Ganon, Kilton offers medals for defeating every type of sub-boss. This is a true test of dedication and combat skill.

• Revisit Breath of the Wild: Appreciate the foundation upon which Tears of the Kingdom was built. Experience the differences and similarities between the two games and reflect on the evolution of Hyrule.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Tears of the Kingdom’s Post-Game

Here are some of the most common questions players have after completing Tears of the Kingdom:

1. Does the world change after beating Ganondorf? No, the world doesn’t permanently change. The game reverts to before the final boss fight, allowing you to continue exploring and completing quests in the pre-Ganon world.
2. Can I replay the final boss fight? Yes! The game saves right before the final boss, and Hyrule Castle resets, allowing you to fight Ganondorf as many times as you want.
3. Is there a post-credits scene? Yes, there’s an extended cutscene after the credits if you meet certain criteria and complete all the main story events.
4. What is the reward for completing all Shrines? Completing all 152 Shrines unlocks the Ancient Hero’s Aspect armor set, boasting exceptional defensive capabilities.
5. Are there any DLC plans for Tears of the Kingdom? As of now, Nintendo has stated there are no plans for DLC, believing they implemented everything they wanted into the game.
6. Does the Master Sword return? Yes, the Master Sword can be repaired and reclaimed during the course of the game.
7. Do Blood Moons stop after defeating Ganondorf? No, Blood Moons continue to occur, replenishing enemies and maintaining the game’s challenge.
8. What does completing the Hyrule Compendium unlock? Completing the Hyrule Compendium gives you a sense of accomplishment. It also unlocks unique character prints for your house in Hateno Village.
9. Can you miss the true ending? Yes! The “true” ending requires you to have completed a number of side quests. Be sure to explore everything before finishing the game.
10. Is Tears of the Kingdom bigger than Breath of the Wild? Yes, Tears of the Kingdom is significantly larger, with the addition of the sky islands and the Depths, effectively doubling the explorable area.
11. How does Tears of the Kingdom connect to Breath of the Wild? Tears of the Kingdom is a direct sequel to Breath of the Wild, taking place several years later in the same kingdom of Hyrule.
12. Can you beat Tears of the Kingdom without the Master Sword? Yes, it’s entirely possible to beat the game without the Master Sword.
13. What happens if the Master Sword breaks? After extended use, the Master Sword needs to recharge for 10 minutes of real-time before it can be used again.
14. Can the Hylian Shield break? Yes, even the Hylian Shield can break if it takes too much damage, but it can be re-obtained.
15. What’s the best way to improve my combat skills? Practice! Fight diverse enemies, experiment with different weapons and armor, and master parrying and dodging techniques.

The Enduring Legacy of Hyrule

Tears of the Kingdom is more than just a game; it’s an experience. Its depth, complexity, and open-ended gameplay encourage experimentation, exploration, and creativity. The sheer amount of content and replayability ensures that players will be discovering new secrets and enjoying fresh adventures long after the credits roll. So, embrace the freedom, unleash your imagination, and continue to explore the boundless possibilities of Hyrule. Your adventure has only just begun!

Learning through gaming is a very big phenomenon and for additional insights into how games can be used for educational purposes, visit the Games Learning Society at https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/ or GamesLearningSociety.org.

The world of Hyrule awaits!