TheLegend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomlooks to be jampacked with all sorts of things players can do. Link now has to figure out how to reach Sky Islands high in the sky with new abilities such as the new Fuse power, battle all sorts of challenging bosses, and team up with the champions to save the Kingdom of Hyrule once again. It seems thatThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomhas so much to offer that fans may wonder just how they’ll manage to accomplish everything the game asks them to.
However, among the many gameplay clips shown in the third trailer, one showcases Link riding on a steed as he pulls a wagon. The wagon seems to be attached to the horse through the use of the Fuse mechanic. Beyond the green goop that showsLink’s new power inTears of the Kingdom, there isn’t much context to the clip, but it may look familiar to those who playedTwilight Princess. It looks reminiscent of the GameCube title’s escort missions, which might make fans excited or distraught depending on the person.
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The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess' Escort Missions
InTwilight Princess, Link would run into a few Hyrulian citizens who needed help getting to and from places with a bit of protection and guidance. With the help of his horse, he would escort whoever needed his aid by shooting down enemies with arrows and fighting more directly with his sword. However, how fans feel about the escort missions is rather divided, with some saying it’s the most fun they’ve ever had in aZeldagame, with others thinking it was one of the worst things aboutTwilight Princess’memorable experience.
As fun as it may be for some to play the hero as they protect a carriage in a high-speed action segment, others felt overwhelmed by the myriad of enemies. Some had issues with the controls being frustrating, while others managed to clear them without any fuss. Still, despite the mixed reception, these missions haven’t been found in any otherZeldagame since.Tears of the Kingdomseems to be the best candidate to bring escort missions back, asTotKis connected withTwilight Princessthrough similar themes.
What the Escort Missions Could Be Like in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Since it’s been quite some time sinceThe Legend of Zeldaseries has done escort missions, there are plenty of opportunities forTears of the Kingdomto improve combatand mitigate critiques with the missions. Conversely, it also has the chance to improve on what players liked about it. While brief, the section shown in the trailer already gives quite a lot away. Firstly, the wagon Link is pulling is directly attached to his horse, meaning that enemy threats might not be as overwhelming, or perhaps even optional as fighting on the steed could hurt the wagon’s passengers.
Alternatively, the dangers of escort missions could be changed to better suitTOTK’splay style. Instead of relying on enemies Link has to specifically track down, the same threats could be added by allowing enemies to spawn over the path players need to take. This would mean that players could simply get off their horse and take onGanodorf’s minions inTears of the Kingdomor Hyrule’s other baddies without risking the passengers in a way that won’t limit strategic options.
Simple changes like giving players the option to dismount from their steed to take care of obstacles could go a long way to fixing the frustration of trying to hit enemies with arrows and a sword while trying to keep up the pace with a carriage ot wagon with ease. WhileTwilight Princessallowed players to get off Epona to fight back a few enemies, it was only a viable tactic in wide-open spaces where the vehicle Link was escorting had room to run around and wait for him. There are a lot of waysTears of the Kingdomcould handle these missions differently.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomreleases May 28, 2025 for Nintendo Switch.
