We’ve been wondering how Nintendo intends for players to traverse the Sky Islands in Zelda Tears of the Kingdom. The Sky Islands are one of the defining new features of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom, as the land of Hyrule seems to be taking on a much more vertical form.
According to the recent gameplay reveal, there will be multiple different methods of going across the Sky Islands in Tears of the Kingdom, and Nintendo has already revealed a few of them for us. In this guide, we'll look through them all!
What are the Sky Islands in Zelda Tears of the Kingdom?
At a surface level - no pun intended - the Sky Islands are just fragments of the land of Hyrule that have risen due to some calamity and now remain perpetually hovering over the Kingdom. This phenomenon has seemed to occur all over Hyrule, resulting in a vastly different landscape.
The Sky Islands seem to have their own unique biomes and ruins, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see large Sky Islands being very distinct from one another. A theory suggests that these are all the risen ruins of the ancient Zonai civilisation, thought to be wiped out.
click to enlargeHow to get to Sky Islands in Zelda Tears of the Kingdom
The Sky Islands are located way up high in the sky. Getting to them seems like no small task; however, Link’s new Rewind ability seems to be one of the primary methods of reaching them.
Rewind ability
In a recent trailer for Zelda Tears of the Kingdom, we’re shown how a piece of rubble drops from the sky from an island into the land below. Link is able to walk up to this piece of rubble and cast the Rewind ability on it. The ability causes the rubble to reverse its motion and rise up into the sky, carrying Link with it. It functions very similarly to an elevator, and it suggests that staying on the lookout for similar rubble will be rewarded.
click to enlargeUltrahand Vehicles
Another new highlight we saw was the brand-new custom vehicles. With the Ultrahand ability, you can put together various materials such as logs, stones, and engines to craft custom vehicles. Some gameplay footage showed engine-powered hovercrafts, while others also showcased hot air balloons. Regardless, it will be very exciting to create our own aircrafts to traverse upwards.
click to enlargeBird-shaped plane
Different from the crafted vehicles is the eagle-shaped plane we saw Link riding in the early trailers for Tears of the Kingdom. This aircraft seems different and far sturdier than the makeshift vehicles. We suspect that it might be similar to the bike from Breath of the Wild, and function as the primary method of traveling between the Sky Islands in Tears of the Kingdom.
click to enlargeThat’s all we know about traversing the Sky Islands so far. While you’re here, be sure to check out our Tears of the Kingdom guides on the new enemies and new weapons that have been confirmed. On top of that, read up on whether there will be a Zelda Tears of the Kingdom demo.
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