The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princesswas a huge departure for theZeldafranchise in terms of tone. Originally released on the Nintendo Wii and later upgraded for the Wii U,Twilight Princesscenters on Hyrule’s invasion by creatures from another dimensions, the Twilight Realm, and has since become a fan-favorite for its aesthetic and story.
The latestZeldatitle,Tears of the Kingdomfor the Switch, pays tribute to many previous titles in the series, includingTwilight Princess. From weapons, to game mechanics, and even armor sets, there are many noticeable callbacks to the characters and story ofTwilight Princessin this game, some of which weren’t in its predecessor,Breath of the Wild.
6Ganondorf’s Sword
There are plenty of weapons to be found inTears of the Kingdomthat will appear familiar to longtime fans ofThe Legend of Zelda. Among those is theDusk Claymore, a two-handed sword that bears resemblance to the sword used by the Six Sages in their execution of Ganondorf inTwilight Princess, before Ganondorf breaks free of his chains and takes it.
Notably, this sword’s presence inTears of the Kingdomis a much larger reference as well to the game’s story, which revolves around Ganondorf’s rise to power in Hyrule. Though Ganondorf doesn’t get to use the Dusk Claymore in this game, players can use it themselves andtake advantage of its high attack power.
5Poes
When exploring The Depths underneath Hyrule, players will come across clusters of lights known as Poes. These spirits can be traded with Bargainer Statues for rewards including rare armor and useful items. Poes also appeared inTwilight Princessas a similar collectible item, and their purpose was actually very similar.
Related:Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - All Bargainer Statue Locations, Rewards, & Where to Find Poes
ThroughoutTwilight Princess, players can find Poe Souls by defeating Imp Poes while in wolf form. After collecting a certain number of Poes, they can be traded to Jovani, a man who traded his soul for riches and was subsequently turned into a golden statue. By helping free Jovani, the rich man will reward players with an empty Bottle or numerous Rupees.
4Twilight Realm Helmets
Many outfits inTears of the Kingdomreference characters from previous games, andTwilight Princessis no exception. However, there are actually two separate head armor pieces that are based on characters who hail from the Twilight Realm: Midna, Link’s companion in the Wii game; and Zant, one of the game’s primary antagonists.
Midna’s Helmet, which offersGloom Resistance, can be located in The Depths beneath Eventide Island, though players must first battle through a coliseum’s worth of enemies.Zant’s Helmetis also found in the Depths, in a coliseum below Death Mountain, with a similar challenge posed to players who want it as with Midna’s Helmet.
3Armor Of Twilight
Like with many otherThe Legend of Zeldatitles, there is an acquirable armor set inTears of the Kingdombased on Link’s green outfit fromTwilight Princess.This is one of Link’s more iconic looks, given that he donned the look inseveralSuper Smash Brosgames, includingSuper Smash Bros. BrawlandSuper Smash Bros for Wii U & 3DS.
Related:The Legend Of Zelda: Characters Who Should Return In A Future Game
The three pieces of theTwilight Princessarmor can be found in the Depths, with old maps found on the Sky Islands revealing their exact location. The hardest piece to find will be theTunic of Twilight. This piece of armor lies at the center of Rist Mine in the Depths, right below the Rist Peninsula where players locate the twelfth Dragon’s Tear during the main story.
2Batteries
Not only iscrafting machinery out of Zonai devicesand various objects a brand-new game mechanic inTears of the Kingdom, but it’s also essential to the game’s progression. As such, players will likely find themselves spending a lot of time upgrading their Zonai batteries, allowing them to power their machines for longer periods of time.
Related:Tears of the Kingdom: Most Useful Zonai Devices, Ranked
Noticeably, the way these Zonai batteries are stored on Link’s person brings to mind a similar image fromTwilight Princess. They bear resemblance to the Vessel of Light, which Link uses to collect Tears of Light and restore Hyrule to its original glory after it’s been taken over by Twili. Given the connection with “tears,” this can’t be just a coincidence.
1The Zonai
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomexpands on Hyrule’s lore by introducing the Zonai race, who are responsible for Hyrule’s creation. Like Hylians themselves, Zonai are said to have descended from gods, and take up residence in the Sky Islands while advancing their civilization through the invention of technologies never seen before.
As someZeldafans have pointed out, this backstory for the Zonai oddly resembles that of the Oocca,a bird species who have only appeared inTwilight Princess. Similar to the Zonai, the Oocca live in the City in the Sky, creating the Dominion Rod to communicate with Hyrule’s royal family. Perhaps the two races are related in some capacity.
