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These TikTok creators are keeping The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild alive

People are still learning new tricks, 6 years later

A screenshot from a cut scene in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Zelda and Link are walking outside as Zelda holds up and looks at the Sheikah slate tablet. Image: Nintendo via Polygon
Ana Diaz (she/her) is a culture writer at Polygon, covering internet culture, fandom, and video games. Her work has previously appeared at NPR, Wired, and The Verge.

Nintendo released The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild over six years ago, and somehow, I’m still learning new things about it. This is partially due to the lasting appeal of the game, but also in no small part due to the work of tireless TikTokers who document its seemingly endless details. In the lead-up to the release of Breath of the Wild’s sequel, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, in May, fans are understandably revisiting it — and on platforms like TikTok, they’re sharing their excitement and new discoveries with others.

It’s hard to find a game that feels as detailed and as alive as Breath of the Wild. The game is part of the larger Zelda timeline, but it differs from previous entries, functioning as a sandbox where players get to tinker with how different weapons and tools interact with the larger world. Many accounts focus on “did you know”-style content that highlights hyper-specific or lesser-known aspects of the game.

TikTok makes a near-perfect vehicle for these never-ending factoids and discoveries. The short-form video app is the perfect way to capture a singular impressive detail — like the fact that you can shoot mushrooms with an arrow, instead of climbing up a cliff to reach them — and present it to thousands of people.

Vaqr Gaming, for example, is sharing a new fact about Breath of the Wild every day until the sequel is released. She told Polygon that she thinks the game is still popular because it is an “extremely polished game,” but also, it’s easy to break.

“There are so many little details the developers put in that I would have never thought of,” Vaqr Gaming told Polygon. “There are also things that [Nintendo] never thought we would do, and that has led to some amazing discoveries. You can always see in the comments — even after years of playing this game, you can always learn something new!”

@vaqrgaming

Posting 1 did you know video every day until TOTK comes out! Did you know in BOTW Day 1 | 50 Days Until TOTK | #botw #zelda #vaqrgaming #breathofthewild

? original sound - Vaqr Gaming

A lot of my favorite clips highlight unique character interactions that I would have never had the patience to figure out myself. For example, if you go to the giant Korok Hestu while wearing no clothes, you can unlock special dialogue. Instead of his usual intro, Hestu says, “Shaka! Shakaka! You are nekkid! I am nekkid! We are united in exposure!” Another cute example is that most characters will be scared when Link pulls out a bomb, but if you hold one up to the farmer Olkin, he will exclaim, “A blue pumpkin?!”

User Zeldatendo keeps the game alive by reposting circulating clips of unbelievable trick shots, fan theories, and other forms of comedic video content from Breath of the Wild. Like Vaqr Gaming, Zeldatendo is also counting down the days to Tears of the Kingdom with special content. A more recent post included a personality quiz that tells you what your favorite region in Breath of the Wild says about you. The account has memes and other informational content as well.

Together, all these content creators and their followers make up a wider community of ongoing fans who are still dedicated to the original game. And of course, there are ways to push the limits of Breath of the Wild — outside of TikTok, dedicated speedrunners continue to set global world records for the fastest runs of the game on video platforms like YouTube and Twitch.

It’s likely that Breath of the Wild content will take a backseat when Nintendo releases Tears of the Kingdom in May. But Vaqr Gaming told Polygon that she would probably make content for both games: “I feel like I will [keep making content for Breath of the Wild], but I will still be mainly focused on Tears of the Kingdom.” She’s also still looking forward to trying out mods as they are released for Breath of the Wild, as those fan projects will continue even after Tears of the Kingdom is out.

The next level of puzzles.

Take a break from your day by playing a puzzle or two! We’ve got SpellTower, Typeshift, crosswords, and more.

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