‘The best thing to do is something random’
The best thing is doing something random in the game – climbing up something, fighting something big and boss-like – before you’re actually supposed to in the story. I have been playing games since I was four, and I’ve always loved Zelda games for the freedom you get and the feeling you’ve done something you’re not supposed to that isn’t found in many other titles. I’d say so far – and I’m only a few hours in – there are two favourite moments for me. One is when cooking and hearing Link humming music from the series. The other was climbing a Skyview Tower, assuming I had to so I could see the world map, and reaching the top only to find ... nothing. Then moving along in the story and finding out what it was actually for! As always, pre-empting what I’m supposed to do in a Zelda game. Tom Fogden, 43, France
‘I came across a man stuck in a hole’
When exploring the northwest section of the map, I came across a man stuck in a hole along with a wagon. After venturing down the hole and speaking with him, he wanted Link to get him and his wagon out of the hole in one piece. Easy. I use a bit of flat wood, attach it to the roof of his cart, and within the hole handily are two flame emitters and two hot air balloons – it’s all coming together. I mangle the ingredients together into a decent looking contraption and ask the man to get in. He complies and I smack the vehicle, starting up the flame emitters and raising the balloons. But what I didn’t realise was the roof section was completely lopsided and as the wagon rose, it hung completely vertical and the man began to yell. The screen went black and zoomed right in, circling in on his screaming face like a Looney Tunes gag. In stitches. Game of the year. Lewis, 29, Glasgow
‘I had the day off, so I played all day’
I fortunately had a day off when it launched on Friday, so I could play all day. And on that first day I rode on the back of Farosh the electrical dragon into a chasm of gloom! Tears of the Kingdom is amazing, even better than Breath of the Wild. Being able to move around 3D so easily is so freeing, it makes real life feel not quite enough! BOTW is a phenomenal game, which I enjoy playing to its full, but TOTK takes all the good bits of BOTW and takes them to the next level (literally!) You can travel around more easily with your new powers, and the entire map is three times bigger as you can explore the sky and the depths too. In TOTK, everything is the same but different, so you get that warm, fuzzy sense of familiarity, combined with the thrill of discovering something new. And they got that balance just right. I am going cold turkey this week, as I have a big exam on Friday and lots to memorise. But I already have a plan as to what I’m going to do when I pick it up again (more shrines, cooking, side quests and exploring). And my daughter is very grateful, as she gets more time to play it. She is a big fan of collecting Poes. Emma, 43, London
‘My 11-year-old is flying through the game’
Since The Legend of Zelda II on Nes, I have since owned every mainline Zelda game day and date of release. I’ve cleared main quests in just a few days. I’ve taken time off work before. Well this time we are four days in and I haven’t even left the training area. Why? I have an 11-year-old who is already about a quarter way through the game, hogging the pro controller. I helped him through BOTW, dropped the odd hint in the Skyward sword remaster, but this time he’s solo. And he’ s flying. So for me the moment so far is seeing him run through Hyrule, forging his own way for the first time. If you want one second though it’s us both exclaiming “THE TEMPLE OF TIME!” as it was revealed. Scott Bennett, 43, Edinburgh
‘My son giggled hysterically’
Little time to play games these days, but still pre-ordered the game – it’s Zelda! My seven-year-old son had to get on and play it the second he was back from school on Friday. I came downstairs after work to find him solving a puzzle involving transporting a Korok across the sky islands. Son duly worked out how to solve the puzzle, and ferried the Korok across the chasm of sky to get to the far side. Once safely there, he picked the Korok off the platform, and hurled it over the edge of the sky island in a burst of hysterical giggles. Nic, Fife, Scotland
‘Riding my horse, Saoirse’
My favourite moment came as I was riding my horse, Saoirse. I found a bridge guarded by a three-headed, fire-breathing dragon. Going the long way around it would take too long, and I didn’t want to leave Saoirse behind. So, I charged at the dragon, hoping it would fly into the air. As I got close, it beat its wings and the wind buffeted me back. I was knocked off my horse and set on fire as I tried to stand up. As I was engulfed in flames, I noticed Saoirse could run through the gust of wind, even if I couldn’t. So I fused a rocket to my rickety shield and charged once more. When the dragon beat its wings again, I commanded Saoirse to gallop before leaping off. She skirted past the dragon, the rocket activated and shot me straight up into the air! I glided over the dragon’s heads and landed back on Saoirse’s saddle. I turned to look behind me and the dragon was barrelling down on us from the sky. Just a little further and we were off the bridge, where we managed to lose it in the nearby forest. Effie, Sheffield
‘There are some amazing easter eggs’
I love the little nods to previous games. No spoilers, but there are some amazing easter eggs calling back to storylines from earlier Zelda instalments. Little touches like this, among the awe-inspiring expanse of this game, really spark moments of joy and nostalgia. I’m still early in the game but being able to build and enhance equipment using different elements is a shift in how you engage with the game. It offers a huge array of approaches to tackling puzzles, which is an amazing experience. Bea, 40, Cambridge
