Although TOTK not having any DLC has understandably been a disappointment. This can be particularly frustrating when considering BOTW’s own successful DLC, which seemed to provide the perfect precedent for TOTK to incorporate some additional features in turn.

In many ways, TOTK seems to have left plenty of room for DLC. For example, although the game’s main plot is complete, there are some more minor stories in TOTK which seem unfinished, such as Penn’s search for purpose at the home of the missing Kass. Similarly, DLC could have also introduced new locations and even mechanics, most likely based around the Sky, to take advantage of the amount of space the game world’s upper realm has. Instead, there will be none of this, despite there being at least one major BOTW DLC feature which would have undoubtedly improved TOTK.

Tears of The Kingdom Would Have Been Improved By A Master Trials Equivalent

Trial Of The Sword Would've Been Great In TOTK

Breath of the Wild’s The Master Trials DLC introduced the Trial of the Sword; a three-part gauntlet which rewarded completion by powering up the Master Sword, spread over Beginning, Middle and Final Trials. The concept of the Trial of the Sword in itself was very enjoyable.

Similar to the Shrine quest on Eventide Island, it tested the limits of a player’s skill with minimal equipment, creating a level of difficulty not seen anywhere else in the game. However, there is no equivalent to the Trial of the Sword in TOTK, nor will there ever be with no DLC.

There is no equivalent to the Trial of the Sword in TOTK, nor will there ever be with no DLC.

The Trial of the Sword places an emphasis on the various mechanics of BOTW, from tactical use of the Sheikah Slate’s runes to skills like agile paragliding and the use of bullet time archery. While solving Shrines in both BOTW and TOTK naturally makes extensive use of their game’s mechanics, the Trial of the Sword quickly becomes more difficult than any Shrine. In that respect, the lack of a similar trial in TOTK only denies people the opportunity to match themselves against this level of difficulty, which would have been a perfect test of the skills developed over the game.

It is worth noting that the Trial of the Sword was not the first punishing gauntlet to appear in The Legend of Zelda. Both The Wind Waker’s Savage Labyrinth and the Cave of Ordeals in Twilight Princess offer similar challenges. Pursuing either to their end is optional, as is the Trial of the Sword, and the fact they do not interfere with game progression allows for a much higher difficulty to be implemented than would otherwise be fair. Nevertheless, although some Shrines in TOTK do limit equipment like BOTW’s Eventide Island, they are still far from presenting a true gauntlet.

TOTK’s Master Sword Seems Weaker Than BOTW’s

Without The Trial Of The Sword, Link's Weapon Isn't As Powerful

In addition to the challenge of the trial itself, by completing the Final Trials in BOTW, Link would be able to wield the Master Sword at its maximum 60 power at all times. Outside the DLC, this is a strength otherwise only available in the presence of Guardians, a Blight, or Calamity Ganon, allowing Link to face his enemy at full strength. However, Tears of the Kingdom’s Master Sword has a similarly fluctuating power level, with one key difference; there is no way to make the Master Sword’s higher power level permanent in TOTK.

Tip: Completing the Final Trials also greatly increases the Master Sword’s durability, making Link much less reliant on other weapons overall.

It is very disappointing that there is no new version of the Trial of the Sword in TOTK. In addition to the lack of an endgame challenge, the fact that it is impossible to upgrade the Master Sword as BOTW’s own DLC allowed one to has negative ramifications for both gameplay and narrative. In the former case, it means that the Master Sword can arguably never be considered the best weapon in the game. There is a notable group of weapons which are all stronger than it, with the Gloom Club having the highest strength in the game without Fusing.

At the same time, the Master Sword’s weakness seems to almost cheapen Zelda’s sacrifice in TOTK’s story. Despite her becoming the Light Dragon to repair and strengthen the legendary blade over countless years, the end result is no stronger than it was in Breath of the Wild. In fact, as Link may struggle to defeat monsters in TOTK more than in BOTW after completing the DLC, it can even feel as if the sword’s strength has been reversed, despite the new lore implying otherwise.

A DLC Gauntlet Challenge For TOTK Had Immense Potential

Sadly, That Potential Has Been Wasted

Although some TOTK mysteries may be explained in the next Zelda game, it is much less clear if Echoes of Wisdom will include its own equivalent to the Trial of the Sword. Considering the many parallels TOTK has as a direct sequel to BOTW, it obviously had a perfect opportunity to build upon the Trial of the Sword to create a new gauntlet whihc it failed to act upon. It is clear that there were many possibilities for a new high-difficulty blend of puzzles and combat with TOTK’s new mechanics in place of BOTW’s.

In addition to the established general resource management and minimal armor, a new version of Zelda’s optional gauntlet in TOTK could have given Link tough choices between Fusing items or using them to build bigger contraptions with Utrahand. As much as the game encourages creativity, it cannot be denied that players are seldom forced to innovate with truly limited supplies; Zonai Devices can always be obtained from dispensers, and other materials are similarly plentiful. It would have been extremely intriguing to see how a full gauntlet could have played upon this status quo.

Without DLC, TOTK feels like it has missed out on fulfilling its true potential. The Master Trials could have been the perfect inspiration for a new challenge in Breath of the Wild’s sequel, but in reality nothing as impressive or rewarding ever materialized for the title. Even with the new possibilities opened up by Fusing, it is also frustrating that the Master Sword seems so weakened in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Nevertheless, as the franchise moves forward, there is always the possibility of a new game introducing its own gauntlet challenge instead.