Unveiling the Controversy: How Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Made the Right Move by Cutting BotW's Best Horse Gear
Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom made a wise decision to exclude Breath of the Wild's prized horse gear Instead, it introduced the thrilling Zonai Vehicles as a compelling alternative, ensuring a fresh and exciting experience for players
Horse riding is back in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, but one bridle and saddle set from Breath of the Wild seems to be missing in the sequel. In Breath of the Wild, players could embark on a side quest to obtain the Ancient Bridle and Saddle as DLC, which offered unique abilities like additional spurs for horse riding and the ability for horses to warp with a whistle.
Although other bridles and saddle sets returned in Tears of the Kingdom, the Ancient Bridle and Saddle were noticeably absent. This absence was likely intentional, as it would have conflicted with the storyline of the game following Breath of the Wild. Additionally, one particular ability granted by this set would have potentially overshadowed the new Zonai devices introduced in the sequel. Despite their usefulness, the decision to remove the Ancient Bridle and Saddle in Tears of the Kingdom was likely justified.
The Ancient Bridle and Saddle Were Exclusive to Zelda: Breath of the Wild
In Tears of the Kingdom, not only did the Ancient Bridle and Saddle mysteriously disappear, but it seems that all Guardians, Divine Beasts, and shrines have also been removed, except for a few exceptions like the remains of a Guardian at Hateno's research lab. Even Link's Ancient Armor set and Sheikah Slate were removed, indicating that the Ancient Bridle and Saddle were not specifically targeted in Breath of the Wild's sequel. With Tears of the Kingdom focusing on the Zonai, it is possible that anything related to the Sheikah was exclusive to Breath of the Wild.
Furthermore, the Ancient Bridle and Saddle, unlike the Ancient Armor set or the Sheikah Slate, were added to Breath of the Wild as DLC, along with the Master Cycle Zero as part of The Champions' Ballad. This means that players who did not purchase the game's expansion passes would not have had access to the Ancient Bridle and Saddle. Therefore, including them in Tears of the Kingdom could have faced criticism for the change in paywall. As a result, Nintendo avoided a potentially complicated situation by transitioning away from Sheikah technology in Tears of the Kingdom.
Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Pushed Zonai Vehicles as Its Alternative
Tears of the Kingdom makes an effort to highlight horse riding through side quests and mini-games, but players quickly realize that using the game's new Zonai devices is a faster and easier way to travel across Hyrule. This aligns with the game's story, as Zonai technology coincides with Ganondorf's return and is integral to the game's plot. As a result, horse riding becomes less relevant, despite its usefulness in Breath of the Wild, where the Ancient Bridle and Saddle allowed Link to summon his horse anywhere in Hyrule. In Tears of the Kingdom, players have multiple options for constructing vehicles with Zonai devices, which are just as accessible as summoning Link's horse.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is available now on Nintendo Switch.
