You know, as I stand here playing Tears of the Kingdom in 2026, I can't help but feel a pang of nostalgia mixed with disappointment. This game is phenomenal, a true masterpiece that builds on the incredible foundation of Breath of the Wild. Yet, it's impossible to ignore the giant, DLC-shaped hole in its legacy. It's like having a delicious, gourmet meal but knowing the signature dessert was left off the menu. Why did Nintendo decide not to give us that extra content? And more importantly, why does the absence of something like the Trial of the Sword feel so deeply impactful?

Think about it. Breath of the Wild's Master Trials DLC wasn't just extra content; it was a rite of passage. The Trial of the Sword was this brutal, three-part gauntlet that pushed your mastery of the game's mechanics to the absolute limit. It wasn't about having the best gear; it was about being the best player. You started with nothing, scavenging and strategizing your way through waves of enemies, using every rune, every trick, every ounce of skill. Completing it made you feel like a true hero, and the reward—a permanently powered-up Master Sword—was the ultimate badge of honor.

Now, let's look at Tears of the Kingdom. We have this incredible new sandbox of mechanics with Ultrahand, Fuse, Ascend, and Recall. The potential for a new, mind-bending gauntlet was immense! Imagine a challenge where you have to:

  • Fuse specific, limited materials to create the perfect tool for a puzzle-combat hybrid room.

  • Use Ascend and Recall in creative, non-obvious ways to gain tactical advantages.

  • Manage a severely limited Zonai device energy cell to overcome obstacles.

Wouldn't that have been amazing? Instead, we got... nothing. The Proving Grounds shrines are fun, but they're bite-sized tutorials compared to the marathon endurance test the Trial of the Sword offered. It feels like we were denied the ultimate test of our skills in this new, wonderful world. Where's our chance to prove we've truly mastered Link's new abilities?

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And this leads me to my biggest gripe: the Master Sword. In Tears of the Kingdom, the legendary blade feels... underwhelming. In Breath of the Wild, after the DLC, you could wield it at its full, glowing 60-power glory anytime. It felt like the true, unbreakable sword of evil's bane. In TotK, that permanent upgrade path is gone. Sure, it doesn't break, but its base power is easily outclassed by a well-fused Royal Guard's Claymore. Doesn't that feel narratively wrong?

Consider the story's emotional core: Zelda's immense sacrifice. She spent countless millennia as the Light Dragon, her very essence healing and empowering the Master Sword. Her entire being was poured into making it stronger for Link. And the result? A sword that's functionally no more powerful than it was in the previous game, and arguably weaker in practice given the tougher enemies in TotK. It almost cheapens her heroism, doesn't it? The game tells us it's a blade of immense power, reborn, but the gameplay doesn't always reflect that epic weight.

Aspect Breath of the Wild (with DLC) Tears of the Kingdom (No DLC)
Ultimate Challenge ✅ Trial of the Sword ❌ No equivalent gauntlet
Master Sword Power ✅ Permanent 60-power upgrade ❌ Base power, situational glow
Endgame Content ✅ Champion's Ballad, Master Mode ❌ Main story completion only
Narrative Payoff ✅ Sword feels like a true reward ❌ Sword's power feels disconnected from Zelda's sacrifice

Look, I love this game. Exploring the Depths, building wild contraptions, uncovering Hyrule's new secrets—it's given me hundreds of hours of joy. But as a direct sequel, it had the perfect blueprint to improve upon Breath of the Wild's formula, and that included its excellent DLC strategy. The absence of that final, challenging piece leaves the experience feeling slightly incomplete. It's like we climbed the mountain but never got to plant our flag at the very peak.

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Maybe the next Zelda title, whether it's Echoes of Wisdom or something else on the horizon, will bring back this beloved tradition of optional, punishing gauntlets. The Cave of Ordeals, the Savage Labyrinth, the Trial of the Sword—they're a proud part of Zelda's history. For now, though, I'll look back at Tears of the Kingdom and always wonder... what could have been? What incredible, Ultrahand-defying, Recall-reversing, Fuse-mastering challenge did we miss out on? The potential was truly wasted.

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So, fellow adventurers, what do you think? Am I just being nostalgic, or does Tears of the Kingdom feel like it's missing its crowning challenge to you, too? Without that final test, does the Master Sword in your inventory feel like it's living up to its legendary name? Let me know your thoughts. After all, in a game all about creativity and solving problems, the biggest unsolved puzzle might just be why Nintendo left this particular door firmly closed.