Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is a game that prides itself on the freedom it places in the hands of the players. Between constructing some of the coolest Tears of the Kingdom constructions or providing a huge amount of movement options, Tears of the Kingdom lends itself naturally to skilled players who can pull off some high IQ plays. Of course, these plays can help in speedruns as well, with devoted fans pushing the game to its absolute limits. Here are some of the best things to do in Tears of the Kingdom, that hopefully with some practice, you can pull off in your next playthrough.
#10 Skipping Shrines With Rocket Shields
Any player who has played Breath of the Wild is familiar with the concept of shrines. These mini-dungeons and puzzles once again make a return in Tears of the Kingdom. However, much like the previous game, there are plenty of ways to cheese the puzzles and reach the sweet rewards earlier than expected. One of the easiest ways is to attach a rocket to Link’s shield, which will allow him to fly high into the air, potentially skipping certain puzzles. While not the most complex thing in the world, the is a great high IQ play for Tears of the Kingdom players who aren’t a big fan of puzzles.
#9 Korok Launching
Similar to shrines, Koroks also return from Breath of the Wild, though with a new twist. Now, players must reunite Koroks with their friends by building contraptions that get them from point A to point B. This has led many fans to build some of Tears of the Kingdom’s coolest constructions, including devices that are specifically designed to launch the poor Koroks over huge distances. This includes things like catapults, explosives, and rockets, all of which can quickly get a Korok to their destination. In a way, Korok launching has become a new high IQ sport for Tears of the Kingdom fans when they play.
#8 Horses In Tears Of The Kingdom Lead To High IQ Plays
Many already know that horses in video games can have some janky physics surrounding them and Tears of the Kingdom is no different. One player shows off a high IQ Tears of the Kingdom play that can make a cool stunt for anyone who takes the time to set it up. By placing a horse at the bottom of a large fall, players can jump off the cliff above it and land safely on the horse without taking any fall damage. While the setup may stop this interaction from being too practical, using this to create a clean getaway may be a chance to make Link look like an action movie star.
#7 A Square Box Can Help Manage Rockets
Building contraptions, so far, is one of the best ways to show off some high-IQ plays in Tears of the Kingdom. However, sometimes the big flashy mechs and tanks reach the same level as a simple build that fixes a problem with the mechanic. When building constructions, all grouped Zonai Devices trigger at the same time. This makes trying to stagger rockets extremely difficult since they will all fire at the same time. Despite this, Reddit user Stanthehero has a clever solution to this problem by using a large square box to house multiple loose rockets that can each be triggered individually. This allows for a smoother flight that can be kept up longer by spacing each burst of speed.
#6 Saving Link With Rewind May Be More Luck Than A High IQ Play In Tears Of The Kingdom
On top of the ability to create cool constructions, another new ability, Rewind, allows for some interesting High IQ plays in Tears of the Kingdom. Rewind gives Link the ability to rewind an object, causing it to follow the reverse of the oath that it just followed. Although its applications seem more limited, players have already found a laundry list of things to do with the new ability. One thing specifically involves Reddit user Glum_Row_8262, who after falling off the edge catches themself by rewinding their glider. While this may have a little bit of luck involved, watching the play in action is a sight to behold.
#5 Building An Orbital Canon
One of the coolest constructions in Tears of the Kingdom is an orbital cannon. Obviously, a lot of creativity and game knowledge has to go into constructing any elaborate build, and this canon is no exception. Having an extra source of independently functioning massive damage is a high IQ play that will make a fine addition to any Tears of the Kingdom playthrough. Unlike previous entries, however, this build may be a bit more difficult to get your hands on and should require some grinding alongside the high IQ.
#4 More Shrine Cheese With Rewind
Once again, the rewind mechanic makes another appearance, however, this time players are using the ability to cheese shrines. Using any method besides solving the standard shrine puzzle is automatic grounds for a high IQ play and this application is no different. Reddit user Throwaway shows off how players can trace a path by levitating a moveable object across a ledge, and then rewind the object while riding it to cross normally uncrossable gaps. On top of being high IQ, this play shouldn’t be too hard for players to pull off.
#3 Building A Working Elevator
Another one of Tears of the Kingdom’s coolest constructions shows off Reddit User Low-Reference9994’s creation to help a Korok. Although it seems a bit excessive, this player constructed a working elevator to raise the Korok to its destination. This build may not have been completely necessary to pull off the mission, however, it definitely is a good display of engineering prowess.
#2 Landing On Wings Mid Air
Another high IQ play that fans have found in Tears of the Kingdom helps Link quickly and efficiently glide around the map. This trick allows Link to land on a set of wings midair, after coming out of a glide. To do this, players need to drop the wings from their bag, and quickly land on them before they soar too far away. On top of being useful, this is a neat stunt to pull off midair as well.
#1 Beating Ganon Early
The very act of speedrunning Tears of the Kingdom itself is going to include a whole list of High IQ plays that players need to pull off. This includes unique strategies to fight each of the game’s bosses, techniques to lure enemies to ledges and blast them off, and the ability to defeat the entire game with only a few heart containers and limited weapons. Although it includes too many individual plays to list out here specifically, any player interested should check out some of these insane speedruns.
