Among the many new mechanics revealed forThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomis the ability for Link to build and drive all-new vehicles across Hyrule, which has sparked new promise forBreath of the Wild’sMaster Cycle Zero. Though much of the focus following this revelation was light-hearted commentary on the similarities betweenTears of the Kingdomandvehicle-building mechanics inBanjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts, attention has turned to the actual implications this new ability will have.
It could be that the Master Cycle’s popularity following its introduction inBreath of the WildinspiredTears of the Kingdomto further expand on the idea of vehicles. As a result, the Master Cycle could still have a role to play. While early concerns suspected thatBreath of the Wild’ssequel would strip away Link’s abilitiesto provide players with a blank slate, it’s possible that the Master Cycle is spared this reset and instead used to helpTears of the Kingdomintegrate its vehicles.
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The Impact of Zelda’s Master Cycle
When it was first introduced inBreath of the Wild, the Master Cycle seemed analogous to the game. It was a late addition as a reward for completing The Champions' Ballad DLC, and a literal motorbike seemed contrary toZelda’sfantasy aesthetic. However, in the companion bookThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Creating a Champion,series producer Eiji Aonuma said he had proposed the concept of the Master Cycle duringBreath of the Wild’smain development. Though it was rejected at first, it was later approved to be a reward asa new traversal mechanic following The Champions' Ballad.
From this, it’s possible to imagine thatBreath of the Wildalways had the potential for vehicles, but that these would have broken the game’s inherent design.Tears of the Kingdom,therefore,has the opportunity to innovate whereBreath of the Wildleft off, as reflected in the transition to new vehicles and vehicle-building. WhileTears of the Kingdom’svehicles pose a challengefor keeping horses relevant, it does suggest that the Master Cycle won’t suffer the same fate if it has already proven influential.
How Tears of the Kingdom Could Navigate Using the Master Cycle
Due to its odd position as post-game DLC, it might not cause concern if Nintendo doesn’t included the Master Cycle inTears of the Kingdom. But given its recurrence in other games fromMario Kart 8DLCtoHyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, it seems the only option is to include the now-iconic Master Cycle. Should Nintendo intend to transition away from the Master Cycle toward its new mechanics, it could do so by limiting its use, changing what it’s capable of, or using it to contrastBreath of the Wildmechanics toTears of the Kingdom’sown.
It’s still unclear how Link’s abilities will transition betweenBreath of the WildandTears of the Kingdom. But while this could include keeping the Master Cycle as one of Link’s Sheikah Slate runes, some early ideas suggested that insteadthe Master Cycle should be upgraded forTears of the Kingdom, perhaps into a flying vehicle. As per the latest trailer, gameplay footage has shown that the new vehicles will similarly serve this function instead, potentially rendering the Master Cycle redundant.
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But this presents a new possibility, something that might help connect the ideas behind the Master Cycle inBreath of the WildtoThe Legend of Zelda:Tears of the Kingdom’svehicles. By granting Link access to all the abilities he would have presumably owned by the end ofBreath of the Wild, including the Master Cycle, the early stages ofTears of the Kingdomcould be designed in a way that demonstrates how ineffective these abilities are. For example, as the Master Cycle cannot fly and has both limited speed and fuel capacity, the player would be organically shown thatTears of the Kingdom’svehicles are better opens as they become available.
New Vehicles in Tears of the Kingdom Might Mean No More Master Cycle
Another alternative would be to grant players all their previousBreath of the Wildpowers, but during the opening acts ofTears of the Kingdom,Link is stripped of these abilities. For instance, it’s possible thatthe Sheikah Slate will be replaced by Link’s arm, meaning that the abilities associated with it will be modified or erased during this change. The Master Cycle could be among these, so by letting players ride in the first moments ofTears of the Kingdom, it could become part of the power fantasy that is taken away and must be reclaimed.
Ultimately, the fact that Nintendo used its latestTears of the Kingdomtrailer to focus on traversalwith new vehicles and vehicle-building mechanics suggests that the Master Cycle is in dire straits. Since it was only ever a DLC reward with non-canonical appearances in other games, the Master Cycle was never something that every player is guaranteed to have had, meaning its inclusion inTears of the Kingdomwas tenuous at best. With the trailer specifically showcasing its new vehicles, there’s a stronger case against the Master Cycle’s return than there is for it.
But with the Master Cycle being replaced, there would be new potential inTears of the Kingdom’svehicle-building mechanicswith Link shown to be building both ground and air contraptions. The foundations that the Master Cycle built could letTears of the Kingdom’svehicles achieve much more, as it’s likely the trailers have only shown a glimpse of what the final product will offer. If it is set to be retired, the least Nintendo could do is provide fans an Easter egg or reference to acknowledge the Master Cycle and its legacy.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomis set to release onMay 12, 2023, exclusively for Nintendo Switch.
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