Screenshot by PC Invasion
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Allows Early Final Boss Challenge
One of the defining features of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was the ability to challenge the final boss immediately after completing the Great Plateau tutorial. While it was an extremely difficult task, it showcased the game’s commitment to providing players with unprecedented freedom. With the release of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, many players wonder if this early boss run is still possible.
Although Tears of the Kingdom has slightly more guided story quests and less information about the boss’s location, it does, in fact, allow players to attempt an early final boss fight.
How Soon Can You Challenge the Final Boss?
Thankfully, Tears of the Kingdom permits an early encounter with the final boss shortly after completing the tutorial at the Great Sky Island. However, players must first acquire the paraglider from Purah at Lookout Landing. Once obtained, they can skydive down the chasm below Hyrule Castle, which leads to the boss’s location.
It’s worth noting that the early final boss run in Breath of the Wild was considered challenging, but Tears of the Kingdom takes it to a whole new level. The path to Ganondorf in the Depths is filled with gloom-based enemies that can temporarily reduce your maximum hearts until you consume a restorative dish. Moreover, these enemies have the potential to one-shot you if your hearts and defense are low. To play it safe, players can choose to avoid most of the encountered enemies.
Heavy Spoilers Below
Everything changes when players reach the very bottom of Hyrule Castle’s Depths. At this point, they face waves of monsters that they would typically battle alongside the sages. However, if players go there without completing any main dungeons, they will have to face each monster alone.
Furthermore, Tears of the Kingdom follows Breath of the Wild’s footsteps by requiring players to defeat all of the dungeon bosses that remain unbeaten in the main quest. However, Tears of the Kingdom offers six bosses, as opposed to Breath of the Wild’s four. Players must conquer the Seized Construct in the Spirit Temple and face the Phantom Ganon at the end of Hyrule Castle.
And then comes the battle with Ganondorf himself. Even with high stats and the aid of sages, this fight is already a formidable challenge. Without them, due to attempting the early boss fight, the battle becomes even more tense. Players must ensure they have strong and durable weapons from other areas in Tears of the Kingdom, such as Hyrule Castle, to survive the encounter. Learning the ins and outs of the fights in this intimidating gauntlet will likely involve dying multiple times.
Screenshot by PC Invasion