Summary
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomis one of the most memorable games of last year, and is one of the Nintendo Switch’s must-play titles. It’s a successor to the belovedBreath of the Wildin all the right ways and improves on a formula that was revolutionary back in 2017.Nintendo has remained committed to theZeldalicenseover the years, and the pair of open-world offerings have become two of the most acclaimed in the franchise to date.
There are plenty of elements ofZeldathatTears of the Kingdomupholds beautifully, including, but not limited to, its use of returning characters, races, and cultures, which is something that makes the overall experience truly stand out. One friendly face is missing, however. Kass doesn’t get his time to shine in the latest title, but given Nintendo’s track record, that doesn’t mean he’s gone for good.
Kass is a Memorable Character in Zelda: Breath of the Wild
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is littered with memorable moments and charming personalities. They do so well to populate a huge map, which can often feel somewhat empty and sparse, with each chance encounter with someone new feeling like meeting a friend for the first time. From Bolson, who can renovateLink’s home in Hateno Village, to the four champions, who each have massively different but equally well-done personalities, it’s a game that is decorated with people of all races with new and unique tales to tell.
Kass is perhaps the most memorable of all, as he can be found delivering playful tunes at one of Hyrule’s many stables. He’s on the lookout for ancient songs, which have a connection to both the hero who banished Calamity Ganon in generations past and his teacher, the Court Poet. This is something that doesn’t get any satisfying closure inthe main story ofTears of the Kingdom, but it’s far too detailed for Nintendo to abandon forever, so it can seem like the series will circle back to him, as it would be wasted potential to not return to him in some way.
Kass is a Rito, a bird-like race who made their debut inThe Legend of Zelda: The Wind Wakeron GameCube in 2003.
Kass' Absence is Felt in Tears of the Kingdom
It’s curious, given how prominent his presence can be inBreath of the Wild, thatKass doesn’t make an appearance in 2023’sTears of the Kingdom. The latter has a host of new characters, and some who return and are granted more development this time, but the absence of Kass feels like a story cut short, as he seemed ripe for further exploration, and could have been used as a familiar face that Link can depend on as he discovers the new secrets of Hyrule that are presented inTears of the Kingdom.
Nintendo is Committed to Zelda’s Continuity
Despite manyZeldagames having their own cast which can be specific to that single title, there are a handful of characters who span multiple stories. Tingle, Beedle, Impa, and the goddess Hylia are just a few examples, and their recurring appearances give the franchise a layer of continuity.The convolutedZeldatimelinefeels haphazardly thrown together to achieve that feat, but the characters that inhabit Hyrule and beyond make further strides to generate that feeling of cohesion between each release.
Unlike the aforementioned people, Kass may very well be a flash in theBreath of the Wildpan, only appearing once and never again. However, his character model, interesting background, and memorable music mean that he’s a prime candidate to make another appearance in the future, regardless of how that may come to fruition.Breath of the Wilddeployed a similar game design to the very first game, which was released in 1986, showing that no idea is truly off the table when Nintendo looks to evolve thecovetedZeldaformula.
