If you’re a gamer, you’re probably aware of the recently released Legend of Zelda: Tears of Kingdom, the sequel to Breath of the Wild. I’ve been playing it for hours and I’ve barely made a dent. The size of this world is just too massive to comprehend. While I love the grandiose landscapes and colorful characters (Beedle for the win!), I’ve got one thorn in my side: the dang Koroks! These plant-like spirits can be found throughout the land of Hyrule.
Look, I love these cheerful creatures as much as the next person, but the ones carrying the oversized backpacks can buzz right off. Not only is it time consuming to transport them to the right spot, as you’re forced to use the building mechanic (I’m not a fan), but it totally derails me from whatever quest I’m working on at the time. As a kind of consolation prize for finishing the Korok’s puzzle, you’ll be awarded a seed, which you can exchange for more inventory slots. Is the payoff worth it? Not really.
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It’s weirdly time consuming
Nintendo decided to take a cue from Minecraft and introduce a new building mechanic in Tears of the Kingdom. This mechanic allows you to grab various objects and stick them together with a material akin to chewing gum. The build mechanic is wonky, that’s for sure. Sometimes certain objects don’t attach exactly the way you want them to, which can be really frustrating. It takes more time than it should to build a wind-powered raft, and so on. Hilariously enough, the Koroks, specifically the ones wearing backpacks, can stick to objects as well.
Nothing quite kills the excitement of exploring a new area than trying to build a transport vehicle for a Korok that’s burdened by a ridiculously large backpack. It definitely takes me out of the moment, which is a big downfall, as this is the type of game where being present is everything. I want nothing more than to explore the vast lands of Hyrule, taking in the blue rivers of Zora’s Domain or the taupe-colored sands of the Gerudo desert uninterrupted. So, it’s a chore to figure out how to get the backpack Koroks from point A to point B, especially with the building mechanic being as unreliable as it is. To see the aggravation in full effect, check out the video below.
Other Korok puzzles are far more enjoyable
Koroks exist in nearly every nook and cranny of this game. Unlike the ones wearing backpacks, the other Koroks remain invisible until you solve their puzzles. Sometimes it involves putting a rock in the right place or chasing a floating flower. You don’t have to build some elaborate vehicle and send them hurtling off in some random direction so they can meet up with their friend. The other puzzles are more straightforward and enjoyable, so I don’t mind them as much.
But you haven’t known true disappointment until you’ve built a rocket-powered vehicle for an over-encumbered Korok in need, and all you get is one lousy seed for your efforts. What a bummer. Although you can trade in these seeds for more inventory slots, I don’t find the payoff worth it, not when it comes to rescuing the ones with the backpacks. Plus, the more inventory slots you buy, the more seeds you’ll need. I’d rather solve the other Korok puzzles that don’t take that much time or effort.
Author: Ashley Biancuzzo, Associate Editor, PCWorld
Ashley Biancuzzo manages all laptop and Chromebook coverage for PCWorld. She's been covering consumer tech since 2016, and her work has appeared on USA Today, Reviewed, Polygon, Kotaku, StarWars.com, and Nerdist. In her spare time, she enjoys playing video games, reading science fiction, and hanging out with her rescue greyhound.