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Jun 30, 2023

How to Shield Surf in Zelda Tears of the Kingdom

Shield surfing makes a return in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom with

Shield surfing makes a return in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom with an update to help players surf even further.

Zelda: Breath of the Wild is a game known for how much freedom it gives the players to explore a vast open world. What made the game so unique and influential upon its release was how it encouraged players to think outside the box. The newly-released and highly anticipated sequel, Tears of the Kingdom, is much the same.

One such way was the shield-surfing mechanic, which players will be delighted to discover makes a return. It may take some getting accustomed to for players used to Breath of the Wild controls. Still, the mechanic remains functionally the same and has even been upgraded to allow players to maximize durability and reduce damage. Here's everything players need to know about shield surfing in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.

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Shield surfing in Tears of the Kingdom is relatively straightforward; however, the controls are different from that of the previous Zelda game. To shield surf, the player must press the following buttons simultaneously: Parry (ZL) + Jump (X) + A.

Doing this will trigger shield surfing, but if the player is not on a slope, it will automatically retract. Shield surfing is best saved for situations where gravity will do most of the work for the player; otherwise, Link cannot shield surf for a period of time.

For an in-game refresher, players can find the shield surfing controls (after being done once) by accessing the inventory, scrolling right to settings, and selecting 'special controls.'

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There are several ways players can get the most out of the shield surfing mechanic in Tears of the Kingdom. Here are a few:

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is available on the Nintendo Switch.

Rain is a list and guide writer for Game Rant that has been watching anime, playing video games, and writing for the better part of a decade. Their goal is to help people (like themself) that didn't grow up with games become avid gamers!