The masterful work by Kōji Kondō has given The Legend of Zelda franchise a place in the golden hall of video game music over the past three decades. Composers Manaka Kataoka and Yasuaki Iwata and sound designer Hajime Wakai brought Breath of the Wild’s stellar arrangement to life, and Tears of the Kingdom is repeating the feat.
New additions to the score, including The Depths and Zonai Shrines, are combined with past favorites like Rito Village and the Stone Talus theme to make a truly magical experience in the sequel's OST. Here are some of the best musical themes from Tears of the Kingdom.
10 Final Trailer Saxophone
An honorable mention and first entry have to be awarded to Tears of the Kingdom’s trailer music that took the world by storm. Released within the final pre-launch trailer, Zelda’s call for help to Link ignited a deafening delivery of saxophone tones that caused chills across the community.
Hailed as one of the best video game trailers ever, the brass riff was shared relentlessly across social media and was an expertly deployed piece of marketing to send hype levels for the sequel soaring into the sky and beyond.
9 Tarrey Town
Returning from Breath of the Wild is Tarrey Town - a settlement in the Akkala Highlands Region flaunting an arrangement of traditional instruments to admire during the day and night that puts a smile on your face.
Sharing the spotlight with Hateno Village and Kakariko Village themes, Tarrey Town’s theme has the edge over them because of its surprisingly low brass notes that sneak in, its relaxing qualities, and the surge of dopamine you get from its positive vibes.
8 Hestu’s Dance
Collecting 900 Korok seeds during your gameplay is worth it whenever you get to experience Hestu’s dance while exchanging them. The large musician radiates good vibes, especially when a blood moon is close by, and the infectious dance he performs will have you calling “Shalaka lala!” in no time.
Using his Korok seed maracas, Hestu’s upbeat and enhanced theme from Breath of the Wild will put you in the mood for dancing, concluded with a well-timed launch of seed fireworks that earns it a place on this list.
7 Frozen Rito Village
An instantly recognizable theme from the game’s predecessor is Rito Village, home of the Rito, and while it appears again in its day and night versions, it’s the frozen arrangement, slowed down and sprinkled with the audio equivalent of snow, that elevates it in the sequel.
If Kass had returned in Tears of the Kingdom, the big, blue bird’s accordion theme would have certainly been on this list, but the music of his home under the ice is a worthy replacement until the musician turns up again.
6 Main Title Theme
After one of the best video game trailers was released, the cutscene revealing Tears of the Kingdom’s title made hairs stand on end from the sight of Link cascading through the air over the world you were about to explore, accompanied by a subtle yet heart-racing theme as you were free-falling.
Riffing off of Breath of the Wild’s tone, the sequel’s opening arrangement is bigger and better. The 2017 title had an air of curiosity in its main theme, but its successor is confident and looking to impress, and it did just that, earning it a sixth place on the list.
5 The Depths
Kicking off the top five entries is one of two sinister themes on this list coming from The Depths - the inverted expanse beneath Hyrule that carries the same nightmarish qualities as the Upside Down from Stranger Things.
This theme has long pauses of silence before blasting pulses of unsettling vibrations and discord that serve as mini jump scares when trying to avoid Gloom in the dark. The theme is a genius creation in itself because of the way it makes you feel and illustrates the sequel’s darker tone.
4 Prologue
Another dip into horror is the unnerving theme that plays during the opening cutscene in Tears of the Kingdom’s prologue, and it also featured in many of Nintendo’s trailers. The theme sounds like vocals being played backward, sending fans on an escapade to reverse it and uncover hidden messages.
While the prologue’s theme sets an unsettling mood for what’s to come, this style evolved into palindromic audio throughout the game that not only continued the sense of dread but also symbolized the game’s prominent theme and reversal of time and earned a high place on our list.
3 Stone Talus
Even though the Stone Talus is technically a miniboss and a monster to be somewhat feared, its theme is one of the most pleasing ones in the game, making a comeback from Breath of the Wild.
The timpani sounds that mimic the stomping of the enemy are perfectly balanced with the lighter melody, and after encountering a few giants, the theme will play in your head for a good few hours, and this awards it third place on our list.
2 Stables
There could be a full-blood moon overhead and a storm rising around you, but none of that matters when you’re in the security of the various stables in Hyrule, and the theme you encounter there is enough to make all of your troubles disappear.
When you visit a stable, it’s usually to interact with your horse, and since that’s already an in-game pleasure, the stable theme is all the more enjoyable and a real comfort with the weight of the kingdom on your shoulders. It’s a no-brainer entry for second place.
1 Zonai Shrines
The theme of the Sheikah Shrines found in Breath of the Wild is paled by the beautiful but haunting theme of the Zonai Shrines in Tears of the Kingdom, which plays at the end of each trial when the statues of Rauru and Sonia speak to you.
Featuring a similar style to the music in the prologue, the Zonai Shrine theme involves vocals that sound palindromic or backward and come in waves with the dialogue. It’s a fleeting but wonderfully original theme to be added to The Legend of Zelda compilation and an unearthly arrangement worthy of first place.