Tears of the Kingdom Time to Beat
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom takes most players roughly 50 to 60 hours to beat the main story, and about 100 to 120 hours for full completion. Your actual time depends heavily on how much you explore, build, and solve side quests before facing the final boss.
Main Story Length
If you focus only on the critical path—the main quests required to reach the final battle—you can finish in about 40 to 50 hours. That estimate assumes you travel directly between objectives, skip most optional shrines, and don’t spend much time on exploration or building. Players who rush through, using fast travel and minimal upgrades, have reported finishing in under 35 hours, though that’s uncommon for a first playthrough.
The main story is structured around four regional phenomena (similar to the Divine Beasts in Breath of the Wild), each with its own dungeon and boss. After completing those, you unlock a series of final quests in the Depths and the sky. The game also has a lengthy prologue in the sky islands that takes about 2–3 hours on its own.
Full Completion Time
For 100% completion—every shrine, lightroot, side quest, armor set, and Korok seed—expect 120 to 150 hours. The game is enormous: there are 152 shrines, 120 lightroots, over 200 side quests, and 1,000 Korok seeds. Collecting every Korok alone can take 30–40 hours. Most players who aim for full completion without a guide spend well over 150 hours, while those using interactive maps can trim that to around 120.
How Long to Beat Comparisons
Compared to its predecessor, Breath of the Wild (which took most players 45–55 hours for the main story and 100+ for completion), Tears of the Kingdom is slightly longer. The added sky and Depths layers increase the map size and the number of objectives. Other open-world games like Elden Ring (around 50–60 hours main story) are comparable, but Tears of the Kingdom’s building mechanics and physics puzzles add extra time if you engage with them.
Factors That Affect Your Playtime
- Exploration style: Players who climb every tower and check every cave will naturally take longer.
- Building usage: The Ultrahand ability lets you create vehicles and contraptions. Experimenting with builds can add hours of fun but also time.
- Difficulty: If you struggle with combat, you may need to grind for hearts, stamina, and better weapons, which extends playtime.
- Use of guides: Following a walkthrough for the main quest can cut 10–20 hours off your first run.
- Side content: Shrines, side quests, and armor upgrades are optional but tempting.
Speedrun and Speedrun-Like Times
For context, dedicated speedrunners have completed the main story in under 2 hours using glitches and advanced techniques. Without major glitches, the fastest known runs are around 4–5 hours. These times are not realistic for a normal player but show how much the game can be optimized. If you want a faster but still genuine experience, focusing only on main quests and ignoring optional content is the way to go.
How to Estimate Your Own Time
A simple way to gauge your pace: after the first 10 hours, look at your map completion percentage (shown on the loading screen). If you’re at 5% after 10 hours, you’re on track for a 200-hour full completion. If you’re at 15%, you’re moving faster. For the main story, you can also check how many of the four regional phenomena you’ve completed—each one takes roughly 5–8 hours, including travel and the dungeon.
Common Misconceptions and Mistakes
One common mistake is assuming the Depths are required for the main story—they are not, except for a few specific quests. Many players spend hours exploring the Depths early, which inflates their playtime. Another misconception is that you need to find all 152 shrines to beat the game; you only need enough to get the hearts and stamina you want. Also, the game’s final boss is easier if you’ve completed the main quests, as they unlock the ability to have allies help you.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is Tears of the Kingdom compared to Breath of the Wild? It’s roughly 10–15% longer for the main story, and full completion takes about 20–30% longer due to the added sky and Depths areas.
Can I beat Tears of the Kingdom in 20 hours? Yes, if you skip most side content and use fast travel efficiently. Some players have done it in under 20 hours by ignoring everything except main quests.
Does the game have a New Game Plus? No, there is no New Game Plus mode. After you beat the final boss, you can reload your save and continue exploring.
What is the fastest way to beat the main story? Focus on the four regional phenomena, then the final quests in the Depths. Avoid shrines except those needed for stamina and hearts, and use the towers to unlock the map quickly.
How many shrines do I need to beat the game? You don’t need any specific number, but having at least 10–15 hearts and one full stamina wheel makes the final boss manageable. That usually requires about 20–30 shrines.
Is 100% completion worth it? That’s subjective, but most players find the side quests and shrines enjoyable. If you’re a completionist, the 120+ hours will feel rewarding, but if you prefer a focused story, you can skip most of it.
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