The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess was a huge departure for the Zelda franchise in terms of tone. Originally released on the Nintendo Wii and later upgraded for the Wii U, Twilight Princess centers on Hyrule's invasion by creatures from another dimensions, the Twilight Realm, and has since become a fan-favorite for its aesthetic and story.
The latest Zelda title, Tears of the Kingdom for the Switch, pays tribute to many previous titles in the series, including Twilight Princess. From weapons, to game mechanics, and even armor sets, there are many noticeable callbacks to the characters and story of Twilight Princess in this game, some of which weren't in its predecessor, Breath of the Wild.
6 Ganondorf's Sword
There are plenty of weapons to be found in Tears of the Kingdom that will appear familiar to longtime fans of The Legend of Zelda. Among those is the Dusk Claymore, a two-handed sword that bears resemblance to the sword used by the Six Sages in their execution of Ganondorf in Twilight Princess, before Ganondorf breaks free of his chains and takes it.
Notably, this sword's presence in Tears of the Kingdom is a much larger reference as well to the game's story, which revolves around Ganondorf's rise to power in Hyrule. Though Ganondorf doesn't get to use the Dusk Claymore in this game, players can use it themselves and take advantage of its high attack power.
5 Poes
When exploring The Depths underneath Hyrule, players will come across clusters of lights known as Poes. These spirits can be traded with Bargainer Statues for rewards including rare armor and useful items. Poes also appeared in Twilight Princess as a similar collectible item, and their purpose was actually very similar.
Throughout Twilight Princess, players can find Poe Souls by defeating Imp Poes while in wolf form. After collecting a certain number of Poes, they can be traded to Jovani, a man who traded his soul for riches and was subsequently turned into a golden statue. By helping free Jovani, the rich man will reward players with an empty Bottle or numerous Rupees.
4 Twilight Realm Helmets
Many outfits in Tears of the Kingdom reference characters from previous games, and Twilight Princess is no exception. However, there are actually two separate head armor pieces that are based on characters who hail from the Twilight Realm: Midna, Link's companion in the Wii game; and Zant, one of the game's primary antagonists.
Midna's Helmet, which offers gloom resistance, can be located in The Depths beneath Eventide Island, though players must first battle through a coliseum's worth of enemies. Zant's Helmet is also found in the Depths, in a coliseum below Death Mountain, with a similar challenge posed to players who want it as with Midna's Helmet.
3 Armor Of Twilight
Like with many other The Legend of Zelda titles, there is an acquirable armor set in Tears of the Kingdom based on Link's green outfit from Twilight Princess. This is one of Link's more iconic looks, given that he donned the look in several Super Smash Bros games, including Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Super Smash Bros for Wii U & 3DS.
The three pieces of the Twilight Princess armor can be found in the Depths, with old maps found on the Sky Islands revealing their exact location. The hardest piece to find will be the Tunic of Twilight. This piece of armor lies at the center of Rist Mine in the Depths, right below the Rist Peninsula where players locate the twelfth Dragon's Tear during the main story.
2 Batteries
Not only is crafting machinery out of Zonai devices and various objects a brand-new game mechanic in Tears of the Kingdom, but it's also essential to the game's progression. As such, players will likely find themselves spending a lot of time upgrading their Zonai batteries, allowing them to power their machines for longer periods of time.
Noticeably, the way these Zonai batteries are stored on Link's person brings to mind a similar image from Twilight Princess. They bear resemblance to the Vessel of Light, which Link uses to collect Tears of Light and restore Hyrule to its original glory after it's been taken over by Twili. Given the connection with "tears," this can't be just a coincidence.
1 The Zonai
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom expands on Hyrule's lore by introducing the Zonai race, who are responsible for Hyrule's creation. Like Hylians themselves, Zonai are said to have descended from gods, and take up residence in the Sky Islands while advancing their civilization through the invention of technologies never seen before.
As some Zelda fans have pointed out, this backstory for the Zonai oddly resembles that of the Oocca, a bird species who have only appeared in Twilight Princess. Similar to the Zonai, the Oocca live in the City in the Sky, creating the Dominion Rod to communicate with Hyrule's royal family. Perhaps the two races are related in some capacity.