Great Sky Island

The Great Sky Island is where Link awakens at the start of Tears of the Kingdom, floating thousands of meters above Hyrule in the sky. This self-contained tutorial zone introduces all four of Link's new foundational abilities — Ultrahand, Fuse, Ascend, and Recall — through a carefully sequenced series of shrine puzzles and open-world challenges. The island is not a single flat surface but a complex multi-tiered environment with distinct micro-climates: temperate forested areas on the lower levels, a snowy peak at the island's summit requiring cold-resistance preparation, cave systems rich with early ore and Zonai capsules, and the ancient Temple of Time at the center of the upper plateau. The Room of Awakening below the temple is where Link first regains consciousness and finds Rauru. After completing all four shrines and receiving the Paraglider, Link descends to Hyrule below — but the Great Sky Island can be revisited at any time via sky travel. It contains several Koroks and additional treasures unreachable without the full ability set. The island's stonework and architecture are pure ancient Zonai in style, covered in glowing green engravings and geometric motifs.

Affiliate disclosure: Hyrule Archive may earn a commission from purchases made through Amazon links on this site at no extra cost to you.