The Game Awards 2023: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Crowned as the Best Action Game

The ongoing year has been a phenomenal year for fans of action-adventure games. There have been plenty of titles that have not just kept the gamers entertained but also have managed to impress the critics. The Legend of Zelda, Alan Wake 2 to Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, the list goes on. The Game Awards 2023 award for Best Action-Adventure title surely was going to be a tough pick. Well, the choice has been made and we have a winner but it might not surprise you. 

As TGA celebrated its 10th anniversary today, the spotlight was on the ‘clash of the giants’. Following an exhilarating lineup of title announcements and gameplay reveals, it was finally time for the showdown. There had been plenty of debates and discussions on which title could bag the best action-adventure honor for the year. Although the fan speculations did suggest a clear favorite, it was the ‘moment of truth’. And guess what, Nintendo emerged as the king of ‘action’ once again. 

The Legend of Zelda emerges winner in the Best Action-Adventure category at TGA 2023

Looking at the nominees of Best Action-Adventure Games, it surely looked like a pre-lineup for GOTY. The first step to GOTY was marked by Nintendo’s celebrated masterpiece The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Well, you cannot keep Nintendo out of the game! However, the game could not go on to claim the crown of ‘GOTY’ courtesy of the clash with Larian Studios’ masterpiece Baldur’s Gate 3, the award for Best Action-Adventure was nothing less than a grand win. 

Even the actor Simu Liu presenting the awards also stated, “No surprises it’s The Legend of Zelda.” The statement itself testifies to the impact Nintendo’s TOTK has had on the gaming community in the year 2023. The hardcore fans of The Legend of Zelda are no strangers to the feeling of victory. For over three decades now, the brand of Zelda has kept the fans immersed in Nintendo’s universe. Despite setting up such high standards of expectations, the developers always seem to leave the players surprised. 

The success of TOTK 

Similarly, with Tears of the Kingdom, fans knew the game had a long way to go. The critical reception to the game was also something like never before. It became only the sixth game in history to land a perfect score on Famitsu. The Metacritic score of TOTK is 96 which makes it into the most elite list of titles. 

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Tears of the Kingdom also achieved a remarkable milestone by selling more than 10 million units within three days, establishing a new Guinness World Record as the fastest-selling Nintendo game. The previous record-holder was Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, a Switch title from 2018, which reached over 12 million units in sales within 24 days. According to a lot of fans, it may have been the toughest competitor to GOTY 2023 if not GOTY. 

Certainly, The Legend of Zelda as a franchise speaks to the unforgettable legacy of the gaming evolution. 

Which is your favorite title under the TLOZ banner?

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