You can shield surf in Tears of the Kingdom fairly easily.
Screenshot by Destructoid

How to shield surf in Tears of the Kingdom

Make Shaun White proud.

While you explore the land of Hyrule, you can shield surf on the mountains of Tears of the Kingdom, becoming a fun blend of SSX Tricky and Legolas from Lord of the Rings.

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While you can’t do any tricks like a 180, you can propel yourself down cliffs quickly. This can be surprisingly useful, helping you to escape some enemies or get to where you want to be in the sprawling game world a bit quicker.

The process of how to shield surf in Tears of the Kingdom

How to shield surf in Tears of the Kingdom
Screenshot by Destructoid

Shield surfing in Tears of the Kingdom‘s open world is a little bit of an awkward process. First, you’ll need to start sprinting. Next, jump and hold the ZL trigger. There’s no animation associated with the shield, which makes it confusing. However, while holding ZL, press the A button. Link grabs his shield and then puts it under his feet. When you hit the ground, he’ll start surfing on it. Make sure you’re on a good hill or mountain to slide across it.

Further tips for shield surfing

There are some things you should know about shield surfing before attempting it. First, the shield can’t protect you from fall damage. For smaller jumps, it will work, but if you direct Link off a large cliff and try to have him land on the shield from a greater distance, the Hero of Time will perish.

For a safer journey, glide while Link is shield surfing. He’ll keep his feet on the shield and he’ll land safely on the ground. It’s a great way to get around a steep mountain or a hill this way, and it’s entertaining too! You may need to weave your way around incoming enemies, however, like those annoying Bokoblins. Tilt the analog stick to the left and the right carefully to make the ride as safe as possible.

If you want to shield surf in Tears of the Kingdom casually, head over to Corvash Peak, Talonto Peak, or Hebra Peak. They each have hills of snow you can ride down. They’re in the northwest region of Hyrule in the Hebra Mountains area. You’ll likely lose yourself in this shield surfing experience. You never know; you might find a secret in the game while you’re snowboarding your way around the mountains.


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Author
Chris Penwell
Chris is a writer for multiple outlets, including Destructoid! He loves narrative games like Kingdom Hearts, Life is Strange, and Beyond Good & Evil. However, he does enjoy Fortnite and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate from time to time.