TL;DR: Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is a masterpiece of creativity, but it is significantly darker and "creepier" than its predecessor. For a 7-year-old, the "Gloom Hands" and the pitch-black "Depths" are the primary nightmare fuel. If your child is sensitive to jump scares or "undead" imagery, you might want to play co-pilot for the first few hours.
Quick Links for Context:
- Zelda: Breath of the Wild (The prequel)
- Minecraft (Similar creative building vibes)
- Roblox: DOORS (A good "scare-tolerance" litmus test)
- Check out our guide on the best Nintendo Switch games for elementary kids
Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (often called TotK) is the direct sequel to the 2017 hit Breath of the Wild. It’s an open-world action-adventure game where players control Link as he searches for Princess Zelda and tries to stop an ancient evil from destroying the kingdom of Hyrule.
While the previous game was mostly about exploring a beautiful, ruined world, TotK adds three layers: the Sky Islands, the surface, and the Depths. It also introduces a "building" mechanic called Ultrahand that lets kids build everything from simple rafts to complex, fire-breathing tanks.
If your 7-year-old is asking for this game, it’s likely because of the Ultrahand ability. In the world of 2025, kids are obsessed with "sandbox" creativity. This game is basically Minecraft physics but with high-end Nintendo graphics.
They love the freedom. They love that they can solve a puzzle by building a bridge, or they can solve it by strapping a rocket to a shield and launching themselves over a mountain. It’s "creative mode" energy in a triple-A RPG. Plus, there is a certain "Ohio" energy to the game—the ability to create weird, cursed-looking contraptions that shouldn't work but do. It’s prime fodder for school-yard storytelling.
Learn more about why sandbox games are great for cognitive development
Nintendo is famous for "E for Everyone" or "E10+" ratings, but they have a long history of slipping some genuinely unsettling stuff into Zelda games (anyone remember the Bottom of the Well in Ocarina of Time?). TotK leans harder into horror elements than Breath of the Wild did.
Here are the three big things that might make a 7-year-old jump:
1. The Gloom Hands (Gloom Spawn)
This is the big one. Imagine walking through a peaceful field when suddenly the sky turns blood-red, the music shifts to a frantic, discordant screech, and five disembodied, red-and-black glowing hands start sprinting toward you at high speed.
They are fast, they are aggressive, and they scream. Even for adults, the first encounter is a "panic and run" moment. For a 7-year-old, this is a legitimate jump scare that can lead to some frantic "MOM, TAKE THE CONTROLLER!" moments.
2. The Depths
TotK features an entire underground map called the Depths. It is pitch black. You have to navigate by throwing "Brightbloom Seeds" to light your way. The music is eerie and atmospheric, and the enemies down there are "Gloom-touched," meaning they look a bit more decayed and scary. It feels like a horror game survival mode.
3. Gibdos and Bosses
The game introduces an enemy called a "Gibdo." They are essentially insectoid zombies. They move slowly, have gray, shriveled skin, and require specific elemental attacks to defeat. They appear in large numbers during one specific part of the game (the Gerudo Desert) and can be quite unsettling for kids who aren't fans of "undead" vibes.
The final boss encounter is also much more intense and "dark" than the previous game's giant pig-monster. We're talking ancient, mummified villains and some body-horror-adjacent transformations.
The short answer: It depends on the kid.
Most 7-year-olds who play Minecraft on "Survival Mode" are used to Creepers and Endermen. If your child has played Roblox horror games like DOORS or Rainbow Friends, they will likely find TotK's scares manageable.
However, if your child is the type who:
- Still gets nightmares from "creepy" YouTube thumbnails.
- Dislikes being "chased" in games.
- Is sensitive to dark environments and eerie music.
...then the Depths and the Gloom Hands might be a bit much for solo play.
According to our community data, about 65% of parents with 7-year-olds allow them to play TotK, but many do so with "co-op" rules. Here’s how to navigate it:
- The "Spotter" System: Sit with them when they go into the Depths. Having a parent nearby makes the darkness feel less oppressive.
- The "Gloom Hand" Strategy: Teach them early on that it's okay to teleport away. You don't have to fight the scary hands. Knowing they have an "escape hatch" reduces the anxiety of exploration.
- Focus on the Surface: There is 100+ hours of content on the sunny surface and the Sky Islands that isn't scary at all. Encourage them to explore the forests and towns if the underground is too much.
If they do get scared, use it as a moment to talk about game design.
- "Did you hear how the music changed? The designers did that to tell you something was coming. It's like a movie trick!"
- "The hands look scary, but they're just pixels and code. What’s the silliest thing we can build to fight them?"
Turning a "scary" monster into a "problem to be solved with a giant wooden duck" (yes, you can build that) is a great way to build digital resilience.
Beyond the scares, there are a few other things to keep in mind:
- Difficulty: This game is harder than the first one. The puzzles require more "out of the box" thinking. A 7-year-old may need help with the logic of some shrines.
- Reading Level: There is a lot of text. While the main points are voiced, much of the lore and side-quest info is written. It’s a great way to practice reading, but be prepared to read some dialogue aloud.
- Violence: It’s "fantasy violence." No blood, but enemies disappear in puffs of purple smoke. Link can get "hurt" and fall over, but it's very stylized.
Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is one of the best games ever made for fostering creativity and problem-solving. It is essentially a physics playground.
Is it too scary? For most 7-year-olds, no—as long as they have a "brave" adult nearby for the spooky parts. If your kid is particularly sensitive, maybe start with Super Mario Odyssey or Kirby and the Forgotten Land first.
But if they’re ready for the quest? Let them build that fire-breathing hovercraft and take on the world. Just be ready for the scream when the Gloom Hands show up.
- Watch a "Gloom Hands" clip on YouTube with your child. See how they react to the music and the visuals before buying.
- Set a "Depths" rule: Maybe the underground is only for daytime play or when a parent is in the room.
- Check out our guide on Nintendo Switch Parental Controls to make sure they aren't spending 8 hours straight in the Depths.
- Ask our chatbot about the best Zelda-like games for younger kids