Time itself bends to Link’s will in Tears of the Kingdom, and Recall turns every falling rock, stray weapon, or missed chance into a second shot at brilliance – a power that’s as mind-bending as it is practical.
But it’s also so much more than that – especially when combined with Tears of the Kingdom‘s other incredible abilities, like Ultrahand.
When I first started playing Tears of the Kingdom, the flashiest and most appealing new abilities were Ultrahand and Fuse, for obvious reasons. Ultrahand, for one, is the tool used for combining items found throughout Hyrule into literally anything you can think of: Korok torture devices, devastating war machines, and even pickup trucks. Fuse is the weaponry equivalent, allowing you to combine materials and weapons into Keese eye honing arrows or flame-emitting shields. That’s the part of Tears of the Kingdom that’s designed to get a fuck yeah! out of you. Meanwhile, its quieter counterpart in Recall is actually stealing the show.
My first introduction into Recall was using it to solve puzzles in shrines, and, moreover, to fix mistakes I’ve made in there. It’s a simple but helpful tool for puzzles, but it’s when you start to understand the complexities of the ability that it truly begins to shine. In shrines, it can become something of a cheat code – like the Ascend ability – Twitter entirely. I use it when I’m feeling stumped or a little lazy, and yet, it does still take brainpower to figure out how to use it best. The ability is the actual definition of the phrase work smarter, not harder.
Nintendo’s also taken care to make Recall feel weighty in its own right; it doesn’t have the tension of swimming through ceilings like with Ascend, but its slow-motion reversal paired with its ticking timer adds a restriction to an ability that would otherwise break the whole game.
Outside of shrines, I’ve been using Recall as a locomotive tool – basically anything can become an elevator. You can use Ultrahand to move a platform like an elevator and then choose Recall to retrace that path, but the real galaxy brain move is that you can get much higher by throwing something small in the air, like a bundle of sticks. Once the wood falls back to the ground, you can attach a platform to it – so you can stand on it – then use Recall to trace its path up to whenever you were going.
I found large gliders to be tricky initially, too, but the Recall and Ultrahand solution has fixed that, too. I can launch my Zonai glider from anywhere by using Ultrahand to trace the path I’d like it to go, then pulling it back – landing the plane in reverse. Then I use Recall to set it back in motion once I’ve been able to climb on board.
Scouring through Twitter, I’ve found even more uses for Recall that I hadn’t considered, like its place in combat. It’s actually brilliant: When you’re being chased by an enemy, toss your weapon forward – away from the enemy and straight in front of you. Quickly select Recall to send that weapon back toward you to hit the enemy behind you.
An enemy throwing a boulder at you? Instead of dodging it, use Recall to send it flinging right back at them.
It’s amazing that I continue to see Recall used in ways that surprise me. Tears of the the Kingdom is a major feat in that way; there surely are limits to what you’re able to do with the game and its abilities, but Nintendo’s made those limits blurry in a way that lots of developers have tried to do before, but haven’t always succeeded.
How to chain Recall with Ultrahand for advanced builds
Chaining Recall with Ultrahand enables dynamic animations for vehicles, platforms, and traps by recording and reversing object paths manipulated by Ultrahand. This combo excels in advanced builds by simulating powered movement without Zonai devices.
Core Technique
Grab an object or assembly with Ultrahand and move it along a desired path (e.g., up, forward, or rotate). Release it, then immediately activate Recall on the same object to reverse that exact trajectory while you ride or interact.
Platform Elevators
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Build a simple stack of logs or slabs with Ultrahand.
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Manually raise it to height using Ultrahand, stand atop, drop Ultrahand grip.
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Recall reverses the drop, lifting you upward with a brief hover on release for precise jumps.
Vehicle Runways
Position a wing glider at a low point, Ultrahand it forward/upward along a ramp-like path to build speed/height. Recall plays back the motion, launching you airborne without needing slopes.
Swinging Bridges
Ultrahand a log over a gap while rotating it. Recall swings it back across, allowing you to grab and cross vast chasms mid-reversal.
Combat Traps
Pivot a small object with long attachments via Ultrahand spins. Recall unleashes rapid reverse rotation, shredding grouped enemies in chokepoints.
Infinite Height Chains
Ultrahand one object up then down; stand and Recall for lift. Quickly repeat on a second overlapping object to stack ascents indefinitely.
Examples of infinite-height Ultrahand Recall setups
Infinite-height setups with Ultrahand and Recall exploit overlapping object paths to repeatedly ascend without batteries or devices. These rely on precise timing during Recall’s brief hover phase (0.5-1 second) for jumps between objects.
Two-Plank Ladder
Use two sturdy planks or logs (A and B):
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Ultrahand plank A upward, then downward past starting height; stand on it and Recall for ascent with hover.
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During hover, quickly Ultrahand plank B upward/downward nearby; jump to B and Recall it as A falls.
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Leap back to A (repositioned) and repeat, alternating for continuous height.
Three-Object Cycle
Stack three flat objects for smoother chaining:
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Position objects staggered vertically; Ultrahand the lowest up/down while riding the middle’s Recall.
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Time jumps to the next during each hover, cycling paths to ladder indefinitely-ideal for sky islands.
Sticky Variant
Fuse a sticky part (e.g., from Great Sky Island) to a plank:
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Ultrahand the assembly up/down; Recall lifts you, and stickiness holds a second object underneath for auto-chaining without constant grabs.
