Only a few hours left to go (pic: Twitter/Alex Pekala)

As the countdown to the release of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom begins, some diehard fans have taken to camping outside stores to get their hands on the game ASAP.

It’s been six long years since the release of Breath Of The Wild, but its sequel, Tears Of The Kingdom, is finally poised to make its grand debut on the Nintendo Switch this Friday.

Although Nintendo has been keeping a tight lid on crucial details about the game, they have confirmed that it will feature new sky islands and ‘proper’ dungeons, among other exciting additions. 

It’s no surprise that Zelda fans are counting down the seconds until the game’s release at the end of the week, with a few of them resorting to extreme measures to secure a copy of the game. 

Several enthusiastic fans are already queuing outside Nintendo’s New York store in anticipation of the special midnight launch event taking place there – even though there’s a reservation system in place. 

Zelda super fan Alex Pekala posted a picture of himself queuing up for Tears Of The Kingdom a whopping 72 hours before the game’s midnight launch. 

‘This is the longest I’ve ever waited without leaving the line,’ he wrote on Twitter. 

After coming across Alex’s post, a wave of excitement swept through his followers, who commented that it brought back memories of the good old days. 

It looks like queuing up has become somewhat of a hobby for Alex, who has amassed a following on YouTube over the years, after he became known as the ‘dude who got the first Nintendo Switch’ when it launched in 2017. In fact, he was first in line outside the same Nintendo store. 

Alex provided an update after surviving the first night, reporting that there were roughly 10 other fans keeping him company in the queue. 

While the Zelda exclusive launch event requires a special pass (and is also miles away in New York), there’s no need to fret if you’re not pressed for time. 

More: The Legend of Zelda

Physical copies of Tears Of The Kingdom should be widely available once the game launches on Friday, May 12. 

Moreover, you can always opt for the digital version – we’ve already figured out when it unlocks in the UK. 

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MORE : The official Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom guide is available for pre-order in the UK

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As the countdown to the release of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom begins, some diehard fans have taken to camping outside stores.