The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild brought an open-world format to the Zelda franchise for the first time. This changed the way that the dungeons and story were completed, but also added a whole world of opportunities for gamers to experience Hyrule and all the characters within it.
One of the best parts of any iconic RPG is the side quests, and Breath of the Wild’s new format allowed for even more than Zelda fans had ever seen in a single title. These additional quests helped players explore the huge map more thoroughly, find exciting and useful items, and earn some extra rupees (not to mention avoid their main objective of helping poor Zelda).
Gerudo Town
A bonus to completing side quests is that if a player completes all of the quests in a certain region, they can get even more perks. In the case of Gerudo Town, if Link successfully helps every person that needs it within the community, Lady Riju will grant him the Thunder Helm.
This item is worth the effort, as it makes Link impervious to lightning. Also, players will still earn a reward for each of the eight quests, which vary anywhere from finding a lost soldier to putting an end to littering.
Luminous Stone Gathering
After completing the Divine Beast Vah Ruta, players will be able to take on several quests around Zora’s Domain. In one of these, a Zora names Ludo will request that Link bring him 10 luminous stones, and he will give two diamonds in return. After the first time, players can still return to Ludo with 10 luminous stones, and he will give a single diamond in return for every batch.
If players are looking to make more money, it’s better to sell the luminous stones individually. However, diamonds are useful for upgrading armor and getting useful jewelry.
Leviathan Bones
If players go to Serenne Stables, they will find three sibling scientists that want pictures of the Leviathan bones that can be found around Hyrule. If Link returns to them with a picture of all three, they will grant him 300 rupees.
The search for these bones is difficult, but players are guaranteed to find two shrines in the process, as well as the starting place for the dragon Dinraal. The one in Gerudo Valley is easy to see from the map, but the other two will take a considerable amount of searching.
Hunt For The Giant Horse
In the Faron Grasslands, Link will find a Mounted Archery Camp. Here, there is a character name Staria who will tell Link about a giant horse that is often seen around the Taobab Grasslands. This will start him off on the Hunt for the Giant Horse side quest.
The horse in question will be easy to spot among the other normal-sized horses. Players will need to have about two full wheels of stamina to mount him, but once they do, they can take him back to a stable and register him. The massive horse looks suspiciously like Ganondorf’s horse from past Zelda games, and once he has been tamed and registered, he will even have the same Gerudo-style saddle. This call back is a fun way to show how past Zelda games still influence the titles of today.
Special Delivery
This side quest may be a little frustrating, but it’s quests like these that help a game like Zelda be one of the best action RPGs. On the Bank of Wishes in the Lanayru Region, Link will find a young Zora named Finley. Finley will ask Link to see a letter down the river to ensure that it makes it to her love interest.
The container holding the letter is very delicate and can be broken by obstacles in the stream. Also, if Link falls behind and loses sight of it, players will have to start over. Once the letter makes it down the river and to a Hylian name Sasan, players can head back to Zora’s Domain for their reward of a gold rupee.
Climbing Armor Set
Almost everything in Breath of the Wild is climbable, so a majority of the game seems to be spent scaling mountains. Unfortunately, Link is naturally a very slow climber. However, there is a clothing set that will speed him up, and when upgraded, allow him to use less stamina while climbing.
The set has three pieces, the bandana, tunic, and boots. Each is hidden within a shrine, so by completing the quest for all three pieces, players should also gain three spirit orbs and new places to teleport, so it’s a win-win overall.
Hylian Homeowner
If players complete this side quest, they can have a home of their very own. This is convenient because it provides a place for Link to store any weapons that players don’t want him to carry.
To start, players must find Bolson, who will be trying to demolish a house in Hateno Village. For Link to take ownership of the house, Bolson will request rupees, as well as materials, such as stacks of wood. Once gamers have provided everything he needs, the house will be theirs.
From The Ground Up
To start this quest, players must first complete the “Hylian Homeowner” side-quest. After giving Link his own house, one of the workers, Hudson, leaves for Lake Akkala. If players find him there, they can help Hudson build and populate a brand new town.
To do so, Link will once again need to bring him large amounts of wood. However, the fun part is finding people to live there. Hudson requests only residents whose surnames end in “son,” so it’s a good challenge to talk to NPCs and find people that fit the criteria.
The Master Sword
The Master Sword quest is a must for any Zelda fan who knows that the sword is notorious for locking away Ganondorf, the villain of the Zelda series. While it is technically optional, the quest is part of the main story of the game. Not only will gaining it return some of Links’s memory, but the sword is the only weapon that cannot break (though it does occasionally need to recharge).
The Master Sword is hidden in the Lost Woods at the foot of the Great Deku Tree. Once players find themselves in the Lost Woods, they can get through by keeping an eye on the way the wind blows the flame on their torch. Once they find The Great Deku Tree, they will need at least 13 hearts to survive the effort of removing the sword from its pedestal.
Twilight Relic
Midna’s helmet from Twilight Princess, another favorite Zelda game, can be gained as part of a side quest that becomes available when players purchase Breath of the Wild‘s DLC. When players start the game after the content is downloaded, they will learn that the Royal family had once collected significant artifacts, but that they were stolen by someone named Misko.
By completing this task, players can retrieve not only Midna’s helmet, but the Majora’s Mask, and other items that are nostalgic to Zelda gamers, so the effort may be worth it.