Many of the side quests in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild just aren’t worth the player’s time. It’s a large open-world game with a wide variety of tasks to complete, and while many BOTW side quests reward the player handsomely, some of those side activities turn out to be boring, frustrating, or ungratifying. With 76 side quests, 120 Ancient Shrines, and 900 Korok Seeds, there’s almost too much to do in BOTW.
With BOTW‘s direct sequel Tears of the Kingdomfast approaching release, many are taking the time to revisit previous Zelda titles. It’s easy to get caught up in the thrill of rediscovering Hyrule in BOTW and end up with rows of menial tasks clogging up the Adventure Log. It can be difficult to tell whether they’re worth it just by reading the descriptions; quest entries don’t usually list the rewards, and even the quest givers often keep them under wraps until it’s all said and done. On their first time or fifth replay, the following are a handful of BOTW side quests that players might want to skip.
10 Lost Pilgrimage
Tailing missions are almost never enjoyable, and this BOTW shrine quest is no exception. It begins when Link meets Korok mother Tasho, who asks him to chaperone her son Oaki’s pilgrimage to Daag Chokah Shrine. However, she doesn’t want to hurt Oaki’s pride; if he notices Link along the way, the objective is failed. Crouching in the grass and moving at a snail’s pace is bad enough, but Oaki frequently whips around in fright, blowing Link’s cover. At one point, he’s even ambushed by wolves. “Lost Pilgrimage” requires players to memorize all the turns in Oaki’s complicated path, and usually takes multiple attempts. The reward is just unlocking the shrine.
9 A Gift For My Beloved
This is one of the first side quests players will encounter in BOTW, and one of the least worthy of the player’s time. In Hateno Village, Link encounters Manny, a lovesick local pining over innkeeper Prima. Manny sends Link to determine a suitable gift for Prima, but she’s confused, and requests 100 Restless Crickets just to satisfy him. Luckily, players will only have to catch 10. Catching crickets is tedious; they’re fast and, without the Sheikah Sensor, which may not be unlocked yet, hard to find. Completing “A Gift for My Beloved” only nets the player 100 rupees – it’s not even implied that Manny and Prima get together.
8 Under A Red Moon
The Blood Moon mechanic is one of BOTW‘s most fascinating details, keeping exploration fresh and unpredictable. However, it’s not put to the best use during the side quest “Under a Red Moon.” It’s introduced by one of Kass’ songs, which explains that Link has to stand on a particular pedestal with no equipment during a Blood Moon. Since Blood Moons are unpredictable, this can take anywhere from a couple of minutes to a couple of hours – and when one finally rises, there’s very little time to capitalize on it. Miss one, and players will have to wait for the next. This quest unlocks Mijah Rokee Shrine, a repetitive combat trial.
7 Zora Stone Monuments
A wild goose chase all over Lanayru, the “Zora Stone Monuments” side quest is unlocked after completing a BOTW main quest, “Divine Beast Vah Ruta.” Cranky Zora elder Jiahto will send Link on a quest to read and report back on a series of 10 stone steles, each of which provides some insight into Zora history. Jiahto will offer scant hints as to their location, but it’s mostly up to the player’s observational skills to find them. Finding all 10 can take a lot of time, and the reward, a diamond, is better obtained through other means.
6 The Eighth Heroine & The Forgotten Sword
This quest series can be quite the hassle. In an effort to relieve him of his sand boots, Link goes on an errand for the desperate Bozai outside the Gerudo Town walls. First, Bozai asks for a picture of the Eighth Heroine’s monument. When Link returns, Bozai is shocked to find that the statue lacks her sword, and sends Link to find the missing piece. The two parts are located close to one another in the Gerudo Highlands, but far from Bozai; this would’ve worked better as a single quest. However, with the useful sand and snow boots as their rewards, these time-consuming BOTW quests might be worth the effort.
5 Special Delivery
BOTW‘s “Special Delivery” side quest stretches throughout almost all the Lanayru region. Beginning at the Bank of Wishes, players can speak to the Zora Finley, who wants to send a letter downriver to her crush on Mercay Island. They then have to follow the letter as it rushes down the rapids, clearing obstacles and enemies from its path. It’s not as easy as it sounds – the letter travels quickly, and the mazelike series of platforms covering the Lanayru Wetlands make it hard to keep track. It may take multiple attempts, but when the letter finally arrives, players only receive 300 rupees. At least this one has a happy ending.
4 Collecting All 900 Korok Seeds
While it’s worth grabbing the occasional Korok seed here and there, getting all of them is a fool’s errand. Korok seeds expand inventory slots; they can be exchanged with Hestu, an overgrown, overexcited Korok. More inventory slots can help mitigate the annoyance of BOTW‘s unpopular weapon durability mechanic, but there’s no need to collect all 900; a fully upgraded inventory requires fewer than half of these. The reward is Hestu’s Gift, a useless trophy that, according to the flavor text, has an unpleasant odor. Tracking down all 900 Korok seeds can easily take hours, and the reward is not only worthless, but also a little disgusting.
3 Mirro Shaz Shrine
Rivaling the motion-controlled maze shrines for the title of biggest annoyance is BOTW‘s Mirro Shaz Shrine. Certainly not among the best shrine puzzles in BOTW, Mirro Shaz has players using Stasis to drive a series of Ancient Orbs into distant cups. It’s difficult to get the right power level, and players will almost definitely break a couple weapons along the way. The second hole even puts a series of obstacles in the way, making an already challenging shrine even more difficult. The reward is another Spirit Orb, which, unless players are trying to complete all 120 shrines, is easily found elsewhere.
2 A Wife Washed Away
“A Wife Washed Away” unlocks after completion of BOTW‘s Divine Beast Vah Ruta; unlike “Zora Stone Monuments,” however, it’s relatively short. Fronk asks Link to find his wife, Mei, who has disappeared following an extended fishing trip. It’s as simple as listening to his directions and reading the map in order to find Mei on an island in the Lake Hylia archipelago. Once Link finds her, she’ll head home, giving him part of her catch as a reward. The five Staminoka Bass are useful, but can easily be caught in the surrounding waters. Overall, “A Wife Washed Away” makes for a pretty boring side quest with an uninteresting reward.
1 Into The Vortex
This shrine quest takes place on a spiraling stretch of peninsula in BOTW‘s Akkala region. In order to unlock Ritaag Zumo Shrine, players must carry an Ancient Orb to a pedestal, traveling around the entire spiral. This side quest can be annoying; dropping the ball to fight off an enemy ambush, then turning around to find it’s rolled away gets old fast. It’s possible to skip part of the trail by using Stasis to launch the ball closer to the pedestal, but that has the same frustrating issues as Mirro Shaz Shrine. The reward for this quest is another simple blessing shrine and Spirit Orb.
With so much to do in BOTW, some of these side quests are simply not worth the time they take to complete. All of them, however, contribute to the richly detailed open world, so none of them can be called a true waste of time. Players may find enjoyment in reuniting Fronk with his lost wife, or satisfaction in finally getting a hole in one to complete Mirro Shaz Shrine. While it’s certainly not necessary to check off every Ancient Shrine, Korok Seed, and side quest in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, with such a variety to choose from, almost every player will find something to like.
