Tears of the Kingdom is packed full of secrets, side-quests, and fun excursions. It's an incredibly well-executed example of an open-world game, where players are not punished for nurturing their curiosity. Tears of the Kingdom boasts over 100 side quests, and 60 side adventures - which are essentially extended, or particularly important quests. In addition to that, there are hours worth of playtime in the main storyline alone, making Tears of the Kingdom a rich and worthy investment.
For some players, finding and completing all the side quests and adventures appeal. That way, gamers get to explore the world fully and discover all the various secrets and rewards available. But there are many tasks and challenges beyond that; things that will truly allow players to earn the title of completionist. Thanks to the expansive world of Tears of the Kingdom, there's a lot more to do than just the main story.
Updated May 18, 2024, by Alexandra O'Leary: There's a vast number of things to do in Tears of the Kingdom, and players can have hundreds of hours of fun without progressing the main quest at all. Those who prefer to explore all corners of a game before reaching the big boss will have an absolute ball in this open-world adventure. There's a broad selection of tasks available for players to amuse themselves with. Tears of the Kingdom has plenty of quests with a little more meat to them than players may expect. For those who want to put off facing Ganon for as long as they can, there's endless other things to do instead of the main story.
13 Fill Kilton's Monster Display
Capture Pictures of Rare Beasts
If Link ventures to the new-and-improved Tarrey Town in Akkala, he'll find his old friend Kilton hanging around in front of a wooden stage. If the player talks to him, he'll start to drop hints about how he wished he could teach the people of Hyrule how monsters aren't as evil as they seem. (Of course, it certainly doesn't feel that way when a Gleeok is spewing fire at Link.)
Ultimately, Kilton wants to join forces with Hudson to make a series of monstrous statues that will allow everyone to (safely) get up close and personal with a range of Link's well-known enemies. The only thing they need to start this collection is some sort of reference image, which is where Link and his trusty camera come in.
One statue will lead to another, and eventually there will be a vast selection of statues for Link to arrange in a beautiful display. Each time a picture is taken, and a statue is made, Kilton will give a short lecture about the monster to help educate the members of Tarrey Town. Overall, Link will need to take five pictures of increasingly frightening monsters. Eventually, players can present pictures of any monster to Hudson and fill the display with whatever they want. They'll get a diamond for their trouble.
12 Dupe the Yiga Clan
Sneak Into Their Ranks
This is one of the more long-winded quests Link can undertake during his adventures around Hyrule. Persisting with the wild goose chase around the corners of the map will afford Link the chance to sneak his way in to the Yiga Clan hideout and discover the various secrets they have to hide. This will also give Link some insight into what he might run into in the Depths.
There's no strict order to this process, as Link can start collecting the Yiga Clan armor long before he ever finds the hideout. The three pieces can be found around Hyrule at the various venues the Yiga Clan have infiltrated: The Ancient Akkala Tech Lab, a cave near Kiuyoyou Shrine in Rowan Plain, and The Old Man's House in the Great Plateau. While players will likely come across one or two of these alone, they may need hints from the quest to find them all.
The good news is, those who found the Yiga Clan hideout in Breath of the Wild will have no trouble locating it, as it is in the exact same place. Players can find it in the Gerudo Highlands, east of the Skyview Tower. Speaking the Mimos will set the quest in motion and give Link some hints about how to infiltrate the clan.
11 Complete the Compendium
Identify Everything in Hyrule
One of the returning components from Breath of the Wild is the Hyrule Compendium. This vast catalog of information identifies everything in Hyrule, from Bokoblins to Bears, and ChuChus to Chillshrooms. The ultimate goal is to capture an image of anything Link comes across so it can be identified in the Hyrule Compendium.
While it may sound easy, players shouldn't be fooled — this is no easy task. There are over 500 entries in the Hyrule compendium, and remembering to take a picture of everything can be difficult — especially in the monster department. But, ultimately, this can be very beneficial. The Sensor can be set to anything in the Hyrule Compendium, so if players find themselves in need of precious gems or Moblin parts, they can set the Sensor to locate it. The prize for accomplishing this enormous task is a rare Paraglider fabric from Robbie, a fitting prize for such a feat.
10 Help the Monster-Control Crew Protect Hyrule
Venture Around the Map and Defeat Monster Hordes
The first time players leave Lookout Landing and venture south, they might run into a woman at a camp who will tell Link that the Monster-Control Crew has left to defeat a nearby horde of monsters. This is the first of several quests to assist the Monster Control Crew as they work to bring peace back to Hyrule.
There are three different squads that Link needs to assist if he wants to bring peace to Hyrule, but overall they'll need help in six different locations.
- Hoz's Squad will be in Hyrule Field, south of Lookout Landing - Link must help here before the second location is unlocked. Then, they'll be raiding Fort Hateno (north of Blatchery Plain) in Nucluda.
- Toren's Squad can be found in Eldin on the north side of Death Mountain, where they'll be about to enter a cave by Lake Darman. After bringing peace to Eldin, Toren will move to Akkala and Link can meet them on the road directly north of the Upland Zorana Skyview Tower.
- Flaxel's Squad will be in Faron attempting to take down a pirate ship docked in Menoat River near the Harfin Valley. Once Link has assisted in saving Faron, Flaxel will move to South Tabantha Snowfield in Hebra. The easiest way to find Flaxel is to travel southwest on the same road as Snowfield Stable, where they'll be plotting to raid a Monster Fort.
Helping each of these squads defeat the monster hordes will gain Link a silver rupee, and after a blood moon, Link can return to help out again for another reward.
9 Help the Stable Trotters Serenade Every Fairy
Get the Band Back Together and Reach the Four Fairy Fountains
While on his various quests around Hyrule, Link might come across one or two band members who seem to have gotten themselves into a predicament. Some players may rescue these musicians without a second thought, but eventually Link will encounter the Maestro at Woodland Stable. Here, he will discover that the Great Fairy has hidden in her bud, and only the beautiful music of a violin will make her come out.
Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom - 6 Underrated Zonai Devices
It would be a mistake to overlook the following Zonai devices in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
Essentially, in order to wake up each fairy, Link will have to rescue the various members of the band (who are all somewhere near a stable that's by a fairy fountain) and fix up their wagon to help them reach the fairy. Once there, the Stable Trotters will perform a lovely song and convince the fairy to emerge from hiding. This quest is repeated for each of the four fairies until the Stable Trotters become a lovely permanent fixture at each stable, performing their music to the masses. The main reward from this task is the ability to upgrade Link's armor to its fullest capacity, which he can only do once all the fairies have come out.
8 Restore Lurelin Village
Save Lurelin and Help it Become a Bustling Tourist Spot
It won't take players long to discover that Lurelin Village has been totally overrun by monsters. People as far away as Kakariko will be discussing it, and Link will encounter Lurelin locals who've had to flee their beloved village all over Hyrule. To actually set the quest in motion, players should speak to Rozel who is watching from a cliff near Sifimum Shrine.
There are a few steps in order to fully restore Lurelin Village, but that goal begins with taking out the massive horde of monsters that have taken up residence there. Depending on their confidence, players might want to wait until they have a few more heart containers and better armor before they take this on. Waiting until nighttime is also a good idea because most of the monsters will go to sleep, making it the perfect chance for sneak attacks.
Once players have defeated all the pirates, the restoration of Lurelin Village can finally get underway. Players should speak to Rozel and Bolson, who will explain the materials needed to begin fixing the town. It's slow progress, but building by building Link can rebuild everything that was lost. That's not the end for Lurelin's return, however, because there's a brilliant opportunity to introduce a new competitive sport. Speaking to Fernison and the Gerudo in Akkala highlands (the building site northwest of Tarrey Town) will activate a series of quests that prompt Link to build racing carts from Zonai equipment. Eventually, these two worlds will collide and Link can suggest they visit Lurelin to establish the Lureline Water Rally. Only after all of this will players have truly restored Lurelin to its former glory.
7 Take Pictures Of Every Stable
Capture Beautiful Scenery with the Purah Pad
Technically, this is a side quest, but one that many players may not ever end up interacting with. There are fifteen proper stables across Hyrule, and what players may not have noticed is that each stable has one or two empty frames hanging on the walls. There's a Stable Association hallmark in each one, so they look relatively inconspicuous.
Investigating one of these empty frames will prompt the stable owner to speak to Link. Basically, the Stable Association is trying to brighten up all the stables by providing frames to hang a painting in. Each stable owner will have a specific idea of what they want to paint, but they have no reference. Link will have to venture high and low across Hyrule to take pictures of certain areas and return to the stable, to show the owner. Every main stable has at least one frame, which makes it a lengthy operation.
6 Chase Every Lead for the Lucky Clover Gazette
Help Penn Investigate Leads All Over Hyrule
One of the new mechanics introduced in Tears of the Kingdom is news. Unlike Breath of the Wild, almost every stable will have somebody reading a newspaper, and if Link speaks to them, they'll read the headlines out loud. Depending on which regional phenomena players decide to tackle first, they'll eventually come across the former Rito Stable, which has been transformed into an office for the Lucky Clover Gazette.
Speaking to Traysi will launch the 'Potential Princess Sightings' side quest, which ultimately sees Link work with on-field reporter Penn to solve the mysterious disappearence of Princess Zelda. This quest is long and will include Link visiting 12 different stables to investigate potential sightings of Zelda, which means most players only help Penn when they naturally come across him. Traysi at Rito Stable will let Link know where Penn is supposed to be if players ever want to track him down, but eventually they'll come to investigate all the leads. Every time a mystery is solved, Penn will pay Link for his hard work - and once every lead has been investigated, speaking to Traysi will prompt her to give Link the Froggy Hood.
5 Defeat Every Monster
Take Down Every Field Boss at Least Once
This is a returning quest from Breath of the Wild, except it is monitored by Gralens of the Monster Control Crew instead of Kilton. Speaking to Gralens in the Lookout Landing bunker will prompt 6 total quests which ask Link to defeat a Gleeok, Hinox, Talus, Frox, Molduga and Flux Construct.
Tears Of The Kingdom: 10 Enemies That Are Fun To Fight
Players may find themselves having quite a bit of fun while fighting these enemies in Tears of the Kingdom.
Successfully beating one of each monster will close the quest. However, Gralens will then keep tabs on the number of each boss that remains undefeated throughout Hyrule. In order to gain this achievement, players will have to search for all of these monsters and defeat every single one. After Link has done so, speaking to Gralens will reward players with a shiny gold medal that secures his place as a legendary monster hunter. There's no shame in seeking out a guide to keep track of these battles since there are:
4 Discover The Depths and Find Every Bargainer Statue
Activate Every Lightroot and Locate Seven Bargainer Statues
The Depths are a new, extensive addition to Tears of the Kingdom that essentially provides twice the amount of area to explore. The Depths exist directly beneath Hyrule and are therefore the same size. It will likely take players hours to explore the area, let alone find anything worthwhile.
One goal players should strive for is to discover the entirety of The Depths. Although it may take some serious time and commitment, players who light up every lightroot in the game will receive a Dispelling the Darkness Medal. This medal doesn't serve a specific purpose but stands a testament to the dedication of the player as a bringer of light to Hyrule.
Another main goal in The Depths is to find all the Bargainer Statues. Players who haven't spent much time in the depths may not be familiar with Bargainer Statues, but the first one they will encounter is beside Josha in Lookout Landing. There are 7 total Bargainer Statues scattered around the depths, and discovering them will allow Link to purchase more and more key items with Poes instead of rupees. Players may want to discover the Bargainer Statues early on in the game because Link will be able to repurchase legendary weapons and armor like Biggoron's Sword and the Fierce Deity armor set.
3 Find and Fix Every Sign for Addison
Use Ultrahand to Keep His Signs Upright
Every player who has ridden their horse along the many roads of Hyrule will have encountered Addison, floundering at the side of the road as he struggles with a sign of President Hudson. Addison has been tasked with putting up these signs to advertise Hudson Construction - which players may remember from Breath of the Wild. The catch is, that Addison is just no good at it and can't figure out how to keep the sign standing long enough for him to fix it to the ground.
With a lot of determination and patience, players will have to help Addison a whopping 81 times in order to complete this extended task. Players will have to use Ultrahand to place various construction materials around the sign in order to keep it upright, so Addison can secure it. These signs will vary in difficulty, with some already almost stable and others standing on a needlepoint. This is one of the more worthwhile quests since Addison will give players multiple, actually useful, rewards every time they help him. If players can help Addison with all his signs, he will reward players with a very special gift.
2 Find Every Bubbul Frog
Help Koltin Fulfill His Dream and Purchase Brilliant Items
Players may have noticed early on that there's a new addition to the many caves and tunnels around Hyrule: Bubbul Frogs. If gamers have ever wondered why a strange tick appears on the map for some caves and not others, it's because the tick only appears once Link has defeated the Bubbul Frog inside. Each Bubbul Frog will drop a Bubbul Gem, which players may be collecting for a while before they discover what they're actually for.
Tears Of The Kingdom: 8 Enemies That Are In Other Zelda Games
Longtime fans of the Zelda franchise will have recognized these enemies from previous games in Tears of the Kingdom.
In order to kick this process into motion, players will have to head to the Woodland Stable in Eldin to once again encounter monster-enthusiast Kilton. He will be stood with his never-before-seen brother, Koltin, who is complaining about desperately wanting to transform into a Satori (a mythical creature, which some players may have discovered in Breath of the Wild). Players should complete the quests assigned during this encounter, and upon finding Koltin, Link will be able to trade in Bubbul Gems for various helpful and unique rewards. There are over 100 Bubbul Frogs to find, which can be a time-consuming challenge.
1 Find Every Korok
Search the Map to Locate these Little Tricksters
Koroks are a polarizing aspect of both Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. Some players enjoy locating all these woodland creatures, and others find it a very taxing quest. Tears of the Kingdom has even introduced a new form of obtaining Korok seeds, in which Link will encounter explorer Koroks who are crying to be reunited with their traveling buddy.
Whether players find them adorable or not, Koroks are the most dreaded part of the game for gamers who want a 100% completion rate. There are a staggering 1000 Korok seeds in total, gained by finding the Koroks that are scattered around Hyrule on cliff sides, logs, lakes, roadsides, under rocks, in grassy areas, and more. These pesky little creatures are by far the most monumental feat in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, and committing to locating all of them is no small decision.
It's worth at least solving the Korok puzzles when players encounter them naturally, since Korok seeds can be given to Hestu in exchange for more inventory space, which is integral for stocking up on good weapons. Finding all 1000 Korok seeds will prompt Hestu to give players a very strange gift whose only purpose is to make Hestu dance on command.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
- Platform(s)
- Switch
- Released
- May 12, 2023
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo
- Genre(s)
- Adventure
- Metascore
- 96
