Top 10 Secrets in Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Top 10 Secrets In The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Wait... don't I know that song from somewhere? Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the top 10 secrets in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

For this list, we’re looking at the most satisfying, exciting, and unexpected secrets in Breath of the Wild. We're not counting glitches or exploits, and – although the game has an impressive physics engine – we're not looking at tricks that rely on the Stasis or Magnesis runes, either. Needless to say, there are minor spoilers ahead, so consider yourself warned.

#10: Temple of Time Music

Breath of the Wild is chock-full of references to other games in the Legend of Zelda series. One of the most poignant is right near the beginning of the adventure. The music that plays near the abandoned Temple of Time on the Great Plateau is actually a very slow arrangement of the beloved Temple of Time theme from 1998's The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time! It can be hard to hear in-game, but if you speed the music up, it's easy to pick out the melody.

#9: The Lord of the Mountain

Hyrule is full of rare and unusual animals for Link to ride while he explores the countryside – giant horses, skeletal horses, even bears and deer. But one extra-special mount stands out from all the rest. A nod to the mysterious Forest Spirit in the classic anime “Princess Mononoke,” this spectral being pays homage to the film and its creator, Hayao Miyazaki, whose work was rumored to be a source of inspiration for the game's designers. The Lord of the Mountain is skittish, it can't be stabled, and it'll disappear if Link dismounts it for more than a moment, but riding it is well worth the trouble – it's incredibly fast, and it looks incredible.

#8: The Hylian Shield

Buried deep in the bowels of Hyrule Castle is this special shield that long-time Zelda fans will recognize as Link's defensive armament of choice in “Ocarina of Time” and many other games in the series. It's guarded by a one-eyed Stalnox sub-boss hidden far beneath the final area of the game, which drops the shield's treasure chest when defeated. Fortunately, equipping this iconic piece of Zelda history easily makes up for the difficulty of getting to it. It's not quite indestructible, but it's so close most gamers never notice - and besides, who can resist that classic Hylian Crest motif?

#7: Dark Link Costume

It's hard enough just to find Kilton, the mysterious, monster-obsessed traveling merchant who can eventually sell Link this unique outfit. He's lurking in the far northern reaches of Hyrule, and once found, he starts roaming from town to town at random, only appearing at night. Kilton sells some neat stuff, including monster masks, but the real treasures don't become available until after our hero has conquered all four Divine Beasts. At that point, if players track down Kilton again, they'll be rewarded with the chance to buy all three pieces of this costume, which disguises Link as his infamous “mirror match” shadow self, glowing red eyes and all.

#6: Malanya The Horse God

Horses are Link's most loyal companions in Breath of the Wild. Unfortunately, like any other living thing in the game, they can be injured and even killed. But if your horse dies, don't lose hope! This hidden being can resurrect it. You'll have to find Malanya first, in a secluded canyon near the southern edge of Hyrule, and you'll have to reawaken it with an offering of rupees. Once that's done, Malanya will resurrect any of your previously stabled mounts that fall in battle, so that you never permanently lose your favorite horse. Best of all for fans of the series, the Horse God's theme is based on Epona's Song from The Ocarina of Time.

#5: Immortalized Legends

Not every reference to be found in Breath of the Wild is fantasy-based. Both Satoru Iwata, the former president of Nintendo who died in 2015, and the late comedian Robin Williams – who was such a big fan of the Legend of Zelda series that he named his daughter Zelda – are immortalized in the game as NPCs. Botrick, an earnest guardsman found in Hyrule Field, looks a lot like Iwata, while Dayto, who spends his time near a stable at the foot of Death Mountain, and Robbie, a short doctor and researcher, each bear a striking resemblance to Williams. We think both of them would appreciate the gesture.

#4: The Forgotten Temple & A Gift From The Monks

Deep down in a massive canyon that seems like it should be bottomless, players can find an enormous, ruined, underground temple complex full of Ancient Guardians. Although they're stationary, the overlapping positions of the Guardians means it'll take all of Link's reflexes and cunning to make it through. Reach the back of the complex, and the hero will be rewarded with one of the most remote and well-hidden shrines in the game. And, as if that wasn't enough, if Link revisits the temple after conquering all 120 shrines, he'll get a special reward: the "Of the Wild" armor set, with a classic look and Master Sword-enhancing power.

#3: Survival Challenge / Eventide Island

Far to the southeast of the Hylian continent, there's a large island. If Link manages to make it there, either by gliding or by raft, he'll find all of his items - including his food and armor - stripped away. The only way to recover his belongings is to undertake a multi-part challenge called “Stranded on Eventide,” using only the items and materials that are already on the island, which is also crawling with enemies, including a mighty Hynox. It's a satisfying and unexpected side quest that forces players to stay on their toes and find fresh solutions to problems that would have otherwise been easy.

#2: Hidden Words in Ancient Script

It looks like a mishmash of made-up characters, but there's a bit more to this mysterious language than that. Many people on the internet have noticed that the ancient Sheikah script used extensively in Breath of the Wild is actually a substitution cipher, and that English phrases are encoded in various parts of the game. Deciphered phrases include such iconic lines as "It's dangerous to go alone," from the very first Zelda game, and "All your base are," from the infamous "All your base are belong to us" dialog in the European Mega Drive version of the 1989 arcade shmup “Zero Wing.”

#1: Tarrey Town & Grante's Shop

This long quest chain begins with Link purchasing a home in Hateno Village, and eventually sees the hero traveling back and forth all over Hyrule, collecting lumber, rupees, and NPCs looking for a new home. When it's finally finished, Tarrey Town is a multicultural village full of great shops and even a little true love. But that's not all – there's another, hidden shop on a rooftop, run by a Hylian named Grante. Grante will sell Link missing pieces from any armor set he's only partially collected, and will also have otherwise-irreplaceable items – like the Hylian Shield – for sale if they ever get lost or destroyed. Now that's what we call customer service!