20 MORE Hidden Secrets in Zelda Tears of the Kingdom
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VOICE OVER: Johnny Reynolds
WRITTEN BY: Johnny Reynolds
"Tears of the Kingdom" has so many secrets, we couldn't just make one video. For this list, we'll be looking at more Easter Eggs, secrets, and other hidden details players have come across in the latest "Zelda" adventure. Our list of more hidden secrets in "The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom" includes Final Level Music, Tulin's Homage, Two-Faced Statues, Muddle Bud Effects, Portable Pot Power, and more!
Script written by Johnny Reynolds
Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we’re looking at 20 MORE Hidden Secrets in “The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.” For this list, we’ll be taking another look at Easter Eggs and other hidden details found in the latest “Zelda.” If you think there’s something we’ve missed, be sure to check out our other video! Just like that one, beware of spoilers ahead. But as always, this game is gigantic, and there are more secrets than we could cover in even two videos. So, let us know some of your favorite secrets you’ve found in the comments below!
In our first video, we talked about finding gravestones of fallen heroes, including King Rhoam, Queen Sonia, and the many who lost their lives during the Calamity. As some of you pointed out in the comments, that last one has an extra layer to it. Within the Depths, you’ll often come across spirits of Hylian soldiers who offer pristine weapons. However, underneath the monuments installed by Princess Zelda at places like Fort Hateno, you can find a group of them as opposed to one. It’s a clever way to reflect a spot where many died, but earning non-corrupted weapons from it is a nice bonus.
Since the game’s launch, players have been coming up with all kinds of creative ways to use Zonai devices other than how they were intended. One such device is the one-use portable pot, meant for cooking on the go when not near a campfire. Many have found that these actually make great socket joints, giving certain parts of their creations more flexibility. But there’s another useful benefit from using it as a cooking device. When operating a Zonai creation, Link’s battery will eventually run out. But if you take out a portable pot and make a meal or elixir, your battery will automatically fill up, without you having to use a Zonai charge.
While this detail isn’t exactly hidden, it’s a testament to Nintendo’s skill at keeping track of all its threads, even the smallest ones. At the beginning of the game, Link and Zelda are separated after Zelda accidentally travels back in time, saving her from a nasty fall. When you’re finally ready to fight Ganondorf and plunge further underground, you’ll find the torch Zelda was carrying when she fell. Prior to that, you can also now destroy the boulders blocking some of the murals seen during the opening, revealing Zelda’s draconic fate. Neither of these things necessarily needed to be there, but it’s cool that Nintendo took the time to include them.
As was the case with “Breath of the Wild,” there are moments in “Tears of the Kingdom” where the Master Sword emits the same sound effect as Fi, the spirit companion from “Skyward Sword.” But there’s another, more subtle reference to the character in a scene towards the beginning of the game. After Link completes the opening area, he drops the broken Master Sword through time, where it ends up with Zelda. The music that plays during this cutscene includes notes from Fi’s Theme, just reworked to fit with this new composition.
Hidden underneath the sands of the Gerudo Desert are some pretty disturbing places that hint towards the Gerudo’s treatment of their enemies in the past. One such place is simply called the Ancient Prison Ruins, located in the Palu Wasteland. Exploring this prison leads to the Chichim Shrine, but it’s one of those “Zelda” locations that tell us a lot about the world through its environment. It naturally consists mostly of prison cells, many of which hold a Gibdo. It’s implied the Gibdo were once prisoners of the Gerudo in life, and it looks like their treatment was anything but humane. Arrows and weapons sticking out of them hint towards the method of execution.
All across Hyrule, no matter the environment, you can find Addison placing his signs advertising for Hudson Construction. With a station of building materials nearby, the idea is to help him stablize the sign for some small rewards. However, there are a few much simpler ways to go about this depending on the shape and height of each sign. If you don’t feel like building, the Zonai Stakes and Hover Blocks are excellent alternatives. Additionally, depending on the sign, even a horse can sometimes work. But that method is a lot less effective than just using a Zonai device.
Tulin has quickly become everyone’s favorite Sage thanks to his handy Gust ability while flying and his expertise in popping fools in the head with his bow. But he also has strong characterization as a wholesome little lad just trying to make his people proud. One subtle nod to his continued adorableness is seen in his weaponry. Once Teba gives his son Revali’s Great Eagle Bow, you can see part of the late Champion’s scarf tied to the weapon. Even more heartwarming is the Easter Egg with his quiver. Attached to it are two feathers: a white one from his father and a pink one from his mother, Saki.
Lizalfos are a pretty straightforward enemy, though their speed can still be a little annoying when in big groups. Like several other monsters, they can also come in different elemental types. In certain locations, like the Gerudo Desert where days are hot and nights are cold, the Lizalfos will actually change their elements. Once it becomes night time, you can watch as Fire Lizalfos dig into the ground, only for ice ones to emerge a moment later. How you fight them doesn’t exactly change much. But it’s one of the many, many interesting ways in which this world is constantly moving and changing.
There are a handful of King Gleeoks in “Tears of the Kingdom” and having access to fire, ice, and electric attacks makes them a fairly big challenge. You can find one of them in the Depths underneath Typhlo Ruins who adds to the challenge with Gloom infliction. Its den is hidden since Typhlo Ruins are on an island, meaning the water of the surface is an impassable wall in the Depths. However, it’s the den itself that has us curious. Around the arena are four statues of the main races: Gerudo, Goron, Zora, and Rito. But there isn’t one for the Zonai, who presumably built everything here. We’re not sure why these statues were chosen, but they certainly pique our interest.
The Muddle Bud is one of the cooler additions in “Tears of the Kingdom.” Hitting an enemy with one, whether it be thrown or attached to an arrow, will cause them to attack their allies. Depending on how you use it, it can lead to a variety of fun and useful outcomes. If you hit a Battle Talus with one, it will humorously hurl the Bokoblins riding it into the sky. Since it causes an enemy to grow aggressive and attack close-up, hitting a Lynel as it’s about to shoot you will stop them from using their bow. Additionally, if you attach one to an Eightfold Longblade, which produces a wind blast every swing, that blast will now turn a group of united enemies into an all-out brawl.
In “Breath of the Wild,” the only way you could change the look of your armor was by dying each piece different colors in Hateno Village. The Dye Shop is of course back in “Tears of the Kingdom,” but there’s one aesthetic change you’ll have to find elsewhere. A new character not seen in the first game is the excitable fashionista, Cece, whose store can be found near the dye shop. After you’ve completed the mayoral election side quest, you can then go visit her for some fashion advice. If you happen to be wearing the Hylian Hood, she’ll give you the option to lower it, showing off Link’s lucious locks.
We’ve mentioned how stakes are great resources for helping with Addison’s signs, but they also make for fantastic musical instruments. Depending on how high or low a stake sticks out of the ground, hitting it produces a different musical note. Since realizing this, players have naturally started putting on their own concerts. We’ve seen impressive renditions of classic Zelda songs as well as recreations of popular music. With enough time and effort, there’s no telling what kinds of Rube Goldberg-like music machines we’ll see in the future.
Similar to the first game, the Great Hyrule Forest is shrouded in mystical fog. Even after you free the Great Deku Tree, navigating it can be tricky. Lake Saria, named for the Forest Sage from “Ocarina of Time,” can be hard to get to since the fog never disappears, even if you’re diving to it from above. To reach it, you must first get to the Ninjis Shrine. From there, you can see that one of the many trees around you has some Silent Shrooms growing on it. Using that as a starting point, you’ll follow similar trees until you reach the lake. On the island in the middle, Link can earn a Forest Dweller’s bow, which can fire three arrows at once.
There are some mechanics in “Tears of the Kingdom” that you can really only find by experimenting. Link can use campfires to cook single items unless they have a cooking pot, as well as sit to pass the time. Naturally, rain makes them useless but there are a couple of ways around that. Link can place a campfire inside the entrance of a Shrine, which can be very helpful if you exit one, see it’s raining, and want to pass the time so you don’t have to deal with it. You can also create a fueled fire with wood, flint, and a pinecone. Both methods will protect the campfire from going out in a downpour.
In “Breath of the Wild,” players were told through a side quest of a giant horse they could tame, which highly resembled Ganondorf’s steed from “Ocarina of Time.” Well, it appears again in “Tears of the Kingdom,” but there’s no quest to point you in its direction. You’ll find it to the Southeast of Hateno Village, on an outcrop in between Hateno Bay and Deepback Bay. Though it’s taller than your average mount, that’s hard to tell from afar. It takes around two stamina bars to stop it from bucking, but is definitely worth getting thanks to its high strength stat.
The Bargainer Statues, most of which are found in the Depths, raise a lot of questions. Who are the spirits or deities tied to these monuments? And should we actually believe that they’re friendly ferrymen for Poes, the lost souls scattered about the new area? We’d already be asking these questions, but an Easter Egg just adds to the mystery. Some Bargainer Statues are quite tall, with full bodies not buried in the ground. On the backside of these, you’ll find an unsettling, monstrous-looking face. That’s never a good sign. And it makes us wonder about all the souls we’ve traded in.
Coming in three levels of difficulty, the Flux Constructs are overworld mini-bosses similar to Lynels and Hinoxes. And you can have a lot of fun with them using Link’s new abilities. Using Ultrahand is the best way to fight them since Link can pull apart the various blocks that make up their bodies. However, pulling out specific blocks leads to different effects. If Link removes the final block in its arms or legs, it will have no hands or feet to smash him with. Ultrahand isn’t the only way to humiliate them either; you can also use Fuse to steal and attack them with their own body parts.
Blupees are silly little critters that drop Rupees when they’re hit and scurry away to lead Link to a cave. You can usually only find them on the Surface, with there being one exception in the Depths: Blupee Burrow. This one-of-a kind location is found directly beneath Satori Mountain and serves as its reflection, which puts it right in the middle of a truly massive pit. There are a ton of Blupees here, which makes it a great place to earn some extra money. There’s also a giant cherry blossom tree here, which is linked to their guardian, the Satori spirit, and, just like the Blupees, is the only plant native to the Surface that’s found in the Depths.
Due to the immense love fans have for its soundtracks, “The Legend of Zelda” does musical Easter Eggs better than any series. The track for Hyrule Castle features a string of descending notes you’re more than likely to have heard before. That’s because they were also used in the music for the game’s trailers. However, these notes are also used, albeit with an entirely different tone, for the Goron area in “Breath of the Wild.” The race’s home is Death Mountain, but the setting predates them. Back in the NES original, Death Mountain was the final level that culminated in a fight against Ganon. Even back then, you can hear the same melody that’s used here, tying Ganon’s history together.
Patricia is a special, psychic sand seal that belongs to Riju, leader of the Gerudo. As ridiculous as that sounds, it’s actually exceptionally helpful. Feeding her a splash fruit will give you the coordinates to a side quest in the Gerudo region. You can keep going back to her until you’ve found all of them, but she won’t stop there. Even with the region finished 100%, Patricia will always be left with one set of coordinates. These actually lead to Ganondorf’s final location beneath Hyrule Castle. Not only does Patricia want you to beat the game, but the villain is Gerudo, so she technically isn’t wrong to send you there.
Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we’re looking at 20 MORE Hidden Secrets in “The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.” For this list, we’ll be taking another look at Easter Eggs and other hidden details found in the latest “Zelda.” If you think there’s something we’ve missed, be sure to check out our other video! Just like that one, beware of spoilers ahead. But as always, this game is gigantic, and there are more secrets than we could cover in even two videos. So, let us know some of your favorite secrets you’ve found in the comments below!
Fallen Soldier Weapons
In our first video, we talked about finding gravestones of fallen heroes, including King Rhoam, Queen Sonia, and the many who lost their lives during the Calamity. As some of you pointed out in the comments, that last one has an extra layer to it. Within the Depths, you’ll often come across spirits of Hylian soldiers who offer pristine weapons. However, underneath the monuments installed by Princess Zelda at places like Fort Hateno, you can find a group of them as opposed to one. It’s a clever way to reflect a spot where many died, but earning non-corrupted weapons from it is a nice bonus.
Portable Pot Power
Since the game’s launch, players have been coming up with all kinds of creative ways to use Zonai devices other than how they were intended. One such device is the one-use portable pot, meant for cooking on the go when not near a campfire. Many have found that these actually make great socket joints, giving certain parts of their creations more flexibility. But there’s another useful benefit from using it as a cooking device. When operating a Zonai creation, Link’s battery will eventually run out. But if you take out a portable pot and make a meal or elixir, your battery will automatically fill up, without you having to use a Zonai charge.
Zelda’s Torch and Murals
While this detail isn’t exactly hidden, it’s a testament to Nintendo’s skill at keeping track of all its threads, even the smallest ones. At the beginning of the game, Link and Zelda are separated after Zelda accidentally travels back in time, saving her from a nasty fall. When you’re finally ready to fight Ganondorf and plunge further underground, you’ll find the torch Zelda was carrying when she fell. Prior to that, you can also now destroy the boulders blocking some of the murals seen during the opening, revealing Zelda’s draconic fate. Neither of these things necessarily needed to be there, but it’s cool that Nintendo took the time to include them.
Fi’s Theme
As was the case with “Breath of the Wild,” there are moments in “Tears of the Kingdom” where the Master Sword emits the same sound effect as Fi, the spirit companion from “Skyward Sword.” But there’s another, more subtle reference to the character in a scene towards the beginning of the game. After Link completes the opening area, he drops the broken Master Sword through time, where it ends up with Zelda. The music that plays during this cutscene includes notes from Fi’s Theme, just reworked to fit with this new composition.
The Gerudo’s Prisoners
Hidden underneath the sands of the Gerudo Desert are some pretty disturbing places that hint towards the Gerudo’s treatment of their enemies in the past. One such place is simply called the Ancient Prison Ruins, located in the Palu Wasteland. Exploring this prison leads to the Chichim Shrine, but it’s one of those “Zelda” locations that tell us a lot about the world through its environment. It naturally consists mostly of prison cells, many of which hold a Gibdo. It’s implied the Gibdo were once prisoners of the Gerudo in life, and it looks like their treatment was anything but humane. Arrows and weapons sticking out of them hint towards the method of execution.
Helping Addison
All across Hyrule, no matter the environment, you can find Addison placing his signs advertising for Hudson Construction. With a station of building materials nearby, the idea is to help him stablize the sign for some small rewards. However, there are a few much simpler ways to go about this depending on the shape and height of each sign. If you don’t feel like building, the Zonai Stakes and Hover Blocks are excellent alternatives. Additionally, depending on the sign, even a horse can sometimes work. But that method is a lot less effective than just using a Zonai device.
Tulin’s Homage
Tulin has quickly become everyone’s favorite Sage thanks to his handy Gust ability while flying and his expertise in popping fools in the head with his bow. But he also has strong characterization as a wholesome little lad just trying to make his people proud. One subtle nod to his continued adorableness is seen in his weaponry. Once Teba gives his son Revali’s Great Eagle Bow, you can see part of the late Champion’s scarf tied to the weapon. Even more heartwarming is the Easter Egg with his quiver. Attached to it are two feathers: a white one from his father and a pink one from his mother, Saki.
Changing of the Lizalfos
Lizalfos are a pretty straightforward enemy, though their speed can still be a little annoying when in big groups. Like several other monsters, they can also come in different elemental types. In certain locations, like the Gerudo Desert where days are hot and nights are cold, the Lizalfos will actually change their elements. Once it becomes night time, you can watch as Fire Lizalfos dig into the ground, only for ice ones to emerge a moment later. How you fight them doesn’t exactly change much. But it’s one of the many, many interesting ways in which this world is constantly moving and changing.
Gleeok’s Den Statues
There are a handful of King Gleeoks in “Tears of the Kingdom” and having access to fire, ice, and electric attacks makes them a fairly big challenge. You can find one of them in the Depths underneath Typhlo Ruins who adds to the challenge with Gloom infliction. Its den is hidden since Typhlo Ruins are on an island, meaning the water of the surface is an impassable wall in the Depths. However, it’s the den itself that has us curious. Around the arena are four statues of the main races: Gerudo, Goron, Zora, and Rito. But there isn’t one for the Zonai, who presumably built everything here. We’re not sure why these statues were chosen, but they certainly pique our interest.
Muddle Bud Effects
The Muddle Bud is one of the cooler additions in “Tears of the Kingdom.” Hitting an enemy with one, whether it be thrown or attached to an arrow, will cause them to attack their allies. Depending on how you use it, it can lead to a variety of fun and useful outcomes. If you hit a Battle Talus with one, it will humorously hurl the Bokoblins riding it into the sky. Since it causes an enemy to grow aggressive and attack close-up, hitting a Lynel as it’s about to shoot you will stop them from using their bow. Additionally, if you attach one to an Eightfold Longblade, which produces a wind blast every swing, that blast will now turn a group of united enemies into an all-out brawl.
Removing the Hood
In “Breath of the Wild,” the only way you could change the look of your armor was by dying each piece different colors in Hateno Village. The Dye Shop is of course back in “Tears of the Kingdom,” but there’s one aesthetic change you’ll have to find elsewhere. A new character not seen in the first game is the excitable fashionista, Cece, whose store can be found near the dye shop. After you’ve completed the mayoral election side quest, you can then go visit her for some fashion advice. If you happen to be wearing the Hylian Hood, she’ll give you the option to lower it, showing off Link’s lucious locks.
Musical Stakes
We’ve mentioned how stakes are great resources for helping with Addison’s signs, but they also make for fantastic musical instruments. Depending on how high or low a stake sticks out of the ground, hitting it produces a different musical note. Since realizing this, players have naturally started putting on their own concerts. We’ve seen impressive renditions of classic Zelda songs as well as recreations of popular music. With enough time and effort, there’s no telling what kinds of Rube Goldberg-like music machines we’ll see in the future.
Lake Saria
Similar to the first game, the Great Hyrule Forest is shrouded in mystical fog. Even after you free the Great Deku Tree, navigating it can be tricky. Lake Saria, named for the Forest Sage from “Ocarina of Time,” can be hard to get to since the fog never disappears, even if you’re diving to it from above. To reach it, you must first get to the Ninjis Shrine. From there, you can see that one of the many trees around you has some Silent Shrooms growing on it. Using that as a starting point, you’ll follow similar trees until you reach the lake. On the island in the middle, Link can earn a Forest Dweller’s bow, which can fire three arrows at once.
Playing with Fire
There are some mechanics in “Tears of the Kingdom” that you can really only find by experimenting. Link can use campfires to cook single items unless they have a cooking pot, as well as sit to pass the time. Naturally, rain makes them useless but there are a couple of ways around that. Link can place a campfire inside the entrance of a Shrine, which can be very helpful if you exit one, see it’s raining, and want to pass the time so you don’t have to deal with it. You can also create a fueled fire with wood, flint, and a pinecone. Both methods will protect the campfire from going out in a downpour.
Ganondorf’s Horse
In “Breath of the Wild,” players were told through a side quest of a giant horse they could tame, which highly resembled Ganondorf’s steed from “Ocarina of Time.” Well, it appears again in “Tears of the Kingdom,” but there’s no quest to point you in its direction. You’ll find it to the Southeast of Hateno Village, on an outcrop in between Hateno Bay and Deepback Bay. Though it’s taller than your average mount, that’s hard to tell from afar. It takes around two stamina bars to stop it from bucking, but is definitely worth getting thanks to its high strength stat.
Two-Faced Statues
The Bargainer Statues, most of which are found in the Depths, raise a lot of questions. Who are the spirits or deities tied to these monuments? And should we actually believe that they’re friendly ferrymen for Poes, the lost souls scattered about the new area? We’d already be asking these questions, but an Easter Egg just adds to the mystery. Some Bargainer Statues are quite tall, with full bodies not buried in the ground. On the backside of these, you’ll find an unsettling, monstrous-looking face. That’s never a good sign. And it makes us wonder about all the souls we’ve traded in.
Disarming Flux Constructs
Coming in three levels of difficulty, the Flux Constructs are overworld mini-bosses similar to Lynels and Hinoxes. And you can have a lot of fun with them using Link’s new abilities. Using Ultrahand is the best way to fight them since Link can pull apart the various blocks that make up their bodies. However, pulling out specific blocks leads to different effects. If Link removes the final block in its arms or legs, it will have no hands or feet to smash him with. Ultrahand isn’t the only way to humiliate them either; you can also use Fuse to steal and attack them with their own body parts.
Blupee Burrow
Blupees are silly little critters that drop Rupees when they’re hit and scurry away to lead Link to a cave. You can usually only find them on the Surface, with there being one exception in the Depths: Blupee Burrow. This one-of-a kind location is found directly beneath Satori Mountain and serves as its reflection, which puts it right in the middle of a truly massive pit. There are a ton of Blupees here, which makes it a great place to earn some extra money. There’s also a giant cherry blossom tree here, which is linked to their guardian, the Satori spirit, and, just like the Blupees, is the only plant native to the Surface that’s found in the Depths.
Final Level Music
Due to the immense love fans have for its soundtracks, “The Legend of Zelda” does musical Easter Eggs better than any series. The track for Hyrule Castle features a string of descending notes you’re more than likely to have heard before. That’s because they were also used in the music for the game’s trailers. However, these notes are also used, albeit with an entirely different tone, for the Goron area in “Breath of the Wild.” The race’s home is Death Mountain, but the setting predates them. Back in the NES original, Death Mountain was the final level that culminated in a fight against Ganon. Even back then, you can hear the same melody that’s used here, tying Ganon’s history together.
Patricia’s Coordinates
Patricia is a special, psychic sand seal that belongs to Riju, leader of the Gerudo. As ridiculous as that sounds, it’s actually exceptionally helpful. Feeding her a splash fruit will give you the coordinates to a side quest in the Gerudo region. You can keep going back to her until you’ve found all of them, but she won’t stop there. Even with the region finished 100%, Patricia will always be left with one set of coordinates. These actually lead to Ganondorf’s final location beneath Hyrule Castle. Not only does Patricia want you to beat the game, but the villain is Gerudo, so she technically isn’t wrong to send you there.
