The 20 BEST Zelda Side Quests

The Lomei Labyrinths

“The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom” (2023)

“Breath of the Wild” featured three labyrinths as excellent challenges to get lost in. But “Tears of the Kingdom” made them even better. Each one begins with a mystery, a journal of a researcher leaving a trail of pine cones for Link to follow while avoiding puddles of gloom. Things get really fun, though, when you travel to each one’s counterparts in the sky and depths. Navigating the low-gravity sky labyrinths, gliding through paths to unlock the exit, feels incredible. So too does diving from the game’s highest point all the way to its lowest, where Link is met by a fiercely fun fight against a third level Flux Construct. Rewards are solid, too, with a couple of Shrines and the Evil Spirit armor set.

Zunari’s Shop

“The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker” (2003)

There are a lot of trading quests in “Zelda,” and while “Wind Waker’s” isn’t the best one, it is, just like the rest of the game, packed with charm. At a certain point, Zunari of Windfall Island will ask Link to help him expand his shop. You do this by taking his flower to one of three Gorons on different islands, and proceeding to do the same with the eleven other items, eventually earning a Piece of Heart and the Magic Armor. The charm comes afterwards, when Link can decorate the entirety of Windfall using said items for another Piece of Heart. You can take the easy route by purchasing only the cheaper products, which, admittedly, is fair; prices range from 10 to 200 rupees. But loosening the purse strings a bit allows the designer in you to bring even more delight to an already lovely locale.

The Riddle Quest

“The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and Four Swords” (2002)

The Game Boy Advance version of “A Link to the Past” featured a new side quest that tied in with the multiplayer add-on. Before you could take it on, you had to have 10 Medals of Courage in “Four Swords,” which you got by being the Link with the most rupees at the end of a stage. After that, you could speak to the lumberjack, Q. Bumpkin, who would ask for ten different items and creatures, all accompanied by a riddle. Solving the riddles, tracking these down, and scooping them up with a net made for a fun scavenger hunt. It also got you some nice wood carvings for Link’s house and, at the end, the very destructive Hurricane Spin.

Joanne the Mermaid

“The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass” (2007)

Sometimes we like a quest because it’s just plain silly. On Bannan Island, Link can find the Old Wayfarer, who’s obsessed with meeting a mermaid. Well, after defeating the island’s monsters, you can find one…except not really. Upon hitting the skittish mermaid with your boomerang, you learn Joanne is not a mermaid, but a cosplayer. Despite being rightfully annoyed about being whalloped by a boomerang, she agrees to go see the wayfarer upon hearing about him. And after a brief run-in with Linebeck, you can find her back at the old man’s hut. She decides to keep pretending to be a mermaid, and the wayfarer is none the wiser. It’s an odd quest, but an entertaining one. Oh, and it gets you fishing, if you’re into that sort of thing.

The Stolen Heirloom

“The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” (2017)

Once you complete three other quests in Kakariko Village, you’ll find that the orb inside Impa’s home has gone missing. Entrusted to find the thief, Link can question the townsfolk for an engaging and surprisingly deep mystery. At 10 o’clock at night, he can follow Dorian, one of the guards, who confronts the Yiga Clan Blademaster who took it. Link gets to fight him off, but what’s most enjoyable is learning about Dorian. It’s revealed he was once a Yiga, but left when he met his wife and had children. The Yiga took her life as punishment and threatened to do the same to his daughters, exploiting him for information on you and stealing the precious heirloom from Impa, the last straw for Dorian. It’s a tragic, memorable corner of “Breath of the Wild’s” narrative, especially when interacting with his daughters.

Cawlin’s Love Letter

“The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword” (2011)

Cawlin is one of Groose’s cronies, who spends most of the game helping his able-bodied friend taunt and berate Link. At a certain point, he’ll ask Link to deliver a love letter to Karane which leads to one of two outcomes. You can give the letter to a ghost found in the academy’s bathroom at night, which will fall in love with Cawlin and spend subsequent nights in his room, caressing him as he sleeps. But if you give it to Karane, it leads to her getting together with Pipit instead, sending Cawlin running away crying. Either way, Cawlin doesn’t get what he wants. But you get five Gratitude Crystals and the reward of enacting sweet emotional revenge on one of Link’s tormentors.

The Pirate Hideout

“The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks” (2009)

Who doesn’t love a thrilling rescue mission? After finishing a fetch quest for a woman in Papuchia Village, Link will unlock new tracks that lead to a hideout filled with pirates, or rather a bunch of those annoying miniblins. He’ll find a villager in need of rescue, prompting a fantastic mini-game where you shoot as many of these little gremlins as you can. From jail cell to minecart, the DS’ stylus is a great tool for the bow. And we won’t lie, it’s really satisfying sniping all these Miniblins. You can also go back to rescue a Goron, but this time must score enough points to win a bigger quiver and a Heart Container. It’s simply addictive.

Saving Lurelin Village

“The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom” (2023)

Sticking with the theme of monster pirates, let’s talk about Lurelin Village. As you meet citizens from the beachside town in “Tears of the Kingdom,” you learn it has been invaded by pirates. When you reach it yourself, you find it swarming with enemies, which can offer a decent challenge depending on how far you’ve progressed in the game. Ridding the place is a ton of fun, though, and it’s also rewarding to free the homes of these villagers, especially if you happen to find one on the road before they’ve returned so you can give them the good news. Rebuilding the village after the fight can be a little tedious with the resources required, but it’s worth it to see the community come back together.

The Spring of Wisdom

“The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” (2017)

“Breath of the Wild” is full of stunning moments, chief among them a sequence where Link frees an ice dragon from corruption atop a mountain peak. Medda in Hateno Village will tell Link about a secret spring on Mount Lanayru. Heading to the Spring of Wisdom, you’ll find Naydra, the aforementioned dragon, covered in Malice and evil eyes which Link must shoot to free her. Gliding down the mountainside in pursuit, using gusts of wind to propel you, and hopefully Revali’s Gale if you have it, makes for a stand-out scene. On top of being beautiful, you get the satisfaction of aiding an ancient, almighty deity.

The Postman

“The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask” (2000)

While part of his story crosses into the Anju and Kafei saga, which we’ll obviously touch on, the Postman of “Majora’s Mask” deserves his own spot. His extreme devotion to his job is immediately apparent. Following him throughout the 3-day cycle reveals he wants to flee town like most everyone else, but can’t bring himself to because it isn’t on the schedule. Unless you intervene, his story ends with him wallowing on the floor in uncertainty until the moon falls. However, if you’re doing the Anju and Kafei quest, Link enlists him to send the couple letters. Eventually, you can give him priority mail to deliver to Kafei’s mother, who gives him orders to flee. Seeing him able to abandon his post without guilt is all the more satisfying having seen the alternative.

The Cave of Ordeals

“The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess” (2006)

Several entries hold combat challenges, but the one in “Twilight Princess” is perhaps the best. In the Gerudo Mesa, you can take on a 50-floor dungeon of increasingly stronger enemies, but you’ll need all items from the dungeons in order to fully complete it. “Twilight Princess” has some of the strongest enemy designs in the series, as well as some of the strongest combat thanks to the Hidden Skills Link learns. The Cave of Ordeals is obviously a fairly big endeavor to take on, that you should be appropriately prepared for. But it’s a lot of fun and understandably rewarding to make it to the end of. You feel accomplishment, but it also unlocks fairies at each of the Spirit Springs and gets you Great Fairy Tears, which completely refill Link’s health and give him a brief damage boost.

Potential Princess Sightings!

“The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom” (2023)

This one’s a bit of a cheat, considering it encompasses multiple side quests. But ‘Potential Princess Sightings!” has too many great moments and rewards, making it one of the strongest side adventures in “Tears of the Kingdom.” It follows Link teaming up with Penn, a member of the Rito and reporter for the Lucky Clover Gazette. At most stables across Hyrule, you’ll find him investigating reports on information of the missing Zelda. None of it ever leads to her, of course, but they do lead to things like a Yiga pretending to be a psychic Cucco, a special breed of animal that eats Luminous Stones and poops out gems, and the ability to access Great Fairies through the power of music. It’s all highly entertaining, and you earn a ton of money and the slip-resistant Froggy Suit for covering the stories. Also, Penn is never not delightful.

Defending the Ranch

“The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask” (2000)

While Epona is required in “Ocarina’s” follow-up, helping Romani Ranch isn’t. But how could you say no when a sweet child asks for help against an alien invasion? Fighting them off isn’t too hard, but where the aliens came from and why they want the ranch’s cows is one of the biggest mysteries in the game. Afterwards, you can escort Romani’s older sister, Cremia, to Clock Town while defending against the vile Gorman Brothers. Completing both parts gets you a bottle of milk and a shiny new mask. But the sisters are also some of the most engaging NPCs in the game, which is saying a lot. It’s also worth visiting the ranch after the first night if you don’t help, to see how alien abduction has impacted the sisters.

Eventide Island

“The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” (2017)

Over the course of “Breath of the Wild,” you build up your inventory of impressive weapons and resources. But Eventide Island strips you of everything, save for your Sheikah Slate and any Champion abilities you may have unlocked. The island tasks you with collecting three Ancient Orbs to gain access to a Shrine. You’ll only have resources the island offers you while having to contest with its enemies, one of which is a Hinox wearing an Ancient Orb as a necklace. It’s a great test of the player’s abilities without relying on an arsenal. It forced us to plan strategically before acting, like one big combative puzzle. And it’s definitely the best Shrine Quest the game has to offer.

The Biggoron’s Sword

“The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time” (1998)

Trading quests have been seen in many “Zelda” games, though one of the most beneficial was in “Ocarina of Time.” Beginning with a Cucco Egg in Kakariko Village, this quest took Link all over Hyrule. Matching each item with the correct NPC required paying attention and a certain amount of exploration as some of the characters were hidden in small corners of the world. But it was a fun distraction from the main adventure, and a distraction more than worth following. It eventually earned Link the Biggoron’s Sword, which is longer and twice as strong as the Master Sword but at the cost of Link’s shield.

Malo Mart

“The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess” (2006)

Malo is a sassy, business savvy baby and by far one of the best NPCs in “Twilight Princess.” He eventually opens his own shop in Kakariko Village, though Link can help him expand. It does take 1,000 Rupees as you’ll have to repair Hyrule’s Eastern bridge first. Then you can either pay 2,000 for Malo to purchase a rival store in the castle’s town or 200 with the caveat that you give Hot Spring Water to a certain goron. But ponying up the dough is a small price to pay. With the Malo Mart Castle Branch open, Link will be able to afford the Magic Armor, which makes him invincible by siphoning Rupees. Seeing the snooty owner dance around in a Malo Mart uniform is just a nice bonus.

The Nintendo Gallery

“The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker” (2003)

One of the best side quests in “The Wind Waker'' doesn't actually get you anything, but is nonetheless immensely rewarding to complete. First, you’ll have to finish Lenzo’s quest on Windfall Island to get the Deluxe Picto Box. After that, you’ll be able to visit Carlov at the Nintendo Gallery located by Forest Haven. This eccentric sculptor will lovingly craft models of any character or enemy you show him a picture of. With multiple rooms for different islands and environments, filling each one is a grand accomplishment in and of itself. This obviously isn’t a quest for everyone. But we loved admiring our collection of mini-figurines and basking in this entry’s unique art style.

From the Ground Up

“The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” (2017)

After Link purchases a home in Hateno Village, Bolson Construction employee Hudson will set off to establish a new town. You’ll find him again in the Akkala Region, where he’ll ask for Link’s help. While part of this quest requires a bit too much wood collecting, the other part has Link recruit various NPCs to join Hudson’s village. Each one is dissatisfied with their current life and jumps at the chance to open up shop in a new location. Seeing the town grow with each step is joyful and the quest even ends with a wedding. More NPCs will move in, creating an adorable little community where once it was a desolate rock in the middle of a lake.

Mattison’s Independence

“The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom” (2023)

“Tears of the Kingdom” follows up the Tarrey Town quest with a touching continuation. A few years later, Hudson and Rhondson are still married, running a construction company and raising their daughter, Mattison. However, as is her people’s custom, Mattison must prepare to leave her childhood home and head to Gerudo Town. Link is asked to spend time with her to make her feel less lonely. But the quest culminates in helping father and daughter build a hot air balloon, leading to a lovely scene across the sky. The goodbye that comes soon after is certain to pull at the heartstrings, though it’s a lovely moment of growth and letting go.

Anju & Kafei

“The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask” (2000)

Half of “Majora’s Mask” consists of sidequests, though the most emotionally fulfilling revolves around these two doomed lovers. Before the game begins, poor Kafei is transformed into a child by the Skull Kid and has his ceremonial wedding mask by Sakon. He then hides out, with Link offering aid to his loved ones before helping Kafei track down the thief. It’s the longest sidequest in the game, bringing in multiple interesting NPCs like the heartbroken yet steadfast Anju and the anxiety-ridden Postman. It requires keeping track of a multitude of events across the time loop, but it leads to several masks, pieces of heart, and other rewards. And everything is worth it to see the two finally reunite.

What’s your favorite side quest in “The Legend of Zelda?” Let us know in the comments, and be sure to subscribe to MojoPlays for more great gaming videos every day!