The 10 Most USEFUL Items In Zelda Games
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VOICE OVER: Johnny Reynolds
WRITTEN BY: Johnny Reynolds
These Zelda items are so useful, we'd kill to be able to have them in the real world. For this list, we'll be shining a light on the most practical items in Link's expansive inventory. Our list includes the Stone Mask from “The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask” (2000), the Sheikah Slate from “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” (2017), Ravio's Bracelet from “The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds” (2013), and more!
Script written by Johnny Reynolds
Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we’re taking a look at the 10 Most Useful Items in Zelda Games. We’ve already covered our picks for the most useless. But for this list, we’ll be shining a light on the most practical items in Link’s expansive inventory. Which “Zelda” item did you get the most use out of? Let us know your picks in the comments!
Ah, the bow. A classic fantasy weapon and an item seen in almost every game in the series. Whether it be the Hero’s Bow, the Fairy Bow, or one of the many different versions found in “Breath of the Wild,” its appearance is always a highlight. Sniping enemies from a safe distance may not seem as honorable, but there are definitely some enemies we’d rather deal with from afar. “Zelda” also usually places a puzzle-solving emphasis on the item as well, such as the need to hit a faraway switch. Additionally, empowering arrows with various elemental properties only enhances Link’s combative capabilities. Only 3 games across the main series haven’t included it, “Zelda II” and the “Oracle” games. It’s never something we won’t want.
If the entire concept behind a game is linked to an item, you can bet that item is pretty useful. But Ravio’s bracelet genuinely is one of the most handy trinkets Link has ever come across. It lets Link turn into a painting at will against walls, essentially stealing and using Yuga’s magic to your benefit. With it, Link can pass over pits, avoid obstacles, solve puzzles, and even fight specific enemies. Not only that, but it can be used to travel between the game’s parallel worlds provided you use it next to a dimensional rift. Never before or since has an item let us maneuver around a game’s world and structure so fantastically.
One of the elements that makes Hyrule so much fun to explore in “Breath of the Wild” is using Link’s paraglider to gracefully soar long distances. This pairing worked so well that multiple open world games have included something similar. The paraglider has gone through several phases. In “Wind Waker,” Link gained the Deku Leaf, which worked in a similar fashion but cost magic to use. “Skyward Sword” had the sail cloth, which halted your fall but didn’t propel you forward. “Breath of the Wild” is the best of both worlds. The landscape is so massive and varied that the paraglider is necessary. As a bonus, it’s just plain fun to use.
Most 3D “Zelda” games include a way to make traveling faster, and it’s usually a horse. But for 2D games where Link doesn’t gain access to a steed, you have the Pegasus Boots. First seen in “A Link to the Past,” this nifty footwear allows Link to dash across the screen. While you do have to briefly hold down their corresponding button, it’s definitely worth it for the more impatient of us. It also comes with some useful secondary features depending on the game. Combining them with the jump-granting Roc’s Feather will obviously increase Link’s jumping distance. Using them with a sword gives us the greatest pleasure as Link will shoot through most enemies and cut all grass patches he runs through.
There are a handful of endlessly useful masks in “Majora’s Mask,” such as those that transform Link or the speed-granting Bunny Hood. But if we could only pick one, and perhaps this speaks to our introverted nature, it would be the Stone Mask. When worn, Link becomes plain as stone, meaning he’s invisible to most people and enemies. This is extremely convenient when it comes to sneaking into the Pirate Fortress or Pamela’s house in Ikana Canyon. While the trick doesn’t work on every enemy, like bosses or mini-bosses, it’s saved us from having to deal with annoying foes too many times to count.
Like the bow, the boomerang has appeared in most games in the series. And we always welcome it with open arms. While some appearances have it deal damage to minor enemies, the Boomerang is primarily used to stun them. Being able to stop an enemy in their tracks is undeniably helpful, whether you use the time to get to safety or unleash your own attack. However, it can also pick up smaller items for you like hearts or Rupees and hit switches without wasting ammo. Some appearances have also come with additional perks, like the ability to lock on to multiple targets in “Wind Waker,” the variations of size and power in “Breath of the Wild,” or the Gale Boomerang in “Twilight Princess,” magically infused with wind.
Any item that grants Link immunity to damage is certainly one worth tracking down. The spell Nayru’s Love from “Ocarina of Time” had several drawbacks, but the Magic Armor is more practical. In “Wind Waker,” Magic Armor covers Link in a protective aura that makes him invincible but drains his magic. “Twilight Princess” has actual armor that’s more useful as it slowly drains Link’s money while he wears it. But as long as you’ve saved enough, it makes any battle a cinch. The best version of the Magic Armor actually came in “Wind Waker HD.” Here, Nintendo made it so it worked off of Rupees again, but only when Link got hit. Needless to say, Magic Armor is always optional and has you jump through a lot of hoops to get it.
They may not be as flashy as, well, anything else on this list. But the usefulness of empty bottles simply can’t be refuted. Since “A Link to the Past,” we’ve used them to carry potions, fairies, bugs, Poe souls, milk, and all other manner of necessary resources. If we got word that an NPC or quest could lead to one of these babies, we pursued it with unwavering discipline until the prize was ours. Considering potions can grant a variety of effects across the series, and that fairies can literally raise Link from the dead, having a few empty bottles on hand is a must. Or at least it was until “Breath of the Wild” made them obsolete.
The Hookshot is highly useful both in and out of combat. Another item given to us by “A Link to the Past,” the Hookshot can attach to certain objects and pull Link to new areas. Depending on the game and enemy, it can also stun or deal damage, acting slower than an arrow but without the worry of ammo. As the series has continued, the Hookshot has only gotten better through upgrades. “Ocarina of Time” increased its distance through the Longshot. “Twilight Princess” and “Skyward Sword” included the Clawshot, essentially the same item, but let Link unlock a second one that made getting through environments a ton of fun. The Hookshot is so great, Nintendo didn’t include it in “Breath of the Wild” out of fear it would’ve made the game too easy.
When Nintendo set out to reinvent the “Zelda” formula, one of the ways in which it did so was by the introduction of this unbelievably helpful tablet. Not only can the Sheikah Slate track resources and Shrines, but it comes with a variety of wonderful runes. Stasis can freeze enemies and objects in place for a short time, Magnesis can move metal items, and Cryonis can create ice platforms. It even came with two types of remote bombs, somehow making one of the franchise’s most beneficial items even better. All of these worked beautifully alongside the game’s physics, whether we were using them to solve challenging puzzles or figure out clever ways of fighting enemies. The limit of its usefulness stretches as far as the player’s imagination.
Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we’re taking a look at the 10 Most Useful Items in Zelda Games. We’ve already covered our picks for the most useless. But for this list, we’ll be shining a light on the most practical items in Link’s expansive inventory. Which “Zelda” item did you get the most use out of? Let us know your picks in the comments!
The Bow
VariousAh, the bow. A classic fantasy weapon and an item seen in almost every game in the series. Whether it be the Hero’s Bow, the Fairy Bow, or one of the many different versions found in “Breath of the Wild,” its appearance is always a highlight. Sniping enemies from a safe distance may not seem as honorable, but there are definitely some enemies we’d rather deal with from afar. “Zelda” also usually places a puzzle-solving emphasis on the item as well, such as the need to hit a faraway switch. Additionally, empowering arrows with various elemental properties only enhances Link’s combative capabilities. Only 3 games across the main series haven’t included it, “Zelda II” and the “Oracle” games. It’s never something we won’t want.
Ravio’s Bracelet
“The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds” (2013)If the entire concept behind a game is linked to an item, you can bet that item is pretty useful. But Ravio’s bracelet genuinely is one of the most handy trinkets Link has ever come across. It lets Link turn into a painting at will against walls, essentially stealing and using Yuga’s magic to your benefit. With it, Link can pass over pits, avoid obstacles, solve puzzles, and even fight specific enemies. Not only that, but it can be used to travel between the game’s parallel worlds provided you use it next to a dimensional rift. Never before or since has an item let us maneuver around a game’s world and structure so fantastically.
The Paraglider
“The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” (2017)One of the elements that makes Hyrule so much fun to explore in “Breath of the Wild” is using Link’s paraglider to gracefully soar long distances. This pairing worked so well that multiple open world games have included something similar. The paraglider has gone through several phases. In “Wind Waker,” Link gained the Deku Leaf, which worked in a similar fashion but cost magic to use. “Skyward Sword” had the sail cloth, which halted your fall but didn’t propel you forward. “Breath of the Wild” is the best of both worlds. The landscape is so massive and varied that the paraglider is necessary. As a bonus, it’s just plain fun to use.
Pegasus Boots
VariousMost 3D “Zelda” games include a way to make traveling faster, and it’s usually a horse. But for 2D games where Link doesn’t gain access to a steed, you have the Pegasus Boots. First seen in “A Link to the Past,” this nifty footwear allows Link to dash across the screen. While you do have to briefly hold down their corresponding button, it’s definitely worth it for the more impatient of us. It also comes with some useful secondary features depending on the game. Combining them with the jump-granting Roc’s Feather will obviously increase Link’s jumping distance. Using them with a sword gives us the greatest pleasure as Link will shoot through most enemies and cut all grass patches he runs through.
Stone Mask
“The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask” (2000)There are a handful of endlessly useful masks in “Majora’s Mask,” such as those that transform Link or the speed-granting Bunny Hood. But if we could only pick one, and perhaps this speaks to our introverted nature, it would be the Stone Mask. When worn, Link becomes plain as stone, meaning he’s invisible to most people and enemies. This is extremely convenient when it comes to sneaking into the Pirate Fortress or Pamela’s house in Ikana Canyon. While the trick doesn’t work on every enemy, like bosses or mini-bosses, it’s saved us from having to deal with annoying foes too many times to count.
Boomerang
VariousLike the bow, the boomerang has appeared in most games in the series. And we always welcome it with open arms. While some appearances have it deal damage to minor enemies, the Boomerang is primarily used to stun them. Being able to stop an enemy in their tracks is undeniably helpful, whether you use the time to get to safety or unleash your own attack. However, it can also pick up smaller items for you like hearts or Rupees and hit switches without wasting ammo. Some appearances have also come with additional perks, like the ability to lock on to multiple targets in “Wind Waker,” the variations of size and power in “Breath of the Wild,” or the Gale Boomerang in “Twilight Princess,” magically infused with wind.
Magic Armor
“The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker” (2003) & “Twilight Princess” (2006)Any item that grants Link immunity to damage is certainly one worth tracking down. The spell Nayru’s Love from “Ocarina of Time” had several drawbacks, but the Magic Armor is more practical. In “Wind Waker,” Magic Armor covers Link in a protective aura that makes him invincible but drains his magic. “Twilight Princess” has actual armor that’s more useful as it slowly drains Link’s money while he wears it. But as long as you’ve saved enough, it makes any battle a cinch. The best version of the Magic Armor actually came in “Wind Waker HD.” Here, Nintendo made it so it worked off of Rupees again, but only when Link got hit. Needless to say, Magic Armor is always optional and has you jump through a lot of hoops to get it.
Empty Bottles
VariousThey may not be as flashy as, well, anything else on this list. But the usefulness of empty bottles simply can’t be refuted. Since “A Link to the Past,” we’ve used them to carry potions, fairies, bugs, Poe souls, milk, and all other manner of necessary resources. If we got word that an NPC or quest could lead to one of these babies, we pursued it with unwavering discipline until the prize was ours. Considering potions can grant a variety of effects across the series, and that fairies can literally raise Link from the dead, having a few empty bottles on hand is a must. Or at least it was until “Breath of the Wild” made them obsolete.
Hookshot
VariousThe Hookshot is highly useful both in and out of combat. Another item given to us by “A Link to the Past,” the Hookshot can attach to certain objects and pull Link to new areas. Depending on the game and enemy, it can also stun or deal damage, acting slower than an arrow but without the worry of ammo. As the series has continued, the Hookshot has only gotten better through upgrades. “Ocarina of Time” increased its distance through the Longshot. “Twilight Princess” and “Skyward Sword” included the Clawshot, essentially the same item, but let Link unlock a second one that made getting through environments a ton of fun. The Hookshot is so great, Nintendo didn’t include it in “Breath of the Wild” out of fear it would’ve made the game too easy.
Sheikah Slate
“The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” (2017)When Nintendo set out to reinvent the “Zelda” formula, one of the ways in which it did so was by the introduction of this unbelievably helpful tablet. Not only can the Sheikah Slate track resources and Shrines, but it comes with a variety of wonderful runes. Stasis can freeze enemies and objects in place for a short time, Magnesis can move metal items, and Cryonis can create ice platforms. It even came with two types of remote bombs, somehow making one of the franchise’s most beneficial items even better. All of these worked beautifully alongside the game’s physics, whether we were using them to solve challenging puzzles or figure out clever ways of fighting enemies. The limit of its usefulness stretches as far as the player’s imagination.
