The 10 Weirdest Items In Zelda Games
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VOICE OVER: Johnny Reynolds
WRITTEN BY: Johnny Reynolds
Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we're going over the 10 Weirdest Items In Zelda Games. Link builds up an incredible inventory of awesome weapons and magical relics each game. But for this list, we'll be looking at items that are anything but the norm. We're not saying these items are bad or good, just that they're a little bit strange. Our list includes the Magic Powder, the Tingle Tuner, the Mask of Scents, Roc's Feather, and more!
Script written by Johnny Reynolds
In most entries, Link is unable to jump. In fact, there are more games that lock the ability to jump behind an item than games that tie it to a button. Seen in classic 2D games like “Link’s Awakening,” Roc’s Feather lets Link hop over pits to reach new areas. The Game Boy and its color successor only has two buttons, but it’s still weird tying this simple mechanic to something the player must find. Also, while there is no character named Roc that the feather belonged to, there is one in Middle Eastern mythology. There, the creature is a massive bird capable of carrying incredible weights.
The Spinner in “Twilight Princess” is one of the oddest yet one of the most underused items Link has ever acquired. This giant beyblade locks into special grooves found in Arbiter’s Grounds, allowing Link to reach new heights. It’s extremely fun navigating the haunted prison, but especially awesome using it against the dungeon’s boss, Stallord. However, there are very few spots outside the temple where the Spinner is used. Its design and use is certainly strange compared to other methods of traversal in the series. But it’s also unfortunate how little it’s used after you complete the temple. At least “Hyrule Warriors” showed it some more love.
Weirder than locking a jump behind an item is locking the ability to swim behind one. Seen in nearly every 2D game since “A Link to the Past,” the Flippers allow Link to cross bodies of water. Every 3D Link already knows how to swim, so the inclusion of the Flippers in other entries is really just to stop you from going to places the developers didn’t want you to have access to. There are plenty of similar cases where the games keep you on a linear path. But not being able to swim until you get some flippers is pretty strange.
There isn’t anything weird about getting some Magic Powder. After all, Link has gathered plenty of magical items and potions over the years. What is strange, however, is how Magic Powder is used. In “Link’s Awakening,” it can be used to light torches and defeat enemies, which is pretty useful. It’s also used to turn Tarin human again after he’s transformed into a raccoon. “A Link to the Past” comes with stranger transformations. One Kakariko Village resident can be turned into a fairy, though only after you’ve gained the net or a bottle, while a certain Cucco can be turned human.
The Lens of Truth is a mysterious Sheikah item that allows Link to see through fake walls, uncover hidden enemies, and see the contents of chests. It’s incredibly useful, though undeniably odd due to its backstory. In “Ocarina of Time,” Link finds it in the supremely creepy Bottom of the Well mini-dungeon. A certain NPC in Kakariko Village will make mention of it, telling Link that long ago, a resident had an eye that could see the truth. And his house stood where the well is now. Why this Sheikah man created the mystical item and why it’s now surrounded by horrific creatures is never explained. Neither is its presence in “Majora’s Mask,” which takes place in a land without Sheikah influence.
This optional item is only found in “A Link to the Past.” And though you have to jump through a few hoops to get it, it’s more than worth it. It’s found underneath a specific grave, but Link will have to open a path to it in the Dark World, then teleport to the Light World before delving underneath. The Magic Cape makes Link invisible, leaving only a shadow for the player to see. But it also makes him intangible, able to pass through traps and enemies. While it does drain magic, that’s way better than Harry Potter’s invisibility cloak. It’s sole appearance in this game and its peculiar hiding place make it a franchise oddity.
“Majora’s Mask” is home to plenty of weird masks. Kamaro’s Mask has its namesake’s head stitched on top and lets Link perform a creepy little dance. But our pick for strangest is the Mask of Scents. Link gains it by finishing the Deku Butler’s obstacle course after the first dungeon. While many other masks lead to Pieces of Heart or other unlockable items, the Mask of Scents is used to sniff out Magic Mushrooms. These can then be traded to Kotake for Blue Potions. It's a weird use, but its design is by far the more bizarre aspect. Being the same color as Link’s skin, it makes him look like a pig/Hylian hybrid.
Found in “The Wind Waker,” the Tingle Tuner comes from a time where Nintendo utilized synergy between the GameCube and the Game Boy Advance. Link obtains it after meeting Tingle on Windfall Island. By connecting the handheld to the home console with a link cable, you or another player could use bombs to uncover secrets. But more conveniently, it allowed Link to purchase items on the go. These could be regular items, like bait or ammunition. But other items could only be purchased through the device, such as a balloon that lets you walk across air for a few seconds. It’s a nifty tool, though it’s unfortunate to have something so useful unavailable to most players. Naturally, it didn’t show up in the HD remake.
“Breath of the Wild” has a ton of useful items and weapons. Hestu’s Gift is not one of them. Throughout the game, Link can collect Korok seeds in order to expand his inventory. There are a whopping 900 hidden in the world; an amount only reached by those craving 100%. After reaching that high goal, Hestu will give you a reward. It’s not a cool item that lets you do something unique or even a special attack like in other games. No, Hestu’s Gift is simply a golden pile of poo. Quite possibly the silliest thing he could’ve given you, you can’t even do anything with this joke item. And honestly, we don’t know whether to be annoyed or impressed with Nintendo.
Several “Zelda” games allow Link to leave a dungeon and return via a song or spell. But “Twilight Princess” gets weird with it by tying the ability to an item/character. Ooccoo is a member of the Oocca race, sky beings with chicken-like bodies and unsettling human faces. Link first meets her in the Forest Temple. And by using her, he can leave a dungeon to restock on health and items. To return, he uses Ooccoo, Jr., which is just the creepy face with little wings sprouting out of the sides. We know they’re important to “Twilight Princess’” lore, and we know that they’re useful. But Ooccoo and her child have some of the most unusual and disturbing designs of any items Link has come across.
Roc’s Feather
In most entries, Link is unable to jump. In fact, there are more games that lock the ability to jump behind an item than games that tie it to a button. Seen in classic 2D games like “Link’s Awakening,” Roc’s Feather lets Link hop over pits to reach new areas. The Game Boy and its color successor only has two buttons, but it’s still weird tying this simple mechanic to something the player must find. Also, while there is no character named Roc that the feather belonged to, there is one in Middle Eastern mythology. There, the creature is a massive bird capable of carrying incredible weights.
Spinner
The Spinner in “Twilight Princess” is one of the oddest yet one of the most underused items Link has ever acquired. This giant beyblade locks into special grooves found in Arbiter’s Grounds, allowing Link to reach new heights. It’s extremely fun navigating the haunted prison, but especially awesome using it against the dungeon’s boss, Stallord. However, there are very few spots outside the temple where the Spinner is used. Its design and use is certainly strange compared to other methods of traversal in the series. But it’s also unfortunate how little it’s used after you complete the temple. At least “Hyrule Warriors” showed it some more love.
Zora’s Flippers
Weirder than locking a jump behind an item is locking the ability to swim behind one. Seen in nearly every 2D game since “A Link to the Past,” the Flippers allow Link to cross bodies of water. Every 3D Link already knows how to swim, so the inclusion of the Flippers in other entries is really just to stop you from going to places the developers didn’t want you to have access to. There are plenty of similar cases where the games keep you on a linear path. But not being able to swim until you get some flippers is pretty strange.
Magic Powder
There isn’t anything weird about getting some Magic Powder. After all, Link has gathered plenty of magical items and potions over the years. What is strange, however, is how Magic Powder is used. In “Link’s Awakening,” it can be used to light torches and defeat enemies, which is pretty useful. It’s also used to turn Tarin human again after he’s transformed into a raccoon. “A Link to the Past” comes with stranger transformations. One Kakariko Village resident can be turned into a fairy, though only after you’ve gained the net or a bottle, while a certain Cucco can be turned human.
Lens of Truth
The Lens of Truth is a mysterious Sheikah item that allows Link to see through fake walls, uncover hidden enemies, and see the contents of chests. It’s incredibly useful, though undeniably odd due to its backstory. In “Ocarina of Time,” Link finds it in the supremely creepy Bottom of the Well mini-dungeon. A certain NPC in Kakariko Village will make mention of it, telling Link that long ago, a resident had an eye that could see the truth. And his house stood where the well is now. Why this Sheikah man created the mystical item and why it’s now surrounded by horrific creatures is never explained. Neither is its presence in “Majora’s Mask,” which takes place in a land without Sheikah influence.
Magic Cape
This optional item is only found in “A Link to the Past.” And though you have to jump through a few hoops to get it, it’s more than worth it. It’s found underneath a specific grave, but Link will have to open a path to it in the Dark World, then teleport to the Light World before delving underneath. The Magic Cape makes Link invisible, leaving only a shadow for the player to see. But it also makes him intangible, able to pass through traps and enemies. While it does drain magic, that’s way better than Harry Potter’s invisibility cloak. It’s sole appearance in this game and its peculiar hiding place make it a franchise oddity.
Mask of Scents
“Majora’s Mask” is home to plenty of weird masks. Kamaro’s Mask has its namesake’s head stitched on top and lets Link perform a creepy little dance. But our pick for strangest is the Mask of Scents. Link gains it by finishing the Deku Butler’s obstacle course after the first dungeon. While many other masks lead to Pieces of Heart or other unlockable items, the Mask of Scents is used to sniff out Magic Mushrooms. These can then be traded to Kotake for Blue Potions. It's a weird use, but its design is by far the more bizarre aspect. Being the same color as Link’s skin, it makes him look like a pig/Hylian hybrid.
Tingle Tuner
Found in “The Wind Waker,” the Tingle Tuner comes from a time where Nintendo utilized synergy between the GameCube and the Game Boy Advance. Link obtains it after meeting Tingle on Windfall Island. By connecting the handheld to the home console with a link cable, you or another player could use bombs to uncover secrets. But more conveniently, it allowed Link to purchase items on the go. These could be regular items, like bait or ammunition. But other items could only be purchased through the device, such as a balloon that lets you walk across air for a few seconds. It’s a nifty tool, though it’s unfortunate to have something so useful unavailable to most players. Naturally, it didn’t show up in the HD remake.
Hestu’s Gift
“Breath of the Wild” has a ton of useful items and weapons. Hestu’s Gift is not one of them. Throughout the game, Link can collect Korok seeds in order to expand his inventory. There are a whopping 900 hidden in the world; an amount only reached by those craving 100%. After reaching that high goal, Hestu will give you a reward. It’s not a cool item that lets you do something unique or even a special attack like in other games. No, Hestu’s Gift is simply a golden pile of poo. Quite possibly the silliest thing he could’ve given you, you can’t even do anything with this joke item. And honestly, we don’t know whether to be annoyed or impressed with Nintendo.
Ooccoo
Several “Zelda” games allow Link to leave a dungeon and return via a song or spell. But “Twilight Princess” gets weird with it by tying the ability to an item/character. Ooccoo is a member of the Oocca race, sky beings with chicken-like bodies and unsettling human faces. Link first meets her in the Forest Temple. And by using her, he can leave a dungeon to restock on health and items. To return, he uses Ooccoo, Jr., which is just the creepy face with little wings sprouting out of the sides. We know they’re important to “Twilight Princess’” lore, and we know that they’re useful. But Ooccoo and her child have some of the most unusual and disturbing designs of any items Link has come across.
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