Zelda: Breath of the Wild offers many new activities that weren’t available in older titles. You can complete shrines, tame horses, discover Sheikah Towers, play fashion designer with your attire, and more. You can also search for the legendary Master Sword that Link has wielded in all Zelda games.
Using the game’s mechanics, you can also play stuntman and launch Link into the distance with an improvised catapult. You can also use your parachute and hang gliding while enjoying the game’s scenery.
1. Tame a horse
Hyrule is huge place to explore, and Link is a very slow person. Going from one region to another initially feels exciting but tedious after a few hours. One of the best things to do for traveling in Hyrule (besides using Warp points) is by horse in Zelda BOTW. Find and tame a horse as soon as possible to traverse across the plains of Hyrule in the blink of an eye (well, not that fast, but still).
2. Activate Sheikah Towers
Shiekah towers are vantage points in Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Climbing and activating those towers will give you access to the area’s map. This will also unlock points of interest and shrine locations.
3. Complete Shrines and their Trials
There are 120 main shrines in Zelda: Breath of the Wild scattered across Hyrule, and each has its unique trial. Completing the shrines will earn you spirit orbs to exchange for heart containers or increase your stamina at the Goddess statues.
Link starts with a measly health and stamina wheel, making fighting brutal enemies or climbing steep mountains impossible. So, completing shrines is one of the most crucial things to do in Zelda BOTW.
4. Get better attire
Hebra and Tabantha regions have freezing temperatures that can cause frostbite to Link. Find a warm set of clothes from the Woodcutter’s hut. Go to the Southeast region of the Great Plateau and recover this great item from a treasure chest with a heartwarming note.
Also, find Climber’s bandana to increase Link’s climbing speed. This necessary item can be obtained from a treasure chest inside the Ree Dahee Shrine.
5. Find Korok Seeds and Hetsu
Korok seeds can be found throughout Hyrule. On your way to Kakariko village, Link will encounter a traveling Korok named Hetsu. This massive Korok is a merchant and will upgrade your inventory slots in exchange for Korok seeds.
6. Experiment with weapons
Weapons breaking down mid-combat is a massive pain among Zelda: Breath of the Wild fans. But don’t worry. The game offers weapons at every corner. You can cut down a tree to obtain a tree branch, which works as a club in dire situations, or kill some Bokoblins to loot their weapons, which will work fine for most situations.
We recommend experimenting with every weapon you encounter to grasp the game’s combat mechanics. You will find their better versions soon enough but having spares is one of the best things to do in BOTW.
7. Find the Master Sword
One of the best and unbreakable weapons in the game, Master Sword, is effective against the final boss, Calamity Ganon. It is also the only weapon in Zelda: Breath of the Wild that can be upgraded by completing some trials. One of the best things to do is go on a quest to find and use this legendary weapon.
8. Activate Tech labs
One of the most important things to do in BOTW is to activate both tech labs in Akkala and Hateno to further improve your arsenal and Sheikah Slate. Akkala Tech Lab offers a lot of ancient weapons in exchange for ancient parts scavenged from dead ancient guardians. You can also take down the active ones to get more ancient material.
9. Find a Great Fairy Fountain, or two
Unlike weapons in Zelda: Breath of the Wild, armor pieces can be upgraded for better versions. Link needs to find and unlock Great Fairy Fountains and upgrade his armor. The more fountains you unlock, the more you can upgrade your armor.
10. Attempt Hyrule Castle at least once
Hyrule Castle is an area that seems impenetrable at first but has great significance. This area is heavily guarded by ancient machines that can blast Link away with a single shot. But Hyrule Castle is also home to some of the game’s most potent weapons, like Royal Guard Bows and Royal Guard Claymore. An early trip to Hyrule Castle in Zelda: Breath of the Wild is worth it.
11. Make Link go Airborne
Using his paraglider and launching himself off high places, Link can hang glide over the area and enjoy the scenery. To extend your flight, you can burn the grass to create updrafts. You can also ride those updrafts with the help of a paraglider and deliver a death blow from above to your enemies.
To get airborne, Link can use his Magnesis rune to place a metallic plank on treasure chests to create a seesaw launching platform. Stand on one side and drop a heavy object, like a boulder, on the other to get airborne.
12. Use a Rock to Catapult Link
One of the funniest things to do in BOTW is using giant boulders as catapults and riding them over great distances. Use stasis on a rock and start hitting it with the most potent weapon in your inventory to build momentum. Climb on the rock, see Link fly, and reach heights humanly impossible. For bonus flight, plant an upgraded remote bomb and detonate it before the effect of stasis wear out.
