Chris Jecks
1. Complete All 120 Shrines
Things to Do After Beating Zelda Breath of the Wild
Just because you’ve saved Hyrule once more in Breath of the Wild, doesn’t mean that Link can put his feet up and enjoy a well-earned rest. After all, chances are that you’ve still got a fair few Shrines you still haven’t found, let alone solved yet. There are 120 Shrines in total in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, each with a puzzle for you to solve. Each is distinctly different and will require you to make use of the different Runes that Link has available to him after the first hour or so of the game. If you want to conquer all of the puzzles tucked away in Breath of the Wild, as well as get a sweet reward for doing so, this should be at the top of your list once you’ve finished the story.
2. Collect All Memories
With Breath of the Wild taking place 100 years after an initial great battle with Ganon, there’s a lot that Link has forgotten during his slumber. As such, there are a number of memories scattered throughout Hyrule that provide you with additional insight into these past events. You’ll need to check Zelda’s photos she took on your Sheikah Slate all those years ago in order to establish where each memory can be found. Grab all of these to fill your boots with all of the lore you can possibly get.
3. Find All Korok Seeds
Things to Do After Beating Zelda Breath of the Wild
This one will take you quite some time. Finding all 900 of the Korok Seeds scattered across Hyrule is no small task, and your reward for doing so may seem a little disappointing. However, if you’re wanting to get every last drop of value out of Breath of the Wild, then finding all of the Korok Seeds will definitely keep you busy for quite some time. Besides, solving the little puzzles is quite a fun distraction to pass any chunks of free time you have, too.
4. Explore Hyrule Castle
While you can go to Hyrule Castle whenever you want, you can actually skip out most of its interior and hidden secrets if you just wanted to get to Calamity Ganon. If this is the case, then make sure to give it a thorough once over after you’ve taken down Ganon. Inside, Hyrule Castle has Link’s iconic Hylian Shield. You’ll have to take on some tough enemies in order to add it to your inventory, but it’s well worth it for the best shield in the game. On top of that, it’s also pretty fun to just go exploring the giant castle, too, so make sure not to miss out on this side excursion.
5. Complete the Eventide Island Quest
What to Do After Beating Zelda Breath of the Wild (Post Game & Endgame)
Eventide Island is pretty out of the way of your adventure in Breath of the Wild, and it’s also a pretty challenging little quest of its own. If you make your way to the mysterious shrine on the southeast coast of Hyrule, you’ll be stripped of all of your equipment and tasked with placing three orbs on three altars. Of course, it’s not going to be a simple task. You’ll need to defeat a ton of monsters, use all of the abilities at your disposal, and have a high level of skill to survive without any equipment. If you’re looking for a fun and challenging quest to do once you’ve finished the main game, Eventide Island is definitely for you.
6. Complete All Other Side Quests
Breath of the Wild’s sprawling open world can take quite some time for you to explore. Mountains, rivers, and powerful enemies will often stand in your way, forcing you to find alternative routes until you’re strong enough to best them. As such, even if you’ve reached the end of the main story, Breath of the Wild will likely still have a bunch of side quests to keep you exploring its beautiful world. These can take a while to find, though, so we advise giving each of the villages in Breath of the Wild a thorough search before moving on. Whenever you spot an unfamiliar NPC, stop and talk to them, too. You never know who may need the Hero of Time’s aid, after all.
7. Get the Master Sword (If You Haven’t Already)
What to Do After Beating Zelda Breath of the Wild (Post Game & Endgame)
Unlike most other Zelda titles, you can play through the entirety of Breath of the Wild and never actually get the Master Sword. Of course, doing so would feel completely wrong, so even if you’ve already defeated Ganon, you should definitely task yourself with finding it. As you may have guessed, though, the Master Sword can’t just be picked up. You’ll need at least 13 Heart Containers to be able to pull it out from the ground, and it can take a little while to actually find it as well. If you didn’t grab it before the final fight, this is a great way to get some extra mileage out of Breath of the Wild. We’ve outlined how and where you can find the Master Sword here in case you need the help, too.
8. Help Build Tarrey Town
Tarrey Town is a completely optional quest that you can choose to undertake at your own leisure. It’s a lengthy side quest that you’ll be able to take on once you’ve had your very own house built in the game. You’ll have to first meet up with Bolson and his construction company in Hateno Village and pay them 3000 rupees to have a house built. You’ll then need to meet one of the builders named Hudson in the Akkala region to really kickstart the quest. You’ll find him on an island in the center of a lake just south of the Akkala Highlands. Completing the rest of the quest will take some time, but the rewards are definitely worth it. You’ll gain access to an inn that’s completely free to use, and a plethora of incredibly useful shops. Plus, who doesn’t want to be a part of creating a whole new part of Hyrule?
9. Start Over, and Maybe Head Straight for the End
Things to Do After Beating Zelda Breath of the Wild
If you’ve finished Breath of the Wild but don’t fancy scouring its world for the final Shrines or side quests, then you always have the option to start over and experience the whole thing again. While in most games starting over means you’ll do the same things in the same order, complete the main story, and go on to fight the main boss after another 30 hours, Breath of the Wild dares to be different. Whenever you want, you can simply head to Hyrule Castle and take on Ganon in the final battle. Heading straight there after the tutorial zone may be somewhat suicidal for most players, but if you’re feeling particularly daring, why not give it a try? If you’d rather not face a likely imminent death, you can always give it a try after completing a bit more of the story. Yet, even Breath of the Wild’s four dungeons can be tackled in whichever order you’d like. Mix things up on your second playthrough and experiment with the freedom that the game gives you. Sure, you might see the Game Over screen a lot again, but there’s nothing quite as satisfying as beating the odds when they’re stacked against you.
10. Take on Master Mode
For those unaware, Breath of the Wild has two DLC expansions out now. The first, titled Master Trials, adds something that avid Legend of Zelda fans will be eager to check out. If you felt that the whole experience in Breath of the Wild was a little too easy, well the Master Mode in the game’s first DLC makes enemies spawn at a higher rank, allows them to recover health during battle and spot you from further away. You’ll also likely come across a handful of entirely new enemies in Master mode, too. Oh, and you’ll only have one manual save and one auto-save available, so don’t screw up!
11. Complete Trial of the Sword
Things to Do After Beating Zelda Breath of the Wild
Also in Breath of the Wild’s first DLC expansion is Trial of the Sword. This is essentially what we’ve seen in previous entries in the series, such as Twilight Princess’ Cave of Ordeals, or Wind Waker’s Savage Labyrinth. Players will need to clear 45 rooms of enemies before they reach the end. Oh, and did we mention that you’ll have no weapons, armor, or any other items to help you out? It’s worth it, though. The Trial of the Sword will reward you with a Master Sword that’s always ready to roll, removing that annoying recharge issue the original had.
12. Complete the Hyrule Compendium
Breath of the Wild’s Hyrule is teeming with life. From the plentiful flora and fauna that covers its diverse terrain, to the many critters and creatures that inhabit it. Though this activity might not be for the faint-hearted, there is a reward for completing the Hyrule Compendium in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. You’ll need to snap a photo using your camera rune of all 385 required items, treasures, creatures, flora, and fauna sprawled across the world. It’ll take some serious time, but if you do manage to complete it, you’ll get a Classified Envelope off Symin… and what more could you really ask for?
13. The Dragons and Their Hidden Shrines
What to Do After Beating Zelda Breath of the Wild (Post Game & Endgame)
Exploring the world of Hyrule is something that we’d encourage every Breath of the Wild player to do. Not only because it has something awesome hidden away behind every corner, but because there are some pretty epic-looking dragons, too. Not only do these drop handy items that we’ll get around to a little later, but these dragons can drop scales if you shoot an arrow at their body. Take these dragon scales to the three different springs dotted around Hyrule in Breath of the Wild and you’ll gain access to another three shrines to clear. Plus, who doesn’t wanna hang out with these epic-sized dragons?
14. Visit Kilton the Monster Parts Merchant
Good ol’ Kilton’s a funny character in Breath of the Wild. Chances are, you could play through the entire story and never come across him. This guy can be found in the very northeast of the map in Deep Akkala. Head to Akkala tower and look for the skull-shaped lake from the top. He’s sitting on the left island (the left eye), so make your way here and he’ll tell you he’s about to set up shop all over the place. Fang and Bone is a monster shop that allows players to trade Monster Parts for powerful, monster-themed items. You’ll need to keep tracking him down as he moves about the outskirts of a bunch of locales in Breath of the Wild, but it’s well worth selling him all the monster parts you can get your hands on. Get enough together and complete a substantial amount of the game and you’ll even be able to buy a Dark Armor set that makes you look like Dark Link. Yes, Kilton is awesome!
15. Take on Silver Lynel
What to Do After Beating Zelda Breath of the Wild (Post Game & Endgame)
Normal Lynel are terrifying and put up more than enough of a challenge for about 99% of Breath of the Wild’s players. That’s not enough for Nintendo, though, so they opted to have Silver Lynel drop into the world as you progress through the game. Silver variants of creatures are generally way more powerful, dealing heavier blows and taking more damage to bring down. As such, taking on a Silver Lynel or two is the perfect way to put everything you’ve learned in Breath of the Wild into practice. Nail your flurry attacks, use your runes in a ton of cool ways, and emerge victorious over these four-legged, sword-wielding monstrosities.
16. Go Armor Collecting (and Upgrading)
If there’s one thing we love doing in video games it’s customizing our character until we find our perfect armor (or clothing). Breath of the Wild has a ton of different bits of clothing and armor for players to collect along the way, and if you’re wanting to 100% complete everything that the game has to offer, you’re going to want to go collecting it all. Of course, once you’ve got your hands on it, you’ll want to go ahead an upgrade it all. After all, what’s the point in having great-looking armor if you’re dead after one hefty blow from a Lynel? Upgrading your armor requires visiting the Great Fairies. You’ll also need to get a bunch of different parts off those magical dragons we mentioned earlier, so just keep that in mind.
17. Complete the Champion’s Ballad Expansion
Things to Do After Beating Zelda Breath of the Wild
It took its time, but in December 2017, The Champion’s Ballad hit Breath of the Wild as its second and final piece of DLC. The Champion’s Ballad expansion is a whole lot bigger than the first expansion, adding in a number of story quests, shrines, items and gear to check out along the way. The Champion’s Ballad DLC is a fun enough distraction and provides you with some extra context to the heroes themselves. Plus, you also get a certain awesome vehicle that makes exploring Hyrule even more enjoyable than it already was by completing it.
18. Enjoy the Master Cycle Zero Motorcycle
Yes, this was the certain awesome vehicle we referred to on the previous page. Link actually can get himself a pretty badass motorcycle in The Champion’s Ballad DLC by as a reward for completing the main quests. Aside from looking cool and being able to get around places faster, there’s not a whole lot new that the Master Cycle Zero motorcycle allows you to do in Breath of the Wild. Still, it’s a pretty cool thing to just hop on and speed across Hyrule Fields on.
19. Leave No Locale Unturned
Sure, you’ll go out into the wilderness a ton in Breath of the Wild and end up admiring the grass, or taking on an entire group of Moblins, but some of Breath of the Wild’s settlements on the outskirts can be forgotten about in all the hustle and bustle of completing those Divine Beasts. Make sure you’re checking absolutely every single place you can possibly see on your map. Think something looks mysterious or intriguing? Make your way there. There’s nothing stopping you, aside from a few enemies, but that’s nothing for the Hero of Time.
20. Play Some Minigames
Things to Do After Beating Zelda Breath of the Wild
And if you’ve done absolutely everything else there is to see and do in Breath of the Wild, you can always return to check out some of its minigames. Are they as fun as the main adventure? Not really, but they do provide an entertaining distraction from the grind of reaching that 100% completion (if that’s what you’re going for). The minigames in Breath of the Wild are dotted all over the map, ranging from the gliding one at the top of Ridgeland Tower, to Bam Bam Golf at Tabatha Canyon Course. Seriously, if you speak to the NPCs in Breath of the Wild, you’ll likely stumble upon these, or hear about them from someone. Finding and taking part in these minigames is all part of the fun of your open-ended adventure in Breath of the Wild.
21. Complete the Three Labyrinths
There are three different labyrinths dotted around Breath of the Wild’s rendition of Hyrule. There is one in Akkala, another in Hebra, and the final one is in the Gerudo Desert. Each one houses its own Shrine, and is guarded by Guardians, but the rewards hiding inside are well worth the time spent exploring them. Each of the Labyrinths contains a piece of the Barbarian set of armor, each piece of which increases your attack power. There are also plenty of weapons, Rupees and other items awaiting you if you’re willing to thoroughly explore their maze-like interiors.
22. Learn All of the Cooking Recipes
Things to Do After Beating Breath of the Wild
There’s an absolute ton of different cooking recipes to make in Breath of the Wild, each one restoring a set amount of hearts which can help in a pinch when you’re out in the vast expanses of Hyrule. If you feel like you’ve exhausted everything there is to do, then you can always try your hand at learning every last recipe the game has to offer. Become the Gordon Ramsey of Hyrule… except the mute version. Your virtual taste buds will thank you for it!
23. Get Epona, a Bear, or a Giant Horse as a Mount
It’s actually possible to play through the whole of Breath of the Wild without ever actually hopping on the back of Link’s iconic steed, Epona. That’s because Epona can only actually be unlocked in the game with the Super Smash Bros. Link amiibo. Scan it in and the legendary horse will appear for you to ride around on. If you don’t have the amiibo and aren’t interested in tracking one down, well, you can always go ahead and tame a bear to ride around on the back of. Bear vs. Epona… we think we know who wins that one. Then there’s also the giant horse in Breath of the Wild which can be found in the Taobab Grassland south of Mount Hylia. It’s with a pack of horses but is way… WAY bigger than the rest of them so it’s easy enough to spot. What it isn’t, however, is easy to tame, but when you do, you’ll have a steed that can literally charge its way through anything. Rumor has it, it’s actually a descendant of Ganondorf’s own horse. That does it for all the things to do after beating Zelda Breath of the Wild (both post game and endgame content). Let us know how you like to spend your time after beating Zelda Breath of the Wild in the comments down below!
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