As a result of the enormity of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, there are countless hours worth of interesting things to do, places to explore, and Easter eggs to discover, so much so, that most players will never uncover some of the most expertly concealed content hidden around the Kingdom of Hyrule. The Legend of Zelda series is known for providing Link with a dynamic, almost living and breathing world filled with a plethora of secrets to investigate and unearth, and the series’ latest installment, TOTK, is no different.
Though some secrets in TOTK are widely known and easily uncovered, some are easily missed by the uninformed. These range from near-unnoticeable to overt; however, some TOTK secret activities and features are so well concealed that even Zelda veterans will have a tough time discovering them. Although time-consuming to unearth, some of the most obscure TOTK secrets are well worth the effort to locate —offering Link rewards ranging from the simple pleasure of advanced adventure to excellent equipment.
10 Nude Interactions
One of the better-known and more easily discoverable secrets in TOTK is the consequences of Link’s public indecency. If Link decides to forgo armor or clothing altogether, he will be greeted by some unique dialogue from NPCs — many of whom are confused by Link’s lack of apparel. Interestingly, if Link manages to get into the Gerduo Shelter while naked, he will be ejected. If he removes his clothes while in the Shelter, he will be imprisoned until he gets dressed.
9 Divine Beast Helms
A throwback to an Amiibo bonus from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, the four Divine Helms are modeled on the four Divine Beasts — Vah Ruta, Vah Rudania, Vah Medoh, and Vah Naboris. Although the Divine Beasts are nowhere to be found in TOTK, the inclusion of the Divine Helms is a welcome tribute to one of BOTW‘s most significant elements. Unlocked after completing each of the four main dungeons, wearing the Divine Helms will initiate an interesting and little-known Easter Egg. If Link is wearing one of the Divine Helms, the sage from the region of the helm’s origin will don the matching Divine Helm.
8 Dusk Bow And Claymore
TOTK is full of brilliant references to previous installments from The Legend of Zelda franchise. Perhaps the most practical of these is the inclusion of a number of iconic weapons from past Zelda games. Although there are a number of these reference weapons, perhaps the most recognizable are the Dusk Bow and Dusk Claymore, both of which are modeled after powerful weapons from The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess — The Twilight Bow and Sword of the Six Sages.
7 Yiga Armor Interactions
The Yiga play a rather large part in TOTK, and although it is no secret that you can obtain a set of Yiga Armor, the consequences of wearing that armor in certain locations are much less widely known. Notably, if Link wears a full set (or the Yiga mask) in a select list of locations, including Kakariko Village, he will be greeted with unique, perhaps even hostile, dialogue from some NPCs – including Paya and Dorian. Furthermore, if Link wears the set in Gerudo Town, he will be thrown in the town’s prison.
6 Lucky Clover Gazette Penn’s extra dialogue
The Lucky Clover Gazette is one of the most expansive tasks in TOTK — completing all 12 will take a great deal of time but will see Link handsomely rewarded by the Clover Gazette. Beyond these tangible rewards, Link will also unlock some incredibly interesting extra dialogue from Penn. If Link seeks out Penn at Washa’s Bluff after completing the quest line, he will be able to engage in an extra conversation with Penn – a conversation that would be of particular interest to veterans of the series. What is particularly fascinating about this additional dialogue is its subtle reference to Kass — an immensely popular BOTW character absent in TOTK.
5 Nostalgic Fabric
There are 53 paraglider fabrics in TOTK, and although they are mostly visually stunning, perhaps the best is the Nostalgic Fabric. Obtainable from a chest located in the Temple of Time Ruins in the Great Plateau, the same location where Link first receives his Paraglider in BOTW, the Nostalgic fabric is identical to Link’s paraglider fabric in BOTW. Although it is easy enough to get to, many will see the crumbling ruins and presume that there is no reason to visit.
4 Helping Calyban
Potentially a rather highbrow reference to Shakespeare’s The Tempest, Calyban is a lonely Gerudo located in the sewers beneath Gerudo Town. Whilst traversing the sewers, Link will encounter several bottled messages floating down the stream — the author, the forlorn Gerudo, Calyban. Although this is intriguing, and many will stumble across her messages, speaking with Calyban will not result in a side quest. However, for those determined to uncover the mystery of Calyban, returning a bottle to her, a difficult task on its own, will initiate a unique dialogue and cause her to fall in love with Link.
3 Climbing In The Rain
Although players can still not yet pet the dogs, TOTK has fixed one of the more contentious game-play mechanics from BOTW — the ability to climb in the rain. Although rain will still impede Link’s ability to climb in the rain, he now has a few options to mitigate this annoying weather condition drawback. These are creating a Sticky Elixir from Sticky Frogs and obtaining the Froggy Armor – an armor set that is slip-resistant.
Obtaining the Froggy Armor set is fairly easy, albeit moderately time-consuming. Doing so necessitates the completion of the nine Lucky Clover Gazette side adventures and all 12 Potential Princess Sightings side adventures – a justifiably good reward for so much work.
2 Defeating King Gleeok
Though there are a vast number of challenging bosses Link will encounter throughout the TOTK story, King Gleeoks are somewhat of a secret boss that Link will have to put in effort to seek out. King Gleeoks are located on Sky Islands or within The Depths and are formidable foes that can inflict stunning damage in several forms — including gloom. Deafening a King Gleeok is no easy feat, and as a result, they offer rare rewards — rewards that are certainly worth the effort of finding and defeating these hydra-esque beasts.
1 Hyrule Castle Secret Chest
In BOTW, the inner sanctum of Hyrule Castle was the location of Calamity Ganon; however, in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, the ruins of Hyrule Castle lie abandoned and can be visited at the start of the game. If Link does make the trip, he will notice two extinguished fires, lighting them will reveal a cleverly concealed chest. This chest contains the upgraded Champion’s Leathers tunic, an excellent reward for discovering a masterfully hidden chest. Although this armor is weak compared with late-game armor sets, if Link comes at the start of the game, he will have an enormous defensive advantage until the mid-game.
