Daily Debate: What Makes a Good Zelda Side Quest?

Zelda side quests are pretty hit or miss for me. On the one hand, they’re sometimes my favorite part of a game; connecting with NPCs by doing outlandish favors is always a treat. On the other hand… Koroks, Maimais, Skulltulas, Poes; fetch quests like these have been annoying and tedious since Ocarina of Time, in my eyes. So, taking into account the full spectrum of quests that the Zelda series offers, what makes a side quest good, and what makes one bad? Let’s explore.

In order for a side quest to be good, I believe it needs one of two things (preferably both): a good reward, and an interesting storyline.  Skyward Sword meets this criteria well, in my opinion. An overarching theme of the game’s side quests is helping the residents of Skyloft. When you do help them, they are so thankful that their emotions become “Gratitude Crystals.” Although Skyloft is relatively small, I really fell in love with it; and I think it’s because I got to know the residents so well. Instead of just a hub world, it felt like a home. And to make matters even better, Batreux takes the Gratitude Crystals in exchange for useful items, such as Pieces of Heart and bigger wallets.

Collecting Masks in Majora’s Mask meanwhile offers depth and emotional weight to the main plot of the game. By completing side quests, you get to learn about the game’s characters, like Cremia and Romani or Anju and Kafei, and in turn you actually come to care about the world that needs to be saved. In addition to the fulfillment that came with helping the NPCs in Majora’s Mask, it was fun to see what each and every mask did. Some masks, like the Bunny Hood, even change how you play the game. I have also really enjoyed many quests in Tears of the Kingdom. Helping Penn research news stories is delightful — and delightfully silly — like in the “All-Clucking Cuckoo” quest. Getting involved in Hateno Village politics is way more fun than it has any right to be. And helping Hudson’s daughter Mattison prepare for her trip to Gerudo Town is heartwarming and charming.

It is also important for a side quest to prioritize fun and engaging gameplay. To illustrate, many players find the “Special Delivery” quest in Breath of the Wild extremely tedious; I too fall into this camp. While you are connecting emotionally with the NPCs by helping Finley make a friend, the gameplay associated with the quest was ultimately so monotonous and frustrating that the storyline presented wasn’t worth the effort. Gaining access to the Music House in The Minish Cap is another infamous Zelda quest, one that requires a ridiculous amount of work to get inside. You have to collect every figurine in the game, which is only possible through a gacha mechanic. Thus, if you get unlucky, it requires an immense amount of grinding. Sure, you get a Piece of Heart and Rupees out of it, but most players would probably agree that the reward does not justify the grind.

In general, I don’t find Zelda collection fetch quests to be particularly rewarding. They usually have a diminutive role in the larger adventure, and they often feel more stressful than fun. Korok Seeds, for instance, were designed as a joke; you’re not necessarily supposed to get all of them. (But in the dark recesses of my mind, I am always irritated that fetch quests are the thing holding me back from 100%.) Unlike the Anju and Kafei or the Lumpy Pumpkin quests, I don’t gain fulfillment by completing fetch quests. Some people may disagree — perhaps those who do not go out of their way to fetch every single item think of it as a reward for exploring — but I do not feel that fetch quests enhance my gameplay experience, since they usually don’t have meaningful bearing on the plot, and the rewards aren’t particularly special.

We can all agree that not every Zelda side quest is created. So, what do you think separates the good quests from the bad quests? Which kinds of side quests do you like, and which ones do you despise? Let us know in the comments below!

Aubriel Eastman

Aubriel has been an avid Zelda fan since she was 13, when she discovered Twilight Princess. She loves writing screenplays and composing music, and is currently going to school for a BA in film. Aubriel is a staff writer for Zelda Dungeon.