View source for Side Quest

{{Infobox|
| game    = ''[[The Legend of Zelda]]''<br/>''[[Zelda II: The Adventure of Link|The Adventure of Link]]''<br/>''[[The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past|A Link to the Past]]''<br/>''[[The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening|Link's Awakening]]''<br/>''[[The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time|Ocarina of Time]]''<br/>''[[The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask|Majora's Mask]]''<br/>''[[The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons|Oracle of Seasons]]''<br/>''[[The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages|Oracle of Ages]]''<br/>''[[The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords|Four Swords]]''<br/>''[[The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker|The Wind Waker]]''<br/>''[[The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures|Four Swords Adventures]]''<br/>''[[The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap|The Minish Cap]]''<br/>''[[The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess|Twilight Princess]]''<br/>''[[The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass|Phantom Hourglass]]''<br/>''[[The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks|Spirit Tracks]]''<br/>''[[The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword|Skyward Sword]]''<br/>''[[The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds|A Link Between Worlds]]''<br/>''[[The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild|Breath of the Wild]]''<br/>''[[Cadence of Hyrule]]''
}}

'''Side Quests''' , not to be confused with [[Second Quest]], are quests given to the player that have no direct bearing on the main story or campaign of the game. Side quests have been present since ''[[The Legend of Zelda]]'' and have since appeared in every title. They are most commonly found by interacting with NPCs but can also be found scattered around the landscape, usually in hidden locations in the form of collectible items. Occasionally, they can be obtained only after a certain point in the plot's progression. Side quests come in multiple forms, such as collection quests, trade quests, and general quests requiring the player to perform some action, discover new areas, or solve puzzles. Side quests can also require the completion of other side quests to be started or completed. Link is usually rewarded with items, information, or other rewards upon completion of a side quest.

==Pieces of Heart==
{{Main|Piece of Heart}}
If Link collects four [[Piece of Heart|Pieces of Heart]] (five in ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess|Twilight Princess]]''), he will create a full [[Heart Container]]. Pieces of Heart are considered one of the larger collection side quests in the series and are not required to progress through the story. Pieces of Heart can be found by completing other side quests, getting good scores in mini-games, or searching various dungeons and overworld areas. Related are Heart Containers, which are usually collected after clearing a dungeon/boss, but are also able to be skipped in most cases.

==''The Legend of Zelda''==
The only side quest found in ''[[The Legend of Zelda]]'' is the collection of Heart Containers, which expand Link's health but are not required for completing the main story. They are needed for the sword upgrades however, which are also optional.

==''The Adventure of Link''==
The second game in the series, ''[[Zelda II: The Adventure of Link|The Adventure of Link]]'', is somewhat lacking in side quests. The main side quests in the game are encounters with the [[Wise Men]] who will teach Link new spells, most of which are required for progression but some are not, hence being a side quest.

==''A Link to the Past''==
In ''[[The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past|A Link to the Past]]'', apart from the introduction of Pieces of Heart to the series, Link may rescue one of the two [[Dwarven Swordsmiths]], who is trapped in the Dark World, and return him to his partner in the [[Smithery]]. The pair will make Link's [[Master Sword]] into the [[Tempered Sword]] upon completion.

==''Link's Awakening''==
In ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening|Link's Awakening]]'', Link has the option of collecting [[Link's Awakening Secret Seashells|Secret Seashells]], which are scattered at various locations throughout [[Koholint Island]]. If he collects at least twenty, he can then go to the [[Seashell Mansion]] and have his sword upgraded to the [[Koholint Sword]], a far more powerful weapon than Link's basic sword.

==''Ocarina of Time''==
In ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time|Ocarina of Time]]'', apart from Pieces of Heart, there are three main side quests present. The first is the [[Gold Skulltula]] collection side quest, in which Link is tasked by the family in the [[House of Skulltula]] to locate the Gold Skulltulas hidden across the land and retrieve their tokens that they drop for various rewards depending on how many Link has collected. Second is the [[Happy Mask Side Quest]] given by the [[Happy Mask Salesman]] in [[Castle Town]]. Link is tasked with selling a series of masks and will be allowed to freely borrow masks from the Happy Mask Salesman after successfully completing this side quest. Finally, there is the [[Ocarina of Time Biggoron's Sword Trading Sequence|Quest for Biggoron's Sword]], which is a long [[Trading Sequence]] needed to acquire the most powerful sword in this game, [[Biggoron's Sword]], a sword so big Link requires two hands to wield it.

==''Majora's Mask''==
''[[The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask|Majora's Mask]]'' is unique in that it thrives on the idea of Side Quests and uses it as a driving force in its gameplay in the form of [[Mask]]s and the [[Bombers' Notebook]]. Masks are items Link can obtain in his journey to save the land of [[Termina]] that help him by providing unique abilities and access to other side quests. The Bombers' Notebook is a notebook used to keep track of various side quests by tracking various characters and their schedules while using Happy Stickers to mark completion when you have assisted a resident of Termina with everything. Additionally, Link can complete the [[Oceanside Spider House]] and the [[Swamp Spider House]], both of which result in a prize. Like the House of Skulltula in ''Ocarina of Time'', Link must collect [[Gold Skulltula Token]]s to break the curse on a house.

==''Oracle of Seasons'' & ''Oracle of Ages''==
In ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons|Oracle of Seasons]]'' and ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages|Oracle of Ages]]'', there is an optional side quest known as the [[Noble Sword|Quest for the Noble Sword]], and it involves a trading sequence that is different in each game. Link can acquire an upgraded sword by completing this quest but is not as powerful as the Master Sword.

==''The Wind Waker''==
There are many side quests in ''[[The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker|The Wind Waker]]'' as the [[Overworld]] is one of the largest in the series at the time of its release. The most notable side quests include the [[Savage Labyrinth]], a 50 floor enemy gauntlet Link can progress through for various rewards, [[Treasure Chart]]s, 49 collectible charts showing where Link can pull up treasure from the ocean floor, and the [[Magic Armor]], an item granted to Link after an extensive trading sequence from [[Zunari]], a merchant on [[Windfall Island]]. Also present are various collection quests including [[Joy Pendant]]s, 40 of which are needed for [[Mrs. Marie]], a teacher on Windfall Island, and [[Knight's Crest]]s, 10 of which are needed for [[Orca]] on [[Outset Island]] so Link can learn the [[Hurricane Spin]] sword technique. Finally, the most extensive side quest in this game is the [[Nintendo Gallery]] of which the [[Pictograph Box|Deluxe Picto Box]] is required for completion.

==''Four Swords Adventures''==
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==''The Minish Cap''==
The biggest sidequest other than the Heart Pieces in ''The Minish Cap'' are the 100 [[Kinstone Fusion|Kinstone Fusions]] available across Hyrule. Side quests branching from the fusions are the [[Magical Boomerang]] and the [[The Minish Cap Goron Quest|Goron Quest]] quests. Other quests are the [[Tiger Scrolls]] (only one is required to progress in the main quest), and the [[Mysterious Shell|Mysterious Shells]], however the latter is connected to obtaining a heart piece.

==''Twilight Princess''==
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==''Phantom Hourglass''==
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==''Spirit Tracks''==
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==''Skyward Sword''==
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==''A Link Between Worlds''==
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==''Breath of the Wild''==
{{see also|:Category:Breath of the Wild Side Quests}}
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==''Cadence of Hyrule''==
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==''Tears of the Kingdom''==
{{Galbox|Tears of the Kingdom Side Quests|gallery_widths=120|gallery_mode=nolines}}

{{cat|Game Mechanics}}