Legends of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Walkthrough | Complete Guide

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is a vast and expansive game that gives players the freedom to explore Hyrule at their own pace. With an open-world design, hundreds of shrines, tough enemies, and intricate puzzles, navigating through Hyrule can feel overwhelming. This comprehensive walkthrough will guide you through key aspects of the game, from completing shrines to defeating bosses, ensuring you have the tools needed to conquer every challenge.

Starting Out: The Great Plateau

Your adventure begins on the Great Plateau, the tutorial area of the game. Here, you’ll learn the basic mechanics, such as climbing, fighting, and cooking. Early in the game, you’ll receive the Sheikah Slate, a key tool that helps with navigation and puzzle-solving. As you explore the plateau, your main objective is to complete four shrines that unlock the Rune abilities (Magnesis, Cryonis, Remote Bombs, and Stasis). Each shrine tests your ability to solve environmental puzzles using these runes.

Key tip: Collect as many resources as possible in this area, such as apples, mushrooms, and Bokoblin horns. These will help you craft meals and elixirs, crucial for survival later in the game.

Exploring Hyrule: Shrines and Towers

Once you leave the Great Plateau, you’re free to roam the enormous kingdom of Hyrule. The world is filled with 120 shrines, which serve as mini-dungeons that challenge your puzzle-solving and combat skills. Completing shrines rewards you with Spirit Orbs, which can be traded at Goddess Statues to increase your hearts or stamina.

Tower strategy: Early in the game, seek out the Sheikah Towers scattered across Hyrule. Climbing and activating these towers will unlock sections of your map, making navigation easier. Be prepared with stamina-boosting food or elixirs, as some towers are tough to climb without upgrades.

Gathering Resources and Crafting

Survival in Breath of the Wild hinges on gathering materials and crafting. You'll find ingredients to cook food, craft elixirs, and even upgrade your armor. Always be on the lookout for Korok Seeds (found by solving mini-puzzles) to increase your inventory space, allowing you to carry more weapons, shields, and bows.

Cooking tip: Experiment with different combinations of ingredients. A common but essential recipe is Hearty Durian + Apple, which creates a meal that fully restores and temporarily boosts your health. Crafting elixirs with insects and monster parts is also crucial when preparing for tougher battles.

Major Bosses and Divine Beasts

As you progress, you’ll face four Divine Beasts—mechanical creatures controlled by Calamity Ganon. These serve as the game’s main dungeons. Each Divine Beast requires you to solve puzzles to regain control of the creatures and defeat a boss at the end. Completing these challenges weakens Ganon for the final battle.

Boss tip: Before attempting to take on a Divine Beast, ensure that you’ve upgraded your armor and acquired strong weapons. Stock up on healing meals and elixirs, as boss fights can be intense and demanding.

Final Showdown: Calamity Ganon

After liberating the Divine Beasts and growing stronger through shrines and upgrades, you’ll be ready to face Calamity Ganon in Hyrule Castle. This final battle will test everything you've learned—combat, resource management, and strategy. It’s recommended to complete as many shrines and side quests as possible before this confrontation, as it significantly eases the difficulty of the fight.

Preparation tip: Equip the Master Sword and upgraded armor, such as the Hylian Shield, to give you a strong advantage during the final battle. Utilizing the powers gained from the freed Divine Beasts will also give you an edge in the fight against Ganon.

Conclusion

Navigating the vast and diverse world of Hyrule in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild can be a daunting task, but with the right preparation, strategy, and exploration, you’ll be able to tackle every shrine, boss, and puzzle that comes your way. By using this walkthrough, you’ll have the guidance needed to complete the game, from the Great Plateau to the final showdown with Calamity Ganon.

FAQ

1. How many shrines are there in Breath of the Wild? There are 120 shrines to find and complete across Hyrule.

2. What are Divine Beasts in Breath of the Wild? Divine Beasts are mechanical creatures that serve as the game's primary dungeons. You must solve puzzles and defeat bosses to free them.

3. What is the best way to prepare for the final boss fight? Upgrade your armor, collect strong weapons like the Master Sword, and stock up on healing items and elixirs before facing Calamity Ganon.