Side content is often some of the most rewarding material inZeldagames, andThe Legend of Zelda: Echoesof Wisdomis no exception in that regard. Although it’s possible to run through the game while keeping a laser focus on the main story, it’s a lot more interesting to explore everything else that the experience has to offer.

Any side quest inThe Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdomcan be worthwhile, but some stand out above the rest with meaningful rewards that can give Zelda a big leg up in the game. Since theexperience is somewhat non-linearoverall, it’s possible to make a beeline for some standout quests early on and reap the benefits ahead of schedule. Even when taking more of a slow and steady approach, knowing which side quests definitely shouldn’t be skipped is useful.

Echoes of Wisdom Lost Cuccoos

10Cuccos On The Loose Is Simple But Rewarding

Dealing with troublesome Cuccos is a staple of theZeldagames, andThe Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdomis no exception. A trip to Kakariko Village reveals that a few have managed to get loose from a pen, and their owner is naturally desperate to have them back where they belong.

Grabbing the cuccos from around the village and returning them to the pen is quick and easy, andit rewards Zelda with a fairy bottle, which is definitely useful to have on hand in a tight spot. It’s not the only way to stock up on fairy bottles in the game, but it might be the simplest way to nab one for free, as well as providing a generally nostalgic experience for long-time players.

Zelda on a Horse in Echoes of Wisdom

9Runaway Horse Opens Up Traversal

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom’s mapmight not be as gargantuan asBreath of the WildorTears of the Kingdom, but getting around Hyrule can still take some time. For those who prefer avoiding the fast travel points in favor of taking in the sights, the best way to do so is on horseback.

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom - How To Get A Horse

Getting any horse in Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is a small challenge, but getting Zelda’s horse will require a little more patience.

The Runaway Horse side quest rewards Zelda with the opportunity to borrow steeds for free from Hyrule Ranch, and completing it doesn’t require much effort. Zelda simply needs to talk to the old man at Hyrule Ranch before venturing west to find a horse that’s gotten lost. This doesn’t actually give Zelda the ability to summon a horse from anywhere on the map, but it does set the stage for it, and it’s nice to have a mount at all.

Zelda with her horse in Legend of Zelda Echoes of Wisdom

8Automaton Engineer Dampe Kicks Off A Questline

Dampe’s one NPC inThe Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdomthat’s definitely worth seeking out, even if he’s easy to miss. After completing the Still Missing quest at Hyrule Castle, he can be found to the northeast of Hyrule Ranch, where he’s having a somewhat one-sided argument with a crow that stole his key. It’s a good reminder of why fast-traveling everywhere isn’t the best move, as revisiting past fields can pay off.

Helping Dampe out rewards Zelda with the Techtite automaton, the first of a number of automatons she can acquire by completing his requests. All of these can be useful, so dedicating more time to making Dampe happy will continue to pay off. In any scenario, it would be a shame not to at least get started by completing the initial Automaton Engineer Dampe quest.

Zelda talking to Dampé in his house.

7The Flying Tile Has A Treasure Along The Way

Found in the Gerudo Desert, The Flying Tile isn’t a quest with a game-changing reward. Zelda received 50 rupees at the end, which puts some 20 rupees quests to shame but won’t have a huge impact on progression inThe Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom.

The titular Flying Tile, however, is one of the best echoes in the game, so finding it at the side quest’s behest is certainly worthwhile. Zelda will end up encountering them sooner or later in the main quest for the Gerudo Desert region, but the quest is a win-win in either scenario. If she takes care of it ahead of time, she can seek out a great echo early, while stopping back in after grabbing it in the main dungeon is a free 50 rupees for no additional effort.

Zelda learning the flying tile echo in echoes of wisdom

6The Zappy Shipwreck Has Three Good Rewards

The Zappy Shipwreck is the only side quest aside from Cuccos on the Loose to offer a fairy bottle upon completion, but that’s not all that can be acquired by completing this particular trial.Zelda can also walk out with a piece of heart and a gold rupee, filling out a trio of great rewards that makes the more involved task undeniably worthwhile.

The Legend Of Zelda: Echoes Of Wisdom - How To Complete The Precious Treasure Side Quest

This Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom side quest from a Sea Zora is unlike any other in the game, but its solution is simpler than you think.

Anyone who explores Zora Cove thoroughly before heading back to Hyrule Castle is likely to end up stymied by the shipwreck there, which seems like an obvious quest location but has nothing to offer at the time. Returning and talking to an NPC at the docks opens up the side quest related to the shipwreck, however, which sends her through a mini-dungeon and faces her off against an electrifying boss.

Sea Zora outside of their city in The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom

5Dohna’s Challenge Aids Heart Recovery

Recovering hearts is much easier inThe Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdomthan in mostZeldagames, but it isn’t always fast. While the ability to toss down a bed and recline to recover hearts is a powerful resource, lying around waiting for the hearts to tick back up isn’t exactly thrilling.

Returning to Gerudo Desert after Hyrule Castle opens up a side quest that offers a solution. By completing Dohna’s Challenge,Zelda can acquire the Silk Pajamas, which make her recover hearts more quickly on a bed. It’s an easy side quest, tasking Zelda with sneaking past a few guards to test security, and it takes almost no time at all to complete if Zelda burrows in through the ceiling to skip half of the stealth.

Zelda and a sea zora talking in echoes of wisdom

4A Mountainous Mystery Has A Great Accessory

It can take a bit of time to access A Mountainous Mystery, as completing the main quest in the Eldin Volcano region is required beforehand. It’s not necessarily worth rushing to that area for the sole purpose of the Mountainous Mystery side quest, but anyone who happens to be tackling Eldin Volcano immediately after Hyrule Castle should definitely check out the side quest when they get the opportunity.

A Mountainous Mystery thrusts Zelda into a miniature dungeon crawl with a boss fight at the end, rewarding her with the Goron’s Bracelet accessory at the end. While a lot of side quest accessories are highly situational,the Goron’s Bracelet lets Zelda move faster while carrying items, which is useful in a game where she’s constantly moving things around. There’s also a piece of heart in the area, making it doubly worthwhile.

Dohna’s Challenge Quest in The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom.

3Questioning The Local Cats Is Huge For Cat Lovers

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdomisn’t asfocused on alternate outfits asPrincess Peach: Showtime!was earlier this year, but it still has a few fun options. Although picking Zelda’s ensemble is mostly a cosmetic decision, that’s not the case for the Cat Clothes, which actually open up a new avenue of conversation in the game.

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom - How To Get The Cat Suit

Getting the cat clothes in Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom will give Zelda the powers players everywhere want - the ability to speak to cats.

Completing the side quest Questioning the Local Cats lets Zelda unlock the Cat Clothes along the way,giving her the ability to speak to any of the cats found throughout the game. It’s useful for the rest of the quest, which ultimately rewards her with 10 Refreshing Grapes, but it’s also a lot of fun to have in general. Alternately, anyone who owns aZeldaamiibo that isn’t Link or Zelda herself can use it to get the Black Cat Clothes with no work at all.

Eldin Volcano in Echoes of Wisdom shown from the side.

2Let’s Play A Game Makes Combat Easier

When it comes to accessories acquired throughThe Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdomside quests, it’s hard to beat the Ancient Charm. This particular item can be acquired by checking out the Eastern Temple, a small, optional dungeon that’s fun to go through even without considering the rewards.

Defeating the Eastern Temple boss, Smog, grants Zelda a piece of heart, and returning to an NPC waiting outside the temple afterward rewards her with the Ancient Charm.The Ancient Charm reduces the damage that Zelda takes in combat, so having it equipped for tough bosses is a no-brainer whenever another accessory isn’t especially relevant to the mechanics of the fight.

Zelda getting the Cat Clothes in Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom

1Impa’s Gift Lets Zelda Summon Horses

Impa’s Gift has a couple of prerequisites, requiring Zelda to first complete Runaway Horse and the Hyrule Castle segment of the game that comes after the Gerudo Desert and Jabul Waters regions. Once all of that is in place, however, it’s worth checking in with Impa before getting too deep into the rest of the game.

Completing Impa’s Gift awards Zelda with her own designated white horse, giving her an equivalent to her own Epona. More importantly, however, it also lets her get the carrot Echo, which can be used to summon a mount when one isn’t around. As far as pure utility goes, Impa’s Gift is as critical asThe Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdomside quests get.

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom

Strange rifts are tearing Hyrule apart, and with Link missing, it’s up to Princess Zelda to save the kingdom. Armed with the Tri Rod and aided by a mysterious fairy, she must solve puzzles, create environmental “echoes,” and battle enemies while navigating new regions and uncovering hidden secrets.