The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild offers an incredibly vast open world filled with countless secrets, activities, and mysteries hidden in every corner of Hyrule. For completionists looking to maximize their experience, tracking down every single optional objective is a core part of the adventure. Understanding the exact breakdown of these tasks helps players organize their journeys efficiently across the diverse regions of the map.
The Total Count of Side Quests in the Base Game
In the standard version of Breath of the Wild, players can discover a total of seventy-six traditional side quests distributed among various towns and stables. These optional tasks are separate from the main storyline objectives and hidden shrine challenges that you encounter throughout your adventure. Tracking these down requires talking to specific non-player characters who display distinct speech bubbles above their heads.
Successfully finding all seventy-six objectives populates your adventure log and provides unique regional rewards, ranging from rare materials to valuable rupees. Many players mistake other world activities for official side quests, but the log keeps strict track of this specific total. Reaching the end of this list is a massive milestone for anyone trying to fully conquer Hyrule.
How Downloadable Content Expands the Quest List
The introduction of official expansions significantly raises the final number of optional activities available to adventurous players. The Master Trials and The Champions Ballad downloadable content packs introduce fourteen additional tasks, including the unique crossover gear missions. This brings the ultimate completion number up to ninety total side quests for players who own the complete edition.
These bonus missions often reward players with powerful armor pieces inspired by legacy titles from the historic franchise. Completing these challenges requires exploring familiar territories with a renewed focus on hidden clues scattered by the developers. Having ninety completed entries in your log signifies that you have truly uncovered every piece of extra content available.
Distinguishing Between Side Quests and Shrine Quests
It is important to note that the game splits optional tasks into two distinct categories inside your tracking menu. While side quests focus on helping citizens with their daily troubles, shrine quests are puzzles explicitly designed to reveal hidden fast-travel points. There are forty-two unique shrine quests in the game, which do not count toward your side quest totals.
Keeping these categories separate ensures that your log remains organized as you approach the final stages of the campaign. Focusing on one specific category at a time can prevent players from feeling overwhelmed by the sheer volume of content available. Clearing both lists is essential for achieving true completion status before facing the final boss.
Tips for Finding Hidden Objectives Across Hyrule
Many of the trickiest missions are tied to specific times of day or require completing prerequisite story segments before they appear. Visiting popular locations like Hateno Village, Zora's Domain, and the various stables during both day and night cycles is highly recommended. Talking to every civilian ensures you never miss a hidden prompt that could unlock a new adventure log entry.
Some objectives also require you to bring specific items or show unique photographs to the quest givers to advance their storylines. Keeping a diverse inventory of monster parts, regional flora, and ancient materials will save you substantial backtracking later on. Methodically checking each region ensures no stone is left unturned during your grand exploration of the kingdom.
