Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - 12 Things To Do Most Players Never Discover
Updated
Based in the United Kingdom, Luke Horwitz is a graduate student in English Literature and Arts at the University of Oxford, having earned a BA in Music from the University of York.
As a result of the enormity of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, there are countless hours worth of interesting things to do, places to explore, and Easter eggs to discover—so much so that most players will never find some of the most expertly concealed content hidden around the Kingdom of Hyrule.
The Legend of Zelda series is known for providing Link with a dynamic, almost living and breathing world filled with a plethora of secrets to investigate and unearth, and the series' latest installment, TOTK, is no different. Though some secrets in TOTK are widely known and easily uncovered, some are easily missed by the uninformed. These range from near-unnoticeable to overt.
Some TOTK secret activities and features are so well concealed that even Zelda veterans will have a tough time discovering them. Although time-consuming to unearth, some of the most obscure TOTK secrets are well worth the effort to locate, offering Link rewards ranging from the simple pleasure of advanced adventure to the stat boosts provided by excellent equipment. Here are some of the rarest ones.
Zelda: TOTK Has Several Secret Nude Interactions
All Around Hyrule
One of the better-known and more easily discoverable secrets in TOTK involves the consequences of Link's public indecency. If Link decides to forgo armor or clothing altogether, he will be greeted with some unique dialogue from NPCs, many of whom are confused by Link's lack of apparel.
Interestingly, if Link manages to get into the Gerudo Shelter while naked, he will be ejected. If he removes his clothes while in the Shelter, he will be imprisoned until he gets dressed.
You Can Find One Lone Sheikah Machine
At The Hateno Ancient Tech Lab
The ancient Sheikah tribe's presence is felt throughout BotW, especially through their mechanical, many-legged golems called Guardians. However, these Guardians and the rest of the Sheikah tech are conspicuously missing from the followup, Tears of the Kingdom.
But if you're feeling nostalgic for the terrible Guardians that plagued the previous game, there is one place where you can find them. On top of the Hateno Ancient Tech Lab, you'll find a deactivated Guardian. Fun fact: You'll also find a Korok hiding on its head, so this spot is worth a visit.
Summon A Swam Of Bees
All Around Hyrule
Tears of the Kingdom lets players mix and match items like never before. Link can now fuse items with equipment to create unique items with special effects. For instance, combining a mirror and a shield turns it into a Mirror Shield, and fusing a weapon with a stone or boulder turns it into a powerful wrecking hammer.
With so many creative options available for players, it's not surprising that many combinations are less commonly applied than others. One of the most interesting and fun fusions is combining Courser Bee Honey with a weapon. Many players might not try this since it seems random, but doing so will allow Link to summon a swarm of bees to attack his enemies.
Zelda: TOTK Includes Helmets Referencing BOTW
In Hebra, Lanayru, Eldin, & Gerudo
A throwback to an Amiibo bonus from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, the four Divine Helms are modeled on the four Divine Beasts: Vah Ruta, Vah Rudania, Vah Medoh, and Vah Naboris. Although the Divine Beasts are nowhere to be found in TOTK, the inclusion of the Divine Helms is a welcome tribute to one of BOTW's most significant elements.
If Link is wearing one of the Divine Helms, the sage from the region of the helm's origin will don the matching Divine Helm.
Unlocked after completing each of the four main dungeons, wearing the Divine Helms will initiate an interesting and little-known Easter Egg. Each one requires tracking down, however, and some of them are truly difficult to find. For an easier way out, players can also scan the same Amiibo that granted the Divine Helms in BOTW.
Zelda: TOTK's Dusk Bow & Claymore Reference Twilight Princess
In Hyrule Castle & Thyphlo Ruins
TOTK is full of brilliant references to previous installments from The Legend of Zelda franchise. Perhaps the most practical of these is the inclusion of a number of iconic weapons from past Zelda games. Although there are a number of these reference weapons, perhaps the most recognizable are the 
Dusk Bow and 
Dusk Claymore, both of which are modeled after powerful weapons from The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.
Though the original weapons have different names, the Twilight Bow and Sword of the Six Sages, the new versions are immediately recognizable in design. The Dusk Bow can be found in Hyrule Castle, and the Claymore is located amid the Thyphlo Ruins north of Great Hyrule Forest. The latter can only be found after completing the main quest "Regional Phenomena," and beginning the "Investigate Thyphlo Ruins" side adventure.
In Kakariko Village & Others
The Yiga play a rather large part in the BOTW-TOTK duology, and although it is no secret that you can obtain a set of Yiga Armor in TOTK, the consequences of wearing that armor in certain locations are less widely known.
Notably, if Link wears a full set (or even just the 
Yiga Mask) in a select list of locations, including Kakariko Village, he will be greeted with unique, perhaps even hostile, dialogue from some NPCs, including Paya and Dorian. Furthermore, if Link wears the set in Gerudo Town, he will be thrown in the town's prison.
At Washa's Bluff
The Lucky Clover Gazette is one of the most expansive tasks in TOTK. Completing all 12 will take a great deal of time, but will see Link handsomely rewarded by the Clover Gazette. Beyond these tangible rewards, Link will also unlock some incredibly interesting extra dialogue from his fellow journalist Penn.
If Link seeks out Penn at Washa's Bluff after completing the quest line, he will be able to engage in an extra conversation with Penn. This conversation that would be of particular interest to veterans of the series. What is particularly fascinating about this additional dialogue is its subtle reference to Kass, an immensely popular BOTW character absent from TOTK.
Zelda: TOTK's Nostalgic Fabric References BOTW
In The Temple Of Time Ruins
There are 53 paraglider fabrics in TOTK, and although they are mostly visually stunning, perhaps the best is the Nostalgic Fabric. Obtainable from a chest located in the Temple of Time Ruins in the Great Plateau, the same location where Link first receives his Paraglider in BOTW, the Nostalgic Fabric is identical to Link's paraglider in BOTW.
Although it is easy enough to get to, many will see the crumbling ruins and presume that there is no reason to visit, especially since it was such a pivotal location in the last game.
Helping Calyban Leads To Unique Dialogue In Zelda: TOTK
Beneath Gerudo Town
Potentially a reference to Shakespeare's The Tempest, Calyban is a lonely Gerudo located in the sewers beneath Gerudo Town. Whilst traversing the sewers, Link will encounter several bottled messages floating down the stream, attributed to the forlorn Gerudo author Calyban.
Although this is intriguing, and many will stumble across her messages, speaking with Calyban will not result in a side quest. However, for those determined to uncover the mystery of Calyban, returning a bottle to her, a difficult task on its own, will initiate a unique dialogue and cause her to fall in love with Link.
Instead, Link will have to speak with Dalia near The Noble Canteen to start Calyban's side quest. She's having trouble with her orchard, as piles of trash have been polluting the water supply. In the quest "The Mystery Polluter," Link will learn that Calyban is the one responsible, as she's been tossing her Hydromelon rinds into the waterways. Bring her ten Wildberries, and she'll apologize by helping Dalia with the cleanup.
Climbing In The Rain Is Easier (But Not Easy) In Zelda: TOTK
At The Lucky Clover Gazette
Although players can still not yet pet the dogs, TOTK has fixed one of the more contentious game-play mechanics from BOTW - the ability to climb in the rain. Although rain will still impede Link's ability to climb in the rain, he now has a few options to mitigate this annoying weather condition drawback. These are creating a Sticky Elixir from Sticky Frogs and obtaining the Froggy Armor, an armor set that is slip-resistant.
Obtaining the Froggy Armor set is fairly easy, albeit moderately time-consuming. Doing so necessitates the completion of the nine Lucky Clover Gazette side adventures and all 12 "Potential Princess Sightings" side adventures—a justifiably good reward for so much work.
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