Until Breath of the Wild came along with its open world and focus on emergent narrative, Zelda side quests came in basically two flavors: little side stories that would reward Link with a piece of heart, and minigames that would reward Link with… a piece of heart. Sure, there were other prize bundles here and there, but 25% of any meaty distraction came with the whiff of a new Heart Container. That’s no knock; I see Zelda‘s relatively low number of in-game collectibles as a sign of focus and quality. And besides, even before Breath of the Wild, these games did a great job of making curiosity its own reward. The point of minigames has always been to enjoy playing them, not to worry so much about how close you are to getting two full rows of health.

Speaking of minigames, some of my best times playing Zelda have been trying to master the more challenging ones that each entry has offered. Like a good card game, practice should be rewarded, but random chance should keep the player on their toes. So top-tier minigames need to require a healthy mix of skill and luck. Let’s talk about my choices for pure skill, pure luck, and the best mix.

In a monumental experience like playing Ocarina of Time brand new in 1999, my best and clearest memory is of finally catching the rhythm of the horseback archery game. By the time I cracked it, I’m sure I didn’t even need any more Heart Containers. It didn’t matter though, as watching my last arrow hit the high target and put me over 1000 points was more than enough! The course is set however, and there’s really no luck involved.

For pure luck, I don’t think you can beat trolling for treasure in The Wind Waker. As frequently as crane spots appeared, I would always get excited to see what I could drag onto the King of Red Lions’ deck. As repetitive as it can be, it certainly beats flipping a coin over two locked chests.

But for that special mix of skill and luck, I turn to the Shrines of Breath of the Wild. As much as I miss Zelda pre-Breath of the Wild, I have to admit that this game’s Shrines are amazing. They mix patterns, skill tests, enemy drops, and potential solutions in dozens of locations, rarely going stale. It might not be fair to call them minigames when compared to older entries, but their rewards fill the niche that pre-Breath of the Wild minigames created.

What’s your take? Which minigames from the Zelda series offer you the best challenge of your skills by injecting a little X-Factor? Let us know below!

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