Listen, we've all been there. You’re standing in the middle of Hyrule Field, Link is looking a bit ragged in his default tunics, and you’re wondering if it’s actually worth digging those dusty plastic figurines out of your closet. Or worse, scouring eBay for a 2017 Zelda amiibo that’s currently retailing for the price of a small car. People talk about Tears of the Kingdom amiibo rewards like they’re some game-breaking secret, but the reality is a lot more nuanced—and honestly, a bit more cosmetic than you might think.
Nintendo didn't reinvent the wheel here. They basically took the Breath of the Wild system and gave it a fresh coat of paint. You tap the figure, a chest drops from the sky, and you pray to the RNG gods that you don't just get another pile of raw meat.
But there’s a catch this time.
Unlike the previous game, almost everything "exclusive" in Tears of the Kingdom can actually be found in the world if you’re willing to explore the Depths. That changes the math. Is an amiibo a shortcut? Yes. Is it a requirement to look cool? Not anymore.
What You Actually Get (The Good Stuff)
Most players are hunting for the paraglider fabrics. This is the big one. While you can find armor sets like the Tunic of the Wild or the Fierce Deity mask by exploring underground ruins and solving Misko’s treasure riddles, the paraglider skins are tied directly to the amiibo.
If you scan the Majora’s Mask Link, you’re looking for that creepy, iconic Majora’s Mask fabric. It looks incredible in flight. Scan the Wind Waker Zelda? You get a cute pixelated pattern. These aren't just minor color swaps; they fundamentally change the vibe of your traversal. You take these fabrics to the dye shop in Hateno Village, and Sayge will swap them out for a small fee.
Then there are the weapons.
Scanning the Twilight Princess Link gives you a chance at the Dusk Bow. It’s got incredible range. It’s basically a sniper rifle in a world of boomerangs. But here’s the kicker: it has durability. It will break. You can’t just keep it forever, which makes the "reward" feel a bit fleeting unless you’re save-scumming every single morning to refresh your inventory.
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The Armor Shortcut
Let's talk about the armor sets. If you want to look like the Hero of Time (Ocarina of Time) or the Hero of Winds (Wind Waker), the amiibo are the "easy button."
Without them? You are trekking through the Depths. You are fighting Frox. You are navigating pitch-black canyons with nothing but Brightbloom seeds and a prayer. For many, that's the fun of the game. For others, they just want to look like the Link they grew up with while they explore the sky islands.
Specific figures like the Skyward Sword Zelda & Loftwing amiibo provide the Goddess Fabric, which is arguably one of the cleanest designs in the game. Meanwhile, the new Tears of the Kingdom specific Link amiibo (the one with the glowing arm) gives you the Tunic of Memories fabric and a steady supply of mushrooms. Helpful? Kinda. Essential? Not really.
The Materials Grind and Why it Matters
It isn't just about the "big" drops. We need to talk about the meat and the herbs.
If you’re playing on a higher difficulty curve or just rushing through the main quest, the sheer volume of raw materials that drop from a full collection of amiibo is staggering. You get high-tier meats, rare mushrooms, and enough fish to start a market stall in Lurelin Village.
- Breath of the Wild Archer Link: Drops high-quality bows and meat.
- 8-Bit Link: Drops barrels. Usually contains arrows or Rupees.
- Toon Zelda: Tons of plants and herbs.
If you have a stack of "NFC cards"—the cheaper, flat alternatives to the bulky statues—you can cycle through twenty of them in about five minutes. By the end, Link is carrying enough calories to feed the entire Hyrulean army. It trivializes the survival aspect of the early game. Honestly, some people hate that. They feel it robs the game of that "scrounging for your life" feeling that defines the first ten hours.
Epona: The Elephant (Horse) in the Room
One of the most sought-after Tears of the Kingdom amiibo rewards is Epona. You get her by scanning the Twilight Princess or Super Smash Bros. Link.
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She’s a beast. Maxed out stats. Iconic look.
But there is a massive frustration point here: you can’t customize her. You can’t change her saddle. You can’t change her mane. In a game that is all about "Ultrahand" this and "Fuse" that, having a horse that is strictly locked into a specific look feels... weirdly restrictive. Plus, with the ability to build hoverbikes out of two fans and a steering stick, Epona often ends up forgotten in a stable while you're flying over Gleeoks at thirty knots.
The Misconception of Exclusivity
I see this on Reddit all the time. People think they have to buy the Fierce Deity amiibo to get the best armor in the game.
False.
Every single legacy armor piece—the Biggoron Sword, the Sea-Breeze Shield, the various "Hero" sets—is tucked away in a chest somewhere in the Depths. Nintendo was surprisingly generous here. They realized that locking functional content behind out-of-print plastic was a bad look. The amiibo are essentially just early-access keys. If you’re patient, you’ll find it all for free.
RNG and the "Save Reload" Strategy
If you're hunting for a specific fabric, the drop rate is not 100%. It’s actually kind of annoying.
You might scan your Link's Awakening amiibo and just get a bunch of fish and a basic soldier’s shield. To get around this, savvy players save their game before scanning. If the chest doesn't contain the fabric or the rare weapon, they just reload the save and try again. It’s tedious. It feels like work. But if you're a completionist, it’s the only way to ensure you aren't waiting twenty-four hours for another roll of the dice.
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The game tracks what you’ve received. Usually, the "big" rewards like paraglider skins have a higher drop rate on the first few scans, but it’s never a guarantee.
Is the Ganondorf Amiibo Worth It?
The Tears of the Kingdom Ganondorf amiibo is a bit different. It’s heavy, detailed, and actually looks great on a shelf. In-game? It drops some of the coolest "evil" themed rewards. You get the Demon King fabric for your glider, which has this dark, menacing aura.
It also drops high-level claymores and rare monster parts. If you're tired of farming Lynels for powerful fuse materials, Ganondorf can occasionally give you a leg up, though he won't drop the top-tier "Silver" materials that you really need for end-game weapon crafting.
Practical Steps for Success
If you’re looking to maximize your rewards without spending a fortune, don't go hunting for the rare statues. Look into NFC card sets. They function identically to the amiibo but fit in a small carrying case.
When you start scanning, do it near a stable. This allows you to immediately register Epona if she drops, and gives you easy access to a cooking pot to turn those mountains of raw meat into high-value skewers you can sell for Rupees.
Focus your energy on the paraglider skins. Since those are the only truly "exclusive" items that cannot be found via normal gameplay exploration, they represent the real value of the system. Everything else is just a bonus for your inventory.
Don't let the "Fear of Missing Out" drive you to pay scalper prices. Hyrule is a massive world, and half the joy is stumbling upon a hidden cavern in the Depths and finding the Cap of Time in a dusty chest. That feeling of discovery is always going to be more rewarding than watching a chest fall from the sky because you tapped a toy on your controller.
Inventory management is the real end-game boss. Use the amiibo rewards to supplement your resources, not replace the adventure. Sell the extra food, fuse the mid-tier weapons to boulders for mining, and use the fabrics to make your Link look exactly how you want.