Let’s be real for a second. Most people play The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword for the dungeons. They want to see the Ancient Cistern or grapple with the motion controls of the Koloktos fight. But if you just rush from one Flame to the next, you’re honestly missing out on the soul of the game. The side quests in Skyward Sword aren't just filler content. They are the primary way Link actually feels like a resident of Skyloft rather than just a destiny-bound errand boy.
Skyloft is a floating island where everyone knows your name. It’s small. It’s intimate. Because of that, the side quests feel personal. You aren’t saving a random NPC in a field; you’re helping the guy who sells you potions or the girl you go to school with. It’s about Gratitude Crystals. That’s the mechanic that drives everything. You do something nice, you get a crystallized feeling of thanks, and you trade those in to a demon named Batreaux who just wants to be human. It’s weird, charming, and totally Nintendo.
The Gratitude Crystal Grind: More Than Just Collectibles
Most Zelda games have Heart Pieces hidden behind mini-games. In Skyward Sword, the economy of progression is tied directly to how much of a "nice guy" Link is. You need 80 Gratitude Crystals to fully satisfy Batreaux’s transformation quest. Some you find lying around at night, tucked behind pots or on rafters. But the bulk come from multi-stage side quests that involve actual character arcs.
Take Parrow and Beedle. Beedle is a franchise staple, but his quest in this game is particularly heartbreaking. Someone steals his Horned Colossus Beetle. You don't just find it in a chest; you have to win it back in a bug-catching challenge on Bug Island. It makes Beedle feel like more than a shopkeeper. He becomes a person with hobbies and a very specific, neurotic attachment to his pets.
Then there’s the "Missing Girl" quest. This is usually the first one players encounter. Wryna’s daughter, Kukiel, goes missing. The town is whispering about a monster. You investigate, you head to the graveyard at night, and you hit the gravestone to open a secret shed. This is where you meet Batreaux. The twist? He’s not a villain. He’s a sweetheart who loves humans. It sets the tone for the rest of the side quests in Skyward Sword. Appearances are deceptive. Kindness is a currency.
Why Skyloft's Small Map is a Secret Weapon
Critics often complain that the sky in this game feels empty. They aren't entirely wrong. Compared to the Great Sea in The Wind Waker, there’s less to stumble upon by accident. However, this emptiness forces the developers to pack every ounce of personality into Skyloft itself.
Think about the bathroom ghost.
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Yes, the "Hand in the Toilet." It’s a recurring Zelda trope, but here it involves a love triangle. You have Cawlin, the bully who’s actually a pathetic romantic, writing a letter to Karane. You can choose to give the letter to her, or you can give it to the ghost in the toilet who needs... paper. If you give it to the ghost, she falls in love with Cawlin and haunts him forever. It’s dark. It’s hilarious. It’s the kind of writing that makes the world feel lived-in.
These interactions build a sense of community. When you’re down on the surface fighting Moblins and dealing with the constant threat of The Imprisoned, Skyloft feels like a genuine sanctuary. Helping Mallara dust her house with the Gust Bellows isn't just a chore. It’s a break from the end-of-the-world stakes. You’re just a teenager helping a neighbor.
The Nuance of the Item Check Girl
Peatrice is another standout. She runs the Item Check. Every time you talk to her, her dialogue changes based on how much you interact with her. Eventually, she develops a massive crush on Link. You can lean into it and flirt back, or you can shut her down.
If you flirt, her father (the guy who runs the Bamboo Cutting mini-game) gets suspicious. This culminates in a side quest where you have to decide Peatrice’s emotional fate. Most RPGs today have romance options, but seeing this in a 2011 Zelda game—and having it tied to the Gratitude Crystal progression—was ahead of its time. It’s nuanced. It’s cringey in a way that feels very "high school," which fits the Knight Academy setting perfectly.
Managing the Surface Side Quests
While Skyloft is the hub, the surface has its own set of tasks. These are usually more "fetch-heavy." You’ll find yourself dowsing for objects like the Party Wheel or a specific type of water.
- The Scrapper Quests: Gondo’s robot, Scrapper, is a jerk. He loves Fi and hates Link. You have to use him to haul items from the surface back to the sky.
- The Thunderhead: This area is miserable to navigate early on, but it holds the Lumpy Pumpkin. The quests there involving the chandelier and the harp performances are legendary for being frustrating but rewarding.
- The Dragons: Late-game quests involve revisiting the Three Dragons to learn parts of the Song of the Hero. While these are part of the main quest, they often feel like extended side content because they change the environments you’ve already visited.
Honestly, the Scrapper missions are where the motion controls get tested the most. Carrying a massive basin of water through the desert without spilling it? It’s tense. It requires a steady hand. It’s also one of the few times the game’s "carrying" mechanic feels like it has actual stakes.
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The Problem with Dowsing
We have to talk about dowsing. It’s the mechanic everyone loves to hate. Most side quests in Skyward Sword eventually require you to point your sword at the screen and follow a purple beep.
It can feel like a checklist.
"Go here. Find the thing. Bring it back."
But the game compensates for this with the writing. Even a simple fetch quest, like finding the rattle for Bertie’s baby, ends with a heartfelt scene. Bertie is exhausted because his baby won't stop crying. You find the rattle, he gets to sleep, and you get your crystals. It’s a small, domestic victory. It’s not about saving the Triforce; it’s about making sure a tired dad gets a nap. That’s why these quests stick with you long after you’ve beaten Demise.
How to Maximize Your Efficiency
If you’re playing the HD version on Switch, things are a lot smoother. The frame rate is better, and you can fast-forward dialogue. If you want to finish every side quest without burning out, do them in chunks.
Don't wait until the end of the game to collect your crystals. Visit Batreaux every time you hit a milestone (5, 10, 30, etc.). The rewards he gives you—like the Giant Wallet or the Cursed Medal—are actually useful for the main quest. The Cursed Medal, for example, makes more rupees and medals appear, but it prevents you from opening your pouch. It’s a risk-reward system that adds a layer of strategy to your exploration.
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Also, pay attention to the rumor mongers. The guys in the Bazaar usually have tips on who needs help. They’ll point you toward the next available quest so you aren't just flying aimlessly through the clouds.
The Final Transformation
The ultimate payoff for the side quests in Skyward Sword is Batreaux’s transformation. Once you hit 80 crystals, he becomes human. All the monsters in Skyloft disappear at night.
It’s a bittersweet ending. On one hand, you’ve achieved the goal. On the other, the night feels a bit emptier. No more Remlits trying to eat your face. No more Keese flapping around the Goddess Statue. It’s a tangible change to the world state.
Very few Zelda games allow you to fundamentally change the environment through side content. Usually, the world only changes once you beat the final boss. Here, you see the fruits of your labor in real-time. The people are happier. The town is safer. Link has earned his place as a hero of the people, not just a hero of legend.
Actionable Steps for Completionists
If you’re diving back into Skyloft, here is how to handle the workload:
- Prioritize the Bug Medal: Buy this from Beedle as soon as it’s available. It marks bug locations on your map. Bugs are essential for upgrading potions, which makes the harder side quests (like the boss rush) much more manageable.
- Talk to everyone at night: Skyloft changes completely when the sun goes down. Most NPCs have different locations and different problems once they leave their day jobs.
- Use the Gust Bellows on everything: There are hidden crystals and rupees under dust piles all over the academy and the private homes.
- Don't ignore the Lumpy Pumpkin: It takes three separate visits to finish the questline there (the chandelier, the delivery, and the concert). Start it early so you don't have to do it all at once during the endgame.
- Check the Bazaar often: The NPCs there update their dialogue after every major dungeon.
The side quests in Skyward Sword provide the texture that the main story lacks. They turn a linear adventure into a personal journey. You’re not just swinging a sword; you’re building a home. That makes the final departure from Skyloft at the end of the game hit much harder. You aren't just leaving a floating rock; you’re leaving friends you actually helped.
Go find that missing rattle. Give that creepy hand some paper. Trade your crystals. It's the only way to see what this version of Hyrule—or rather, the world before Hyrule—really has to offer.