You just woke up in a cave. You’re cold, you’re shirtless, and you have absolutely no idea why a ghost is haunting a temple nearby. Most people diving into a walkthrough Zelda Breath of the Wild search because they want the fastest route to the credits, but honestly? That’s exactly how you ruin the magic of Hyrule.
The Great Plateau is a lie. Well, not a lie, but it’s a controlled environment designed to make you think the game follows traditional rules. It doesn't. You can spend forty hours picking mushrooms and never see a Divine Beast, or you can run straight to Ganon with a pot lid and a dream. Most guides treat the game like a linear checklist. Go here. Kill this. Get that. But the physics engine in Breath of the Wild is so robust that "correct" solutions are basically suggestions.
The Great Plateau Trap
Everyone starts here. It’s the tutorial. You meet the Old Man, you get the Sheikah Slate, and you realize you have to climb four towers to get a paraglider. Simple, right? Most players struggle with the cryonis trial or get stuck trying to cross the river. Stop looking for a bridge. Use a tree. If you chop down a tree so it falls across a gap, you’ve just built your own path.
The "Stasis" shrine is where the game really shows its teeth. You learn to freeze objects in time and smack them to build up kinetic energy. $F = ma$ isn't just a physics formula here; it's a weapon. You can launch boulders at enemies or, if you're feeling particularly brave, launch yourself across the map. This is called "stasis launching," and while it’s not strictly necessary for a standard playthrough, it’s the first hint that the developers want you to break things.
Why You Should Ignore the Main Quest (For a While)
After you get that paraglider, the King tells you to go find Impa in Kakariko Village. You should go there. Eventually. But if you follow the road exactly as the game suggests, you'll miss the Hestu encounter or the Dueling Peaks secrets.
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Kakariko is a hub for a reason. It gives you the Stealth Set. Buy it immediately. Being able to sneak up on crickets and fairies is worth more than high defense in the early game. Defense only matters if you get hit. If you’re quiet, you don't get hit. Plus, catching restless crickets is the easiest way to make stamina elixirs. You’re going to need a lot of stamina. More than hearts. Seriously, stop putting your spirit orbs into health until you have at least two full wheels of stamina. Being able to climb higher and run longer changes the entire geography of the map.
The Divine Beast Order Actually Matters
You can do the four Divine Beasts in any order. The game says "go wild." But if you want a smooth experience, there is a specific logic to it.
- Vah Medoh (Rito Village): Go here first. The boss, Windblight Ganon, is widely considered the easiest. More importantly, the reward is Revali’s Gale. It lets you create an updraft anywhere. In a game about climbing, having a literal elevator in your pocket is a game-changer.
- Vah Ruta (Zora’s Domain): This is usually people’s first stop because it’s closest to the start. Mipha’s Grace—a free resurrection—is great for beginners who keep falling off cliffs.
- Vah Naboris (Gerudo Desert): Leave this for late. Thunderblight Ganon is a nightmare. He moves faster than the camera can track sometimes, and if you don't have the Master Sword or high-tier rubber armor, he will wreck you.
- Vah Rudania (Death Mountain): This one is more about the environment. You need fireproof lizards and elixirs just to walk around without spontaneously combusting.
The Combat Mechanics Nobody Explains
Most people mash the Y button until their sword breaks. Don't do that. You need to master the "Flurry Rush." If you dodge an attack at the last second, time slows down and you get to unleash a barrage of hits. It’s the only way to kill Lynels without burning through your entire inventory.
And let’s talk about the chemistry. If it’s raining, don't use fire arrows. They won't work. If there is a thunderstorm, take off your metal armor or you will get struck by lightning. I’ve seen so many players die because they forgot they were carrying a metal shield during a storm. You can actually use this to your advantage, though. If you see a group of Bokoblins, throw a metal sword into their camp during a storm and watch the lightning do the work for you.
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Finding the Master Sword Without a Guide
The Master Sword isn't at the end of the game. It’s tucked away in the Lost Woods. To get there, you need 13 "red" hearts. Temporary yellow hearts from food don't count. The woods themselves are a puzzle. Follow the embers of your torch. If the wind blows the fire to the left, you go left. If you try to run straight through, the fog will eat you.
Once you have the sword, the game shifts. It doesn't break permanently; it just "runs out of energy" and needs to recharge. This solves the weapon durability anxiety that plagues the first ten hours of every walkthrough Zelda Breath of the Wild.
The Hidden Difficulty Curve
The game gets harder as you play, but not because of where you go. It uses a hidden XP system. Every time you kill an enemy, you earn "points." Eventually, Red Bokoblins turn into Blue, then Black, then Silver. If you spend too much time grinding easy enemies, the world will scale up before you have the gear to handle it.
This is why exploring the Hyrule Castle early is actually a viable strategy. You don't have to fight Ganon. You can sneak into the library or the docks, grab a Royal Claymore or some Ancient Arrows, and then leave. High-level gear makes the early-game "scaling" irrelevant.
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Cooking is the Real Leveling System
Forget traditional RPG levels. Your "level" is your pantry.
- Hearty Durians: Five of these cooked together give you +20 temporary hearts. You can find them on the trees near Faron Tower.
- Endura Carrots: These give you extra stamina wheels.
- Mighty Bananas: Cook five for a massive attack boost.
If you’re struggling with a boss, it’s not because you’re bad at the game. It’s because you didn't cook enough bananas. Honestly, that’s the golden rule of Hyrule.
Practical Steps for Your Journey
If you’re staring at the map and feeling overwhelmed, take a breath. Hyrule is big, but it’s manageable if you stop trying to "beat" it and start living in it.
- Prioritize Towers: Opening the map is your first goal. Don't worry about the shrines yet; just find the high ground.
- Farm Ancient Parts: Don't sell the screws and gears you get from dead Guardians. You’ll need them at the Akkala Ancient Tech Lab to buy the Ancient Armor, which is the best gear in the game for the finale.
- Talk to Everyone: NPCs in this game actually give useful advice. They’ll tell you about secret paths, hidden treasure, or why the weather is acting weird.
- The Camera is a Tool: Once you upgrade your Sheikah Slate, you can track items. Use it to find "Hearty Truffles" or "Big Radishes." It makes foraging way less tedious.
The best way to experience a walkthrough Zelda Breath of the Wild is to use it as a safety net, not a script. If you see something interesting on the horizon, go there. The main quest will wait. Ganon has been sitting in that castle for a hundred years; another three days of you chasing butterflies isn't going to hurt anything.
Go to the Faron region first if you want easy mode. The jungle is packed with Hearty Durians and Electric Lizalfos that drop Great Thunderblades. Having a weapon that can disarm enemies by shocking them makes the mid-game a breeze. From there, head to the Akkala region in the far northeast to find the tech lab. It’s a long walk, but the gear there makes you feel like a god.
Stop worrying about breaking your weapons. Everything in Hyrule is temporary, except for your knowledge of the systems. Once you understand how fire, ice, and electricity interact with the world, the game stops being a survival struggle and starts being a playground.