Honestly, the first time you step out of the Shrine of Resurrection and look at the Great Plateau, you aren’t thinking about geometry or level design. You’re just looking at the view. But then you see that first glowing orange structure. It’s small. It’s weirdly futuristic. It looks totally out of place in a world that’s been reclaimed by nature. That’s the magic of Zelda shrines Breath of the Wild—they are these tiny, hermetically sealed pockets of "pure" Zelda gameplay tucked away in a massive, messy open world.
Some people hate them. They miss the sprawling, three-hour dungeons of Ocarina of Time or Twilight Princess. I get that. But there’s something brilliant about how Nintendo traded the "megastructure" for 120 (well, 136 with the DLC) bite-sized puzzles. It changed how we play. It changed how we explore.
You’re trekking through a thunderstorm in the Faron Woods, slipping on wet rocks, losing your mind because your metal shield is attracting lightning, and suddenly—ping. The Sheikah Sensor goes off. There’s a shrine nearby. Suddenly, the game isn't about survival anymore. It’s about a specific, clever mechanical riddle.
The Weird Genius of the 120-Shrine Format
Nintendo’s development team, led by Hidemaro Fujibayashi, didn't just decide to make 120 shrines because they liked the number. They needed a way to reward exploration without breaking the game's pace. If every discovery was a massive dungeon, you’d never finish the game. By breaking it down, they created a "breadcrumb" trail that pulls you across Hyrule.
Most of these shrines follow a very specific "Introduction, Twist, Mastery" philosophy. Take the Rota Chigah shrine (Redee Prover). It introduces the idea of a rotating room. You think you’ve got it. Then it throws a spike pit at you. Then it asks you to do it while an orb is rolling. It’s dense. It’s fast. You’re in and out in five minutes, feeling like a genius.
But let’s be real: some of them are just "A Minor Test of Strength." Again. And again. By the time you’ve fought your tenth Guardian Scout II, the novelty has definitely worn off. It’s one of the few places where the game feels like it’s padding the runtime. Yet, even those serve a purpose. They are gear checks. If you can’t beat a Major Test of Strength, you probably aren't ready for Hyrule Castle. It’s the game’s way of saying "come back when you’ve got better swords."
The "Blessing" Shrines and the Hidden World
People often complain when they walk into a shrine and find just a chest and a Spirit Orb. "That’s it?" they say. But they’re missing the point. In Zelda shrines Breath of the Wild, the "Blessing" shrines aren't about the puzzle inside—the puzzle was getting there.
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Think about the Thyphlo Ruins. You’re navigating a pitch-black forest with nothing but a torch, hearing footsteps in the dark, wondering if a Hinox is about to sit on you. When you finally find the pedestal and the shrine rises from the ground, the "puzzle" is over. You earned that orb through environmental navigation. The same goes for the Eventide Island challenge. Stripping you of all your gear and making you play "Survivor: Hyrule Edition" is one of the best moments in gaming history. To put another puzzle inside the shrine after that would be overkill.
Why Physics Is Better Than Keys
In old Zelda games, you found a Small Key. You used it on a locked door. It was binary. 1 or 0. Zelda shrines Breath of the Wild threw that out the window for a chemistry and physics engine. This is where the "Expert" part of the gameplay comes in.
Because the game uses a robust physics engine (internally called the "Havok" engine integration), there is almost always a way to "cheat" a shrine. And the crazy part? Nintendo knew you would do it. They wanted you to do it.
- Stasis Launching: Instead of doing a complex puzzle involving moving platforms, you can just freeze a door, hit it twenty times with a sledgehammer, and fly over the gap.
- Wind Bombing: Advanced players use two remote bombs to launch Link across entire shrine chambers at Mach 1.
- Electric Circuit Skips: If you’re missing an electric orb to complete a circuit, you can just drop all your metal swords on the floor in a line. The electricity will travel through the swords. It works. It’s stupid, but it works.
This "emergent gameplay" is why people are still posting clips of shrines on Reddit years later. There isn't just one solution. There is the "intended" solution and then there is the "I have five Octo Balloons and a dream" solution.
The Misconception of "The Master Sword" Requirement
There's a common myth among new players that you need to find specific shrines to get the Master Sword. Not true. You just need 13 hearts. That means 40 shrines total (assuming you don't trade your Stamina).
Wait, I should clarify. You can actually "cheat" this too. You can dump all your orbs into Stamina to explore better, then go to the Cursed Statue in Hateno Village and "sell" your Stamina for Hearts right before you go to the Lost Woods. Pull the sword, then swap back. It’s these little systems interacting that make the shrine grind feel less like a chore and more like a resource management game.
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The Shrines Nobody Can Find
Some shrines are genuinely devious. The Twin Memories shrines on the Dueling Peaks are a classic example. You have to look at the layout of the orbs in one shrine, memorize them (or take a screenshot, let’s be honest), and then input that pattern into the other shrine on the opposite mountain peak. It’s brilliant because it forces you to use the map and the scope, not just your sword.
Then there’s the Kass quests. Hearing that accordion music in the distance is the universal signal for "prepare for a riddle." Whether it’s waiting for a blood moon to stand on a pedestal or shooting an arrow through two rings at once, these shrines feel more integrated into the lore of the world. They feel like ancient trials left by the Sheikah for a hero who was actually supposed to be smart, not just good at parrying.
The Problem with Motion Controls
We have to talk about it. The "Apparatus" shrines.
You know the ones. You have to flip your Nintendo Switch upside down to move a giant stone hammer or tilt a maze. They’re frustrating. They’re clunky. If you’re playing on a Lite or in handheld mode, you’re literally twisting your body into a pretzel just to see the screen.
Pro tip: if you’re doing the maze puzzle in the Myahm Agana shrine, just flip the whole controller upside down. The bottom of the maze is flat. The ball will land on the flat surface and you can just flick it into the goal. It’s way easier than navigating the actual maze path. This is a perfect example of why this game is a masterpiece—even the bad puzzles have "smart" workarounds.
Mapping Your Progress: A Strategic Approach
If you’re trying to hit all 120, don't just wander aimlessly. You’ll burn out.
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The best way to handle Zelda shrines Breath of the Wild is to follow the towers first. Each Sheikah Tower gives you a high-ground vantage point. From there, look for the glow. Pin everything you see. But don't go to them yet. Look for patterns. Shrines are often placed near points of interest—stables always have a shrine nearby for fast travel. This is intentional. The developers wanted you to have a "home base" in every region.
If you’re missing just a few, check the "hidden" areas.
- Behind Waterfalls: Classic trope, but it's used at least three times.
- Under Breakable Rocks: Use your Sheikah Sensor+. You can set it to track "Shrine" specifically, which is way more powerful than the default beep.
- The Hebra Mountains: There are shrines tucked inside ice caves that you won't see from the air. You have to find the small openings at the base of the cliffs.
The Rewards Beyond the Orbs
Every shrine gives you a Spirit Orb. Four orbs equals a Heart Container or a Stamina Vessel. Simple. But the real reward for the completionist is the Wild Set.
Once you finish all 120 base-game shrines, you get a side quest called "A Gift from the Monks." It leads you to the Forgotten Temple (which is guarded by about a dozen Guardians, so bring a shield). There, you find the classic green tunic. It’s the only way to get Link’s iconic look without using an Amiibo or buying DLC. Is it worth it? Stat-wise, it’s great once upgraded. Sentimentally? It’s the ultimate "I conquered Hyrule" badge of honor.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Playthrough
If you’re jumping back in or finishing up your save file, here is the most efficient way to master the shrine system:
- Prioritize Stamina over Hearts early on. You can cook "Hearty" foods (one Hearty Durian is enough) to get temporary extra hearts, but extra stamina allows you to climb to shrines you’d otherwise miss.
- Get the Climbing Gear immediately. One piece is in the Ree Dahee shrine in the Dueling Peaks. It makes the "Blessing" shrine treks 50% less annoying.
- Don't ignore the DLC. The Champions' Ballad shrines are arguably the best puzzles in the entire game. They use more complex machinery and actually feel like mini-dungeons.
- Use the "Path of the Hero" mode. If you have the DLC, look at your map. If there’s a giant blank spot where you haven't walked, there’s a 90% chance a shrine is hiding there.
- Stop using guides... at first. The joy of Breath of the Wild is the "Aha!" moment. Only look up the location if you’ve been circling a mountain for twenty minutes and the sensor is driving you crazy.
The shrines are the heartbeat of this version of Hyrule. They provide a rhythm to the exploration. Without them, the world is just a big, empty sandbox. With them, it's a giant, interconnected puzzle box that respects your intelligence and your time. Go find that orange glow. The monks have been waiting 100 years for you; another ten minutes won't hurt.