The Legend of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild has no shortage of adventures. Players can climb mountains, fight some bokoblins, or even just take a leisurely ride on a horse. As beautiful as Hyrule is, though, many dangers await for those who are not careful.
The landscape is filled with tough enemies and hazards that can spell doom for Link. Dangerous monsters and the elements threaten Link at virtually every turn. Some ways of dying in Breath of the Wild include falling to a foe or just falling, period. Other ways to die are just plain hilarious, making failing almost as much fun as succeeding.
5 Stepping Off The Great Plateau
The first thing Link sees after emerging from his 100-year-slumber is the Great Plateau, a lush landscape that serves as the tutorial area for the game. Here, one can get their feet wet by learning the game mechanics and completing the three shrines in the area, after which the old man will give Link the glider to gently float off onto the mainland. Or, Link could just step off without the glider.
Players wanting to know what’s down there should watch their step. A rock wall sits at the plateau’s edge, where one can look down at the foggy expanse below. Accidentally taking a wrong step at the edge of the Plateau’s wall may spell instant death and holding up a sign that says “Woops” on the way down.
4 Leaping For The Top Of A Tower And Missing
To reveal more of the game map, Link must activate the numerous towers scattered across the landscape. To do this, he must climb up their sides and touch his Sheikah Slate to the terminals at the top.
On the way up, he must be mindful of his stamina and avoid hazards that may be present. Link can leap to cut time, but it uses up stamina more quickly. If stamina is near zero, and the top is within reach, he can make a final leap in an attempt to grab the ledge. If he misses, well, it’s a long way down.
3 Panic Running Into Boiling Lava
While Hyrule is bound to have its challenges, some situations will make Link say “nope” unless he has the Master Sword. Such situations include a first encounter with an Igneo Talus. The giant molten rock monster induces instant panic, making players run in the opposite direction. One just has to be careful where they’re running.
In the Goron region of Hyrule, lava pools and falls are everywhere. Getting pummeled by a hot rock titan may be painful, but so is running into boiling lava. Fleeing danger is not necessarily a bad thing, but Link shouldn’t have to choose between death by rock monster and death in molten rock.
2 Getting Sat On By A Hinox
If Hyrule has an equivalent of Shrek, it’s the Hinox. These rotund creatures will just be sleeping in the woods or on an outcrop of a mountain, not bothering anyone. If Link disrupts their sleep, though, then he better prepare to have a fight on his hands.
While the Hinox is slow, it is powerful. One hit is an almost guaranteed death. It can smack Link, throw a log at him, or even sit on him. Hinoxes are big creatures with even bigger rear ends, so it is best to stay out of the way before it uses Link as a cushion.
1 W-W-W-Wipeout!!!
Any veteran of Hyrule knows that the best way to travel and procrastinate on rescuing Princess Zelda is shield surfing. Finding a good steep mountain gives Link the ability to slide at ridiculous speed, and jumping off a cliff allows for some air that will make Shaun White sweat.
While hitting the slopes is good fun, those shields can take only so much damage. If Link is shield surfing and his shield breaks, Link will tumble forward in full rag doll mode. He will be sure to end up in the Hall of Meat in that case.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is available on Nintendo Switch and Wii U.