One of my favorite aspects of almost any game inThe Legend of Zeldaseries is the side quests. Whether it’s acquiring Epona inOcarina of Timeor helping the residents of Clock Town inMajora’s Mask, side quests not only serve as a necessary respite from the main story but are also often home to the most valuable rewards of their respective games. Unfortunately,not allZeldagames offer the same entertaining and worthwhile array of side quests, which is especially the case for some of theZeldaseries' most recent entries.
As revolutionary as bothBreath of the WildandTears of the Kingdomhave been to theZeldaseries, their side quests leave a lot to be desired.Many quests in either game often ask you to complete simplistic and mundane tasks, in exchange for some rupees or a random item of little use. That being said, there are some exceptions. One particular side quest shared by bothBOTWandTOTKcaptivated me in a way few other side quests in theZeldaseries have achieved, and I’m hoping it becomes a mainstay for future entries.
House-Building Is Great In BOTW & TOTK
There Are Many Benefits To Having Your Own House
Initially, the house-building side quest inBOTWcan be a daunting task to overcome. This was certainly the case for me during my first playthrough of the game, asI was deterred by the steep 3,000 rupee cost to start the construction of my own home. It wasn’t until I had put far more hours into the game, exploring more of Hyrule and collecting my fair share of valuable items, that I was finally able to pay the constructor, Bolson, to build my home.
The 3,000 rupees required inBOTWonly pays for the building itself. There are a number of other cosmetics, such as beds, weapon mounts, and flower beds, that each cost 100 rupees. In order to fully complete your house, you’ll be forced to pay 4,400 rupees in total.
While the side quest itself is fairly simplistic, the final result is what makes it so special. Having your own home is not only a nice cosmetic reward, but it also allows you to sleep in a bed and fully regain health at any timewithout the need to pay as you would at a stable or an inn. The huge benefit that having your own house provides makes the mission an incredibly worthwhile and rewarding experience, and it’s emblematic of thebest aspects ofZeldaside quests.
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This house-building side quest was expanded upon inTOTK, which allowed you to fully customize your home with multiple different rooms. I was completely enamored by howTOTKimproved on its predecessor with its take on the house-building side quest,adding a level of variety and interactivity by allowing me to design the house the way I want towhile still providing the same benefits asBOTW. House-building is undoubtedly one of the best aspects of bothBOTWandTOTK, offering a necessary moment of respite while rewarding you generously for your overall commitment.
TOTK Proves How Construction Side Quests Can Evolve
House-Building Perfectly Compliments TOTK’s Emphasis On Experimentation
TOTK’s expansion on the house-building side quest is not just an improvement onBOTW,but a showcase of the potential that these construction-type missions possess. For example, unlike Bolson automatically building your house for you inBOTW,TOTKrequires you to manually assemble each room together. By providing the player with more freedom in the design of their home, the house-building side quest serves as an integral aspect in communicatingTOTK’s emphasis on creativityand experimentation.
The house-building side quest served as a huge encouragement for me to head out into Hyrule and attempt more ambitious builds.
While I adored the idea ofTOTK’s Ultrahand mechanic and the many mechanisms that I could create, it was initially overwhelming to properly adapt to.The house-building side quest was the perfect way of easing me into what Ultrahand was capable of, as I was encouraged to experiment with the layout of my house and the different rooms I wanted to include. I became engrossed by the wayTOTKallowed me to be creative, and the house-building side quest served as a huge encouragement for me to head out into Hyrule and attempt more ambitious builds.
The freedom granted during house-building inTOTKperfectly demonstrates how construction-based side quests can continue to evolve in futureZeldagames. Rather than simply purchasing and owning a house like inBOTW,construction side quests can serve as important stepping stones in encouraging the player to fully interact with every aspect of a certainZeldagame. My time constructing my own house inTOTKopened my eyes to everything the game had to offer, and I now find myself begging Nintendo to keep this kind of side quest around for futureZeldaentries.
How Future Zelda Games Could Make House-Building Even Better
Future Entries Could Allow For Greater Customization
If house-building does become amainstay in theZeldaseriesmoving forward, then there are many ways in which it can be improved. For example, while I’m thankfulTOTKallowed me to choose my own rooms for my house, it’s still frustrating that I couldn’t alter the interior design of my house.Not only would greater customization allow for more variety in how you might choose to lay out your house, but it only emphasizes that sense of creativity and experimentation, asking you to make a house that’s uniquely yours.
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Meanwhile, making the house-building side quest more readily available to the player would be hugely beneficial. As great as the house-building side quests are, they can be quite easily missed, with Bolson hiding in a discreet corner of Hateno Village inBOTW, whileTOTKrequires you to complete a lengthy mission in Tarrey Town in order to proceed with construction.Considering howTOTKshowed how influential these quests can be in introducing players to the game’s core tenants, making them more readily apparent would make house-building far more impactful as a result.
There’s no telling whether house-building will become a mainstay in theZeldaseries, and it sat out of the latest installment,Echoes of Wisdom. That being said, house-building has proven to be both an entertaining and rewarding side quest in theZeldaseries and an incredibly useful tool in encouraging players to engage with every facet of a certain title.House-building is easily one of the best aspects of bothBOTWandTOTK, and I’m hoping the side quest will make a grand return in a future installment.
