The Legend of Zelda is a massive series. For around 37 years, the game series has been an absolute fan favorite of Nintendo. The newest addition, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, is no different. Everything in the game, including its massive open world, characters, music, and combat mechanics, and nothing short of spectacular.
With such a long history, it makes sense that there are a lot of different things Nintendo could do as little easter eggs for fans who have played the whole series. The entire game is full of these little surprises and details, and here are some of the best ones.
Updated by Erin Rice on June 13, 2023: The longer players have their hands on the game, the more secrets and details will be brought to light. This update added 5 additional entries to this list. It also added relevant links for readers to find certain pieces of the list easier.
15 Paraglider Fabrics
Throughout the game, you will be able to come across many different Paraglider fabrics that will let you customize the useful tool. Some Paraglider fabrics, such as Majora's Mask or the Mirror of Twilight fabrics, are direct references to past games and can be obtained using Amiibos. Thankfully, you can also find fabrics such as the Nostalgic Fabric, which looks just like the Paraglider from the last game, in chests around the world.
14 Gleeok Den Statues
Once you begin exploring The Depths, you will come across the Gleeok Den. This is home to one of the King Gleeoks. Once you defeat this beast (or if you're fast enough to run around while it is alive), you can find 4 statues in the 4 corners of the area. Each statue seems to depict one of the 4 races in Hyrule in the present time minus the Hylians (the Gerudo, Goron, Rito, and Zora).
It is possible these 4 statues are an easter egg showing the 4 Sages that fought with the Hylians (and Zonai) to create the Hyrule we know today. Since the Zonai and Hylians were the races ruling Hyrule, it makes sense they would make statues depicting the 4 races that helped them.
13 Lon Lon Ranch Milk
While you’re visiting Link’s house, you can head to the general store in Hateno Village. There, you will see some fresh milk for sale. Upon closer inspection, you may think this design looks familiar. That’s because it’s milk from the infamous Lon Lon Ranch.
12 Link’s Hair Tie
If you go behind Link’s old house in Hateno Village, you’ll find Zelda’s Secret Well. Inside, you’ll find a chest that contains the blue hair tie that Link wore a lot in Breath of the Wild. Zelda has kept the hair tie this entire time. You’ll also be able to read more of her diary, where she will mention she even bought Link a new Champion's Tunic and stashed it in Hyrule Castle. You can head there and pick it up.
11 Poes
Throughout the game series, the enemies called Poes have been common. These are ghosts of people trying to move on from this world. They make a return in this game and can be traded to Bargainer Statues around Hyrule. This is one way to obtain older outfits Link has worn throughout the series. You can find these spirits roaming The Depths.
10 Shrine Of Resurrection
Link is able to return to the Shrine of Resurrection. This is where he woke up during the events of Breath of the Wild. When you make it, you’ll see the entrance to the Shrine is overgrown; this shows that no one has been there in a while. Upon entering, you’ll see the inside has changed drastically. You’ll find a pond of water that can heal Link. You can also find a Yiga Clan Hideout at the end of the Shrine.
9 Yiga Clan Revenge
When exploring The Depths, you’ll run into different Yiga Clan members. At some point, you’ll even run into their leader. This will start the "Master Kohga Of The Yiga Clan" quest. It turns out that the giant hole you shoved him into led to The Depths. He will spend a large amount of time in The Depths, looking for ways to get revenge. He will even follow you around and be a large part of the underground world.
8 Old Weapons And Shields
While the game features tons of armor sets from past games, it also features weapons and shields from those games. Some of the more notable ones are Biggoron's Sword, the Dusk Bow, and the Dusk Claymore. These are important items from games way back in the Zelda Franchise's history. What makes these items even cooler is that you can find them in the game. You do not need an Amiibo in order to use these awesome pieces.
7 Saria’s Song
Anyone who played The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time will know what Saria’s Song is. This song is how Link can talk to Saria or Navi during the game. Link can sometimes be heard humming the tune while walking around Hyrule.
6 Pirate Attack
While you are exploring, chances are you’ll come across Lurelin Village. This is a village that has been attacked by pirates (a band of monsters). The villagers had to flee from the area. For those who played The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, the story may sound similar. This seems to be an Easter Egg referencing the many pirate crews Link must face in the game.
5 Sidon and Link Statue
When you travel to the Zora’s Domain region, you may notice the statue in the main square isn’t the same as before. In Breath of the Wild, Mipha had a statue there, indicating she was the champion. However, that statue has been replaced by one of Link riding Sidon, referencing how they worked together during the last game.
4 Dark Skeletons
The Great Skeletons that were found in Hebra, Gerudo, and Eldin in Breath of the Wild, and in this game, are some of the most mysterious places in the games. Many believe that they could be skeletons of past characters like The Wind Fish. However, nothing has been confirmed about the skeletons.
The Depths is known for being the opposite of Hyrule. Where there are mountains in Hyrule, The Depths have valleys. Hyrule has water, and The Depths has impassable walls. What makes these Dark Skeletons so interesting is that while they match up perfectly with the Great Skeletons, they add a whole other layer to what these Great Skeletons could be.
3 Queen Sonia's Grave
One of the most interesting easter eggs in the game has to do with the queen of the Zonai herself, Queen Sonia. For those who collected the Geoglyphs, you may have noticed a scene in which Queen Sonia is killed. A few scenes later, King Rarau is seen laying Sundelions on Queen Sonia's grave. If you travel to the Forgotten Temple within the game, you will see a small stone toward the back of the temple. There, you will notice it looks identical to Sonia's grave Rauru mourned at all those centuries before.
2 Old Outfits
Another major Easter egg returns from Breath of the Wild. You can obtain the different Link outfits from throughout the series by scanning their Amiibo. You can also obtain different weapons from other games and the Champion helmets from the Divine Beasts of Breath of the Wild. If you don’t have Amiibo, you can trade Poes for the sets.
1 Link's House
If you travel to Hateno Village and look at Link’s old house, you’ll find it covered in vines. Inside, you’ll see the house feels much more like a home now than in Breath of the Wild. Zelda has moved in, and you can see her diary sitting on the desk. Reading it, you’ll hear all about how she is living with Link in the home. As a bonus, if you have played the Champion's Ballad DLC from Breath of the Wild, you can find a photo of Link and Zelda with the Champions within the house.