The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has exceeded fans' expectations, offering more than double the amount of fun than its predecessor, Breath of the Wild. There are three different world maps to explore, with lots of hidden treasures, dangerous boss fights, and 152 shrines of light to be found.
Tears of the Kingdom would not be a Legend of Zelda game without challenging puzzles and shrines that will have the gears turning in your head. Some of these shrines may prove to be too much of a challenge if you visit them early on in the game, as they require mastery of skills — and sometimes, more hearts or stamina than you might have!
10 Oshozan-u Shrine
Depending on which direction you take after jumping off the tutorial island, you may find yourself in front of the Oshozan-u shrine. Getting to it may prove challenging, as it requires cold-resistant clothing or food; otherwise, Link will freeze to death.
To complete the Oshozan-u shrine you will need to use your brains. The Ultrahand ability will allow you to take advantage of the logs and rockets lying around to complete your goal.
9 Igoshon Shrine
You can find the Igoshon Shrine on your way to the Water Temple. What makes the shrine quite challenging is the low gravity. If this is your first time experiencing it, it may take some time to get accustomed to it.
Not only will you have to calculate from which distance Link has to jump, but you will also have to use your abilities in a clever way. Ultrahand, Recall, and Ascend will play a huge role in the completion of this shrine.
8 Mayachideg Shrine
You will most likely get to the Mayachideg Shrine a bit later on your playthrough, as it is found in a tricky location. Although, if you have already found the South Akkala Stable, it is not far from there. Mayachideg is one of the Proving Grounds types of shrines. In other words, Link is stripped from all his equipment and has to defeat various enemies using whatever the shrine provides him with.
Here, Link will have to use to his advantage the automated devices scattered around the arenas. It may sound easy, but the constructs are faster than you think, and your own devices can damage you if you're not careful!
7 Jiukoum Shrine
If you have been playing the game for hours and come across the Jiukoum Shrine, leave it for later. This puzzle requires mastery of the Ultrahand and a steady hand.
Jiukoum may be more frustrating and time-consuming than difficult, but it definitely needs a clear mind to complete. You will have to build various platforms to navigate different kinds of rails. The final section can be a bit of a head-scratcher, but with such a diverse toolset available, you're able to complete this shrine in a variety of creative ways.
6 Orochium Shrine
The Orochium Shrine will have you solving various difficult puzzles combined. Do not rush, and take your time planning your every move.
You can complete Orochium through trial and error. By using Ascend, make a mental map of this labyrinth-like space and do not hesitate to get caught in lasers (sometimes avoiding danger lasers can actually make the situation more confusing than it needs to be).
5 Zakusu Shrine
The Zakusu Shrine is located near the Mount Lanayru area but can only be revealed after completing the shrine-related quest. You will have to launch yourself into the air from the area's Skyview Tower and glide to a sky island southeast of it.
You will find an altar from where you will have to jump through green light rings. The tricky part is, you will have to equip a sled shield beforehand and snowboard through a challenging area — just make sure to deploy your glider before hitting the ground!
4 Mayaotaki Shrine
The Mayaotaki Shrine is one found deep inside North Lomei Labyrinth. Labyrinths in Tears of the Kingdom are more complicated than in Breath of the Wild, as they have'll have you solving puzzles on three different maps (sky, surface, and Depths).
Mayaotaki can be a bit easier to complete if you use a few tricks to get on top of the labyrinth and then jump back down to the location of a hidden ladder. If you decide to go the traditional way, it may take some time — but the experience is worth it.
3 Mayaumekis Shrine
The Mayaumekis Shrine is one you will find by following the main story. When you are helping Rito village get rid of the massive blizzard, you will find yourself ascending through floating rocks into the sky.
On your way, you will come across the Mayaumekis Shrine. Finding it is not as challenging as completing it. Link will have to use his bow and arrows cleverly in order to succeed. If you do not have any arrows on you, you better return to the village and stock up.
2 Sifumim Shrine
The Sifumim Shrine is the most challenging one among the Proving Grounds types. As the name suggests, you should not rush, but instead take your time and go with the flow. In this case, the flow of the water.
Sifumim can be found near Lurelin Village and will have you battling against various challenging constructs. Once again, all your gear will be removed, so you will have to use the provided tools and strip your opponents from their weapons.
1 Riogok Shrine
The Riogok Shrine is the most challenging in Tears of the Kingdom as it will have you using all of Link's special abilities. Not only that, but you will have to solve various puzzles, taking advantage of all the logs and items scattered around the area.
From using Ultrahand to fix gears and combing Recall and Ascend to reach the end goal, you will need mastery of all skills. If you want to acquire the hidden chest of the shrine, that will also need clever use of the surrounding logs.