The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds is a large game and players might feel overwhelmed at times but using the tips below help make the journey a little easier and more efficient.
(NOTE: minor spoilers ahead)
1) Rent bombs first to start collecting Maiamai
Once Ravio opens his shop inside your house in Hyrule consider renting bombs first. Once bombs are in your possession, walk a short distance east and south until you are basically at the north-western end of Lake Hylia. Bomb open the crack in the wall next to the sign that says there is a strange monster inside. Talking to the giant Octopus inside will unlock the Maiamai collect quest. These mini octopi are scattered throughout both Hyrule and Lorule and will make a chirping noise when one is close. For every 10 collected a purchased item (purchased, not rented) will be upgrade. Upgrading the bow, for example, will shoot 3 arrows instead of the usual one. Also, use the Maiamai map to see how many are left. Note, you will items like the titan mitts to find some hidden Maiamai. It is beneficial to do this as soon as possible so you can naturally collect Maiamai without much backtracking later.
2) Get the Pegasus boots early
The Zora queen will grow bloated because her special stone went missing. Track down the thief in Kakariko village by merging with the wall then popping up behind him. He will reward you with the Pegasus boots which can make travel faster. Also, ram into various trees to find bees, rupees, health healing apples, and even Maiamai.
3) Talk to the bee guy in Kakariko village to get a net and start collecting bees.
Once you get the bug collecting net, use it to gather as many bees as you can find. Bees are randomly found by chopping down tall grass and bushes. Each bee will require an empty bottle but the task is worth it. Bring back all bees to the bee keeper to earn a quick 50 rupees. There is a large patch of tall grass and bushes one screen away near the blacksmith shop you can farm.
4) Bring a bottle of Milk before you go to the Tower of Hera
After getting the Zora flippers, look for a stray bottle with a note in it near the eastern edge of Lake Hylia. The note inside explains that a miner has been stranded on the mountain and needs milk from the milk bar. Traveling to the Tower of Hera is a little difficult as the rolling boulders and falling rocks make travel tricky. So make the journey more efficient by bringing a bottle of milk with you when you first make the trip up north. The reward is a new bottle.
5) Save your rupees, earn your rupees
Unlike other Zelda games, the player is free to collect a vast amount of rupees without the need to find a larger wallet. As soon as the game starts, start collecting rupees. Chop down bushes, fight enemies, look for chests and secrets, and play mini games to earn a bigger paycheck. You will need 3000 rupees to earn the last bottle, the purchase of rental items requires 800-1200 rupees, and it costs a whopping 9999 to purchase a golden bee which the bee keeper is looking for. It is worth it to collect each rupee you see. The boomerang makes chopping down bushes and collecting a little easier too.
6) Talk to the geezer in Kakariko Village to set up your StreetPass Shadow Link early
Once you active the Shadow Link StreetPass functionality by talking to the old dude in the Hyrule village, Shadow Links will appear throughout the kingdom. If defeated, rupees are earned as well as the game’s version of “Achievements.” Once you have upgraded your weapons, items, and armor, feel free to further customize your Shadow Link to make your bounty worth more. It is worthwhile to do this early as you might randomly come across a Shadow Link on your travels. You have nothing to lose but everything to gain but fighting these computer controlled AIs.
7) Build up some PlayCoins
Like all Zelda games, players are bound to get stuck from time to time. That is why the developers included a built in hint system for those times you can’t figure out how to proceed. By putting on a pair of special glasses that is given to you early in the game, it is possible to speak to invisible question mark shaped ghosts. These ghosts will be happy to help you along the way but only with the cost of 1 PlayCoin per hint. Purists might not use any but newbies might want to save up a few just in case.
8) Look at your map after collecting the compass in dungeons
The compass has always been an important part of every Zelda game but A Link Between Worlds makes it worth your while to collect it in every dungeon. This little device will depict where hidden chests are within each labyrinth, making it easier to spot if you’ve missed something. Sometimes you only might have missed 20 rupees but other times you might have missed a special item. View this map and switch between floors using the touch screen.
9) Check the weather vanes and use Irene’s Bell
This should go without saying, but finding all the weather vanes will make your life a lot easier. Besides being able to save faster, these save stations also work as checkpoints for Irene’s transportation services. Tap the bell icon on the bottom screen to call Irene wherever you are. Very convenient.
10) Play Rupee Rush with a timer app on your mobile phone
Rupee Rush cost 50 rupees to play and is located just south of Kakariko Village. The goal is to gather as many rupees as possible for the 30 second time limit expires. The trick, however, is the player does not have a built-in timer to gauge the time. Instead, activate your timer app on your mobile phone just as the game starts to accurately keep track of time. Ending the game with a short amount of time left will earn a much higher reward. This is an easy and fool proof way to make money.
Any other suggestions? Sound off in the comments below.
By: Editor in Chief of myGamer: Zachary Gasiorowski