Hardcore fans of the Zelda series may certainly recognize this item, but for those who ran through Ocarina of Time back in the early days we may have drifted by this one. The hover boots are found in the Shadow Temple and once worn, it allows Link to soar majestically in the air for a short period of time before quickly descending back to the ground. There are areas of the map that benefit from the boots, but finding them is by no means a walk in the park. Once you do actually discover them and try them out, you’ll find that these Hover Boots are actually very interesting and fun to use.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time released back in 1998 and since then it’s been critically acclaimed across all fields, constantly being ranked as one of the greatest games ever made and we most certainly agree. While the famed Ocarina definitely warmed our hearts with its incredibly harmonious sounds and catchy tunes, the Hover Boots are like a rare item that can’t be forgotten and when you finally figure out its uses, they create this very fun and immersive experience.

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker was a title that saw a release on the Gamecube, and while it didn’t really take home the prize for greatest game of all time like its ancestor, it definitely walked away with being one of the most creative and beautiful looking Zelda titles to date. Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker took advantage of the very unique style of cel shading which gives off a more cartoony feel, compared to the more realistic approach of Ocarina of Time. This was very fitting because you were in control of Young Link and so the graphics provided a very childlike feel, while still giving players that genuinely exciting Zelda experience.

The Wind Waker is perhaps the shining item because much like the Ocarina, it provided a very unique enchanting sound which is unforgettable. As Young Link would orchestrate the tunes, it would then alter the direction of the wind allowing you to venture across the ocean to different islands. It was an item that only had one use, which is the downside because outside of controlling the wind, the wand played no other major role other than for aesthetics. Be that as it may, the magical wand was still remarkably fun to use in spite of its limitations as a multipurpose item. As long as you’re able to reach your next destination smoothly The Wind Waker surely served its purpose.

The Double Clawshots played an important role in Skyward Sword and Twilight Princess in that, it gave you the opportunity to get to places that perhaps you couldn’t reach by foot. It made Link feel like Spiderman in a way as he would just scale walls with ease, while also being able to attack enemies with it should he need to. The hookshot is somewhat similar in its purpose, but what limits its performance is that it simply doesn’t allow you to go beyond certain areas unlike the Clawshots that pretty much provide a little more freedom in that regard.

You can chop down your enemies from up close with the Sword or simply just play at a distance and shoot them down with the Clawshots which just added more potential to them. They’re not legendary by any means when you compare them to that of let’s say the Hylian Shield (which is godlike in its own way), but it’s the overall use of the weapon that grants it a spot on the list. The shield has really one use and that’s to protect you from receiving damage, while these sharp tools allow you to not only scale walls to find rare treasures, but grab onto an enemy body and crush them.

We’ve all seen the Boomerang in action and it’s perhaps one of the more quintessential items that you’ll find throughout every Zelda game. It’s very simple in its aesthetics and doesn’t try to boast or put itself out there as the go to item. It would much rather sit back in the sidelines and patiently wait for its opportunity to strike when the time grants it, unleashing its fury on unsuspecting enemies from afar. The Boomerang has several uses that make it shine such as being able to throw it at items in trees, knocking them down for you to collect. It’s like a lazy man’s tool in a way because there’s really no effort to it, all you do is simply aim it at an item or perhaps the head of an enemy and away it goes.

It makes no distinct sound that would alarm you if it made contact, it simply just works alongside the wind and velocity, striking you straight in the back of the head rendering you unconscious. That’s the beauty of the Boomerang, it’s silent but deadly. Outside of those two main uses however and the Boomerang is just another item to throw around just for the fun of it, and eventually loses its merit. That’s why we said it’s the item that doesn’t like to be in the spotlight, but when summoned it can deal with a lot of enemies, collect items when you need to, and then return back to its natural habitat until ready to strike again.

Bombs pack a huge punch in almost any Zelda title because they get the job done when necessary. They’re multipurpose much like the Boomerang and Clawshots, but provide a better overall use when it comes to very serious situations like huge hordes of enemies storming towards you, or blowing up some rocks to find a secret passageway. Whatever the purpose entails, the Bombs know what they’re capable of and ensure the objectives are met. What’s cool about the bombs too is that you can kick them in a very Bomberman-esque type of fashion, placing them in certain areas to create an explosive surprise on the enemy.

Another perk is that the Bombs are timed, meaning that they don’t immediately just blow up once you ignite them, so you could walst around with them in hand until you find the proper resting place for it. The versatility of the Bombs are what make them special but also because they really hurt a lot. Some of the weapons mentioned do moderate damage, but once you start chucking bombs at the enemy they simply can’t handle all of them and die instantly. It’s for this reason that the Bombs get a much higher place on the list because they really do come in handy in almost any situation.

The Wind Waker was unquestionably one of the more definitive titles of the Gamecube era, which to this day is still a classic piece of hardware. Nintendo is a company that doesn’t fuss over large scale titles or games with jaw dropping graphics, but rather places attention solely on the gameplay aspect and you can see that with The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. As we stated earlier in the previous paragraph, the cel shading strategy Nintendo went with was genius because it really melded well with Young Link’s appearance, and actually made sailing across the ocean feel calming.

The Deku Leaf was an item that we simply can’t forget about because it helped out in so many situations where we found ourselves in trouble. The Deku Leaf was versatile in its use which made it a highly sought after item, compared to that of other notable items such as the hookshot which had its uses, but lost a lot of its potential when you couldn’t. The Deku Leaf allowed you to not only soar majestically through the sky like a bird, but it also allowed you to send your enemies soaring through the air by throwing gusts of wind at them. This was very fun because it just demonstrates just how fun simplicity can be, while still incorporating some aspects that make the game challenging in its own right.

The Beetle, no one can forget this cute little partner who aided you in battle as well as grab some rupees that you simply can’t reach on foot. It acted like a GPS system, tracking down enemies nearby and scouting out various areas of the map to ensure you were going the right way. Thankfully it didn’t come with that robotic voice that would tell you what direction to head in. The Beetle was fun and it’s purpose was very clear, which made it a very sought after item. In most Zelda titles getting around by foot and not knowing where to go is always a problem, but the Beetle turns all those worries into happy times.

Whether you need to take out a group of enemies or collect some items in higher places, the Beetle was always there for you at all times. Soaring in with a Bomb in its jaws and dropping it on unsuspecting enemies never felt more satisfying, because you didn’t even have to do a lot of work to get the job done. While you take care of what’s in front of you the Beetle takes care of what lies ahead, and that proved to be an incredibly benefiting experience that we’ll never forget. If you haven’t played Skyward Sword please do so, because it truly is a gem and incorporates a lot of cool features that we hope will make its return in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild for the Switch.

While its use is quite simple and versatile, the benefit behind it all is that the Bow and Arrow deals a good amount of damage from all ranges. You can also shoot different types of arrows such as fire arrows, ice arrows and more, which add more versatility to its use. Most items don’t allow you to work alongside the elements to favor you in critical situations, but the Bow and Arrow most certainly does. Depending on the enemy you encounter all you have to do is swap out your basic wooden arrow for whatever element you need and voila, you have a cooked boar waiting for you to eat.

We’ve seen the Bow and Arrow in use with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and from the footage we watched, it’s certainly leaps and bounds better than its predecessors. The Bow and Arrow is precise and swift, surprising the enemy with a quick shot to the back or just grabbing an apple from a tree. Whatever purpose you use it for, it’s almost always guaranteed to work in your favor. It’s also lightweight and doesn’t weigh you down, and you can carry an insane amount of arrows which is always a plus.

The Master Sword is perhaps the most iconic item in terms of the series, since you tend to see it in almost every Legend of Zelda logo. However while its iconic appearance is surely outstanding, it just barely reaches the number one spot because well, it’s not that easy to obtain. Of course when you do, you’re just a god and you can swing it around killing everything in your path. However, you have to really grind your way through to get it. This, of course, happened during the Ocarina of Time because in later games, you were handed the Master Sword on a silver platter, while in Ocarina you had to grind for hours.

Mind you the Master Sword is one bad son of a gun, and wielding that thing would make anyone weep with excitement. It’s chiseled good looks make the women swoon over it, while it’s charming yet very powerful exterior can tear down any man in its way. One swing of the Master Sword and you’re looking at a whopping amount of damage, and combine that with all the other items we’ve mentioned and Link is just a beast. Breath of the Wild is just around the corner and we’re excited to see just how Nintendo has improved on the Master Sword’s use, but for now we can all drool over the trailers until March 3rd.

So this brings us to perhaps the most epic items of all items, and that’s the Ball and Chain from Twilight Princess. You’re probably thinking “this guy is nuts, how could he place the Ball and Chain over the Master Sword! This is preposterous!” Honey’s know how you feel and we understand, the Master Sword is the creme de la creme of items in Zelda titles. However, the Ball and Chain, when wielded, takes every rule in the Zelda handbook and throws it into the nearby river. Link usually tends to be very swift and agile on the battlefield, depending more on accurate strikes than brute force.

The Ball and Chain is simply that, all brute force and no mercy for any being that tries to counter it. You swing this thing in a helicopter motion and it can take you out not only on ground, but anyone who tries to attack you from the skies will get KO’ed. It’s a lumbering ball of iron that doesn’t require an introduction because the minute you see it you’re probably already dead, or lying face down in a corner somewhere unsure of how you got there. The only downside to this overpowered weapon of mass destruction is that it’s incredibly slow and drags you down. Unlike the other more common items that allow Link to just fly across the screen like a Ballerina, the Ball and Chain while extremely powerful, limits you from moving the way you’d like to.