Sidequests are elements of a game, for example: minigames, scavenger hunts, mazes, etc., that don't depend on the outcome of the game itself. Sidequests are included within games to:
- create extra interest in the game after it has been completed
- prolong the "life" of the game
- to give the player something to do when stuck
- to improve the player's status, experience or life
Within the Zelda series, there are several sidequests that are prevalent within subsequent games.
- Heart Pieces
- Quiver Upgrades
- Wallet Upgrades
- Tunic Upgrades
- Extra Weaponry
- Hidden Skills
Usually, sidequests do not effect the game's path, but can enhance or strengthen the player's status while on such a path. In every Zelda game, it is possible to beat the entire story without the aid of extra heart pieces, more arrows in one's quiver, and more money, but the game is better fulfilled when it is beaten with these elements included.
The sidequests, while barely present since the NES games, officially became important in The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, mainly thanks to the introduction of the Piece of Heart system; because the game featured multiple dungeons (twelve), there were too many Heart Containers posessed by the bosses, meaning that a mere two (supposing that the 16-heart meter seen in the original NES game would be present again) would be available in the overworld. To solve this, the game featured an extended 20-heart life meter and, additionally, split the then six Containers left into four pieces each (for a total of 24 pieces), giving the player the need to guide Link across extra stages housing them, as well as winning minigames. The possibility of enhancing the weaponry (bombs, arrows, sword, etc.), as well as the introduction of optional weapons and artifacts, improved this aspect of the game. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening featured the same methods, but also introduced the first Trading Sequence sidequest in the series.
Whereas the subsequent handheld 2D Zelda games would follow the footsteps of A Link to the Past in this aspect, the first 3D game (The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time) not only included the aforementioned sidequests, but also made the player focus on helping people to receive different prizes; the game is also notorious for featuring the first hunt-based sidequest in the series, in the form of the Golden Skulltula spiders. The fact that most of these spiders only appear at night or from some secret spots, increased significantly the challenge of the 100% completion.
In recent games, such as Twilight Princess, the sidequest element of the game has become more challenging to the player, making it harder to achieve the reward one is after. Multi-layered sidequests, or those with subsequent parts are also prevelant in this game, especially when on the quest to find every last Heart Piece.