6 Best Ocarina of Time Side Quests (Ranked)

Ocarina of Time isn’t lacking in the story department, as it has one of the most memorable main narratives in a Zelda title. Link is the paragon of courage, who must fight the evil Ganondorf. However, the game gives players much freedom in what they can do other than following the main quest. There are several side quests in Ocarina of Time, with various rewards that players get for completing them, and here are the best ones ranked. 

6. The Running Man Challenge

It’s impossible to miss the speeding bullet that runs around Hyrule Field when Child Link is rushing around from the world. The man is significantly fast, and it’s almost impossible to keep up with him. You can find him again as Adult Link at the Carpenter’s Tent near Gerudo Valley once the bridge has been repaired and challenge him to a race. If you are unable to beat him, that’s not surprising, as Nintendo has designed the running man to be unbeatable. 

You can try to beat him using some tricks, but he will always come out 1 second ahead. There is no way to defeat the running man and no reward, as the side quest is an ongoing challenge rather than something you can complete. This makes the races fun, but ultimately frustrating, if you want to win. 

5. Magic Bean Planting

This is an interesting side quest that can be considered the game’s time capsule. You can plant magic beans as Child Link, and when you return as Adult Link, the plant has grown. The plant allows Link to access certain locations, some of which have Pieces of Heart. 

This makes the side quest useful if you want to have as much health as possible. The unique element of you doing something as a child and coming back to reap the rewards makes the side quest all the more fun. However, the most in-your-face nostalgic element may be that this side quest highlights how much time has passed since Link went into the Temple of Time and the years Hyrule had spent being ruled by Ganondorf. 

4. The Mask Trading Quest

The Happy Mask Salesman has a shop at Hyrule Castle Town and he strikes up a deal with Link to borrow and sell masks. His motto is that masks can make people happy, and this quest highlights how that works out. There are four masks you must sell, with one being purchased by a guard for his son and another by a young boy in Kakariko Village who wants to look scary. You can also sell the Bunny Hood mask to the Running Man, which makes him jet off even faster than his usual speed. 

Once you sell all the masks, the Happy Mask Salesman rewards you with the Mask of Truth. This is a special mask that can be used to listen to Gossip Stones, which will give comedic commentary or offer tips. However, the biggest reward for completing the quest is making several NPCs happy by bringing unique masks to them. 

3. Cucco Lady’s Quest

This is one of the first side quests that you can complete, and it’s done as Child Link. This is appropriate, as you’re tasked with helping a lady in distress. You can go to the Cucco Lady next to the Cucco Pen in Kakariko Village, and she’ll ask you to collect all her Cuccos, and she’ll make it worth your while. 

This is one of the best side quests in Ocarina of Time, but not because it’s challenging to complete. Instead, it allows you to immerse yourself in the innocent nature of Child Link and feel a sense of achievement by helping out a kind lady. The Cuccos are also roaming different parts of the village, with some requiring correct strategies to reach. Catching them all and bringing them back to the pen will earn you a shiny new bottle, which is a substantially useful item in the game. 

2. Earning Epona

Players first meet and bond with Epona as a child, with Malon teaching Link the horse’s song. You can return to Lon Lon Ranch as Adult Link to find out that the ownership has changed and the evil worker, Ingo, controls the ranch and the horses. You can challenge him, and beating him rewards you with Epona. 

The two races are one of the highlights of the game, as it rewards you with another method of traversal, and Epona makes reaching certain locations more convenient. There is also the lesson about a man’s greed and how he can go back on their word. Even after winning, you must take matters into your own hands and escape with Epona rather than being given the trusty horse freely. The narrative and the reward ensure that this is considered one of the best side quests in Ocarina of Time.

1. The Biggoron’s Sword Trading Sequence

This is one of the longest side quests in the game that requires you to visit multiple locations and trade several items. These range from a Pocket Egg that you get from the Cucco Lady to Eye Drops that you must rush to the Biggoron before the medicine goes bad. The side quest is both fun and challenging, as there is a timer for a few items, and you must know the fastest way to get there or risk having to go through the effort again. 

This Ocarina of Time side quest gives you the best reward, the Biggoron’s Sword, which is the unbreakable version of the Giant’s Knife. It deals 2x the damage of the Master Sword, making it one of the most useful items in the game. There is a drawback, as it’s too big and must be used two-handed, which makes using a shield impossible. Regardless of that, this quest offers the best reward out of all others, and you help different NPCs with their issues.