Although it is possible to obtain Link’s faithful steed Epona in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, it isn't the easiest of tasks. Link’s horse is a familiar sight to many long-time fans, having debuted in Ocarina of Time. Since then, the chestnut mare has appeared in several other games, accompanying multiple incarnations of Hyrule’s courageous hero.
Named after the Celtic Goddess of horses, Epona first appeared as a foal on Lon Lon Ranch in Ocarina of Time. Here, Link learned to call her with "Epona’s Song," giving the horse her very own theme which can be heard in several other games, including as part of the music for Breath of the Wild’s stables. Epona served an important role as Link’s horse in Ocarina of Time, and this saw her become remarkably popular among fans. Epona also appeared briefly in Majora’s Mask, and then later in Twilight Princess; although logically, the latter appearance cannot actually be the same horse.
Epona Is Amiibo-Only In Breath Of The Wild
Epona has most recently appeared in Breath of the Wild, but casual players may never find her. This is because she is only accessed through the use of an amiibo. It is possible to use both the Super Smash Bros. Link and Twilight Princess Link amiibos to summon Epona, who must be ed at a stable to keep her permanently. Additionally, players will not need to actually tame the horse, presumably because she already recognizes Link from his past incarnations. Link has plenty of choices for mounts in BOTW, and not all are horses, but Epona is an iconic choice for those players who have the means to obtain her.
BOTW’s Epona Is Increasingly Hard To Obtain
However, as an amiibo exclusive, fans today may find obtaining Epona in Breath of the Wild to be a rather tall order. The relevant Link figures are now rare and often incredibly expensive to obtain so long after their release, which means that Epona may be permanently out of reach for many players. However, those fans looking for a nostalgic mount do have another option available to them in the base game. A side-quest given by Straia at the Mounted Archery Camp has Link tame a unique giant horse in BOTW, whose coat and mane colors make it appear to be a relative of Ganondorf’s own horse.
By being linked to an amiibo, Epona has become something of a collector's item herself in Breath of the Wild. Zelda fans who do not have access to the correct amiibos, whether by owning them themselves or knowing others who do, may never see Epona in their own version of the game. This is an unfortunate but inevitable consequence of amiibo integration. Although Epona is far from necessary to complete the game, those unlucky fans without the prerequisite figures may well feel that they are missing out on Ocarina of Time’s iconic steed in her return for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
Source: Eurogamer/YouTube
