Breath of the Wild has many memorable shrine puzzles, and some of those puzzle mechanics are likely to return in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. BOTW doesn't have traditional, extended Zelda dungeons, but its bite-sized shrines fill a similar niche, just on a much smaller scale. They require the use of recurring mechanics that players will become familiar with as they explore Hyrule and discover more shrines, using Link's powers and tools to overcome obstacles.

However, there are 120 shrines in BOTW, and some of them are simply better executed than others. The Test of Strength combat shrines can get repetitive, and motion-controlled marble mazes often cause sweaty palms. Still, many shrines have the ability to surprise, challenge, and delight the player, and there's no greater feeling of satisfaction than finally getting that hard-earned Spirit Orb from a shrine's monk. While there are many aspects of BOTW that TOTK can fix, there are also many ideas the sequel can borrow from the original's shrines.

10 Plinko/Rube Goldberg Puzzles

These get-the-ball-to-the-goal puzzles are the definition of satisfying. BOTW shrines like Kiah Toza Shrine present the player with a sort of broken-down Rube Goldberg machine, or in the case of Ne'ez Yohma Shrine, more of a Plinko board. Balls start rolling at one end, and should drop into a switch at the other end, but there are several turns and breaks in the path to make that impossible. Through trial and error, the player will have to carve a path, watching where the balls roll and placing ice blocks accordingly. Seeing the ball finally roll into place is immensely rewarding, and would be a welcome addition to TOTK.

9 Blue Flame Puzzles

Best exemplified by Shora Hah shrine, some BOTW puzzles challenge the player to keep a torch (or arrow) lit with a special blue flame as they navigate a series of obstacles. These puzzles are complicated and can be frustrating; they really test the player's skill and require the use of multiple abilities. That way, they're even more gratifying than some of BOTW's one-and-done shrines. These puzzles also carry the torch of earlier Zelda dungeons, which often involve keeping fires lit through many stages of traps. It'd be interesting to see what cruel and unusual traps Nintendo can cook up for TOTK torch puzzles.

8 Survival Puzzles

Incorporating a feature that made BOTW unique among Zelda games, the Eventide Island shrine quest tested the player's mastery of survival. The quest begins on parachuting to a remote island, where Link is immediately stripped of all his weapons, armor, and items. Using only the items they can find, players must defeat several groups of enemies in order to reveal the location of Korgu Chideh Shrine. This is a true test of skill; players have to rely on their knowledge and reflexes, not just high-powered weapons, to be successful here. This was one of the most original shrines in BOTW, and would be a great mechanic to recur in TOTK.

7 Climbing Route Puzzles

Another shrine puzzle that takes place outside the actual shrine is BOTW's Gut Check Challenge. Taking place on the aptly named Gut Check Rock, this shrine quest is staged by a trio of musclehead Gorons. To complete it, players must scale the steep slopes within a time limit, collecting 100 rupees along the way. It sounds simple enough, but it's deceptively difficult, requiring smart stamina usage and a sense of when to stray from the path. Climbing and rupee collection minigames are Zelda series staples, and the goofy Goron brothers who run this one are so charismatic that a new and improved Gut Check Challenge belongs in TOTK.

6 Musical Puzzles

Throughout the Zelda series, magical music has often served as a game mechanic. While music isn't as central to BOTW as it is to Ocarina of Time or The Wind Waker, it plays a role in one standout shrine quest: "Recital at Warbler's Nest." In order to unlock Voo Lota Shrine, Link must imitate four Rito sisters’ birdsong note for note by blowing air through stone reeds. As far as puzzles go, this one's short and sweet, but could be further developed, perhaps with a more complex melody, in TOTK. Plus, it'd be nice to check in on Genli and see if she's gotten more confident in her singing.

5 Gliding Puzzles

Zipping around Hyrule with the paraglider is one of the most exciting parts of BOTW, and shrines that require precise flying and careful platforming add to the fun. Some, like the Sha Warvo Shrine, use gusts of air to give Link a boost; others, like Monya Toma Shrine, use moving platforms to launch Link in a particular direction. TOTK will give Link multiple new abilities, including one called Ascend that causes him to rise into the air. This could be an interesting mechanic to incorporate into new platforming shrine puzzles.

4 Electric Current Puzzles

One of the most interesting and refreshing shrine puzzles in Breath of the Wild was Dako Tah Shrine's Electric Path. In it, players had to traverse an obstacle course by changing the flow of an electric current, activating moving platforms to open new paths. The depth of BOTW's electricity mechanics was on full display in this and similar puzzles; metal objects like spare swords could be used to conduct the current, and stepping in its path would result in instant electrocution. With Tears of the Kingdom likely to have more of a focus on building machinery, circuit-based puzzles to power some of these contraptions would seem right at home.

3 Free Building Puzzles

While many BOTW puzzles had singular, set solutions, a handful of them encouraged player creativity by keeping multiple options open. Mah Eliya Shrine does just that, giving the player some movable platforms, metal blocks, and water, and leaving them to figure out the rest on their own. Building a staircase with Cryonis and Magnesis, raising the blocks with Octo Balloons, or using Stasis to launch them upward: all are on the table, and all are just as viable. Since the sequel will give players even more freedom to build with Link's Fuse ability, that could mean even more open-ended building puzzles in TOTK.

2 Paired Shrine Puzzles

The ability to freely explore the vast and varied open world is one of BOTW's greatest strengths, and some shrine puzzles take advantage of that. Atop each of Breath of the Wild's Dueling Peaks is a shrine: Shee Vaneer and Shee Venath. Each contains an array of sensors, and spheres that must be placed in them following a certain pattern; there is a catch: the correct pattern for each one can only be found in the opposite shrine. Players can enjoy panoramic views of Hyrule as they travel between the two. TOTK could benefit from the addition of some exploration-based puzzles like this, perhaps pairing one shrine in its floating overworld with another below.

1 Labyrinth Puzzles

One of the most memorable, ominous sights in BOTW is that of a dark, expansive labyrinth on the horizon. There are three such labyrinths in BOTW, and each contains its own shrine - but that's not all, as there are plenty of surprises around every turn. Obstructive blight, powerful enemies, hidden treasures - all encourage players to explore every corner, instead of just looking for the quickest path in and out. The three labyrinths are some of the longest, most complicated, yet most enjoyable shrine puzzles in BOTW, and a handful of fresh ones to get lost in would be wonderful in TOTK.

Breath of the Wild's shrines do away with long-form dungeons in favor of smaller, quicker shrines. While there's a chance TOTK could replace shrines with classic Zelda dungeons, it'd still be interesting to see some of these puzzle mechanics incorporated into the sequel, especially if they're developed further or taken in new directions. Whatever the case, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom will surely contain some old-school puzzles mixed with new and innovative surprises.