For as long as Nintendo has been releasing amiibo figures for The Legend of Zelda, there’s been an ongoing debate about whether the rewards they unlock are actually worth purchasing the figures for. After all, some of the best Zelda amiibo rewards have offered considerably more than a few extra weapons or materials, occasionally giving players access to entirely new gameplay features or nostalgic Legend of Zelda additions that wouldn’t otherwise be available. And while I don’t necessarily agree with locking some of those features behind a separate purchase, I can’t deny that Nintendo has come up with some pretty impressive rewards over the years.
For this ranking, I’m prioritizing Zelda amiibo rewards that offer something genuinely special, whether through gameplay advantages or meaningful connections to earlier games. I’m also including one upcoming reward from the Ocarina of Time remake, although its placement is based on what Nintendo has confirmed rather than hands-on experience.
8
Retro Link and Zelda Masks
Ocarina of Time Remake Lets Players Wear Its Original N64 Graphics
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Image via Nintendo
One of the more amusing additions to The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake is the pair of retro masks that players will eventually be able to unlock using Nintendo’s upcoming Young Link and Young Zelda amiibo figures. Rather than giving players another piece of equipment or a more conventional cosmetic reward, these masks recreate the characters’ original N64 faces, allowing Link to walk around the remake’s completely overhauled version of Hyrule looking like he did back in 1998. It’s a pretty funny idea when you think about it, especially considering how much work Nintendo put into updating the game’s visuals only to give players the opportunity to make Link look like his considerably less detailed counterpart.
Unfortunately, neither amiibo is scheduled to arrive until sometime in 2027, meaning players will have to wait quite a while after the remake’s November 5 launch to actually unlock the masks. Nintendo also hasn’t confirmed whether they offer any functionality beyond their appearance, so I wouldn’t necessarily expect them to change how the game plays. Still, as someone who grew up with the original Ocarina of Time, I appreciate Nintendo finding a way to celebrate the N64 game’s visuals rather than simply leaving them behind.
7
Sage of Spirit Fabric
Tears of the Kingdom’s Mineru Amiibo Has a Glowing Surprise
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Image via Nintendo -
Image via Nintendo -
With the release of the Mineru’s Construct amiibo on September 17, 2026, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom received another exclusive paraglider fabric, this time inspired by the Sage of Spirit herself. The Sage of Spirit Fabric features a design based on Mineru’s Construct, complete with a third eye that actually glows in dark environments, including caves and the Depths. It’s a fairly small detail, admittedly, but I think it helps the fabric stand out from some of the other cosmetic rewards Nintendo has offered through amiibo.
And considering how much time players can spend exploring the Depths in Tears of the Kingdom, I like that the fabric’s appearance actually responds to the environment rather than remaining completely static. Scanning Mineru’s Construct can also provide Zonaite and Construct-related equipment, although the fabric itself is the exclusive reward players will probably be most interested in. It doesn’t improve Link’s ability to glide or provide any other gameplay advantage, but it’s a nice example of Nintendo making an otherwise ordinary cosmetic feel a little more special.
6
Shadow Link
Link’s Awakening Adds a New Enemy to Its Custom Dungeons
The 2019 The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening remake introduced Chamber Dungeons, allowing players to build their own dungeons using rooms they’ve already encountered throughout the adventure. However, scanning the game’s dedicated Link amiibo unlocks something that makes those custom dungeons considerably more interesting: Shadow Link. Once added to a Chamber Dungeon, Link’s dark counterpart can pursue him through multiple rooms, forcing players to deal with another enemy while trying to complete the challenges they’ve created for themselves.
I particularly like this reward because it gives players something new to experience rather than simply handing them an item they could have acquired elsewhere. Defeating Shadow Link can also reward players with Rupees, but the real appeal comes from having another obstacle to work around, especially when players start building more complicated dungeons. Considering how memorable Link’s encounters with his shadowy counterpart have been throughout the franchise, I think bringing him into Link’s Awakening was a pretty clever use of amiibo functionality.
5
Twilight Bow
Breath of the Wild Gives Link Access to Zelda’s Light Arrows
One of the more powerful weapons players can acquire through amiibo in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is the Twilight Bow, which can appear in a treasure chest after scanning the Super Smash Bros. Zelda figure. Inspired by the Bow of Light associated with Princess Zelda in Twilight Princess, it has a base attack rating of 30 and a durability of 100, but its most impressive feature is the ability to fire Light Arrows that travel in a straight line over enormous distances. And unlike most bows in Breath of the Wild, it doesn’t consume Link’s ordinary arrows, making it particularly useful for players who prefer fighting from a distance.
Unfortunately, the Twilight Bow is a rare reward, so players aren’t guaranteed to receive it simply by scanning the amiibo once. It can also break, unlike the Bow of Light Link receives during the final battle against Dark Beast Ganon, which means players can’t necessarily rely on it forever. But considering how unusual its functionality is compared to most other bows, I’d say it’s one of the more worthwhile amiibo rewards Nintendo has ever offered, especially for anyone who enjoys experimenting with different weapons.
4
Fierce Deity Armor and Sword
Majora’s Mask Gives Breath of the Wild One of Its Strongest Armor Sets
I’ve always thought the Fierce Deity was one of the coolest transformations in The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask, especially considering how much effort players have to put into collecting the game’s masks before they can unlock it. Fortunately, Breath of the Wild gives players another opportunity to experience that appearance through the Majora’s Mask Link amiibo, which can reward them with the Fierce Deity Mask, Armor, Boots, and Sword. Each armor piece provides an Attack Up bonus, while upgrading the complete set to at least two stars unlocks a bonus that reduces the stamina consumed by charged attacks.
The Fierce Deity Sword is also particularly powerful, with a base attack rating of 60, although players will need some luck to obtain it through the amiibo’s randomized treasure chests. What I appreciate most about this reward is that Nintendo didn’t simply recreate the Fierce Deity’s appearance and leave it at that, instead giving players equipment that actually complements an aggressive combat style. The complete set was exclusive to amiibo in Breath of the Wild, although Tears of the Kingdom eventually made it obtainable through ordinary exploration, allowing players without the figure to acquire it as well.
3
Instant Surface-to-Sky Travel
Skyward Sword HD Locks One of Its Best Conveniences Behind an Amiibo
I have to admit that The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD has one of the most useful amiibo rewards Nintendo has ever introduced, even if I’m not particularly fond of how the company decided to implement it. Scanning the Zelda and Loftwing amiibo allows Link to instantly travel from practically anywhere on the surface back to the sky, including from inside dungeons, without having to locate one of the Bird Statues normally required for the journey. Players can then scan the figure again to return to the exact location they left, making it significantly easier to visit Skyloft whenever they need to replenish their supplies.
Considering how much traveling between the surface and Skyloft players do throughout Skyward Sword, this can eliminate a considerable amount of unnecessary backtracking, especially during longer dungeon excursions. However, I also think there’s a pretty reasonable argument that such a substantial quality-of-life improvement should have been included in the game itself rather than requiring players to purchase a separate figure. I wouldn’t necessarily praise Nintendo for locking the feature behind an amiibo, but there’s no denying how much more convenient it can make playing Skyward Sword HD.
2
Epona
Breath of the Wild Brings Back Link’s Most Famous Companion
As someone who grew up playing The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, I don’t think I could put together a ranking of the best Zelda amiibo rewards without including Epona, especially considering how closely I associate her with Link’s adventures. In Breath of the Wild, scanning either the Super Smash Bros. Link or Twilight Princess Link amiibo can summon Epona, allowing players to ride the famous horse through the game’s enormous open world. She arrives with four-star ratings in Strength, Speed, and Stamina, along with a gentle temperament that means players won’t have to go through the trouble of taming her.
And while Breath of the Wild already gives players plenty of opportunities to find and tame horses, I think there’s something particularly satisfying about being able to use Epona again, especially after spending so much time with her in earlier Zelda games. Players can even register her at a stable, ensuring she remains available throughout the adventure, although her name and equipment can’t be customized like those of ordinary horses. She isn’t necessarily the best horse players can obtain in Breath of the Wild, but considering her history with the series, I think she’s easily one of the most meaningful rewards Nintendo has offered through amiibo.
1
Wolf Link
Breath of the Wild’s Best Amiibo Reward Is an Entire Companion
For as many useful weapons and cosmetic rewards Nintendo has offered through Zelda amiibo, I don’t think anything has come particularly close to what the Wolf Link figure unlocks in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Rather than simply giving players another item to collect, scanning the amiibo summons Wolf Link from Twilight Princess as an actual companion who follows Link around and attacks enemies independently. He can even help locate items while exploring, which makes him considerably more useful than a reward that players might equip for a few hours before eventually replacing it with something better.
What’s particularly impressive, though, is how Nintendo connected this reward to The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD, where players could complete the Cave of Shadows and save their remaining hearts to the Wolf Link amiibo. Normally, Wolf Link begins with just three hearts in Breath of the Wild, but completing the challenge with more health remaining can substantially increase how much punishment he can take before disappearing. Unfortunately, Tears of the Kingdom didn’t preserve this functionality, instead giving players ordinary amiibo rewards when scanning the same figure. Considering how much Wolf Link actually contributes to the experience in Breath of the Wild, though, I think it’s difficult to argue that Nintendo has ever offered a more substantial Zelda amiibo reward.
