Like previous Zelda games, there are a variety of mini-games that you can play to pass the time and earn rewards. In this page, we’ll discuss all the easy mini-games; the next two pages will cover the tougher and more time-intensive ones.

Cucco Ranch¶

You can play this Cucco-dodging game south of Kakariko Village; speak to the Cucco Girl to begin. The aim of the game is to avoid getting touched by a Cucco (chicken) for 30 seconds. It doesn’t sound like a lot of time, but it can be intense.

• Egg level: pay 20 rupees and can win 40 rupees.
• Chick level: pay 30 rupees and can win 60 rupees.
• Rooster level: pay 50 rupees and can win 150 rupees plus a Piece of Heart.

When the game begins, Link will be stuck inside a rectangular Cucco pen and numerous Cuccos will come flying in from all across the screen. Try to keep moving and stay near the middle, where you’ve more space to manoeuvre.

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Rupee Rush¶

This mini-game is situated directly west of Cucco Ranch, south of Kakariko Village. It costs 50 rupees a go and you can grab as many rupees as you can within 30 seconds. Trouble is there’s no timer and if you don’t speak to the owner within 30 seconds you win nothing! There’s an easy way around this though and that’s to seek a timer of your own. Even a clock with a second hand would do.

The easiest way to win is to do a quick circle of the area, using the Tornado Rod to blow the floor tiles, then mow down the grass near the entrance. Then, just as time runs out, speak to the owner. Have less than 3 seconds on the clock to double your rupees; finish with less than one second to triple your rupees! Score 100 rupees or more to earn yourself a Piece of Heart. It’s all in the timing!

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You can play Rupee Rush in Lorule too, in the exact same area, but the entry fee and reward are doubled (and you can earn another Piece of Heart). Also, the layout of the game is different and you’ll likely want the Sand Rod to navigate the area. However, the general strategy is the same–just grab what you can and finish with the least amount of time left.

Fortune’s Choice¶

This isn’t much of a mini-game, but more of a gambling spot. You can play this in the east-most building in Kakariko Village and Thieves’ Town. The rules are slightly different between spots.

In Kakariko, you pay 50 rupees to open two chests–one will contain 1 rupee and the other 100 rupee. This one’s not worth the fuss, as you can easily obtain rupees from other sources and on average you won’t win anything significant.

The one in Thieves’ Town, however, is slightly better. You pay 200 rupees to open three out of fifteen chests. One of the chests contains a valuable Piece of Heart too!

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On average, you should be able to make a small profit, but nothing amazing.

Hyrule Hotfoot¶

Follow the river east from Lake Hylia (south-east Hyrule) to find Racing Bro standing atop a hill in the top-right corner. Pay him 20 rupees and you can play Hyrule Hotfoot, where you must run all the way to Rosso’s house from where you are now within 75 seconds.

For a chance of winning, make sure you have the Pegasus Boots. Your best bet is to take the following route in terms of screens: one down, two left, one up (now at Link’s House), one left, one up, one left (now at the Blacksmith’s) and four up.

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Talk to Racing Bro near the end of the last screen to complete the race. After winning the race, you can play again, but you now have 65 seconds on the clock. To finish within this time will likely require a lot of practice. Make sure you’re good at stopping dashing, so you don’t overshoot. Also, make good use of the walls to control your movement, especially when making diagonal dashes. Should you beat the race within 65 seconds you will receive a Piece of Heart.