Honestly, anyone who says they found all 900 Korok seeds without help is probably lying. Or they have way too much time on their hands. You've been there: standing on a random cliff in Hyrule, staring at three apple trees that look almost identical, wondering if you're losing your mind.
That’s the Zelda experience.
The korok seeds botw map is a beast. It’s not just a checklist; it’s a massive, sprawling testament to Nintendo’s obsession with detail. There are 900 of these little guys hiding in plain sight. They are under rocks, inside blocks of ice, and floating as tiny sparkles at the very tip of the Temple of Time.
But here’s the kicker. You don’t actually need all 900. Not even close.
The Numbers That Actually Matter
If you’re just looking to max out your inventory, you only need 441 seeds. That's the magic number. Once you hit that, Hestu—that giant, maraca-shaking broccoli man—won't give you any more weapon, bow, or shield slots.
💡 You might also like: Why 24 7 Klondike Solitaire Is Still the King of Time-Wasters
So why do people go for all 900?
Bragging rights. And, well, a very specific "reward" from Hestu that smells... questionable. If you’re a completionist, the korok seeds botw map becomes your Bible. You’ll spend hours crossing off icons on interactive maps like Zelda Dungeon or MapGenie.
The distribution across Hyrule is wild. Central Hyrule is packed with 113 seeds. Compare that to the Great Plateau, which only has 17.
Breaking Down the Regions
It’s easier to think about the map in chunks. If you try to look at all 900 icons at once, your screen (and your brain) will just turn into a mess of green leaf icons.
- Central Hyrule (113 seeds): High density, high danger. You're dodging Guardians while trying to find a hidden rock on top of a ruin.
- Hebra (73 seeds): Cold. Very cold. You’ll be melting a lot of ice blocks here.
- Akkala (58 seeds): Lots of "archery" style puzzles with those annoying balloons.
- Gerudo Desert (71 seeds): Mostly hidden under rocks or behind those weird "matching" cactus puzzles.
- Lake Region (92 seeds): One of the highest counts outside the center. Be prepared to swim.
The Puzzles That Drive People Crazy
Most seeds follow a pattern. You see a circle of rocks in the water? Throw a rock into it. You see a pinwheel? Shoot the balloons.
But then there are the ones that feel like a personal insult from the developers.
Have you seen the "Block Puzzles"? You find two structures made of metal cubes. One is missing a piece. You have to use Magnesis to find the loose cube—sometimes it’s submerged in a nearby river—and place it so the two structures are perfectly symmetrical.
Then there’s the "Tree Pattern." You'll find three trees. Two have one apple, one has five. You have to pick the extra apples until they all match. If you accidentally chop the tree down or pick the wrong apple? You're waiting until the next Blood Moon for that to reset. It's brutal.
Tips for Navigating the Map
If you have the DLC, the Korok Mask is basically legal cheating. It shakes and giggles when a Korok is nearby. Without it, you’re just guessing.
Expert hunters usually use the "Hero's Path" mode. It shows exactly where you've walked over the last 200 hours of gameplay. If there’s a massive blank spot on your map, there’s a 100% chance a Korok is chilling there.
Don't fast travel.
Seriously. If you warp from tower to tower, you miss everything. The korok seeds botw map was designed for people who walk, climb, and glide. Some seeds are hidden on the side of cliffs that you would never see if you just stayed on the main roads.
Why You Should Use an Interactive Map
Let’s be real: the in-game map is limited. You can only place 100 stamps. When you're hunting 900 things, 100 stamps is nothing.
The best way to do this is to pick one region—let’s say Faron—and pull up an interactive map on your phone or laptop. Clear that one region entirely. Mark them off as you go. If you try to bounce around the whole world, you will miss one, and finding that one missing seed when you're at 899 is a special kind of hell.
The Truth About Hestu's Gift
When you finally collect all 900 and hand them over, Hestu gives you... Hestu's Gift. It looks like a golden swirl. The description says it "smells pretty bad."
It’s a golden turd.
Nintendo spent years hiding 900 collectibles just to tell you that you've been collecting Korok droppings the whole time. It's a joke. But in a game as big as Breath of the Wild, maybe the real prize was just the excuse to see every single inch of that map.
Your Next Steps for the Hunt
If you're serious about finishing this, stop aimlessly wandering. Start with the Great Plateau to get your rhythm down.
- Get the Korok Mask from the Lost Woods (if you have the DLC).
- Use an interactive map to track your progress by region.
- Upgrade weapons first. Don't waste seeds on shield slots until your weapon stash is huge.
- Look for the unusual. A single rock on top of a pillar is never just a rock.
The korok seeds botw map is a massive undertaking, but it's the only way to truly say you've seen everything Hyrule has to offer. Just don't expect a trophy at the end.