Unveiling the Enigmatic Secrets of Zelda: Korok Balloons Will Leave You in Awe

While playing The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, a player noticed an intriguing observation about Korok balloons: they always face Link directly. Similar to its predecessor, Breath of the Wild, Tears of the Kingdom scatters its map with numerous adorable creatures known as Koroks. Upon discovery or completion of their puzzles, these Koroks reward Link with valuable Korok seeds.

Tears of the Kingdom features various types of Korok puzzles. Some involve using the buoyancy of a large cork to uncover hidden Koroks by unplugging a hole, while others are simple 3D jigsaw puzzles. Certain puzzles are even simpler, only requiring the lifting of a rock. The ultimate goal is to obtain a Korok seed, which Link can later exchange with a sizable Korok named Hestu. In return, Hestu provides expanded inventory slots for weapons, shields, and bows. These upgrades become increasingly vital as enemies grow more challenging throughout the game.

One way to amass a large number of Korok seeds in Hyrule is through engaging in Korok balloon challenges. During his exploration of Hyrule, Link will occasionally come across small brown and orange pinwheels placed on tree stumps within forests. When Link interacts with these pinwheels, a collection of balloons adorned with bullseyes will suddenly appear in close proximity. Link must skillfully shoot each balloon with an arrow in order to uncover the hidden Korok and acquire its seed. To increase the level of difficulty, some of the balloons will even move around. An observant Reddit user named RaccoonAcrobatic6194 made an interesting observation - certain Korok balloons will rotate so that their bullseye is always aligned with Link, regardless of his movement around them.

This phenomenon may go unnoticed by some players, while others might have an eerie sense of being surveilled. Although there is no in-game explanation for this movement, it can be attributed to the mischievous nature of Koroks, who desire to be discovered in their playful ways. Even in the midst of potential hardship, Koroks maintain their mischievous spirit, which is why they ensure the bullseye follows Link. As Hyrule offers a vast playground for a grand game of hide-and-seek, the true enjoyment only commences once the hider is found.

The movement of the balloons in Tears of the Kingdom serves a practical purpose rooted in game design theory - it makes them easier to spot. Hyrule is a visually dense landscape with abundant information for players to absorb. If a player walks past a tree with a balloon tucked within its branches, they may miss the blue and red bullseye as they continue walking, eventually overlooking the balloon's beige base color. By synchronizing the movement of the balloons with the player's actions, the development team of Tears of the Kingdom ensured that players had the best opportunity to notice the hidden Korok puzzles.

Tears of the Kingdom, a game in The Legend of Zelda series, is now accessible on the Nintendo Switch.