The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is a fantastic game by all accounts. But to many players, what’s keeping the Nintendo Switch launch title from true perfection — dog-petting aside — are those dang motion control-heavy Shrine puzzles.
One of the core objectives in Breath of the Wild is traveling around the world in search of Shrines, mini-dungeons that require players to solve a single puzzle before they can get out. Sometimes these puzzles rely on logic or Link’s magical skill set. Others, unfortunately, require some very, very precise usage of the Joy-Con controllers’ motion control capabilities.
Although different shrines force players to tilt their controllers in unique ways, there’s one in particular that’s invoking their ire. An early game shrine, called Myahm Agana, requires players to navigate a ball around a maze, and the only way to do that is by making precise movements. It requires a ton of trial and error, and mostly error, as tilting the Joy-Con controllers even a little too far will send the ball flying out of the maze.
Twitter users have voiced their disdain for the motion control since just after Breath of the Wild’s launch.
We also did an informal poll of our Vox Media compatriots, and the consensus was that the motion control is definitely Breath of the Wild’s one bum note. We all do love Breath of the Wild, tilting maze puzzle aside — and thankfully, one YouTuber has found an easy trick to breeze through what is a tireless slog for most.
“The key is getting the ball off and flipping the maze over so you can smack it up,” explained user dadbodgames. Watch him show off the trick and wrap the puzzle in just under 90 seconds below. Players who have yet to begin Breath of the Wild would be smart to get this hack ingrained in their minds. That way, they can keep the magnificent experience of the new Zelda adventure from feeling less than perfect.