Horseback Archery
Horseback Archery, also known as the Horseback Archery Challenge,[2](OoT) is a recurring Mini-Game in The Legend of Zelda series.[3] Horseback Archery goes unnamed in Majora's Mask.
Location and Rules
Ocarina of Time
A Horseback Archery Mini-Game takes place at the Horseback Archery Range at the rear of Gerudo's Fortress and requires a Gerudo Token in order to play. Each attempt costs 20 Rupees. Link must mount Epona and fire up to 20 Arrows at a series of targets while she gallops around the range; more accurate hits gain him more points. Scoring 1,000 points or more wins Link a Piece of Heart, and scoring 1,500 or more on a later attempt wins him an upgraded Quiver.
Majora's Mask
In order to prevent the Ghosts from stealing the Cows from Romani Ranch,[4][5][6][7] Romani appoints Link as her assistant. If Link agrees to help her, she explains her strategy and tasks Link with riding the Ranch's Horse, Epona, to destroy the 10 Ghost-shaped Balloons that she places across the Ranch in under 2 minutes.[8][9][10][11][12]
During the Mini-Game, red-colored dots will appear on the Map Screen, indicating the positions of the remaining Balloons. Link is unable to dismount Epona during the Mini-Game. Likewise, a Gate will be set up at the entrance to Romani Ranch to prevent Link from escaping. If Link speaks to Romani during the Mini-Game, she will laugh and remark on how confident he is.[13]
Upon first completing the Mini-Game within the time limit, Romani will tell Link that he and Epona work perfectly together.[14][15] She then decides to teach Link "Epona's Song" so that he can call upon the Horse when he needs.[16][note 1] Afterwards, Romani will caution Link that unlike the practice Balloons, the real Ghosts will keep appearing even after being destroyed and that they must hold out until sunrise at 5:00 AM.[22]
The Horseback Archery Mini-Game can be attempted multiple times during a cycle, although Link will not receive any additional prizes for practicing. It can only be attempted on the First Day as the Ghosts will either abduct Romani if Link fails to fend them off, or there will be no need with the threat of invasion gone on subsequent days.
Breath of the Wild
The Horseback Archery Mini-Game is operated by Jini at the Mounted Archery Camp. When Link first approaches him, he asks how confident he is in his ability to fight on horseback.[23] If Link is not confident, Jini expresses concern and asks if he would like to run some drills.[24] If Link is confident, Jini asks if he is willing to prove it.[25]
Link can ask Jini how the drills work. Jini explains that Horseback Archery was invented somewhere in the east,[26] and it requires a lot of coordination.[27] He claims his drill will be a good way to practice fighting mounted monsters.[28]
If Link is not riding a Horse, Jini will notice.[29] He instructs Link to retrieve one of his Horses from Highland Stable nearby and to come back riding it.[30]
When Link agrees to run a drill, Jini reminds him that he can not do so without a Bow and Arrows.[31] He offers to sell Arrows and do other kinds of business with Link.[32] He encourages Link to take his time as he browses his wares.[33] However, if Link denies him, Jini says that they will see how well he does on the field with his Horse.[34]
The price to run a drill is 20 Rupees,[35] though Jini guarantees they are worth twice as much.[36] If Link refuses to pay, Jini explains that while he is happy to provide his Horseback Archery drills, he has needs to meet.[37]
The goal of the Mini-Game is to pop as many of the Balloons floating in the Parache Plains.[38] Jini tells Link not to worry about time, as he will let him know when it is up.[39] In addition, he informs Link that he is not allowed to dismount his Horse during the drill.[40] He promises Link some Horse Gear if he can break more than 20 Balloons.[41]
Link can speak to Jini during the Mini-Game.[42] If Link says it is nothing, Jini says no one likes a quitter and he should continue with the drill.[43] However, if Link asks to forfeit the run, Jini tells him he will not get his Rupees back and asks if he still wants to quit.[44] When Link chooses to quit, Jini figures that he must have his reasons and encourages him to come again.[45]
Once time runs out, Jini calls Link back to the Mounted Archery Camp.[46] If Link hit less than 11 Balloons, he suggests trying to shoot while the Horse is trotting instead of galloping.[47] There is no reward. Between 12 and 19 Balloons, Jini is not convinced of Link's skill and reminds him to keep his eye on the targets.[48] As a reward, he gives Link 15 Arrows.[49] When Link pops between 20 and 22 Balloons, Jini says he has the potential to be among the best archers and gives him the Knight's Bridle.[50][note 2] Finally, if Link hits between 23 and 25 targets, Jini will say he has not seen someone so young with such talent in a long time.[51] He does not believe that Link is actually over 100 years old and gives him the Knight's Saddle, as he no longer needs it.[52][note 3]
After each drill Link runs, Jini asks if he wants to go again.[53] If Link refuses, Jini reminds him not to be a stranger and to come back.[54] If Link agrees, Jini says he made the right call and asks for 20 more Rupees.[55] Once Link has paid, he goes to fix the targets that were destroyed in the previous run.[56] He is able to run a drill once they are fixed.[57]
Nomenclature
 Names in Other Regions  | ||
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| Language | Names | |
| This table was generated using translation pages. To request an addition, please contact a staff member with a reference. | ||
See Also
Notes
- ↑ If Link does not beat the current record but completes the practice in under 2 minutes, Romani will simply tell him that he did great.[17] If Link beats Romani's record of 1 minute,[18] she will congratulate him instead.[19] Additionally, if Link fails to complete the practice in the time limit, she will dismiss the result as a consequence of his inexperience.[20][21]
- ↑ If Link already has the Knight's Bridle, Jini will instead give him 10 Bomb Arrows.
- ↑ If Link already has the Knight's Saddle, Jini will instead give him 20 Bomb Arrows.
References
- ↑ "Now...I'm loath to ask, but would you mind forking over 20 rupees to cover some of my costs?" — Jini (Breath of the Wild)
- ↑ "Hey, newcomer, you have a fine horse! I don't know where you stole it from, but... OK, how about this horseback archery challenge?" — Gerudo (Ocarina of Time 3D)
- ↑ The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild—The Complete Official Guide, Piggyback Interactive Limited, pg. 332
- ↑ "Romani was practicing... For tonight... Tonight..." — Romani (Majora's Mask 3D)
- ↑ "They are coming..." — Romani (Majora's Mask 3D)
- ↑ "They... They come at night...every year when the carnival approaches... They come riding in a bright, shining ball. A whole lot of them come down... And then... They come to the barn..." — Romani (Majora's Mask 3D)
- ↑ "My older sister won't believe me... But Romani must protect the cows!" — Romani (Majora's Mask 3D)
- ↑ "Hey, Grasshopper, I'm recruiting for an assistant right now! You're a boy--won't you try?" — Romani (Majora's Mask 3D)
- ↑ "[Yes] Great! Now that's the spirit, Grasshopper! OK then, I'm going straight into my strategy!" — Romani (Majora's Mask 3D)
- ↑ "They'll appear all over the ranch... They'll aim for the barn and approach it slowly, so hit them with arrows so they can't get in! You got that? And you mustn't leave the ranch!" — Romani (Majora's Mask 3D)
- ↑ "Grasshopper! Let's practice right away!" — Romani (Majora's Mask 3D)
- ↑ "There are 10 ghost-shaped balloons in the ranch, so hurry and burst them all. If you take more than 2 minutes, you're out." — Romani (Majora's Mask 3D)
- ↑ "Confident, aren't you?" — Romani (Majora's Mask 3D)
- ↑ "OK! You're done!" — Romani (Majora's Mask 3D)
- ↑ "You two work perfectly together!" — Romani (Majora's Mask 3D)
- ↑ "I'll teach Romani's horse-calling song to you, Grasshopper. Now you two keep getting along, and go practice some more!" — Romani (Majora's Mask 3D)
- ↑ "XX:XX.XX! That's great." — Romani (Majora's Mask 3D)
- ↑ "The current record is 01:00.00. Are you ready?" — Romani (Majora's Mask 3D)
- ↑ "XX:XX.XX?!? Amazing! It's a new record!" — Romani (Majora's Mask 3D)
- ↑ "OK! Time's up!" — Romani (Majora's Mask 3D)
- ↑ "Too bad. Well, that's how it goes at first, Grasshopper." — Romani (Majora's Mask 3D)
- ↑ "When your arrows hit these, they burst into nothing, but the real ones will keep popping up! If they get in the barn, we lose! They run away at first light of the sun, so we'll have to keep fending them off until then!" — Romani (Majora's Mask 3D)
- ↑ "Hello there, young man. I can tell just by looking that you're a trained warrior. But tell me this: How confident are you in your ability to fight on horseback?" — Jini (Breath of the Wild)
- ↑ "Hm... I don't like the sound of that. The monsters out this way are strong critters. You're sure you don't want to drill with me some?" — Jini (Breath of the Wild)
- ↑ "Yeah? You got the skills to back that confidence up? Nothing's more dangerous than a man who thinks he can handle the worst, only to fall apart when the time comes. What do you think? Are you confident enough to prove you got the right stuff?" — Jini (Breath of the Wild)
- ↑ "Ever heard of horseback archery? They invented it way out east somewhere." — Jini (Breath of the Wild)
- ↑ "It takes a lot of coordination to shoot targets with a bow and arrow from the back of a galloping horse." — Jini (Breath of the Wild)
- ↑ "I expect you'll run into mounted varmints now and again, so this'll be a good way to get some practice in." — Jini (Breath of the Wild)
- ↑ "Now...for a young man interested in horseback archery, you seem to be in want of a horse. That's no way to drill." — Jini (Breath of the Wild)
- ↑ "Head down that path there, and you ought to come across a stable. Fetch your steed from them if you got one. Get a horse, mount up, then come talk to me when you're riding high in the saddle." — Jini (Breath of the Wild)
- ↑ "Can't drill without a bow and arrows. I'd think that's just common sense." — Jini (Breath of the Wild)
- ↑ "If you need some, I can sell you a few of mine. Or I'm open for any sort of business! What do you say?" — Jini (Breath of the Wild)
- ↑ "I have an impressive collection here! Take your time!" — Jini (Breath of the Wild)
- ↑ "Suit yourself. We'll see how well you and your horse act as a team on the field." — Jini (Breath of the Wild)
- ↑ "Now...I'm loath to ask, but would you mind forking over 20 rupees to cover some of my costs?" — Jini (Breath of the Wild)|
- ↑ "Much obliged, young man. I guarantee my drills are worth twice what you pay." — Jini (Breath of the Wild)
- ↑ "This here's a service I'm happy to provide, but I can't do it for free. Don't judge a man for his needs." — Jini (Breath of the Wild)
- ↑ "I'll explain a bit before we get started. You see the targets floating out there? I'll judge your skill by how many of 'em you pop with your arrows." — Jini (Breath of the Wild)
- ↑ "Don't you worry about when time's up. I'll let you know." — Jini (Breath of the Wild)
- ↑ "Suppose this goes without saying but you get off your horse, and we're done here. No way to practice shooting from horseback when you're standing around on foot, after all." — Jini (Breath of the Wild)
- ↑ "Tell you what... You break more than 20 targets, and I'll hand over my horse gear" — Jini (Breath of the Wild)
- ↑ "Hm? What's the matter?" — Jini (Breath of the Wild)
- ↑ "Good. No one likes a quitter. There's still time, so ride hard and shoot straight. Until then, ride hard and shoot straight." — Jini (Breath of the Wild)
- ↑ "That's fair. Course, you won't get your money back, if that's what you're after. Still planning to quit?" — Jini (Breath of the Wild)
- ↑ "I suppose you have your reasons. Hope to see you again someday." — Jini (Breath of the Wild)
- ↑ "Hold it! Head on back here." — Jini (Breath of the Wild)
- ↑ "Hm... You only hit [X]... Nothing to write home about. Might want to shoot from a trot some more before you jump straight into firing at a gallop." — Jini (Breath of the Wild)
- ↑ "Hm... Well, you hit [X]... Not bad, but I'm not rightly convinced you're ready to raise the stakes. Hitting your mark at a gallop is no small potatoes. Make sure to keep your eye on the target." — Jini (Breath of the Wild)
- ↑ "Here's a reward for seeing it through. Keep drilling and you'll get it." — Jini (Breath of the Wild)
- ↑ "Hm...[X] targets... You've got some fire in you, young man. The best archers say targets seem to freeze when they concentrate on them. I think you could reach that level too. Here's a gift to help you on your travels. Hope you find a good use for it." — Jini (Breath of the Wild)
- ↑ "Hm...[X] targets... It's been a dog's age since I've seen such talent in someone so young." — Jini (Breath of the Wild)
- ↑ "What do you mean you're not that young? Over 100 years old? Go ahead, pull the other one. Anyway, this gift is my thanks for putting on a good show. I'm past needing it, and I think you should have it." — Jini (Breath of the Wild)
- ↑ "Well? You want to drill some more?" — Jini (Breath of the Wild)
- ↑ "[I'm in a hurry...] Don't be a stranger, young man. I'll be waiting here for you, come wind or storm." — Jini (Breath of the Wild)
- ↑ "Sounds like the right call to me. The price hasn't gone down any—20 rupees, same as ever. That fine with you?" — Jini (Breath of the Wild)
- ↑ "I'll go fix up the targets. Shouldn't be long." — Jini (Breath of the Wild)
- ↑ "All done now. Let's get drilling again." — Jini (Breath of the Wild)