Best Zonai Devices in Tears of the Kingdom, Ranked

Zonai devices are the backbone of the incredible crafting and building system that made The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom a smash success.

The many and varied Zonai devices are one of the most interesting new additions to The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Gacha-style machines dispense these ancient pieces of machinery in the Sky Islands. The devices also litter various areas of both surface-level Hyrule and the Depths. The ancient Zonai pieces allow players to build elaborate weapons and machines to traverse the world or do battle with enemies.

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Zonai devices can help Link travel across the massive open world, strike down enemies, or even alter the environment. Most Zonai devices work better fused with other Zonai items to create massive and complex machines. By learning how to use each device, Tears of the Kingdom players can create new machines limited only by their imagination.

Mirrors focus and reflect light. These Zonai devices help provide long-ranged illumination that wards off some enemies.

Mirrors fused to shields stun and disarm enemies in the dark. While the Zonai mirror is crucial to several shrines in Tears of the Kingdom, it is not nearly as useful in general practice.

Zonai lights help illuminate the darkness, making them especially useful in caves and the Depths. Zonai lights only shine in one direction, so it's important to pay close attention to their facing when attaching them to a moving vehicle.

Zonai lights mounted on the sides of vehicles can help provide extra stability, like a kickstand. However, there are easier options for creating light in Tears of the Kingdom, like brightseeds, bright elixirs, and armor items.

Sleds are Zonai devices with smooth bottoms that reduce traction. These basic Zonai vehicle frames move fast over smooth surfaces such as sand or water.

Attaching a Zonai sled to a shield makes it much more useful for shield surfing. This Zonai device also takes no damage on the snow. Sleds are excellent bases for simple carts thanks to their rectangular shape.

Stakes stay fused in place once attached to surfaces. These stable Zonai pieces provide excellent footholds and make building larger machines much easier.

Platforms fused to stakes remain level no matter the foundational surface. Arrows fused with Zonai stakes deploy the devices from a distance, allowing Link to set up a climbing path from afar.

Homing carts automatically target monsters with any attached weapons. According to their description, Zonai targeting carts may have been security measures long ago.

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Fusing Zonai emitters or cannons to homing carts creates mobile weapons with great damage. Homing carts combined with a Zonai construct head and weapons create a devastating battle drone.

Big wheels are large, oversized Zonai wheels that dominate everything around them. Unlike small wheels, big wheels can drive through shallow water.

Big wheels are slower than small wheels, but they are more durable. Vehicles using Zonai big wheels can run over almost anything, including small trees.

A time bomb is a Zonai device that explodes after several seconds. Time bombs allow for planned explosions. Their blasts activate other Zonai devices, opening the door for extremely powerful chain reactions.

Time bombs launch further with arrows. Fusing them to a weapon is dangerous, as the resulting explosion harms Link. Time bombs fused to shields vault Link high into the air when activated. In addition to their combat applications, Zonai time bombs make mining a breeze.

Frost emitters release freezing air that slows and defeats some enemies. This Zonai device also freezes materials, changing their properties.

Zonai frost emitters fused to shields and weapons discharge ranged damage. Frost emitters mounted on vehicles can help clear paths through rugged terrain. This Zonai device uses a lot of energy, but its effects are well worth it.

Hydrants pour water when activated. According to ancient Zelda texts, Zonai hydrants helped bring water to the sky islands long ago.

Hydrants are very effective against fire and fire-based enemies. The water from this Zonai device makes lava easier to walk through by solidifying the fiery rock. Wetting Link's clothing also prevents heat damage in warm areas, like a mining cave in Goron.

Balloons are devices that rise when filled with heat. The more heat applied, the faster the Zonai balloon rises.

Balloons can provide enough vertical lift for Link to reach the Sky Islands. This Zonai flotation device also provides a high point from which to jump and glide.

Zonai shock emitters shoot electrical pulses when struck. Only the emitter's horn conducts electricity. The rest of the Zonai device is safe to touch.

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Zonai shock emitters mounted to boats and rafts create simple but effective fishing machines. Enemies take more damage from shock emitters when they are wet, so they can also be combined with hydrants to great effect.

Zonai flame emitters produce fire. This Zonai device produces ranged flames when fused with weapons and shields.

Flame emitters melt ice blocks and cook food. These Zonai flamethrowers ignite everything in their paths, including trees, grass, and Link himself. This makes them extremely useful on combat machines, but also very dangerous.

Zonai carts roll over flat surfaces or on rails. A little force makes carts move faster as long as the device has power or a downward slope.

Carts resemble sleds except they have wheels. Fusing Zonai carts to shields creates an effective shield-surfing contraption. Zonai carts also provide a solid base for flying vehicles when combined with Zonai wings.

Zonai cannons fire projectiles at regular intermissions. Each cannon shot explodes after making contact with its target.

Aiming Zonai cannons can be tricky, so they are best combined with some kind of homing Zonai device. Fusing cannons to spears provide the most accuracy against difficult enemies. This Zonai device is also very useful for quick mining.

Zonai springs contract and expand with enough force to propel items (or characters) far away. These Zonai items can vault Link high into the air and move items large distances.

Fusing Zonai springs to shields enables players to shield surf and launch over obstacles. Unfortunately, this process only works once per fused shield. Springs also provide great suspension in vehicular builds.

Small Zonai wheels spin rapidly, moving attached items forward. This Zonai wheel device works best on flat surfaces as it doesn't travel well over hills or bumps.

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Small wheels move much faster than big wheels but have less control, making them hard to pilot without steering sticks. But with the proper control, these Zonai devices make excellent vehicles.

Zonai portable pots let Link cook food and elixirs anywhere. Portable pots are useful in last-minute emergencies, but they only work once.

Zonai portable pots are also valuable ball-and-joint sockets in engineering builds. The slight bounce between the Zonai pot's basin and base creates a new purpose for this otherwise mediocre Zonai item.

Zonai beam emitters shoot laser beams from their horns. These Zonai weapons have great range, more than flame or frost emitters. Mirrors can even reflect these beams toward enemies in a pinch.

RELATED:10 Best Side Quests In Tears Of the KingdomZonai beam emitters deal massive damage when fused to shields or vehicles. Like other emitters, they are quite difficult to aim. Attaching them to handheld weapons is the easiest way to get the most damage out of them.

Zonai construct heads always target the closest enemy. Combining Zonai weapon devices, like emitters, with construct heads creates powerful combat drones.

A Zonai construct head focuses on the nearest enemy and all fused Zonai devices follow its lead. Construct heads are a popular item in elaborate builds, especially those not involving steering sticks.

Zonai big batteries hold a larger charge than normal batteries, and they are disposable. A battery attached to Zonai devices powers them without tapping into Link's cells.

Big batteries are rare, and provide the same amount of energy as nine Zonai charges. Batteries are extremely useful on all kinds of devices, as they help the machines last longer.

Stacey is an avid gamer, bookworm, and artist who's been obsessed with escaping into the worlds of fantasy and adventure since childhood. Her hobbies include anime, gardening, music, training her husky, and watching movies, especially horror.