If you have made it to Myahm Agana Shrine in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, you probably already know that the gyro-controlled maze puzzles can be a source of serious frustration. What starts as a clever motion control challenge often devolves into flailing Joy-Cons and Link’s ball plummeting into the abyss for the dozenth time. The truth is, these puzzles are not broken, they just demand a very specific set of techniques and, sometimes, a little patience with the hardware. This guide will walk you through everything you need to get past the gyro rooms with your sanity intact.
Gyro controls are not used heavily in Breath of the Wild, but when they appear, they can feel like a brick wall. Myahm Agana Shrine is the most notorious example. The shrine contains two main puzzles that require you to tilt a platform guiding an orb through a maze and into a receptacle. Understanding how the gyroscope works in the Switch and how to manipulate it without sending your controller into a spin is key. Once you get the hang of it, you will wonder why you ever struggled.
Understanding Gyro Controls in Breath of the Wild
Gyro controls in BOTW are based on the internal motion sensors inside your Joy-Con controllers or Pro Controller. The game reads the angle and orientation of the controller in real time, translating that into in-game movement. Unlike the right analog stick, which controls camera panning, gyro inputs are absolute, meaning the controller’s physical position directly correlates to the tilt of the object you are manipulating. In Myahm Agana Shrine, the entire maze apparatus rotates as you rotate your controller.
One of the biggest misconceptions is that you need to wildly swing the controller. That rarely works because the game can misinterpret fast, jerky motions. Instead, the system is designed for smooth, steady rotations. Think of it like balancing a real ball on a real board, small, deliberate adjustments are far more effective than dramatic tilts. Also, the starting orientation matters. If the in-game platform is not level when you begin, you are already at a disadvantage. Always ensure your controller is held flat before you activate the gyro puzzle.
Myahm Agana Shrine: Step-by-Step Puzzle Solutions
The shrine splits its gyro gauntlet into two distinct challenges. The first room has you guide an orb from one side of a simple maze to a central ramp, where it must roll down into a glowing socket. The second room introduces a more complex labyrinth with moving obstacles and a narrow rail at the end. Here is exactly how to beat both.
First Gyro Puzzle: The Simple Maze
When you enter the room, approach the terminal and activate it. A platform will rise with a metal ball sitting on a flat area behind a small gate. The goal is to get the ball through the open gate, across the curved maze, and down the central ramp. The trick here is to treat the maze as a funnel. Do not try to meticulously navigate the ball through the whole path. Instead, tilt the platform so the ball rolls to the back wall of the starting area, then lift the front of the platform (tilt controller forward) to slide the ball directly against the gate. The gate will open automatically when the ball is near it, but only if it is in the correct position. Once the gate opens, keep the platform tilted toward you so the ball rolls onto the long curved section. Use minimal side-to-side adjustments to keep the ball moving along the outer wall of the curve until it reaches the ramp. Then, simply tilt forward to let it drop into the socket. This method bypasses the interior of the maze entirely and is far more reliable than trying to steer through the middle.
Second Gyro Puzzle: The Advanced Labyrinth
The second puzzle is where most players lose their patience. This maze has narrow pathways, spinning blocks, and a final straight rail where the ball must drop into the socket. Before you even touch the terminal, position your controller flat on a surface or in your lap, perfectly level. Activate the puzzle and immediately tilt the controller so the platform leans toward you. This will cause the ball to roll out of the starting cup and onto the first bridge. From here, use very subtle left and right tilts to guide the ball past the spinning obstacles. The key is to keep the platform tilted just enough that the ball rolls slowly, quick movements will send it flying off the edge.
As you approach the final stretch, a narrow rail with a high wall on one side, many players panic. The ball tends to bounce and fly off just before the socket. To avoid this, once the ball is on the rail, tilt the platform sharply toward you so the ball presses against the opposite wall and slides down the rail. Right when it approaches the socket, snap the controller to level again. The ball will drop straight in. This takes practice, but the wall-hugging technique greatly reduces the risk of overshooting.
Calibrating and Troubleshooting Gyro Issues
Even with perfect technique, hardware hiccups can sabotage your efforts. The Switch’s motion sensors can drift or become uncalibrated over time. If you notice that the in-game platform is tilted even when your controller is flat, you need to recalibrate. Go to the Switch home screen, select System Settings, then Controllers and Sensors, and choose Calibrate Motion Controls. Follow the on-screen instructions to lay your controller on a flat surface and let it reset. Do this before tackling Myahm Agana Shrine to rule out any sensor errors.
Playing in handheld mode or with a Pro Controller can also affect your experience. The Pro Controller often provides slightly more stable gyro response, but the weight of the console when playing handheld can make fine adjustments harder. If you are struggling in handheld mode, try detaching the Joy-Cons and playing with them in the grip or one in each hand. Just remember that the gyro is always read from the controller that activated the puzzle, do not switch controllers midway or the orientation will reset.
General Gyro Tips for Breath of the Wild
Beyond Myahm Agana Shrine, gyro controls appear in a handful of other shrines and for aiming bows and runes. Mastering the core mechanics here will help you everywhere. Always start from a known neutral position, use wrist movements rather than arm swings, and avoid hovering over a surface that might wobble. If you play with motion aiming enabled, sitting upright with elbows supported can dramatically improve your precision.
For players with accessibility concerns or those who simply despise motion controls, the bad news is that gyro puzzles cannot be bypassed. However, there are creative workarounds. Some players detach the Joy-Cons and use the right Joy-Con exclusively, as the gyroscope sensors are in that controller by default. Others have had success flipping the entire maze over if the ball keeps falling, you can deliberately rotate the platform upside down so the flat back surface becomes the floor, making it much easier to roll the ball directly to the ramp. This is an advanced trick that requires a full 180-degree rotation of the controller while the ball is resting in a corner, but it trivializes both maze sections if you can pull it off.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why will my gyro not work at all in BOTW?
First, ensure that motion controls are enabled in the game’s options menu. Then check your controller’s gyroscope by testing it in another compatible game like 1-2-Switch or the calibration tool. If it still does not work, try restarting the console and reconnecting the controllers. If only one Joy-Con is not responding, it may need repair.
Can I skip the Myahm Agana Shrine gyro puzzles?
No, both gyro puzzles are mandatory to reach the shrine’s monk and obtain the spirit orb. There is no way to bypass them, though using the maze-flipping exploit can make them significantly easier.
Is there a way to cheese the second maze?
Yes, the most reliable cheese is to turn the maze completely upside down by rotating your controller 180 degrees while the ball is in a corner. The flat underside of the maze has no walls, so you can simply roll the ball straight into the ramp socket. It takes a steady hand but is far less tedious.
Do Pro Controllers have better gyro controls than Joy-Cons?
Many players report that the Pro Controller’s larger size and weight make smooth, precise tilts easier. The sensors are comparable, but the ergonomics can reduce hand tremors. If you have a Pro Controller, it is worth trying for this shrine.
Why does my controller drift when I set it down flat?
Gyroscopes can accumulate tiny errors over time. Recalibrating motion controls from the system settings usually fixes this. If drift persists, there may be a hardware fault, but that is rare for gyro sensors compared to analog stick drift.
Myahm Agana Shrine is a test of patience as much as skill. A calm approach, a freshly calibrated controller, and the techniques outlined here will see you through. Once you have that spirit orb in hand, the sense of relief might just make the whole ordeal worth it. Now go, tilt with confidence, and leave that maze in the dust.
