Every adventurer, no matter how wise and knowledgeable about the ways of the world, will get lost from time to time. Hey, it's bound to happen at some point, and that's why we've sewn together this neat little walk-through for the novice and seasoned-pro alike. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is one of the biggest games you'll ever experience in both scope and size. What this walk-through will do is serve as a guide to keep you headed in the right direction. Keep in mind that there are tons of little mini-games to play, items to find, and hidden places to explore that won't be mentioned here, for two reasons:

• We want to leave as many surprises in the game as we can, for you to find by yourself, thereby preserving the sense of discovery.
• We want to provide you with the most straight-forward path through the game.

You are obviously free, at any time, to fulfill any mini-quest or to go exploring as you see fit. We're here, mainly, to point you in the right direction, for when you want to complete the game.

Kokiri Forest
After watching the opening cinemas, you'll awaken in your tree-house. Your first mission will lead you to the ancient Deku Tree, the sage plant that watches over Kokiri Forest. Unfortunately, a punk by the name of Mido won't let you up the path unless you have a sword and shield. Buy a Deku Shield from the merchant with coins found in houses and bushes. The Kokiri Sword can be found in a small hole in a rock wall. Kokiri Forest isn't too big, so take a look around, and you should find it in no time. Once you've got these things, go back to where Mido was guarding the path and show him a thing or two!

Deku Tree

If you haven't got some by now, make sure to get some Deku Sticks either from the Kokiri Merchant or by beating up on some Deku Babas. You'll need them on the inside of the tree. Once you've been properly introduced to the tree, you'll venture inside for your first mission.

Upon entering the tree, your first enemy encounter will involve a Deku Scrub. Thank goodness for your Deku Shield. Lock on to the little punk and lower your shield, it'll reflect his attack right back at him, and he'll give you some useful information after you've approached him.

After your scrubby experience, look around for a ladder that doesn't quite reach the ground. Obviously, it's too high to reach, so now would be the time to pull out your Slingshot. Aim at the ladder and give it a shot. Magically, the ladder will drop. How convenient, eh? Being the smart lad Link is, the next course of action would be to climb up the ladder and move into the next room.

Be sure to listen to your fairy, Navi. While it may occasionally repeat itself, it always has something useful to say. That said, pull out a Deku Stick and light it on the lit torch. Once it's lit, light the unlit torch and check out what happens. Do yourself a favor and put the stick away after you've lit the torch, so it doesn't burn up completely. This way, you can use the stick later.

When you meet up with the giant Skulltulas, wait until they turn around and expose their soft underbellies. A quick hack to the midsection will make short work of these arachnids. Either way, make your way up to the third tier and look at the ground below you. You must jump from the third tier and land smack dab in the middle of the webbing. Your momentum will send you plunging through to the level below.

Once you've landed, look for the webs covering a wall. Pull out a Deku Stick and light it from the available torch. You must cross the water where it's shallow, or your flame will go out. Run over to the webbing and burn it, which will reveal a door. Head in.

While it may seem impossible to progress after you've gotten this far, don't despair. The answer is as simple as this: turn around and look at the end of the hallway behind you. Above the door is an eye just waiting to get poked. Boink it with your Slingshot and watch as doors open before you.

In this room is a pool with a spiked log rolling over it. Jump into the drink and look for a switch in the water. Dive down and press it and get back to where you came in quickly. Jump onto the floating platform before the water rises back up. Pull out your shield to duck and jump across to the other side when your platform gets close enough.

At this point, you'll be in a room where you must light a torch, but the lit torch is on the other side of a deep water channel that will extinguish your torch. Move the blocks around to create a bridge of sorts between the two sides. Now, you can light the torch. Next, you'll meet three Deku Scrubs. Hopefully, you'll remember the numerical sequence the other Deku Scrub told you before: 2-3-1. As before, lock on and deflect their attacks back at them. Defeat each Scrub in that order to open the next door.

Hyrule Field
After you beat that nasty Gohma, you'll trigger a cutscene where more of your destiny is revealed. From this point, the Deku Tree has told you it is time to venture out into the world beyond. The first place you see outside Kokiri Forest is Hyrule Field. As you're leaving, your friend Saria will give you an Ocarina to remember her by. As you might imagine, this Ocarina will be crucial to your adventure. As words are exchanged, Saria will watch as you leave behind the only village you've ever known. Saria is a good friend and will help you throughout the game.

Hyrule Field acts as a conduit to all the other areas in the land of Zelda. Anywhere you must go, you'll usually cross Hyrule Field to get there. Unlike the towns and villages, when you're in Hyrule Field, time passes quickly. You can literally watch the sun or moon travel through the sky. Should you find yourself travelling through the field as the sun sets, get ready to meet up with some creatures of the night, mainly Skeletons who have nothing but malicious intent in their hollow minds. They're easy to crack though, and a few shots later, you'll be home free.

Anyway, your next objective is to get to the Market. You must enter through the drawbridge, but if you're travelling at night, you must wait until the sun rises. The locals pull up the drawbridge at night for security reasons.

The Market
As you enter the Market area, you'll first pass a building you can enter through the available door. Inside is a guard and a room full of vases. Surprisingly enough, the guard is bored to death and actually encourages you to vandalize the joint. Pick up the vases and chuck them against any wall to collect the gems found inside. Hey, it's free money! Yeah! Get as much as you want, and if that isn't enough, leave the building and then go back in again. Any vases you destroyed will be replaced and you can start all over again. Generous!

Upon your arrival in the market, you should look for a girl named Malon. She'll have a little favor to ask of you, and in return, she'll give you an egg. It's nice of her to give you your compensation before you've done a thing, huh? Regardless, you must find her father and get his sleepy butt home before Malon freaks out.

Before you head over to the castle to find Malon's dad, there will be a number of places you might want to check out like the Bazaar, the Potion Shop, the Happy Mask Shop, the Treasure Box Shop, Bombchu Bowling, the Shooting Gallery, and the Bombchu Shop. Check 'em all out and talk to the various store owners. They all have neat things to buy and do. If you have enough Rupees, you might want to pick up a Hylian Shield at the Bazaar.

Your next move will be to head up to Hyrule Castle. It's easy to find. All you must do is run around the Market area until you see the Castle in the background. Then, just run up the path to the Castle.

Hyrule Castle
Once you approach the Castle, you'll realize that the way in is heavily guarded. It's really not that difficult to sneak past the guards though - just stay out of their line of sight. A little trial and error, and you'll get past the first wave in no time. The hardest part is getting past the guards near the flight of stairs. Instead of trying to sneak past them, look for the wall beyond the farthest guard, and you'll notice that there's a patch of vines and stuff you can climb. Shimmy up this part of the wall and jump into the water. Go to the opposite end of the water and climb out the other end where the hill slopes down. You're in the clear! Keep travelling in that direction, and you'll come across Malon's father, snoozing away. Conventional methods of waking someone up don't seem to work on this lazy-bones, so cut to the quick and unleash the chicken, who by now should have hatched. Cock-a-doodle-dooo indeed!

Now that this fat, Mario-looking guy is out of the way, you can move those big crates around so you can jump across to the entrance in the wall. After you've crawled through the hole (assuming it's daytime), you must cross a series of obstacle courses, namely guards who are on patrol. You simply must study their patterns, and you'll get by these guards with no problem. Even so, should you get caught, you'll just start at the point where you left Malon's father, so don't give up! Try and try again!

Once you've gotten past the last guard, you'll meet up with Princess Zelda herself. Right on, brother! She's a cutie! After some revealing conversation you'll meet Impa, Zelda's Sheikah guardian. After another short chat with the lady-warrior, you'll once again leave the kingdom, this time for Lon Lon Ranch.

Lon Lon Ranch
Upon entering Lon Lon Ranch, there are two buildings, one on the left and one on the right. On the right is a stable with Talon's stablehand, Ingo, working inside. A really bitter fellow, give him a listen and then head back across to the other side. Inside you'll find Talon, surrounded by a flock of Cuccos. You can choose to play his game if you wish (he'll explain it) and should you win, you'll walk away with a gallon of Lon Lon Milk, something that'll definitely come in handy should your health run low.

After you're done horsing around with Talon and Ingo, make your way to the center of the ranch, where you'll meet up with Malon. This melodic girl will teach you a song that, of course, will become useful later on. Don't worry if you have a bad memory, the melody will be logged in your songbook, which is accessible via the pause screen. During this time, you'll also meet the pony of your dreams, Epona. After you're finished with your music lesson, head back into Hyrule Field. It's off to Kakariko Village you go!

The Lost Woods
At the top of the hill, in Kokiri Forest, is an entrance to the Lost Woods. You'll know you're headed in the correct direction when you find the vines you can climb. Once you've gotten to the top, enter the Lost Woods. At this first area, if you go left, you'll encounter a critter on a stump. You can't do anything with him right now, but remember this place for future reference. If you go right at the first area, at the next area make a left. In this next area, you can go straight, left, or right (keep in mind that some of these entrances might not be accessible just yet), but you'll want to make a right. At this point, the area you're in should have a little pond with a stone monument sticking out of it. Facing the pond, make a left into the next area. In this room, go forward again. In the next area, make a left. When you get to this area, make a right, and you should land in Sacred Forest Meadow, where you'll face a small maze. Keep an eye out for Deku Scrubs and remember to lock on and block with your shield. After a little maneuvering through the maze, you should arrive at two stone pillars that signify the entrance to the Forest Temple where Saria awaits you. There, she'll teach you an Ocarina melody with which you can contact her at any time.

In Kakariko Village, you'll discover a number of mini-missions and not so mini-missions for you to spend some time on (like Skulltula House, Cucco woman, and so on) as well as some mini-games for you to play. However, Kakariko Village also serves as a gateway to the Graveyard, where you'll learn an important Ocarina melody, and to Death Mountain, another important destination. To get up the path to Death Mountain, you must show the guard at the gate the letter you received from Zelda. Suitably impressed with your name-dropping, he'll let you pass.

Death Mountain Trail
The path to Death Mountain is littered with Tektites, so keep an eye out for these spidery creatures and deal with them as they come. You'll find that Death Mountain envelops a number of eventual destination points: Goron City, Dodongo's cavern, the Great Fairy's Fountain, and The Crater. The entrance to Dodongo's Cavern is at the top of the first part of the path. You can tell by the boulder that blocks its path. Instead, you'll want to continue following the path until you begin to encounter the loaf-like creatures called the Gorons. Talk to each one you see, as they'll provide you with important information. As a word of advice, make sure to check out every sign you see, since they'll most likely point you in the right direction. At no time should you find yourself in Goron City.

Goron City
Upon your arrival at Goron City, you'll be treated to a vertigo-inducing view of the city. Make your way down the spiraling paths until you get to the bottom. Talk to the sleepy Gorons you come across and listen to what they have to say. Once you get down to the bottom of the city, you'll come across the Royal Crest, which is on the floor in front of a door blocked by metal bars. Remember this tip whenever you see the crest: Always play Zelda's Lullaby. Play the tune, and the door will open for you. Run inside and light a Deku Stick on the lit torch; then run outside and light the torches out there.

When you find Darunia, the Goron leader, play Saria's Song for him. Other songs will amuse him, but it's Saria's ditty that really gets him going. After he's done making a fool of himself, he'll offer you a challenge involving the Goron's Ruby and King Dodongo. Fortunately, he also gives you the Goron's Bracelet. This lets you pick up rocks and Bomb Flowers. Bid the big guy farewell and head off to Dodongo's Cavern.

Back near the entrance to Goron City, you'll find a single Goron near a single Bomb Flower. At this point, pick up the Bomb Flower and heave it over the ledge. Throw it where the fence is shorter than the rest. It may take a couple of tries, but you should blow up the boulder blocking the entrance to Dodongo's cavern.

Once that's been taken care of, run down to the entrance and head in. Run and jump to the platform in the center, avoiding the Beamos situated in the middle. Jump across to the west side and use a bomb on the false wall. Inside is a chest with a Dungeon Map. Grab that and run back across the middle platform to the east ledge. Use another bomb on the doorway at the top, and you'll open up a new path.

Here, you'll find two Armos and a switch. Grab and pull one Armos on top of the switch to hold it down. This will open a door to the next room. Inside this room will be two Lizalfos. You can throw Deku Nuts at them to stun them while you attack, or you can lock on and alternately use your shield and sword to dispatch them. Once defeated, a new door will open.

Bomb your way past the rock wall and pull out a Deku Stick. Use the stick to light the three unlit torches in the room. Head through the door on the west side. Step on the switch in the hallway to open the door on the other side of the main entrance. Jump across and enter the doorway. Here, you'll find a large column with two rows of Bomb Flowers running along its right and left side. Grab a Bomb Flower from the wall behind you and place it in between the gap between the two rows of Bomb Flowers. This should set off a chain reaction that reveals the column to be a large set of stairs.

Mount the stairs and head into the maze of Razor Traps that litter the next room. This room is all about timing. Wait for your opportunity to pass and do so, step by step. Once you reach the other side, pull the block out and climb up to the exit.

Here, you'll encounter a path blocked by a wall of fire. Unsheath your Slingshot and aim for the eye set in the wall above the exit. Plunk that sucker and watch as the flames disappear. Head through the exit, and into the next room you go!

Run across the bridge and locate the holes in the middle. There are two holes, conveniently situated above the two empty eye holes in the enormous skeleton below. What you must do here is make a short run up to the holes and drop a bomb through each one. Provided the bombs land in the eyes, you will open up access to the next area.

Zora's River
As you walk up the path to Zora's River, you'll eventually come to a Magic Bean salesman. You'll want to buy as many as you can; but as you buy more, you'll notice that the price goes up. Look to the bare patch of ground next to him, and you'll see a spot where you can plant these beans. Keep in mind that similar spots are located all around the land of Hyrule, so anywhere you see one, try and plant a Magic Bean. Other things like bottled bugs can also be put in the ground for interesting results.

Once you've bought as many Magic Beans as you want or need, run back to where the river bends, near the circle of rocks just before the salesman. That's the point where you'll want to jump across the river. Anywhere else will simply put you in the drink. Follow the path until you reach the top, right in front of the waterfall (make sure to keep an eye out for those annoying Octorok's along the way). Look at the ground in front of the waterfall, and what do you see? The Royal Crest, that's what! Bust out Zelda's Lullaby, and you'll be in business. When the waterfall stops flowing, get yourself through the entrance to Zora's Domain.

Zora's Domain
Shortly after your arrival in Zora's Domain, you'll eventually run across a Zora or two. Listen to what they have to say, since it's always informative. Make your way to the top of the cavern, and you'll see King Zora. Doubtless, you'll find that this fat fish isn't the chatty kind, so Link must take his efforts elsewhere. Facing King Zora, run to the left down a short passage, where you'll find a Zora diving instructor. Take him up on his challenge to dive for Rupees, and should you win, you'll receive a Silver Scale. Using this scale, you can dive longer than you previously could. Look around the pool in the cavern, and you should find a small entrance submerged in the water. Dive down, enter the doorway, and you'll emerge in Lake Hylia.

Once you surface in Lake Hylia, look around until you find a bottle. Dive for the bottle, and you'll find that it has a letter inside it. You must show this to King Zora eventually. But for the time being, take the time to look around. In the region of Lake Hylia, you'll find the Lakeside Laboratory, the Scarecrow Dancers, and the Fishing Pond. Check out the Lakeside Laboratory and talk to the old man if you want. After that, go over and talk to the Scarecrows. One of them will ask you to play a special melody for him. It's entirely up to you what melody you play, but make sure it's one you can remember easily.

You must remember it later - about seven years later! Lastly, swim over to the Fishing Pond for some fishing fun. To make a long story short, the bigger the fish, the bigger your prize. Don't bother turning in the fish unless the proprietor says something like, "Wow, this is a real lunker!" because it won't be big enough to get a prize. You'll know you've achieved your best prize when you get a Piece of Heart from him. Make sure not to waste too much time here. There's a kingdom to be saved! Now, it's back to Zora's Domain!

Jabu-Jabu's Belly
Back in Zora's Domain, run back up to where King Zora is perched. Pull out the bottle with the letter in it, and fish-head will snap out of his trance. After a brief conversation, King Zora will slide to the side and let you meet Lord Jabu-Jabu, the gigantic fish deity of the Zoras. Before you head out to meet the big fish, make sure you have a fish in one of your bottles. You can either buy one or, if you head back to the shallow water close to where you were diving for Rupees, use the bottle to scoop up a fish where you see small schools of fish swimming around.

Equipped, head outside to meet this Jabu-Jabu. When you get right in front of his snout, pull the fish out, and he'll open his gaping mouth. Once inside, you'll find that a closed membrane impedes your progress. Look at the ceiling, and you should find a dangling tonsil, which would make great target practice for Link and his Slingshot. Shoot that flapper and watch in amazement as the wall opens up.

You'll run into the Princess Ruto, who, after giving you much royal grief (Zelda was never like this!), will leave with you provided you carry her on your shoulders. While this may be a pain in the butt at times, there are other moments when it will prove useful. Unfortunately, with this royal pain on your back, you can't fight or swim. When you must do either of these things, you must put her down or throw her. Don't worry, she's tougher than she looks. If you should lose her or throw her somewhere you can't reach her, just go back to the room where you originally found her. She'll be waiting for you right there.

In this level you'll have four objectives: Find Princess Ruto, find the Boomerang, defeat Bigocto, and defeat Barinade. Through a series of well-thought-out puzzles, you must first find the Boomerang located straight through the room where you found Ruto. Then, go to the right. On the exact opposite side where you find the Boomerang is the Map. Down the hallway leading to the map is a branch to the room where you'll find the compass. Once you find the Boomerang, your life will become much easier. You'll never run out of ammo, and you can whack the nasties in Jabu-Jabu's belly from a distance.

After you've found the Boomerang, you can take care of the large Parasite Tentacles that hang from the ceilings around Jabu-Jabu's belly. Lock on to the nasty appendage and hurl the Boomerang. It will withdraw into the ceiling and stay there unless you lure it out by creeping closer to it. Move closer, and when it comes down, backflip out of the way and throw the Boomerang as it extends itself. After you've destroyed the green tentacle, jump into the hole it leaves, and Ruto will find Zora's Sapphire. Get ready for some eight-armed fun.

In the basement level of Jabu's gut you'll encounter the mini-boss Bigocto. The tactic here is to run along the inside of the circular path and catch up with Bigocto's backside. Lock-on to him and throw the Boomerang. While he's stunned, run up to him and hack him up with your sword.

After you beat this membranic monstrosity, you'll get a Heart Piece. Princess Ruto will also be there to simultaneously chastise you and give you Zora's Sapphire. Cheeky brat! While instinct (and Navi) encourage you to head straight for the castle, instead, buy as many Magic Beans as you can and plant them wherever you see a good spot. In a very short time, you'll be glad you did.

Hyrule Castle
Once you return to Hyrule Castle, you'll trigger a cutscene that will alert you to the first real turning point in the game. Watch this impressive sequence, and once the smoke has cleared, jump in to the moat. After a quick look, you should see the Ocarina of Time that Zelda threw at you during her getaway. After another short sequence, you learn the Song of Time.

After you're done, go climb the vines near the entrance to the Castle and look for the rock near the bridge. Bomb that sucker and hop in the hole. Here, you'll meet the Great Fairy, who'll teach you Din's Fire magic. Head back to the market (where you can play some games before you... well, go play some games now if you want) and make your way to the Temple of Time. After playing the Song of Time at the altar, the three Spiritual Stones will appear and settle in the altar. A door will also open behind the altar. Head inside and pull the Master Sword from the Stone. You go, Link! After another cinematic sequence, you will awaken seven years later and meet Sheik. Now, it's really time to get busy!

Seven Years Later
One of the first things you should do upon your return to the great land of Hyrule is revisit the Graveyard. Head toward the back of the Graveyard where the two Composer Brothers' tombstones lie. Defeat the two of them again to gain some insight about their work and play Zelda's Lullaby where the Royal Crest is emblazoned on the ground. Then, drop down into the hole where the Royal Tombstone once was. Inside the Royal Tomb, you must kill four bats. You might miss the first one if you run into the chamber too quickly, but it's there. After you squash all four blood-sucking bastards, a door at the rear of the chamber will open. Go to the back wall and read the inscription. Now, you'll have learned the Sun's Song, a tune that comes in handy when you can't wait for night to turn to day. When you're finished here, head for Sacred Forest Meadow.

Sacred Forest Meadow
When you get back to the Sacred Forest Meadow, follow the same path you did when you first came here (assuming you're coming in from Kokiri Forest): east, north, east, north, north, west, north. At one point during that sequence, you'll come across that punk Kokiri Mido, who, once again, won't let you by unless you can prove you're a friend of Saria's. Take this kid to school and play him Saria's Song. That should sort him out. Once you arrive at the maze, where there were once Deku Scrubs, there are now Moblins, which are substantially more dangerous than Deku Scrubs. Try to avoid getting right in their path, since they will always run you over, guaranteed. Instead, try to angle yourself into the alcoves and whack 'em with your Hookshot. While they're immobilized, feed them with an arrow or bomb, once again, from the alcove. These guys go down quick as long as you don't try to take them head-to-head. Once you get to the flight of stairs, you must contend with a Moblin that sends shockwaves down the path you're attempting to take. When he sends the quake your way, sidestep it and run up to him (make sure to lock on) and throw a Bomb. Or, if you have the Bow, shoot him. Either way, his pattern is easy to figure out, so make short work of him and move on to the Sacred Forest Meadow. Saria won't be there, but the Sheik will. After you learn the Minuet of the Forest, enter the Forest Temple.

Forest Temple
From the very first time you set eyes on the entrance, you'll know that Link can't jump up to the doorway. That said, quick thinkers will realize that it's time to break out the Hookshot and use it on the overhanging tree limb, which extends over the doorway. Pull yourself up. But, before you enter the Temple, look around, and you'll see a treasure chest. Grab the key inside the chest and head in to the main chamber. Go straight across the chamber to the room on the opposite side and dart inside. Two Stalfos will attempt to assault you with extreme prejudice, but lock on to these bony jerks. When you're done carving them up, a chest with a key will appear.

Head back out the way you came. In the northwest corner of the room, there will be a block, er, blocking your way. Play the Song of Time and go out to the inner courtyard. Climb up the vines on the wall and climb into the room with the floating Bubble. A chest will appear with a dungeon map. Go across to the opposite door, and you'll wind up on the balcony. Pull yourself across to the other balcony, courtesy of your Hookshot, press the switch, and watch as the water drains from the well. Scoot down to the bottom of the well and grab the key from the chest.

Keep moving, and you should eventually come to a room where you must move a couple of blocks to advance. Take notice of the arrows painted on the floor. These will serve to remind you where the blocks must go. You must pull the greenish block out of its spot and push it down the hall until you hit the wall. Double back and run around to the other side of the green block and push it into place. Climb up over the block to the next level. Here, you'll find a red block that, again, you must to pull out. Move it as far as you can and run around until you can get to the other side of the block. Once you do, you can push it into its final resting spot.

When you get to the funky twisted hallway, run through to the other side. Be careful of the Wallmaster (it looks like a big hand) that clings to the ceiling. You'll know you're about to get pounced on when you see its shadow begin to descend on you. Keep running to avoid it, and you can hack it with your sword if it lands on the ground. Keep going, and you'll soon come across the room where you'll find the Fairy Bow. Once you've acquired the mythical weapon, head back to the twisty corridor. Look for the eye symbol set above the doorway. Shoot it with your bow, and the corridor will straighten out. Head back down the formerly twisty corridor and back into the room that contains the Wallmaster. You'll find a blue treasure chest with a key to the boss chamber. Grab it and keep on movin'.

After you find the Compass, you'll come across a room with four columns. You'll see a fiery torch in the middle of the constantly turning room and an icy eye switch on the wall. You must time a shot from your Fairy Bow to go through the fire straight into the ice eye. Nail it and run down another twisty hall. Run down the hall until you find a hole in the floor. Move forward a little bit, and the ceiling will come down. Don't rush forward the first time. Instead, coax the ceiling to drop and get a look at where the spaces in the ceiling are. It makes it easier to plan your path this way. Be prepared for the monsters that will attempt to get in your way as you race for the open spots. Hit the switch along the way and make for the door on the far side.

Keep going, and you'll reach a room with big protruding "walls." Push these protrusions, and you'll gain access to each blocked room one at a time. Once you've hit all the switches, you can get through the last door.

On your way down the stairs, you'll come across a number of picture frames at the end of each flight. What you must do is shoot these ghosts with an arrow, but only when they appear in the frames. Sometimes, you must do it from far away. These Poes are shy, and if you get too close, they'll disappear. Sometimes, it'll help if you go down a flight and look back. As long as they're in the frame, you can shoot them. "Eliminate" three of them and head back to the main hallway where you first came in. Provided you defeated the previous three, one more Poe will appear, and you must defeat it the same way.

Death Mountain Crater
After you vanquish that naughty Phantom Ganon, head back to the Temple of Time. Once again, the ever-mysterious Sheik will be waiting for you with another important bit of knowledge (why doesn't the Sheik do it all himself?). This time around, he'll show you how to slip back and forth through time.

However, don't jump at the first opportunity to turn back into a seven-year-old just yet. Instead, head over to the Goron City and look for the lone Goron, rolling like a bowling ball around the middle level. Plant a Bomb in front of him to go off just as he runs into it. This'll stop him in his tracks and give you an opportunity to talk to him. It turns out Darunia named him after you (what an honor!). Anyway, after some chitter-chatter, your like-named Goron counterpart will hand over a Goron Tunic. This will protect you from the incredible heat of Death Mountain Crater. Say good-bye to your little pal and make your way to the crater.

At the mouth of the crater, you'll see some boulders stacked by the entrance. Bomb these out of the way and look for the entrance to the Great Fairy's Fountain. If you play the appropriate melody at the Tri-Force symbol, she'll double your Magic Meter. Later, when you get to Death Mountain Crater, you'll notice that there's a sizable gap in the middle of the bridge. Hey, that's what Hookshots are for. So fire away and get your butt over to the other side.

Fire Temple
Once again, on the other side of the bridge, the Sheik appears again. Learn another song from him, and now you know the Bolero of Fire in case you ever want to come back to this tropical zone.

When you get inside the temple, do yourself a favor and whack the bats while you get your bearings. This level can get confusing. Head up the stairs and go through the door on your left. When you get into the next room, you'll meet Darunia who will suggest that the two of you team up to achieve separate goals. Basically, it's an "I'll go this way, and you go that ways" kind of thing. Your goal now is to free the Gorons that have been imprisoned by Ganon. Look around, and you'll find a switch that will unlock a door that leads to a Goron in the first room. Inside the cell where he was held captive is a small chest that contains a key. Every Goron you free will have a key in his cell, letting you unlock other doors one by one.

Next, make your way across a small wooden board into an area surrounded by a tall cage. Climb the cage and kill the two bats you find on the top of the cage. Hop down to the block just below the top of the cage. Push the block over the geyser of fire that periodically erupts and jump on top of it as you do so. Ride the block up to the next level. There, you'll find a switch that must be struck, which will deactivate a fiery wall that blankets a wall you must climb. It may take a few tries because the timing is tricky, but when you get it right, scramble over to the next area.

You'll come out in a sort of labyrinth where numerous keys and switches lie. Watch out for the rolling boulders while you look for the passage that will take you to the top of the labyrinth. When you get to the top, look for the doorway that'll take you to the next area. Looking down, you'll see a metal grating that you can run across. When you do, a wall of fire will spring up behind you, forcing you to get moving lest the flames scorch you. Run to the middle grating and jump up to the ledge by the doorway on the left side of the wall. Go through the door, and you'll enter an area that looks harmless, but is actually a maze of fire. When you approach a pillar, if fire starts to materialize, don't go there. Instead, look for the spots where fire doesn't appear and run through those sections. Make your way to a door that'll get you to the other side.

When you meet the Flame Dancer, lock on to the fiery punk and Hookshot its chest. While it's stunned, spank him with your sword and repeat the process until it's dust. Eventually, when you get the Megaton Hammer, you can simply pound this guy out of commission.

Ice Cavern
From fire to ice, it's off to Ice Cavern you go! In case you're confused, Ice Cavern is actually Zora's Domain. Unfortunately, it's seven years later, and Ganondorf has frozen the entire joint. In fact, King Zora himself is frozen in a block of ice. You must venture out into the water where Jabu-Jabu used to be. Head across the ice floes into the Ice Cavern. There, you'll find reservoirs of blue fire that you can use to thaw out the red ice. Capture the blue fire in your empty bottles and equip it to use it. Keep going, and you'll enter a room with Silver Rupees and a sliding block. Push the block and follow the order of the Rupees.

When you're done collecting the Rupees, the block should rest near a suspended blue block. Play the Song of Time, and the block will move forward, letting you jump on it from the ice block. The last major obstacle you'll find in the caverns is the White Wolf. Use the same tactics you used on the wolves in the Sacred Forest Meadow, and you'll beat him in no time. When you finish kicking his butt, you'll get the Iron Boots. Now that you've finished up here, grab a couple of bottles of blue fire and head back to Zora's Domain. Thaw out King Zora first, since he'll give you a Zora Tunic that lets you breathe underwater. After that, use the other bottle to thaw out the entrance to the Zora Merchant Shop. Stock up on anything else you might need and head to Lake Hylia, where you'll enter the Water Temple.

Water Temple
As you attempt to leave the Ice Cavern, it's time for your daily music lesson! The Sheik will now teach you the Serenade of Water, which you can use to transport yourself to Lake Hylia from anywhere in the whole wide world! Now, get your butt over to Lake Hylia and equip your Zora tunic and Iron Boots. You'll need them to walk and breathe underwater. Enter the temple and familiarize yourself with the map because this level can get kind of tricky. When you arrive on the first floor, scour every available entrance and tunnel for keys. You'll need these keys to access certain doors on higher levels. If you jump into a pool of water, make sure you have your Iron Boots on so you can sink down. When you need to go up, unequip the boots, and you'll float upward. This can get kind of annoying, going back and forth through the inventory screen and the game, but it's unavoidable, so bear with it. Whenever you see a Tri-Force symbol, play Zelda's Lullaby, and the water will change levels. Also, keep an eye out for circular targets placed on walls and ceilings that you can grab with your Hookshot, as this will also let you reach higher platforms. More keys await you on the second floor. On the third floor, you'll find a map and the compass, so try and get to those as fast as you can, since they'll help you navigate the temple much easier. As a side note, even if you raise the water level to the third-floor and realize you must get to some doors on the first or second floor, you can go back to where you saw the Tri-Force symbol and lower the water level by playing Zelda's Lullaby. This game doesn't let you do anything that would permanently screw you up, so don't worry.

Inside the temple, you'll find Ruto standing around. She's a lot sexier now, but she's still a fish, for Pete's sake, so forget it! After a little tete a tete, she'll offer some suggestions and then take off, leaving you to your own devices. Next, you'll come to a room with some unlit torches, with one flaming torch close by. Shoot an arrow through the lit torch and hit the unlit torches to light them or simply use Din's Fire. A door will open for you. Next, head back to the room on the opposite side of the first floor, whack the crystal switch, and jump on the rising geyser before it reaches the ceiling. Jump from the geyser to the other side of the room. Crush the Tektite like the nasty bug that it is and enter the door. When you're done there, look for the room with multiple platforms with circular symbols on them. Pull yourself up with the Hookshot and do the Zelda's Lullaby thing, filling the temple with considerably more water.

After finding all the keys and whatnot, you'll eventually want to fill the temple up to the third level. When you've done that, head to the door on the west side and enter there. Shoot the two bats with your Hookshot and descend the waterfall. When you drop to the second platform, you'll see that the moving platforms in front of you have circular symbols, perfect for grabbing with your Hookshot. Swing over to the other side and hoist yourself up one by one. When you reach the top, kill the two Tektites. Then, hit the big blobby thing with the Hookshot to stun it and slash it twice with your sword to kill it. Move into the next room and use the Hookshot to alternately raise and lower the statues by hitting the crystal switch. Kill the Tektites and take whatever hearts they give you and go into the next room.

It will look like a vast, clear lake with a small tree in the middle and a doorway on the other side. Run across the patch of dirt where the tree stands and watch in horror as your shadow disappears! Turn around before reaching the opposite doorway, and you'll see your shadow is now Dark Link! This is definitely one of the creepier moments in the game. It'll help if you have a full Magic Meter, an auxiliary bottle full of magic potion, a bottle with a fairy inside, and Din's Fire. Lock on to the creepy jerk and block any attacks with your shield. When he's close, use Din's Fire. Keep on using it until your meter's empty. Drink your magic potion and repeat until your meter is empty again.

Now, you must switch to cagier tactics. Don't equip your bottled fairy. Instead, keep it in your inventory, so if you die, the fairy will bring you back to life. When your magic runs out, keep yourself locked on, but don't swing pointlessly at this guy - forget the charge attack, too. What you should do is keep trying to do a jumping sword slash. Make sure to keep yourself pointed in the right direction as you do this, or you'll definitely receive some lumps. After you've beaten him, you'll get the Longshot, an improved version of the Hookshot. Go back to the door on the east side of the main room on the third level (gasp!).

Kakariko Well
After you restore the Water Temple to its former glory, you'll find that Ruto is too sage to marry you anymore (thank God!). Back on the bridge at Lake Hylia, where the plaque says something about shooting something into the sun, let fly with an arrow, and it'll start raining Fire Arrows. Grab 'em and get back to Kakariko Village. The place is a wreck, and the Sheik will reveal what happened. He'll also teach you another merry tune called the Nocturne of Shadow.

Head to the Windmill if you haven't already coerced the guy with the organ grinder to teach you the Song of Storms. It's now time for you to make a blast to the past and come back as a kid. After you're done doing the Temple of Time thing, come back and play the Song of Storms inside the windmill to drain the well. Drop to the bottom and brace yourself for a confusing journey. Walk straight ahead through two fake wall and under the big wooden X. You'll fall to the bottom. Leave the main chamber and walk in between the two torches to obtain the Dungeon Map. Grab all five crystals to open the door back out of the room. Head back to the main chamber and turn left. Press the right wall around the corner and pass through another fake wall to get the compass. Head back to the main chamber and lower the water by playing Zelda's Lullaby at the Tri-Force symbol (as always!). Go back to the place where you first entered the dungeon and jump in the hole. Make your way through the tunnel and kill the big Skulltula you find there. Go through the door to meet up with the next boss: Dead Hand.

Dead Hand is easy to beat. Simply let one of the arms grab you and then hack at it when Dead Hand exposes itself. Repeat this process until it's dead. As a consolation prize, you'll receive the Lens of Truth. With the Lens, you can see holes in the ground you'd otherwise need a Rumble Pak to find, and you can also see through fake walls. Use the Ocarina to warp yourself to the Temple of Time and return to the Shadow Temple as a grown-up Link.

Shadow Temple
After you've aged yourself (seven years to be precise), play the Nocturne of Shadow to get yourself to the Shadow Temple. When you've entered the temple, you'll see a ring of torches that must be lit. Use Din's Fire to light them all at once. That was easy! Next, run around the corner (be careful of the sudden drop) and use the Lens of Truth to reveal a hidden passage. Check the sign and push the block with the bird on it so that the beak faces the skull on the column. You can use the Lens to figure out which is fake and which is real. Go through the fake wall on the left. Go through the door and walk through the plaque until you get to a new hall. Go to the right and kill all the enemies inside to get a chest with a Dungeon Map.

Head through a fake wall outside the room you just left and fight the Dead Hand again. After you beat it again, you'll get the Hover Boots. Head back to the main chamber where there was a gap to big to cross before. Get across as quickly as possible using the Hover Boots. Go down to the next room and kill all the creatures in this room to get the Compass. Go back to the room with the Beamos in it and bomb the rock wall. Look for a false wall and move into the room with the big blades. Look for a plaque on the wall. You can't do anything here yet, so go back and collect all five crystals found in the room. Go through the gate to get the small key. In the room with the Beamos, go through the locked door and kill the giant Skulltulas and look for the hall with the swinging pendulums. You'll emerge high above the surface. Equip the Lens of Truth and jump from platform to platform. Kill the Stalfos who blocks your way. Use your Hover Boots to jump to the moving platform. When it get really high, jump to the next ledge. Kill the Beamos that is in your way and grab the White Rupees. A gate unlocks, so run down the hall into the green room. Watch the spikes as they drop and look around for the block that you can pull out. Pull it out so it blocks the spikes. Then, you can climb up to the higher platforms.

Enter the tomb, kill the bats, and climb the staircase. Throw a Bomb at the blue, flaming skull. Grab the key it leaves behind. Bomb the garbage in the corner to clear the junk away and use the Lens to reveal a chest.

When you get to the ship, stand on the Tri-Force symbol and play Zelda's Lullaby - just don't act surprised when the ship starts moving. As the ship sinks, move toward the left side of the ship. Equip the Hover Boots and jump. Behind you, a wall of wooden spikes will try and impale you, so equip Din's Fire and make kindling out of the planks!

Gerudo Fortress
In case you haven't already wandered over to the village of thieves, now's the time to head over to Gerudo Fortress, a town inhabited only by women. Almost immediately, you'll get thrown in jail. Look up, and you'll see a wooden plank you can snag with your Longshot. You must enter the fortress through the ground floor and slowly but surely free four carpenters (male) from their jail cells. In the way are numerous Gerudo guards who are difficult to beat. Shoot them with your arrows, which will render them unconscious. Stay out of sight while you do it, because if they see you, you'll get thrown back in jail and must repeat the process all over again. In any case, get used to seeing the jail cell a lot. As you free each carpenter, you must fight a Gerudo warrior each time. Lock on to the bully and keep your shield up. After they swing at you, stun them with your Longshot. While they're stunned, take a whack at them. If you get hit too many times yourself, you'll wind up back in your cell. It takes a lot of hits to beat these warriors, so be patient. There's no quick way to beat these characters. When you free all the prisoners, a Gerudo warrior will come and congratulate you, obviously impressed with your stamina and fortitude. She'll also give you a Gerudo Membership Card, so you can stop shooting all her comrades now!

There are a couple things you can do here that will prove necessary for your continued success. One is a shooting-range test, where you'll get to show your prowess with a bow. Beat the requirements and receive a piece of heart for your efforts. The big challenge is to defeat the Gerudo Training Grounds. The Lens of Truth and the Scarecrow's Song will come in handy on this mission. Use all the skills you've learned so far to complete the training grounds, and you'll receive the Ice Arrow as a reward.

Go to the gate on the lower left corner of the Gerudo Fortress to have the guard open the gate to the Haunted Wasteland.

Haunted Wasteland
Out in the desert of the Haunted Wasteland, you must use the Hover Boots to keep from sinking. Follow the flags until you see a big rock in the distance. Longshot your way over there, and you'll meet a ghost guide. Use the Lens of Truth to keep him in sight and put it away when you reach the Spirit Temple, where he'll disappear.

Eventually, you'll reach a salesman on a flying carpet. Use the Hover Boots to get over to him, and he'll sell you some Bombchus. Later, when you reach the oasis, play the Song of Storms to drench this extra-dry patch of land. Fairies will appear and heal any wounds Link might have. Look around for a crack in some rocks and use a bomb to expose another passage to the Great Fairy herself. She'll teach you your last spell, Naryu's Love, which will come in really handy quite soon. Use it sparingly, however, since it only lasts a short while and uses a lot of magic.

Spirit Temple
To enter the Spirit Temple, you must go in through the left side. Unfortunately, Link is too big to crawl in, and he must travel back in time so that his younger frame can get through. Warp back to the Temple of Time, and the Sheik will be there to teach you the Requiem of Spirit. With this little ditty in your journal of popular songs, you'll be able to quickly warp back and forth from the Temple of Time to the Spirit Temple with little inconvenience to yourself.

Spirit Temple - Young Link
After you enter the temple as a lad, you'll encounter Nabooru, who is trying to steal the Silver gauntlets. Naughty girl! Don't you know that Link needs them? After you rationalize with this woman, you'll find a room where you must kill all the bats and Armos to unlock the doors. In the next room, you'll see a Bubble hovering over the gap between Link and the other door. Spank the Bubble with the Boomerang and use the Boomerang to hit the switch on the other side of the grating. The gate will lower to become a bridge. In the next room, you'll pass a razor trap and find an Anubis shooting firFe balls at you. Hit the switch and lure the puppy into the wall of fire that ignites. Next, kill the Wallmaster and bats in the next room. This will cause a bridge to drop, letting you light the torches on the other side. A chest with a key will appear.

Next, you'll find a Sun Switch lying on the floor. Use a Bombchu to scale the wall, where you see a crack. Blast it open, and sunlight will pour in, triggering the switch. In the following room, you must push an Armos onto the switch that will light a switch. Light a Deku Stick, jump down, and light the two other torches there. You'll reveal a treasure chest and Dungeon Map. Next, kill the Beamos in the next room and pull the block with the sun symbol on it into the sunlight. Grab all the Rupees in the room to ignite the torch. Use a Deku Stick to light the three torches in the hallway. You'll get a small key for your efforts. Make your way into the next room to meet the mid-boss: Iron Knuckle.

Iron Knuckle
This wanna-be mime tries to fool you by sitting still until you wander too close. Show him who's smarter by whacking him once to get him going, then move around to his unprotected back and give it to him. Be careful though, since his sword-swipe slashes in a 180-degree arc. If you have a good supply of Bombchu's, you can lock-on and feed him some explosives one-by-one. While using the pillars for shelter, Link can grab hearts as Iron Knuckle cuts them down, piece by piece.

Beat the big hunk o' junk, and the door that holds the Silver Gauntlets will be yours for the taking.

Spirit Temple - Adult Link
As soon as you grab the Gauntlets, you'll see Nabooru getting whisked away by a whirlpool and a couple of ugly witches. Time to fast-forward seven years and come back as a 17-year-old hero with some Silver Gauntlet action on the side! Using these, push the giant block away from the entrance. Look out for the razor trap and the Beamos in the middle of the room once you get inside. Bomb the Beamos and look at the ceiling, where you'll see a switch you can hit with your Longshot. In the next room, a quick rendition of Zelda's Lullaby will cause a chest to appear. Use the Hover Boots to cross over to the ledge without getting caught in the quicksand. Open the chest to get the compass. In the room on the opposite side, you'll get a chance to avoid some more rolling boulders. Use the Hover Boots to grab the Silver Rupees. Move into the next chamber and get ready for the blob that drops from the ceiling. Shoot it with some arrows and get the key.

In the next room, turn the statue to reflect light onto the three switches. One reveals a door, another a treasure chest, and the last a Floormaster. In the next room, use the Hover boots to jump to the left hand of the giant statue. Play Zelda's lullaby, and a chest will appear in the right hand. Longshot over there and get the key from the chest.

Make your way down the hallway and hammer the switch you find at the end. Pass through the main door and push two blocks out of the way. Hammer the switch to activate a moving platform. This creates a shortcut to the inside of the temple.

In the next room, dispatch the three Anubis with Fire Arrows. Next, in the following room, tease one of the Armos' so that it jumps on the switch while you're waiting by the door so you can get through quickly. Head down the hallway and defeat Iron Knuckle again, and you'll receive the legendary Mirror Shield. Back in the Armos room, use the shield to shine some light on the Sun Switch. Look for the key that reveals itself. Head back down the hallway, and you'll come to a wall you must climb while avoiding some moving blocks. When you get to a room with Fire Slugs and Attacking Doors, hit the ground with your hammer to flip the slugs. Hit the doors with the hammer, too, and shoot an arrow into the eye switch you find. Make your way up the blocks of ice and look for the switch that will extinguish the fire, where you'll find the boss key.

Ganon's Castle
Head back to where Hyrule Castle was, and you'll find that it is now Ganon's Castle (cheeky invader!). As you creep closer to the edge of the chasm between him and the castle (which is now a floating castle), Sauru appears to lend Link some words of wisdom. By creating a rainbow bridge, Link can cross the chasm and venture forth into the castle.

But before you go and do such a rash thing, take a moment to return to the Temple of Time, where you'll receive the Light Arrows. Head back to the castle and prepare for a series of challenges that will use just about every skill you've learned so far.

Forest Medallion
Kick the Wolfos' butt and use Din's Fire to light the four torches. A Fire Arrow will sort out the fifth torch.

It's time for the Hover Boots! Grab the Silver Rupees and bomb the Beamos. Press the switch and Longshot the column. Grab the rest of the Rupees. Obliterate the barrier with a Light Arrow.

Water Medallion
Smash the ice stalactites out of the way with your sword and use some blue fire to melt the barrier.

Move the two blocks around until you can get yourself up to the ice barrier. Use the blue fire to melt it away.

Shadow Medallion
This level is a series of platforms that must be triggered by Fire Arrows, which in turn, will cause small bridges to appear. Look out for the nasty blob sitting in the middle of the area and keep going until you get to the last platform. A chest will appear. Inside are the Golden Gauntlets that you can grab with the Longshot. Pull out the almighty Lens of Truth, which causes a hidden path to materialize. Hit the switch with the Megaton Hammer. Go back, look for the exit, and take the next hidden path out of here!

Note: After obtaining the Golden Gauntlets, save your game and go back outside the castle. When leaving the castle, make a left at the rainbow bridge and run down the path until you see another black obelisk. Pick that sucker up and heave it elsewhere. Inside the cave you'll find the Great Fairy of Courage, who'll raise your defensive might by 200%. Cool!

Fire Medallion
Equip the Hover Boots to safely cross this liquid magma-filled area. Have no fear, Hover Boots are here! Grab the Silver Rupees!

Look for the giant column and use the Golden Gauntlets to lift this giant chunk of obsidian out of the way.

Light Medallion
Use the Lens of Truth to see what's really hidden in these treasure chests. Kill them all, and you'll get the real deal! Move into the next room and jam out on Zelda's Lullaby where you see the Tri-Force. Get the key, kid!

In the last room, get ready to smack a Wallmaster around. When you're done, use the Lens of Truth to find your way through to the next barrier.

Spirit Medallion
By skillful rearrangement of the Armos statues, Link can avoid a pointy beating of the razor trap variety. As usual, grab the rupees and head to the next room.

Use a charged sword spin attack to activate one switch and a Bombchu to hit the other. Smart lad!

Clear the cobwebs with a Fire Arrow and reflect the resultant sunlight with your Mirror Shield to hit the switch next to the door.

Ganondorf's Tower
After what seems like an eternity of stairs, all the while fighting Iron Knuckles and Stalfos, Link finally comes to a door where he uses his final key. Basically, it's time to beat the crap out of Ganondorf, and as we all know by now, you're good and ready to do that, aren't you?