Ocarina of Time: General Advice

General Advice

This chapter contains some nice general information about getting through the greatest title on the Nintendo 64 to date. None of this is dungeon-specific; it usually works in a variety of circumstances.

General Advice

Areas don't go into night-time mode until the werewolves howl, and by the same token it remains night until the morning rooster crows.
If you hold Z but there's nothing you can lock onto, the camera will be fixed behind Link. Link will still be able to do all the moves he can do while he's locked onto something; just make sure you're aim's good!
If you don't know what to do next, play Saria's Song and talk to Saria and Navi. The information may be vague, but it will give you an idea about your next scheduled destination. If you don't have Saria's Song just yet, just muck around for a while in the overworld and eventually Navi will offer advice; press C^ to listen. Or you could just look up the Event Sequence I have posted here.
Talk to everyone you can. Hints about dungeons or items can be found by asking the right people.
Items you don't find in dungeons must be earned, except for forest items or the useless junk no-one bothers with.
Hints which work in dungeons can also work in the overworld.
Weak walls can be spotted by listening to the sound which the wall makes when it is hit by the Sword, by colour variations or by large cracks. Use Bombs or the Hammer to destroy that weak area.
The words of the Gossip Stones are very useful indeed!
Certain parts in Hyrule are marked with the crest of Hyrule's Royal Family. Messengers of the Royal Family will find something helpful at these landmarks.

If you can't proceed in a dungeon, try one of the following:

Destroy a weak wall or floor.
Activate a switch.
Ignite all the torches in a room or area.
Collect all the Silver Rupees in a room or area.
Use the Lens of Truth to reveal hidden passages.
Heed well the words of the Gossip Stones.
Play a song on your ocarina, especially at places where Navi turns green for no apparent reason.
Defeat all the hostiles in a room, remembering that some enemies can be hard to spot, and others only appear when you walk over a certain part in the floor.
If you have the Compass in a dungeon, you will see where all of the Treasure Chests are. Some Treasure Chests are only visible with the Lens of Truth, or you must also do something special in that room before you can reveal and/or access the chest.

Wielding Weapons Effective use at each of the weapons is important in inflicting whatever damage you can on the enemy, while minimizing your own damage.

SWORD
There are five different types of sword attacks. Many are complex, so take your time in mastering them.
A Horizontal Stroke is the basic stroke, with a wide but low strike window. If you swing without Z-Targeting and while stationary, this is the stroke used. It covers the 180° in front of Link, but if enemies are coming at Link from above it can be difficult to land a blow. If you're Z-Targeting, hold left or right on the Control Stick to make this blow.
Vertical Strokes are made while Z-Targeting or while moving, and has a high but narrow strike window. Use it to take out ariel foes.
A Lunge or Stab is performed by holding Z, or locking onto something with Z-Targeting, holding foward on the Control Stick and pressing B. It has a long but very narrow and low strike window.
The Jump Attack does double damage, but has a long wind-up. Link is vunerable during this wind-up, and he'll often get hit by attempting a Jump Attack. This attack is performed by pressing B while jumping, or by holding Z or locking-on, then holding foward on the Control Stick and pressing B.
A Flame Spin can be executed in one of two ways: charged or uncharged. Uncharged Flame Spins do not consume Magic Power, but charged Flame Spins can be powered-up from a blue flame to a red flame, increasing both range and power. Execute an uncharged Flame Spin by rotating the Control Stick 360° clockwise from the top; press and hold B to execute a charged Flame Spin.

SHIELD
Press and hold R to duck while having the shield raised. The shield can effectively block most attacks. Hold Z or lock-on to sidestep and move backwards with the shield raised, but you will stand straight up. If you duck with the shield, use the Control Stick to angle it; this is especially important in the Spirit Temple and Inside Ganon's Castle. Remember that when the shield is angled, part of Link's body is no longer protected and is vunerable.
If Young Link tries to use the Hylian Shield, it will act like a turtle's shell. This allows Young Link to be safe from arial attacks, but will not protect him from side attacks.
If Link has a Deku Stick or the Giant's Knife, Hammer or Biggoron's Sword in his hands, he sacrifices the use of the shield. If Link ducks with the weapon in his hand, he will still go low but will not raise the shield; put the weapon away to regain access to the shield. If you have Z-Targeting locked, Link will try to use the weapon for protection but this is futile.

FAIRY SLINGSHOT AND BOW
These are the main projectile weapons, and are both used the same way despite their differences.

Press the C button to bring the weapon into a ready position. If you don't have Z-Targeting locked, you will go into a first-person view with the weapon ready.
Press and hold C to prepare a Deku Seed or Arrow
OR
Press and hold C to bring the weapon out and ready a piece of ammunition without pausing.
Either way,
Release C to fire the weapon.

BOOMERANG
This is Young Link's secondary projectile weapon, and is one of the best.

Press and hold C and Link will get ready to throw the Boomerang. If Z-Targeting is not locked, view will switch to the first person.
Release C to throw the Boomerang. Regardless of Z-Targeting status, Link will move as though Z is being held until the Boomerang returns.

HOOKSHOT AND LONGSHOT
Adult Link's secondary projectile weapon is better than the Bow!

Press the C button to bring the weapon into a ready position. If you don't have Z-Targeting locked, you will go into a first-person view with the weapon ready.
Press and hold C to get the chain ready to fire
OR
Press and hold C to bring the weapon out and arm the chain.
Either way,
Release C to fire the chain.
The chain will automatically retract once it's fully outstreatched. However, press C while the chain fires to retract it manually.

MAGICAL EQUIPMENT
If you have the Hammer, head for the Death Mountain Crater. From the Crater's passage to Goron City, turn right and over the stable bridge. You'll come to a couple of red boulders which, when checked, reveal question marks. Smash the boulders away with the Hammer and enter the Great Fairy of Wisdom's Fountain. Play Zelda's Lullaby on the Triforce symbol: Link's Magic Meter is now doubled!
Items which consume Magic Power are: charged Flame Spins, the Lens of Truth; Din's Fire, Farore's Wind, Nayru's Love; Fire, Ice and Light Arrows. You must wait until the Magic Meter stops flashing before you can use any form of magic again.
Fire magic refers to Din's Fire and the Fire Arrows. Magic arrows refers to the Fire, Ice and Light Arrows. Magical attacks refers to Din's Fire and the magic arrows.

LIFTING
At first, Link can only lift and carry pots and Bombs; as the adventure progresses, he will also be able to lift bushes. Stand still to drop an object, or run and press A (or C if it's a C-Button Item) to throw it.
There are three items which can increase Link's lifting strength: the Goron's Bracelet and the Silver and Golden Gauntlets. Only Young Link can use the Goron's Bracelet, and only Adult Link can use the two types of Gauntlets. The Goron's Bracelet allows Link to lift Bomb Flowers and bushes, though Adult Link can lift plants on his own. The Silver Gauntlets allows Link to lift up the silver boulders, but he cannot carry them. The Golden Gauntlets allow Link to move the large pillars with the star and cresent Emblem of Time on them.

Switches Activating switches is an important concept in Zelda 64: activate the right switch and you'll be able to proceed. There are a number of switches you'll have to master. Typically, switches reset after you leave the room or dungeon you find them in.

FLOOR SWITCHES
Floor Switches are switches you stand on. The basic floor switch just needs to be stood on once and it'll be locked down, but just to make life annoying they come in a number of variations:
Hold-down Switches will only remain down if weight is constantly applied. This requires getting a wooden box or Armos Statue onto the switch. They're usually blue in colour.
Timed Switches will only be activated for so long before they deactivate by themselves. Listen for the music change to determine how long it is before the switch deactivates.
Toggle Switches are rare, and are red. They lock down after being stood on, but stand on them again and they'll deactivate.
Rusted Switches cannot be simply stood on. These switches are so badly corroded that they need even more weight applied to them. Use the Hammer to apply the force you need; the switch will be permanently locked.

EYE SWITCHES
Set into walls, the eye closes once the switch is activated. Usually, Eye Switches retract the iron bars over a door. To activate the Eye Switch, hit it with a Deku Seed or Arrow. Eye Switches can be Timed or Toggle.

EPIGLOTTIS SWITCHES
These switches are only found Inside Jabu-Jabu's Belly, where they hang from the roof. Hitting them with a projectile weapon will activate them, and you only need to activate them once.

CRYSTAL SWITCHES
Common in the later dungeons, veterans of the Zelda series will associate them with retracting multi-coloured blocks, and the cause of many headaches due to some of the most difficult puzzles. Fortunately, there's nothing like that here. Oh no....it can be a lot more frustrating than that!
Crystal Switches are tall diamond-shaped objects, which has the Symbol of Time along their base. Using the Sword or some other weapon, hit the Crystal Switch to activate it. Crystal Switches come in the basic one-hit activate-only type, but also come in the Timed and Toggle variety.

SUN SWITCHES
These are the rarest switches of all, and only appear in the Spirit Temple or Inside Ganon's Castle. They are small sun faces on the floor, walls or some blocks. Expose the Sun Switch to bright light to activate it. In some cases, you will have to blow open a wall or some other obstruction to get the necessary light, move the switch itself into the light, or manipulate mirrors. Beware: there are several fake switches!!

Event Sequence
Warning: This section contains the list of places you must visit in order to finish the game.
If you don't want to know, read no further!!

The following list is where you must go and what you must do there in order to get through the game. Complete all the white points in order before moving onto the coloured points. Complete all the coloured points before moving onto the next lot of white points. Coloured points can be completed in any order, but you must complete all the points of one colour in the given order. This is your last warning: if you don't want your adventure spoilt, read no further!!

You start the adventure in Kokiri Forest. Get the Kokiri Sword and the Shield, then venture Inside the Deku Tree to get the Kokiri Emerald.
Leave the The Lost Woods and venture over Hyrule Field and through Hyrule Town to Hyrule Castle, meeting Princess Zelda.
Head for Kakariko Village so you can reach Death Mountain. Get some items and info from Goron City so you can enter Dodongo's Cavern.
Clear Dodongo's Cavern to get the Goron Ruby.
Work your way to the land of the Zoras. After a brief stop at Lake Hylia, you'll be able to go Inside Jabu-Jabu's Belly and get the Zora Sapphire.
Head for Hyrule Town, getting the Ocarina of Time from Zelda as you go. Now head for the Temple of Time and recover the Master Sword.
After a stop at Karkariko Village to get the Hookshot, you'll be able to return to The Lost Woods and clear the Forest Temple.
Head for Goron City, and after a short stop there you can clear the Fire Temple.
Head for the land of the Zoras and clear the Ice Cavern.
Clear the Water Temple at Lake Hylia.
As Young Link, clear the Bottom of the Well.
As Adult Link, clear the Shadow Temple.
Head for the Gerudo's Fortress and free the Hylian carpenters from the Thieves' Hideout.
Reach the Desert Colossus and enter the Spirit Temple. Exit the temple, then return to the Temple of Time to become Young Link.
Recover the Silver Gauntlets from the Spirit Temple as Young Link.
As Adult Link, clear the rest of the Spirit Temple.
Return to the Temple of Time to meet Sheik.
Dispel the six barriers Inside Ganon's Castle.
Climb up Ganon's Tower to battle Ganondorf, then duel with Ganon.
Watch the ending.

"Anyone who seeks fame need only become familiar with all that I have acheived." - Claudius Galen
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