Lake Hylia
Before we make our way to the Fire Temple, we can clean up a few more loose ends around Hyrule.
Make your way over to Lake Hylia first. Back when we visited Lake Hylia as a child you spoke to one of the Scarecrows along the bank and taught him a song. Head over and speak to him again, whip out the Ocarina and play the song you played for him as a child. (I personally just use Zelda’s Lullaby with one extra note; left, up, right, down, left, up, right, down).
Once you do this, he’ll speak to you and allow you to use that melody to summon his brother, Pierre, in various locations in the game. Usually, Navi will fly over to these spots and turn green. Summoning Pierre with the Scarecrows Song will allow you to Hookshot over to him, granting you access to areas you couldn’t reach normally.
Heart Piece #24 – On Top of the Lakeside Lab
With that, we can now reach another Heart Piece, this one is at the top of the Lakeside Laboratory and requires you to either have the Scarecrows Song or to have planted a Magic Bean here when you were a child. Play the Scarecrows Song to summon Pierre to the top of the Laboratory and then Hookshot over to him. You may need to play around with positioning until Navi flies up and turns green. This is the indicator to play the Scarecrows Song. Climb to the top of the tower and claim the Heart Piece.
The Golden Scale
From here head over to the other side of Lake Hylia, into the Fishing Pond. To reach it, you’ll either need to ride the Magic Bean plant all the way over there, or you’ll find another place to call Pierre on the northwest side of the Fishing Pond entrance.
Head inside and we can again participate in the Fishing Challenge here. This time we need to catch a fish that weighs at least 13 Pounds to qualify for the new prize, the Golden Scale.
The largest fish always starts in the Pond’s center, so aim there with your casts. Try not to splash too much in the water as you’ll scare the fish and it’ll make it harder to catch them.
Once you’ve got a fish of at least 13 pounds, take it to the owner to receive your prize, the Golden Scale. This will allow you to increase the duration of your underwater dives.
Head out of the Fishing Pond and back into the Lakeside Laboratory for our next Heart Piece.
Heart Piece #25 – Diving Challenge Lakeside Lab
Enter the Lakeside Laboratory and jump into the pool of water. Getting the Golden Scale will now give you enough diving depth that you can now dive down and touch the bottom of this small area. Once you do this, jump out and speak to the scientist, he’ll reward you for reaching the bottom with your next Heart Piece.
Make your way out of Lake Hylia and back into Hyrule Field for our next Heart Piece.
Hyrule Field
Once you’re out in Hyrule Field, make your way over past Lon Lon Ranch. You want to head toward the single Tree to the northwest of Lon Lon Ranch. Here you’ll get the indicator from your Stone/Shard of Agony that something is here. Drop a Bomb near the tree to reveal another Secret Grotto. Drop down into it.
Heart Piece #26 – Secret Grotto Near Lon Lon Ranch
Use your Fairy Bow to defeat the Water Spider in here. Then you can dive down under the water to reach the Heart Piece on the bottom.
Head back out into Hyrule Field and make your way over through Kakariko Village, into the Death Mountain Trail.
Death Mountain
As you’re climbing Death Mountain you’ll find that there is a patch of Soft Soil at the entrance to Dodongo’s Cavern.
Heart Piece #11 (revisit) – Dodongo’s Cavern Magic Bean Plant
If you plant a Magic Bean here as a Child, you can ride the Magic Bean Plant to the Heart Piece on the ledge above Dodongo’s Cavern. We actually picked this up as a Child by backflipping off a higher ledge near the Bombflowers. But if you didn’t, then this is the other way to claim the Heart Piece. Grab it if you haven’t yet, and then head inside Dodongo’s Cavern.
Dodongo’s Cavern
Head inside Dodongo’s Cavern and take the very first exit on the right. This will take you to the hallway with Baby Dodongos.
Gold Skulltula #54 – Dodongo’s Cavern Scarecrow Song
In this room, about halfway along the hallway, you’ll notice Navi will fly up to the higher ledge and turn Green. You can play the Scarecrows Song here to summon Pierre. Hookshot over to him and you’ll find the next Gold Skulltula on the wall behind him.
Exit Dodongo’s Cavern and make your way into Goron City.
Goron City
As soon as you enter Goron City we can grab another Gold Skulltula with our Hookshot.
Gold Skulltula #55 – Goron City Center Platform
The platform suspended in the air, in the middle of the highest level of Goron City now has a Gold Skulltula on the backside of it. Climb out on one of the ropes attached to it to get the right angle with your Hookshot to defeat the Gold Skulltula and claim the token.
Head to the mid-level of Goron City. You’ll have noticed by now that the entire city is basically empty, save for one Goron that is rolling around the mid-level. Use one of your Bombs to make him stop and then speak to him.
You’ll need to make him tell you about what happened to the Gorons as well as about Gannondorf and the Fire Temple being opened. Once he’s finished you’ll receive a free Goron Tunic from him, this allows us to survive hot areas that we couldn’t before. He’ll also reopen the Goron City Shop and the entrance to Darunia’s Room.
Head into Darunia’s Room and pull the statue at the back, forward to reveal a secret passage. Make sure to equip your Goron Tunic before you head through the new passageway.
Death Mountain Crater
Heading through the passage will take you straight into the Death Mountain Crater. Continue forward and use your Hookshot to cross the broken bridge you’ll find along the way. Before you can push much further Sheik will arrive again and teach you the Bolero of Fire.
This new song will allow you to teleport to the front entrance of the Fire Temple, here in Death Mountain Crater, whenever you want. Once Sheik leaves you can push forward into the Fire Temple, but first, we’ll be picking up a few things.
From here you’ll need to use the Prelude of Light to return to the Temple of Time and become Young Link again. If you didn’t get this song after the Forest Temple, you’ll need to return to the Temple of Time on foot, when you get there you’ll meet Sheik again, who will teach you the song to return to the Temple of Time whenever you want.
Place the Master Sword back into the pedestal and return to being a child. From here you’re going to need another Magic Bean plant and some bugs, grab the Magic Beans from the seller in Zora’s River if you need them. Then use your Ocarina to play the Bolero of Fire to return to Death Mountain Crater while you’re a child.
Gold Skulltula #56 – Death Mountain Crater Soft Soil
You’ll arrive on a large platform with a Triforce insignia on it. Just off to the side of this platform, you’ll find a patch of Soft Soil. Drop some bugs into it to find Gold Skulltula #56.
Collect the Skulltula Token and then plant a Magic Bean in the Soft Soil. Use your Ocarina and play the Prelude of Light to return to the Temple of Time. Once there, grab the Master Sword, make sure you’ve still got your Goron Tunic equipped, and return to the Death Mountain Crater with the Bolero of Fire again.
Heart Piece #27 – Death Mountain Crater Magic Bean Plant
Now that you’re here as an adult, the Magic Bean plant will have matured. Climb on and ride it to the top of the nearby ‘volcano’ here at the peak you’ll find another Heart Piece. Jump off and grab it, you can warp back down with the Bolero of Fire or just jump off and aim for the platform.
Either way it’s now time to head into the Fire Temple, which you’ll find straight ahead from the Triforce platform, and climb the ladder down to the lower level and enter the Fire Temple.
Fire Temple
Entrance Hall
As soon as you enter, run up the stairs and take the door on the left through into another room.
Boss Door Room – Small Key #1
Once you enter you’ll trigger a short scene with Darunia, the leader of the Gorons. Turns out he’s here to help you out with the Dragon Boss of the Temple. He’ll head through the Boss Door and leave you alone in the room to finally move around.
Follow the path to the left, jumping across the small platforms to the larger platform in the corner of the room (southwest corner platform). Here you’ll find a switch to open a door and free the Goron trapped behind the locked gate. All throughout the Fire Temple you’ll find Gorons that have been imprisoned like this. Step on the switch to free the Goron and he’ll give you some info about the Fire Temple. Once he leaves you can open the small chest behind him to obtain the first Small Key for the Temple.
Head back into the Entrance Hall afterward.
Entrance Hall
This time head straight forward and use your Small Key on the locked door across from where you entered.
Lava Cavern – Small Key #2
This room is filled with small platforms in the lava that you can jump across. We’ll also find two Small Keys in this room. Head to the left from where you entered first and make your way across the lava to the small door.
Inside you’ll find another trapped Goron. Step on the switch to free him and grab the Small Key from the chest behind him. Head back out of this room and into the main Lava Cavern again.
Before you leave this platform, stand on the edge and turn around to find a large blue stone with the Temple of Time insignia on it above you. Play the Song of Time to move it down a level and reveal a doorway behind it. Climb up and head through the doorway.
Gold Skulltula #57 – Fire Temple Tile Room
As soon as you enter make sure to raise your Shield. Tiles will begin to float up and fly toward you. Wait for them all to shatter against your Shield and then use your Fairy Bow to defeat the Like-Like on the other side of the room. Don’t try to attack it with your Sword, as it will grab you and eat pieces of your gear if you get too close. Kill it and then claim the Gold Skulltula on the wall behind it.
If a Like-Like does grab you and eat a piece of gear, you can get it back by defeating the creature if you’re quick enough. Otherwise, you’ll need to repurchase whatever it ate. After you’ve got the Gold Skulltula head back out into the main Lava Cavern.
Lava Cavern – Small Key #3
Head directly across to the south of the area this time. Here you’ll find a portion of wall that looks a little odd. If you smack it with your sword it’ll make a different noise as well. Drop a bomb in front of it to blow it up and reveal a doorway.
Inside the door, you’ll find another small room with a trapped Goron. Stand on the switch to free him and then claim the Small Key in the chest behind him as well.
Make your way back into the Lava Cavern’s main room and use a Small Key to unlock the locked door at the end of the bridge and head through into the next area.
Fire Elevator Room
As soon as you enter, you can use your Hookshot to grab onto the chainlink fencing in front of you. Climb up it and use your Fairy Bow to kill the Keese that are scattered about the area and then climb across the horizontal portions at the top of the fence and drop down to the lower platform on the south side of the room, with the pushable block. Push the block to the north and it will fall into the hole where the fire has been shooting up from. Jump down on top of it and you’ll be able to ride it the next time it rises to the upper level of this room.
In this upper portion of the room, you’ll find another locked door. Use another Small Key and continue on.
Crystal Puzzle Room 1
Straight ahead of you is a trapped Goron, you’ll be able to reach him soon, so ignore him for now.
Climb the ledges on the left and defeat the two Fire Slugs that you’ll find as you climb. As you climb you’ll find a Crystal Switch near another pushable block. Push the block off of the ledge and follow it down. Drag it over until it completely covers the nearby symbol on the floor.
Climb on top of the block and use its height to reach the higher levels of the platforms. At the very top is a climbable route out of this room, but it’s blocked by a wall of flame. Drop down a level so that you’re now on a ledge above where the Crystal Switch we saw earlier was. Walk close to the edge, above the Crystal Switch, and drop a Bomb over the edge. It will explode, activating the switch, and allowing you enough time to climb back up to the higher level with the flame barrier. While the Crystal Switch is activated the flames will recede allowing you to climb up and out of this area.
Boulder Maze (Lower Level) – Small Keys 4 & 5
This area is full of boulders that roll in set patterns around the room, while these patterns sometimes defy physics you can learn them so that you can avoid the boulders. There is a total of 2 Small Keys and 1 Gold Skulltula to collect in this room. All of the items to collect in this section are found under ‘overhangs’ in the maze. So they should be fairly easy to identify when you find one.
Follow the path to the right first, you’ll find the first overhang with a switch underneath it. Hit the switch to free the nearby trapped Goron. Make sure to grab the Small Key from the chest behind the Goron after he leaves.
Gold Skulltula #58 – Fire Temple Maze False Wall
Make your way back the way you came, you’ll pass by the face on the wall that we passed when we first entered. Keep following the outer wall until you reach another overhang. Here if you slash the wall, it will make an odd noise, you’ll also hear a Gold Skulltula nearby. Drop a bomb and you’ll reveal an alcove containing the next Gold Skulltula. Defeat it and collect the token before continuing on.
Continue to follow the outer wall, making two more right turns to find another small alcove you can enter. Inside is a door that leads to a corridor with another trapped Goron. Free him by standing on the switch and collect the other Small Key when he leaves.
Exit the area with the Goron, back out into the main maze, here follow the wall counter-clockwise to find a locked door. Use one of the small keys to open it and continue on.
Narrow Bridge Room (Dungeon Map)
Be very careful walking on this narrow bridge. Falling off the edge will put you back in one of the starting areas. The door to the right has a Silver Eye switch above it, shoot it with your Fairy Bow to unlock the door.
Head through this door to find a small room with a chest containing the Dungeon Map. Grab it and head back into the Narrow Bridge Room.
This time, use one of your small keys to open the locked door and head through to the next area.
Flame Wall Room
As you enter you’ll find a small rock path in front of you. Follow it up to a series of suspended metal gratings, as soon as you hop on this, a wall of fire will appear behind you and force you to keep moving forward.
Follow the path and you’ll eventually need to jump over to another suspended platform, hang back a sec before you do so that you don’t get hit by the Flaming Skull that will jump out of the lava below as you approach it. Make your way along the path and you’ll eventually reach the door on the other side of the room. Head through into the next area.
Boulder Maze (Upper Level) – Small Key 6 & 7
As you enter you’ll find that you’re back in the Boulder Maze Room, however, you’re now on the upper level, on top of the raised platforms in the maze.
Head straight and onto the platform with the Fire Slug. Defeat it and Navi will tell you she can hear a Goron below you. You’ll find the top of this platform is cracked, use a Bomb to blow it open and reveal a pathway down.
Climb down the passage it reveals and follow the hallway to a switch that will free another Goron. Once he’s done talking, grab the Small Key in the chest behind where he was and hit the other switch to create a shortcut. Head back up to the Upper Level of the Boulder Maze to continue.
From here if you look around you’ll notice a nearby platform with a switch on it. To reach this platform you’ll need to use the ‘long’ platforms though, as it’s not close enough to just jump over directly. Make your way to it to free another Goron on the far side of the room. Make your way over and speak with him, then grab the small chest behind him for another Small Key.
Gold Skulltula #59 – Fire Temple Maze Scarecrow Song
Before you leave this room we can grab another Gold Skulltula. Head back toward the middle of the area first, where we blew a hole in the floor. Looking at the map you want to head to the northern half of the room and then make your way to the southwest corner of this northern half. This is where the entrance to the upper level was. Stand in the entranceway, facing out towards the Maze. If you then turn to the right, Navi should fly off to a higher platform and turn green. Play the Scarecrows Song here to make Pierre appear.
Hookshot over to Pierre and then turn around and hookshot across to the small marker on the platform across from you. The platform will raise and you’ll be in a new room.
Follow the path and climb up the grating here to find the Gold Skulltula. Continue to the top and head through the next door. This will lead to a large room with a hole in the middle and a spiraling path around the outside of the room.
Gold Skulltula #60 – Fire Temple Gold Rupee Room
In this room, walk forward a little to the edge in front of you and look to your left to see the next Gold Skulltula on the wall over the hole. Use your hookshot to defeat it and claim the token.
If you feel like challenging your self you can hookshot over to a nearby switch, this will extinguish the flames surrounding the chest in this room. If you can follow the path and make it over in time you can open the chest for a Gold Rupee (200 Rupees) for your trouble.
To leave quickly, simply jump into the pit in the center of the room. You’ll land in the small room with narrow bridges and be able to continue from there.
Narrow Bridge Room
Once you’re back here, simply head through the door and into the room with the Fire Wall again.
Flame Wall Room
You should now have 2 small keys available, one can be used on a door in this room. As you follow the regular path through this room, about halfway through you can jump off a high point of the metal grating and over to a locked door. Use a key to unlock it and head on through.
Follow the small pathway it leads to and out into the next large room.
Invisible Wall Maze (Compass)
This room is again shaped like a backward letter “C” as you move through here there will be flame barriers that appear between sections as you get close. Make sure to go slow to avoid headaches and maneuver around the walls as they appear. You can also find plenty of pots containing hearts along the outside edge of this room if you need them.
Make your way to the northeast corner of the room first. Here you’ll find a door that leads to a short passage with the Compass at the end. Claim it and head back out into the Invisible Wall Maze room.
This time weave your way south. Once you’re in the southern half of the room, you want to head for the locked door that is pointing towards the center of the room. Use your Small Key to unlock it and head through.
You’ll enter a short passageway with a trapped Goron on the right. We can’t help him now, so just continue through and out the door on the other side.
This will lead you back out into the Fire Maze Room, but now you are on the other side of the map from where you entered.
From here we ultimately want to go through the door to the west and leave this area. However, it’s barred by a wall of flames. There is a switch to the north of where you are now that will lower the flames for a short period of time. You’ll need to activate the switch and then make your way through the maze to the exit before the flames return.
Once you’re over near the door, you’ll need to bomb the door to destroy the ‘fake’ door and reveal the actual doorway behind it. Head through the door and continue into the next room.
Flare Dancer Room
As soon as you enter the door will lock behind you and Link will be forced into a fight with a new enemy called a Flare Dancer. He will go to one portion of the room and begin spinning. If you leave him alone he’ll throw flames from where he is, all over the room. Red flames burn in place, while blue flames will move around the room.
Once he starts spinning you can either use your Hookshot or a bomb to stun him, removing the flames from his body. The smaller version of him that remains will begin running around the room to get away from you, head in the opposite direction, and hit him with a jump slash and a follow-up combo. He’ll eventually jump back into the flames in the center of the room and restart the entire process. Stun him and attack him again a few more times and he’ll be defeated.
Once he’s defeated, the flames in the center of the room will extinguish and you can climb onto the platform to be taken up to another room. Follow the path and head through the doorway into the next room.
Crystal Puzzle Room 2
Turn right and climb up the grating here to the next level. From here, drop a bomb over the edge to trigger the Crystal Switch below and lower the flames around the nearby grating. This will stay down long enough for you to climb up it and enter the next door.
Megaton Hammer Room
The first thing to do in this room is to cast the Farore’s Wind spell. This will allow you to warp back to this room if you fall down the huge pit in the middle of the room. Very handy.
Climb up to the raised platform nearby and you’ll find a switch. When you stand on this, the fire surrounding the chest near the center of the room will lower for a short time. You’ll need to hit the switch and then run along the very narrow path all the way to the end to reach the chest. Open it before the fire springs back up to obtain the Megaton Hammer.
Head back to the room’s entrance and you’ll find a small platform jutting out of the ground nearby. Hit it with the Megaton Hammer to make it fall through the floor, creating an opening to another room.
Drop down into the hole and then use the Megaton Hammer to destroy the statues in the corner to reveal a door. Head through to continue.
Sunken Hallway
Head forward and use the Megaton Hammer to smash the small switch at the front of the hallway. This will cause steps leading down to appear. Grab one of the nearby small boxes, behind you, and carry it down the steps. While holding the box, stand on the small switch, drop the box on the switch to keep it held down and then head through the door it unlocks into the next area. (If you smashed the small boxes, then simply exit the room and reenter to respawn them).
Invisible Wall Maze
In this next small room, stand on the platform in the middle and smash it with the Megaton Hammer. This will cause it to drop and you’ll go along with it, down into the Invisible Wall Maze room.
From where you land, climb up the nearby platform and use your Hammer to activate the “Rusty” switch here. This will open the locked door next to you. Head through into the next area.
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