Zora’s River

From Hyrule Field, you need to take the eastern exit along the river to arrive in Zora’s River.

As soon as you enter the Owl will be in front of you. As you approach he’ll give the usual spiel about the area, and a handy hint on how to get through the Waterfall at the end of the area.

Gold Skulltula #28 – Zora’s River Tree

Once the Owl is finished talking and flies away, you can find the next Gold Skulltula (#28) by rolling into the tree to the left of the boulders in front of you.

Grab the Gold Skulltula token and then use your Bombs to destroy the boulders that are blocking the path forward.

Magic Beans

Continue to follow the path you’ve now unlocked around the bend and to the man sitting in front of the small fence. Speak to him and he’ll offer to sell you some of the Magic Beans he’s eating.

Initially, these Beans start off quite cheap, but each one you buy increases the price. Buy however many you can, for now, you can always return and buy more as you need them later.

Plant your first Magic Bean in the patch of Soft Soil directly to the right of him. Later on in the story, these bean plants will all have grown and you’ll be able to use them to access new areas or items. There is no Gold Skulltula in this patch of Soft Soil either, so don’t waste your Bugs trying to find out.

With the Beans sorted out, we can head back towards where the boulders that we blew up were. Along the way, you should find a stray Cucco, grab it and hold onto it as we climb up the area. If the Cucco lands in the water or runs away from you at any point, it returns to the start here where you found it.

Holding onto your Cucco, continue to follow the path to the east now. You can use the glide of the Cucco to help you cross some of the gaps along the way.

Heart Piece #16 – Zora’s River Cucco Jump

Once you reach the upper area, to the north of Zora’s River. You’ll find two platforms ahead of you, with the second one containing a Heart Piece (#16). In order to access this Heart Piece, you need the Cucco from before. You’ll need to jump towards the first platform while holding the Cucco. As you approach the first ledge you’ll need to release the Cucco while you’re near the ledge of the first platform. This will cause Link to drop the Cucco and grab onto the ledge. Climb up and then jump over to the next platform, the one holding the Heart Piece.

Jump off of the platform after getting the Heart Piece and collect your Cucco again. Continue along the path until you come to a couple of raised sections of the river. Here you’ll need to throw the Cucco onto the raised section, and then climb up and collect it before it runs into the water.

Repeat the process again and then continue to make your way to the east along the river.

Heart Piece #17 – Zora’s River Waterfall Cucco Jump

Continue to follow the path across the bridge and into the area with twisting platforms going all across the screen from left to right. Climb the platforms to the highest point on the north of the map and turn to look behind you, you should see a Heart Piece on a small platform. Since you’ve still got your Cucco you can easily glide over and collect the Heart Piece (#17).

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Gold Skulltula #29 – Zora’s River Ladder

For a Gold Skulltula, you’ll need to use the Sun’s Song to make it nighttime. Then jump down to the lowest portion of this area, down in the water. There is a ladder that allows you to climb back up to the platforms, but at night, there is a Gold Skulltula on the ladder. Shoot it with the Slingshot and climb the ladder to claim the token.

At the top of the platforms, you’ll find a Triforce insignia on the ground. Play Zelda’s Lullaby on your Ocarina to part the Waterfall and allow you access to the next area, Zora’s Domain.

Zora’s Domain

Welcome to Zora’s Domain! There are multiple levels to this area, the lowest being in the water that you’ll see on the left as you enter. The ground level has a Shop, as well as the exit out into Zora’s River, where we just came from, and the top-level has King Zora’s room. You can also find a Cliff Diving mini-game to the left of his room, which is positioned above the waterfall.

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Heart Piece #18 – Zora’s Domain Torches

First of all, let’s grab a Heart Piece. Head up to the top level of Zora’s Domain into the King’s Room. Up here you’ll find a lit torch, whip out your Deku Stick and light it. You’ll need to now run and light all the unlit torches throughout Zora’s Domain. The locations of them are:

• Bottom of the stairs leading to King Zora’s Room.
• Torch infront of the Shop entrance on the first floor.
• Left of the Shop, in the water, you’ll find another torch near a circle of rocks.
• The final two torches are behind the base of the waterfall.

You’ll need to be quick and it may take a couple of go but if you get them all lit, you’ll be rewarded with a chest at the bottom of the Waterfall containing Heart Piece #18.

Silver Scale

Head back up to where King Zora was at the very top of Zora’s Domain. From here as you enter the King’s Room head out the exit along the left-hand side.

Out here you’ll find a Zora, at the top of the waterfall, who will allow you to participate in a Diving Game. Pay him his money and he’ll toss some Rupees over the edge of the waterfall into the water below. Dive off the top of the waterfall and down into the pool below. From here you need to keep diving underwater and collecting the Rupees he threw down. You can swim while you’re underwater, so if you can, make sure to try and grab more than one with each dive.

The only prize for completing the Diving Game is the Silver Scale item, so if you successfully collect them all before time runs out, you’ll be able to return to the Zora at the top of the waterfall to claim the Silver Scale. This automatically extends the amount of time that Link can dive and stay underwater for.

Now that you have the Silver Scale and the extended dive time, jump back off the waterfall and into the pool below again. This time look underwater for what looks like a small gateway near where you should have landed. You can now dive down far enough to go through the gate into Lake Hylia.

Lake Hylia

Heading through the underwater gate will pop you out in Lake Hylia. You’ll be near some pillar ruins in the water. Swim around and look for an item on the ground underwater. When you’re close, Navi will fly over to it and turn green. Once you’ve found it, dive down and collect it. When you return to the surface you’ll obtain another Empty Bottle (#2), only it currently has a note inside it.

Head back to the little underwater gate that you entered Lake Hylia through and dive back into it, to head back to Zora’s Domain.

Zora’s Domain

From the pool of water, you’ll need to make your way right to the top of Zora’s Domain again. This time, stand in front of the raised platform in front of King Zora and pull out the Empty Bottle, with the Note inside.

After a quick conversation, he’ll ask you to help find his daughter Princess Ruto. He’ll shuffle to the side and you’ll now have access to the Zora’s Fountain behind him.

Prior to leaving Zora’s Domain though, head back downstairs to near where the entrance to the shop is. From here, you should be able to see the circle of stones and the lit torch in the shallow pool of water nearby. Head over with your Empty Bottle and you’ll find some small fish swimming around out here as well. Scoop one up into your Empty Bottle and save it for later, we’ll need it soon.

Head back upstairs to King Zora and take the exit behind him, out into Zora’s Fountain.

Zora’s Fountain

Gold Skulltula #30 – Zora’s Fountain Tree

Start by heading to the bottom right corner of the map. Here you’ll find a small island with a Tree on it. Roll into the tree to make our next Gold Skulltula (#30) drop out. The reward for obtaining 30 Gold Skulltulas is the Giant’s Wallet, a great upgrade to your Rupee carrying capacity and well worth collecting from Kakariko Village next time you’re nearby.

Great Fairy Fountain

While you’re on this island, against the back wall you’ll find two boulders, drop a Bomb between the two to open a passage into our next Great Fairy Fountain.

Approach the altar and play Zelda’s Lullaby to summon the Great Fairy. She’ll award us with a new spell: Farore’s Wind. This is a teleport spell, the first time you cast it, it marks a point and the next time you cast it, you can teleport to that point.

Make your way back towards the entrance to the Zora’s Fountain and approach the large Fish in the center of the area. Once you’re near his mouth, drop the fish out of your bottle in front of him. He’ll open his mouth to eat the fish and suck Link inside.

Inside Jabu-Jabu’s Belly

Mouth

When you first enter Jabu-Jabu’s Belly, you’ll arrive in the Mouth area. You can exit by heading back towards the teeth.

Head forward and defeat the two Octoroks that jump out of the water. You’ll also find a new enemy here in the Mouth area, these are the Bubbles floating around called Shaboms.

Look on the ceiling and you’ll find a white switch. Use your Slingshot to hit it and open the door ahead of you.

Throat – Upper Level

The next room doesn’t have much for us to do at the moment, here you’ll meet another new enemy, the electric jellyfish called Biri. Avoid them for now, we’ll unlock a way to deal with these guys soon.

Enter the door on the opposite side of the room to continue.

Ruto Room – Upper Level

Here you’ll find the Zora Princess you’ve been tasked to find, Princess Ruto. She’ll promptly tell you she doesn’t need help, before falling down a hole in the floor to a lower level.

Ruto Room – Lower Level

Follow her by falling down the same hole that she did to arrive next to her on the lower level.

You’ll need to speak to her multiple times until she agrees to ‘allow’ you to help her. She’ll curl into a ball and allow you to carry her from here. If you lose her, leave her behind, or she gets submerged in water, she’ll return to this location and you’ll need to collect her again.

Pick her up and head through the nearby door.

Switch Puzzle Room

First, you’ll find yourself in a long hallway with plenty of those explosive Bubble enemies. Avoid them as best you can and continue to make your way forward.

You’ll come to a large room, jump down into the lower middle section and toss the Princess up onto the opposite section. Defeat the Stingers in the water while you’re down here as well.

Gold Skulltula #31 – Jabu-Jabu’s Belly Water Puzzle

While you’re down in the middle section, you’ll be able to see the Gold Skulltula on one of the sidewalls. Shoot it with your Slingshot, then activate the switch in the middle of the area to raise the water level and collect the Gold Skulltula Token.

Jump back down into the middle section, activate the switch again if you need to, and use the raised water level to climb up to where you threw the Princess.

Continue down the passage ahead and you’ll find more of the explosive Bubble enemies as well as another White Switch on the roof. Defeat the enemies and activate the switch to open the way forward.

Throat – Lower Level

As soon as you enter put the Princess down quickly, and raise your shield to reflect the nut back at the Octorok in the water.

Pick the Princess back up and wait for a platform to descend. Jump on while holding the Princess and ride it up to the Throat – Upper Level area.

From here you’ll be able to access a nearby door, to the north, that you couldn’t before. Head through into the next area, this will take you back to the first room where you met Princess Ruto and she fell into the hole.

Ruto Room – Upper Level

Once you make your way into this room, it will reset where Princess Ruto appears if you lose her from here. You can now come back to this room to find her. It saves you having to make the trek back to the lower levels with her again. So just keep that in mind.

Continue carrying the Princess and head through the door on the opposite side of the room. This will open up into a three-pronged set of hallways.

Boomerang Hallways

Avoid the small enemies ahead of you in the center of the area, they move quite slowly so you should be fine running around them.

Take the right path and jump on the floor switch while still holding the Princess above your head. Once the switch is activated, you can head through the door in front of you.

Boomerang Room

Set the Princess down and defeat the four Stinger enemies in the room. Once they are all gone a chest will spawn containing the new Boomerang weapon. The Boomerang will allow you to destroy several enemies that we couldn’t before now, including the Jellyfish. It also collects items that it is thrown at, like Gold Skulltula Tokens.

Pick the Princess back up and head back out into the Hallways.

Boomerang Hallways

Make your way across to the other side of the hallways, ignoring the three exits to the north for now. On the west side of the hallway, you’ll find another switch that requires you to be holding the Princess to activate. This time you’ll need to drop her onto it after activating it to keep it pressed down, while you head through the doorway.

Dungeon Map Room

Inside this room, you’ll find an enemy called a Parasitic Tentacle. Z Target it and move close to have it drop down to its full length from the ceiling, you’ll then need to throw your boomerang at the small middle section of the tentacle that becomes exposed only when it stretches all the way down.

Bait the enemy to its full length and hit it with the Boomerang a couple of times to defeat it and spawn a chest containing the Dungeon Map. Defeating this Tentacle will also unblock one of the northern rooms. Head back out into the Hallways.

Boomerang Hallways

Grab the Princess again as you enter the Hallway and take the first doorway to the north (lefthand side of the three). Navi will announce that it looks like defeating the Tentacle has removed it from blocking the path forward. Head through the door.

Compass Room

As soon as you enter this room a timer will start for 40 seconds and you’ll need to defeat all of the floating bubble enemies within the time limit. You can actually start by throwing Ruto at some bubbles to pop them, then take your Boomerang to the rest of them.

Completing the task will spawn the Compass in the center of the room. Grab it, then the Princess, and take the exit.

Boomerang Hallways

This time make your way to the northmost exit on the righthand side of the map, there used to be a Red Tentacle blocking this doorway as well which is now gone. Head through to face a Blue Tentacle.

Blue Tentacle Room

Put the Princess down somewhere and take out this Parasitic Tentacle the exact same way you did for the first. Bait its full length out and toss your Boomerang at its weak point. Once you’ve defeated it, grab the Princess and head back out to the Hallway again.

Boomerang Hallways

Make your way to the middle of the three north passages, you’ll find that the Blue Tentacle blocking the passage is now gone. Head inside.

Green Tentacle Room

Put the Princess down quickly and use your Boomerang to take out the Jellyfish in the room. With them dealt with you can now focus on the Green Parasitic Tentacle hanging from the ceiling. With that done, grab the Princess again and head back out into the hallways.

Boomerang Hallways

We’ve now cleared this area and need to head back to the room where we first encountered the Princess, where she fell into the hole. So take the south exit back into the Ruto Room – Upper Level

Ruto Room – Upper Level

The last time we were here there was a Tentacle blocking one of the holes in the floor. We’ve cleared the Tentacle now so we want to jump down the hole to continue. Make sure you’re holding the Princess before you jump down the hole.

We want to jump down the northwest most hole. You want the one closest to the western wall, not the one closest to the Boomerang Hallways we just came from.

Ruto Room – Lower Level

The platform that you land on was unreachable previously. Put the Princess down and ready your Boomerang to grab two nearby Gold Skulltulas.

Gold Skulltula #32 – Lower Ruto Room 1/2

The first Gold Skulltula is near where you land on a wall to the northwest, you should have no trouble spotting it. Take it out with the Slingshot and collect the Token with your Boomerang.

Gold Skulltula #33 – Lower Ruto Room 2/2

To the right of the last Gold Skulltula is the next one. Hit it with the Slingshot and then use your Boomerang to collect its Token as well.

With both of them now in our possession, grab the Princess again and head through the doorway to the west for a mini-boss fight.

Big Octo Room

As soon as you enter, Ruto will leave to grab the Zora’s Sapphire. Head towards her after the short cutscene to trigger a trap. She will be taken to a higher level and you’ll be left to deal with a Boss Battle.

Mini-Boss Battle: Big Octo

Big Octo will chase you in a circle around the arena. The way to damage him is to stun him, by hitting him with your Boomerang and then hitting his butt with your sword. You can only reach his butt if you’re behind him though.

There are two ways to play this fight, the first is to chase him while you slowly gain ground on him, until you can hit him with your Boomerang. The second method is to let him hit you, this will cause him to turn around and give you an opening to stun him with your Boomerang, and then hit him in the butt with your sword.

Four Sword attacks or two Jumping Sword attacks will finish the fight.

Grab the hearts he leaves behind after the fight and climb onto the platform to be taken to the higher level.

Big Octo Room – Upper Level

There is a fairy in a jar up here that you should consider putting into an empty bottle if you have one, it will give you an extra life against the Boss later on.

Head out the only door to the next room when you’re ready.

Red Jelly Puzzle Room

In the center of the room, you’ll find two large wiggly red blobs. Get near to the first and strike it with your Boomerang to stun it.

Jump onto the stunned blob and use your Boomerang to stun the next Red Jelly Platform. Jump over to it and then finally to the door leading out of the area.

Throat – Elevator

This is a small area that connects back to the start of the dungeon via the platform off to the side. Run and jump over to the nearby platform to trigger the elevator to the middle Throat level.

Throat – Upper Level

At the end of the now connected passage, you’ll find another switch that Link is not heavy enough to activate. Grab a nearby box and while holding it jump onto the switch to activate it.

Leave the box on the switch and head through the now-open door to the next area.

Vine Room

Jump down from the ledge and defeat all the Jellyfish in the room first so that they don’t bother us later.

Gold Skulltula #34 – Vine Room

There is a large vine-covered area to the southeast of this room. On its northside, you’ll find our next Golden Skulltula part way up the vines. Use your Slingshot to defeat it and then either climb up to collect it or use your Boomerang to snag it.

Climb the vine-covered section all the way to the top. Here if you look out toward the middle of the room you’ll see a switch on the ceiling, but you’ll find a section of glass in front of it, blocking you from using the Slingshot to activate it. Switch to your Boomerang, which you can angle to throw around the Glass and still hit the switch.

The door that it opens leads to the Boss for the Dungeon, so make sure to prepare yourself. Head in when you’re ready.

Boss Battle: Barinade, Bio-Electric Anemone

Barinade will attack in phases, at first you’ll need to circle around him, dodging his beam attacks, while using your Boomerang to sever the Tentacles attaching it to the roof.

Phase 2: Once it collapses to the ground, it will release some of the Jellyfish attached to its body. You’ll need to avoid them while making your way toward Barinade until you can strike the body directly with your Boomerang. Doing this will stun it and now make it possible for you to use your Boomerang to defeat the Jellyfish it released into the arena. Defeating the Jellyfish simply makes the other portions of the fight easier.

Phase 3: Once you’ve defeated all the Jellyfish, you’ll have an opportunity to deal a little damage to the main body of Barinade. After this, it will tether a new set of Jellyfish back to it and begin to move around the area spinning quickly. This first section is frustrating as you’ll simply need to keep tossing the Boomerang at him until it makes it through the Jellyfish and stuns him. Take the opportunity to defeat a Jellyfish or two and then he’ll begin spinning again, this time with fewer Jellyfish. Keep stunning him and defeating the Jellyfish until they are all gone.

Phase 4: Once all the Jellyfish are gone you’ll now be able to alternate between stunning him with the Boomerang and hitting him with your sword. Don’t forget Jump Attacks do roughly 2x damage.

Keep it up and eventually, he will fall and you’ll gain another Heart Container for your trouble. Proceed into the Blue Light to discuss your future with Princess Ruto.

Zora’s Fountain

Once you exit Jabu-Jabu you’ll be back in Zora’s Fountain, Princess Ruto will give you the Zora’s Sapphire for your hard work, and as an engagement gift.

Once you regain control of Link, we have a ton of things to collect with the Boomerang.

Gold Skulltula #35 – Log in the Water

Before we head off to collect everything, we can grab another Gold Skulltula nearby. Above Link should be a log that is protruding out of the water. Climb on top of it and the west wall of the area, make sure it’s nighttime and you should be able to spot the Gold Skulltula about 3/4’s of the way up the wall. Defeat it with your Slingshot and use the Boomerang to collect the Token.

Boomerang Round-Up

The next story destination is Hyrule Castle, but before we go there and progress the story, we need to round out our collection of Gold Skulltula Tokens.

The first place we need to make our way to is the Great Deku Tree.

Great Deku Tree

Once you’re inside the Great Deku Tree, jump down the hole in the middle where the giant spider web used to be and make your way through the rooms down here until you come to the area with the eggs on the ceiling.

Gold Skulltula #36 – Great Deku Tree Egg Room

In the northwest corner of this room, you’ll find a wall that you can destroy with your Bombs. Blast it and you’ll find a Gold Skulltula high on the wall inside, use your Slingshot to defeat it and then the Boomerang to collect the Token.

Lon Lon Ranch

Make your way to Lon Lon Ranch for the next Gold Skulltula, make sure it’s nighttime as you enter.

Gold Skulltula #37 – Lon Lon Ranch Second Floor

As soon as you enter Lon Lon Ranch, at nighttime, you’ll find a Golden Skulltula near a window on the second floor of the building to your left. Use your Slingshot to defeat the Skulltula and the Boomerang to collect the Token.

Gold Skulltula #38 – Lon Lon Ranch Southwest Wall

Make your way toward the southwest corner of the Lon Lon Ranch map, just to the north of where you can enter the building, you’ll find the Golden Skulltula just out of reach near the upper edge of the wall. Use your Slingshot and Boomerang again to collect the Token.

Hyrule Field

Exit Lon Lon Ranch and head west towards the entrance to the Gerudo Valley.

Gold Skulltula #39 – Hyrule Field Circle of Stones near Gerudo Valley

Near the boundary between Hyrule Field and Gerudo Valley, you’ll find a circle of stones on the ground. You almost have to walk over them to enter the Gerudo Valley. Place a bomb in the center of the circle and drop into the hole it reveals. Inside you’ll need to use Din’s Fire to remove all the Spider Webs, behind one of them you’ll find a cow, and behind the cow, you’ll find another Golden Skulltula.

Gerudo Valley

Take the entrance into the Gerudo Valley for the next Golden Skulltula.

Gold Skulltula #40 – Gerudo Valley Nighttime Small Waterfall

As you enter the Gerudo Valley you’ll have to walk across a plank of wood, at nighttime if you look to the source of the small waterfall on the right, you’ll find another Golden Skulltula. Use your Slingshot and Boomerang to claim its token.

**This is the small waterfall that the plank of wood is over, not the large waterfall in the north of the map.**

Lake Hylia

Exit the Gerudo Valley and make your way to Lake Hylia next.

Gold Skulltula #41 – Lake Hylia behind Lakeside Lab

Head for the bridge behind the Lakeside Laboratory, at night you can find a Golden Skulltula on the back of the building. If you stand on the bridge you can use your Slingshot and Boomerang to claim the Token.

Hyrule Field

Exit Lake Hylia and head for Hyrule Field. From the Field, start to head towards Kakariko Village.

Gold Skulltula #42 – Hyrule Field Bomb Tree near Kakariko Village

Just before the entrance to Kakariko Village, after you’ve already crossed the small bridge, you’ll find a single tree to the northeast of the map. Place a bomb at its base to reveal a hole. Inside you’ll find another Golden Skulltula to take out and claim.

Kakariko Village – Graveyard

Head into Kakariko Village and towards the Graveyard out the back of the Village.

Gold Skulltula #43 – Kakariko Graveyard Nighttime Boomerang

At nighttime, you’ll find the Golden Skulltula on the wall in the southeast corner of the central Graveyard area. Use your Slingshot and Boomerang to claim it.

Dodongo’s Cavern

From the Graveyard, make your way over to Dodongo’s Cavern.

Inside you’ll need to take the shortcut pillar to the second floor. From here take the east exit, into the room with the moving spike traps. Take the southwest exit here to return to the second floor of the main room. Cross the bridge and take the exit to the west. This is the room where you’ll need to move the Armos Statue to climb the ladder and hit the switch. This will open the way to the next room.

Gold Skulltula #44 – Dodongo’s Cavern Bomb Staircase Boomerang

This will take you to the room with the huge exploding staircase that we activated previously. The Golden Skulltula is found in a hole just above where the large staircase ends. Climb up and use the Slingshot and Boomerang to claim the Token.

From here you can head back to Kakariko Village and claim any Gold Skulltula Prizes you’ll have unlocked.

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