The Legend Of Zelda: A Link To The Past - A Walkthrough with Dagger

[Dagger Dias]

You can get the Quake spell now. On the Dark World map go like you're going to the Magic Shop. These parts of the map are fairly similar. Keep going like you're going to the Zora area from the Light World. You'll see a circle of rocks in the water by where the waterfall was in the Light World. Throw a rock, a sign, or foliage in there. A huge catfish shows up and offers to give you a gift to convince you to let him go back to his nap.

Your present is the Quake spell. You'll keep up your part of the bargain by not returning to this map and throwing the sign or another rock back into his circle of rocks.... right?

 

[Dagger Dias]

NPC Spotlight: The Catfish

This is a huge Catfish lives in a circle of stones in the Dark World over by where the waterfall and Zora area was in the Light World. Throw a sign, a rock, or foliage into the circle of rocks to wake him up. The first time he gives you the Quake spell. If you do it again, he gets angry and throws a bomb at you which is really funny. This can be done as soon before the 1st Dark World temple (Dark Palace) but is not required until right before the 7th, Turtle Rock.
​

 

[Dagger Dias]

Item Spotlight: Quake

This spell is needed later on to open the entrance to one of the Dark World temples, Turtle Rock. You can cause an earthquake and turn some enemies into Slimes making them easier to defeat. I really never use this other than opening Turtle Rock.
​

 

[Dagger Dias]

Enemy Spotlight: Hinox

These guys are powerful. They throw bombs and take several hits from your sword to defeat. Bombs can defeat them in one hit if you can time an explosion to where it hits them.
​

 

[Dagger Dias]

We can get the Ether spell now. Starting from the Mountain Cave in the Light World, go back up to where you found the warp tile after the long stairway. You're not the bunny this time around because you should have The Moon Pearl. Use the Magic Mirror in the same spot you did to get to the Tower of Hera. Go across the bridge to the left of the tower. Use the Book Of Mudora to read the text on the gigantic book. Link holds up The Master Sword and you now have the Ether spell!

 

[Dagger Dias]

Item Spotlight: Ether

This spell can freeze some enemies like the Ice Rod. It is very useful for a puzzle in the final temple for lighting up invisible paths. It also unlocks the entrance to one of the Dark World temples, the Misery Mire. I don't use it much for freezing enemies, since the Ice Rod can do that too. I do use it a lot for showing the hidden path in the final temple, it's a lifesaver at that point. That puzzle is HORRIBLE and Ether makes it so much easier. Keep an eye on your Magic Meter when using this spell....
​

 

[Dagger Dias]

There is another heart piece you can go get now as well. In the Dark World go back south from where you got the Quake spell. You'll find obstacles that require the hammer to get past in the Dark World's counterpart of where the bridge was. Go to the right and follow the cliff until you can dive into the water. Swim over to where the large frozen island is. Find the circle of rocks where Link is standing in the screenshot below. It is to the left of the frozen island.

Use the Magic Mirror to be on an island in the Light World where a heart piece is!

Ok, now we need to go to the Dark Palace. This is where the game really shows its true colors. The Dark World temples are quite challenging. We'll pick up there next. Bring rupees. You'll be spending some to get into the temple.

 

[Dagger Dias]

To get to the Dark Palace starting from the Pyramid in the Dark World go to the right of the bottom steps of the pyramid. Keep going right, south, and right. Now you should be at a screen where you cannot go south due to obstacles you have to use the Hammer to get past. You can go to the right though, so go that way. Go north on the next screen. Follow the skull head statues and square blocks to find a small temple.

This isn't your destination, but feel free to go inside. There is a storyteller inside who looks like a tree. He is the first of many storytellers you might run into in the Dark World who tell you more about the world in the game. It's not required, but you might find his story worth a read.

 

[Dagger Dias]

Go south and then to the right from the tree storyteller's temple. An arrow on the ground points you in the direction of a thorn bush maze. It's a hint that you can enter it from the spot the arrow points to. Follow the arrows and then go left through another thorn bush. Now go north and enter the maze from the right. This part is a bit annoying. Head right 1 space, down 1 , right 1, down 3, right 9, up 1, and then right through the exit. When you exit the maze, there is a monkey following you.

Do exactly what the monkey says or else you will not be able to enter the temple. If he asks for rupees, give him rupees. No matter how much you might not want to. Follow the path through until the end, it's straightforward from here. You will soon find yourself at the temple's entrance. Are you ready?

 

[Dagger Dias]

NPC Spotlight: Kiki

This is a monkey who follows you on the path leading up to the Dark Palace. He asks you for rupees and if you give him rupees both times that he asks for them, he jumps up onto a switch that opens the palace for you. He is never seen again after this that I know of. You will never get up to the switch he opens by yourself, so you have no choice but to pay him when he asks for rupees. It kinda sucks, but there is no other way inside the Dark Palace.
​

 

[Dagger Dias]

The Dark World temples have a much cooler theme music than the Light World ones did, that's the upside. The downside, as I pointed out in a previous post, is that the difficulty in the game skyrockets here. The first room has two switches that open closed doors. Step on the switch at the left corner and go through that door. Inside you find a Helmasaur and some skulls, which function just like the jars did. Lift them up to throw them and get items that might be underneath. The switch under the skull on the top left opens the door back to the entrance room. Go downstairs. You'll see some skulls and Medusa statues. The skull on the lower left corner makes a chest on the lower right corner appear. It has a key! Go back upstairs.

Go through the door on the right side of the main entrance. You might have to step on the switch in the right corner a second time to open the door. Defeat the Helmasaur and go downstairs. A Fire Fairy is down there, ignore him and step on the warp tile. This room has two more Fire Fairies and another warp tile. Dash into the cracked wall using the Pegasus Boots to open it. In here are some Blue Buris. Do not attack them when they flash or you will take damage. Use the Pegasus Boots again to dash into the hole at the end of this room to open it. Defeat the Goriyas inside. The red one must be defeated with Arrows and he shoots a beam at you when he faces you, so be careful. Defeating the Goriyas unlocks the door to the next room. Go upstairs past the Blue Buris and traps, watch out as the floor moves. The next room has a chest guarded by some Red Buris. It's this temple's Map! Take the map and use a Bomb to open the cracked spots on both walls. The left one leads to a chest with a key. The one on the right leads to fairies. Catch some in bottles if you have empty bottles, or restore your hearts then make your way back down to the warp tile or use the Magic Mirror to be back at the entrance.

 

[Dagger Dias]

Enemy Spotlight: Helmasaur

These guys chase after you and are pretty fast. They have a mask that protects their face from your sword attacks but if you attack them from the side or behind then you will defeat them quickly. There is a huge one who is a boss later on.
​

 

[Dagger Dias]

Enemy Spotlight: Medusa Statue

These are in pretty much every temple for the rest of the game. They spit fireballs at you. They cannot move and cannot be defeat so that is all they do. The Red Shield can protect you from their fireballs.
​

 

[Dagger Dias]

Enemy Spotlight: Blue Buri

These are fairly easy to defeat but do not attack them while they flash. This makes you take damage.
​

 

[Dagger Dias]

Enemy Spotlight: Red Buri

Identical to the Blue Buri but when you attack them turn into mini Buris, these too can flash to damage you upon impact. Easy to defeat as long as you are careful about when you attack.
​

 

[Dagger Dias]

Enemy Spotlight: Green Goriya

These guys move only when you do. It is possible to corner them depending on how you walk because they keep walking in the same direction even if they get stuck at a wall or object. When one is cornered, attack him with your sword to defeat him.
​

 

[Dagger Dias]

Enemy Spotlight: Red Goriya

These guys are awful!!!! Identical to the Green Goriya, but more dangerous. They can only be defeated by being shot by your Bow & Arrows. The worst thing about them is that if one faces you they shoot a beam your Red Shield cannot protect you from. The trick to defeating them without taking any damage is to shoot an arrow and then strategically getting him to walk into it. Or you can take the damage by facing him then shooting. This is easier, but you take damage doing it.
​

 

[Dagger Dias]

You should now have two keys and the Map. Go through the main entrance's middle path. Use a key to open the locked door. You'll enter a room where some Turtles immediately make their way to you. Ignore them, you cannot defeat these yet. You can defeat the Blue Buris if you want though. Go to the right side of the room and push the block on the right down into the hole. Jump down into the hole. Step on the switch under the skull to make a chest with a key appear. For some reason a bunch of skeletons show up here and throw their heads at you. Ignore them and use the warp tile to be in the room with the Fire Fairy in the basement. Make your way back to the room you were just in, where you pushed the block off into the hole. Go through the door north of this. You'll find a key in the chest in here. Go back and go to the left. Use a bomb on the cracked squares on the floor above where Link is standing in the screenshot. It makes a hole you need to jump down into.

Jump down the hole. Do not jump off the platform! Go upstairs by unlocking the door using one of your keys, you should have 2 now that you used one. The stairs lead to a chest with this temple's Big Key! Jump down into the hole to your right and get on the warp tile below.

 

[Dagger Dias]

Enemy Spotlight: Turtle

I hate these enemies.... They chase you and cannot be defeated by normal attacks at first. You must use the Hammer to get them knocked on their backs. They are invincible otherwise. Once they are on their back, they are vulernable and can be attacked. At this point you should use your sword to defeat them. If you do not defeat them fast enough they jump back up in their protected form and chase you faster.
​

 

[Dagger Dias]

Now that you have the Big Key you need to get to this temple's Big Chest. Go back to where the cracked squares are that you blew up to make the hole to get to the Big Key with. The floor fixed itself and you can now cross this path again. Go through the door above that. In here are some Hardhat Beetles. The puzzle in this room is that the arrows allow you to jump over a hole, but if there is no arrow on the other side you cannot jump back. Follow the arrows onto the large platform and defeat the Hardhat Beetles so they do not get in your way. You will need to throw a skull or use your Boomerang to activate the red/blue switch at the southern part of the room. Make the blue blocks go down. This part sucks. Throw a bomb onto the platform where the switch is. To do this place a bomb down then pick it up with A. Throw it quickly! You must be in between the blue blocks when it explodes and the explosion has to touch the red/blue switch. If it worked, you can now go left and open the locked door with one of your keys. Do NOT use the arrow to jump back down onto the big platform, yet. You should have 1 key now that you used one.

You have to get through this next part quickly. Lift a skull and throw it onto the Helmasaur who runs across the path to get to you. Get to the other side before the path falls down into the hole square by square. If the path fell and you cannot go north, exit the room, re-enter and try again. There's another Helmasaur at the end of the falling path so you might have to take two attempts and defeat one each time. When you get past this go use a key to unlock the door on the left. Now you're in a dark room. Watch out for Kodongos who shoot fire. There's no torches so this room isn't very fun. Go left, up, left, down, then left at the four way fork. Up, left, down, left, and up to get to a chest with Bombs. Go down, right, down, left, down, left, down, right, up, right, down, left, down, right to get to a chest with a Key. From there go left, up, right, up, right, up to get to a crack in the wall. Use a Bomb to open it, this takes you to the Big Chest, open it to get The Hammer!

 

[Dagger Dias]

Item Spotlight: Hammer

This item is important. There are lots of obstacles that require this item in order to get past in the temples or the Dark World overworld. It can also knock Turtles onto their backs and is rather useful against a certain boss.
​

 

[Dagger Dias]

It's all downhill from here, getting the Hammer was the tough part. Now that you have the Hammer you can defeat Turtles and get past certain obstacles. Work your way back to the room with the falling path and enter the door on your right. Defeat the Turtles inside and open the chest to get this temple's Compass!

You should now be able to see this if you also have this temple's Map:

 

[Dagger Dias]

Go downstairs from where you got the compass. You'll see a spider door guarded by Turtles and a ton of rupees! Gather these and go back upstairs.

The chest in the lower right corner has a key, so you might want to grab that too. Once back upstairs use the key to open the door to the south of you. There's a bunch of traps in here. Lift the skull on your left and go open the chest for more rupees. Push the statue to your right so the trap is trapped (see what I did there?) but be careful to not get hurt by the trap. Go through the door on the south wall. You're back in the room with the arrow jumping puzzle and the Hardhat Beetles are back. Defeat them and use your Boomerang on the red/blue switch to make the blue blocks go down. Luckily you do not have to throw a bomb this time. Go through the door on the right.

Lift the skulls and find a switch that opens the door. It only stays open if you stand on the switch, you will have to move a statue onto it. Move the upper right statue to the wall. Then move it upward. You will need to be south of the statue then push it into the corner. Once the statue is on the switch the door stays open. This brings you into a room with Goriyas. Defeat them to move on. The next room has a trap, a red/blue switch, and a green Eyegore statue. Hit the red/blue switch to make the red blocks go down. This is the only green Eyegore statue in the whole game, and also the only one that actually serves a purpose. Shoot an arrow into the eye of the statue to reveal a huge staircase!

 

[Dagger Dias]

Almost done. Go downstairs using the huge staircase. There are weird looking obstacles around you. Use the Hammer to get past these. Watch out for Turtles. This room is dark and you might not see them at first. Use your boomerang on the red/blue switch in the upper right corner to make the red blocks go down. Use a key to unlock the door on the left wall. Defeat the Turtle in the next room and go through the door. This next room is hard! Lots of Turtles are in here and it's dark. Light a torch using your Lantern. Now that you can see the Turtles, use your Hammer to make sure all are vulnerable. Defeat them carefully. If any get up, use the Hammer to make all vulernable. Repeat this until all are defeated. This opens both doors. Go right. In the next room push the right block in the second row from the top, downard. Go step on the warp tile. You'll be in the room where all the rupees were, but in the center this time. Watch out for the four Turtles who are on their way to where you are. Defeat them all and go through the spider door to get to the boss of this temple, The Helmasaur King. You can, theoretically, leave this temple without defeating him and come back with better items, but I'd rather get it out of the way now since we're so close to finishing this temple.

 

[Dagger Dias]

BOSS BATTLE: Helmasaur King

This is a difficult boss. You have to use Bombs or the Hammer to break his mask. Bombs if timed right get the job done faster, but if you dare get within range and use The Hammer, you can continually attack him until the mask is destroyed. When this happens, his face can be seen and you can attack his weak point which is the emerald on his forehead with Arrows or your sword. He can spit fireballs that go diagonally, and sometimes he will attack using his tail. You'll know this is coming because he will start swinging his tail. Run to the lower right corner when he tries to attack with his tail. Have Fairies or Red/Blue potion ready if you get weak. Don't feel bad if you lose or are struggling, he's one of the hardest bosses in the game.
​