Star Fox Adventures/Walkthrough/The First Gate

Head to the passage that leads to Snowhorn Wastes from Thorntail Hollow.

Water Passage

Continue along this path until you reach the water. If you try to swim right, you will not be able to due to an opposing current. Notice a black switch nearby. Position Tricky on it and tell him to stay. Climb up the nearby ledge and head down the barred passage. There is a switch you can activate with your staff at the end. Once you have done so, the direction of the water's flow will change, and you will be able to swim through. Once out of the water, continue along the trail to Snowhorn Wastes.

The Imprisoned Snowhorn

Upon entering the Wastes, you should notice a gate ahead. Look for a keyhole nearby. The key the queen gave you will unlock this gate.

In this new section, head up a small hill to the left and you will see a trunk sticking out of a thick sheet of ice. There is a Snowhorn inside. He claims that the Sharpclaw have imprisoned him there. If you bring him frostweeds, he will be strong enough to get himself out. After he is done speaking, a gang of Sharpclaw will advance on you.

Frost Weeds

Look for a blue tree nearby. Bring Tricky to the tree. Hit the tree to knock Frostweeds out. Activate Tricky's Find Secret command and he will bring the Frostweeds to the Snowhorn. Your job is to distract the Sharpclaw so they don't interfere with Tricky's mission. The Snowhorn's meter is displayed at the bottom of the screen during this time. The meter fills up when he eats frostweeds.

Garunda Te

When the Snowhorn is strong enough, he will break the sheet of ice with his skull and the Sharpclaw will run off. The Snowhorn will recognize Tricky, the prince, and asks who his accomplice is. Tricky will then introduce Fox and the Snowhorn will reveal his identity. He is Garunda Te, the spellstone gatekeeper of Dark Ice Mines. It is his duty to guard the land from which a spellstone is forged. General Scales confronted Garunda Te with an ultimatum. Garunda Te would either open the gate (giving access to the stone) or Scales would destroy the tribe. Garunda Te refused, but his daughter did not think this way. She opened the gate herself. Scales did not destroy them, but he enslaved them instead.

Your duty now is to retrieve the stone from the mines and return it to the Volcano Force Point Temple. Garunda Te will opens the gate for you.

Preparing for departure

Return to Thorntail Hollow. Head to the Arwing. You will need five fuel cells to access Dark Ice Mines. (It is one of the worlds orbiting the planet.) Some of the previous sections of the walkthrough include the locations of various fuel cells. You can find much more than five in Thorntail Hollow. If you already have them, press the A button while next to the Arwing and you and Tricky will leave the planet.

Sidequests

Consider taking time to complete these sidequests before leaving the planet.

Cheat Token

Head back to the area where you met Garunda Te. Search for a nearby river. (From the spot where Garunda Te's prison used to be, head south and make a left.) At the foot of the waterfall (to the left) you will see ice platforms being formed. Get on one of them and ride it to the end of the river. There is a well at the end. Pay it 20 scarbs to receive a cheat token. Take it to the Warp Stone maze.

Fuel Cells

• (2, Snowhorn Wastes) - Recall the frozen lake you traveled across around the time you met Tricky. Return to that area. Notice a high ledge in the southern part. You can see two fuel cells displayed on it. Use the ice block to access them.
• (3, Snowhorn Wastes) - Upon entering the main section of Snowhorn Wastes from the frozen lake area, look to the left. You should notice a couple of ice platforms in water. Look for a trail just to the right (It runs along the border of that watered area.) There is a switch at the end you can activate with your staff. Once it is activated, a gate near one of the ice platforms will open. Cross the platforms to access the fuel cells.
• (2, Snowhorn Wastes) - Head back to the area where you met Garunda Te. Search for a nearby river. (From the spot where the ice sheet used to be, head south and make a left.) Look at the tree to the left. Look for a dark circle in the tree and shoot it with the Fire Blaster. (If you wait long enough, you can see a pair of green eyes pop out for a second.) The tree will fall over, giving you access to the other side. Once across, climb the ledge to reach two fuel cells.
• (2, Snowhorn Wastes) - Head back to the area where you met Garunda Te. Search for a nearby river. (From the spot where the ice sheet used to be, head south and make a left.) At the foot of the waterfall (to the left) you will see ice platforms being formed. Get on one of them and ride it to the end of the river. Stand next to the well. Press the Z button and look around. You should notice two cells nearby.
• (1, Snowhorn Wastes) - Head back to the area where you met Garunda Te. Search for a nearby river. (From the spot where the ice sheet used to be, head south and make a left.) At the foot of the waterfall (to the left) you will see ice platforms being formed. Get on one of them and ride it to the end of the river. Now head to the opposite end of the river. You should come across a fuel cell on the way.
• (2, Thorntail Hollow/Snowhorn Wastes Pass) - Halfway through the water portion of the passage, you should notice an underwater platfrom with a rocket boost pad on it. Boost yourself to the upper ledge and turn around. Look for a red square and shoot it with the fire blaster. It will turn green and the gate behind you will open, giving you access to two fuel cells.