The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time/Ganon's Castle

In the course of seven years, Ganondorf obliterated Hyrule Castle, creating his own in its place. Its evil magic radiates throughout the land, spreading the influence of evil into the furthest corners of the fallen kingdom.

A Very Familiar Face

Use the Prelude of Light to return to the Temple of Time for the last time. This time, as you enter, Sheik appears. However, this time, Sheik is not here to give Link a song. Instead Sheik reveals that when Ganondorf tried to steal the Triforce, his heart was imbalanced, and the Triforce split into three parts: The Triforce of Power, The Triforce of Wisdom, and The Triforce of Courage, and that the parts of the Triforce went to the three destined to receive them. Sheik says Ganondorf received the Triforce of Power, and Link received the Triforce of Courage. Sheik then suddenly reveals part of the Triforce; The Triforce of Wisdom. Using it he changes into: Zelda.

A Sacred Weapon

Zelda reveals that she wanted to help you on your journey because it was her fault for causing everything to happen, and that she is the Seventh Sage, the one destined to become the leader of the Six Sages. Zelda then gives Link a gift, the Light Arrows, which can penetrate through darkness. She tells you that you and she will now finally defeat Ganondorf. However, suddenly the Temple of Time starts to rumble, and Ganondorf's voice can be heard, commending Zelda on her seven years of hiding. Zelda is encased in a crystal prison, and carted away. Ganondorf tells Link that if he wants to save Zelda, he'll have to come to his castle.

The Path to Ganon's Castle

Go into the now desolate Hyrule Market and go up the path where Hyrule Castle used to be. You'll find Ganon's Castle is in its place, and it's completely unreachable! However, Rauru speaks to you telepathically and says the Six Sages will make a bridge for you using their powers. With the combined power of the six medallions you have obtained from each respective sage, a transparent magic bridge connecting to the castle appears, and now you can enter the castle.

It is best if you prepare for Ganon's Castle by purchasing two jars worth of blue potion (talk to the lady in the red barn behind the potion shop in Kakariko Village) for it restores both health and magic at once, and remember to also get fairies. Make sure you have empty bottles to put them in. Each filled jar of blue potion will cost you 100 rupees.

Ganon's Castle

The final dungeon of the game is imposing at first, but rather simple. A series of Temple-Themed challenges awaits you, along with a few new items. March straight through the ascending stairs and the two Beamos and enter the main hall. You'll see that there are six separate mini-dungeons that require disabling, to disable the large barrier in front of you. There is no specific order as to how to complete, however, you must obtain the Gold Gauntlets from the Shadow region before you can complete the Light region.

If you are low on health, fairies, or magic, simply back flip to the bottom of the tower, and directly below the entrance is a hidden alcove. Use the Lens of Truth if you can't find it, it's on the ground floor. If you enter, several fairies and Business Scrubs await. You can stock up here if need be. The recommended travel companions are two fairies, and two blue potions. You'll find that you'll want to be able to readily replenish magic later on.

Another method

Speaking of items, if you prefer another way of playing the mini-dungeons with minimum effort, here's a simple suggestion: Assuming you have all gold skulltulas, you need jars full of blue fires and then do these mini dungeons first. Do the Water Barrier first and then the Shadow Barrier that has the Gold Gauntlet that would allow you to get the extra heart defense. If you do those first, the rest of the mini-dungeons should be really easy. Once you finish the Water Barrier, you can go out and refill the jars with fairies so they can save you from dying.

From the entrance, go in the direction, starting with the Forest Barrier in that direction minus Water and Shadow Barrier.

The Forest Barrier

Move a little bit forward and you'll hit a Wolfos. Easy battle, stab it up the back. Afterwards, light the four surrounding torches using Din's Fire (fire arrows work too, but you'll find that Din's Fire uses a lot less magic in the long run) and use a fire arrow to light the torch on top of the doorway in front of you. This will unlock the door. If it does not unlock, a torch has died out. As soon as all torches are lit at the same time, continue through the newly unlocked doorway.

This room, unfortunately, is a bit more complicated. Yes, it's another silver-rupee gathering fest. You'll notice several platforms, and a jump won't be enough to get you to first one. Hover boots? Not only that. Fans. So how do you get around? Well, start by playing the Song of Time to make a block materialize under the rupee on your left. From there, you can hover with the wind and then drop onto the other platform. Throw a bomb at the Beamos from here to kill it.

Wait until the fan in front of you stops spinning, then jump (or float) down onto the platform to the left of the exit door to find a switch which, when pressed, will make a pillar with a hookshot target appear from platform you came from. Use that target to get the silver rupee, then gather the remaining rupees. Keep in mind that the fans will blow you around if you use the hover boots carelessly. Use the Iron Boots to stay in one place if needed. Once you have collected all the silver rupees, the door at the end of the room will unlock; continue through it.

In this last room, you get to use the Light Arrows for the first time. Equip them and shoot one into the center of the Forest barrier (the sphere surrounded by the green forcefield). Saria will then destroy the barrier and she'll warp you back to the entrance that led to the barrier. This will happen each time you destroy a barrier. Head to the right once more to find the Water barrier.

NOTE: Saria's "hurry up" is not an indication of a timer etc. Don't worry about this; just take your time.

The Water Barrier

From coming out of the Forest Barrier, turn right and walk down the steps where you will see the entrance to the Water Barrier. Enter through this door.

Kill the Freezards while avoiding falling icicles from the ceiling. DO NOT open the chest on the left (when looking at the door to continue); it will freeze you solid. Once they have been killed, break away the icy stalagmites in the center of the room surrounding the blue fire then bottle (the fire). Melt the red-colored ice over the door with the blue fire, then return to the fire and refill your bottle before proceeding through the newly accessible door. You'll need the blue fire for this next part.

Once you have passed through the door a timer will start with two minutes on it; you have entered an ice puzzle. Remember that on ice, one push of a block will send it skidding in that direction, so be careful. If you make a mistake, leave the room the way you came in and return; you'll find that both the position of the blocks and your timer have been reset.

To solve the puzzle, find the block furthest away from you and go round the left side of it. Push it into the rock sticking out of the floor. Go then round the back of it (after pushing it, this will be Link's left side) and shove it into the hole in the middle of the ice. Proceed to push the second block in the direction of the now filled hole (a rock will stop it). Go round the right side of the block, break the pot and push it towards the wall (the only way you can). Climb up the block, and then up off the block onto the ledge. Melt the red colored ice with your blue fire. Take out the Megaton Hammer and hit the switch. This will open the previously locked door at the end of the room. Go through it to find the Water Barrier. Do the same as you did with the Forest Barrier (that is to say, shoot a light arrow at the spherical object surrounded by the [in this case, blue] mist). Don't ignore the two pots either side of the doorway; these will probably contain a heart and some magic. Ignore the "hurry up" again, and watch the water barrier break down, thanks to Ruto.

Return to the little enclave below the entrance on the bottom floor of the main hallway to get your health recovered and rebottle a fairy (if you only came into the castle with one bottle and had to waste a fairy to bottle the blue fire, this is especially important). Try to ignore everything else in the room (using your shield if need be) and return to the main hallway.

The Spirit Barrier

Go into the door marked by the orange medallion (on the left of the entrance). This is another rupee-collecting quest, unfortunately. Luckily, there are no pitfalls here, just spike traps.

First things first, blow up the Beamos. Once that's done, latch onto the target above where he used to be and get his rupee. Then to get the others, slide the statues around until you can collect them easily. If you feel the need, play the Sun's Song where the Beamos was to pick up a big fairy.

Kill the torch slugs, then look up at the bars. You'll notice a hole at the top. Turn around and hit the switch beside the door you came in from, causing a chest to fall. Open the chest to find twenty Bombchus, because you'll need to put one through that hole and hit the switch. If you have more, it helps. Afterwards, look up in the room with the suns and fire a Fire Arrow up into the webbing to expose light. Shine some light on the sun to the right of the doorway you just came through. Get the wrong one, and a Wallmaster will come to get you. Finish off this barrier and go back to where the Water barrier entrance is, continuing one more to the Shadow Barrier. (If you don't have the fire arrows go to the fire on the torch closest to the room and get in-between the torch and the diamond key and aim an arrow towards the webbing)

The Shadow Barrier

This barrier gets irritating if you have to restart it. Rule #1: Do not fall. Ever. You will be as annoyed as if you hadn't pulled that first block in the Water Temple. Having said that, let's do this dungeon.

Shoot the torch on the right (it might be hard to see, but it's there) with a Fire Arrow. Alternatively, if you don't have Fire Arrows, you need to be fast - Longshot across to the torch and use Din's Fire, then quickly Longshot to the Like Like on the other side (The Longshot cursor disappears when you aim at the Like Like but this is just a trick, if you aim toward the top of the Like Like you will be able to Longshot across). When you do this, a series of platforms will appear. If the torch goes out, they'll disappear. Then run to cross to the main platform, and kill the Like Like if needed, but be careful not to hit it so that you won't make things hard on yourself. There's another torch by the door, so shoot it as well. This will cause another set of temporary platforms to appear, BUT you need to use your Lens of Truth to see the new path. Alternatively, use your Hover Boots with two well-timed attack rolls to cross to the next platform. Then head downwards using them to find another switch. A chest will drop and the platforms will remain in place. If there's enough time after hitting the switch, head back to the platform on the ice platforms. Otherwise, longshot to the chest that appeared. You'll find the ever-important Golden Gauntlets. They are twice as strong as the Silver Gauntlets and allow you to lift incredibly heavy objects. Then use the Lens of Truth, which will reveal the path to the torch to the exit, and another path to the exit itself. To open the door, use the Lens of Truth to the switch that is on the left side of the locked door, and use the megaton hammer to push in the switch. Destroy the barrier with the light arrows, and Impa will appear to get rid of the Shadow Barrier. Now, go and leave the castle to find the final Great Fairy's Fountain.

The Last Great Fairy

The location of the sixth and final Great Fairy Fountain.

Leave the castle, cross the bridge, then turn left. You'll see a bunch of rocks and a stone pillar blocking at the end of the path. With the Golden gauntlets, you can toss it out of the way and reveal one final Fairy Fountain. In this fountain, play Zelda's Lullaby and the Great Fairy will enhance your life energy. You'll receive borders around your hearts, meaning that you now take half damage from any attack. Yes, a very nice reward for the last couple of bosses.

Once you're done out here, head back inside and head left, passing the pillar you see. Don't worry, you'll get it soon enough. Go past the pillar to the Fire Barrier.

The Fire Barrier

Before entering the room put on your Goron Tunic. If you got the feeling that the Shadow Barrier was annoying and the Forest Barrier was a pain, things get even harder. This one requires the use of the Hover Boots nearly all the time, so be careful where you step. You'll be collecting even more Silver Rupees, and facing a few traps ahead.

Head to the left to the rotating wheel of fire. Don't take your time here, get the rupee, and get back, the whole middle platform will sink (unless you have the Hover Boots on. The platform will NOT sink if you do). Grab the next rupee on the brown platform, this one starts to sink down as well. Now, see the big pillar? With the Golden Gauntlets, you can heave that aside to get the rupee under it. After you've done that, hookshot to the door and kill the Fire slug, then longshot to the platform behind you and to the right. What do you know? It's the pillar. Jump onto the pillar and onto the platform, then hurry back and longshot back to the exit (NOTE: It is nearly impossible to do this with the Hover Boots on, so de-equip them!). Destroy the Fire Barrier, and Darunia will get rid of the Fire Barrier. Then you can move on to the ridiculously easy Light Barrier.

The Light Barrier

Easy to find. You passed it earlier. It's that big pillar! Lift it out of the way and head on through the door.

In the first room, pull out your lens and bow and kill all of the enemies who think that being invisible gives them an evolutionary advantage. Hit the chest in the middle, but no others, as they're mostly traps. If you go to the right middle chest and open it you will get arrows, the top left chest rupees, bottom left a heart. Continue to the next room, which is easy, Stand on the Triforce symbol and play Zelda's Lullaby, causing a chest containing the key to the door to fall. In the next room, Hookshot to the ceiling and survey your surroundings. Plan and time your path, as getting hit by boulders is not fun. There are some rupees in the middle and on the outside. Once you're done here, pat yourself on the back. No more silver rupees! Ever! The next room looks like a dead end, but put on your lens of truth and you'll see that you can walk through the wall. Just don't linger too long in that empty room or else a Wallmaster will be waiting for you. After dispelling the Light Barrier, you know what to do from here. Continue into Ganon's Tower.

Ganon's Tower

This is the final gambit that Ganon throws at you to delay your arrival. To move on, you must kill everything in your path, except those first Keese.

Dinalfos Attack

The first enemies of the tower are Dinalfos. These lizards are like Lizalfos, but have more strength in them. However, you're now well-equipped to take them.

Boss Key

Proceed further up the tower and you'll find your next challenge, two Stalfos. You must quickly kill both to move on. Normally, this would seem difficult, but if you picked up the Ice Arrows on your quest, it's very simple. Just wait for them to drop their guard and hit them with the arrows, then jump-slash them to kill them in one strike! Now with them gone, the fire trap in the room vanishes, revealing the chest with the Boss Key.

If you still want to continue to "beat" the full game (all the heart pieces, skulltullas, masks, etc.), save now! After completing Ganon's Tower, you cannot save and will lose all progress that was not saved previously.

Final Defense

Up at the next section on the tower await two Iron Knuckles, the mini bosses of the castle. However, they aren't silver like the ones you faced in the Spirit Temple: they've been beefed up to suit a stronger defense. The weaker one has white armor, and the stronger one has black armor.

There are several ways to defeat them, like to unload all of your remaining bombchus on them, because they won't be very useful from here on out, or quickly hit-and-run them with either sword. As you get higher, you'll notice some creepy organ music. When you reach the room with nothing but a bunch of jars in it. Break it if you are low on health, arrows, magic, bombs and rupees. Go through the door on your right. You'll then be at the base of another staircase which will lead you to Ganondorf's Room and the very pinnacle of the tower.

This is a good save point. If you're playing again, it will assume you killed all enemies but the firebats and have the Boss Key ready to use.

Gathering of the Triforce

As Link comes face to face with Ganondorf, he sees him at the foot of a pipe organ, playing a song with a dark lull to its melody. Above him, Link sees Zelda, held captive in the crystal in which she was encased. As Ganondorf plays his dark song, The Triforces of Courage and Wisdom show their marks amongst Link and Zelda's hands. Soon, Link finds his body rejuvenated by the song's melody. Ganondorf, his desire achieved, suddenly stops playing the organ and speaks to his confronter. His song brought out the pieces of the Triforce and started to combine them. However, this goal is not finished. As Ganondorf flashes the Triforce of Power amongst Link and Zelda, he begins the final phase of his plan: slaying them!

Boss: Ganondorf

Navi is held back by Ganondorf's evil aura so you cannot use Z-targeting during this battle. Make sure you have the hover boots on. Simply stand on any of the outer blocks in the corners and let Ganondorf shoot at you. Otherwise, he may send shockwaves through the floor and make it crumble, like at the start of the fight. If a shockwave does knock you off climb onto his platform and return his magic ball. When you're this close he can't block it, but it only works once each time you fall. If you remember the fight with Phantom Ganon, you'll know what to do. Use your sword or an empty bottle to deflect Ganondorf's magic back at him. After a few volleys, he'll get hit by his own magic and will be stunned. At this point hit him with a light arrow, then jump (or hover) onto the platform in the center and slash him to pieces. Don't use Nayru's Love to protect you though since you can't shoot the light arrows when being protected by the Love. Jump back to the squares and repeat. Sometimes (when he's low on health) he'll shoot a large blast of magic at you. You can deflect this one by using your fully charged spin attack, otherwise avoid it. While he is charging up the attack you can hit him with a light arrow which won't stun him but it will hurt him. It'll make pieces of the floor crumble away, making the battle trickier. You have a choice of either keeping the hover boots on or changing over to your regular boots in order to run faster to avoid the blast of magic. Either way, as you run from the bolts of magic, rolling at the last second helps you to avoid getting hit.

If you need health or magic drop down to the bottom area where the pots are. Hopefully you have some blue potion if you need it.

Alternately, you may not have to equip the hover boots. If you have the Biggoron's sword, equip it, and have the hookshot ready as well. After stunning Ganondorf, and firing the light arrow, line up a direct path with him. You can jump/hookshot yourself into Ganondorf, either way as soon as you land, you can jump slash him. Since one jump slash with the Biggoron's sword is the equivalent of four Master Sword strikes, this initial blow will speed up the process. Stabbing gives you quicker attack rates, and less lag time after the swing. Once you see him recover, hookshot the windows and fly away. When Ganondorf begins charging up his large sphere that can be reflected by using your fully charged spin attack or a more economical firing of a light arrow into his body. This will prevent the charge from ever happening. Five jump attacks with the Biggoron sword will kill him.

Eventually you'll kill Ganondorf. Unfortunately with his dying breath he tries to bring the castle down around him, intending to bury you alive!

Escaping the Castle

Note: If you attempt to save your game at any of the stages from this point on, and proceed to die or quit after, it will not work. You will start at your last save point (before Ganondorf). In other words, you have to kill Ganondorf, escape from the castle, and kill Ganon without dying!

Follow Zelda down through the different levels of the castle to escape. Because of the havoc Ganondorf unleashed before his collapse, the top of the tower has crumbled, along with several halls, staircases, and the corridors that led you to the top of the tower, so now the only way out is through several barred passageways, which only Zelda can open. Be sure to stand right in front of each barred passageway in order to trigger Zelda to open them. Most of the time you can second-guess her and run on ahead. However, if you get hit by falling debris Zelda will gasp and remain where she is, so you'll need to go back for her.

At one point Zelda will be encircled with flames and two Stalfos appear. Destroy both of them quickly or they'll revive! The flames will then vanish and Zelda will release hearts. Go up to her and get them if you need them, then continue on your way.

Eventually you'll come down the stairs and reach a doorway with bright white light outside. Avoid the Re-dead before then. Go through and you're back outside. You'll now see the castle slowly crumble down into a pile of rubble.

Zelda is happy, thinking about how everything will get back to normal, when suddenly there comes a noise from the rubble. She sends you to investigate.

Walk over, and you'll be in for a final surprise...

Ganondorf will emerge from the rubble and use the Triforce of Power to transform into his super-form, Ganon. Ganon knocks the Master Sword out of Link's hands, leaving him without his most effective boss-killing weapon.

Final Boss: Ganon

The fate of Hyrule rests on your shoulders... Arise and conquer your final battle!

Link battling Ganon

Again, save the game before proceeding, in case you haven't for a while. This is the final room, and you will not be able to save after this.

Ganon is the ultimate, power-crazed form of Ganondorf. He is armed with two swords that will deliver more damage than you'd ever wish to see! However, even though you're the target of his wrath, you can still take this colossal monster down.

This time you've got your trusty Z-targeting back. Strike Ganon between the eyes with the light arrows leaving him stunned. This makes his vulnerable tail drop down within reach. Quickly target it and rush in behind him to slash it to pieces. Nayru's Love may also be helpful for this fight. If you don't have the Biggoron Sword the Megaton Hammer will also work or Deku nut. If you need a magic refill just head to one of the crumbled walls and let Ganon strike at it, revealing the bottles. Also, if you're running low on arrows or magic, you can simply hit him once with a light arrow, then go around behind him to strike the tail. Another way to stun Ganon is by throwing Deku Nuts in front of him, followed once again by a quick strafe around his massive feet to hit his tail. Keep the Z-target on the tail and stay near the tail. He will try to turn around and hit you but just keep following the tail and hitting it. If you're interested in just using the Biggoron Sword, roll under him and attack his tail as many times as you can. After about 10 hits he will go down hard. His sword attacks will do 5 or 6 hearts of damage.

Once he's down rush over and get the Master Sword, and equip it, then go and hit him quickly before he gets up (the more blows the better). However if you are not fast enough he will get back up and you will have to do it all over again. Repeat the same basic process until he's down yet again. But if you're low on arrows and power, as Ganon is about to attack you, roll under his legs and attack the tail. Be aware this time you can't Z-target his tail and follow it because he turns around a lot faster. Use light arrows and it is still easy to go around and slash his tail. You can still roll under his legs and slash the tail.

This time however Zelda will hold him still with her powers and tell you to deliver the final blow. Simply walk up to him and slash, and it's all over.

Note: The fight would go on forever with the Biggoron Sword after you recover the Master Sword. Don't use the Biggoron Sword for the final part of the fight or you will end up using nearly everything in your inventory! Also, if you don't deliver the final blow, that will also allow the fight to go on.

Peace is Finally Restored

Now that you have struck down Ganon, Zelda will call on the Six Sages, who seal Ganondorf into the void of the Evil Realm. Ganondorf vows once the seal on him is broken, and as long as he has the Triforce of Power, he will then exterminate Link and Zelda's descendants.

Zelda then shows her gratitude to Link and thanks him for restoring peace to Hyrule. She also apologizes for causing all of what has happened because she did not know as a child what the consequences would be. Then she asks something very surprising of Link; To lay the Master Sword to rest, closing the Door of Time and to give the Ocarina of Time to her so he can be brought back to his own time where he belongs, by using her powers as a Sage. She then tells Link that they will have to say good-bye once peace is restored to Hyrule because once the Master Sword shuts the Door of Time, the road between times will close as well. She then plays her own lullaby, which returns Link to his time, as well as his former self.

Credits

The credit sequence begins, which shows peace returning to Hyrule, Zora's Domain thawing, the Deku Tree Sprout very happy, and the adult Epona running freely across Hyrule Field. As she does so, night time comes over. Then you'll see a celebration where the Gorons, Zoras, and even Koriki are together. Everyone from Hyrule Market, Kakriko Village, and the Lon Lon Ranch are here, too. The Gerudos are even there, dancing. The boss and his workers from Kakariko Village are getting along well now, and Ingo and Talon are friends now. (If you haven't noticed, they are replicas of Mario and Luigi.) Malon is happier then ever, and is humming like always. Even Biggoron from atop Death Mountain is there!

Meanwhile, King Zora and Mido are watching from afar, King Zora missing Ruto and Mido missing Saria, when lights start raining above them. They look up and see the glowing lights of five of the Six Sages flying by, Ruto and Saria flying right overhead, reassuring them they're all right.

Saria, Darunia, Princess Ruto, Impa, and Nabooru are happy to see peace once again. As for Rauru, the Sage of Light, nothing is depicted.

The warp back into time returns Link to his child form and the Master Sword to the Pedestal of Time. Navi flies out of the temple from a window, no longer accompanying Link, as he has mentally matured into an adult. Link takes one last look at the sword before leaving, and the bells of the temple sound off in harmony.

Link returns to Zelda once again, having defeated Ganondorf, both very pleased.

The End

In the N64 version after all the credits, when you see the sepia-toned, freeze-framed "The End" screen, leave the game on. It will eventually start playing a song, either the Prelude of Light or the custom Scarecrow Song that you created, over and over in different instruments.
(Afterwards you may reset your console; You'll stay at "The End" screen Nothing is shown afterwards)

Congratulations! You've finally finished the whole game!