It’s been over 20 years since players were first treated to the glory that is The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. When this epic game was released for the N64, it was a game changer. This was the very first time that a Zelda game was fully playable in three dimensions, and the fully rendered world of Hyrule and all of its surrounding areas was a wonder to explore. Players became obsessed with the game, trying to beat it as quickly as possible (which probably would have been a lot easier if not for that pesky Water Temple). What they didn’t know at the time, possibly due to the limited internet available to them, is that there are a ton of helpful tips and tricks that can help players get through the game much more easily.
On top of that, there are also just a lot of fun moments that players can experience due to glitches or just hidden moments that the programmers sprinkled throughout the game. Ocarina of time is definitely the kind of game that players love to revisit, enough that it actually got a remake for the 3DS. However, some fans are loyal only to the original, and still have their copy, as well as their N64, in their homes. Is it possibly time for another playthrough of this classic game? If you think it is, then you might just want to try and find these 20 hidden details in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of time.
The power crouch stab
Obviously one of the things you’ll be doing a lot in the game is swinging your sword at enemies. That is, unless you’re the kind of person who prefers to use arrows or the slingshot. The problem is that sometimes your sword just can’t do enough damage. So what can you do to make things better?
If you throw your shield up and swing your sword, you’ll do what is known as a crouch stab. Now, this move is almost a secret in itself, since it’s not even mentioned in the instructions. What is special about it, though, is that its attack power is exactly the same as your previous attack. So you can swing the megaton hammer and the crouch stab will be just as strong!
The angry guard in Hyrule Castle
There are plenty of amazing things you can discover when playing through Ocarina of Time. Sometimes the things you find will help you on your journey. Other times, they might give you a hint as to where you can find certain helpful items and chests. Then there are the little things that are just plain funny.
For example, if you find yourself in the Hyrule Castle courtyard with Princess Zelda, turn to your left. You’ll see a little window, which normally you might just ignore. Instead, fire the fairy slingshot through it. A rather testy guard will tell you not to make trouble, and he’ll actually throw a bomb at you! How rude.
Changing the notes on the ocarina
Obviously, one of the biggest parts of playing Ocarina of Time is actually, you know, playing the ocarina… of time. This helpful tool comes in handy throughout the game, and by playing different songs on it, you can actually cause different things to happen in the game.
While there is a set amount of notes that can be played on the instrument, you can actually change the pitch of every note by moving the control stick up and down. Does this do anything special in the game? No, not really, but it does let you have a little bit more creativity if you just want to jam out a sweet tune from time to time.
You can beat Ganon with Deku nuts
When you reach the end of the game, you have to face off against Ganon, who is essentially the Bowser of Zelda games. After all, it’s always him messing things up, isn’t it? At the beginning of the fight, you lose the master sword, and you have to attack Ganon with either the Megaton Hammer or Biggoron’s sword.
At least, you would think you need either of those formidable weapons to attack a monster like Ganon. However, all you really need are… Deku nuts? That’s right! One of the earliest items in the game can be used to damage the final boss just as much as any of the other stronger weapons.
Get free lon lon milk
There are so many different food items throughout the entire Legend of Zelda series that it’s hard to think of them all. However, if there’s one that really stands out among fans, it has to be Lon Lon Milk, the delicious beverage with major healing capabilities. Normally you’d have to buy it, but there is a way to get it for free.
You don’t even have to buy the cow! The secret to getting free Lon Lon Milk is simple. All it takes is yet another tune on the good old Ocarina. If you play Epona’s song in front of any cow in the game, it will provide you with a bottle of free Lon Lon Milk (just make sure you have an extra empty bottle handy).
The giving Goron vase
Sometimes when you’re on a long quest, it’s good to know that there are stops along the way that can help out a little. Let’s say you’re short on rupees, or low on health, or even looking for yet another heart piece to earn a new health container. What can you do when you’re feeling just a bit low on everything?
Well, one thing you can do is check out the spinning Goron vase as Young Link. Once you’ve lit all the torches in Goron City, the vase is going to start spinning like crazy. Toss a bomb into it, and depending on what face the Vase stops on, you could get a heart, some bombs, and of course, some rupees. You might even get lucky and get a heart container!
Get a cheaper Hylian shield
What would Link be without his signature shield? It’s one of the most colorful and memorable items in the game and has been recreated in real life by ambitious cosplayers and prop makers alike. It’s the kind of thing that you just need to have on a long journey like this one.
However, sometimes it’s hard to afford. Well, there are two ways to get a cheaper Hylian shield. The first is in Kakariko Graveyard. In the back row, check the fourth grave from the right. There should be a chest with a new shield (only if you don’t have one, though). Otherwise, give Princess Zelda’s letter to the soldier wearing the Keaton mask before you get a shield, and then you will be able to get one at the bazaar for 50 rupees instead of 80.
Bribing the castle guard
Trying to visit Princess Zelda for the first time in the game is when Ocarina of Time turns into Metal Gear: Solid Link. In order to get into the castle, you have to sneak around and avoid being spotted by the guards. Otherwise, you’ll be thrown out the front gate.
Of course, to get back into the castle, it’s going to cost you. If you talk to the guard and give him ten rupees, he’ll open it up for you. He’ll then say to you, “keep it a secret from everyone!” Any Zelda fan worth their salt will immediately recognize this as a reference to the first ever game when the secret Moblin tells you “it’s a secret from everybody.”
The shark in the Lakeside Laboratory pool
There are plenty of animals to encounter in Ocarina of Time, from cows to horses, to cuccos. Of course, for anyone who wants to see something a little more exciting, they might be disappointed to realize that most of the more interesting animals probably just want to try and hurt you.
However, anyone who wants to explore the waters around the lakeside laboratory will get to find a fun animal surprise without any risk to their health. Located in the water behind the bars of a cage is an image of a shark, not dissimilar from Jaws. There is nothing else to this secret, but it is fun to see a shark in Hyrule.
Stealing the pond owner’s hat
Sometimes it can be a little tedious always doing the right thing. Being the hero of Hyrule may be a big responsibility, but does that mean that you can’t stop and have a little bit of fun every now and then? We’re not even talking about regular fun like playing games or going fishing.
We’re talking about something that’s just kind of silly and will definitely annoy someone else. If you go to the fishing pond as an adult and cast your line at the pond owner, you might just hook his hat. You can either return it to him or throw it in the pond. Be warned though: throwing his hat in the pond will result in a 50 rupee fine.
Hidden Nintendo characters
Did you think that the only time you would ever see Mario and Link in the same game was Super Smash Bros? IF so, then we are here to tell you that you’re wrong. Any Zelda fan knows that Yoshi makes a cameo appearance as a doll in Link’s Awakening, but there are also some cameos from Nintendo stars in Ocarina of Time.
When you find yourself at Hyrule Castle, look in all of the windows. If you find the right one, then you’ll be able to see some of your favorite stars from that other famous N64 game, Super Mario 64. That includes Mario, Peach, and Bowser, but even Luigi and Yoshi make appearances in the pictures.
Transforming magic bean plants
A big part of the Legend of Zelda series, including Ocarina of Time is the presence of fairies. These helpful little creatures will completely heal you if you find one in the wild. If you manage to catch one in a bottle, it will bring you back to life if all of your health has been depleted.
Sometimes they can b hard to find though, but if you know the secret behind the Magic Bean plants, then you can find fairies almost anywhere. Just stand in front of the bean plants and play the song of Storms. The plant will release a fairy before returning to the ground.
Butterflies turning into fairies
Of course, maybe you’re not in an area where there are any bean plants. In that case, there is another way to find fairies. All you need is a trusty Deku stick and to find some butterflies. The rest is just a matter of getting those butterflies to follow you for a little while.
If you manage to get the butterflies to follow you for long enough, they will turn into fairies right before your eyes. This can be really helpful when you don’t have any potions and you’re running really low on health. Just remember that storing a fairy in a bottle is also a handy thing to do, especially before entering a temple.
Boiling hot rupees
Everyone who has spent some time in Hyrule knows that rupees talk. The little jewels that can be found all over the place can add up pretty quickly, and you can use them for just about anything in the game, from buying important items to getting favors from people or even opening up new areas.
Sometimes it’s good to know the places where you can get a few extra rupees, even if it means jumping into a hot cauldron. In the Gerudo Fortress, you’ll find a few cauldrons scattered around, filled with a boiling liquid. You might think it would burn you to jump in, but instead, you’ll get a red rupee for daring to dive in.
The Gerudo’s changing clothes
No video game is perfect. Even the best ones still have a few glitches in them, but at least these small, broken moments can make for some interesting surprises. Even a game as seemingly perfect as Ocarina of Time has a few points in it that are clearly just the result of some bad programming.
One of these moments is innocent enough, however, that you might not even really notice it the first time. After getting the Gerudo membership card, you might notice that the thief who gives it to you is wearing a matching outfit, depending on which color tunic Link is wearing. This makes him seem like a fan of yours, but rest assured, it’s just a glitch.
Use a bottle to fight Ganondorf
All of Ocarina of Time leads up to the final confrontation against Ganondorf (and, of course, his true form, Ganon). First, though, you have to face off against the sorcerer as he hurls magic projectiles at you. You hit these back and forth using your sword until one finally connects with Ganondorf’s face.
Of course, you don’t have to use your sword here. Sure, that seems like the obvious choice, but why not have a little bit of fun at the end and use a bottle instead? A bottle will work just as well as your sword in hurling the projectiles back at Ganondorf. How embarrassing would it be for him to be bested by a bottle?
Infinite drawbridge rupees
Like we said earlier, getting a lot of rupees is key to making the game just a little bit easier and more fun. Never having to worry about how much Hyrulian currency you have with you is one of the things that allows you to just enjoy the journey. You need something from the shop? Buy it! Someone’s offering a shortcut for 50 rupees? Pay them!
That being said, it’s good to know where you can get a lot of rupees, especially early on in the game. One place to find a lot of rupees is the drawbridge into Hyrule Castle Town. If you climb up the chains on the bridge, you’ll find quite a few rupees. Not only that, but the rupees always reappear after you leave the area, so you can backtrack and collect as many as you need.
Make money with light arrows
Any experienced Zelda player knows that you can also get a lot of rupees from taking out various enemies across Hyrule. Sometimes it can be a bit tiring, though. Especially when enemies really only drop one rupee at a time. You must be thinking that there is a better way.
Luckily there is! And all you need to make things a little bit easier on yourself are some light arrows. If you take out enemies like stalfos and keese with light arrows, they will drop a purple rupee instead of the standard green one. Since purple rupees are worth 50, this is a great way to rake in some cash!
Finally get those Skull Kids
Throughout Hyrule, You’ll encounter Skull Kids. These weird looking little people will be totally nice to you if you are still wandering around as child Link. However, the moment you grow up into an adult, they will become openly hostile with you. They’re actually kind of a metaphor for the real world.
There is a way to get rid of those skull kids as an adult, despite the fact that it is kind of tricky. If you try to defeat one of these skull kids with the MAst Sword, they will simply dodge it with relative ease. However, if you use a blade with some reach, like the Biggoron’s sword, then you’ll be able to get them. It’s worth the effort, because they’ll drop 200 rupees!
Glitch the golden scale
The Golden Scale is one of the more useful items to have in the game, although you have to wait a while to get it, and it can make navigating your way through Hyrule a lot more difficult. Besides, who wants to wait for such an important item when you can just get it right away using a glitch?
All you have to do is go to the fishing pond as a kid. Catch a fish that weighs at least eight pounds. After that, swim out to the middle of the pond, but make sure Navi doesn’t hover over any other fish. Once you reach the middle, and Navi is not pointing out any other fish, hold down the Z button and swim back to shore. While still holding Z, exit the pond and talk to the owner. For some reason, he will give you the golden scale instead of the silver one.
