With the Zora’s Sapphire in your possession, Navi will instruct you to return to the Temple of Time, located in Hyrule Castle Town. Before we leave Zora’s Fountain, there are optional tasks we can do to ensure 100% completion of the game. Swim southeast from Jabu Jabu to the land and roll into the tree at night to reveal a Gold Skulltula. Defeat and collect it.
Behind the tree, you’ll spot a distinctive brown boulder nestled against a wall. Despite its appearance, this boulder cannot be destroyed by conventional means like bombs or the Megaton Hammer. However, placing a bomb near it will trigger a surprising reaction: the entire wall behind the boulder will shatter, revealing the hidden Great Fairy Fountain. Step inside, locate the familiar Triforce symbol, and play Zelda’s Lullaby. The Great Fairy of Magic will once again grace us with her presence, this time bestowing the spell Farore’s Wind. Farore’s Wind is a unique magical ability that allows us to create a temporary warp point within any dungeon we are currently exploring.
Navigate to the back of Lord Jabu-Jabu. Look for a group of small islands and floating ice platforms. Swim towards the northern wall along the edge of the fountain. You will see a log or tree-like structure sticking out of the water near the wall. The Gold Skulltula is attached to the wall of this tree/log at night. Defeat the Skulltula with your Boomerang or Slingshot. Use the Boomerang to grab the token, as it is out of reach.
Make the trek back to the Great Deku Tree as young link. In the B1 room where we encountered the Gohma Larvae, locate the only bombable wall. Blast it open to reveal a secret room. Inside, turn to the left, and you’ll find the fourth Gold Skulltula waiting. Use your Boomerang to collect the token.
Head to Lon Lon Ranch and focus your attention on Talon’s house, the main dwelling on the ranch. At nighttime, a Gold Skulltula will appear on one of the windows on the left side of the house. Use your Boomerang or Slingshot to defeat it and collect the token from this elevated position.
At the Kariko Graveyard, a Gold Skulltula can be found clinging to the outer wall of the Graveyard at nighttime. It’s located to the right behind Dampé’s house. Use your Boomerang to strike it down and collect the token from a distance. Remember to use the Sun’s Song to make it nighttime if you’re hunting during the day.
If you have been following our guide up to this point and/or have 30 Gold Skulltulas, the newly spawned NPG in the Skulltula House will offer the Giant’s Wallet reward.
After, at the entrance of Dodongo’s Cavern. Plant one of your magic beans in the soft soil at the entrance to Dodongo’s Cavern.
Enter Dodongo’s Cavern and navigate to the room with the bombable staircase. You should find a Gold Skulltula nestled in an alcove high above the staircase in this same room. Defeat it with your slingshot or boomerang, and use your boomerang to retrieve it.
Gerudo Valley lies to the west of Hyrule Field, beyond Lon Lon Ranch. The wooden bridge leading into the valley is currently broken, preventing straightforward entry. Despite the broken bridge preventing easy access, Young Link can still explore parts of Gerudo Valley and uncover valuable collectibles. Near the wooden bridge at the entrance of the valley, close to the small waterfall, you might spot a Gold Skulltula clinging to the wall. Use your Boomerang to defeat it and retrieve the token.
Near the entrance of the valley, you’ll find a Cucco roaming around. Pick it up. Jump off the left side of the broken bridge, aiming for a platform across the chasm that has a lone wooden crate on it. Land safely on the platform. Now, with the Cucco turn around and face the waterfall on the other side of the bridge and glide to bottom the waterfall. Climb up the ladder and retrieve the Heart Piece.
There should be a Cucco located beside the Heart Piece. Pick it up and glide down to the Gerudo and cow below. There’s a patch of soft soil behind them. Throw some bugs in the soft soil. Defeat and collect the Gold Skulltula that pops out.
Jump in the water and swim south to Lake Hylia. Navigate to the back wall of the Lakeside Laboratory, defeat the Gold Skulltula that appears at night, and claim it with your Boomerang.
Exit Lake Hylia to Hyrule Field. Near the entrance to Lake Hylia from Hyrule Field, you’ll notice a small square area enclosed by four fences. In the very center of this fenced area, place a bomb. The explosion will reveal a hidden hole in the ground, leading to a secret grotto. Inside, you’ll find a Business Scrub who is willing to sell you a Piece of Heart for 10 Rupees. This grotto also contains a small pool of water. If you play the Song of Storms near this pool, a helpful Fairy will appear, replenishing your health.
Travel to the area between Hyrule Castle Town and Kakariko Village. Look for a lone tree standing north of the river. Plant a bomb near this tree to uncover a secret grotto. Drop down into the grotto, and you’ll find both a large Big Skulltula and a Gold Skulltula clinging to the wall higher up. Use your Boomerang to defeat the Gold Skulltula and retrieve its token.
Walk over to the Hyrule Castle drawbridge. As you approach the castle town, a significant cutscene unfolds: Upon nearing the castle, you’ll witness Princess Zelda and her guardian, Impa, fleeing on horseback. Zelda, in a desperate attempt, throws the Ocarina of Time into the castle’s moat. Following them is Ganondorf, the Gerudo king, who confronts you briefly before pursuing Zelda and Impa. After the confrontation, you gain control of Link. Dive into the moat to retrieve the Ocarina of Time, which has sunk into the water. Upon obtaining it, a telepathic message from Zelda teaches you the Song of Time, a melody crucial for future endeavors.
With all three Spiritual Stones (Kokiri’s Emerald, Goron’s Ruby, Zora’s Sapphire), The Running Man now appears. With the Bunny Hood in your inventory, find the Running Man. During the day, the Running Man jogs along a set path encircling Lon Lon Ranch. At night, he halts and sits down at his current location. To locate him efficiently, run counterclockwise around Lon Lon Ranch during the day; this increases the chance of encountering him head-on. Alternatively, play the Sun’s Song to shift to nighttime, then search for him seated along his route.
Wear the Bunny Hood and speak to him. He’ll express interest, believing the hood’s ears will help him hear the voices of the gods. Even though it is priced at 50 rupees, the Running Man will pay an amount sufficient to fill your current wallet.
After the transaction, return to the Happy Mask Shop to remit the 50 Rupees and borrow the Mask of Truth.
Make the trek to the Lost Woods. Upon entering the woods, Go: Right → Left → Right → Left → Left. In the area with a lone tree and butterflies hovering over tall grass, locate the hidden hole beneath them. Drop into the hole to enter the Deku Scrub grotto. Equip and wear the Mask of Truth. Approach the Deku Scrubs; they will evaluate your mask. After their assessment, they will reward you by increasing your Deku Nut capacity to 40.
Now that we have completed all possible side quests up to this point as Young Link, navigate to the Hyrule Market and step inside the Temple of Time. You will see the Pedestal of Time in the center of the room. Approach the pedestal. Stand in front of the pedestal and play the Song of Time on your newly acquired Ocarina of Time. The three Spiritual Stones you have collected – the Kokiri’s Emerald, the Goron’s Ruby, and the Zora’s Sapphire – will appear and move into the recesses on the pedestal. After placing all three stones, this Door of Time will open, revealing the legendary Master Sword, the blade of evil’s bane. Walk forward to the pedestal and pull the Master Sword from its resting place.
As you draw the Master Sword, a powerful cutscene will play. It will show Link’s spirit being sealed away for seven long years, while his body continues to age. When he awakens, he will have grown into an adult, ready to face the greater challenges that await him. It’s important to note that even after becoming Adult Link, you can still return to the era of Young Link. By playing the Ocarina of Time within the Temple of Time after meeting Zelda as an adult, you can travel back in time. This allows you to complete any remaining tasks or collect any missed items, such as Gold Skulltulas or Heart Pieces, that were only accessible during your time as a child, ensuring a true 100% completion of this portion of the game.
