A Link Between Worlds Walkthrough Chapter 16: Desert Palace

Table of Contents

The Desert Palace is a challenging dungeon located in the southwestern region of Hyrule. To successfully navigate this area, you’ll need the Sand Rod, which becomes available after completing the Thieves’ Hideout. This guide provides a comprehensive, step-by-step walkthrough to help you conquer the Desert Palace, acquire essential items, and defeat the dungeon boss, Zaganaga.

Prerequisites:

Required Item: Sand Rod (obtainable from Ravio’s Shop after completing the Thieves’ Hideout).

Reaching the Desert Palace:

From Link’s House in Hyrule, head southwest to find a fissure on a cliff wall. Enter this fissure to transition into Lorule. Once in Lorule, proceed southwest and then north, passing a save point, until you encounter two fissures on small elevations. Enter the right fissure to return to Hyrule, emerging in the desert region.

Use the Sand Rod to create sand pillars, allowing you to traverse gaps and reach elevated platforms. Navigate south and ascend the stairs. Utilize the Sand Rod to form a path to the pillar with a Red Rupee atop. Continue left, merge with the wall, and move left to find another fissure leading back to Lorule.

In Lorule, take the bottom path to the right of the fissure, leading to another fissure that returns you to Hyrule. Use the Sand Rod to cross from pillar to pillar, merge with the left wall, and proceed right to the other end of the gap. Head north to a save point, then use the Sand Rod to create a path to the Desert Palace entrance.

Dungeon Exploration:

Entrance Room

Use the Sand Rod to create a pathway across the initial gap and proceed left to reach the north wall. Ascend the stairs on the right, near a Gibdo enemy.

Activating Floor Switches

In the next room, you’ll find three gargoyle statues and three floor switches on the left side. Move the statues onto the switches to unlock the door and proceed.

Navigating Sand-Filled Rooms:

Use the Sand Rod to create pathways over gaps and avoid traps like Beamos statues. In rooms with buried enemies, use the Sand Rod to unearth them before attacking.

Acquiring the Compass

After solving the statue puzzle, head left and use the Sand Rod to reach higher platforms. In the next room, pull the lever to fill the area with sand, allowing access to a chest containing the Compass.

Obtaining the Titan’s Mitt

With the sand level raised, use the Sand Rod to reach the north platform and press the switch to reveal a chest. Merge with the wall and navigate to the chest to obtain the Titan’s Mitt, enabling you to lift large boulders.

Progressing with Titan’s Mitt

Backtrack to the room with large boulders you couldn’t lift earlier. Use the Titan’s Mitt to remove the boulders and access a chest with a Small Key. Use this key to unlock the door on the left and continue.

Handling Floor Traps

In rooms with flying floor tiles, defend yourself with your shield or dodge them. Use the Sand Rod to unearth hidden enemies and defeat them to unlock new paths.

Manipulating Moving Platforms

Stand on red moving floors and hit switches to ascend. Use the Sand Rod to reach platforms on your right and navigate south. Lift statues onto platforms to solve puzzles and access chests.

Navigating Rolling Boulders

Use the Sand Rod to guide rolling boulders into cracked blocks, clearing paths. Lift large boulders to access new areas and chests.

Acquiring the Big Key

After guiding boulders to break obstacles, access the large chest containing the Big Key. This key allows entry to the boss’s lair.

Boss Battle: Zaganaga

Zaganaga, the formidable boss of the Desert Palace presents a multi-phase battle that tests your mastery of the Sand Rod and combat skills. The battle occurs in a large, enclosed pit of quicksand within Misery Mire, accessed via a fissure outside the Desert Palace. The arena features eleven scattered columns serving as platforms. Use the Sand Rod to create temporary sand pathways between these columns.

Phase 1: Initial Assault

Zaganaga burrows into the quicksand, emerging randomly atop one of the platforms. Use the Sand Rod to elevate sand, forming a bridge to the platform where Zaganaga has surfaced. Once adjacent, strike Zaganaga with your sword.

Periodically, Zaganaga spawns Peahats—small, flying enemies—that home in on you. As a countermeasure, quickly dispatch Peahats with a single sword strike to prevent being overwhelmed.

After sustaining damage, Zaganaga burrows and re-emerges on a different platform. Repeat the process of bridging gaps with the Sand Rod and attacking Zaganaga while managing Peahats.

Phase 2: Enhanced Aggression

Upon taking sufficient damage, Zaganaga reveals its true form, displaying multiple eyes attached to inner petals. Zaganaga’s movement speed and Peahat spawn rate escalate. It gains a new attack: a continuous sand blast aimed directly at you.

When Zaganaga initiates the sand blast, swiftly move laterally or use the Sand Rod to create barriers, disrupting its line of sight. Utilize the Sand Rod to approach Zaganaga as before, Focus attacks on its exposed eyes, dealing significant damage. Maintain pressure, balancing offense with defense to avoid cumulative damage from Peahats and sand blasts,

Victory and Rewards

Defeating Zaganaga causes the northern sand-filled hutch to open, draining sand and revealing a Heart Container and the painting of Sage Irene.