Ganon’s Tower Walkthrough – A Link to the Past

A Link to the Past 100% Completion Walkthrough

• Princess Zelda Rescue : Infiltrate Hyrule Castle to rescue Zelda and kickstart Link’s epic quest.
• Eastern Palace : Solve Armos Knights’ traps in your first dungeon to claim the Pendant of Courage.
• Desert Palace: Navigate shifting sands and defeat Lanmolas to earn the Pendant of Power.
• Tower of Hera: Climb Death Mountain’s Tower to obtain the Moon Pearl and final pendant.
• The Master Sword & Hyrule Castle: Claim the Master Sword, confront Agahnim, and set your destiny in motion.
• Dark Palace: Explore the Dark World’s Palace and free the first Maiden from darkness.
• Light World Exploration: Unlock warps, collect hearts, and prepare for deeper Dark World dungeons.
• Swamp Palace: Use Cane of Somaria blocks to navigate the toxic swamp and rescue another Maiden.
• Skull Woods: Uncover hidden tunnels and puzzles among the skull trees to free a trapped Maiden.
• Gargoyle’s Domain: Enter via pitchfork statue, secure the Titan’s Mitt, and beat Blind the Thief.
• Ice Palace: Traverse icy floors, gain Blue Mail, and defeat a freezing foe.
• Misery Mire: Master Cane of Byrna and Ether Medallion to rescue another Maiden in the mire.
• Turtle Rock: Face volcano hazards and rescue the last Maiden within this volcanic fortress.
• Ganon’s Tower : Climb the tower’s gauntlet of traps and minibosses to battle Agahnim.
• Pyramid of Power: The Ultimate Showdown with Ganon.

Ganon’s Tower Entrance

After using the power of the seven Crystals to break the barrier, the gate to Ganon’s Tower opens. Steeling yourself, you step inside the dark fortress. In the towering entrance hall (2F), you find two staircases descending into the depths – one on the left and one on the right. Head down the left staircase first.

Descend the left stairs to 1F, entering a chamber lit by torches. Stone blocks and unlit braziers cast dancing shadows on the floor. In the center of the room stand four short mole posts (peg switches) embedded in the ground, and you notice a closed door to the west sealed by a prominent block mechanism.

Key #1 – The Torch Key (Optional)

Upon entering this first floor room, look to the torches along the walls. On top of one torch, you can spot a small key glinting in the firelight. It’s out of reach, but you can knock it down using the Pegasus Boots: position yourself and dash into the torch’s base. The impact causes the key to drop to the floor. Pick up this Small Key (Key #1). Go through the west door.

Key #2 – Opening the Western Door

Next, head to the southeast corner room. Lift the lone skull pot tucked in the corner – underneath is another Small Key (Key #2). With key in hand, you can now solve the puzzle to open the west door. Equip your Magic Hammer and look at the four mole posts arranged around the central block mechanism. Use the hammer to pound at least two of the moles (for example, the top and right ones) into the floor. This frees the central movable block. Push the central block aside (push it left, for instance) – this triggers a switch and unseals the door to the west. The way forward opens with a clank of ancient gears. Go through the west door to the next area.

Dungeon Map

You emerge into a wide chamber with a bottomless pit spanning the center. Small floating platforms hover over the void, and a door lies on the south side, across the gap. On the east side of the room, you see another locked door, barred shut with a keyhole – the plaque above it hints at the Dungeon Map being beyond. You’ll have to use your Hookshot to traverse this room.

First, stand at the edge and Hookshot to the small platform in the center of the gap. From that central perch, aim the Hookshot again southwest to a tiny platform, then from there eastward to a ledge by the right-hand door. This puts you in front of the locked east door. Use one of your small keys to unlock this door, and step through to claim the Dungeon Map.

Inside, open the chest to obtain the Ganon’s Tower Map. With the Map in hand, you can see the layout of this enormous dungeon, which will help track your progress. Now, return through the door to the previous room (the Hookshot platforms room).

To proceed to the south door, you’ll need to manipulate the colored barrier blocks. There is a crystal switch on a ledge here that toggles the blue and orange blocks. If the blue blocks are raised and blocking your path, strike the crystal switch to lower the blue blocks. You need the blocks in the opposite position (blue down) in order to head south. However, you also need a way to toggle the switch after you move into position.

Stand near the crystal and plant a bomb right next to the switch. Swiftly walk down toward the south exit of the room (position yourself past the lowered blue blocks). You want the bomb to explode and aftivate from afar, which strikes the crystal switch a second time. This causes the blue blocks to rise up behind you, effectively trapping the switch but opening the way south.

With the blue blocks now raised (and out of your way), head through the southern door to the next room.

Key #3 – The Hidden Key in the Floor Switch Room

In this new room, dimly lit by flickering flames, you immediately notice another orange/blue crystal switch and more colored barrier blocks impeding certain areas. There’s also a locked door on the east side – your goal is to get that door open. Carefully navigate around the traps here (watch out for any Blade Traps or sparks that might be patrolling).

At the southeast part of the room lies a skull pot (or chest) containing a Small Key (Key #3). Go ahead and grab this key. (If you skipped the torch key earlier, this key is essential now to continue. If you already had a spare, picking this up just gives you extra insurance.)

To solve the puzzle, use a bomb again: place a bomb to the left of the crystal switch on the floor. Then quickly move yourself to a safe spot either in the northeast or southeast corner of the room (so that a raised block won’t block your path to the door). Get there before the bomb explodes and hits the crystal switch from afar. This toggles the blocks (lowering the blue blocks) without you needing to be near the switch.

Now the path to the east door is clear. Use one of your small keys to unlock the north door, and proceed into the next area.

Key #4 – The Hookshot Chest in the Winder Room

You step into a narrow room filled with moving parts and a foreboding hum. Here, a crystal switch sits in plain view, and beyond it you can see a warp tile on a ledge to the right. Hit the crystal switch to open up the range of motion of the Blade Traps, then carefully make your way to the warp tile on the right side of the room. If the moving traps make navigation tricky, consider using the Magic Cape or Cane of Byrna to turn temporarily invincible and slip past safely.

On the left side of this room, past some pits, you’ll spy a solitary block against the wall. Once you reach the left side (either by circling around or via careful positioning), push that lone block leftward. A hidden mechanism triggers, causing a treasure chest to materialize across the gap on the right side! However, a gap now separates you from that chest. Position yourself facing the newly appeared chest and use the Hookshot to grapple across the void and pull Link to the chest’s location. Open it to claim the Small Key (Key #4) inside.

With Key #4 in hand, unlock the nearby locked door on the south side of this room. Go through the door, which leads you into a mysterious maze of warp tiles. The next chamber is an illusionary maze of warp tiles on the floor. Each time you step on a warp, you’ll be teleported to another part of this expansive room. To save you trial and error, follow these steps in order:

Step on the warp tile to your right (east) as you enter. In the new area, walk to and step on the warp tile at the bottom-left of the room. Again, in the next section, step on the bottom-left warp tile once more.

After these three warps, you’ll appear in yet another part of the maze. Now walk to the northeast corner where one more warp tile awaits. Step on that tile, and then immediately step onto the adjacent warp tile nearby. This sequence of teleports will finally deposit you back into a proper room on the east side.

You find yourself in a large open chamber with a long pathway visible – you’ve reached the tail end of 1F. (If you had taken the tower’s right-side path initially, you would have entered this room from a door on the east wall instead, but since we came via the left route, we’re entering from the south.) As you regain your bearings, you notice two skull pots at the north end of the room. Only lift the top skull – the bottom one conceals a nasty trap, but the top one might provide a helpful item or just clear your path.

Now, look to the right: across a wide gap lies a seemingly empty expanse of floor. This is an invisible walkway puzzle. On the far right side of the abyss, you can make out a closed door. You’ll need to create a temporary bridge of light to cross this pit.

Big Key – The Ice Armos Knights

Stand at the north end of the room (but do not go through the north door just yet, as it’s not useful right now). Instead, face toward the right (east) where you suspect the invisible floor might be. Equip the Fire Rod and light the solitary torch on the far right wall. When the torch ignites, magical pathways briefly flicker into view, revealing the route across the pit! Immediately use the Hookshot on the skull pot below you to zip across and save a few seconds.

Now quickly run across the newly visible floor to the east before the torch’s flame dies out. (If you’re too slow and the room goes dark, you can relight the torch or alternatively cast the Ether Medallion, which will illuminate the invisible floor temporarily – handy if you need more time or have run out of magic for the Fire Rod.) Make it to the east side door and go through it.

In the next small chamber, you’ll find a couple of skull pots and a cracked floor in the center. Under the pot in the southeast corner, you can snag some extra arrows (you’ll need them soon). Now plant a Bomb on the cracked floor and step back. The explosion blows open a large hole in the ground. Take a deep breath and drop down through this makeshift opening to the floor below (B1).

You land on cold, slippery ground. As you steady yourself, you realize you’re face-to-face with a group of familiar foes: six Armos Knights spring to life, encircling you! This is a rematch with the boss from the Eastern Palace – only now the entire floor is slick ice, making footing tricky.

Focus on controlling your movement; try to stay in an area where you won’t slide into the knights. If you have the Silver Arrows, this fight can be over in seconds – one Silver Arrow will destroy each Armos Knight instantly. Quickly fire arrows to pick them off one by one. If you don’t have Silver Arrows (which would be unusual on a 100% run), use the Bow or your sword – the Tempered/Golden Sword can deal heavy damage as well. Watch out for the Armos’ typical jumping formation; don’t let them crash down on you. With your advanced gear, the icy Armos Knights should fall with little trouble.

When the last knight shatters, the door to the north opens. Go through it to find a reward room. Three chests await: the side chests hold some bombs and arrows to replenish your supplies, and the center chest contains the Big Key! This Big Key is crucial – not only will it open the big boss door at the top of the tower, but it also unlocks the big treasure chest of the dungeon. Ganon’s Tower’s big chest holds a legendary prize we definitely want.

Optional – Fairy Fountain: Before leaving the Armos reward room, you might want to stock up on health or fairies. The northern wall in this room has a conspicuous weak section. You can either Dash with the Pegasus Boots into it or use a Bomb to blow open a hidden passage in the north wall. Inside is a Fairy Fountain with multiple fairies. This is a perfect opportunity to heal up or capture fairies in your bottles for safety. Once you’re prepared, return to the previous room and head up the staircase that appeared (to the left of where you dropped in) to climb back up.

The staircase brings you back to 1F, higher up in the tower – specifically, you’ll be near the area close to the dungeon’s entrance (2F). In fact, you’ve looped back around the tower’s first floor in an elaborate circuit. It’s time to claim the tower’s great treasure.

Red Mail – The Legendary Armor

On this floor, you find yourself in a short corridor leading to the sealed big chest room. Thanks to the Big Key, you can now access it. Push the lone block out of your way to reveal the big chest in the center. Use the Big Key to open the chest, and you will receive the Red Mail!

Red Mail

This crimson tunic is the final armor upgrade in the game, significantly reducing the damage you take from enemies. Once you don the Red Mail, Link’s outfit changes color and you’ll feel almost invincible compared to before – damage from here on is cut in half again, making the rest of the tower a bit less punishing.

With the Red Mail in hand, exit this treasure room by going north through the door. This door serves as a shortcut, looping you back to an earlier area: you’ll recognize it as a room you passed through at the start of the dungeon. From here, climb the nearby stairs up to the second floor (2F) – essentially returning to the main entrance chamber but on the upper level.

Now that we have the Big Key and the Red Mail, we’re fully equipped to tackle the upper floors of Ganon’s Tower. From the entrance hall (2F), head up the central staircase (or whichever staircase leads upward, now unlocked thanks to the maidens’ magic) to begin your ascent of the tower’s higher levels.

(At this point, if you needed to leave the dungeon for any reason – to restock or save – you could, since you can return to the entrance quickly. But assuming you’re ready, let’s continue upward.)

Key #5 – Ascending the Tower

Climbing the stairs, you arrive on 3F, the first of the upper tower levels. The atmosphere is tense; you are now truly in Ganon’s inner sanctum, and the enemies and traps will come in quick succession. The door forward is locked behind a mechanism – but not a key; instead, there’s a puzzle here. Notice the array of blue and orange blocks in this initial room. A crystal switch might be hidden or out of reach. Fortunately, you can cheat a bit: equip your Hookshot (or even throw your Boomerang if you still have it) and hit the crystal switch visible on the far side of the blocks. This will toggle the blocks, allowing you to move through the maze of raised/lowered blocks. Navigate carefully through the now-open path.

At the top-left of the room is a lonely block against the wall. Push this block; it triggers the door to the next room to open. Go through the now-open door to the south.

In the next chamber, the door slams shut and two peculiar enemies known as Goriyas appear. These are the same mirror-image monsters you encountered in Misery Mire: they move opposite to your movements and are vulnerable to arrows. Two stone Blade Traps also line the central path, ready to slide at you when you pass. A good strategy is to first push one of the movable statues in the room so that it blocks one of the Blade Traps’ paths. This will give you a safe spot. Now, stand facing each Goriya (they usually mirror your position) and fire an Arrow at each one. The Goriyas turn brown upon being hit and will be defeated with one or two arrow shots thanks to your Bow upgrades. Once you shoot both Goriyas, the south door unlocks. Head through to the next room.

Immediately, you’re confronted by two more Goriyas of the same type in here. Employ the same tactic: line up and strike them down with your Bow. With the Goriyas defeated, the path forward opens – you can now continue north, up two screens (the layout essentially has you go through a corridor into the next area).

Proceeding north in the hallway, you emerge into a room on 4F with a staircase leading down and a higher ledge above. Descend the small staircase in front of you, which puts you on the lower portion of the room. Here, you face a sneaky setup: the moment you step forward, two Eyegore statues (the cyclops-like monsters) spring to life, one on each side! These Eyegores were hidden until you got close.

Quickly hit the crystal switch in the middle of the room to freeze or delay any traps (this may also make some floor tiles appear or disappear), then turn to face the Eyegores. They typically need an arrow to the eye or a few sword slashes to bring down. Given space is tight, you might shoot them with arrows as soon as they awaken. If they shoot beams at you, your Mirror Shield can block the Eyegores’ projectiles if you face them head-on (this is where that Mirror Shield shines). Take out both Eyegores.

Among the pots in this room, lift the one in the upper-right corner to reveal a hidden floor switch. Step on this switch and you’ll hear the gratifying click of the door mechanism. The door on the upper level (back where you came from) is now open. To reach it, backtrack up the small staircase to the top part of the room and then head right through the now-open door.

Now Link enters a perilous hallway full of traps. Cannons embedded in the walls begin firing cannonballs across the corridor in timed volleys, and a line of bouncing Bumpers might be moving back and forth. This is the infamous gauntlet bridge. You have two choices:

• Brute force approach: time your dashes and carefully weave through the cannonballs, using the gaps between shots to move. The floor has narrow ledges, so beware of being knocked into the pit by a bumper or ball.
• Stealth approach: use the Magic Cape and become invisible. With the Cape on, you can simply walk straight through all the chaos without taking damage or being knocked back – just keep an eye on your magic meter. If you have the Cane of Byrna, it similarly grants invincibility (with a cool aura) at the cost of magic, but the Cape might be more reliable for not getting shoved by moving bumpers.

Make your way to the far right side of the cannonball hallway. Here you find a cracked section of the wall – a clue of a secret. Interestingly, there’s a gap preventing you from reaching the cracked wall directly. Look closely: two blocks sit at the very edge of the gap. To reach that cracked wall, stand directly south of those two blocks, facing upward across the gap. Now, Dash with the Pegasus Boots into the blocks. The impact will hurl Link backwards – sending you flying across the gap to the other side! When done correctly, you’ll land safely in front of the cracked wall. Lay a Bomb and blow open the wall, then step through the hole. You’ve found a hidden Fairy Fountain (two fairies) – a perfect mid-tower refill station. (This is Optional, but highly recommended if you need health or to stock up your bottles.) Once you’re done, Hookshot back across the gap to return to the main hall, or simply exit and re-enter to respawn on the safe side.

Now head up the staircase at the end of the hall to climb to the 5th floor.

At this point, you’ll encounter a sequence of combat-heavy rooms as you continue ascending. Get ready for a mini-gauntlet of enemies on each floor:

5F (Entrance of Gauntlet): You enter a room where four enemies immediately engage you (commonly these are a mix of harder monsters like Zazaks or floating heads). Rather than fight fair, you can use your Bombos Medallion here to instantly incinerate all on-screen enemies at once. It’s an efficient tactic to avoid taking damage, especially since the Red Mail will halve Bombos’s magic cost if you have the half-magic upgrade. If you prefer combat, use the Tempered/Golden Sword spins or arrows to quickly clear them. Once all four foes are defeated, proceed through the now-open door to the next room.

6F: In the following room, three more enemies attack (for example, a pair of blue Stalfos and a red Stalfos might appear). Deal with them using your sword or arrows. There’s not much space, so be aggressive but careful. After they fall, continue forward.

Still 6F, next area: Another room greets you with three enemies and a pair of Beamos statues firing lasers. These might include Helmasaurs or other armored foes. Immediately take note of the Beamos positions – you can use your Mirror Shield to block their beams if necessary. A good trick is to keep moving; the Beamos lasers fire where you stood, so constant movement helps. Dispatch the enemies (if they have shields or masks, use the Hookshot to stun or remove shields, or just slash with your powered sword). Once cleared, exit south.

6F, next: Now the floor becomes slick with ice, making your traction poor. Only two enemies confront you here (often Freezor ice creatures or blue Zols). If they are Freezors (ice statues), a single Fire Rod shot will melt them. Otherwise, just corner and slash quickly. Take care not to slide into any spike traps if present. Defeat them and move on.

Still 6F: One more room stands between you and a mini-boss. Defeat the enemies here (perhaps a couple of Goriyas or Stalfos – the configuration can vary) and head left through the door. Then continue left again into a larger chamber.

Here you’ll immediately recognize the challenge: Lanmolas attack! Three giant sand worms erupt from the floor, just as they did in the Desert Palace, only now you’re fighting them indoors. The twist is that this arena has a fireball-shooting statue (an Agahnim statue) in the corner that periodically spits fire at you during the fight. Try to keep moving to avoid those projectiles, or use the Mirror Shield to block them when positioned correctly. Thankfully, you’re much stronger now than when you first fought Lanmolas. If you have the Golden Sword, two slashes will take down each Lanmola. Even with the Tempered Sword, a spin attack or a few hits will do. Alternatively, a single Silver Arrow can pierce through a Lanmola and kill it outright – if you have good aim as they emerge. Focus on one worm at a time or spam sword beams (if at full health) to whittle them down. After a short chaotic battle, the Lanmolas will be defeated. A door opens above; go north and then climb the stairs that lead up to the next floor (7F).

Key #6 – The Final Key and Moldorm’s Last Stand

Now on 7F, you’re nearing the top of the tower. You enter a dim room and immediately see three robed figures blinking into existence – Wizzrobes. To make matters worse, the floor between you and the south door is invisible, just like the path earlier. Don’t panic. As soon as the Wizzrobes start to appear, cast the Ether Medallion to unleash a flurry of ice magic. Ether has a dual benefit here: it will defeat all three Wizzrobes at once (or at least heavily damage them) and illuminate the invisible pathway for a few precious seconds. With the path briefly revealed, carefully make your way to the south door (it’s already open – it was never locked, just hard to traverse). If you miss the Ether timing or want to conserve magic, you can also memorize the safe path: it’s a winding bridge of floor tiles. But using Ether makes this room trivial. Go through the south door.

Use your Pegasus Boots to dash across the bridge east and through the door on the north wall. In the next corridor, more Wizzrobes await, popping in and out along a conveyer-belt floor. You might be low on magic after Bombos and Ether, but if you have some to spare, you can cast Ether again to eliminate these as well (or use Bombos if you prefer, but Ether is cheaper and specifically effecitve otherwise, you can also try to dash straight through: as the Wizzrobes begin teleporting in, line yourself on the south side of the corridor and use the Pegasus Boots to dash north. With luck (and Red Mail protection), you might outrun or avoid the Wizzrobe blasts.

Dash to the north side of this bridge and proceed through the door on the east wall. The next chamber contains a puzzle under pressure. Four unlit torches—one in each corner of the room—indicate what you must do. The moment you step in, the floor begins to rumble; parts of it will start to collapse after a short time, meaning you can’t dawdle. Before doing anything, run around the perimeter and lift all the skull pots on the floor. Clearing these will remove obstacles that could snag you while you’re trying to run, and some pots hold Magic Decanters to refill your magic power – very useful right now. Once you’re ready, plan to light all four torches quickly.

It’s easiest to use the Fire Rod for speed, but you can use the Lamp if necessary (it’s just slower). One efficient method: start at the top torch, light it, then move clockwise around the room—Fire Roding the top-right, then bottom-right, then bottom-left torches in succession. Alternatively, one can do top, then top-right, then run down for bottom-right and bottom-left, etc. Just be quick; as soon as the first torch is lit, an invisible timer starts and eventually they’ll all extinguish. With the Fire Rod, you should have enough time to get all four. The moment all four torches are lit at once, the sealed door on the south wall slides open with a thud. Run into the south doorway as soon as it’s open.

This next small room is a respite of sorts on 8F (the penultimate floor). Refill your magic with the full Magic Jar under the pot at the top-right corner (they kindly give you this knowing you likely burned a lot of magic). Dodge the lasers that shoot from the eyes on the east wall. When ready, carefully go up the stairs in this room. These stairs lead to a higher ledge in the same room, overlooking a large open space.

Welcome to a devious puzzle: you’re now on a high ledge encircling the room you were just in, and the goal is to light four torches again. This time, however, the challenge is different: the floor you’re standing on will start collapsing tile by tile as soon as you step foot on it! You must light all four corner torches while navigating a collapsing floor. Plan your route before you move.

From the staircase, move quickly to the bottom-right torch and light it (the Lamp might suffice here because it’s close, but the Fire Rod is instant). Run left along the bottom to the bottom-left torch and light that. Now loop back toward the center (the middle of the room is one of the last parts to fall). From an angle or from the center platform, use the Fire Rod to shoot and light the top-left torch, then the top-right torch. The Fire Rod’s range is helpful; you might not have to run all the way into each corner if you can hit the torches from a distance.

If you manage to get all four torches lit at once, the door on the north side of the room will open. Quickly make your way to that door (use Pegasus Boots to dash if the floor is vanishing under you). If you fall during this process, you’ll drop back to the previous room and have to climb and try again – but now that you know the plan, you should succeed in a retry. Once through the north door, you’ve escaped the collapsing floor puzzle.

You’re almost at the top. In this next area, you encounter two armored foes (Lynels or red armored knights, depending on the version) guarding the final stretch. Engage them carefully: with the Red Mail their damage is less scary, but it’s still wise to dispatch them without taking too many hits. Use sword spins or even a quick Bombos if you’re low on health and want them gone. Defeat the two enemies, and one of them will drop a Small Key. This is Key #5. Collect it, as you’ll need it momentarily. There are also a couple of chests in this room; these contain extra Bombs and Arrows, which you can grab if needed. Unlock the door to the west with that same key and proceed through it.

As you enter, take a look southern wall – there’s a large crack, but it’s not on stable ground: a conveyor belt or moving platform runs along the floor, and nasty Blade Traps guard the area. This is a tricky bit. You must bomb the cracked wall open while avoiding the Blade Traps and dealing with the moving floor. The best method is to stand above the crack, a few paces back, and time a bomb toss so that you throw the bomb onto the moving platform when it’s heading left. The bomb will slide with the conveyor and explode at the cracked section as it passes by, blowing open a hole in the wall. (If timing throws is hard, you can also place a bomb on the conveyor and quickly use the Magic Cape or Cane of Byrna to avoid the blade traps while it explodes safely.) Once the wall is open, slip through the new opening to the south.

Inside, you find yourself in a room with a curious arrangement of raised orange and blue blocks and a treasure chest visible in the center. This is another switch puzzle. Hit the crystal switch you see to alter the block positions and figure out a path to the chest. You may need to hit the switch more than once or even use a trick (like tossing an item or bomb onto it) to create a path. The goal is to approach the chest without the colored blocks blocking you. With some quick footing, you can manage to stand near the chest when the blocks lower. Open the chest to claim Small Key #6 – the final small key of Ganon’s Tower.

Use Key #6 on the locked door at the top of the room. Go through, and you’ll find yourself on a narrow ledge above a familiar arena… it’s an upper balcony overlooking the Moldorm’s lair from the Tower of Hera! Sure enough, as you step forward, the floor gives way and you drop into a boss chamber one level down.

You land on a round platform – a refill of deja vu – and Moldorm (the giant armored worm from the Tower of Hera) awakens for one last battle. This arena is identical to the Tower of Hera fight: a circular platform hovering over a pit, with Moldorm charging around and attempting to knock you off. The stakes are a bit lower now since falling will drop you just one level (to the floor you came from) and you can quickly climb back up to retry, but it’s still time-consuming if you slip. Confront Moldorm carefully.

Thanks to your powered-up sword, Moldorm is far less resilient: if you have the Golden Sword, two slashes to the tail will destroy Moldorm. Even the Tempered Sword only needs a few hits. Do not get overconfident though – maintain your footing and try to hit Moldorm’s tail when it slows its movement. If Moldorm charges you, dodge aside; getting bumped will send you flying. The Magic Cape or Cane of Byrna can be used here as well for a safe approach: you can turn invincible and position yourself to strike the tail without risk (though you’ll uncloak when attacking). After a couple of hits, Moldorm will be defeated and explode in a puff of smoke.

When Moldorm dies, a chest appears on the south end of the platform. Use the Hookshot on that chest to pull yourself across the gap (and open it if you like – it often contains a small refill or just serves as a grappling point). Now push the blocks out of your way (simply move any block that’s blocking the path) and exit left through the door.

You’re now in the final hallway on the 7F upper balcony. This room has a conveyor and multiple traps: moving platforms, Blade Traps, and bumpers all in a row. It’s a hazardous conveyor belt straight to the staircase at the top. The safest approach is to use your Magic Cape once more – activate it and just run straight through the gauntlet while invisible, ignoring the bumpers and traps entirely. If you’re low on magic, you can try to time your run carefully: move when the Blade Traps retract and pause in safe spots behind blocks or bumpers, but it’s tough. The Cane of Byrna can also work here, granting invincibility that lets you plow through (you’ll still bounce off bumpers, but you won’t take damage or be thrown into pits). Either way, race through the obstacles to the top of the room.

Climb the final staircase… You’ve reached the 8th Floor (7F in game terms, top of the tower), just outside Agahnim’s lair. The atmosphere crackles with dark magic. Equip your Master Sword (or better) and ensure you’re at full health if possible (there are no pots or fairies here, so hopefully you’re prepared). When you’re ready, step left and unlock the big boss door with your Big Key. It’s time to face the sorcerer behind Hyrule’s troubles once again.

Boss: Agahnim

You enter the top chamber of Ganon’s Tower, where the evil wizard Agahnim awaits. This is a rematch of your earlier battle in Hyrule Castle, but Agahnim has a new trick up his sleeve: he creates two mirror images of himself.

As the fight begins, Agahnim splits into three forms that spread around the room. Don’t panic – only one of these is the real Agahnim, and the other two are weaker copies. The real Agahnim has a slightly darker color or shade than the clones, so you can tell them apart if you look closely. He’ll also be the one whose attacks actually damage you if they connect.

The fight strategy remains similar to last time: Agahnim (and his clones) will fire orbs of magic at you, and you must reflect Agahnim’s own spells back at him with your sword. Position yourself such that when Agahnim (the real one) shoots a blue orb, you can swing your sword and bat the energy back in his direction. A successful hit will damage him. The clones’ orbs can’t hurt Agahnim directly, but here’s a tip: you can reflect the clones’ orbs as well and angle them so that they might strike the real Agahnim, effectively using the fake Agahnims’ shots against the true one. This can be tricky but rewarding if you pull it off, as it allows you to land hits faster.

Be careful: some of the orbs that Agahnim and his shadows throw are not the standard ones – occasionally they will toss an orb that crackles and splits into multiple projectiles when hit (these you might remember from the first battle). If you strike those, they will burst into smaller shots that scatter, so it might be better to simply dodge those or use the Shield (your Mirror Shield can block a few, but not all directions). However, none of Agahnim’s forms can be harmed by anything except their own magic, so arrows or other weapons won’t work here, only the rebound trick.

Also, watch Agahnim’s positioning: just like before, if the real Agahnim moves to the center top of the room and aligns with you vertically, that’s the sign he’s about to unleash his lightning attack (a bolt straight down the middle). The clones don’t do the lightning, only the real one does. As soon as you see him teleport to the top-center and raise his arms without summoning an orb, move out of the center to avoid the lightning strike.

Keep an eye on all three copies’ motions and try to predict their shots. Often, one or two will shoot an orb towards you. Prioritize reflecting the real one’s projectile. If a clone’s shot is conveniently lined up to hit the real Agahnim, swipe at that too to ricochet it into him. Use the room’s space to your advantage; you can move around freely, and with the Red Mail, any stray hits you take will be less punishing. Still, avoid getting cornered by the clones and their crossfire.

It takes a total of four good hits on Agahnim (the real one) to defeat him in this second encounter. After a few rounds of magical tennis, you’ll land the final blow. Agahnim’s three forms will converge and he collapses, defeated at last.

As Agahnim expires, a shadowy figure rises from his body – it’s Ganon! The King of Evil has been hiding within Agahnim all along. Ganon transforms into a bat and flies off, smashing through the ceiling of the tower. Link automatically uses the Magic Mirror’s teleport (or the loyal bird, in the original SNES version) to give chase. You’ll be taken outside to the Pyramid of Power in the Dark World, where a gaping hole has appeared in the roof… the final battle awaits below.