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.
Emerging from Skull Woods, you find yourself once again under an open sky. Your next destination is the Village of Outcasts – the Dark World counterpart to Kakariko Village – located just south of the woods. From the forest’s exit, head south into the village ruins, where dilapidated buildings and strange denizens replace the cozy homes of the Light World. The “town square” features a grim statue of a horned gargoyle where the old weather vane once stood. This statue marks the entrance to the fourth Dark World dungeon, known as Gargoyle’s Domain (or Thieves’ Town). Approach the statue at the center of town and grab hold of the gargoyle’s pitchfork. With a hearty tug, you rip it aside, and the gargoyle’s facade slides open to reveal a staircase descending into darkness. It’s time to delve into the bandits’ den.
Quick Treasures: Map, Compass, and Big Key
Unlike Skull Woods, Thieves’ Town is mercifully compact – in fact, the dungeon throws all its essential items at you in the first few rooms. From the entrance, hop off the ledge into the first large chamber. The floor here is a grid of narrow catwalks and lower areas, patrolled by reptilian Zazak foes. The blue Zazaks shuffle idly, but watch out for red Zazaks – they spit fireballs on sight, which even your Red Shield can’t block.
You’ll also spot bouncing Zols, electric Sparks zipping along the floors, and hidden Rabbit Beams lurking under the catwalks, ready to turn you into a bunny if they hit. Keep your eyes open and move cautiously. Directly north of the entrance, you’ll see a treasure chest in plain sight after only a few steps. Open it to obtain the Dungeon Map for Gargoyle’s Domain.
With map in hand, head east through the maze of walkways and then up through the doorway into the next room. Immediately turn right (east) again into what appears to be the third large room – a continuation of the maze. Then quickly go south into a fourth chamber. (These first four rooms connect in a loop, forming a block on your map.)
As you enter the southern room, pause for a moment; a concealed Rabbit Beam is just around the corner and will fizzle out against the wall if you give it a second. Now proceed southward. In the lower area of this room you’ll find a staircase leading up onto the high catwalks. Climb it, and navigate the upper ledges counterclockwise around a wide pit. In the southeast corner, a chest awaits on the elevated walkway. Pop it open to claim the Compass of Thieves’ Town.
With both the map and compass secured, only the Big Key remains. The good news: it’s extremely close by. From the compass chest, drop off the ledge to the left, landing back on the ground floor. You should be back in the very first room near the entrance, but now on the west side. Tucked in a nook here is another treasure chest that wasn’t reachable before. Open it to obtain the Big Key. Just like that, you have all three major dungeon items within minutes of entering! The true challenges of Thieves’ Town lie not in finding keys, but in navigating its traps and a devious puzzle involving the boss.
The Empty Cell and Key to the Cells
Now that you have the Big Key, you can unlock new areas. Return east to the room you acquired the compass, then go north. This chamber is an L-shaped hallway illuminated by rows of torches. A couple of skeleton Stalfos hop around, but they’re easy to dispatch. Use your Big Key to unlock the north door and go through it.
Before you leave this hallway, be sure to lift the skull in the northeast corner. Hidden underneath is Small Key #1 for Thieves’ Town. Grab it, then return to the south end of the torch-lit hall. Use the small key to unlock the west door and step through.
You enter a cramped chamber segmented by small alcoves. A couple of green Zazaks lurk here along with a spinning Winder trap, but you can slip by without a fight if you’re careful. Continue through to the west into the next area. Now the dungeon’s theme shifts: the floor is lined with conveyor belts that tug you toward rows of spikes (Traps) at one end. Time your movements to avoid getting pushed into the spikes.
You’ll encounter two strange red blob enemies called Gibos bouncing around. Gibos are a curious lot – they consist of an invulnerable outer shell and a small vulnerable core that occasionally separates and wanders before rejoining the body. They’re more annoying than deadly. It’s usually best to dodge them when possible, as defeating them can be tedious (hit the core with your sword when it’s exposed). Maneuver across the first conveyor room and head west.
The following room features an even longer conveyor belt running the full length, with multiple Gibos, flying traps, and another Winder to dodge. Push upstream against the moving floor, zigzagging to avoid the hazards, until you reach the top. Exit through the north door.
In this next chamber, you face a locked door on the east side. This is where your second key comes in – but first you need to find it. There’s a solitary skull in the center of the room. Be cautious: a Zol (gelatinous slime) lurks unseen nearby and will pop up when you approach. Take it out, then lift the skull to reveal Small Key #2. Pocket the key. You’ll also see a blue-orange Crystal Switch here. Strike the crystal switch with your sword or boomerang to change it from orange to blue, which lowers the blue blocks in the dungeon (and raises orange blocks).
This will open new paths ahead; in fact, you won’t need it on orange again in this dungeon, so leaving it blue is ideal. Note that switching it also releases the trapped flying blades in this room, so be ready to dodge once you hit the switch. Now use your newly acquired small key on the east door and go up the stairs – oddly, into daylight!
You emerge above ground in what looks like a ruined building foundation within the village. Enjoy the brief fresh air, but hostile creatures still abound. Immediately, a fast-moving lizard-like foe called a Buzz (essentially a tougher Dark World rat) scurries toward you. They’re quick but can be taken out with a couple of sword strikes. Ignore the tempting pull lever on the north wall here – it’s actually a trap that will cause the room to flood with enemies (a swarm of flying tiles) if you tug it. Instead, notice the two skulls sitting between the lowered blue blocks. Under the rightmost skull is a pressure floor switch. Step on it, and you’ll hear a door unlock. The door at the east end of this chamber is now open. Go through it to the next area.
You find yourself in a long hallway split by a screen transition. Several more Buzz enemies patrol here. Dash (Pegasus Boots) or run through quickly, taking care not to be overwhelmed by the group of lizards. In the second half of the hall, clear out all the Buzzes so you can safely solve the next puzzle. In the southeast corner, a chest holds some extra Bombs in case you’re out.
You’ll need a Bomb for the next step. Along the northern wall is a conspicuous patch of floor illuminated by a beam of sunlight from a high window. Stand just below this sunlit cracked floor. Place a Bomb on the ground, quickly pick it up, and toss it so it lands on the weak flooring right where the light shines. When it explodes, it blows open a hole in the floor, letting the bright sunlight stream down into the room below.
You’ve just shone light into the boss lair – something tells you Blind the Thief (the dungeon boss) won’t appreciate that. With this task done, you’re almost ready to face the boss, but first you need to actually find the boss… or rather, the maiden who is nowhere to be seen upstairs.
Rescuing the (False) Maiden
Leave the sunlit hall by heading back west, through the long Buzz-infested passage and down the stairs to the conveyor belt floor again. The Crystal Switch you hit earlier is now blue, meaning you can take a shortcut: from the conveyor room, instead of going back the long way, exit through the now-open eastern door (which was previously blocked by orange tiles). This will drop you straight into the hallway just before the prison area. Go through the door to the east.
You’ll enter a room with conveyer belts covering it. Move carefully to the north door and go down the stairs to enter the second level of the basement. Defeat the enemies and lift the block. Continue south into a new section of the basement.
Cross the conveyer belt going south and enter the door to the east. You arrive in what appears to be a dungeon cell block – a series of dingy jail corridors lined with barred rooms. Two red Zazaks guard this area, but you can outmaneuver them in the looping halls. Navigate to the far right end of the cell block (first going south, then east through the maze). In the last cell, you discover a young maiden with long orange hair waiting behind the bars.
This must be one of the kidnapped descendants of the seven sages! Strangely, she’s not trapped in a crystal, but she still needs rescue. Simply walk up to her and the “doors” of the cell (more like a gap) allow her to come out. “Please help me escape,” she says, and begins to follow you closely. This unnamed girl will trail you for now – you must lead her outside to safety… or so it seems.
Before leaving the cell, make sure to open the treasure chest right next to where the maiden was imprisoned. It contains Small Key #3. You’ll need this to get the dungeon’s treasure. Now, with the maiden in tow, carefully retrace your steps back through the cell block. She will follow through doors and stairs, but if you go too fast and leave her behind on a different floor, she’ll magically reappear in her cell (as if something is off about her). So keep her close. Fight off any Zazaks that have respawned or simply avoid them. Go south and west.
Continue going west. Use your Key #3 to unlock the door on the west wall, and step through to a room with a large treasure chest – the Big Chest of this dungeon. This room is booby-trapped with a ring of pop-up Moles that surround the chest as soon as you enter. Quickly equip your Magic Hammer and whack the moles back into their holes to clear a path. You don’t have to hit every single one; just create an opening and dash into the center. Open the Big Chest to claim the Titan’s Mitt!
Item: Titan’s Mit
This powerful upgrade to your Power Glove lets you lift the heaviest rocks and dark stones that were immovable before.
As you grab the Titan’s Mitt, the floor starts to quake and collapse! Tiles begin crumbling away from the room’s northeast corner, rapidly working clockwise around the edges. The exit you came from is about to be cut off by a widening pit. Quickly plot an escape: one approach is to Hammer a mole on the north side of the chest ring to open a gap and make a run for the door you entered from. Even if a pit opens, you can try to use the Hookshot on a statue across the gap to pull yourself over – but if you’re too slow, you may fall. Falling isn’t fatal; you’ll drop into the doorway below and take a bit of damage, but you’ll still technically be past the collapsing room. If that happens, simply go up the nearby stairs to reunite with the maiden (she’ll still be following if she fell with you, or she’ll reappear nearby). One way or another, escape back to the conveyor belt room. Now it’s time to confront the boss – and your new friend may hold the key.
Make your way east through the now-familiar conveyor chambers (mind the traps, which are active again on your return). With all small keys used and Titan’s Mitt in hand, go to the north end of the second conveyor hall. Lift the stone and toss it aside. Ascend the stairs behind it back up to the ground floor.
You emerge in a small room on 1F that you passed through earlier (just south of the boss room). A skull in the northeast hides a floor switch; lift the skull and press the switch down, opening the sealed door on the east side. Lead the maiden through that door and you’ll find yourself back in the bright hallway outside the boss chamber.
Boss: Blind the Thief
Now, initially the girl asked you to take her outside – do not Mirror out or leave the dungeon with her, because she will refuse to go further and eventually return to her cell if you try. Instead, head straight up through the now-unlocked north door into the boss room, bringing the maiden with you.
The room is flooded with the beam of sunlight you let in earlier. The instant the maiden steps into the light, she freezes. “Gyahh! Too bright!” she cries – and then transforms right before your eyes. The innocent girl was a disguise all along. The true boss, Blind the Thief, reveals himself: a red-skinned demon with a flowing white cloak. The doors slam shut, locking you in together. Blind – a notorious master thief from Kakariko turned monster – attacks with fury.
Tip: Activating the Cane of Byrna makes you temporarily invincible and will even damage Blind if you walk into him, while the Magic Cape lets you go invisible (invulnerable) so you can strike freely with your sword. These artifacts consume magic, but they can significantly simplify the fight. Without them, just keep moving and swinging.
Phase 1
Blind moves side-to-side across the room in a fixed pattern, all the while shooting three fireballs in a spread pattern from his mouth. These fireballs fly fast and will ricochet off walls, so keep an eye on their trajectory. Blind also occasionally stops to fire a laser beam from his eyes directly at you. He tends to hover near the top of the room, then shift to the bottom; when he’s at the upper edge, it’s tricky to hit him, so wait until he comes lower to engage. Your target is Blind’s “head” – essentially, hit anywhere on his covered body. Whack him with your Master Sword as rapidly as you safely can. After about three hits, Blind’s cloak falls away and his head separates from his body! The flying head continues to spit fireballs while circling the room, but it can no longer be damaged. Blind’s body will regenerate a new head on its shoulders moments later.
Phase 2
Now Blind resumes the fight with a second head attached, meaning he can shoot two sets of fireballs at once (the new head on his shoulders, plus the original head that’s now flying around). Focus your attacks still on Blind’s body (the one wearing the white robe) – the detached head(s) are invulnerable, so try to dodge their fire and ignore them. After another few strikes, the second head pops off and joins the first floating around! Blind grows a third (and final) head.
Phase 3
With two disembodied heads orbiting and Blind now sprouting his third, the room becomes a chaotic storm of fireballs. Stay determined and keep slashing at Blind’s body whenever you get an opening. If you have the Cane of Byrna or the Magic Cape, now is a great time to use them for safety. After sustaining enough total hits (each phase takes three sword strikes or so), Blind’s third and final form is defeated. All the free-floating heads vanish, and Blind’s red body explodes in a spectacular flurry of flames.
When the dust settles, Heart Container #8 drops onto the floor – you’ve now increased your life meter again. Grab the heart container and then pick up the fourth Crystal that appears, encasing the real maiden. You’ve saved another descendant of the sages! After a heartfelt thank-you and some lore from the maiden, you’ll be transported out of the dungeon. Gargoyle’s Domain (Thieves’ Town) is complete.
As it turns out, Blind was a famous thief in Kakariko Village who despised light, and when he became a demonic boss, that trait remained his weakness. Now, with the Titan’s Mitt in your possession and four crystals secured, you’re officially halfway through the Dark World dungeons. Take a moment to enjoy your victory – many new adventures (and new areas accessible with the Titan’s Mitt) await as you continue on your quest to save Hyrule and Princess Zelda.