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.
Misery Mire Entrance
Using the Flute, warp to the Desert of Mystery (Light World warp point #6) and travel to the southwest corner of the desert. There you’ll find a lone black stone blocking a hidden portal – lift it with the Titan’s Mitt to reveal a warp tile. Step on the tile to enter the Dark World’s Swamp of Evil, the stormy mire where Dungeon 6, Misery Mire, lies.
Rain pelts the murky swamp and the dungeon entrance is initially sealed by unrelenting wind and dark clouds. To calm the weather, stand on the lightning-emblazoned symbol in front of the dungeon and use the Ether Medallion. As you invoke Ether’s magic, the storm clouds vanish and the entrance to Misery Mire rises from the flooded ground. With the tempest quelled, push open the now-exposed dungeon door and step inside.
Key #1 (Misery Mire)
You find yourself in a dim antechamber with a gap blocking your path. A stone block sits on the far side of the gap, and Wizzrobes flicker into existence around you. Immediately equip the Hookshot and fire it across the gap at the block to yank yourself over. Land on the ledge and descend the staircase into the dungeon proper.
In the large central chamber ahead, several Wizzrobes ambush you, appearing and disappearing while firing magic blasts. Take them out swiftly (they can only be harmed when fully visible) or keep moving to avoid their shots. Once the room is clear, the northern door opens.
Enter this door to find a maze of waist-high railings and platforms. Navigate through the maze to the northeast corner of the chamber. Climb the small staircase onto the ledge and head through the door above.
In the next room, push the lone block aside to clear your path, then continue north into a tall hallway. Dash straight up to the top, where a treasure chest awaits. Pop it open to obtain Small Key #1.
Key #2 (Misery Mire)
Pocket the key and backtrack south to the room with the single block. This time, make your way to the east door to a room with numerous Stalfos patrol the room. Use your Magic Cape walk across the spikes without damage and pick up the skull to reveal a floor switch. Stepping on it reveals the treasure chest conaining Small Key #2. Move on the spikes efficiently, the magic cape guzzles energy. After claiming the key, go back through the west door and then south. If you don’t have the magic cape, skip this room for now; we’ll come back to it later.
In the big chamber, make your way to the northwest corner of and go up the steps onto the higher ledge. Use the small key you just found to unlock the door on the west wall, then head through. In the next room a Blue Bari (jellyfish-like monster) zaps around, along with Stalfos and an Anti-Fairy. Strike them down quickly – the Blue Bari will drop Small Key #2 as it is defeated. Snag the key and use it immediately to open the locked door on the left. Step through into a chamber where the floor begins to shake.
Beyond the door, tiles from the floor magically lift up one by one and hurtle toward you! You’ve stumbled into a flying tile trap. Rather than fight the endless onslaught, it’s wise to keep moving – weave around the room to avoid the tiles or hold up your shield to block them. The barrage will cease after the last tile flings itself. With the room momentarily quiet, take note of the four unlit torches here. The northern exit is sealed, but lighting all the braziers in this chamber will unlatch it. Work quickly: push the obstructing blocks aside to gain access to each torch, then ignite all four using the Fire Rod or Lamp. Once the final torch is lit, you hear the shutter door slide open with a clunk. Ensure the Crystal Switch is blue, and head through that door before the flames die out.
Compass (Misery Mire)
The door leads to a small side room, where a lone chest sits waiting. Open it to claim the Compass for Misery Mire. Now you can check your map to see the dungeon’s layout and the boss location. With the compass in hand, return to the tile trap room the way you came. (If the torches have gone out, you may need to relight them to reopen the door.) Back in the tile room, head south through the lower door to proceed deeper into the mire.
Key #3 (Misery Mire)
In the next area, you’ll find a conveyer belt covering the bottom half along with numerous enemy including Wizzrobes. Either defeat or run past the enemies and circle the wall to the door leading upstairs.
Upstairs, you’ll find two torches in the northwest and southwest corner of the room behind sets of blocks. Wizzrobes appear at random intervals to inflict damage. Defeat them, and push the top and bottom block toward the chest then push the middle block to the north or south to open up access to the torches. Don’t light them yet. Proceed through the south door to enter a familiar looking room. Perform the same process in these blocks as well. Once all the blocks are moved, move between both rooms quickly to light all 4 torches.
Big Key (Misery Mire)
Head through to the next room on the right. You’ll discover that a large section of the eastern wall has slid aside, unveiling a gaping hole in the floor. This is the result of solving the torch puzzle earlier. Without hesitation, hop into the opening and drop down to the level below. You land on a narrow ledge in a hidden chamber. Right in front of you sits a treasure chest – pop it open to finally obtain the Big Key of Misery Mire. This important key will unlock the dungeon’s most valuable treasure as well as the door to the boss.
To escape this isolated pit, step into the warp tile in the room to the west to warp conveniently to the directly to the Big Key‘s door. However, we’re not ready to use it just yet. Now that you have the Big Key, it’s time to claim the dungeon item.
Cane of Somaria Acquired (Misery Mire)
Go through the door to the east and work your way back into the central chamber (east, south, east) and head for the southeast corner. Climb the stairs there and go through the door on the east side and run directly past the Anti-Fairy and through the east door.
You’ll enter a room with a crumbling bridge spanning a pit. Equip the Hookshot again and quickly latch onto the lone block across the gap. This pulls you over safely – if you try to run across normally, the floor collapses under you too fast. The moment you land, dash northward along the fragile bridge before it crumbles. At the top ledge, you’ll find the dungeon’s big chest. Use the Big Key to unlock it and open the chest, and you will obtain the Cane of Somaria!
Item: Cane of Somaria
This magical red cane allows you to create and control glowing blocks, a power that will be essential in the challenges ahead.
Dungeon Map (Misery Mire)
In the small room beyond the door to your left, you’ll immediately spot a prize: the Dungeon Map. Open the chest to add the map to your inventory. The map will fill in all the rooms on your pause screen, which helps in tracking which areas you’ve visited. With the compass and map collected, you’ve fully charted Misery Mire’s secrets. Go through the north door.
You will enter the room in which you acquired Small Key #2. (If you didn’t claim the small key earlier: Carefully avoid or block the fireballs, and use the Cane of Somaria’s power to create a block on top of the floor switch hidden under a pot on the left side. This will spawn the chest holding a small key.) Unlock the door on the north wall with one of your small keys and go forward.
In the next room, drop off the ledge in front of you and head left one screen. Climb the stairs and use your Big Key to unlock the large door at the top. You’ll enter another hallway in the same area we acquired Small Key #1. Dash along the hallway and descend the staircase at the far end.
You’ll enter the dark second level of the basement (B2). Optional: Use a small key to unlock and go through the southeast door of this room to open an area containing numerous blue rupees.
Exiting the rupee room back through the door on the north wall, head left to find a skull hiding a floor switch that needs constant weight to stay active. Place a Somaria block on it to hold the door open, then head through the now open door, located directly south.
On the next screen, dodge the enemies and blade trap as you make your way to the left side of the room. Move north until you spot a crystal switch across the gap—make sure it’s red. Once it is, go through the door in the southwest corner.
In the next chamber, use a bomb to blow open a weak section of the north wall. Step through that new opening into a tiny alcove with another crystal switch. Strike this switch once, turning it blue, then head back to the previous room. With the blue blocks now lowered, you can reach the west side door – go through it.
Immediately run to the top of the chamber and hit the crystal switch again (turn it red). This final switch toggle clears the path to the boss. Descend the staircase in the floor to the lower level.
On the basement floor, cross the room to the south, using the now-lowered blue blocks as a bridge. A locked door stands in your way – use one of your remaining small keys to open it. Beyond lies the lair of Vitreous, Misery Mire’s boss. Steeling yourself, step through to face the creature.
Boss: Vitreous – Misery Mire
Vitreous is a gigantic gelatinous eyeball residing in a pool of electrified slime. From the bottom of the screen, you’ll see the big eye and a swarm of smaller eyeballs half-submerged in the muck.
Phase 1 begins immediately: clusters of the small eyeballs will detach and fly at you in waves. Keep to the lower wall and slash rapidly with your sword to fend them off, or shoot arrows to pick them off from a distance (each minion eye can sustain three arrow hits or about six sword hits with the Tempered Sword). If you have the Cane of Byrna or Magic Cape, this is a good time to use it for added protection while you hack away. Be mindful of Vitreous’s telltale lightning attack: when the big eye flashes white, it’s about to call down lightning bolts. Immediately move toward the bottom-left or bottom-right corners to avoid the strike. Continue destroying the lesser eyeballs one by one. With persistent slashing (or shooting), you’ll whittle down the horde.
Once all the tiny eyeballs are defeated, Phase 2 begins. Vitreous, now alone, will haul its massive eye-body out of the goo and bound around the room in an effort to crush you. The giant eye takes a lot of punishment – roughly 16 sword slashes with the Tempered Sword to bring it down. However, a much quicker method is to use your Bow: eight well-placed arrows will do the job. A safe strategy is to stand near the bottom of the room, directly south of Vitreous, and fire arrows straight up. Each hit will knock the boss back. Keep an eye on Vitreous’s movement and continue pelting it with arrows (or aggressively slash when it gets close). With a steady offense, the gooey fiend will run out of steam. After a flurry of hits, Vitreous explodes in defeat, showering the chamber with slime. Congratulations – Misery Mire is conquered!
As the dust (or rather, the slime) settles, make sure to grab the Heart Container that appears. This will permanently increase your life by one heart, bringing you to ten full heart containers. With his evil guardian vanquished, the crystal imprisoning the sixth Maiden is left behind. Collect the Crystal #6, and you’ll free the maiden inside. She will thank you for rescuing her and share lore about the Seven Maidens and Ganon’s plan, further fueling your resolve. When she finishes her plea, she uses her power to warp you out of the dungeon.
At this point, you have only one dark dungeon left before confronting Ganon. But before heading to Turtle Rock, you can take time to collect a few optional upgrades that will make the final battles much easier. With Misery Mire cleared, you now have access to the strongest weaponry in the game.
Silver Arrows Acquired
To get the Silver Arrows, use your mirror to warp to the light world, then use the Flute to travel to Link’s House. Go south from your house to the northwest corner of the marsh to find a warp pad under a stone, step through it to return to the Dark World. Now head back to where your house once was. It’s the Bomb Shop now.
Inside the Bomb Shop, you’ll find a new item for sale: the massive Super Bomb (available now that both the Ice Palace and Misery Mire are complete). Purchase the Super Bomb for 100 rupees and carefully escort it north to the Pyramid of Power in the center of the Dark World. Do not dash or jump off ledges while towing the Super Bomb – doing so will prematurely detonate it. Walk it all the way to the Pyramid.
On the pyramid’s west side, you’ll notice a large cracked wall. Position the Super Bomb in front of the crack and press A to set it. The big bomb will flash and explode, blowing open a hole in the wall.
Enter the hole to discover a hidden Mysterious Pond – a fairy fountain concealed within the pyramid. Approach the sparkling pond and you’ll be prompted to toss an item in. First, throw in your Bow (the fairy accepts the whole bow and arrow set). An immense Cursed Fairy will appear and ask if you dropped the item. Say “Yes,” and she will reward your honesty by upgrading your arrows. Your bow is returned to you, now empowered as the Silver Arrows!
Item: Silver Arrows
These arrows shine with a silvery light and do significantly more damage – they are the only weapon capable of destroying Ganon for good. The mighty fairy explains as much, hinting that you’ll need these against the final foe.
Optional: Final Sword Upgrade (Golden Sword)
While you’re at the Mysterious Pond inside the pyramid, you can also obtain the strongest sword in the game. If you rescued the trapped Dwarven Swordsmith earlier and had your Master Sword tempered by the blacksmiths, you should currently have the Tempered Sword (the orange-red blade). Toss your Tempered Sword into the fairy’s pond just like you did with the bow. The great fairy will emerge again, and if you claim the sword as yours, she will bestow upon you the Golden Sword in return.
Item: Golden Sword
This final sword upgrade (sometimes called the Level 4 sword) doubles your sword’s attack power, making your strikes incredibly potent. The Golden Sword’s bright gleam signifies that you now wield the ultimate blade of evil’s bane.
With both the Silver Arrows and the Golden Sword, you are as prepared as possible to take on the challenges ahead. (Bonus tip: You can also throw an empty bottle into this pond, and the fairy will fill it with Green Potion for free!)
