Hunting down every collectible is part of the fun in Zelda games, and the Pieces of Heart in Link’s Awakening are no exception! Scattered all across Koholint Island, nabbing all 32 will bulk up Link’s health bar considerably, making those boss fights way less stressful. Plus, there’s a bonus full Heart Container waiting for true completionists. If you’re ready to leave no stone unturned (or bush un-slashed!), this guide pinpoints every single location.
Table of Contents
- Link’s Awakening Heart Piece Location Map
- Mabe Village Finds (#1-6)
- Koholint Prairie & Nearby (#7-8)
- Mysterious Forest Secrets (#9-10)
- Ukuku Prairie & Around the Mansion (#11-14)
- Pothole Field (Richard’s Villa) (#15)
- Tabahl Wasteland Haul (#16)
- Tal Tal Mountain Range & Heights (#17-21)
- Kanalet Castle Catch (#22)
- Animal Village & Yarna Desert (#23-25)
- Martha’s Bay Treasures (#26-27)
- Rapids Ride Rewards (#28-30)
- Dampé’s Shack Challenges (#31-32 + Container)
Link’s Awakening Heart Piece Location Map
Mabe Village Finds (#1-6)
1. The Village Well
Needs: Sword
Where: The well near the western edge of Mabe Village.
How-To: Hack away the bushes blocking the well opening with your sword. Once clear, just hop down inside to find an easy Heart Piece waiting for you.
2. For Sale!
Needs: 200 Rupees
Where: The Town Tool Shop in the middle of the village.
How-To: This one’s straightforward if you’ve got the cash. It’s available right from the start, sitting on the shop counter. Save up those Rupees!
3 & 4. Trendy Game Prizes (x2)
Needs: Rupees (10 per play)
Where: Southeast corner of Mabe Village, the building with the crane.
How-To: The Trendy Game has more than just plushies! Two Heart Pieces appear here at different times.
- Piece #3 (Early): Early in your adventure, a Heart Piece sits among the main prizes. Line up the crane carefully and grab it.
- Piece #4 (Later): After you finish the third dungeon, Key Cavern, come back here. A *second* Heart Piece will show up, usually cruising along the moving top platform. Play again to snag it.
5 & 6. Fishing Rewards (x2)
Needs: Rupees (10 per try)
Where: The Fishing Pond, northwest corner of the village.
How-To: Time for some fishing! The pond owner hands out Heart Pieces for skilled anglers.
- Piece #5 (Medium Fish): Catch a decent-sized fish (not the tiny ones, usually the second or third type you hook). The Fisherman will give you a Heart Piece.
- Piece #6 (Big Fish): Keep fishing until you reel in a really big one (a “Lunker”). These appear less often. Landing one gets you another Heart Piece from the impressed Fisherman.
Koholint Prairie & Nearby (#7-8)
7. Prairie Pit Hop
Needs: Roc’s Feather
Where: Koholint Prairie, just east after exiting the Mysterious Forest.
How-To: See that Heart Piece sitting on a little island surrounded by holes? Just use Roc’s Feather to hop across the gap. Easy peasy.
8. Spooky Cave by the Witch’s Hut
Needs: Hookshot, Roc’s Feather, Bombs (optional for exit)
Where: South of the Witch’s Hut (Prairie), near the Cemetery edge.
How-To: Look for rocks hiding a staircase just south of the Witch’s place. Head down into the cave. You’ll need the Hookshot to cross the big pit to where the Heart Piece is. A feather-jump is needed for the last little bit. You can bomb a cracked rock for an easier way out, then push the blocks.
Mysterious Forest Secrets (#9-10)
9. Mushroom Cave Return
Needs: Power Bracelet
Where: The cave near the center of the forest (where you found the Sleepy Toadstool).
How-To: Remember the cave you went through to get the mushroom? Go back once you have the Power Bracelet. In the third room, a skull rock blocks a Heart Piece. Just lift it up and toss it aside.
10. Forest Hookshot Cave
Needs: Hookshot
Where: North-central forest area, cave entrance blocked by three rocks.
How-To: Get past the rocks and enter. Use the Hookshot to zip over to the chest first (grab the Rupees!). Then, from that ledge, Hookshot to the rock near the Heart Piece, push it, and the prize is yours.
Ukuku Prairie & Around the Mansion (#11-14)
11. Prairie Cave Block Puzzle
Needs: Power Bracelet
Where: Cave entrance in Ukuku Prairie, a bit east of Mabe Village.
How-To: This cave’s got a little block and skull puzzle guarding a Heart Piece in the corner. Here’s the sequence:
- Push the top-left block UP.
- Push the block now above it RIGHT.
- Lift the skull near the entrance and toss it.
- On the right side, push the TOP block of the stack RIGHT.
- Push the BOTTOM block of the stack DOWN.
- Lift the last skull out of your way. Voilà!
12. Seashell Reward
Needs: 5 Secret Seashells
Where: Seashell Mansion (southeast of Kanalet Castle).
How-To: Your seashell collecting pays off! Once you’ve found at least 5 shells hidden around the island, head to the Seashell Mansion. Just walking inside triggers the reward – a Piece of Heart.
13. Prairie Bomb & Dash Cave
Needs: Pegasus Boots, Bombs
Where: Ukuku Prairie, northeast from the warp point.
How-To: Scan the northern cliffs of the prairie for a cracked section – bomb it open! Inside, use your Pegasus Boots to smash through the shiny crystal blocks. Dodge the Spark! Look for another cracked wall on the right side, bomb it too, and the Heart Piece is in the small room beyond.
14. Shortcut Passage Dive
Needs: Flippers
Where: The underground passage connecting Ukuku Prairie (near shop) to the area south of Seashell Mansion.
How-To: Head back into that underground passage you used early on. Once you have the Flippers, you can dive down in the watery section. There’s a Heart Piece waiting at the bottom.
Pothole Field (Richard’s Villa) (#15)
15. Pothole Field Leap
Needs: Sword, Roc’s Feather (Pegasus Boots make it much easier!)
Condition: Get access via Richard’s Golden Leaves quest.
Where: Northeast corner of the Pothole Field (under Richard’s Villa).
How-To: After helping Richard, head through the passage under his villa to the Pothole Field. Go to the far northeast corner. Getting this one takes a leap of faith (or the Pegasus Boots!).
- Tricky Way: With just Roc’s Feather, you need a perfect running jump aimed *between* the two rows of holes, while slashing your sword mid-air to cut the bushes as you land. Good luck!
- Easier Way: Come back with the Pegasus Boots. A running jump clears the gap easily. Chop the bushes and grab the prize.
Tabahl Wasteland Haul (#16)
16. Wasteland Edge Hop
Needs: Roc’s Feather
Where: Northeast corner of Tabahl Wasteland.
How-To: Explore the spooky Tabahl Wasteland (north of the graveyard). In the top-right corner, a Heart Piece sits across a single line of pits. A simple jump with Roc’s Feather is all you need.
Tal Tal Mountain Range & Heights (#17-21)
17. First Mountain Cave Puzzle
Needs: Power Bracelet
Where: The very first cave when climbing the mountains from north of Dampé’s Shack.
How-To: Lift the rocks and enter the first cave on your mountain climb. This one involves a little reset trick:
- Go right, break the purple crystal, push the block DOWN.
- Go down the stairs, then immediately come back UP.
- Now, look at the three rocks below the stairs: push the MIDDLE one DOWN, then the LEFT one LEFT.
- Break the crystal behind them to get the Heart Piece.
18. Mountain Lake Cave Dive
Needs: Flippers
Where: Tal Tal Heights, cave east of Angler’s Tunnel entrance.
How-To: Swim east from the Angler’s Tunnel entrance on the mountain lake and enter the nearby cave. Inside, take a dive with the Flippers – there’s a Heart Piece submerged in the water.
19. West Mountain Hidden Cave
Needs: Hookshot, Bombs
Where: Far west end of Tal Tal Mountain Range, past the Hen House bridge.
How-To: From the Hen House, Hookshot across the broken bridge going west. Keep going to the very end. Slash the lone bush to reveal hidden stairs! Inside the cave, bomb the cracked SOUTH wall, then head through and grab the Heart Piece.
20. Turtle Rock Approach Ledge
Needs: Hookshot (to reach area)
Where: Tal Tal Mountain Range path, heading towards Turtle Rock.
How-To: As you head west towards the final dungeon, you’ll jump down near some enemies. From where you land, carefully walk along the narrow ledge heading west. A Heart Piece is waiting at the very end.
21. Turtle Rock Exterior Ledge
Needs: Mirror Shield (to progress in dungeon)
Where: Outside Turtle Rock dungeon, accessed from within.
How-To: While exploring Turtle Rock dungeon (near the northwest side, in a room with a Vire), find stairs leading up and outside. Take them! You’ll pop out onto a high mountain ledge with a Heart Piece.
Kanalet Castle Catch (#22)
22. Castle Moat Dive
Needs: Flippers
Where: Kanalet Castle’s moat.
How-To: Take a swim in the moat around Kanalet Castle. On the west side (near the main gate bridge), dive down with the Flippers. You’ll find a Heart Piece resting on the moat floor.
Animal Village & Yarna Desert (#23-25)
23. Animal Village Overlook
Needs: Access to Animal Village
Where: Northwest corner of Animal Village.
How-To: From where the Walrus snoozed (southeast corner), walk north behind the houses. Loop around the top edge of the village buildings to find this Heart Piece just sitting out in the open.
24. Yarna Desert Sand Cave
Needs: Bombs (and Ocarina to move Walrus)
Where: Cave under the Lanmola boss pit in Yarna Desert.
How-To: Beat the Lanmolas in the desert quicksand pit. Let the swirling sand pull you down into the cave below. Once you land, bomb the middle of the NORTH wall to reveal a hidden room with the Heart Piece.
25. Animal Village Bomb-Hookshot Cave
Needs: Hookshot, Bombs
Where: Northeast corner of Animal Village.
How-To: Find the cracked cliff wall in the northeast corner of Animal Village (walk north from the Walrus spot). Bomb it open.
- Inside, bomb the next cracked wall immediately NORTH.
- Follow the path. A cracked block across a gap stops you reaching the Heart Piece.
- You can either: walk back around to face the block and carefully toss a bomb, then walk ALL the way back again to Hookshot across… OR, if you have Bomb Arrows, just shoot the block from the other side, then Hookshot over!
Martha’s Bay Treasures (#26-27)
26. South Bay Channel Dive
Needs: Flippers
Where: Narrow water channel, southern edge of Martha’s Bay.
How-To: Swim down to the far south of Martha’s Bay. Find the narrow exit channel where the water flows out. Dive down right there with your Flippers to grab the Heart Piece.
27. Bay Bush-Jump Island Cave
Needs: Flippers, Pegasus Boots, Sword, Roc’s Feather
Where: South part of Martha’s Bay, staircase island across a gap.
How-To: Spot the staircase on a little island surrounded by bushes, with a two-tile gap? You need the Pegasus Boots for a running start, then jump with the Feather and slash your sword mid-air to cut the bushes as you land. Phew! Head down the stairs. Inside the cave, dive into the deep water patch for the Heart Piece.
Rapids Ride Rewards (#28-30)
28. Rapids Access Cave Hookshot
Needs: Hookshot
Where: Cave connecting Face Shrine area to Rapids Ride start.
How-To: In the big cave northeast of the Face Shrine (the one leading up to the raft ride), you’ll hit a wide gap. Use your Hookshot to get across. The Heart Piece is right there on the path.
29. Rapids Waterfall Island
Needs: Hookshot
Where: During the Rapids Ride mini-game.
How-To: Start the raft ride. Immediately steer HARD LEFT. Go over the first waterfall hugging that left wall. You should land near a tiny island with the Heart Piece. Use the Hookshot to latch onto the vines on the island’s side, climb up, and claim your prize.
30. Rapids Race Time Trial
Needs: Hookshot (Highly Recommended!)
Where: Rapids Ride mini-game (Race mode).
How-To: Talk to the raft guy again to start the Rapids Race. The goal: finish in under 40 seconds! Use the Hookshot on trees and vines to gain speed and make sharp turns. It might take a few tries, but beating the clock earns you a Heart Piece.
Dampé’s Shack Challenges (#31-32 + Container)
The friendly gravedigger Dampé also offers Heart Pieces (and more!) as rewards for mastering his Chamber Dungeon challenges back at his shack.
31. First Challenge Reward (“Fill Up Your Hearts”)
Condition: Beat Key Cavern (Dungeon 3).
Where: Dampé’s Shack.
How-To: After the third dungeon, Dampé offers preset dungeon layouts. Beat the first one, “Fill Up Your Hearts”. He’ll give you a Heart Piece for completing it.
32. Tier 2 Challenge Completion Reward
Condition: Beat Catfish’s Maw (Dungeon 5).
Where: Dampé’s Shack.
How-To: More challenges unlock after the fifth dungeon. Complete all the preset Tier 2 challenges Dampé gives you. Finishing the last one in that set nets you another Heart Piece.
Bonus: Full Heart Container!
Condition: Beat Turtle Rock (Dungeon 8) & ALL previous Dampé challenges.
Where: Dampé’s Shack.
How-To: After the final main dungeon, Dampé rolls out his toughest Chamber Dungeon challenges, including “Ticking Clock”. You need to beat *every single* preset challenge he offers (usually 12 total). Conquer them all, and Dampé rewards your mastery with a whole extra Heart Container!
That’s all 32 Pieces of Heart plus the bonus Heart Container! With all those extra hearts, Link should be more than ready to face whatever Koholint Island throws at him. Happy hunting!