Think you’ve seen all Hyrule has to offer just by following the main quest? Think again! The land is absolutely packed with fun diversions, challenging mini-games, and well-hidden secrets just waiting for a curious hero to discover them. Taking a break from chasing Ganondorf to test your skills or explore off the beaten path often yields fantastic rewards, from essential upgrades to unique items and, of course, those precious Pieces of Heart!
Ready to dive into Hyrule’s hidden depths? Let’s get exploring!
Table of Contents
- Test Your Skills: Hyrule’s Famous Mini-Games
- Major Side Quests & Challenges
- Don’t Forget These Hidden Treasures & Useful Secrets!
- Heart Pieces Everywhere!
- Keep Exploring!
Test Your Skills: Hyrule’s Famous Mini-Games
Put your adventuring skills to the test in these dedicated mini-games!
Shooting Galleries (Hyrule Castle Town Market / Kakariko Village)
Challenge: Sharpen your aim! Take down targets with your Slingshot (Child) or Bow (Adult). Aim true and hit all the targets before time runs out.
Rewards: Rupees galore! More importantly, prove your marksmanship as an adult in Kakariko Village to earn a Bigger Quiver upgrade!
Bombchu Bowling Alley (Hyrule Castle Town Market)
Challenge: It’s bowling… with explosive, wall-climbing mice! Carefully aim your Bombchus to hit the target at the end of tricky lanes.
Rewards: A random (and sometimes frustrating!) prize pool including Bombs, Bombchus, a Piece of Heart, a Purple Rupee (50), and the essential Biggest Bomb Bag upgrade!
Treasure Chest Game (Hyrule Castle Town Market – Night Only)
Challenge: A classic game of chance (or is it?). Pay the fee and choose one of two chests. Pick the right one to advance through rooms and claim the final prize.
How to Win: Guess correctly… or, rumor has it, the Lens of Truth might reveal the key’s location before you even choose!
Reward: A valuable Piece of Heart.
Fishing Hole (Lake Hylia)
Challenge: Kick back and relax… or intensely hunt for the biggest fish! Cast your line and try to reel in the lunkers.
Rewards: Catch a big enough fish as Child Link for a Piece of Heart. As an adult, catching a truly massive fish might earn you the coveted Golden Scale, allowing you to dive much deeper! Keep an eye out for the rumored Sinking Lure for an edge… though the owner won’t like it if he catches you!
Horse Racing (Lon Lon Ranch – Adult Link)
Challenge: After freeing the ranch, challenge Ingo to a race around the track! Use your carrots wisely to maintain speed and cut corners tightly. Beat him twice!
Reward: Your freedom and loyal steed, Epona!
Dampé’s Heart-Pounding Gravedigging Tour (Kakariko Graveyard – Child Link, Night Only)
Challenge: Pay Dampé the gravekeeper 10 Rupees, and he’ll dig in a random spot. Hope for the best!
Rewards: Mostly Rupees, but if you get lucky, Dampé might unearth a Piece of Heart! It’s random, so keep trying.
Dampé’s Ghost Race (Kakariko Graveyard – Adult Link)
Challenge: Once you have the Hookshot, talk to Dampé in his grave. You’ll challenge his ghost to a race through the winding tomb. Keep up and reach the end!
Reward: Beat his time (under 1 minute) to snag another Piece of Heart. Use rolls to stay ahead!
Major Side Quests & Challenges
These longer endeavors require dedication but offer amazing rewards!
Gold Skulltula Hunt (All over Hyrule)
Challenge: Find and destroy 100 cursed Gold Skulltulas hiding everywhere – under rocks, high on walls, in dungeons, often only appearing at night. Collect the tokens they drop.
Reward: Break the curse on the family in Kakariko’s House of Skulltula! They’ll reward you at various token milestones with Wallet Upgrades (including the Giant’s Wallet – 500 Rupees!), a Piece of Heart, and eventually, Infinite Rupees (talk to the cured guy)!
Big Poe Collector (Hyrule Field – Adult Link)
Challenge: Hunt down 10 specific Big Poes that appear in Hyrule Field when you ride Epona. Defeat them and bottle their spirits.
Reward: Sell the 10 Big Poes to the mysterious buyer in the ruins of the Hyrule Castle Town guardhouse for 50 Rupees each and, ultimately, an invaluable Empty Bottle!
The Trading Sequence (Starts Child Link, Finishes Adult Link)
Challenge: A long chain of item trades starting with a Cucco egg in Kakariko Village and spanning both time periods. Many steps involve timed deliveries!
Reward: The legendary Biggoron’s Sword! This massive blade deals double the damage of the Master Sword and never breaks. It’s well worth the effort.
Happy Mask Shop Quest (Child Link)
Challenge: Borrow masks from the shop in Hyrule Castle Town Market and sell them to the correct people across Hyrule.
Reward: Access to more masks and eventually the Mask of Truth, which lets you understand Gossip Stones (those weird, giant eye-stones).
The Frog Choir (Zora’s River)
Challenge: Find the frogs beneath the logs in Zora’s River. Play specific Ocarina songs for them (try Zelda’s Lullaby, Epona’s Song, Saria’s Song, Sun’s Song, Song of Time). They grow bigger with each correct tune!
Reward: Complete their requests as both Child and Adult Link for two Pieces of Heart. One requires playing the Song of Storms later on!
Don’t Forget These Hidden Treasures & Useful Secrets!
Scarecrow’s Song
Play a custom 8-note song to Bonooru the scarecrow at Lake Hylia as a child. Remember it! As an adult, play that same song for him, and his brother Pierre will appear in specific spots when you play it, often giving your Hookshot/Longshot a much-needed target.
Sun’s Song
Dive into the Kakariko Graveyard and investigate the Royal Family’s Tomb. Learn this song to instantly change day to night (and vice-versa) and temporarily freeze terrifying ReDeads and Gibdos!
Lon Lon Milk
Play Epona’s Song for any cow (found in grottos, Lon Lon Ranch, etc.) to fill an Empty Bottle with refreshing Lon Lon Milk, which restores 5 hearts twice!
Gossip Stones
Once you have the Mask of Truth, talk to these stones for hints, jokes, and Hyrule lore. You can also interact with them using bombs, arrows, songs, and more for different reactions!
Hidden Grottos
Bomb suspicious-looking walls, play the Song of Storms on patches of dirt, or look for holes under rocks. These often contain chests, Business Scrubs selling items, fairies, or Gold Skulltulas. Explore everywhere!
Heart Pieces Everywhere!
Keep your eyes peeled! Pieces of Heart are tucked away all over Hyrule. You’ll find them as prizes in mini-games, hidden on high ledges, submerged underwater (requiring the Scale or Iron Boots), given by grateful NPCs, and waiting at the end of secret passages. Collect four to gain a full extra Heart Container!
Keep Exploring!
Ocarina of Time is a world dense with secrets. This guide covers many highlights, but there’s always more to find. Listen for suspicious sounds, bomb every cracked wall, dive into every pool of water, talk to everyone, and revisit locations in both time periods. Happy secret hunting!