Alright, so you’ve pulled the Master Sword and seen Hyrule change. You’re Adult Link now, and the stakes are higher than ever. This part of the adventure is the real deal, taking you through some seriously tough temples and culminating in the final showdown with Ganondorf. Don’t worry, though; this guide is your trusty companion, giving you the straight-up steps you need to see everything through to the end. Let’s get this done!
Accessing the Forest Temple
After awakening as Adult Link in the Temple of Time, your first destination is Kakariko Village. Proceed to the village’s graveyard, located at the village’s rear. Look for a tombstone adorned with flowers; this signifies Dampé’s grave. Pull the tombstone back to reveal an entrance. Inside, you’ll encounter the ghost of Dampé, the gravekeeper. He challenges you to a race through a winding passage.
Tips for the Race: Maintain a steady pace and avoid the flames Dampé drops. Rolling can help you move faster and dodge obstacles.
Upon completing the race, Dampé rewards you with the Hookshot, a device that allows you to grapple onto certain objects and pull yourself towards them. Use the Hookshot to move blocks and navigate your way out, leading you into the Kakariko Village windmill.
With the Hookshot in hand, head back to your childhood home, Kokiri Forest. From Kokiri Forest, enter the Lost Woods. Take the following path to reach the Sacred Forest Meadow: Right, Left, Right, Left, Straight, Left, Right. Upon arrival, you’ll face Moblins guarding the area.
Strategies: Use stealth to avoid detection. Utilize the Hookshot to stun or eliminate enemies from a distance.
After navigating the maze, you’ll meet Sheik in the meadow. Sheik will teach you the “Minuet of Forest,” a melody that allows you to warp to the Sacred Forest Meadow at any time.
Forest Temple: Taking Down Phantom Ganon
After speaking with Sheik, use the Hookshot to latch onto a branch above the entrance of the Forest Temple, allowing you to reach and enter the temple.
Navigating the Initial Chambers and Acquiring the Dungeon Map
Upon entering the Forest Temple, adventurers will immediately face a pair of Wolfos. These initial encounters serve as a test of combat prowess. The recommended strategy involves waiting for an attack, dodging, and then striking their vulnerable backs for an instant defeat. Following this initial skirmish, the path leads to an Entry Hallway guarded by a Large Skulltula. A single shot from the Hookshot will pierce its armored exterior, eliminating the need to wait for an opening.
The subsequent door opens into the Grand Hall, the central chamber of the temple. Here, the lights are extinguished by four spectral figures known as Poes, rendering the central elevator inactive. Restoring the light by defeating these Poes is crucial for accessing other areas of the temple. Proceeding straight ahead through the north door from the Grand Hall leads to a room where a Gold Skulltula can be found high on the vines on the right side. Utilizing the Hookshot will defeat the creature and yield a Golden Skull Token. This early acquisition encourages thorough exploration of each room.
Returning to the Grand Hall and taking the door to the right leads to a room containing a Blue Bubble and a pair of Stalfos. The Blue Bubble is protected by flames, rendering it invulnerable to most attacks. A simple yet effective method to extinguish these flames is to touch it with the shield or use the Hookshot, after which it can be dispatched with sword strikes. The Stalfos, more formidable foes, require a cautious approach. Maintaining a defensive stance with the shield is advised, and opportunities for attack arise when they swing their broad swords, momentarily exposing their bodies. Victory over the Stalfos rewards the player with a Small Key.
Back in the Grand Hall, a blue block can be found in the corner to the right. Playing the Song of Time in front of this block will cause it to vanish, revealing a new passage. Through this door, vines on the right wall lead upwards. It is prudent to use the Hookshot to eliminate any Skulltulas along the ascent. The door at the top of the vines leads to a room with a lone Blue Bubble. Defeating this enemy will cause a treasure chest to appear, containing the Dungeon Map. The placement of the Dungeon Map after a series of initial challenges provides essential navigational information for the remainder of the temple.
Unlocking New Paths and Obtaining the Fairy Bow
From the balcony where the Dungeon Map was found, a Hookshot target is visible to the left. Using the Hookshot to reach this target leads to a red switch. Stepping on this switch drains the water from a well below. Jumping into the well reveals another Gold Skulltula on an elevated platform. The Hookshot can be used to target a small chest on this platform, allowing retrieval of the Golden Skull Token. Descending further into the well via a ladder leads to a short tunnel and a chest containing another Small Key. This sequence of actions highlights the temple’s verticality and the necessity of environmental manipulation to uncover secrets.
Returning to the Grand Hall, the only locked door on the ground floor is located up the stairs to the right. Unlocking this door leads to a room containing a Skulltula and another Blue Bubble. After defeating these enemies, climbing the ladders to the second floor initiates a block-pushing puzzle. Arrows painted on the ground provide a visual guide for manipulating a blue block. The block needs to be pulled and then pushed into a large square indentation.
This involves maneuvering around the room and through a small tunnel to position the block correctly. Once the blue block is in place, a ladder in the hallway where it was initially found becomes accessible. Climbing this ladder allows for pushing a red block until it hits a wall. Returning to the blue block, it can now be used to reach a higher level, from where the red block can be pushed further down a hall until it locks into position.
The red block then serves as a platform to reach another ladder. Ascending this ladder and defeating the two Blue Bubbles in the subsequent room yields another Small Key. These intricate block puzzles demonstrate the temple’s multi-layered design and the need for careful observation.
The door in the room with the two Blue Bubbles is locked and requires one of the acquired Small Keys. Beyond this door lies a twisted corridor. As one traverses this hallway, the room’s gravity will shift, creating a disorienting effect.
It is important to be vigilant for the shadows of Wallmasters that hang from the ceiling. These enemies can grab Link and return him to the dungeon’s entrance, costing a Heart Container. Quickly jumping across the platforms in the next room avoids these threats and leads to another locked door. Unlocking this door and descending the stairs leads to a confrontation with a Stalfos.
Upon its defeat, two more Stalfos will appear. Overcoming these skeletal warriors rewards the player with the Fairy Bow. The introduction of the twisting hallway and the Wallmasters adds a unique element of danger and requires adaptability. The acquisition of the Fairy Bow is a significant step, as it is essential for solving further puzzles within the temple.
Confronting the Poe Sisters and Obtaining the Boss Key
Exiting the room where the Fairy Bow was obtained to the opposite side reveals a painting of the Blue Poe Sister. Shooting this painting with an arrow will release the spectral figure. Descending the stairs leads to a battle with the Blue Poe. The strategy involves locking onto her and attacking with either the bow or sword only when she is visible. Her spinning attack should be blocked or avoided. Using a Deku Seed can make her reappear immediately if needed. Defeating the Blue Poe restores a flame to a torch in the Grand Hall and reveals a chest containing the Compass. The Poe Sisters present unique mini-boss encounters that require specific tactics and timing.
Returning to the room where the Stalfos were defeated and taking the opposite door leads to a room with three paintings depicting the Red Poe Sister. Employing the same strategy as with the Blue Poe – shooting the correct painting to release her and then attacking when visible – will result in her defeat. A chest containing another Small Key will then appear. This encounter reinforces the mechanics introduced with the first Poe Sister.
Navigating back upstairs, jumping across the platforms, and crossing the twisted hallway leads to the room with the Blue Bubbles where the fourth Small Key was found. Shooting the eye above the door with the Fairy Bow will align the twisted hallway, creating a level path. This demonstrates the importance of the newly acquired bow in manipulating the environment. Crossing this now stable hallway leads to a room where a distinctive gold and blue treasure chest sits on the ground. This chest contains the Boss Key. Caution is advised, as there is a hole in the center of the room that should be avoided before collecting the key. The Boss Key marks a significant milestone, indicating the proximity of the final boss encounter.
Jumping down the nearby hole in the Boss Key room leads to a lower area. Defeating the enemies in this room and unlocking the door reveals a ledge overlooking a previous area. Proceeding through the wooden door leads to a battle with a Floormaster. These enemies are telegraphed by a shadow on the floor, indicating their descent from the ceiling.
It is crucial to attack and defeat them before they can return to the ceiling. Upon defeat, the Floormaster will split into three smaller versions. If one of these mini-Floormasters grabs Link, it will drain a significant amount of health and eventually regrow into a full-sized Floormaster. Clearing the room of all Floormasters will cause a treasure chest containing another Small Key to appear. The Floormaster encounter introduces a challenging enemy with a unique attack pattern and a dangerous second phase.
Exiting the Floormaster room and heading right leads back to a familiar area. Climbing up to the entrance of the twisted hallway and shooting the eye above the door again will realign the hallway if it has shifted. Returning to the area where the Blue Poe was fought and using a Small Key to open the locked door leads to a right hallway where stationary Bubbles can be defeated with arrows. The subsequent locked door opens to a room with spinning platforms.
Jumping across these platforms leads to a frozen eye. Using Din’s Fire or an arrow lit by a nearby flame will thaw the eye. This action opens another twisted hallway. Jumping down the hole in the northeast corner of this hallway leads to a tiled room. Here, the ceiling will begin to fall, and Skulltulas crawl on the walls. Navigating this treacherous room to reach a switch and then a chest containing arrows is necessary.
Allowing the ceiling to fall again and then quickly running to the door leads to a painting of the Green Poe Sister. Shooting the painting releases her. The next challenge involves pushing blocks together within a time limit, using a large painting as a reference while avoiding the blue block. Defeating the Green Poe opens the next door, where a Skulltula must be shot before proceeding to the final Poe Sister. The Green Poe’s encounter is a complex sequence of puzzles and enemy encounters, showcasing the intricate design of the temple.
The final Poe Sister creates clones of herself. The real Poe can be identified by a twirling motion when she appears. Locking onto her and shooting her with the Fairy Bow five times will defeat her. This final Poe Sister tests the player’s observation skills and accuracy with the bow.
The Final Ascent and Confrontation with Phantom Ganon
With all four flames restored to the torches in the Grand Hall, the central elevator becomes active. Taking the elevator down leads to the final chamber where the boss, Phantom Ganon, awaits.
The battle with Phantom Ganon unfolds in three distinct phases. Initially, he will ride into one of the paintings surrounding the room. Standing in the center with the Fairy Bow drawn, the player must watch for him to emerge. The real Phantom Ganon will not turn around when exiting the painting, unlike his illusions. Shooting him three times in this phase will cause him to dismount. In the second phase, Phantom Ganon will shoot projectiles at Link. These projectiles can be deflected back at him with the Master Sword. When he is knocked down, attack him with the sword. The final phase sees Phantom Ganon also deflecting projectiles. The player must continue to deflect his attacks until he is defeated. Victory over Phantom Ganon yields a Heart Container. Entering the blue portal that appears transports Link back to the Deku Tree Sprout, where Saria bestows the Forest Medallion.
Post-Temple Exploration and 100% Completion Checklist
Upon completing the Forest Temple, the malevolent creatures that had infested Kokiri Forest and the Lost Woods will vanish. It is advisable to return to the Temple of Time to progress the main storyline. The ability to travel through time by placing the Master Sword back on its pedestal is now available, allowing for revisiting earlier areas as a child to collect any missed items or engage in side quests. Returning to Kokiri Forest and Kakariko Village may also reveal new interactions or items. Additionally, if not already completed, the “Getting the Horse Epona” side quest at Lon Lon Ranch can now be undertaken.