P-Bags

P-Bags are experience bags hidden across Hyrule and inside the six palaces. Each one adds 50, 100, 200 or 500 EXP to your unspent total the moment you collect it, which is the fastest way to reach the next Attack, Magic or Life level. There are 30 in the original NES game, and the list below gives the value and location of every one.

Quick reference

Map screen 1. The red box marks the spot.

Map screen 2. The red box marks the spot.

Map screen 3. The red box marks the spot.

Map screen 4. The red box marks the spot.

Map screen 5. The red box marks the spot.

Map screen 6. The red box marks the spot.

Map screen 7. The red box marks the spot.

Map screen 8. The red box marks the spot.

Map screen 9. The red box marks the spot.

The first nine rows are the overworld bags and the last 21 are inside the palaces.

West Hyrule overworld

Forest patch north of North Castle (50 EXP)

North Palace and Rauru Town are joined by a road that runs east through the woods. Look just north of that road for a small patch of forest. Step into it and the bag lies on the ground among a few blue Ache bats. The tile is easy to walk past, so check the squares along the north edge of the road if you do not find it on the first pass. Taking it is enough for your first level-up.

Cave north of Midoro Swamp (200 EXP)

After you have the Hammer, take the road from Mido Town toward Midoro Palace and follow it north. A boulder-blocked cave on the east side of the road holds Heart Container 2, and on the opposite side of the road another boulder seals a cave with a 200 EXP bag. Break the boulder with the Hammer, walk in and hit the bag. You can do this before you enter the palace. The swamp route is covered in Palace 2: Midoro Palace.

Forest tile east of Saria Town (100 EXP)

From Saria Town, cross the bridge and walk east toward the coast but stay inland. On the plains between the town and the shore, find a lone forest tile. Step onto it for a 100 EXP bag; a few Megmats bounce around it. The route to Saria is covered in Saria and the Life Spell.

East Hyrule overworld

Forest tile south of the raft dock (200 EXP)

Go to the dock where the raft lands on the eastern continent. On the mainland side, step onto the forest tile directly south of the dock. The bag appears there for 200 EXP. You reach the dock by raft after the Island Palace, covered in Nabooru and the Fire Spell.

Cave directly south of Nabooru (500 EXP)

Find Nabooru Town in the middle of Eastern Hyrule and look at the cave entrance directly below it. Enter the cave and hit the bag for 500 EXP. Expect enemies in the cave, so keep your sword ready. The town and its cave are covered in Nabooru and the Fire Spell.

Hidden area east along the mountain edge (500 EXP)

From the cave south of Nabooru, follow the edge of the mountains east. Keep walking along the side of the range until you reach a hidden screen with a 500 EXP bag. The screen is easy to miss, so keep an eye on the mountain edge as you go.

Cave above the swamp in the south of the eastern island (500 EXP)

In the southern part of the eastern island, locate the swamp. A cave sits above it, and inside you will find a 500 EXP bag. This area is near the towns covered in New Kasuto, Old Kasuto and the Thunder Spell.

Forest south of the lake (500 EXP)

Still on the southern part of the eastern island, travel to the forest south of the lake. One lone forest area holds a 500 EXP bag. The lake is south of the centre of the eastern island.

Valley of Death, on the road to the Great Palace (500 EXP)

Follow the desert road into the Valley of Death, the narrow canyon that leads east to the Great Palace. At the fork, the west branch ends on a side-scrolling screen with the 500 EXP bag, so step carefully across the desert tiles. The route is covered in Final Palace: The Great Palace and the Ending.

P-Bags inside the palaces

Palaces hold 21 bags in total. Most are guarded or sit behind blocks and bridges, so you may need to use the Jump spell or a sword thrust to reach them.

Palace 1: Parapa Palace (50 EXP)

Parapa Palace has one bag on a crumbling bridge past the bubble room. Hit it quickly and keep moving. Walk back over the bridge later if you missed it. Full route is in Palace 1: Parapa Palace.

Palace 2: Midoro Palace (50 and 100 EXP)

The 50 EXP bag sits in the falling-block room, where you must move past the blocks. A second bag worth 100 EXP sits on a breakaway platform over lava in one of the last rooms before Helmethead. Step on, hit the bag and step off at once. Both are in Palace 2: Midoro Palace.

Palace 3: Island Palace (100 EXP each)

The Island Palace has three bags worth 100 EXP each. One is under the block floor guarded by a Doomknocker (break through with a Downward Thrust), one is on a high platform you reach with Jump, and one is on the bottom row of a room guarded by a red Iron Knuckle. The full route is in Palace 3: Island Palace.

Palace 4: Maze Island Palace (100, 200 and 100 EXP)

Maze Island Palace has a 100 EXP bag in the room just right of the entrance, where armored blue Stalfos drop in beside it, a 200 EXP bag tunnelled out from under the blocks next to a key, and a 100 EXP bag on a tall block platform near the end that needs Jump, also guarded by armored blue Stalfos. See Palace 4: Maze Island Palace.

Palace 5: Palace on the Sea (200 EXP x4 and 50 EXP)

This palace holds four 200 EXP bags. One sits on a dissolving bridge above lava, one is above an elevator, one is behind blocks guarded by a Gooma, and one is behind blocks guarded by a pair of skulls and a red Iron Knuckle. A 50 EXP bag is near the top of the fire-wizard area. See Palace 5: Palace on the Sea.

Palace 6: Three-Eye Rock Palace (100 x2 and 200 x5)

Three-Eye Rock Palace has seven bags. Two are worth 100 EXP, one near two skulls and one elsewhere in the palace. Five are worth 200 EXP: one below the fake floor on the right, one in the first area of the looping jump, and three more spread through the palace. See Palace 6: Three-Eye Rock Palace.

Bags dropped by enemies

Not every bag is fixed. Every sixth enemy you defeat leaves a drop in place of its usual EXP: weaker enemies leave a blue jar or a 50 EXP bag, stronger ones a red jar or a 200 EXP bag. Crouch and stab the drop to collect it. These bags are not part of the 30 above, and they are random, so a Red or Blue Iron Knuckle, a Daira or a Geru is the best place to farm a 200 EXP bag. Strike the Iron Knuckle statues at palace doors too, since they can hold a jar.