22.1 The East Courtyard
What Zelda game wouldn’t be complete without a showdown at Hyrule Castle? Starting in the courtyard, walk northwest along the path. A barrier will soon appear with a slew of bokoblins and kargaroks. Take these guys out and then trudge onward through the door at the northwest.
As you proceed, a cut-scene will start with a great exterior shot of Hyrule Castle. A barrier will appear again and another fight with bokoblins will commence. After clearing the baddies, the barrier dissolves.
You’ll notice there is a gate blocking your path. Pull the chain to raise the gate and go through. Proceed to the raised platform and another barrier will appear, only this time locking you in. King Bulbin drops down to the center of the platform. It’s time for another fight with King Bulbin, only like Thunderdome: two men enter, one man leaves.
This battle is just like the fight in the bulblin base from earlier. This is where a lot of the moves we’ve learned will come in handy, as the sword slash, back slice and helm splitter will really make this a one sided battle against King Bulbin. Keep hacking away and he’ll just never touch you.
When King Bulbin has had enough, a cut-scene will take over and he will drop a small key for Link, telling him that he only follows the strongest and leaves.
There is a treasure chest with a red rupee in this area. Collect it before heading back to the way you came in from Hyrule Castle Courtyard.
22.2 The East Courtyard & The Dungeon Map
Walk to the northeast area and eventually another barrier appears. Per usual, defeat the bokoblins, then open the door to get to the east part of the Hyrule Castle Courtyard.
We’ll start of swinging, as there are quite a few bokoblins ready to fight. This area also has the bokoblin archers firing flame arrows at Link. Clear the bokoblins on the ground with your sword and snipe the bokoblin archers down. Continue along the path to the east side of the courtyard and there will be two bulbos that are to the west. We need to take some wooden barriers down, so jump on top of one of the bulbos and all you need to do is ride right into the fences and the bulbo will crash them down. Ride to the northeast area and go plow through the towers taking the bulblin archers down.
Equip the boomerang (if not already) as at the north end of the courtyard there are several spinner tops at the top of these pillars. Walk to the gate at the west end of the courtyard and there will be leaves on the ground. Use the boomerang over the pile of leaves and a pattern will show. The pattern resembles the triforce. The six intersecting points are the pillars with the spinner tops. Use the boomerang to hit these spinners in the exact order they appear on the pattern. Once done correctly, the gate will open.
After going through the open gate, there will be a treasure chest containing the dungeon map. Open the chest and retrieve the map. To the left there should be a tall ladder that will lead to a chest with a yellow rupee.
If skipping the yellow rupee, return to the area where the pillars were at and you’ll see some leaf piles by the wall. Morph into Wolf Link and burrow under the wall. You’ll come out in the Graveyard.
22.3 The Graveyard
Once through, there’ll be a quick cut-scene that shows the graveyard briefly. Morph back into Human Link. Walk over towards the west of the area. As you do, Stalkin will rise from the ground, but they’re super easy to defeat. A simple spin attack when they gather around you should expedite the process. Over by the gate there is a Stalfos. Get near him to make him rise and take him out. Continuing towards the northern wall there will be a tall tree, you can morph back to Wolf Link and use your senses or just equip bombs to your bow and arrow and shoot towards the base of the tree by some rocks. use your senses to see soldiers pointing at the ground. This will uncover a switch; step on it and the nearby gate will open. Head to this new room taking out Stalfos along the way. Grab the rupees that are in the chests.
Inside this room is a vat of lantern oil. Replenish if needed, but use your lantern to light the torch in this area. Miraculously the rain will stop, which is good because now we’re going to go light the torches by the other closed gate. Once done, the gate will open.
Equip the dominion rod and take control of these statues and guide them to the two indentations in the ground. Climb up the blocks on the wall by where the statues have been set and run and jump across to the other side.
Pull on the chain to open the gate and retrieve the small key out of the chest. Midna will appear telling you that you’ve gotten all you can out of the courtyard and to head to the castle.
Drop down and morph back into Wolf Link and tunnel back the way you came. Head into the room where the dungeon map was and take the ladder up. This shortcut avoids dealing with the respawned bokoblins and archers.
Head up the steps to the main locked door to Hyrule Castle and open the door.
It would be wise to say that if you need any potions or other supplies, now would be the time to do it. Backtracking to the Courtyard from inside the Castle will be annoying.
22.4 Hyrule Castle Interior, The Compass, & The Big Key
It would appear someone does not want us to make progress, because as soon as we run forward, we’re surrounded in another barrier. Take out the bokoblins. A gang of Lizalfos will run in. Take them out and the barrier will dissolve. A quick camera pan will show the magnitude of the room as well as keeping the chandeliers in focus. We’ll swing across those later. Then a chest will appear on one of the balconies. Get your clawshots out and run up the conveniently placed short staircase by that balcony.
Lock onto the chandelier and ride up. Get the compass out of the chest. Now it’s time to bust out some Tarzan skills with the clawshots. Swing towards the balcony that has a door and drop down. Go through the door.
As soon as you walk through the door, a Darknut will be waiting for you (with a barrier forming, no less). The Darknut fights will force you to use your learned sword techniques. Utilize these techniques to defeat the Darknut. Once he’s dust, a treasure chest will appear.
There are two unlit torches in the room. Light them and run up the raised platforms. Equip the boomerang and throw it at the lone lit torch opposite the two just lit. This will raise the lowered platform and you can jump up and onto the raised ledge where the chest is. The chest contains a purple rupee. Run to either side of this raised ledge to a staircase.
Enter through the door and you’ll see that a pair of Dynalfos are guarding the next door. Defeat them, then shoot down the ropes holding the paintings on the wall. This will reveal crystal switches. Hit the one farthest from the gate with an arrow and the gate will open. Hitting the other will drop Yellow Chus. Go through the opened door.
If you didn’t have enough fun with the first Darknut battle, get ready to double your pleasure! Defeat them. If you find yourself in trouble, using the magic armor will help. Once defeated, both sealed doors will now be open. Go through the door that takes you back to the main room and step on the switch. Another chest will appear on another balcony. There is a chest behind you that has a purple rupee in it. The chest that we made appear will contain a Silver rupee. If going for the silver rupee, you must drop down and swing from chandelier to chandelier again and get back to the room you just fought two Darknuts in.
Returning to the room where we battled two Darknuts, go through the other door and we’ll be outside.
As you start to run forward, a quick scene will take over and we’ll see the gate lift to where the Big Key is at. All of a sudden Lizaflos will charge and Bokoblin Archers will start firing at Link. We’re doomed! Just as we’re about to meet our fate…
SCREEEECH!
We hear the hawk and then see the archers fall to their doom. The Lizaflos continue to charge, then a huge explosion takes them out!
We’ve been saved. The camera pans and we see the Hyrule Resistance (those guys from Telma’s Bar) and our old friend Rusl cheering us on. Now that the path is clear, get the Big Key from the chest.
Head back towards the door you just came out of, only follow the exterior path. You’ll pass a locked door. Run past it for now and you’ll then find yourself in another barrier. Take out the Aeralfos and get the key out of the nearby chest. Run back to the area where we passed the locked door, open it and go through.
22.5 Road to the Big Bad
Once inside, morph into Wolf Link. We’ll need our sense abilities for this part of the challenge. A bunch of ghost soldiers are standing around and will point the direction/path you should take. Follow this until you reach the east side of the room.
Once you make it to the other side of the room you’ll reach a broken staircase. Make your way up the staircase. As soon as you reach the top, defeat the two Lizalfos and then continue upward another broken staircase.
This time use your clawshots to get across. Lock on around the area of the lit torches and continue your way. Once you make it to the next level, defeat another pair of Lizalfos.
The next broken staircase will require some well timed jumps with the spinner. Jump from side to side avoiding the spikes as you do.
Once on the last level, a Darknut will be waiting for us. Defeat him. There is a small room opposite the boss door that has rupees and various items. If you’re in need, stop in.
Make your way through the boss door which will take us up to the Throne Room. If this area looks familiar it’s because this is where Zant first appeared, seizing Hyrule.
As we enter the Throne Room, we see the real mastermind behind this whole plot: GANONDORF. After some dialogue, Ganondorf possesses Princess Zelda and this will start the main boss fight of the game.
22.6 Puppet Zelda
Having taken possession of Princess Zelda, our first boss fight is very similar to the Phantom Ganon battles from Ocarina of Time and The Wind Waker. Zelda will hurl a ball of energy at us. Tennis match that energy ball back until it hits her.
Puppet Zelda never touches the ground, so you might think your clawshot is worth using, but this is a sword fight. She will fly through the air and try to skewer Link, but a simple shield block will deflect this. Occasionally she’ll make a giant golden triangle appear on the floor. Get out of the area of effect immediately. You’ll only have a few seconds to do so or lose health.
After about three hits from the Zelda Tennis match, Ganondorf will be forced out of Princess Zelda by Midna. Mildly pissed, Ganondorf will transform into Dark Beast Ganon.
22.7 Dark Beast Ganon
This fight will utilize Wolf Link and Human Link. This fight also returns an idea of the Phantom Ganon fight from Ocarina of Time, as Dark Beast Ganon will run through different purple portals and will only come out of one that will start turning red. Focus your attack there.
Ganon’s weak spot is the glimmering scar on his chest/stomach area. As he runs in and out of portals, if you time it right, shoot an arrow right between his eyes and this will grind his running to halt. As he’s hit, run over to his stunned body and start hacking away with your sword on the silver scar.
Occasionally after your attack on him, Ganon will run through a portal and then drop from the ceiling and try to land on you. Avoid this if possible.
After a few hits with an arrow, Ganon will catch on to your tricks, so he’ll jump and miss your shot. It’s morphin’ time – switch to Wolf Link and use Midna to help you grab pigface by the horns. Overpower Ganon and lock onto his silver scar again and take a bite for justice.
After a few more repeats of this process, Ganon will concede and a cut-scene will commence where Midna revives Princess Zelda. After a little bit of talking, Ganondorf appears as a creepy floaty head thing and Midna takes on a new form. Link and Zelda are teleported to safety.
As they look towards the castle, a huge explosion occurs and we then seen Ganondorf on horseback holding Midna’s fused shadow headpiece that he crumbles in his hand.
22.8 Horseback Ganondorf
Zelda beseeches the spirits of Light to bestow the Light Arrows to her. Her royal highness offers herself to this part of the battle, the first horseback boss battle in the series.
This part of the boss battle is similar to when we were taking on King Bulbin on horseback, only Ganondorf is throwing lots of hurt our way. After Zelda hits him enough times with the Light Arrows (which is the goal, Link is just there to dodge attacks with Epona), Ganondorf will fall of his horse and the absolute last battle will commence.
22.9 Dark Lord Ganondorf
This final battle of good versus evil is nothing more than a sword fight we’ve been looking for in the Zelda series. Back slices are about the only attack Ganondorf can’t counter very well, but they’re tricky to pull off. Once you connect with one, slash at Ganondorf repeatedly until he blocks your attack.
Ganondorf has a slew of sword attacks which are all pretty easy to avoid. One of his attacks is a power sword swing that will trigger a flash on the screen and the word chance will show. Repeatedly press the A button and lock and grind swords against Ganondorf as this will overpower Ganondorf and allow Link a few extra hits.
If you’re quick, and want a good laugh, use the fishing rod and cast it at Ganondorf. He will become momentarily confused – as who wouldn’t be confused bringing a fishing rod to a sword fight? Anyway, quickly switch back to sword attacks and you can land a few hits.
Ganondorf will succumb to his injuries and drop to his knee. Once this happens, lock onto him and attack and you will ram The Master Sword through his chest (I mean, Toon Link rammed it through his skull, but this is fitting, too).
Congratulations – you’ve defeated Ganondorf. Enjoy the well done ending cutscenes!