Skip to content
HYRULE ATLASTHE FAN ARCHIVE
SearchMy adventure

Shadow Temple

See the path. Break the statue.

Recover the Hover Boots, sail the ancient boat and survive the remake’s Bongo Bongo.

  1. Reveal and light the entrance torches

    Warp with the Nocturne of Shadow. Use the Lens to reveal the ring of torches, stand on the central platform and cast Din’s Fire. Inside, Longshot the first gap and walk through the false wall.

    References: Polygon · Johnny Yu · Shadow Temple Dungeon

  2. Point at the true skull

    Use the Lens around the vulture statue: only the true skull remains visible. Rotate the beak toward it to open the far gate. Before attempting the gap, explore the northwest false wall.

    References: Polygon · Johnny Yu · Shadow Temple Dungeon

  3. Win the Hover Boots

    Use the Lens to follow the hidden doors through the western/northwestern route. In Dead Hand’s room, destroy its emerging limbs; Din’s Fire can clear them together. Strike the body’s lowered head until it falls, then take the Hover Boots. Return to the vulture room.

    References: Polygon · Johnny Yu · Shadow Temple Dungeon

  4. Open the crystal-room route

    Hover across the first gap. At the Beamos hub, take the northern false-wall route and collect the five crystals around the scythes for a Small Key. Return, bomb the eastern rock wall and unlock the descending path.

    References: Polygon · Johnny Yu · Shadow Temple Dungeon

  5. Cross the guillotines and platforms

    Pass each rising blade, using Hover Boots around the fast guillotines where needed. Defeat the Stalfos with the boots off. Take the moving platforms toward the Beamos and collect the five crystals, including the ones on invisible and raised platforms.

    References: Polygon · Johnny Yu · Shadow Temple Dungeon

  6. Support the falling spike traps

    Reveal the stone block with the Lens and push it beneath the crushers, staying clear of the unprotected trap. Move it to the far end, climb onto the upper structure and ride a crusher upward. Open the southwest chest for the next key.

    References: Polygon · Johnny Yu · Shadow Temple Dungeon

  7. Collect the hidden room’s crystals

    Return to the invisible platform and reveal the moving platform beneath it. Ride to the locked route. Use the Lens to avoid the floor spikes, defeat the ReDeads and collect the five crystals, reaching the high ones with the Longshot.

    References: Polygon · Johnny Yu · Shadow Temple Dungeon

  8. Bomb the giant skull

    The crystal door leads to a room with a rotating skull. Kill all the Keese so you can leave, climb up and drop a bomb into the skull’s opening. Collect its Small Key. Return and use the high Longshot target to reach the locked exit.

    References: Polygon · Johnny Yu · Shadow Temple Dungeon

  9. Use both kinds of boots

    Wear the Iron Boots to walk against the fans. Longshot to the wooden beam above the gap when needed. At the far end, reveal the false side wall with the Lens. Switch to the Hover Boots and let the fan carry you through that opening.

    References: Polygon · Johnny Yu · Shadow Temple Dungeon

  10. Break the wall beyond the fans

    Use the fan and Hover Boots to reach the false side opening. Defeat the ReDeads, avoid the blade traps and break the rock wall. Take the Small Key and unlock the onward door.

    References: Polygon · Johnny Yu · Shadow Temple Dungeon

  11. Sail the ancient boat

    Move the block beneath the ladder and climb aboard. Play Zelda's Lullaby on the Triforce. Fight the Stalfos while the boat moves. As it reaches the end and starts sinking, jump to the bank on the left.

    References: Polygon · Johnny Yu · Shadow Temple Dungeon

  12. Find the key beyond the web

    Burn the web beside the landing with fire. Use the Lens through the invisible-wall maze and defeat its Floormasters. In the southern room, defeat the invisible Floormaster and all its small hands for a Small Key.

    References: Polygon · Johnny Yu · Shadow Temple Dungeon

  13. Burn the closing walls

    Use that key on the northern door off the maze. Ready Din’s Fire or Fire Arrows before entering. Burn the wooden spike walls as they close in, defeat the ReDead and take the Boss Key.

    References: Polygon · Johnny Yu · Shadow Temple Dungeon

  14. Topple the bird statue

    Return to the boat landing. Break the cracked rock at the bird statue’s base to drop it into a bridge. Cross and take the southern door. Use the Lens and Hover Boots to follow the platforms to Bongo Bongo.

    References: Polygon · Johnny Yu · Shadow Temple Dungeon

  15. Awaken the Shadow Sage

    Defeat Bongo Bongo, collect the Heart Container and use the blue warp. With the Shadow Medallion earned, your next destination is the Gerudo fortress in western Hyrule.

    References: Respec · tested Switch 2 route

Bongo Bongo

Use Hover Boots briefly against the drum bounce, then remove them for normal movement.

Avoid a hand’s slam and hit it when it stops glowing. Arrows can reach hands beyond sword range. Disable both hands.

Reveal the body with the Lens, shoot the exposed eye as it charges, and run in for sword strikes.

Later hands sweep, grab or punch. Interrupt vulnerable hands with arrows and repeat the eye opening.

Track this chapter

Check steps as you complete them in the game. You can undo any check.

Sources and edition changes

Switch 2 edition · sources checked November 5, 2026

This guide follows the 2026 Nintendo Switch 2 remake. Routes were checked against edition-specific walkthroughs and Nintendo documentation. We have not personally completed a console playthrough.

The N64 guide and its saved progress remain separate. Checklist totals measure this guide, not the game's completion percentage. New features are documented where the available evidence supports them.

Nintendo update notes: version 1.1.1 ↗

Changes to keep in mind

  • The entrance torches are visible through the Lenses of Truth.
  • Collection rooms use crystals; the final bridge comes from breaking the bird statue’s base.
  • Edition-specific guides checked on 5 November 2026. This is documentary verification; HyruleAtlas has not replayed these steps on a Switch 2 console.
  • Switch between ordinary movement, Hover Boots and Iron Boots when each obstacle calls for them.