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HYRULE ATLASTHE FAN ARCHIVE
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1993 · Game Boy

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening

Eight instruments, one impossible island. Every new movement tool opens another path through Koholint—and another question about the dream.

Source & original artwork ↗
Nintendo artwork, archived by Zelda WikiImage source ↗1920 × 897

Before you set out

Your journey, at your pace.

1993 Game Boy main quest. DX adds the optional Color Dungeon. Switch 2019 changes controls and adds Chamber Dungeons; those features are not required here.

  • On Game Boy, assign tools to A and B; sword and shield are not permanently mapped.
  • Continue the trading sequence for the Magnifying Lens; buy the Bow before the finale.
  • Learn the Ballad of the Wind Fish from Marin.
Begin the walkthrough ↓

From the beginning to the final encounter

A path through the story.

Story routes, puzzle solutions, boss tactics and collection planning. Linked references provide additional room maps and individual collectible locations.

0 / 27 steps completed

Saved in this browser, across languages. No account needed.

01

Tail Cave

0 / 3 steps

Find the first instrument.

Route and puzzle solutions

  1. Take the shield from Tarin and reclaim the sword at the beach. In the forest, bring the mushroom to the witch, then use her Magic Powder on the raccoon to open the route to the Tail Key.

  2. Inside Tail Cave, collect Roc's Feather and use it to cross floor gaps. Match the symbols on the rotating enemies before collecting their key.

  3. Moldorm's vulnerable point is its tail. Stay near the middle of the platform and circle behind it; falling sends you away from the arena.

Chapter references

Checkpoints

A useful detail

Jump over pits and low enemies.

02

Bottle Grotto

0 / 3 steps

Lift the island's obstacles.

Route and puzzle solutions

  1. After the Moblin raid, rescue BowWow from the cave and bring him to Goponga Swamp. He eats the flowers blocking Bottle Grotto.

  2. Light the entrance torches and retrieve the Power Bracelet. For the Pols Voice puzzle, defeat the rabbit-like enemy first, the bat second and the Stalfos last.

  3. Block the Genie's fireballs, strike the bottle until it stops, then lift and throw it with the bracelet. Once it breaks, attack the exposed Genie.

Chapter references

Checkpoints

A useful detail

Return BowWow afterward.

03

Key Cavern

0 / 3 steps

Acquire the Pegasus Boots.

Route and puzzle solutions

  1. Complete Richard's request for five Golden Leaves in Kanalet Castle, then cross the field behind his villa to dig up the Slime Key.

  2. Inside Key Cavern, collect the Pegasus Boots and combine running with Roc's Feather to clear longer gaps. Defeat all enemies in suspicious rooms before leaving.

  3. Dash into Slime Eye to make it drop, then strike and run through the connection between its halves. Jump when the separated eyes land to avoid being stunned.

Chapter references

Checkpoints

A useful detail

Long jumps use Boots and Feather together.

04

Angler's Tunnel

0 / 3 steps

Learn to swim.

Route and puzzle solutions

  1. Bring Marin to wake the walrus blocking Yarna Desert. Defeat the Lanmola for the Angler Key, unlock the waterfall and enter from the mountain route above.

  2. Learn the order of the glowing floor tiles in the clue room, then repeat it in the matching puzzle room. Obtain the Flippers to explore deep water.

  3. The Angler Fish is fought underwater. Swim near its head, strike the glowing lure and move away from falling debris and smaller fish.

Chapter references

Checkpoints

A useful detail

Dive to explore deep water.

05

Catfish's Maw

0 / 3 steps

Recover the Hookshot.

Route and puzzle solutions

  1. Help the ghost return to its house and grave, then reach the entrance in Martha's Bay by diving through the underwater approach.

  2. Track the recurring Master Stalfos encounters until you recover the Hookshot. Strike the skeleton to collapse it and use a bomb while it is down.

  3. For Slime Eel, pull a genuine head out of a wall opening with the Hookshot. Attack its exposed body while staying clear of the rotating tail in the centre.

Chapter references

Checkpoints

A useful detail

Mark passages that need the new tool.

06

Face Shrine

0 / 3 steps

Lift heavier statues.

Route and puzzle solutions

  1. Visit the southern shrine for the Face Key and the mural before opening Face Shrine. Bring bombs and prepare to lift the large elephant statues.

  2. Acquire the stronger Power Bracelet and throw statues at sealed doors. For chess-piece puzzles, account for the landing movement rather than throwing blindly.

  3. When Facade's face appears in the floor, place a bomb on it. Keep moving around temporary holes; avoid standing beside a hole as it opens.

Chapter references

Checkpoints

A useful detail

Bombs are essential for the boss.

07

Eagle's Tower

0 / 3 steps

Bring down the upper floor.

Route and puzzle solutions

  1. Learn the Frog's Song of Soul, revive the flying rooster and use it to reach the Bird Key. Follow the mountain caves to Eagle's Tower.

  2. Carry the iron ball through the tower and throw it into all four pillars. Plan how to move the ball across barriers before leaving it behind; destroying the pillars lowers the upper floor.

  3. Collect the Mirror Shield before climbing to Evil Eagle. Raise it against feathers and walk into the wind to stay on the platform, then strike the eagle's beak during its passes.

Chapter references

Checkpoints

A useful detail

Plan the ball's path before dropping through holes.

08

Turtle Rock

0 / 3 steps

Take the eighth instrument.

Route and puzzle solutions

  1. Use the Mirror Shield to pass the flamethrower cave. Play the Frog's Song of Soul outside Turtle Rock, defeat the awakened entrance guardian and enter.

  2. Steer the moving platform to fill every gap in its floor puzzle. Collect the Magic Rod, then use it to melt ice while preserving blocks needed as stepping stones.

  3. Shoot Hot Head with the Magic Rod as it emerges from lava. Continue firing at the exposed core once the outer shell breaks.

Chapter references

Checkpoints

A useful detail

The rod melts ice; consider the path before firing.

09

The Wind Fish's Egg

0 / 3 steps

Follow your own maze clue.

Route and puzzle solutions

  1. Finish the trading sequence to obtain the Magnifying Lens. Read the previously unreadable library book and record the maze directions from your own save.

  2. Play the Ballad of the Wind Fish outside the Egg with all eight instruments. Follow your recorded directions inside; another player's sequence may not match.

  3. Change tools for the Nightmare's forms: Magic Powder for the blob, reflected projectiles for the wizard, sword attacks for the familiar monsters and arrows or the boomerang for the final eye.

Chapter references

Checkpoints

A useful detail

Use the clue from your game instead of a memorized maze route.

Collection field guide

Plan your final discoveries.

Use these routes alongside the edition-specific counters. The references link to individual locations and additional maps.

Trading, seashells and hearts

  1. Advance the trading chain whenever you enter a new settlement. It eventually gives the Magnifying Lens needed to read the Egg's route and obtain the boomerang.

  2. Revisit the beach, castle, prairie and mountain caves after gaining the shovel, bracelet, Flippers and Hookshot. Mark the individual seashell and heart locations in the reference for your edition.

  3. In the original and DX versions, visit the Seashell Mansion at the five- and ten-shell milestones before collecting more; Switch uses a different reward ladder.

Chapter references

Edition-specific optional adventures

  1. In DX and Switch, read the hidden library book for the Color Dungeon's graveyard clue. Complete its colour puzzles and choose a tunic reward.

  2. DX photographs include events tied to temporary companions and story situations. Check the photograph list before advancing those scenes.

  3. On Switch, return to Dampé as new dungeon chambers become available. Complete his challenges separately from the eight main instruments.

Chapter references

Beyond the ending

Your route to 100%.

Choose the edition first: the island’s collectibles changed substantially on Switch.

This is a collection roadmap with editable counters and links to detailed locations. The bar measures completed checklist goals, not a percentage read from your game save.

12 heart pieces; no Color Dungeon or photo album.

Choose your adventure

Compare editions & modes.

See what changes before choosing your checklist. Each column uses the edition’s own collection targets.

Game Boy

12 heart pieces; no Color Dungeon or photo album.

Game Boy Color / DX

Complete the Color Dungeon and protect the album’s missable opportunities.

Nintendo Switch (2019)

32 heart pieces, 50 shells, bottles and Dampé’s challenges. This is a separate save.

Collection targets by edition
Goal & referenceGame BoyGame Boy Color / DXNintendo Switch (2019)
Finish the main story ↗IncludedIncludedIncluded
Pieces of Heart ↗121232
Secret Seashell reward completed ↗IncludedIncludedNot included
Trading sequence and Boomerang ↗IncludedIncludedIncluded
All three Mad Batter upgrades ↗333
Check every dungeon ↗IncludedIncludedIncluded
Color Dungeon ↗Not includedIncludedIncluded
Photographs ↗Not included12Not included
Secret Seashells ↗Not includedNot included50
Fairy Bottles ↗Not includedNot included3
Figures placed in houses ↗Not includedNot included10
Dampé’s Chamber Dungeon challenges ↗Not includedNot included24

These are checklist targets, not an overall completion percentage. “Not included” means the goal is absent from that checklist. Hardware-dependent extras and additional runs are listed below.

Explore & collect

Your collectible atlas.

Keep track of individual locations and return to the ones still waiting for you.

No integrated coordinate map is documented for this edition. Use these detailed location references with the checklist below.

Integrated maps are available for: Nintendo Switch (2019). Choose that edition above only if it matches your game.

  1. Advance the trading sequence while clearing the eight instrument dungeons.
  2. Revisit beaches, caves and mountain paths with the final tools.
  3. Finish the fishing, minigame and collection rewards before entering the Wind Fish’s Egg.
0 / 6 collection goals completed

Saved separately for this edition, in this browser.

Finish the main story

Follow the story chapters above, take every boss reward and reach the ending.

Locations & reference ↗

Pieces of Heart

Use the guide for your edition; the Switch remake has different placements.

Locations & reference ↗

Secret Seashell reward completed

GB/DX: bring 20 shells for the sword; remaining uncollected shells disappear after the reward.

Locations & reference ↗

All three Mad Batter upgrades

Reach the hidden wells to increase arrows, bombs and powder.

Locations & reference ↗

Check every dungeon

Compare each floor with its map; collect permanent equipment, maps, compasses and remaining treasure before leaving.

Locations & reference ↗
Additional challenges and special requirements
  • No-death ending, Hero Mode, amiibo chambers and every fishing record are additional challenges.
Take your progress with you

One file for all games, editions, map marks, story checklists and the N64 companion. Download it on the old address, then import it on the new one. Nothing is uploaded.

Keep the source close

Sources & further help.

Independent route notes written for this archive. For a specific room, collectible or alternate version, consult these credited references.

Game artwork and characters © Nintendo.
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