Fire Temple

1. Infiltrate the Entrance Hall

Equip your Goron Tunic before crossing from Death Mountain Crater into the Fire Temple. When you enter the Entrance Hall on 1F, stairs lead directly up to a doorway on your left, but you will first encounter swooping Fire Keese. Pick off these flying pests from a safe distance using your Fairy Bow or Hookshot.

Tip: Take down the airborne enemies early before climbing the stairs.

2. Meet Darunia and Search the Lower Cell Complexes

Pass through the left doorway to trigger a cutscene where Darunia tasks you with liberating his people and facing the subterranean dragon ahead. Head into the lower cell and lava complexes, where you can locate early chests that yield the Dungeon Map and Compass. In the 1F Lava Room (East), ride the shooting platform toward the large blue Time Block at the northwest end, then play the Song of Time to shift it out of the way to reach a Gold Skulltula token.

Tip: Keep your Fairy Bow ready for ranged precision in wide lava halls.

3. Free the Gorons Across the Middle Floors

Navigate floating platforms suspended over magma across 1F through 3F to press floor switches and bust open the cells of trapped Gorons. Loot each newly unlocked cell to pick up Small Keys from their chests, and weave through the rolling boulder maze and climbing walls to ascend. In the northeast area of the Rolling Boulder Room, detonate a Bomb against the cracked wall to claim another Gold Skulltula. If you previously learned the Scarecrow's Song, summon Pierre at the end of the walkway in the Upper Boulder Chasm, Hookshot to the platform elevator to ride into a hidden room for a third Gold Skulltula, then continue straight to the Elevated Chamber directly above for a fourth Gold Skulltula.

Tip: You can hit the rolling boulder room's cracked wall with regular Bombs to uncover the token.

4. Defeat the Flare Dancer and Climb the Upper Levels

Continue upward into a combat arena to confront the Flare Dancer mini-boss, who skitters across the floor leaving burning trails and leaps upward to summon fire attacks. Target the foe while it twirls and yank out its vulnerable core with your Hookshot, then slash the squirming core with your sword before it slips back into its blazing costume. After finishing the battle, ascend to 4F and drop a Bomb or loose an arrow downward to trigger the timed switch that deactivates the flame barrier, granting access to the western side of 5F.

Tip: Aiming an arrow downwards is a reliable alternate method to detonate the 4F switch from above.

5. Claim the Megaton Hammer

Upon reaching Floor 5F, locate the high chest sealed inside a raging fire ring. Step on the nearby small floor switch to start a timer that temporarily extinguishes the blaze, then sprint across the narrow inner ledge before the barrier reactivates to retrieve the Megaton Hammer inside.

Tip: Run smoothly along the center of the narrow path to beat the ticking timer.

6. Smash Downward Shortcuts for the Boss Key

Brandish your newly acquired Megaton Hammer on 5F to smash the large floor block, dropping it down into 4F to open a path. Continue downward by pounding heavy floor switches on the lower levels to raise descending staircases and obliterate obstructing stone blocks. Solve the hammer-activated puzzles in the lower levels to open the chamber housing the Boss Key, then return to the 1F Northwest Chamber alcove to crush the blocking stone obstacles and harvest your final Gold Skulltula.

Tip: The Megaton Hammer readily shatters heavy stone blocks that bar access to alcoves and lower passages.

7. Slay the Subterranean Dragon Volvagia

Unlock the heavy boss door to face Volvagia, the subterranean lava dragon, in its fiery lair. When the beast surfaces from the arena's floor holes, quickly crush its head with the Megaton Hammer to stun it, then slice it repeatedly with your sword. Avoid its airborne rock fall and platform sweeps by sprinting the perimeter or hanging from the edge; after felling the dragon, collect your Heart Container and meet Darunia in the Chamber of Sages to receive the Fire Medallion.

Tip: Stun Volvagia's head using the Megaton Hammer the moment it pokes out of a hole before switching to sword strikes.

The short version

What matters

• Freeing every imprisoned Goron across the lower cell complexes to acquire all the Small Keys.
• Activating the timed switch on 5F and navigating the narrow ledge to claim the Megaton Hammer.
• Stunning Volvagia with the Megaton Hammer whenever it emerges from the arena floor.

Common mistakes

• Entering the Fire Temple without your Goron Tunic equipped, which will subject Link to lethal heat.
• Blocking the dive-bombs of Fire Keese with a wooden shield, which will burn it up.
• Trying to tackle the 3rd and 4th Gold Skulltulas without learning Pierre's Scarecrow's Song before your run.

What you can skip

• Attempting to reach the Upper Boulder Chasm elevator if you do not have the Scarecrow's Song.