Shadow Temple

1. Enter the Shadow Temple

After finishing the Water Temple, head to Kakariko Village as Adult Link to trigger a cutscene, learn the Nocturne of Shadow from Sheik, and play it on your Ocarina to reach the high graveyard ledge. Step into the cavern and cast Din's Fire to light the ring of torches encircling the altar, unlocking the entrance that spans floors B1 through B4. Once inside, read the entry plaque warning you to possess the eye of truth, activate the Lens of Truth to reveal the hidden paths across the pit, and cross the chasm with your Longshot or Hookshot.

Tip: Din's Fire will easily illuminate all the altar torches in a single cast.

2. Solve the Bird Riddle to Open the Way

Proceed into the Bird / Skull Statue Riddle Room and peer through the Lens of Truth to identify the single genuine skull among the fakes. Rotate the central statue so its beak points directly at that true skull, which opens the locked door across the chasm on Floor B1. Head through the western false passages first to defeat Dead Hand for the Hover Boots (and claim the Dungeon Map in an adjacent room), then hover across the chasm into the opened passage to descend deeper into the temple.

3. Defeat Dead Hand for the Hover Boots

Unlock the door leading to the Mini-Boss Chamber to confront Dead Hand and its pale emerging hands. Allow a hand to latch onto you or lure the creature near, break free by rapid button inputs, and strike its lowered head when it bends down to bite. Defeat the monster and enter the adjoining chamber to open the large chest containing the Hover Boots.

Tip: Slashing the lowered head with your sword is the quickest way to end the fight.

4. Enter the chamber patrolled by ReDeads and an invisible spinning scythe trap, ta

tip: Playing the Sun's Song completely paralyzes ReDeads and Gibdos before they can freeze you with their shriek.

Tip: Playing the Sun's Song completely paralyzes ReDeads and Gibdos before they can freeze you with their shriek.

5. Traverse the Guillotine Corridor to the Boss Key

Push deeper through the Guillotine Corridor & Spike Traps while timing your movement past swinging blades, Beamos sentries, and unseen footing. When facing Stalfos, lock on, block their incoming strikes, and counter with jump attacks to take them down. Hunt down the remaining Small Keys and make your way to the ornate, burning wooden room guarded by a pair of spinning wooden spike walls, using Din's Fire or breaking down the barricades to secure the Boss Key (Master Key).

6. Board the Ghost Ship

Advance to the subterranean dock, checking behind the flaming skull pots and within the rotating skull chamber to gather the final Gold Skulltulas. Board the Ghost Ship (Phantom Ferry) and play Zelda's Lullaby while standing on the Triforce mark to start your voyage across the misty abyss. Fight off the enemies that ambush you on the vessel before it reaches the end of the line, preparing your gear for the descent into the deepest chamber.

7. Vanquish Bongo Bongo

Drop down into The Boss Lair to face the Phantom Shadow Beast – Bongo Bongo as it pounds a giant drum head that launches you skyward. Put on the Hover Boots to prevent bouncing, then shoot both massive hands with your arrows or Longshot until they turn blue and go limp. Turn on your Lens of Truth to reveal the invisible charging eye, shoot its glowing red pupil with an arrow to drop it to the drum floor, and slash it with the Master Sword or Biggoron's Sword to claim a Heart Container and meet Impa in the Sacred Realm to awaken the Sage of Shadow and earn the Shadow Medallion.

Tip: The Hover Boots negate the bouncing of the drum entirely, giving you a steady aim.

The short version

What matters

• Defeating Dead Hand in the Mini-Boss Chamber grants the Hover Boots, which provide steady footing against Bongo Bongo and make desert chasms easier if cleared before the Spirit Temple.
• Grabbing the Boss Key from the burning wooden room requires destroying the spinning wooden spike walls or casting Din's Fire.
• Collecting the four Gold Skulltulas in the dungeon yields Tokens #73 through #76.

Common mistakes

• Do not approach ReDeads or Gibdos directly from the front, or their paralyzing shriek will freeze you; stun them with the Sun's Song or sneak behind them.
• Do not let Like Likes close the distance, or they will swallow you and steal your equipped tunic and shield; stun them with the Hookshot first.
• Do not fight Bongo Bongo with standard footwear, as the bouncing drum will ruin your aim and knock you into the surrounding poison; equip the Hover Boots immediately.

What you can skip

• You can safely skip tackling the Shadow Temple first and complete the Spirit Temple instead, though this delays getting the Hover Boots.