The 10 HARDEST Zelda Puzzles
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VOICE OVER: Johnny Reynolds
WRITTEN BY: Johnny Reynolds
"The Legend of Zelda” is known for great puzzles, but these are the hardest of them all. For this list, we'll be looking at the puzzles that took a lot more brain power than others. Our list includes The Isle of Songs from “The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword” (2011), The Mirror Room from “The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask” (2000), The Keo Ruug Shrine from “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” (2017), Drop the Block from “The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past” (1992), and more!
Script written by Johnny Reynolds
Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we’re scratching our heads at the 10 Hardest Zelda Puzzles. “The Legend of Zelda” is known for great puzzles. But for this list, we’ll be looking at the ones that took a lot more brain power than others. What’s hard for us may not be hard for you. Which puzzle in the series had you seeking a walkthrough? Let us know in the comments!
The Water Temple has been scaring gamers since the late 90s. While I think a lot of the hate it gets is overblown, it has a reputation for good reason. Many of the individual rooms found in this dungeon aren’t too taxing. But what had players confused and endlessly wandering about was its central, vertical room. It connects to most areas in the dungeon. As we all know, Link has to change the water levels to progress. It became very easy to get turned each time players had to return to this room. On a first playthrough, that’s almost guaranteed. Additionally, an easily missed Key inside the central tower also caused a lot of needless backtracking.
With 120 shrines in the base game alone, there are puzzles that cater to every level of difficulty. For the Keo Ruug Shrine, it’s a severe lack of clarity that caused players to get stuck. When you enter, you can see there are 4 columns along the floor with 5 slots each. You’re meant to place a sphere into the correct slot for each column, and your only guidance is a sign that advises looking to the stars. Each column has a constellation on the wall across from it. Does the number of stars correspond to which slot you should choose? Or are you trying to recreate them, with each sphere representing a star? Well, neither. Instead, you’re meant to count how many times each constellation appears on a wall waaaaaay on the other side of the room.
If there’s anything “Zelda” loves more than a block puzzle, it’s a block puzzle on ice. The series has used the frozen, more difficult variant in a variety of games. But the one found in “Twilight Princess’” Snowpeak Ruins always gives us pause. It’s actually two puzzles in one; getting a block on the first button is easy. But after earning the Ball and Chain, and therefore the ability to de-freeze the third block, that’s when things get tough. The second button is in the center of the icy floor, so you have to properly slide each block around until you can reach it. Of course, that’s easier said than done with no traction.
Many “Zelda” puzzles seem pretty tricky until that beautiful ‘Aha!’ moment. Afterwards, the solution seems obvious. But that’s enough of me trying to convince you that I’m not actually dumb or bad at these games. One of the ways in which the Turtle Rock dungeon from “Link’s Awakening” challenges you is through navigation, like charting a proper path across lava or pits. Its item is the fire-shooting Magic Rod, which you’ll use to clear side scrolling sections of ice blocks. However, the Magic Rod shoots in a straight line, melting all blocks in its path. You’re not meant to melt all of them as Link needs some to jump on. It took an embarrassing amount of do-overs before I realized the exact ones to melt.
Sometimes, it isn’t finding the solution to a puzzle that’s hard, but managing to pull it off. After gaining the Mirror Shield, Link uses it for several of the puzzles within the Stone Tower Temple. At a certain point, you’ll come across a room full of mirrors and two giant sun blocks that you can remove by reflecting light into them. Link must reflect light into one mirror, then reflect that light into the blocks. Unfortunately, lining up your beam is a little tricky and the mirrors don’t stay lit up for very long. Adding to the frustration are the Black Boes, annoying little soot ball enemies that spawn in the room. Everything is just obnoxious enough to get you to lose your cool.
The sacred crest is another instance of really vague instructions. Or maybe countless scores of players were just really bad at thinking outside the box. Every time Link visits the Temple of the Ocean King, which is a lot, he has to contend with several floors of obstacles, puzzles, and enemies. However, at the end of his third visit, you’ll find a plaque showing some islands and the sacred crest, which you’re told to press against your sea chart. Simply interacting with it won’t do. And we all wondered just how we were supposed to press our charts against the wall in-game…except you don’t. Link just has to pull up his sea chart while looking at the plaque, and you just have to close your DS, “pressing” them together.
The Ice Palace from “A Link to the Past” is notoriously tough. That’s mostly because the entire place is frozen over with perfectly placed obstacles and enemies to make the most out of that frustration. However, one room features a challenging puzzle who’s solution is actually so simple, it’s maddening. Inside the room in question, you’ll find a button that opens a door, which closes as soon as you step off. There’s nothing within the room that Link can place on top of it. And, this being early “Zelda,” he can’t bring something suitable through doors. What you’re meant to do is push a block from the floor above you through a hole. But that meant a level of spatial awareness that many of us just weren’t capable of at the time.
We really didn’t want to put full dungeons on here. But Jabu Jabu’s Belly really is like one big puzzle, and it is plenty challenging enough to warrant inclusion. Instead of three separate locations to change water levels, Link must constantly return to one room. But since you won’t know which water level you need for any given area, you’ll be returning to this room a lot. Because everything is tied to this one area, it does feel like one giant perplexing riddle. Keeping things on track, remembering which water levels you need and where to go, is a giant lesson in patience in the face of unbearable tedium. And yet, the Water Temple always gets the bad rap…
Across the series, Link gets tested an awful lot by the Gods. And nowhere is that more true than in “Skyward Sword.” One of the tests left for him is the Isle of Songs. Here, he can learn new songs that will show him where to go next. But first, he’ll have to make it inside. The circular puzzle outside is divided into three rings and features a handle in the middle; when pushed, it rotates the rings, which each correspond to a bridge piece. Next to the handle are three crystal switches that, when hit, raise and lower walls that can block your bridge pieces. Naturally, you have to line up the three pieces. But knowing which crystal to hit and when makes things far more challenging.
Maybe you’ll disagree on any of the other nine entries. But if there’s one puzzle all “Zelda” fans can agree is difficult, it’s this one. Before Link can obtain the Master Sword and revert back to his human form, he has to prove he’s worthy by solving a puzzle. Across a grid of platforms, he must guide the Sacred Grove’s Guardians back to their original squares. The kicker is that they both jump at the same time as Link, with one facing the same direction and the other facing the opposite. If one lands on Link, the puzzle restarts, and the Guardians can’t go for the same square. Whether you got trapped in a corner or stuck in a loop, this puzzle proved itself the hardest in the game. And it just may be the hardest in the series.
Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we’re scratching our heads at the 10 Hardest Zelda Puzzles. “The Legend of Zelda” is known for great puzzles. But for this list, we’ll be looking at the ones that took a lot more brain power than others. What’s hard for us may not be hard for you. Which puzzle in the series had you seeking a walkthrough? Let us know in the comments!
The Central Room
“The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time” (1998)The Water Temple has been scaring gamers since the late 90s. While I think a lot of the hate it gets is overblown, it has a reputation for good reason. Many of the individual rooms found in this dungeon aren’t too taxing. But what had players confused and endlessly wandering about was its central, vertical room. It connects to most areas in the dungeon. As we all know, Link has to change the water levels to progress. It became very easy to get turned each time players had to return to this room. On a first playthrough, that’s almost guaranteed. Additionally, an easily missed Key inside the central tower also caused a lot of needless backtracking.
The Keo Ruug Shrine
“The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” (2017)With 120 shrines in the base game alone, there are puzzles that cater to every level of difficulty. For the Keo Ruug Shrine, it’s a severe lack of clarity that caused players to get stuck. When you enter, you can see there are 4 columns along the floor with 5 slots each. You’re meant to place a sphere into the correct slot for each column, and your only guidance is a sign that advises looking to the stars. Each column has a constellation on the wall across from it. Does the number of stars correspond to which slot you should choose? Or are you trying to recreate them, with each sphere representing a star? Well, neither. Instead, you’re meant to count how many times each constellation appears on a wall waaaaaay on the other side of the room.
Blocks on Ice
“The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess” (2006)If there’s anything “Zelda” loves more than a block puzzle, it’s a block puzzle on ice. The series has used the frozen, more difficult variant in a variety of games. But the one found in “Twilight Princess’” Snowpeak Ruins always gives us pause. It’s actually two puzzles in one; getting a block on the first button is easy. But after earning the Ball and Chain, and therefore the ability to de-freeze the third block, that’s when things get tough. The second button is in the center of the icy floor, so you have to properly slide each block around until you can reach it. Of course, that’s easier said than done with no traction.
Blocked Paths
“The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening” (1993)Many “Zelda” puzzles seem pretty tricky until that beautiful ‘Aha!’ moment. Afterwards, the solution seems obvious. But that’s enough of me trying to convince you that I’m not actually dumb or bad at these games. One of the ways in which the Turtle Rock dungeon from “Link’s Awakening” challenges you is through navigation, like charting a proper path across lava or pits. Its item is the fire-shooting Magic Rod, which you’ll use to clear side scrolling sections of ice blocks. However, the Magic Rod shoots in a straight line, melting all blocks in its path. You’re not meant to melt all of them as Link needs some to jump on. It took an embarrassing amount of do-overs before I realized the exact ones to melt.
The Mirror Room
“The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask” (2000)Sometimes, it isn’t finding the solution to a puzzle that’s hard, but managing to pull it off. After gaining the Mirror Shield, Link uses it for several of the puzzles within the Stone Tower Temple. At a certain point, you’ll come across a room full of mirrors and two giant sun blocks that you can remove by reflecting light into them. Link must reflect light into one mirror, then reflect that light into the blocks. Unfortunately, lining up your beam is a little tricky and the mirrors don’t stay lit up for very long. Adding to the frustration are the Black Boes, annoying little soot ball enemies that spawn in the room. Everything is just obnoxious enough to get you to lose your cool.
The Sacred Crest
“The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass” (2007)The sacred crest is another instance of really vague instructions. Or maybe countless scores of players were just really bad at thinking outside the box. Every time Link visits the Temple of the Ocean King, which is a lot, he has to contend with several floors of obstacles, puzzles, and enemies. However, at the end of his third visit, you’ll find a plaque showing some islands and the sacred crest, which you’re told to press against your sea chart. Simply interacting with it won’t do. And we all wondered just how we were supposed to press our charts against the wall in-game…except you don’t. Link just has to pull up his sea chart while looking at the plaque, and you just have to close your DS, “pressing” them together.
Drop the Block
“The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past” (1992)The Ice Palace from “A Link to the Past” is notoriously tough. That’s mostly because the entire place is frozen over with perfectly placed obstacles and enemies to make the most out of that frustration. However, one room features a challenging puzzle who’s solution is actually so simple, it’s maddening. Inside the room in question, you’ll find a button that opens a door, which closes as soon as you step off. There’s nothing within the room that Link can place on top of it. And, this being early “Zelda,” he can’t bring something suitable through doors. What you’re meant to do is push a block from the floor above you through a hole. But that meant a level of spatial awareness that many of us just weren’t capable of at the time.
Jabu Jabu’s Belly
“The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages” (2001)We really didn’t want to put full dungeons on here. But Jabu Jabu’s Belly really is like one big puzzle, and it is plenty challenging enough to warrant inclusion. Instead of three separate locations to change water levels, Link must constantly return to one room. But since you won’t know which water level you need for any given area, you’ll be returning to this room a lot. Because everything is tied to this one area, it does feel like one giant perplexing riddle. Keeping things on track, remembering which water levels you need and where to go, is a giant lesson in patience in the face of unbearable tedium. And yet, the Water Temple always gets the bad rap…
The Isle of Songs
“The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword” (2011)Across the series, Link gets tested an awful lot by the Gods. And nowhere is that more true than in “Skyward Sword.” One of the tests left for him is the Isle of Songs. Here, he can learn new songs that will show him where to go next. But first, he’ll have to make it inside. The circular puzzle outside is divided into three rings and features a handle in the middle; when pushed, it rotates the rings, which each correspond to a bridge piece. Next to the handle are three crystal switches that, when hit, raise and lower walls that can block your bridge pieces. Naturally, you have to line up the three pieces. But knowing which crystal to hit and when makes things far more challenging.
The Sacred Grove’s Guardians
“The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess” (2006)Maybe you’ll disagree on any of the other nine entries. But if there’s one puzzle all “Zelda” fans can agree is difficult, it’s this one. Before Link can obtain the Master Sword and revert back to his human form, he has to prove he’s worthy by solving a puzzle. Across a grid of platforms, he must guide the Sacred Grove’s Guardians back to their original squares. The kicker is that they both jump at the same time as Link, with one facing the same direction and the other facing the opposite. If one lands on Link, the puzzle restarts, and the Guardians can’t go for the same square. Whether you got trapped in a corner or stuck in a loop, this puzzle proved itself the hardest in the game. And it just may be the hardest in the series.
