The Legend of Zelda, A Link to the Past

Nepiki By Nepiki.

Contents

0) Author Information

Hello there, I’m Nepiki! I’m a gamer who has an unofficial case of amnesia so I have an obsession with writing everything down so I don’t forget about it! Joking aside, I do genuinely like writing, especially if it helps out other people. I don’t have a lot of guides yet, but expect to see more pop up in the future!

For everything me related, here are some links you can check out:

Retro Achievements | Website | Discord Server

1) Synopsis

Set Difficulty: 5/10
Approximate time to Master: Around 20 to 25 hours

Minimum Number of Playthroughs Needed: 1
Number of Missable Achievements: 12 (One item upgrade achievement, everything else no-damage bosses achievements)
Does Difficulty Affect Achievements?: N/A

2) Introduction

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is an action-adventure game developed and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It is the third game in The Legend of Zelda series and was released in 1991 in Japan and 1992 in North America and Europe.

A Link to the Past focuses on Link as he journeys to save Hyrule, defeat the dark lord Ganon, and rescue the descendants of the Seven Sages. It returns to a top-down perspective similar to the original The Legend of Zelda, dropping the side-scrolling gameplay of Zelda II: The Adventure of Link. It introduced series staples such as parallel worlds and items including the Master Sword.

A Link to the Past has a total of 55 Achievements worth 435 points. The achievement set has been created by Retro Achievement developers dude1286, HenrySwanson and AntTanGames. The set of achievements are mostly designed to be achievable by the casual player, with the no-damage achievements for the more hardcore players. The game also has multiple leaderboards, including minigames and no-hit runs.

3) Walkthrough

Step 1: Story Achievements

All of the story achievements are not missable, and will come to you over time when beating the game. The guide has sorted them on the chronological order of getting them in-game.

Step 2: Item (upgrade) achievements (1 missable)

Some items not found in dungeons are optional, and can be done after some specific progress has been made. The only missable achievement happens when you don’t upgrade the shield through the waterfall, but by buying it in the dark world. The guide has sorted the achievements on the chronological order of getting them in-game.

Step 3: No-damage achievements (11 missable)

These achievements are all missed when beating the boss while taking damage. This may sound intimidating, but there are some ways to cheese bosses. Some do still require legitimate strategies and skill, but they can be made easier by doing a few optional sidequests.

4) Tips and tricks (no spoilers)

  • Remember that the game has a built-in copy feature for save files, for a maximum of 3 slots. This can be especially useful if you want to keep a boss for later due to it being too tough, or if you want to do dungeons in a specific order as you can (kinda) do the Dark World dungeons in a different order than stated.
    • One such example is by getting the item from the dungeon, but not beating the boss yet. This way, you can keep the boss from the first dungeon in the Dark World alive and kill him last for example.
  • By visiting the ice cave in the lower-right part of the Light World and charging into the fairy statue in the middle, a bee will fly out. This bee is special as it stays alive for longer, and will attack enemies for you when you store it in a bottle. This also works on bosses, and can in some situations be very effective.
  • After beating the second dungeon in the Dark World, I recommend getting the item from the fourth dungeon in Thieves Town first. That way, you can lift up heavier stones and get a lot of items that will make no-damage bosses easier. For example, you can get your sword tempered and obtain the Magic Cape from the cemetery, which makes you invincible at the cost of magic points. For the latter, also be sure to half your magic meter A.S.A.P. near the smithies because this will be essential for no-damage runs.
  • When taking damage from a boss, your best option is to use the magic mirror to teleport back to the entrance. Resetting the game will place you at a specific spot on the map, so you’d have to walk all the way back to the dungeon.
  • ALWAYS ENTER A BOSS ROOM WITH FULL HEALTH IF YOU ARE ATTEMPTING THE NO-DAMAGE ACHIEVEMENTS. I am not 100% sure this is required to get the achievement, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Step 1: Story Achievements | Total points: 137

Fighter (2)
Acquire the Fighter’s Sword and Shield

Found after finding your uncle in the castle’s basement.

Sanctuary (5)
Take the Princess to the safety of Sanctuary.

Rescue the princess from the dungeons in the castle, then bring her to the Sanctuary by going through the escape room behind the throne.

Pendant of Courage (5)
Acquire the Pendant of Courage

Obtained after defeating the boss of the first dungeon, located in the east side of Hyrule.

Pendant of Power (5)
Acquire the Pendant of Power.

Obtained after defeating the boss of the second dungeon, located in the desert in south-west Hyrule.

Mirror World (5)
Obtain the Magic Mirror.

Obtained after escorting the old man back to Death Mountain.

Pendant of Wisdom (5)
Acquire the Pendant of Wisdom.

Obtained after defeating the boss of the third dungeon, located on Death Mountain north of Hyrule.

The Sword of Masters (5)
Obtain the Master Sword.

Obtained in the north-western part of the forest above Kakariko Village after having all 3 pendants.

Coward! (5)
Have Agahnim transport you to the Dark World.

Beat Agahnim in the castle after obtaining the Master Sword.

Crystal in the Dark (10)
Free the maiden from the Dark Palace.

Unlocked after beating the boss of the first dungeon in the Dark World, located on the west side of Hyrule at the same place as the first dungeon in the Light World.

Crystal in the Swamp (10)
Free the maiden from the Swamp Palace.

Unlocked after beating the boss of the second dungeon in the Dark World, located south of Link’s house.

Crystal in the Woods (10)
Free the maiden from the Skull Woods.

Unlocked after beating the boss of the third dungeon in the Dark World, located in the forest north of Thieves’ Town.

Crystal in the Statue (10)
Free the maiden from the Gargoyle’s Statue.

Unlocked after beating the boss of the fourth dungeon in the Dark World, located in the statue in Thieves’ Town. Open this dungeon by holding it and pulling back.

Crystal in the Ice (10)
Free the maiden from the Ice Palace.

Unlocked after beating the boss of the fifth dungeon in the Dark World, located in the water in south-east Hyrule. Gain access to it by lifting the black stone on the island in the Light World.

Crystal in the Mire (10)
Free the maiden from Misery Mire.

Unlocked after beating the boss of the sixth dungeon in the Dark World, located in the swamp in south-west Hyrule. Gain access to it by using the Flute in the Light World to fly to the Desert, then lift a black stone. Note that the Ether Medallion is required to access the dungeon.

Crystal in the Rock (10)
Free the maiden from Turtle Rock.

Unlocked after beating the boss of the seventh dungeon in the Dark World, located on the north-western side of Death Mountain. In the Light World, use the hammer to solve the memory puzzle (right, up, left), then use the Quake Medallion to open the dungeon.

True Culprit (5)
Discover the true entity behind the maidens’ capture.

Unlocked after beating the boss of the eight dungeon in the Dark World, located on Death Mountain at the same place as the third dungeon in the Light World. Note that you have to beat every Dark World dungeon to access it.

The Golden Age (25)
Return the Golden Land to its former glory.

Unlocked after beating the final boss of the game, located at the pyramid in central Dark World. Note that the Silver Arrows are required to beat this boss, obtained from throwing the bow in the fountain also located at the pyramid. Go to Link’s house in the Dark World to get a big bomb, and use that to bomb the suspicious wall at the pyramid.

Step 2: Item (upgrade) achievements (1 missable) | Total points: 163

Illuminating (2)
Acquire the Lamp

Requirements: Get out of bed.

This item is found immediately at the start of the game after getting out of bed by opening the chest in Link’s House.

Bombs (4)
Acquire Some Bombs

Requirements: Escort Zelda to the Sanctuary.

You will come across bombs very often in the game, so you don’t have to worry about this achievement. The earliest you can find them is by dropping in the cave in Kakariko Village.

Bug Catcher (5)
Acquire the Bug Catching Net

Requirements: Escort Zelda to the Sanctuary.

You can obtain this item from the sick boy laying in his bed in Kakariko Village.

Bottle (5)
Acquire a Bottle

Requirements: Escort Zelda to the Sanctuary.

You can obtain a bottle at multiple places, but the easiest one is by buying it from the bottle seller in Kakariko Village or finding it in the inn. For all 4 locations, refer to the All Your Bottles Belong to Us achievement.

Powder Girl (5)
Obtain the Magic Powder from the Witch’s Apprentice.

Requirements: Escort Zelda to the Sanctuary.

Find the mushroom in the Lost Woods north of Kakariko Village, and bring this to the witch in north-east Hyrule. Come back at a later time to pick this item up inside the witch’s hut.

Icy (5)
Gain access to the Ice Rod.

Requirements: Escort Zelda to the Sanctuary and have access to bombs.

Go to south-east Hyrule and find a cave with a destructible entrance right next to it. Use the bombs on this entrance and make your way inside to obtain the Ice Rod.

Book of Prayer (5)
Obtain the Book of Mudora.

Requirements: Beat the first dungeon and obtain the Pegasus Boots from Sahasrahla.

You can obtain this book from the library south of Kakariko Village. Use the Pegasus Boots to charge into the bookcase with the book on top.

Overpriced Merchandise (5)
Obtain the Zora’s Flippers.

Requirements: Beat the second dungeon and have 500 rupees with you.

Go to north-east Hyrule and access the Zora’s Domain. Make your way to the end of the shallow water and approach the waterfall where the Zora king is waiting.

The Magic of the Boom (5)
Obtain the Magical Boomerang.

Requirements: Beat the second dungeon and obtain the Zora’s Flippers.

Right outside the Zora’s Domain, swim into the waterfall. There is a fountain inside, where you can throw your boomerang into.

Magical Shield (5)
Upgrade the Fighter’s Shield to the Red Shield without buying it

-=MISSABLE=-

Requirements: Beat the second dungeon and obtain the Zora’s Flippers.

Right outside the Zora’s Domain, swim into the waterfall. There is a fountain inside, where you can throw your shield into.

I want to carry more Bombs! (10)
Increase your maximum capacity of bombs to 50.

Requirements: Have access to the Zora’s Flippers and at least 700 rupees.

This can be done at any given point in the game after obtained the Zora’s Flippers. Go to the Pond of Happiness in the waters in the south-east of Hyrule, and keep throwing in rupees till a fairy comes out and asks you to increase your bomb- or arrow capacity.

I want to carry more Arrows! (10)
Increase your maximum capacity of arrows to 70.

Requirements: Have access to the Zora’s Flippers and at least 700 rupees.

This can be done at any given point in the game after obtained the Zora’s Flippers. Go to the Pond of Happiness in the waters in the south-east of Hyrule, and keep throwing in rupees till a fairy comes out and asks you to increase your bomb- or arrow capacity.

Thunderstruck (5)
Obtain the Ether Medallion

Requirements: Have the Book of Mudora and the Master Sword.

After having the requirements, climb Death Mountain again and cross the bridge west of the third dungeon. Use the Book of Mudora in front of the statue.

Fault Line (5)
Obtain the Quake Medallion

Requirements: Make your way to the Dark World.

Go to north-east Hyrule where the entrance to the Zora’s Domain used to be. Throw a random rock in the middle of the rock formation in the water, and the medallion will be thrown out.

Ring of Fire (5)
Obtain the Bombos Medallion

Requirements: Have the Book of Mudora and beat the first dungeon in the Dark World.

After having the requirements, go to where normally the entrance would be to the desert in the Dark World. Go west the furthest you can, then use the Magic Mirror to teleport back to the Light World. Use the Book of Mudora in front of the statue.

Bird is the Word (5)
Free the bird from the center of town.

Requirements: Beat the first dungeon in the Dark World.

First, go to the small forest clearing west of Link’s House in the Dark World, where you will find a transformed flute player sitting on a trunk. He will give you a shovel, which you can use to dig up the flute in the Light World in the north-western flowerbed. Go back to the Dark World and play the flute song for the transformer flute player, then go to Kakariko Village in the Light World and play the flute in front of the statue with the bird.

Cursed Magic (5)
Obtain the magic bar enhancement.

Requirements: Obtain the Magic Powder and beat the first dungeon in the Dark World.

Go to the smithies’ house in the Light World and use your hammer to gain access to the dropdown. In this cave, use your Magic Powder on the green monument to get cursed apparently.

The Swordsmith’s Brother (5)
Obtain the Tempered Sword.

Requirements: Beat the fourth dungeon in the Dark World.

After beating the fourth dungeon, find a frog-like being south of Thieves’ Town in the Dark World. Escort him to the smithies’ house in the Light World, then exit and enter again and ask them to temper your sword. Come back in a few minutes to pick it up again.

All Your Bottles Belong To Us (10)
Obtain all four bottles in the game.

Requirements: Beat the fourth dungeon in the Dark World and escort the smithy back to his place.

  1. Buy a bottle from the bottle seller in Kakariko Village.
  2. Found inside a chest in the back of the inn in Kakariko Village.
  3. Swim underneath the bridge east of Link’s House in the Light World to find a camping man who gives you the bottle.
  4. After escorting the smithy back to his place (see The Swordsmith’s Brother achievement), go back to the Dark World and walk up to the chest inside the Swordsmith’s house. Bring this chest to the entrance of the desert in the Light World to a guy standing next to a sign, who will open the chest for you.

You Can’t See Me (5)
Obtain the Magic Cape.

Requirements: Beat the fourth dungeon in the Dark World.

Go to the cemetery in the Light World and remove the black stones from the north-eastern grave. Then, charge into the grave with your Pegasus Boots to discover the entrance to where the Magic Cape is hidden.

Sorcerer’s Protection (5)
Obtain the Cane of Byrnna.

Requirements: Access to the Dark World, though the Magic Cape and one Magic Potion are strongly recommended.

Make your way up Death Mountain and go to the teleporter that first brought you to the Dark World. Drop down a ledge to gain access to a cave covered in spikes. Use the Magic Cape to avoid taking damage.

Golden Wish (10)
Obtain the Golden Sword.

Requirements: Beat the Fifth and Sixth dungeon, and have the Tempered Sword.

Buy a big bomb from Link’s House in the Dark World, then make your way to the pyramid and bomb the cracked wall. Throw your sword in the fountain located inside.

Rupee Hunter (2)
Have 100 Rupees

See Rupee Hoarder.

Rupee Collector (5)
Have 400 Rupees

See Rupee Hoarder.

Rupee Hoarder (5)
Have 999 Rupees

This will come to you over time if you explore everything dungeons and caves have to offer, as there are way too many rupees in the game. But if you still have trouble for whatever reason, you can play one of the many minigames, such as the gambling shop or the shooting gallery. If the result is not favourable, just reset the game.

Love the Past (25)
Have all 20 Heart Containers

Requirements: Beat all dungeons.

There are a total of 24 Heart Pieces to be found, making for a total of 6 complete hearts. I would list where you can find them but I’m lazy so instead, have this link to the Zelda Dungeon wikipedia.

Step 3: No-damage achievements (11 missable) | Total points: 135

REMEMBER TO BE FULL HEALTH WHEN YOU ENTER THE BOSS ROOM, OTHERWISE THE ACHIEVEMENT WON’T UNLOCK

Bested Armos Knights (10)
Defeat all the Armos Knights without being harmed.

-=MISSABLE=-

Recommendations: None. They can be harmed with a sword, but the arrows are definitely the better option here.

The Armos Knights most likely won’t give you too much trouble. Just stay in one corner (I prefer south-east) and keep shooting arrows till only one Armos Knight remains. Every Armos Knight dies within 3 arrows, so use that to your advantage. The final Armos Knight will jump around and try to hit you from above, but this shouldn’t be too much trouble if you keep walking around away from his landing position.

Bested Lanmolas (10)
Defeat all three Lanmolas without being harmed.

-=MISSABLE=-

Recommendations: Ice Rod.

Surprisingly one of the tougher bosses to no-damage since there isn’t really an easy strategy, and I unfortunately don’t have a lot of advice to give here either. The Ice Rod is a recommendation, but it won’t necessarily save you–it will just do a bit more damage than your sword. The best advice I can give is to wait for the final Lanmolas to pop out and try to hit that one. The rocks they shoot out always go diagonally so take your time and be extra careful. Do keep in kind however, that the final undefeated Lanmolas will shoot out in eight directions. I definitely recommend keeping the Ice Rod for the final one to get rid of it easier. Patience really is key here, and should be your main priority.

Bested Moldorm (10)
Defeat Moldorm without being harmed.

-=MISSABLE=-

Recommendations: None

I unfortunately don’t have much advice for Moldorm. The good thing about him is that he can’t hurt you as long as you are charging your sword. The problem here isn’t taking damage however, but falling down. Fortunately, falling down also means an easy reset, so you can try this boss over and over again. He definitely is an annoying boss, but he shouldn’t really hurt you, so the achievement should be pretty easy to unlock. If the boss still gives you trouble, you can try pause buffering him by constantly opening and closing the menu until he is in a good position to strike.

Bested Agahnim (10)
Defeat Agahnim in Hyrule Castle without being harmed.

-=MISSABLE=-

Recommendations: None.

The worst part about Agahnim? Having to go through that entire dungeon again if you mess up. Joking aside, Agahnim isn’t too bad of a boss. He has three different attacks, of which one is very easily predictable- and avoidable. Whenever he goes to the most northern-middle spot, he will use a lightning attack that can be avoided by going to the left or right wall. The other two aren’t as easily identifiable, but shouldn’t pose too much trouble either. The red shot can be reflected with the sword (or bug net) right at Agahnim, and it’s recommended to stand straight across him to make sure it hits. The other attack is a bit trickier, as it is a blue circle that goes into 6 directions upon hitting a sword or a wall. You can hit it and hope the shield protects you if one of the directions is towards you, but I personally found that to be a bit too RNG-heavy for my liking. Avoiding the blue circle is definitely my preferred option. Keep this up for a bit and Agahnim is down.

Bested Helmasaur King (10)
Defeat Helmasaur King without being harmed.

-=MISSABLE=-

Recommendations: Bombs. If you’re keeping this boss for later, you can also bring a Magic Cape/Upgraded Sword

The Helmasaur King is an interesting boss: he’s not too difficult, but you have to be careful at all times. I recommend getting rid of the shield by dropping/throwing bombs (I prefer the former), as his movements are pretty predictable. It only takes 4 bombs to get rid of the shield, while it takes 16 hammer hits. The Helmasaur King only has two attacks to worry about: the first is where he spits out a fireball, that turns into three fireballs that implode diagonally. For this attack, it’s best to go to the wall that’s farthest away so you can easily dodge them. The other is his tail attack, indicated by when the tail starts moving faster. This is actually easily avoidable by standing directly in front of him. The only thing you need to be careful about here, especially in his second phase, is that he starts moving again right after the tail attack ends. If he runs into you, that obviously counts as damage. You can also avoid this by going to the wall that’s farthest away, but I find standing in front of him easier.

Bested Arrghus (10)
Defeat Arrghus without being harmed.

-=MISSABLE=-

Recommendations: None

Arrghus is a really easy boss, but you still have to be careful. ONLY Hookshot the minions off of him from the left- or right side, as doing it from above or below him has the chance for the minions to go too far into your sprite, damaging you when they’re travelling back. When he does his swirl attack, go to the exact opposite of the room as he can’t reach you. When all of the minions are gone, charge up your sword and keep walking around to make sure he doesn’t land on you. Arrghus only moves diagonally, so that should make his movements predictable. 4 charged sword attacks should end him for good.

Bested Mothula (10)
Defeat Mothula without being harmed.

-=MISSABLE=-

Recommendations: Magic Cape, Good Bee, 1-2 Magic Potions, Tempered Sword (or Golden Sword if you’re killing Mothula after the 5th and 6th dungeon).

The easiest way to get rid of Mothula is by releasing the Good Bee and then going invincible with the Magic Cape while attacking with your sword. Keep good track of your magic meter and if necessary, drink a magic potion only when you are truly safe to do so as you won’t be invincible during that time. Watch out for the moving floor, otherwise you’ll run into a spike upon re-appearing.

Bested Blind (10)
Defeat Blind without being harmed.

-=MISSABLE=-

Recommendations: Magic Cape, Good Bee, 1-2 Magic Potions, Tempered Sword (or Golden Sword if you’re killing Blind after the 5th and 6th dungeon).

The easiest way to get rid of Blind is by releasing the Good Bee and then going invincible with the Magic Cape while attacking with your sword. Keep good track of your magic meter and if necessary, drink a magic potion only when you are truly safe to do so as you won’t be invincible during that time. Be extra careful with re-appearing as both the heads and their lasers will damage you.

Bested Kholdstare (10)
Defeat Kholdstare without being harmed.

-=MISSABLE=-

Recommendations: Bombos Medallion, Fire Rod and/or Magic Cape, 1-2 Magic Potions

Upon entrance, use the Bombos Medallion immediately to get rid of Kholdstare’s ice armour. From there, it really is up to you on how you want to beat him as Kholdstare isn’t too difficult–you just need to beware of the falling snow. You can use the Fire Rod to do massive damage, or take it the safe way and just go invincible with the Magic Cape and then keep slashing with the sword.

Bested Vitreous (10)
Defeat Vitreous without being harmed.

-=MISSABLE=-

Recommendations: Magic Cape, 1-2 magic potions, Arrows

Magic Cape is your best friend for the first phase as you can just stand in front of Vitreous and keep slashing and the eyes that keep popping out. When he only has 4 eyes left, the big eye itself will pop out. Just stand in front of the door and keep shooting at him with arrows as he won’t try to do anything except getting close to you.

Bested Trinexx (10)
Defeat Trinexx without being harmed.

-=MISSABLE=-

Recommendations: Golden Sword, Magic Cape, 1-2 Magic Potions, Fire and Ice rod

This boss might look menacing, but it’s not that bad. What you want to do first is getting rid of the ice head on the right. The head movements may be confusing at first, but if you have the Golden Sword you only need to hit it 3 times. You can hit 2 times per stun with the rod. If you do this flawlessly, you should be able to kill it before the main body attacks but if not, just back off for a bit as his only attack is very predictable: the head will lunge at you when the tail starts moving faster. This attack won’t hit you if you keep walking in a straight line. After taking care of the ice head, repeat the same for the fire head. Once those are down, use the Magic Cape to go invincible and you’ve won.

Bested Ganon (25)
Defeat Ganon without being harmed.

Recommendations: Golden Sword, 1 Full Heal Potion, 2-3 Magic Potions, Magic Cape

Ganon’s fight has 4 “phases”, but the first 3 are pretty much insignificant as you can take care of all of them by just going invincible and slashing at him. You’ll need to drink a magic potion on his 3rd phase, but that should pose no problem as a lot of his time is spent just teleporting around. The 4th phase is where it can get slightly tricky, and where you also need to be cautious. You need to light two beacons while Ganon is shooting a fire bat at you, so make sure to light them fast with the Fire Rod. When he’s visible again, ONLY attack him when you know where exactly he will appear, and if you can hit him the moment he appears. If you’re even a second late, he’ll fire his bat at you which is hard to avoid when you’re close to him. Hit him so he’s stunned, fire a silver arrow at him and repeat this 4 times. Take your time for the final phase and you’ll be just fine. If you do take damage, reset the game and drink a full heal potion as your health/magic bar won’t be full upon restart to ensure you can try it again very easily.