Chapter 07 · Adult Link · Most-changed dungeon
Forest Temple Walkthrough
To clear the Forest Temple, reach it as adult Link with the Hookshot, win the Fairy Bow behind the twisted corridor, defeat all four Poe Sisters to bring the central lift back, then shoot Phantom Ganon out of his paintings.
Expect the same broad flow as the original: two courtyards, a twisting hallway, painting Poes and a rotating basement. The catch is that this is the dungeon the remake touched most, and the one detailed remake walkthrough we have still reads like the N64 version. Where reports disagree, this page says so instead of guessing.
What changed in the remake
- Single source A new lift has been added in the north-west room of the temple.
- Single source The painting block-slider puzzle reportedly has no time limit any more, though you still need the right pieces. Conflict: the FinalBoss remake walkthrough still says the blocks reshuffle when time runs out.
- Confirmed A doorway used in the original is now sealed by rocks, so part of the route goes another way; previews also describe revised puzzles and new return routes in this temple.
- Single source Phantom Ganon’s energy balls move at one steady, slow speed.
- Confirmed New or longer cutscenes and a heavy visual rework in parts of the temple.
- Single source The twisted corridor, the Poe Sisters and the rotating basement appear to work as they did on N64; no source reports a change to them.
Before you go
You need adult Link, the Hookshot and the Minuet of Forest. The Hookshot comes from racing Dampé’s ghost under Kakariko Graveyard. Sheik teaches the Minuet at the top of Sacred Forest Meadow after you fight past the Moblins; on Switch 2 the notes are L, X, Y, A, Y, A. From then on the song warps you straight to the temple steps.
Bring the Song of Time for the blue block in the main hall, a few bottles for fairies, and a full stock of Arrows once you have the Bow. The temple has five Small Keys on the original route, so if a door stays shut, look for a key you skipped rather than a new path.
Read this first: the route conflict
The only detailed remake walkthrough published so far, from FinalBoss, follows the N64 room order almost exactly. It never mentions the new north-west lift or the rock-blocked doorway that games.gg reports from Game8, Nintendo Everything and preview coverage. Either the changes are small enough not to alter the route, or that walkthrough leaned on the original. We can’t tell yet.
The second open question is the painting block puzzle. games.gg says the timer is gone; FinalBoss still warns that the blocks shuffle if you are too slow. Work quickly anyway and you lose nothing either way. Steps below that rely on one source are worded with that in mind.
Step-by-step route
- From the warp point, Hookshot onto the branch above the broken stairs and enter. In the first courtyard, beat the two Wolfos, climb the vines on the right-hand tree and Hookshot across to the chest with the first Small Key. A Gold Skulltula clings to that same tree.
- In the main hall, a cutscene shows the four Poe Sisters stealing the torch flames that power the central lift. Head through the north door, clear the Blue Bubble and then the two Stalfos for a second key.
- Play the Song of Time at the blue block by the north-west doorway and climb into the west courtyard. Pick up the map, then Hookshot to the ledge switch that drains the well. Drop into the dry well passage for a third key.
- Go into the west block room and push the blocks along the floor arrows so you can climb to the upper floor. If the new north-west lift appears around here in your game, it is likely a shortcut back up; no guide has mapped it yet.
- Cross the twisted corridor, deal with the Wallmaster that drops when its shadow grows, and continue to the arena where two Stalfos wait. Beat both and the chest that appears holds the Fairy Bow.
- Take the side staircases out of the arena. Shoot each Poe painting while the Poe is visible, stepping back if the image fades, then defeat the sister who appears downstairs. One gives the compass and the other a Small Key.
- Shoot the eye switch above the twisted corridor to straighten it. Walk through to the Boss Key chest, drop down, grab the key from the Floormaster side room, then twist the corridor again.
- In the room with the rotating platform, fire an arrow through the lit torch so it bursts into flame and melts the frozen eye switch. Next comes the falling-ceiling room: cross by standing under the open gaps and step on the floor switch.
- Shoot the portrait to start the block puzzle. Pull out the blue spare block and push the green pieces in until the picture is complete. Move fast in case the timer still exists, then defeat the third sister.
- Back in the main hall, the last sister splits into four copies. The real one spins once after the split, so shoot that one. Her flame lights the final torch and the lift rises.
- Ride the lift down to the basement. Push the stone slab to rotate the walls, hit the floor switches as the gates line up, and follow the blue-carpet tunnel to the boss door.
How to beat Phantom Ganon
Walk to the centre of the arena and turn back toward the door to start the fight. In phase one, Phantom Ganon rides into a painting and two figures charge out. Only the real one is worth an arrow, so wait until a rider is fully in view before you fire. Three good hits end the phase.
In phase two he floats overhead and throws energy balls. Swing your sword to send each ball back until he misses a return and gets knocked to the floor, then run in and slash. One remake guide says the balls now move at a constant slow pace, which makes the rally easier to read. Take the Heart Container and the warp for the Forest Medallion.
Gold Skulltulas and extras
The FinalBoss walkthrough points out two Gold Skulltulas on its route: one on the vine-covered tree in the first courtyard and one in a basement side room. The original temple held five, and no remake guide we checked has published a full list yet, so use the Bow and Hookshot to check high walls in the courtyards as you go. The Boss Key, map and compass all sit on the main route.
Common stuck points
If the twisted corridor leads nowhere, you have probably left it in the wrong state; look for an eye switch to shoot. If a painting Poe won’t take damage, shoot it from further away before it fades. And if the remake’s rock-blocked doorway stops you on an N64 route, back out and look for the other way round rather than trying to break the rocks.
Frequently asked questions
What do you need before the Forest Temple?
You need adult Link, the Hookshot from Dampé’s race and the Minuet of Forest from Sheik in Sacred Forest Meadow. The Song of Time also matters for the blue block in the main hall.
Where is the Fairy Bow in the Forest Temple?
Past the twisted corridor, in an arena guarded by two Stalfos. The chest appears once both are defeated.
How do you restore the central elevator?
Defeat all four Poe Sisters. Each returns a flame to the main hall, and the fourth torch brings the lift back up.
Does the block puzzle still have a timer in the remake?
Sources disagree. games.gg reports the time limit is gone, while the FinalBoss remake walkthrough still describes a reshuffle when time runs out, so solve it briskly.
Is the Forest Temple different in the Switch 2 remake?
Yes, it is the most-changed dungeon. Reports mention a new north-west lift, a doorway sealed by rocks, revised puzzles and new cutscenes, but no full remake route covers these yet.