Chapter 10 · Adult Link · Water-level dungeon
Water Temple Walkthrough
The Water Temple is solved by switching between three water levels with Zelda’s Lullaby: lower it from the 3F start, raise it to 2F inside the central pillar, then raise it to 3F from the west room, collecting the Longshot from Dark Link before the Boss Key and Morpha.
The remake keeps the original layout and water-level puzzle, but makes it far less tedious: the Iron Boots can sit on a D-pad shortcut, coloured markers on the walls lead back to each water-level symbol, and some walls are now lattices you can see through. Bring Iron Boots, the Zora Tunic and the Hookshot, and enter with Serenade of Water.
What changed in the remake
- Confirmed Iron Boots (and Hover Boots) can be assigned to a D-pad shortcut slot, so sinking and floating no longer needs a trip to the pause menu.
- Confirmed Water-level guidance returns from the 3DS version: colour-coded paths on the walls (blue, green and pink in Nintendo Life’s guide) lead back to each Triforce symbol.
- Confirmed Some solid walls were replaced with lattices so you can see into neighbouring rooms; Nintendo also says it adjusted the temple’s difficulty.
- Single source Layout, key structure and the three-level water puzzle are unchanged; extra warp points were tested and cut, so Serenade of Water is still the fast way back.
Before you go
Finish the Ice Cavern first: it gives the Iron Boots and the Blue Fire that thaws King Zora for the Zora Tunic, and Sheik teaches the Serenade of Water at the exit. You also need the Hookshot, Bombs, the Fairy Bow and Zelda’s Lullaby. Din’s Fire from the Death Mountain Great Fairy is optional but makes Dark Link much easier.
Before diving in, put the Iron Boots on a D-pad slot. That single setup removes most of what made the original temple painful. Play Serenade of Water to warp to Lake Hylia, sink beside the island, and Hookshot the target above the gate to open the entrance.
How the three water levels work
The temple starts flooded. Each Triforce symbol sets the whole building to one of three heights. Low water is set from the symbol at the top of the shaft you float up after Princess Ruto, back on the 3F level; middle water is set inside the central pillar from its 1F door; high water is set in the room behind the locked 2F door west of the central hall.
In the remake each symbol has a coloured trail painted along the walls, which Nintendo Life describes as blue for low, green for middle and pink for high. If you lose track, sink to the bottom with the Iron Boots and follow the colour you need.
Step-by-step route
- From the entrance, sink off the west side to meet Ruto on the bottom floor, take off the boots to float up after her, grab the Dungeon Map, and play Zelda’s Lullaby at the Triforce symbol to drop the water to low.
- On 1F, shoot a lit arrow through the torch to open the door, clear the Spikes (the Hookshot strips their shells) and take your first Small Key.
- Bomb the cracked wall on the south side of the central room, cross the pool and Hookshot up to the Compass chest.
- Push the block in the west passage, walk the flooded tunnel in Iron Boots, then drop into the whirlpool room. Land on the dragon statue, Hookshot the switch in its mouth and swim through the gate for another Small Key.
- Unlock the 1F door of the central pillar, Hookshot to the ledge and play the Lullaby to raise the water to middle. The floating block rises, revealing a passage below it; dive in for loot and a Gold Skulltula.
- Bomb the cracked wall on the east side at middle water, sink through the Stinger tunnel, use the lid-and-switch geyser puzzle to rise and take the next Small Key.
- Enter the locked door west of the central hall on 2F, lower the geyser lid with the switch, ride it up and play the Lullaby to set high water.
- Climb the Hookshot ledges to the waterfall room, then solve the dragon-head room by raising and lowering its water while hookshotting from corner to corner until you can stand on the dragon’s head.
- Walk through the misty room to the lone tree and fight Dark Link. Take the Longshot from the chest beyond, then ride the rapids back down, using the Iron Boots to avoid whirlpools.
- Reset the water to middle. Use the Longshot through the north gate opened by the eye switch, pull and push the two underwater blocks, and climb to the final route key.
- With water at middle, sink to 1F and take the north passage. Bomb the three cracked walls to free a block, push it onto the water switch, cross the geyser lids and dodge the boulder corridor to reach the Boss Key.
- Raise the water to high, Longshot to the north door, walk past the spikes on the flooded steps in Iron Boots and enter Morpha’s room.
How to beat Dark Link and Morpha
Dark Link copies your sword moves, so trading slashes rarely works. Din’s Fire hits him reliably; otherwise block, wait for him to swing first and punish the recovery. Watch for his spin attack.
Morpha is a water nucleus that hides inside tentacles rising from the pool. Lock on to the red nucleus, Longshot it out of the water onto the platform and slash it repeatedly before it slides back. Only some tentacles carry the nucleus, so wait for the right one. Standing on the outer edge with your back to the wall limits the angles you can be grabbed from. One remake guide notes that Biggoron’s Sword can skip much of the fight if you already have it. Take the Heart Container and warp out for the Water Medallion; Lake Hylia refills.
Common stuck points
A key seems to be missing: check the rooms opened by the previous water level instead of cycling all three at random. The passage under the central floating block at middle water and the cracked-wall block route used for the Boss Key are the two most missed spots.
You cannot reach a door: you are probably at the wrong height. Read the wall marker, then follow its colour back to the matching symbol.
Key counts vary between guides. TheGamer’s remake route counts four keys on the critical path, while Nintendo Life numbers them differently, so follow the room order here rather than a fixed total.
Frequently asked questions
What do you need for the Water Temple?
Iron Boots, the Zora Tunic, the Hookshot, Bombs, the Fairy Bow and Zelda’s Lullaby. Learn Serenade of Water at the Ice Cavern exit for the quick trip to Lake Hylia.
Did the remake make the Water Temple easier?
Yes, in handling rather than layout. Iron Boots go on a D-pad slot, coloured markers guide you back to each water-level symbol and lattice walls show adjacent rooms, but the puzzle itself is unchanged.
Where do you get the Longshot?
In the chest right after the Dark Link fight, reached from the high-water west route through the waterfall and dragon rooms.
How many water levels are there?
Three: low at 1F, middle at 2F and high at 3F, each set by playing Zelda’s Lullaby at its own Triforce symbol.
How do you beat Morpha?
Longshot the nucleus out of a tentacle onto dry ground and slash it with your sword. Keep your back to the outer wall to avoid being grabbed.