Letters to the Editor

4/26/99

It's been quite a while since my last column, but things have been anything but slow around the Hyrule News office. We've recently updated our Adventure Strategy section, and Link is preparing to star in his first tournament fighting game: Super Smash Brothers. In case you haven't heard, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time has been nominated by Nickelodeon for a Kid's Choice Award. You can vote online for Zelda 64 by visiting Nick's web site. The show airs on Saturday May 1, so be sure to make your voice heard by voting for your favorite game!

And now, since you've been patiently waiting for over a month, let's get down to business and see what you crazy questers have been up to this week, er, month.

Hey Ed,

When are you going to put up a new column -- its been a month and 1 week!!! In other words 38 days!!! Please for me and all your other 1,000,000 fans!!! I check every day closing my eyes and praying when I open them a new column will be there!!!! Please.
Thank you,
-- Knickboy8

Ed: Jeez, Kickboy8. Give me a guilt trip why don't ya! By the way, I think you've overestimated my number of fans. It's more like 999,999.

Hey Ed,

I have a question about zelda64. I was fishing trying to get the Gold Scale (by the way, how heavy does the fish have to be to get it?) and I saw the 11 pound fish I caught. I decided to experiment by catching the fish I caught off the counter. Anyway, I missed the fish and stole the fishing pond owner's hat! I started laughing out in hysterics. Then I decided to use it as bait (but to no avail) and lost it in the water. I had to pay a 50 Rupee fine. My question is, What happens next? Does he ever get the hat back? Can you use it as bait? Is it possible to catch the hat again if he gets it back? Please answer all the questions in this email. Thanks
-- Walter

Ed: What has the owner of the fishing pond ever done to you, Walter? He's not exactly rollin' in the dough, and you steal the poor man's hat! You deserve to pay a 50 Rupee fine after trying to use his hat as bait, because you should know that no fish would ever try to swallow such a smelly accessory. The man will use the 50 Rupees to buy a new hat if you ever give him a moment's peace. By the way, the Golden Scale can only be earned as an adult, and the fish has to weigh at least 13 pounds. Remember, a fishing hook can become a dangerous weapon if it falls into the wrong hands.

ED PLEASE HELP ME,

I have long since beat the game and wrote to you about this four times, but I can't figure this one out: In the LOST WOODS if you enter through Kokiri Forest and go right, left, right, and right once more there is a little area where you can plant a magic bean. In that area there is a secret grotto hidden in the grass. In the grotto there is a sign that says "Forest Stage" and there are a bunch of weird plants in there. What are you suppose to do in there?
-- Blade738

Ed: The Forest Stage is one of the most mysterious places in Hyrule. It's the type of place that most people don't figure out on their own. If any readers out there are brave enough to try to unlock the secrets of the Forest Stage without my help, don't read on. The Forest Stage is where you can find upgrades to your Deku Sticks and Deku Nuts, but you'll have to use a disguise to get what you need. I won't tell you exactly how these upgrades are obtained, but you'll need to use the Skull Mask and the Mask of Truth to be taken seriously.

Dear Ed,

I like your letter section, but for once could you answer a real question? You only answer people with dungeon questions or weird ones. Dungeons can eventually be figured out, and weird ones don't have to be, so I'll ask you a question that cannot easily be figured out. In Zora's Domain as a child, when you first enter through the waterfall and turn left, there is a section of deep water with a cave underneath that cannot quite be reached even with the gold scale. Is there a way to go inside the cave?
-- Bahamut Dragon

P.S. Please answer my question this time, The Zelda bbs went nuts trying to find out how to get there.

Ed: The simple response to your question, BD, is no. There is no way to enter that mysterious passageway. And now, I'll avoid answering "real" questions for a while and highlight some of the "weird" things my readers have been up to. In my last column, I asked gamers to send in their lists of the top ten signs that they've been playing too much Zelda 64. To highlight as many responses as possible, I decided to compile the best of the best into one Master Top Ten List. Remember: if it's not funny, it's not my fault.

Top Ten Signs You've Been Playing Too Much Zelda 64

10. You write "Lon Lon Ranch" on all your milk cartons. -- Keith

9. You've already beaten the game 15 times and you STILL ask poor ed: "Where do you find the Triforce?" -- Jonathan

8. You attempt to speak with large trees. -- Don

7. You walk into your local quickie-mart asking if they have change for a purple Rupee. -- Kwortzin

6. You catch bugs and show them to the bum that lives in the subway. -- Superave

5. On a resume where it asks for your race, you put down "Hylian." -- JHutto

4. You want Zelda's lullaby to be your wedding song. -- Mik

3. You tie rockets to your shoes and explain to your parents that you're going to "hover" over the Grand Canyon. -- Taylor

2. When someone sits next to you on a park bench you say, "Lafe is like a Bombachu Bowlin' Game, you jus' never know what yure gonna git." -- Frodo524

1. You ask complete strangers to call you "fairy-boy." -- Will

Thanks to all the readers who submitted Top Ten lists. They were Hyrularious ( I promise to never make up a cheesey word like "Hyrularious" ever again).

ED-

First off, I have to tell you, your column is awesome. Thank you very much. Secondly, please tell me the answer because I've written to you many times about this. Which sword is the better sword? The BIGGORON'S SWORD you receive after the adult trading sequence or the MASTER SWORD you get when you turn into an adult?! Which sword should I use as my primary sword? OK that's it. Oh yeah, thanks for letting us know where the 4th prisoner is in Gerudo's Fortress. I spent like, forever looking for him!
-- Lo Lo

Ed: Even though the Master Sword is the legendary blade which is used to destroy Ganon, the Biggoron Sword is actually more powerful. Goron craftsmanship simply can't be beat.

Yo Ed,

Please if you can help me and my brother out. We are dying to know ... who is Amy Poe? Thanks a lot
-- Cory

Ed: Amy Poe is one of the four Poe Sisters who haunt the Forest Temple. The only way you'd ever find this out is if you actually listened to Navi's description of the ghost. Amy's other sisters are named Joelle, Beth and Meg. The names don't exactly send shivers down your spine, now do they?

Hey Ed,

I need your help with something and I hope you can help me. If you know Saria, or know anyone who does, PLEASE give this message to her; I guess I'm too shy.

Dearest Darling Saria,
your eyes sparkle like the Kokiri's Emerald.
There's nobody I'd rather get lost in the woods with.
You always wondered where those hearts around your house came from, well take a wild guess.
Why not ditch Link the big stink and come with me?

Love,
Mido

Ed: It's not very surprising to find out that Mido has a crush on Saria, but it's quite shocking to learn that Kokiri children have access to e-mail. Who would have thought that Mido could be so poetic?

'Sup Ed!

After completing the Water Temple as an adult (obviously), my character is transported to the Temple of Time and receives the Water Medallion. Then he is transported back to Lake Hyrule, which fills with water (everything's ok so far). However, upon arriving at the little island above the temple, a strange thing happened to me. Something appeared to jump out from near the large oak and land in the lake. I swam out to investigate and discovered a large, fish-like thing with what appeared to be a blue-triangle head (similar to those which need to be hit with something to activate). It is quite large (about the size of Link) and just floats in the water doing nothing. I am wondering what this is. I am going to play the game through again and verify this phenomenon, possibly even getting it on tape. Any help will be appreciated.
-- Steve

Ed: Hey Steve, there's no need to get out the VCR. What you've discovered is a shining example of Mr. Miyamoto's unsurpassed attention to detail. The head of the thing you've found looks like a switch because that's exactly what it is. The strange thing that floats on the surface of Lake Hylia is actually the seal which had originally locked the door to the Water Temple. Once the lake is filled with water again, the locking mechanism just floats there -- with no apparent purpose. Pretty cool, eh?

Dear Ed,
I remember seeing on the nintendo web site that there are three ways of getting the triforce in Zelda 64. One in the Kokiri forest shop, one in the temple of time, and one in the deku tree. Are these stories true or were they just jokes?
-- Gus

Ed: If you haven't been let in on the joke, Nintendo Power source ran a fake story about the Triforce being found on April 1st. Why would such a reputable web site sink to such low behavior? Because it was April Fools' Day! Reportedly they've apologized to those poor gamers who didn't realize what day it was, but we didn't find it funny here at the Hyrule News office. They also reported that Zora's Domain could be unfrozen, which is not true. How dare they toy with the fragile emotions of us gamers who take Zelda so seriously? My advice is to remember this little stunt when April rolls around again.

Hi Ed,

Is there any way up to the roof of the lakeside laboratory? Is it possible to beat the marathon runner? How? I think he is cheating. Is there a secret to catching the big Poes? Some of them only appear once and for just a second. Thanks,
-- Graeme

Ed: Howdy Graeme. You don't waste any words, so neither will I. To get to the roof of the Lakeside Laboratory, plant a Magic Bean in the soft soil near the lab as a kid. When you grow up it will provide a lift to a hidden Heart Piece and also give you access to the Fishing Pond before the lake is refilled. I wouldn't waste my time trying to beat the marathon runner if I were you. Either he has access to high-tech pod transportation devices, or he's a cheater. You'll have more success trying to defeat the Big Poes if you do it while riding Epona. Try to hit the Poes consecutively with your arrows because they regenerate energy when they disappear.

Dear Editor,

I have reached the part in the game where Navi tells me to play the nocturne of shadows song. I have done this and am at the place where you have to light those 26 torches. They won't stay lit. I have the fire arrows and I've tried to shoot through already lit torches to save time but I am still unable to get them all lit. I can't figure out what to do to progress in the game. The lens of truth doesn't seem to do anything for me either. Help!
-- Acorn50000

Ed: Din's Fire is required to light all 26 torches at once. To find it, return to the path which leads to Hyrule Castle and bomb the boulder near the guards. The passageway which opens is too small for an adult, so you'll need to take a trip back in time to squeeze through. You'll find a Fairy's Fountain hidden inside, where you'll have to play Zelda's lullaby to earn the spell.

Hey Ed,

I just found something cool and I thought I'd share it. When you're in the Fire Temple, battling Volvagia, you can avoid getting hurt when he comes out of his hole and comes after you. If you walk towards the edge of the island when he comes up and rocks start to fall, you can cling to the side! the rocks can't hurt you; you'll be safe. Isn't that cool?
-- Jin

Ed: Thanks for the tip, Jin. I never though of trying that while I was fighting Volvagia, but it's a good way to avoid the boulder attacks. Be careful when you try this trick, though, because you can fall off the side of the platform.

Since some of the gameplay advice in this column may not come in handy for you until you progress deeper in the game, I've decided to archive the old articles. Check the editions below to see if your question has already been addressed. --Ed

Send your theories, questions, concerns and complaints to: editor@zelda64.com