Would you look at that, we are quickly closing in on the release date of Ocarina of Time on Switch 2 and the finish of my Dungeon Crawl replay of the N64 unique. Doesn’t time fly?
With the much-discussed Water Temple out of the approach, it was my resolution where to head next. Despite Saria telling me to head to the desert, I am lifeless set in my methods, so, as I do on every replay, it was back to Kakariko Village to see what was going on in the graveyard.
I’m sure you all know by now, but I’m going to be discussing temple spoilers here, so if you are still saving yourself for the Switch 2 remake, you might need to flip back now.
OoT Dungeon Crawl #7 – The Shadow Temple
I can’t keep in mind why I initially selected to head to the Shadow Temple first, over its sandy companion, but I can never carry myself to break the order that I have relied on for the last ~25 years. And so, after sprucing off the Bottom of the Well (still nightmare fuel in 2026), it was time to play the Nocturne of Shadow and go through its torch-filled entrance.
I have a unusual relationship with the Shadow Temple. I like its concepts, but I discover it a little linear and repetitive — notably after the exploration-encouragement of the temples that precede it. I’ve never actually managed to put my finger on why this is, but enjoying through it again this time, it hit me: you get all the instruments to clear up every puzzle too shortly.
This is a dungeon that depends on two gadgets: the Lens of Truth (obtained from the Bottom of the Well before you’ve even set foot in the Temple) and the Hover Boots (discovered very early on after fixing the dungeon’s introductory cranium puzzle). With both of these in hand, you have everything you need to beat the entire rattling factor. Maybe it’s the a number of playthroughs in me speaking, but… would not this imply you’ve already solved all the puzzles before you get to them?
I love the Lens of Truth; it blew me away when I first performed it, and I still get a kick out of it at the moment, shifting the digicam incrementally to see if a wall is actual or not, but let’s not faux that it has all that much depth to it. It exhibits you issues that aren’t there. That’s it. This means there are very few methods that the Shadow Temple can develop puzzles around it. If you stroll into a room and the resolution is not immediately apparent, popping the lens on will seemingly reveal the reply.
We see it in the first puzzle with the one ‘true’ cranium. In the room with the hidden ‘Stone Umbrella’ block to stop the spike pistons. Even in the central, guillotine-filled room with its invisible platforms. Magic vials are so common in this dungeon that you can keep it outfitted for fairly much your entire run and play each room as a easy stroll from A to B.
The Hover Boots are more of the same: see a hole you can’t cross and the Lens of Truth did not reveal a hidden platform? Just hover over it.
Unlike in other dungeons, where some of these puzzles would have been revealed before you had the instruments to full them, there’s very little mental note-taking required in this one, which makes the entire factor really feel a little breezy.
That said, for all of its linearity, I can’t in good religion knock it too much, because the vibes are immaculate. I’ll give it to Bongo Bongo, that man knows how to put collectively gothic structure.
The entire place is so rattling macabre! Skulls on the partitions, spinning grim reapers wielding scythes, closing-in partitions like a Death Star trash compactor. This boss knows how to work an aesthetic! Compared to some of the earlier dungeon’s drier visuals, this one has such a firm id that there’s no likelihood of getting lost.
After making my approach through the motions and boarding the boat of death, I bombed the river-crossing pillar (it still feels good) and headed to the boss room.
I’m going to keep optimistic as I wrap issues up, because I actually like Bongo Bongo. There’s an argument to be made that the fixed drumming (and subsequent bouncing) makes this petty percussionist one of the more irritating bosses in the sport, and in equity… that’s in all probability proper. But! You put the lack of stable ground apart for a second and you’ve got a battle all about timing, dodging, and magic management. I would not describe it as Dark Souls-like, but it is ace!
The ‘shoot the two giant palms’ Zelda boss trope is tried and examined these days, but this is completely one of the best of them — notably when you begin seeing it as a perilous sport of Rock, Paper, Scissors.
Remake Reflections
Without some rather substantial modifications to the merchandise placement, I can’t see the Shadow Temple ever being one of my favourites. It’s a little too linear and easy for my pro-Water-Temple coronary heart, I’m afraid. But (as I’ve said before in this collection), even the drier Zelda dungeons are still a rattling good time!
Truthfully, I can’t wait to see how the darkish aesthetic and huge boss flip out in the remake.
I’m approaching the end line next week, as I sort out the sport’s last ‘principal’ dungeon — don’t fret, I’ll be doing a particular finale, too. So, don your desert boots and sand goggles, and I’ll catch you all in the next one.