The Legend of Zelda is a genre-defining series that has managed to stay current for over 30 years. An open world, RPG with a thrill for discovery, Zelda has always been at the forefront of gaming, and Ocarina of Time is, perhaps, its best and most popular iteration. Largely described as one of the best games of all time, Ocarina established the foundations of 3D open-world advenཧtures, a satisfying lock♛-on targeting combat system and many other innovative facets that many titles today still manage to steal from.
There’s an abundance of things to do in Ocarina; whether it’s going fishing, collecting lost souls, racing horses or actually saving that damsel in distress (jeez, it kinda sounds like Red Dead). And there are plenty of tips and tricks to learn when venturing out into the fields of Hyrule to battle foes and capture poes, many of which that are still ye꧙t to be discovered by fresh and/or casual fans of the series.
If you’re new to the series, consider this a “before you play” type situation, so that when you pick up the controller, you might be more prepared to face such a prestigious title. But, without further ado; from weird game-breaking glitches to simple ways you can maintain your level of hearts, there are a myriad of crazy things you can do in Ocarina of Time. Here's 25 of them. If we forgot any great ones, let us know in the comments 💦section!
25 ꧋ Bringing The Bottle To Battle
A glitch? A joke? Or an actual intended method of defeating Ganondorf? The Legend of Zelda is famous for its quirks and smirks, but the idea of us🌌ing a small, corked bottle to defeat the Triforce of Power himself, the Demon King Ganondorf, seems a little farfetched. But, indeed, it can be done. In the conclusive moments of OOT during the fight in Ganon’s Tower, players are able to equip a bottle and use it to deflect Gano൲ndorf’s energy blasts instead of using a sword. In fact, it’s somewhat easier. Take that, Ganoncork!
24 ꦡ A Sign Of The Times
Link can be a real nuisance when not hero-of-timing or collecting golden spider carcasses to break the curse of an innocent family, and whoever makes the signs around Hyrule would probably concur. The defacing and destruction of signs have been a staple of the Zelda series ever since A Link to the Past back in 1991, however, it wasn’t until OOT that Link could do something abo♋ut it. If, when situated next to a broken sign, Link plays Zelda’s Lullaby on the ocarina, the sign will magically fix itself... Only to be broken again by t💙he player's next swing.
23 ꦿ Those Pesky Skull Kids 💜
If, like me, you find those annoying Skull Kids the bane of your Hylian existence (within Ocarina of Time) fear not, as it's possible to destroy them and receive a huge payout after the fact. In the Lost Woods, Majora’s Mask’s signature villain can be found dancing around and generally🌳 being a nuisance. Now, although Child Link is able to qualm the fluttery scarecrow with a song, Adult Link is able to defeat them,🍬 if persistent enough. Just grab your Biggoron’s sword and swing away and eventually, you just might hit it, in which case it will drop an orange rupee.
22 🐼 💜 Getting All The Rupees
Speaking of great payouts in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, there’s an easy way to receive hundreds of rupees off just a few tussles. You just have to awake all the Sages first. If Link fires a Light Arrow at any enemy in OOT, a sweet purple rupee will spawn from their remains, which, as fans will know, is worth a cool 50 rupees. So, if a player wanted to fill up their Giant’s Wallet, just squander a f𒀰ew Keese with their Light Arrows and they should be ballin’ in it in no time.
21 🌸 Ladies First
Escort missions are the worst, unless they’re done correctly. The Legend of Zelda series is no stranger to escort missions, whether it's riding to protect Telma’s wagon in Twilight Princess, or escorting Yunobo to the Divine Beast Vah Rudania, only for him to bail at the entrance. One of the first, however, takes place inside Jabu-Jabu's Belly, in Ocarina of Time, where the player must rescue Princess Ruto from the confines of the great fish and lead her out to become the sage of water she’s destine꧟d to b♈e. Just remember, you can throw her body as a powerful weapon.
20 𒀰 I'm A Beautiful Butterfly
Here’s a trick I honestly hadn’t heard about until researching this very topic; if the player, while ho🌟lding a Deku stick, walks near a fluttering butterfly and slowly goes around it, the elegant insect will begin hovering by the stick and eventually transform into a Resurrection Fairy. Pretty nifty, huh? Just make sure to be Child Link when trying this out, as otherwise it won’t work and you’ll just end up looking like a more handsome version of the 35-year-old Tingle. While you're at it, check the ground around the butterflies, as a bunch may signify a secret hole.
19 ❀ Farming Fairies꧒
You know that magic bean dirt you find around Hyrule in Ocarina of Time? Y’know, the ones where if you plant a magic bean as Child Link, you can come back as an adult to find a floating leaf that can take you to areas hither✨t𒁃o impossible to access? Well, if the player decides to serenade the soil with the Song of Storms instead, a group of fairies will appear. Pretty nifty! It’s the same with Gossip Stones but the name didn’t mesh with the title.
18 🅺 Hidden Skills 🔯
This one is for the warriors, the masters of swordplay, those who ring true the Triforce of Courage and attempt to make fools of their enemies through technique and skill. If the player holds R and presses B to stab, they will perform a crouch stab. Cool thing is, is that the crouch stab inexplicably does the same damage a♔s the last attack performed by Link, so, if the player performs the most pow🔥erful move in the game – the jump attack – then the crouch stab should have the same effect. Try it with the Megaton Hammer for even more fun.
17 Put ⛄Them To Rest 🌳
The ReDead are, perhaps, the spookiest creatures to ever populate a Legend of Zelda game. With their hunched-over physiques and low-pitched moaning akin to only that of what they truly are, zombies. Located in ruinous places such as the Royal Family’s Tomb and the Shadow Temple, the ReDead can, in fact, be quelled using a simple song. If the player plays the Sun Song when close to one of these monsters, then the creature will become paralyzed... for a time. Pretty nifty, and beats smothering yourself in zombie blood à la The Walking Dead.
16 ♍ 💦 There’s Money Above The Draw Bridge
A simple trick for those that are new to The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and those that haven't ventured into every corner of Hyrule. The drawbridge, outside Castle Town, holds more than just a bridge. If, duri🌸ng the day when the drawbridge is down, the player ascends the chains on either side and then waits for night to fall, the player can cross the tip of the drawbridge and be rewarded with 3 red rupees. That’s a sweet 60 rupees for naught.