Hyrule Castle Walkthrough A Link to the Past
The game’s opening dungeon. Link sneaks into a castle full of brainwashed soldiers, frees Princess Zelda from her cell in the basement prison and escorts her through a pitch-dark secret passage and the sewers to the Sanctuary.
- World
- Light World
- Dungeon
- Prologue
- Treasure
Boomerang- Prev / next
- — · Eastern Palace
At a glance
- Location
- Centre of the Light World, a short walk north of Link’s House.
- How to get in
- On the rainy first night, slip through a hidden hole under a bush beside the castle wall. Link’s Uncle hands over his sword and shield in the passage below.
- Bring
Fighter’s Sword 
Lamp- Big chest
- Boomerang
- Reward
- Princess Zelda rescued and taken to the Sanctuary
Hyrule Castle route, step by step
- Drop through the hole by the castle wall and take the Fighter’s Sword and shield from your dying uncle.
- Climb into the castle and head down into the basement prison, avoiding or fighting the soldiers.
- Pick up the Dungeon Map and the Boomerang from chests on the way down; the Boomerang stuns soldiers.
- Defeat the Ball and Chain Trooper outside the cells to get the Big Key, then open Zelda’s cell.
- Lead Zelda back up to the throne room and push the ornamental shelf aside from the left to reveal the secret passage.
- Light the torches with the Lamp as you go through the dark passage and sewers, collecting keys for the locked doors.
- In the last wooden-floored room, pull the correct one of the two levers to open the door to the Sanctuary.
Key chests
| Contents | Where |
|---|---|
 Dungeon Map | Castle basement, on the way down to the prison |
| Boomerang | Castle basement, before the cells |
Screenshots
Enemies in Hyrule Castle
Tips
- Take the Lamp from the chest in Link’s House first: the secret passage and the sewers are pitch dark.
- The Ball and Chain Trooper only swings his flail now and then; dart in between swings, or throw two pots from the open cell at him.
- One of the two levers near the Sanctuary is a trap that drops Ropes from the ceiling.
- The cracked walls in the bright sewer room hide Rupees; come back later with Bombs or the Pegasus Boots.
Boss: Ball and Chain Trooper
- Weak to
- Sword hits between flail swings; thrown pots; Boomerang to stun
This grey soldier guards the Big Key to Zelda’s cell and swings a spiked ball on a chain when you get close. Wait for a swing to finish, step in and slash, then back off. Two pots thrown from the open cell also finish him, and the Boomerang stuns him for a free hit.
FAQ
How do you get into Hyrule Castle at the start of A Link to the Past?
Look for a bush beside the castle’s outer wall that hides a hole. Drop in and your uncle gives you his sword and shield.
Why can’t I push the shelf in the throne room?
You need the Lamp, which is in the chest in Link’s House. Zelda then asks you to push the shelf from the left.
Which lever do I pull before the Sanctuary?
Only one of the two levers opens the door; the other drops Ropes on you. If you pick the wrong one, defeat the Ropes and pull the other.
Sources & picture credits
- Hyrule Castle (Zeldapedia)
- Boomerang (Zeldapedia)
- Ball and Chain Trooper (Zeldapedia)
- Picture: LttP_Hyrule_Castle.png
- Picture: Zeldadungeon.png
- Picture: Hyrule_Castle_ALttP.png
- Picture: Sanctuary.png
Guide text is original retrogameindex writing, checked against Zeldapedia. Screenshots, sprites and artwork © Nintendo; local copies archived from Zeldapedia file pages (listed on the image gallery).