Getting to the Desert Palace
Before setting out – be sure to get the Sand Rod from Ravio's shop. Now from the shop – go south until you pass down to the next area. Go to the southwest towards the desert on the map. There will be a portal on one of the walls when you get close – go through it.
Now go south across the water and continue west until you find the stairs. Go north pass the weather vane and continue to the portal. Go through it and Link will now reside in the desert. Go south and up the stairs to the east. At the top – go west and you will see a platform Link cannot reach.
Use the Sand Rod to raise the sand up and then walk across. Use the Sand Rod again and continue going west. Merge with the wall and go through the portal to the west. Now go east and then south across the bridge. Continue to the west across the next bridge and go through the portal at the end.
Using the Sand Rod – travel to the platform to the north. Continue going north and then use the Sand Rod to get to the platform to the west. Merge and travel across to the north. Continue north and go up the stairs. Use the Sand Rod to go across and enter the Desert Palace.
Desert Palace
Once inside the Desert Palace – go north and use the Sand Rod to go across the gap. Go west down the stairs and go north. Use the Sand Rod towards the east to get the chest that contains a Blue Rupee. Now travel across the sand pillars north and go through the door. Go down the stairs and go to the northeast. Now go up the stairs and go south to get to the door on the east.
Go through the door and then head north until you cannot go anymore but do not fall down. Use the Sand Rod to the east and go across. Go north and use the Sand Rod to get to the switches in the center. Be quick to hit all of them in order to move the barrier to the south. Now drop down and head south – using the Sand Rod on the sand will stop the enemies from shooting lasers at Link. Go through the door to the south.
In the next room – go all the way south and go up the stairs. Move the statue onto the first switch and then go north pass the second switch. Use the Sand Rod to cross over to the east. Pull the statue back across and place it on another switch. Drop down the pull the last statue onto the sand and a little north. Raise the sand and then pull the statue across and onto the last switch.
Go through the door to the west and then raise the sand to continue going west through the door. Use the Sand Rod to reveal the enemy underneath the sand when it comes to the surface. Kill it using the sword to reveal a chest to the south; however, you will not be able to reach it. Now go through the door to the north. Continue north, fall off the sand, and go up the stairs on the northeast.
Go south and raise the sand to get across the gap east. Do it one more time towards the south to reach a chest containing a monster tail. Go back north and continue through the door. Open the chest in the northeast to get the compass. Now pull the lever to fill the previous room with sand. Go to the previous room and get the chest to the east for a small key.
Getting the Titan's Mitt
Go up the stairs on the east and through the locked door using the small key. Now go north and pull the lever to fill the room with sand. Raise the sand to cross to the platform on the east and now go across to the next platform north. Press the switch to reveal a big chest. Go west and cross over to the wall – now travel along the north of the room and over to the big chest that contains the Titan's Mitt.
Drop down and go through the door to the south. Continue south until you reach the dungeon entrance. Now go up the stairs on the east and raise the sand to cross the path to the west. Go through the door on the west. Raise the sand to the south and cross over it. Pick up the big boulder and then open the chest for a small key. Drop down, go north, and pick up the boulder. Go through the locked door.
Head south through the next door to reach the outside. Now go north and enter the door back into the dungeon. Dodge all of the flying floor tiles and then defeat the enemies that spawn to reveal a portal and pathway. Head north across and then raise the sand. Travel across it to the door on the east. Go through it and then travel all the way north. Go through the door on the east.
Go north, down the stairs, and then go all the way south. Stand on the red tiles to the west and hit the switch. Go up the stairs to the north and raise the sand to the east. Travel across and go south. Raise the sand and pull the statue off of it. Drop down and stand on the red tiles to the southeast. Wait until Link gets raised up and then walk across to the blue tiles.
Wait to be raise up and then go north to the chest that contains a small key. Drop down and go north – use the red and blue tiles to reach the ledge to the east. Now go through the door to the north. Go down the stairs and then pick up the boulder to the northeast. Raise the sand to reveal a chest that contains a Silver Rupee.
Getting the Big Key
Go to the west and up the stairs. Use the bombs (alternatively you can raise the sand west and the rolling ball will) to blow up the cracked blocks and then go down the northern stairs. Pick up the boulder and toss it aside. Now wait for a ball to come rolling and rise the first sand spot nearest it. Continue to raise the sand along the balls path until it breaks a cracked block and pours sand into the southern room.
Head through the door to the south that is near the center of the room – you will not be able to directly see it. Pick up the boulder and raise the sand to get to the chest that contains a Silver Rupee. Head back to the previous room and then go through the door to the east atop the stairs.
The room will now be full of sand – head to the south and up the stairs on the southwest. Raise the sand towards the east and travel across. Do it once more to reach the big chest containing the Big Key. Now go through the door to the northwest and continue south through the next door.
Merge with the wall to the north and travel across to the ledge on the west. Go up the stairs and through the door. Drop down and go all the way north. There is a hidden path behind the statue on the east. Go through it to find a chest under a boulder that contains a Silver Rupee. Go back south and climb the stairs. Raise the sand north and travel across to the locked door but do not enter it.
Instead – go through the door on the east. Raise the sand to the south and travel across to the east. Go up the stairs to open a chest containing a Silver Rupee. Return to the previous room and go through the locked door. Go down the stairs and towards the north – raise the sand with the Beamos and it will activate all of the switches. Head through the door to the south.
Kill all of the enemies in this room – grab the chest for a small key – and then head back through the door to the north. Continue through this room all the way north. Raise the sand with the beamos and then run to the blue tiles. Wait until they lower and get on. When they raise up – get on the red tiles. Now when the red tiles raise up – travel across to the locked door and through it.
Head through the door to the west underneath the sand fall. In this room will be a chest with a Silver Rupee. Return to the previous room and go through the door to the south. Continue south through the next door and keep going south until you come across a ledge. Raise the sand to the east and travel across – you need to defeat each of the statues quickly or face having to restart the room.
Once you make it across – open the chest for a small key. Now head through the door at the northwest corner of the room. Travel east and through the locked door in the northeast side of the room. Use a bomb to blow up the cracked block and continue north.
Place a bomb near each of the center pillars and quickly raise the sand in order to blow up each of the cracked blocks. After doing so – the arrows will reach the switch. Travel back down south and use the red and blue tiles to reach the ledge to the west. Continue west and go through the door to the south. Pull the lever to fill the room with sand.
Now go east and through the boss door except there will be no boss inside this time. Inside the next room – raise the sand to the south and continue until you are outside. Go through the portal to the west and get ready for a battle with the Desert Palace Boss.
Desert Palace Boss: Zaganaga
The Desert Palace boss is an interesting battle. In order to defeat it – Link must raise the sand to get to the platform where the boss appears. Now attack it with the sword or you can alternatively shoot it with the Bow. After a few rounds – the boss will begin spawning little creatures that will fly around the area. Just keep attacking it like usual and it will eventually start spewing sand around the room. Simply keep raising the sand to get to it and attacking it with the sword until it is defeated.
Now grab the Heart Container and free the Sage Irene from the painting. Travel through the portal after the cutscene and go back to Ravio's shop for more items.
Back to Part 12: Skull Woods | Continue to Part 14: Ice Ruins
