There are video game secrets that take years to surface. This is exactly what happened with The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Timea cult Nintendo game released in 1998 on Nintendo 64. A player has just revealed a trick that the majority of fans had forgotten, or simply never noticed.
By using a simple mechanism, it is possible to bypass a frustrating passage in Hyrule Castleand thus save precious time. As long as you agree to pay a few rubies.
A secret revealed… by a simple Reddit player
The information appeared on Reddit. The user Ok-Adeptness-9973 shared his discovery: “After 27 years, I just discovered that you can pay to enter Hyrule Castle after getting caught.” A statement that immediately caught the attention of the community.
In this sequence of the game, Link tries to reach Princess Zelda through the castle gardens. If he is spotted, he is expelled and has to start all over again. But it seems that a guard agrees, in return for money, to let him return without restarting the infiltration.
A mechanic forgotten by the majority of players
The Water Temple is often cited as the most difficult passage in the game. However, this phase of infiltration towards Zelda angered many players. The author of the article admits it himself: “It’s my second favorite game in the series after The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past on SNES.”, and despite its many games, he had never heard of this possibility.
He himself admits that he probably restarted the infiltration without imagining that another path was possible: “At the very least, if you already knew this trick but, like me, you sometimes have a memory like a goldfish, this can serve as a little reminder: once caught, you will no longer need to sneak into the castle on your second attempt. What joy!”
Still as cult, even on Switch 2
With a score of 99 on Metacritic, Ocarina of Time is still considered one of the best games of all time. It was ported to GameCube, to 3DS, and is now playable on Nintendo Switch And Nintendo Switch 2via subscription Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack.
Despite its age, the game continues to fascinate. The magic of Hyrule seems eternal, and the secrets it holds even more so. These forgotten details, rediscovered years later, remind us to what extent this title remains an absolute reference.
Fans’ call for a sequel on Switch 2
This renewed interest in Zelda has fans hoping for an upcoming announcement from Nintendo. The author of the discovery took the opportunity to launch a humorous appeal to the Japanese firm: “Nintendo, if you could be kind enough to announce a brand new game in The Legend of Zelda series, in order to give me the perfect excuse to save up and treat myself to a Nintendo Switch 2, I would be extremely grateful. Thank you.”
In the meantime, fans have a good excuse to relaunch Ocarina of Time, rediscover its subtleties… and check if they too had missed this simple trick.