The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time never ceases to surprise. Twenty-five years after its release, a player has just revealed a trick that the majority of fans had never noticed. However, it could well transform the way we face some of the most annoying enemies in the game.
The ReDeads, these terrifying creatures that Link encounters in the first hours, are renowned for their chilling scream capable of freezing the player in place. If you’ve played the game, you probably remember their paralyzing howl and their tendency to cling to Link until his heart gauge is depleted.
The Iron Boots, secret weapon against the ReDeads
But what few players know is that there is a simple and unsuspected method to neutralize ReDeads without even lifting the sword. A recent video released by Nostalgicloft shed light on this two-decade-old secret: “When you wear the Iron Boots, the ReDeads can neither see you nor hear the metallic sound of iron hitting a stone floor.”
This astonishing discovery is based on a design detail: the Iron Boots make Link slower and quieter, to the point of going completely unnoticed by the eyes (and ears) of the ReDeads. The only downside is that these boots are only available once Link reaches adulthood, which limits their use to certain phases of the game.
A discreet but powerful gameplay change
In practice, this tip proves valuable in several areas where ReDeads abound. For example, it allows you to avoid unnecessary combat during exploration or object recovery phases. And as the player who made this reveal points out, the occasions where you have to jump in the presence of these enemies are rare. The main disadvantage remains the slowness of travel, but in many situations it is well worth the peace of mind.
For fans of speedrunning or optimized replayability, this tip opens up new perspectives on how to approach certain dungeons or iconic sequences of the game.
A discovery that rekindles fans’ passion
This little detail rekindles the desire to rediscover the game with a fresh perspective. “A nice little detail that many Zelda fans didn’t know about, which sparked the desire to replay the game to discover the other secrets that Ocarina of Time has hidden from us.”
This kind of find is a reminder of why Zelda: Ocarina of Time is still considered one of the best games of all time. Even in the face of the technical prowess of Breath of the Wild or Tears of the Kingdom, it continues to amaze and surprise.