Water Temple (Ocarina of Time)

This article is about the Temple in Ocarina of Time. For the Dungeon of the same name in Tri Force Heroes, see Water Temple (Tri Force Heroes). For the Scenario in Hyrule Warriors, see "The Water Temple".

Template:Dungeon The Water Temple is a dungeon in Ocarina of Time. It contains the source of the curse that has frozen Zora's Domain.^[1]

Entrance to the Temple

The ancient temple lies deep under the vast Lake Hylia. Guarded by the Zoras, it is considered a sacred temple that is used to worship the water spirits.^[2] The Water Temple is accessible after the young hero finds the Iron Boots in Ice Cavern. Aided with the boots and the Hookshot, Link can access its entrance by shooting the target above the gate.

Themes and Navigation

Various parts of the temple require Link to go underwater for substantial amounts of time, thus necessitating the Zora Tunic (though the Water Temple can be beaten without it by an experienced and resourceful player). Its enigmatic structure consists of various floors (four in total, one of them is a basement) and requires the use of playing Zelda's Lullaby at each of the special markings on the walls that manipulate the level of water, which give Link access to various parts of the temple from the hub room. Link will need to use all of his intellectual skills and cunning survival techniques to truly conquer this temple, as puzzles and obstacles are strategically varied: From the aforementioned water level manipulation, to swimming in presence of current flows, defeating enemy groups, climbing a waterfall with descending platforms, raise and lower pillars with a switch, etc.; the young hero will also come to confront his very own doppelgänger, Dark Link in the Water Temple. After defeating Dark Link, Link will find the Longshot which, once acquired, helps Link in the search for the Boss Key and enter the lair of the aquatic boss, Morpha.

This temple is infamous to Ocarina of Time fans for its difficulty and necessity for constantly pausing the game in order to switch to the Iron Boots and back. When the game was remade for the 3DS, the temple was altered in order to be completed easily. The Iron Boots are now a click-on item, glowing markings appear on the wall to show the way, and the entire temple was made brighter.

Master Quest

The Water Temple makes much use of Din's Fire in the Master Quest version of the game. The Hookshot is also used more often than in the original version. The infamous "serpent-shaped" room now has Hookshot targets over the wall, making it easy to simply bunny-hop through the vortex-filled gauntlet. The map, compass, and even the Longshot are obtained very early in the dungeon. The Longshot gives access to a lot of new areas and makes most puzzles easier than before. Most rooms are blocked with gates, so puzzles must be solved to be able to access them. Boulders and most enemies are no longer found, except for two Spikes and nine completely new Stalfos. Two new features include a room with several Dodongos, plus several crates that are found throughout the dungeon.

In the GameCube version of the Master Quest, Link can complete the dungeon with an extra Small Key remaining. This is because one of the doors that Link is meant to unlock with a key unlocks itself, specifically when defeating the Stalfos prior to Dark Link and causing the dragon heads to rise. The only way to reach this door and unlock it normally is by using glitches. In Ocarina of Time 3D this glitch was fixed.

Ocarina of Time 3D

Eiji Aonuma apologized for the design of the Water Temple in a 2009 interview.^[3] Due to the confusing layout and controls for the Nintendo 64 version of Ocarina of Time, several changes were in Ocarina of Time 3D. The Iron Boots were changed into an item rather than a piece of equipment, the dungeon received glowing markings on various walls and corridors to mark where the player must go and to make changing the water level more clear,^[4]^[5] and an additional camera scene was added in the central tower of the dungeon to make the location of a commonly and easily missed Small Key more obvious.

Enemies and Traps

Other Appearances

Non-Canon Information

Hyrule Warriors

The Water Temple appears as part of the Lake Hylia stage in Hyrule Warriors. This stage is a part of Sheik and Impa's quest to close the Gate of Souls located inside the temple. An updated version of Dark Link's chamber appears, where Wizzro, disguised as Zelda, is fought.^[6]

Defenders of the Triforce

Though the Water Temple is never seen during Defenders of the Triforce, a Sign stating that the Real Escape Game was "Easier than the Water Temple" was used as a prop during photo shoots with the Master Sword at Defenders of the Triforce events.^[7]

Nomenclature

Names in Other Regions
Language		Name	Meaning
	Japanese	水の神殿 (Mizu no Shinden)	Water Temple
	French^EU	Temple de l'Eau	Water Temple
	German	Wassertempel	Water Temple
	Italian	Santuario dell'Acqua	Sanctuary of Water
	Spanish^LA	Templo del Agua ^(OoT3D)	Temple of the Water

Trivia

In Twilight Princess, the music that plays in Fanadi's Palace is similar to the background music heard in the Water Temple.

Gallery

The Water Temple exterior artwork from Ocarina of Time

The Water Temple exterior artwork from Ocarina of Time
Link at the temple's entrance in Ocarina of Time
A Switch used to manipulate the water levels in Ocarina of Time
The Water Temple from Ocarina of Time 3D
Dungeon Map from Ocarina of Time

Dungeon Map from Ocarina of Time
The Water Temple in Hyrule Warriors
Water Temple development plan from Ocarina of Time
Water Temple development plan from Ocarina of Time
Water Temple development plan from Ocarina of Time

References

↑ "This ice is created by an evil curse... The monster in the Water Temple is the source of the curse." — Sheik (Ocarina of Time 3D)
↑ "At the lake bottom there is a Water Temple used to worship the water spirits." — Kaepora Gaebora (Ocarina of Time)
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↑ "Easier than the Water Temple!" — Sign (Defenders of the Triforce)