Great Swamp

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The Great Swamp,(ALttP)[1] also known as the Watergate Prairie,(ALttP (Ishinomori))[2] is a recurring location in The Legend of Zelda series.[name references needed] Its Dark World counterpart is known as the Plains of Ruin and serves as the home of the Swamp Palace.

Features and Overview

A Link to the Past

As the name implies, the Great Swamp is a large wetland that is densely composed of grass and marshes. Its grass fields conceal a number of Agahnim's Soldiers and even mines, along with rabbit-like Toppo. There are numerous ruins in the area, it is unclear what civilization they belonged to, however. In the Light World, the cave near the north entrance leads to a Fairy Fountain. At the northwest is a Warp Tile to the Dark World which can only be accessed after Link has obtained the Magic Hammer. Just below the portal there is a Whirlpool Warp which King Zora allows Link to use to transport around Hyrule. The ruins in the south contain a chest holding Bombs, but in the far room Link will run into a Bubble, along with two switches. One switch is a trap that will drop Bombs from above, while the other unlocks the watergate, filling the ruins and draining the water outside. Draining this water is key to accessing the Swamp Palace in the Dark World. With the water drained in the Light World, a Piece of Heart will be revealed. Fish can be found splashing about in the drained pond and, if Link picks one up and throws it into the water, the fish will reward him with a Red Rupee.

To the west of the Swamp lies a canyon that serves as the entrance to the Desert of Mystery, while the southeast exit leads towards Lake Hylia. Travelling north leads to Link's House and Hyrule Castle.

Enemies

Other Appearances

A Link to the Past (Ishinomori)



Ancient Stone Tablets



Trivia

  • Despite being called a Swamp in the English localization, the area is mostly made up of grass fields with only a few small ponds.
  • Toppos will cease to appear in the swamp once Agahnim has been defeated.
  • Even though Sahasrahla suggests that changing something in one world will affect its counterpart in the other, changing the water level in the marshes of the Great Swamp and its effects on the Dark World is one of the few instances where it is actually possible to directly influence one world from the other.
  • As well as obtaining Rupees by throwing one into the deep water, if a fish can be carried from the swamp all the way to Kakariko Village, the Street Merchant will reward Link if it is given to him.

Nomenclature

TMC Forest Minish Artwork.png Names in Other Regions TMC Jabber Nut Sprite.png
Language Name Meaning
Japan Japanese 草原のほこら (Sōgen no Hokora) Prairie Shrine
France FrenchEU Ruines de Marais Ruins of Marsh

References

  1. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past—Nintendo Player's Guide, Nintendo of America, pg. 48
  2. "Link, I followed the directions you gave me and I reached a place called the Watergate Prairie." — Sahasrahla (A Link to the Past manga, VIZ Media, pg. 12)
Locations in A Link to the Past
Locations in the Light World Locations in the Dark World
Hyrule Light World map.pngWaterfall of WishingEastern PalaceGraveyardLost WoodsKakariko VillageDesert PalaceDesert of MysteryHyrule CastleGreat SwampTower of HeraPond of HappinessLake HyliaLink's HouseZora's WaterfallHaunted GroveSanctuaryWitch's HutDeath Mountain

Click on a location

Dark World Map.pngSkull WoodsSkeleton ForestGhostly GardenThieves' TownVillage of OutcastsMisery MireSwamp of EvilSwamp PalaceGanon's TowerPalace of DarknessPyramid of PowerIce PalaceIce LakeLake of Ill OmenBomb ShopTurtle Rock

Click on a location