Legend of Zelda A Link to the Past Eastern Palace Walkthrough

Eastern Palace Walkthrough (A Link to the Past)

The Eastern Palace is the first proper dungeon you’ll tackle after the initial Hyrule Castle sequence. It introduces you to many core Zelda mechanics.

Required Items Before Entering:

• Sword and Shield: You’ll have these from the start.
• Boomerang: Obtained in Hyrule Castle. Useful for stunning enemies.
• Bombs (Optional but Recommended): While not strictly required for progression, having a few on hand can reveal secret rupee stashes or save you time if you bomb a wall instead of finding a switch.
• Magic Powder (Optional): If you’ve brought the mushroom from the Lost Woods to the Witch’s Hut, she’ll give you Magic Powder. It can turn Anti-Fairies into regular fairies for health, but it’s not crucial for this dungeon.

1. Entrance and Initial Rooms

• Entrance Room: You’ll start in a room with three doors.
  • The two doors on the left and right are currently locked or lead to dead ends from this side.
  • Go through the middle door directly ahead.
• Popo Switch Room: You’ll find a single pot directly in front of the locked door.
  • Lift the pot (A button) to reveal a floor switch.
  • Step on the switch to open the door to the north.
  • Proceed through the now open door.
• “Ball” Gauntlet Room: This room features a long, narrow path with large, rolling iron globes.
  • Strategy: Stay in the small alcoves on the sides of the path to avoid the rolling balls. Wait for a ball to pass, then quickly move to the next alcove or forward.
  • At the very end of this path, do NOT go up the stairs immediately. Instead, walk west (left), then curve south (down) to find another set of stairs leading to an upper ledge.
  • Take these stairs up. Walk east (right) along the upper ledge to find a treasure chest.
  • Open the chest to get a Green Rupee (worth 100 Rupees!).
  • Go through the door to the east (right).

2. Navigating the West Side & Getting Small Key #1

• Stalfos Hub Room (Upper West): You’ll enter a room with two Stalfos (skeletons) and two paths: one north and one south.
  • Go north first.
  • Popo Pot Room: In this room, you’ll find five pots.
    • Lift the middle pot to reveal a floor switch.
    • Step on the switch to open the door to the south (which is where you just came from). This is important for later navigation.
    • Now, ignore that south door for a moment and proceed through the east door (if you didn’t press the switch, this door would be closed).
• Dark Anti-Fairy Room: This room is dark and contains several Anti-Fairies (black sprites that hurt you).
  • Quickly move east (right) along the narrow path, then curve south (down).
  • You’ll find a single Popo. Defeat it.
  • Step on the floor switch near the Popo.
  • Go through the now open east door (right).
• Stalfos Key Room: This room is also dark and contains three Blue Stalfos.
  • Strategy: The easiest way to defeat these Stalfos is to lift and throw the pots at them. Two hits per Stalfos will defeat them.
  • After defeating them, lift the pot that was against the east wall (right side).
  • Underneath, you’ll find Small Key #1.
  • Go through the north door.
• Telepathy Tile Room: You’ll find a Telepathy Tile here (read it if you wish for a hint from Sahasrahla).
  • Go through the east door to return to the main Stalfos Hub Room (where you first entered this upper west section).

3. Obtaining the Big Key

• Central Hub Room (Lower East): From the Stalfos Hub Room, go through the south door. You’ll be back in the “Ball” Gauntlet room, but on a lower level.
  • Walk east (right) and then north (up) to find stairs going down to a new section. Take them.
  • Block Puzzle Room: You’ll enter a room with a large, movable block in the center.
    • Push the block forward (north), then right (east). This will clear a path for you.
    • Go through the north door.
• Popo & Ball Room: This room has more Popos and a rolling ball.
  • Defeat the Popos.
  • Go through the north door.
• Armos Knight Room: You’ll find a single Armos Knight (the statues that come alive) in this room.
  • Strategy: Hit the Armos Knight with your sword until it’s defeated. It might take a few hits.
  • Once defeated, a floor switch will appear.
  • Step on the switch to open the door to the east. Go through it.
• Big Key Room: You’ve found it! This room has a large treasure chest.
  • Open the large chest to receive the BIG KEY!
  • Go through the south door to return to the Armos Knight room.
  • Now, backtrack by going west (left) from the Armos Knight room, then south (down) from the Popo & Ball room, then south (down) from the Block Puzzle room. This brings you back to the Eastern Palace’s central lower area.

4. Getting the Bow & Arrow

• Bow Room: From the central lower area (where you first found the stairs leading down to the block puzzle), walk south (down) and then east (right) to find another set of stairs leading up. Take them.
• You’ll enter a room with several Popos and a large treasure chest.
  • Defeat the Popos.
  • Open the large chest (which requires the Big Key you just found) to claim your prize: the BOW and ARROW!

5. The Boss: Armos Knights

• Path to the Boss: From the room where you just got the Bow, go through the large, locked door to the north. This door can only be opened with the Big Key.
• Boss Arena: You’ll enter the boss chamber.
  • Boss: Armos Knights
    • Phase 1: Six Armos Knights will be scattered around the room.
      • Strategy: Each Armos Knight requires three arrows to be defeated. As you hit them, they will awaken and start hopping around. Focus on one at a time, keeping your distance. Stay near the edges of the room and move in a circular pattern to avoid their hops.
    • Phase 2: After defeating five of the Armos Knights, the last remaining one will turn red and become much more aggressive, jumping higher and trying to land directly on you.
      • Strategy: Continue to shoot it with arrows. It’s often easiest to hit it just as it’s landing or when it pauses briefly. Keep moving and use quick shots. Don’t be afraid to use your sword if it gets too close, but arrows are your primary weapon here.
  • Once the final Armos Knight is defeated, collect your rewards!

Congratulations!

You’ve successfully conquered the Eastern Palace. Collect your Heart Container and the Pendant of Courage!