Chapter 12 is your first trip around Hyrule as adult Link, and it covers everything you should do before heading into the Forest Temple. You'll get the Hookshot from Dampé in the Kakariko Graveyard, learn the Song of Storms, win Epona at the ranch, finish the Scarecrow's Song and learn the Minuet of Forest.
This chapter also covers 5 Heart Pieces and 5 Gold Skulltulas. Several of the Heart Pieces need the Magic Beans you planted as child Link in Chapter 11, so make sure you planted them first. Everything is in the same order as our video at the bottom of this page.
Kakariko Village
Head to Kakariko Village
Leave the Temple of Time. Castle Town is now in ruins. Run through the town and out across Hyrule Field to Kakariko Village.
Heart Piece, Graveyard Magic Bean
Go to the Kakariko Graveyard. The Magic Bean you planted here as child Link has now grown into a flying leaf plant. Step onto it when it comes past and ride it up to the ledge with the Piece of Heart.
Dampé's Race and the Hookshot
Nearby to the flying leaf you will also see some mist coming out of one of the graves, pull back the tombstone to this grave and drop inside to find the ghost of Dampé. He tells you he was digging his own grave when he found these ruins, and there's a treasure at the end of them if you can keep up with him. He's not the patient type, so if he can't see you for a while you'll be disqualified.
Follow him through the tunnels and keep close. Avoid the purple flames he leaves behind. Reach the end and open the chest for the Hookshot. Fire it at dedicated targets to pull yourself across gaps, and you can also use it to grab items and defeat enemies from a distance.
Heart Piece, Inside the Windmill
Go up the stairs behind the Hookshot chest and you'll come out inside the windmill in Kakariko. Straight away you can see a Piece of Heart on a high wooden ledge nearby. Jump across and grab it.
Learn the Song of Storms
While you're in the windmill, talk to the Music Man. He's still angry about a kid who played a strange song here years ago, and it's been stuck in his head ever since. Take out your Ocarina and he plays it for you. Repeat it to learn the Song of Storms (L, R, X, L, R, X).
Heart Piece, Dampé's Second Race
Go back to Dampé's grave in the graveyard and talk to him to race again. This time you need to reach the end within 1 minute. It's the same course as before. Open the chest at the end for a Piece of Heart.
Kakariko Gold Skulltula
Head back into Kakariko Village at night (play the Sun's Song if you need to change the time). Just to the left of Impa's house, use the Hookshot on the vines on the rock wall to get up onto the blue roof. From the roof look up at the rock wall, and Hookshot the Gold Skulltula to defeat it and collect the Token.
Death Mountain Trail Heart Piece
Go up to Death Mountain Trail and head for the sign on the trail. The Magic Bean you planted here as child Link (just outside of Dodongo Cavern) has grown into another leaf plant. Ride it up to the ledge for a Piece of Heart.
Unlock Epona
Travel across Hyrule Field to the ranch, which is now called Ingo Ranch. Talk to Ingo at the corral, Talon has been kicked out and Ingo is in charge. Pay 20 Rupees to ride a horse, then stand in the corral and play Epona's Song. You need to have learned this from Malon as child Link. Epona will run over to you.
Ride Epona over to Ingo at the corral entrance and talk to him. He challenges you to a race of one lap around the track, and whoever loses pays the winner. Use your carrots to speed up, but don't use them all at once.
Beat him and he offers one more race, and this time if you win he has to give you the horse. Win the second race and Epona is yours.
Ingo then closes the gate and tells you that you can never leave this ranch. Ride Epona straight at the fence by the entrance and jump over it to escape.
Ganondorf's Castle Gold Skulltula
Ride back across Hyrule Field to Castle Town. Epona has to stay outside, so continue on foot through the ruined town and out the far side to reach Ganondorf's Castle. Just to the right of the entrance, look up at the stone archway beside the path. There's a Gold Skulltula on it, Hookshot it to defeat it and grab the Token.
Lake Hylia
Learn the Scarecrow's Song
Ride to Lake Hylia and talk to Bonooru the scarecrow. He remembers the song you taught him as child Link back in Chapter 11. Take out your Ocarina and play the exact same song again (ours was A, X, A, X, A, X). Another scarecrow, Pierre, then shows up. From now on you can play this song to call Pierre at certain spots and use the Hookshot to reach him, this is needed for multiple collectibles in the future.
Heart Piece, Lakeside Laboratory Roof
Go to the side of the Lakeside Laboratory. The Magic Bean you planted here as child Link has grown into a leaf plant. Ride it up onto the roof. Walk up the roof and through the door into the tower, climb the ladder inside, then go around the outside and climb the last ladder to the very top for a Piece of Heart.
Kokiri Forest Gold Skulltula
Ride Epona back across Hyrule Field to Kokiri Forest, which is now full of monsters. Go behind the house all the way at the end just to the right of the exit towards the Great Deku Tree. Play the Sun's Song to make it nighttime, then look up and Hookshot the Gold Skulltula high up on the tree and collect the Token.
The Lost Woods
Mido
Enter the Lost Woods and take the same route to the Sacred Grove as in Chapter 6 (right, left, right, left, straight, left, right). But this time after taking just the first Right, Left Right, Mido is standing in the way and doesn't recognize you. He says Link is Saria's closest friend, so if you're really him you'll know her song. Play Saria's Song. He tells you Saria went into the Forest Temple deep in the woods, then lets you through as long as you give him your word that you'll help her.
Go through the tunnel Mido was blocking. In this next area go left one more time, the Magic Bean you planted as child Link has grown into a leaf plant. Ride it up to the ledge, defeat the Gold Skulltula up there and grab the Token.
The Sacred Grove
Continue into the Sacred Grove maze (left, left, right after exiting the area with the flying leaf), which now has Moblins charging down the corridors. Avoid them or defeat them as you make your way through. Climb the ladder near the end of the maze, then look at the wall at the top to spot a Gold Skulltula. Hookshot it to defeat it and collect the Token.
Learn the Minuet of Forest
A large Moblin with a club guards the way to the stairs, to get past it just strafe from one side to the other as soon as it is about to attack. Once you get past it and head up to the stone platform at the top. Sheik appears and teaches you the Minuet of Forest (L, X, Y, A, Y, A), which warps you to the Sacred Grove from now on.
Enter the Forest Temple
The steps up to the Forest Temple have collapsed. Use the Hookshot onto the target just above the door to get up, then head inside. The temple is covered in the next chapter.
Chapter 12 Checklist
- Hookshot
- Song of Storms and Minuet of Forest
- Epona
- Scarecrow's Song, finished
- Gold Skulltulas this chapter, 5 (running total 48 of 100)
- Heart Pieces this chapter, 5 (Graveyard, windmill, Dampé's second race, Death Mountain Trail and the Lakeside Laboratory roof) (running total 23 of 36)
