Accessing the Shadow Temple early in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is possible through a well-known sequence-breaking glitch involving Bombchus and precise movement. This technique allows players to enter the temple before normally intended, often used by speedrunners or for casual exploration.
Understanding the Early Shadow Temple Glitch
This glitch involves manipulating Link's position to clip through the game's environment near the Shadow Temple entrance in Kakariko Village. By using specific items and movement, you can bypass loaded geometry and access areas out of bounds, eventually leading to the temple's interior. The core of this method relies on forcing the game to not fully load a room while Link is moving into its space.
Prerequisites for Early Access
Before attempting to enter the Shadow Temple early, ensure you have the following:
- Adult Link: This glitch is typically performed as Adult Link.
- Access to Kakariko Village: The entrance is located within the Kakariko Village graveyard area, specifically at the bottom of the well.
- Bombchus: These explosive items are crucial for initiating the glitch.
- Knowledge of Z-Targeting and Side-Hopping: Precise movement is key to navigating out of bounds.
Step-by-Step Guide to Entering Early
Follow these steps carefully to perform the early Shadow Temple glitch:
- Locate the Entrance: Head to Kakariko Village and proceed to the well. The Shadow Temple entrance is accessed through the bottom of this well in the normal progression of the game.
- Initial Out-of-Bounds Setup: To get into a position "over the stairs" or within the well's geometry, you'll need to use Bombchus. A common method involves a Bombchu hover or a Bombchu clip to gain height or push Link through an invisible wall near the well's entrance. The goal is to get Link positioned above or just inside the usual entrance, in a spot that isn't fully rendered by the game.
- Positioning for Clipping: Once you have used Bombchus to get into an initial out-of-bounds state, maneuver Link so you are strategically positioned right over the stairs that lead into the Shadow Temple from the well. This specific spot is crucial for the next step.
- Activating the Clipping Glitch:
- Z-Target: While positioned over the stairs, Z-Target to lock onto an invisible point, a distant object, or a specific edge. This helps stabilize Link's movement and orientation.
- Repeated Side Hops: Begin to perform a right side hop. Continue to keep side-hopping in this manner. As you execute these hops, you might observe that the room isn't fully loaded around you, which is the visual cue that the glitch is working as intended. This allows Link to clip through the unrendered or improperly loaded geometry.
- Entering the Temple: By repeatedly side-hopping and clipping, you will eventually find yourself within the Shadow Temple's interior, bypassing the usual requirements for entry.
Why Attempt Early Shadow Temple?
Players attempt this glitch for several reasons:
- Speedrunning: It's a key sequence break that saves significant time by allowing access to late-game areas much earlier.
- Sequence Breaking: Players can obtain items or complete objectives in a non-linear order, opening up new gameplay possibilities.
- Exploration: It offers a unique way to explore the game's mechanics and sometimes even untextured or "unfinished" areas that are not typically visible.
Key Elements for Early Access
| Element | Description |
|---|---|
| Bombchus | Used for initial out-of-bounds setup, such as a Bombchu hover or clip, to reach the "over the stairs" position near the well. |
| Z-Targeting | Essential for maintaining precise orientation and stability while attempting to clip through geometry. |
| Side Hops | The primary movement technique used to clip through unloaded sections of the map once Link is positioned correctly over the stairs. |
| Unloaded Room | A visual indicator that the glitch is working; the game fails to fully load the environment, creating openings for Link to pass through. |
