Death Mountain Maze

More Magic in Death Mountain

The Death Mountain Maze is fraught with purpose.  First, we need to traverse the maze to find our way into yet a third and new section of the western continent of Hyrule, which seems massive (especially when compared to the eastern continent).  Second, we need to obtain the hammer so that we do not need to traverse the maze again (as well as being able to move around a lot easier) and third, we need to use our new toy to find some other new toys.  If we were to traverse this maze with all of our stats at a maximum capacity we would be breezing through these tunnels.  However, without an immense amount of grind time, we won't.  I didn't need to, either (I was at 4/5/5 at the time.)  These tunnels are full of enemies, lava pits and dangerously low ceilings to make your ability to fight and dodge at the same time a nightmare.  But it is possible, and this gives us a great opportunity to learn to fight in close quarters (good training).  Our reward at the end of the maze is a hole and a rock.  If we fall down the hole and survive all of the baddies within, we can get our hands on the hammer.  This little devil smashes rocks.  A simplistic tool, yes.  But this means that the overworld is now much more open to us and we won't be forced to, when we need to visit this region of Hyrule again, traverse both the Ruto cave and the Death Mountain Maze as well.  We can just go on the path that the Hylians built that leads from one point of civilization to another.  Our new toy we put right to use and find a magic container right next to where we found it by watching Link fall into sand.  The scenes where Link falls are amusing, for he really does appear to be dying.  I guess the lad is afraid of heights.

Heart Containers!!!

Next to this path which connects the North Palace, Rauru, Saria, the new town of Mido and the port to the eastern continent (awesome, we've opened up Hyrule's answer to the United States' interstate system!) is a cave where Link finds yet another Heart Container.  Yet again, though, goodies are never without sweat and blood, and you must fight your way to it.  It is well earned though, and a great addition to your survivability.


This leg of the journey was incredible.  Spelunking is not exactly my favorite activity, and it seems as though caves are the favorite hideout of the strongest of Ganon's lackeys.  Not to mention they always seem lucky enough to push me into lava...which hurts, I must tell you.  All for the kingdom of Hyrule, I guess.  All for the kingdom of Hyrule.  That's what I keep telling myself, anyway.