Woodfall Temple

All right, here we go.  This is the game's first dungeon, and right away the difficulty level of this game becomes apparent.  Granted, this is no Link's Adventure but it certainly ranks up there with it.  Not only are you now timed (you can't take your time thinking on puzzles or trying to subdue the boss) but the puzzles are difficult right from the very beginning.  While this dungeon is relatively short, there's a lot to do: we have to collect a bunch of stray fairies in order to gain more power, gain a new weapon (we get the Hero's Bow right away in this game, a definite plus) and unlock the mysteries one by one of the Woodfall Temple without falling victim to the poison water.

Puzzles now make use of masks as well as standard items in order to solve them, so it really takes some brain power to wrap yourself around this game.  However, it is a fun new dimension as Link takes on new forms.

This boss, however (Odwala) is an extreme annoyance.  He's virtually invincible and a powerful summoner with a longsword.  Someone was feeling sadistic at Nintendo.  Not only that, but Tatl all but tells you that you'll be dead if you get too close...which is the only way you're going to injure the thing.  Go figure.  As with virtually every dungeon in the series, you use the item you found within to combat the boss, and this is no different: arrows work from a safe distance to stun him so you can get in close with sword strikes.  However, this boss makes a clear statement: action isn't lacking in this game either, you will be entertained.

After we're done with this yahoo, we find the Deku Princess who is another snot (there is a theme with princesses in the series, too, right?  I guess like bride's maids to a bride, these princesses make Zelda seem all the more graceful and wise...although Zelda isn't in this title except for in a flashback in the very beginning.)  Oh well, we cart her off (using a bottle, hehe, that's a bit unrealistic but at the same time, explains things a bit better than the girl simply following Link when she really can't) and she gives her father hell for making a rash decision in labeling her companion monkey a kidnapper.  Whoo, another crisis averted!