Turtle Rock

Turtle Rock is a recurring dungeon in The Legend of Zelda series.^[1]^[2]^{[name references needed]}

Overview

A Link to the Past

Entrance to Turtle Rock

Turtle Rock is the seventh Dungeon in the Dark World and the eleventh in the whole game. It can only be accessed by using a Warp Point on the eastern peak of Death Mountain. This will warp Link to the roof of the Dungeon, where he must use the Quake Medallion to open the entrance. The exterior of Turtle Rock was carved into the shape of a Turtle by inhabitants of the Sacred Realm prior to Ganon's rule.^[3]

Themes and Navigation

This Dungeon is unique in that its interior looks more like an incredibly extended cavern, instead of having a man-made architecture; likewise, the Cane of Somaria (previously won in Misery Mire) shows a new function here: it creates platforms that can travel across floating rails, which help Link to fully explore this Dungeon, as well as to find torches that must be lit; this also means that a lot of magic power is required (in fact, Sahasrahla advises Link to have magic at the start of the Dungeon).

Some interesting references to the Mario series occur here as well: Chain Chomps make their debut, and warp pipes carry Link from spot to spot. Similar to the Skull Woods, there are multiple exits, one of them even leads Link to an apparently empty dead end, but guards a Piece of Heart in the Light World. But there's more: this is the only location in the game with lava, and it's harmless since Link cannot fall into it. This Dungeon houses the Mirror Shield, useful to repel more powerful projectiles, and the final crystal (containing Princess Zelda) is guarded by Trinexx.

After Link clears this tough Dungeon, he can access the final Dungeon, which is to the west, across a bridge guarded by Lynels (where the Tower of Hera would be in the Light World).

Areas

Minor Enemies

Link's Awakening

Entrance to Turtle Rock

To reach the Dungeon, Link has to travel through several Caves from the center of Tal Tal Mountain Range. He eventually encounters a Flame Fountain, preventing him from going any further. However, by using the Mirror Shield, obtained in Eagle's Tower, Link manages to get past the fireballs unharmed, arriving in the Western Tal Tal Mountains. Upon reaching Turtle Rock's entrance, he finds that its entrance is a Cave guarded by two Dactos and Turtle Rock itself, dormant. By playing the Frog's Song of Soul, the stone head springs to life and starts attacking Link.^[4] Defeating Turtle Rock opens the entrance to the Dungeon.

Themes and Navigation

The Dungeon appears to be within a volcano, as there are many Lava pits scattered throughout it. The walls are composed of brown rocks and the floor consists of cracked gray stone.^{[note 1]} A fiery haze is present in rooms with Lava. There are two rooms which connect to the peak of the Western Tal Tal Mountains, and exiting and reentering the Dungeon is necessary to proceed. A recurring puzzle in this Dungeon involves the use of flashing blocks which create land when pushed over Holes or Lava. In some rooms, it is only necessary to create a path, while in others, covering all of the Holes makes a Treasure Chest appear.

This Dungeon notably features many previously encountered Sub-Bosses as Enemies, many which have to be defeated for a Small Key or to move on. These include a Spike Roller, a Hinox, two Dodongo Snakes, and a Rover. These Sub-Bosses effectively act like normal Enemies, as they will reappear at a later time. Hydrosoar, another previous Sub-Boss, also appears but does not reappear upon its defeat unlike the others. However, the true Sub-Boss of this Dungeon is Blaino, a creature which uses its boxing gloves to hurt Link and send him to the entrance of the Dungeon.

Some passageways defy the predominant Fire theme of the Dungeon, as they are frozen and have Ice Blocks. The main tool of this Dungeon is the Magic Rod, which is necessary to burn away the Ice Blocks and to defeat the Dungeon's Boss, Hot Head, a giant fireball that lives in a pool of Lava.

When viewed on the Dungeon Map, the Dungeon is in the shape of a turtle, which fits the appearance of the exterior of this Dungeon.

Enemies

A Link Between Worlds

Entrance to Turtle Rock

Turtle Rock is located in the southeastern corner of Lorule. The nearby Mama Turtle needs her three babies, which are located throughout the lake. Link must use the Zora's Flippers to get them back to their mother. After completing this task, the turtles will create a platform for Link to ride to the dungeon's entrance.

Themes and Navigation

The dungeon is based on warp points, which teleport Link to different places in Turtle Rock. Although Turtle Rock is small in size (two floors shaped to resemble turtles), it requires many small keys for it to be completed. The dungeon features lava, which can be controlled easier with the Ice Rod. Freezing eruptions of lava allows Link to Wall Merge and get to the opposite side. The Ice Rod also allows Link to freeze teeter-totter type platforms in place. The dungeon utilizes switches to make platforms rise above the lava and open doors. Another main theme of the dungeon is climbing higher along the side walls, allowing Link to turn into a painting and reach previously inaccessible platforms. Turtle Rock is populated by Kodongos, Wizzrobes, Gibo and fiery Swamola. The miniboss of this dungeon is a group of five Fire Gimos, one large and four small.

The Compass is in the very center of the first floor. Link must activate all four switches on the corners of the platform to reveal the chest. The Big Key is in the central northern room of B1, on a high level grate. Link must wall merge to the door that accesses the grate level, and have a key to open it.

This dungeon also contains the Hylian Shield, which operates in much the same manner as the Mirror Shield does in previous titles, namely, reflecting beams and fire from enemies such as Beamos and Lynel. The Shield can be acquired directly after getting the Big Key by un-merging from a wall to push over a grate bridge in the central room of B1. The grate is right outside the entrance to the Big Key room, on the northern end of the central room. Crossing the grate bridge leads to the Hylian Shield's chest.

Additionally, two warp tiles on the first floor can take Link to alternate exits that are otherwise off-limits. Both exits lead outside onto small balconies, where Link can summon Irene by using the Bell. The east balcony is surrounded by Fairies, while the west one leads to a Piece of Heart.

Minor Enemies

Other Appearances

A Link to the Past (Ishinomori)

Non-Canon Information

Turtle Rock is also featured in the A Link to the Past comic by Shotaro Ishinomori. Like in the game, Turtle Rock is the Dungeon where Princess Zelda has been imprisoned in a crystal by Agahnim.

After learning the location of Turtle Rock, Link heads there and strikes the top of it with the Master Sword to allow a lightning bolt to hit it, revealing the entrance. Inside the lava-infested Dungeon,^[5] Link finds Zelda imprisoned in a crystal,^[6] but he is then attacked by a three-headed dragon.^[7] However, Roam, who had been following Link,^[8] arrives just in time to save the young hero from one of the dragon head's attacks. Roam and Link then cut off the dragon's ice head, causing its ice and fire to mix and explode.^[9] The explosion shatters Zelda's crystal, and with the princess now rescued, the group quickly escapes Turtle Rock as it begins to collapse.

Trivia

Turtle-shaped rocks, likely based on the term "Turtle Rock", can be found in Tri Force Heroes. As hinted at in Vol. 2 of the Drablands Diary, there is one such rock hidden in the background in each Level of Riverside.

Nomenclature

Names in Other Regions
Language	Names	Meanings
Japanese	カメ岩 (Kame Iwa) ^(ALttP)^[14] カメイワ (Kame Iwa) ^(ALBW)^[13]	Same as English. Turtle Rock
French^CA	Roc de la Tortue ^(LANS) Rocher de la Tortue ^(ALBW)^[19]	Turtle Rock
French^EU	Roc de la Tortue ^(LANS) Rocher de la tortue ^(ALBW)^[16]	Turtle Rock
German	Schildkrötenfelsen ^(ALBW)^[15]
Italian	Rocca Tartaruga ^{(ALttP \| LA \| LADX \| LANS \| ALBW)}^[10]^[11]^[12]	Same as English.
Korean	거북바위 (Geobug-bawi) ^(ALBW)^[17]	Turtle Rock
Spanish^LA	Isla de la Tortuga ^(ALBW)^[18]
Spanish^EU	Isla de la Tortuga ^(ALBW)
This table was generated using translation pages. To request an addition, please contact a staff member with a reference.

Other Names

Name	Turtle Rock Dungeon^[20]
Applies to	A Link to the Past
Source	Zelda.com
Superseded by	Encyclopedia
Name	Turtle Rock Dungeon^[20]
Applies to	Link's Awakening
Source	Zelda.com
Superseded by	Encyclopedia
Name	Turtle Rock Dungeon^[20]
Applies to	Link's Awakening DX
Source	Zelda.com
Superseded by	Encyclopedia

Name	Applies to	Source	Superseded by
Turtle Rock Dungeon^[20]	A Link to the Past	Zelda.com	Encyclopedia
Turtle Rock Dungeon^[20]	Link's Awakening	Zelda.com	Encyclopedia
Turtle Rock Dungeon^[20]	Link's Awakening DX	Zelda.com	Encyclopedia

Gallery

Layout of Turtle Rock from Link's Awakening
Layout of Turtle Rock from Link's Awakening DX
The Thunder Drum from Link's Awakening DX
Warp points inside Turtle Rock from A Link Between Worlds
Link creating a path through lava with the Ice Rod from A Link Between Worlds
Link fighting Grinexx from A Link Between Worlds

Notes

↑ In Link's Awakening DX, the walls are red and the floors are orange.

References

↑ Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 147, ^(ALttP) 148, ^{(LA | LADX)} & 159 ^(ALBW)
↑ "Level 8 - Turtle Rock" — Game Screen (Link's Awakening for Nintendo Switch)
↑ The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past—Nintendo Player's Guide, Nintendo of America, pg. 102
↑ "Hoot! That girl sang her song in front of the Egg! Her 'Ballad of the Wind Fish' is a song of awakening! Did she actually intend to wake the Wind Fish?! The next Sirens' Instrument is in the west. Play your melodies so the unliving stones might hear! Show your courage! The Wind Fish waits for you! Hoot!" — Owl (Link's Awakening DX)
↑ "A lava lake! This place is hot as an inferno!" (A Link to the Past manga, VIZ Media, pg. 11)
↑ "Zelda!! Is it really you this time[...]?!" (A Link to the Past manga, VIZ Media, pg. 12)
↑ "Link! Watch your back!" (A Link to the Past manga, VIZ Media, pg. 12)
↑ "Ha ha ha! I followed you all this way..." (A Link to the Past manga, VIZ Media, pg. 16)
↑ "Move it, hero! Without that head, the monster's fire and ice will mix violently! You can guess what happens next!" (A Link to the Past manga, VIZ Media, pg. 1)
↑ "7 Rocca Tartaruga" — Credits (A Link to the Past, Italian localization)
↑ Enciclopedia di Hyrule, Magazzini Salani, pg. 148
↑ "Rocca Tartaruga" — Weather Vane (A Link Between Worlds, Italian localization)
↑ "カメイワで迷う
オヌシの姿が見えるぞ" — Fortune Teller (A Link Between Worlds)
↑ Nintendo Official Guidebook: The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past Vol. 2, Shogakukan, pg. 3
↑ "Ich seeehe... Ich seeehe... Du stehst ratlos im Schildkrötenfelsen. Du blickst durch die Hinweisbrille!" — Fortune Teller (A Link Between Worlds)
↑ "Je te vois, perdu dans les tréfonds du rocher de la tortue." — Fortune Teller (A Link Between Worlds)
↑ "거북바위에서 헤매는
자네의 모습이 보이네" — Fortune Teller (A Link Between Worlds)
↑ "Me está llegaaando... Te veo vagando en la Isla de la Tortuga..." — Fortune Teller (A Link Between Worlds)
↑ "Je te vois, perdu dans les tréfonds du rocher de la Tortue." — Fortune Teller (A Link Between Worlds)
↑ ^20.0 ^20.1 ^20.2 "Turtle Rock Dungeon
In Hyrule: Found in the Dark World, the Turtle Rock Dungeon is one of the seven Palaces Link explored during his quest to recover the Crystals necessary to unlock Ganon's Tower. Within its walls, Link found the Mirror Shield and defeated the Palace guardian named Trinexx.

On Koholint Island: Found on Koholint Island, the Turtle Rock Dungeon is one of the eight dungeons Link conquered during his quest to wake the Wind Fish. In the Dungeon, Link found the Magic Rod and defeated Hot Head to get the Thunder Drum." — The Great Hyrule Encyclopedia (web archive), Zelda.com (archive), retrieved January 24, 2022.