Glitches in Twilight Princess

These are the glitches which are possible to perform in. Please read the Glitch Disclaimer Notes before attempting any of the glitches on this page.

Magnetic Ceiling Glitch

 * Effect: Walk on magnetic ceilings or walls without Iron Boots.
 * Prerequisites: Iron Boots, access to Goron Mines.
 * How To: Equip the Iron Boots but don’t put them on. Go under a magnetic field and equip the boots. In mid flight up to the ceiling (or sideways to a magnetic wall), press the button that leads to the item screen and put an item where the iron boots were. Make sure the Iron boots are not equipped anywhere on the screen. Unpause the game and finish flying onto the ceiling or wall. You should be on the ceiling or wall with the Iron boots off and Link will stay there and be able to walk faster.
 * Notes: To get down walk off the magnetic part of the ceiling, equip and unequip the Iron Boots. Also, the glitch only works in the Wii version, where in the GameCube version, Link just stops going towards the ceiling, as if he took off the boots, and falls to the ground.

Escape the Barrier

 * Effect: Allows Link to escape fights
 * Prerequisities: Helm Splitter
 * How To: When inside a yellow barrier in Hyrule Castle, it is possible to escape the fight. Simply position the enemy between Link and the barrier and shield attack until they are at the closest point and then do the Helm Splitter. If done correctly Link will be out of the barrier and will be able to continue the game without killing the enemies.

Unlimited Bombs Glitch

 * Effect: Unlimited Bombs
 * Prerequisites: Clawshot, ability to turn into Wolf Link, access to Lake Hylia.
 * How To: Travel to Lake Hylia as Wolf Link and play Plumm's mini game with the fruit and crash. Then, turn back into a Hylian and turn to the water behind Link. While swimming in it, equip the Clawshot, and while it is held out, strafe to the side and through the wall. If done correctly, Link will be swimming through the wall. Keep swimming until Link falls and dies. Now as Link wakes up, Plumm will come back and ask to play again. Choose "yes", then crash at the beginning again. Link should wake back up in the beyond-the-wall area from before, but Link can stand. Turn back into Wolf Link and jump into the waterfall. Afterwards, Link will wake up in front of Iza's assistant.  Talk, choose "yes", and Link will go to her cabin. The boat will take off without Link, but still show the Bomb-arrow icon.  Now that the glitch has been executed, warp anywhere and Link will have infinite bombs.
 * Notes: This ends when you turn off the game.

Out of Bounds in the Arbiter's Grounds

 * Effect: Go out of bounds at Arbiter's Grounds.
 * Prerequisites: Access to Arbiter's Grounds.
 * How To: As seen in the video to the right, by following the procedures, Link will actually be able to climb up a small ledge on either sides the entrance to Arbiter's Grounds. As Link, walk up to either side of the entrance. Line Link up centered to the edge of the wall, then climb it.  Once on the ledge, walk towards the entrance.  Link will die and be warped back to the entrance.
 * Notes: What is likely happening is that the level's boundaries don't extend all the way out to where Link can walk, and thus the game thinks Link has fallen off the map and kills him to correct the problem, making this more of a creator's oversight than a glitch. This occurs in both the Wii and GameCube versions.

Cannon Room Glitch

 * Effect: Get trapped in the cannon room.
 * Prerequisites: Dominion Rod, access to the cannon room in Kakariko Village.
 * How To: This glitch was addressed directly by Nintendo, and plagues many of the launch Wii versions of Twilight Princess. While Link is in the Cannon room in Kakariko Village, save the game while inside, turn the game off, then turn it back on. Shad, who was previously in the room, will no longer appear there, however when the player attempts to warp the cannon, Midna will act as though a person is still in the room - however, Shad is nowhere in sight. When Link attempts to leave the room, Shad appears on a separate dialog screen, and asks Link where he is going. This makes it impossible for Link to leave the room by any means, as Midna won't allow him to warp and Shad will not allow him to leave the room.
 * Notes: Once the glitch has been performed, it is impossible to reverse the glitch unless the file in which the glitch was performed is erased, or the game is exchanged with Nintendo for an updated version that does not have the glitch.

Bridge Of Eldin Glitch

 * Effect: Be unable to enter the Twilight to Lanayru Province.
 * Prerequisites: Bombs, Goron Mines completed, make sure Bridge of Eldin is not destroyed.
 * How To: After clearing Goron Mines, go to Bridge of Eldin and blow up the rocks that blocks the way to Lanayru Province. Wait until the Bridge has been destroyed, but before entering the Twilight, then save and quit. If you start your file now, Link will be at the exit to Kakariko Village, and if he goes to the bridge, he cannot cross it, because it has been destroyed.
 * Notes: When the glitch has been performed, Link cannot advance, and thus, the player must start a new Game. This Glitch only exists in some versions of the game.

Get the Master Sword Early

 * WARNING: It requires several tricks and advanced knowledge of the game to beat the game once the Master Sword is obtained early.
 * Effect: Get the Master Sword early.
 * Prerequisites: Access to Faron Woods at the time of the Twilight take over.
 * How To: To begin, track to the area near the TPHD: in Faron Woods at the time of Twilight. Battle the Shadow Beasts and lure one to the left of the gate and use the energy field on it.  Afterwards, back away as far as possible. When Wolf Link finally leaps at it, if done correctly, he will land on the cliff. Work over the gate and onto the other cliff. Go around and jump down onto the area where the entrance of the Sacred Grove is. Finally, just do the normal routine of getting the Master Sword.
 * Notes: Link can warp anywhere that he has beaten Shadow Beasts, even though Midna hasn't taught him to warp. The Gorons guarding the entrance to the Goron Mines will prevent normal access to the dungeon, which means that you have to skip them. This can be done by getting to Snowpeak Ruins early with the Map Glitch, using Ooccoo obtained there to steal the bomb bag from Iza, emptying it, entering a dig spot near Kakariko Bridge and catching the bomb fish swimming there with the fishing rod, warping to Zora's Domain to obtain the bomb bag from the Goron inside the rock, emptying that bomb bag, going back to Kakariko and fish for more bombfish, and using the breathe underwater glitch to beat Morpheel without the Zora Armor. The Goron Mines can then be entered with the Spinner to obtain the Bow.

Move Renado

 * Effect: Move Renado.
 * Prerequisites: Access to Kakariko Village.
 * How To: Find Renado walking around Kakariko Village, push him around by walking or rolling into him, allowing Link to move him anywhere in the village that Link would normally be able to access just by walking. (This includes, but not limited to, the pool of water behind Eldin's spring).
 * Notes: Targeting Renado may make pushing him easier, and speaking to him every few seconds to get him to stop walking on his own also helps.

Dancing Goron

 * Effect: Make a Goron dance.
 * Prerequisites: Defeated Fyrus, access to Kakariko Village or Death Mountain.
 * How To: After Fyrus is defeated, speak to one of the Gorons at Death Mountain or Kakariko Village. Approach the Goron from the side or back so that it turns to face Link, and accept when it asks the player if he/she wants to go up. Instead of getting on, walk around to its backside and run a small distance away so the Goron begins to shake, preparing to spring up without you. Quickly run close to the Goron without getting on and the Goron will spring, knocking Link back. If done correctly, the Goron will stand up and be stuck in a loop doing its "turning" animation, making is look as though the Goron is dancing.
 * Notes: This may require several attempts to get the angle right.

Trapped Hawk

 * Effect: Trap the hawk under Fado's porch.
 * Prerequisites: N/A
 * How To: First, go to Ordon Village. Afterwards, climb the moss covered wall to get to the hawk's Call leaf.  Play it, and summon the hawk.  Point the target directly under the roof above the porch of Fado's house.  After the hawk hits the house, it should be trapped under Fado's porch roof.  All attacks go through the hawk; so the hawk cannot be harmed.  To get it to vanish once more, enter a building, or leave the village.

Baba Serpent goes through ground

 * Effect: Make a Baba Serpent fall through ground.
 * Prerequisites: Access to the southern entrance to Castle Town.
 * How to: Go to South Castle town entrance and go to the cliff where a grotto is located (do not climb up the vines). Approach the Baba Serpent nearest the vines and cut it. If done correctly, the Baba Serpent will fall through the ground, which is very odd.
 * Notes: This glitch does not affect gameplay, and is just used for fun.

Back In Time
Link should then be at the Bridge of Eldin. Jump off the edge, and Link should have one heart, and no items. Run to the brownish area which separates the bridge into two areas when half of it was teleported, then back. Do a jump strike off the edge, and you should get a game over. Say 'yes' when the game asks you if you want to retry. The game now should be in the time frame where Link has to save Colin from King Bulblin. Skip every cutscene, and defeat King Bulblin in both the field chase, and the bridge face-off. Skip every following cut scene until Link is in Kakariko Village in twilight. Get on Epona, and jump past the gate. Get off of her, then head towards the Bridge of Eldin. Go up to the curtain of Twilight, and Link should get stuck. Link is unable to move, or attack. The cut scene which Link is in cannot be skipped.
 * Effect: Be able to explore the Title Screen map, Re-fight King Bulblin, and others.
 * Prerequisites: None, but easier if you have access to Arbiter's Grounds.
 * How To: Go to any endless void, and prepare to reset. Run, and jump into the void, and press reset just as Link reaches the height of his jump. As an alternative, go to Arbiter's Grounds.  Save the game, then fall into the first sandpit.  When the player sees about 2 inches of Link's arm left, reset the game.
 * Notes: The game will freeze once the glitch has been fully executed, so, there is really nothing left to do but to restart the game.

Strangely enough, there are some videos that show people doing part of the glitch and then making the logo from the title screen appear. This also gives Link full use of the Master Sword and weapons. This version, dubbed the "Master Glitch" takes place when Link has to save Colin.

Back in Time #2

 * Effect: Same as version one, with a few added effects.
 * Prerequisites: Same as version one.
 * How to: Executed the same way as version one, up to the point where Link enters the Title Screen Map. Once the player has spawned on the Bridge of Eldin, jump off the bridge once, save, and restart. The player should then be in Faron Woods. No music should be playing. The player should spawn in front of Faron Spring. Go talk to Coro and he should give you the lantern. Proceed to the dark cave leading to the Forest Temple. Before you enter the cave, Talo's play sword should be lying on the ground, indicating that you have to save Talo from the monsters in the woods. Continue as normal. Once you free Talo, skip all of the cut scenes. Then the player should be at Ordon Ranch, like normal. Herd the goats and walk down to the village. The game should now be near the beginning, when Ilia takes away Epona. If you enter Mayor Bo's house, you will fast-forward to when you have to receive the iron boots by beating Bo in a Sumo contest. Get the iron boots. When you walk back outside, the game will go back to the beginning. Go to the spring, and skip the cut scene. The game will proceed as normal. The player will be in jail cell in Hyrule Castle. Continue like normal. Go through the sewers, visit Princess Zelda, and exit the twilight like normal, skipping all cut scenes. Midna will want the player to have a sword and shield. (even though you already have the sword.) Proceed until you reach Ordon Village. You can not get the shield because, strangely, none of the villagers are present. Thus you cannot continue.
 * Notes: If you choose to get the iron boots, Bo's speech will be broken up, so you need to start talking to him multiple times to start the sumo match. Also, when the player awakens in the jail cell, Wolf Link will have the Hylian Shield on his back. This is impossible under normal game circumstances. The glitch doesn't work on GameCube, but it can work on Wii and Wii U.
 * This glitch has many possibilities. This is just the way to go if you want the longest and most in depth exploration.

Trapped in Elde Inn

 * Effect: Become trapped in an invisible box in Elde Inn.
 * Prerequisites: Be able to perform the Back in Time glitch.
 * How to: Perform the Back in time glitch, but do not leave Kakariko Village. Instead, enter Elde Inn through the main door. Approach the Twilit Bulblins. Link should find himself trapped in an invisible box. He will not be able to defeat the Bulblins because Link cannot draw his sword indoors. There is nothing that can be done but let the Bulblins kill Link.
 * Notes: If you walk behind the inn's front desk and activate a cutscene, the glitch will not work. The reason for this is that the Bulblins normally stay in a small area so that they appear in the cutscene. Normally, Wolf Link can not reach them without activating this cutscene. After the cutscene, the Bulblins are free to go anywhere in the inn.

Map Glitch
On the Game Cube: Press right on direction pad and Z at the same time. Choose a place to warp, but Link will not warp. Instead, Midna will talk to Link. If Link talks to Midna before the map appears, the glitch will not work. On The Wii: First get a bottle filled with water. Then, set the bottle on 'B'. Afterwards, press the '1' button and the 'B' button at the same time. Press up on the D pad right before the map comes up. Choose a place to warp, then Midna will talk to Link. If Link talks to Midna before the map appears, the glitch will not work.
 * Effect: Glitch out of the map.
 * Prerequisites: Access to Kakariko Village.
 * How To:
 * Notes: The glitch stops Midna from warping you, so the area Link is in, and the area(s) next to where Link is were affected. Link can do things such as walk up steep walls, and go into areas which have not loaded yet. However, in some areas, the ground will appear to be there, but it will not be solid. Link will jump, as though off an edge, to under the ground and fall endlessly. This only occurs when attempting to enter an area that has not yet loaded.

Forest Temple Cut Scene Glitch
Forest Temple Cut Scene Glitch 1: Go to the Forest Temple. Enter the main room with the four torches, and where the monkeys go to help Link swing across a small gap to get to one of two doors. Make sure all of the torches are lit, then use your Clawshot to get to one of the doors by targeting a mossy wall. Get out your Gale Boomerang, and target the floor four times, then a torch once (in that order). Swing your boomerang, then start to climb the moss covered wall. Once the wing from the boomerang puts out the torch, the wooden stairs should fall. The screen will be stuck focusing on the wooden stairs until you press A to drop down. Forest Temple Cut Scene Glitch 2: Go to the main room in the TPHD: with the four torches which bring up the wooden ladder, and where the monkeys go to help you swing across one of two small gaps. Make sure all of the torches are lit, then get out the Gale Boomerang. Face one of the sides with a moss covered wall, then target the following in this order: left wall, right wall, left wall, right wall, torch. Swing the Boomerang, then take out the Clawshot. Right before the gust of wind hits the torch, use the Clawshot to get to the moss covered wall. The screen should focus on the wooden stairs going down, then get stuck on that screen. It will stay stuck on that screen until you turn off the power, reset the game, or press A.
 * Effect: Cut scene freeze.
 * Prerequisites: Gale Boomerang, Clawshot, access to TPHD:.
 * How To:

Snowboarding Freeze

 * Effect: Freeze the game.
 * Prerequisites: Ball and Chain, access to the top of Snowpeak.
 * How To: Stand next to Yeto & Yeta, then take out the Ball and Chain. Aim about one third of the way up the trunk of the tree which gives you your ice board, launch the Ball and Chain, then Yeto will talk to Link. Link will be in the beginning of the race scene. The game will freeze right when "go" appears, and when the buzzer starts.

The reason why this happens is because Yeto will immediately talk to Link automatically during the start of the cutscene that the leaf drops off from the tree. Link is restricted to perform any actions until the cutscene is done, but Yeto will automatically talk to link. This will delay the "fallen leaf" cutscene to the racing minigame, when this happens, the game will freeze because the game mode is at racing and playing a cutscene at the same time.
 * Notes: To get out of the glitch, restart the game.

Battle King Bulblin as Wolf Link

 * Effect: Battle King Bulblin as Wolf Link.
 * Prerequisites: Execute the Get the Master Sword Early glitch.
 * How To: First, do the early Master Sword glitch. Then, engage the cutscene where Colin is captured by King Bulblin. Instead of riding after him on Epona, get off her and turn into Wolf Link. Chase after him and do the Horseback chase as Wolf. After getting on the Bridge of Eldin, battle him as Wolf Link, which is surprisingly much easier. Hit him until he falls off the bridge. This causes the game to glitch because you weren't human and not riding Epona. Therefore the cutscene will not be activated, leaving you trapped on the bridge. The only way to fix this is to reset.

Diababa Freeze

 * Effect: Freeze the game.
 * Prerequisites: Execute the Get the Master Sword Early glitch, access to Diababa.
 * How To: First of all, complete the Master Sword Early glitch, and battle Diababa. When it is time to use the final blow, transform into Wolf Link, and deal the final blow. This will cause the game to freeze.
 * Notes: To undo the glitch, turn off or reset the game.

Climb Death Mountain without Iron Boots

 * Effect: Climb Death Mountain without Iron Boots.
 * Prerequisites: Execute the Get the Master Sword Early glitch, access to Death Mountain.
 * How To: Perform the early Master Sword glitch, and climb up Death Mountain before getting the Iron Boots. Before approaching the Goron, transform into Wolf Link. Wolf Link is fast enough to not get hit by a Goron's rolling attack, which allow him to climb Death Mountain.
 * Notes: Link will need to go back to collect the Iron Boots in order to complete Goron Mines.

Skip Second half of Snowpeak Ruins and Temple of Time

 * Effect: Skip part of the game.
 * Prerequisites: Access to Kakariko Village, City in the Sky.
 * How To: Go to Renado's basement and go to the statue that blocks the Cannon Room. Wedge yourself as far as you can within the crack between the statue and the wall, and turn into a wolf. If done at the right angle, you will go the rest of the way through the gap, into the Cannon Room. Warp the Cannon to Lake Hylia, and enter City in the Sky. Once you collect the Mirror Shard, the game will assume you've beat the other dungeons. You have to complete the first half of Snowpeak Ruins, because you need the Ball and Chain to defeat Zant.
 * Notes:: May not work on newer versions of the Wii port and if the glitch is performed you will never be able to restore the Dominion Rod.

Boss Room Glitch: Blocking Pots

 * Effect: Freeze game.
 * Prerequisites: Access to a boss room.
 * How To: Within any boss room with Pots, first defeat the Boss. Once Midna appears and opens a Warp Portal to exit the room, pick up the pots surrounding the room and place them in a circular pattern around the portal.  Afterward, walk towards the portal until Midna asks Link if he would like to leave the room.  Choose "yes", then the game should go into a small cutscene of Link walking towards the portal.  Link should walk towards the portal, but get stuck walking against a pot, which blocks him from exiting the room.
 * Notes: Once this glitch was been performed, it is impossible to undo it without restarting the game. While the glitch is being done, the player can not perform any actions or skip the scene, because of Link being stuck in the cutscene itself.

Swinging Wolf Glitch

 * Effect: Freeze the game.
 * Prerequisites: Execute the Get the Master Sword Early glitch, access to the Forest Temple.
 * How To: Perform the early Master Sword glitch, then enter the Forest Temple. In the room where you rescue the second monkey, rescue him and the monkeys should make a bridge for you to get out of the room. Transform into Wolf Link and jump at the monkeys as you would to swing with them. Wolf Link should freeze in his mid-jump position, but still be moving back and forth. When the player presses A to jump to the next monkey, the screen will go black and you will appear at the beginning of the room, just as Link would if you had fallen off a cliff.

Bone/Sign Freeze

 * Effect: Freeze the game.
 * Prerequisites: Bottle.
 * How To: Visit any place where there is a bone or sign. Pick up the bone or, if you picked a sign, chop it up until Link can carry it in one hand. While holding it, empty a Bottle. The game will believe Link is still holding the bone or sign, while in reality, he's not. Throw the invisible sign or bone to freeze the game.

Kill A Goron

 * Effect: Kill a Goron.
 * Prerequisites: Get to Death Mountain.
 * How To: Visit Death Mountain and talk to any of the Gorons that is also near a pile of small rocks. (Or if you haven't beaten Fyrus yet, just quickly "defeat" them until they roll into a ball.) Say 'Yes' When he asks if you want a lift, then grab a small rock and place it on top of the Goron's back. It's tricky, but if done right the Goron will not move anymore; it won't spring up, and you won't be able to get the rock off. Effectively, you have "killed" it.
 * Notes: If you get on the Goron after placing the rock on it, you will be stuck- the Goron won't propel you anywhere and you can't get off any other way. The only way to fix this is to save and restart the game.

Keep Wooden Sword

 * Effect: Replaces Ordon Sword with Wooden Sword.
 * Prerequisites: New file.
 * How To: Create a new file and watch or skip the cutscene. You can choose either to get the Lantern (early) or just go and get Epona and help Fado. If you choose to get the Lantern, then you have to pick up the nearest and biggest stone when you enter Ordon Woods carry it all the way to the gate, and place it down as close you can to the gate. Now side jump at the gate and the stone; you should get stuck in the gate. While you are stuck, roll over to the middle and you should fall to the other side of the gate. Now just go and get the Lantern. When you get back to the gate, you have to perform the gate glitch without the stone. I prefer just getting back Epona, and get to the next day, though you have to gather Rupees then, when you could get the 50 Rupee in your house with the Lantern. (If you have gotten the Lantern before getting back Epona, you should be in 2nd day.) You will have to get the Fishing Rod first, then fish two fishes, so you can buy the Slingshot. After you bought it, do not talk to the kids. Rusl should tell you he left a gift for you in the house. Do not get the Wooden Sword yet. Perform the gate glitch, (the first time wasn't important, it was just for getting the Rupees fast). Get the Lantern if you haven't already, and then just run through the woods, get the key, and when you get to the cage with Talo and the monkey, kill one of the Bokoblins with your slingshot. Don't kill the other one yet; get him to destroy the cage, and then kill him. After a cutscene ensues, and the 3rd day arrives, get the goats back in the barn and exit the farm to activate the cutscene where Ilia takes Epona. When you go to get her, do not get the sword yet. Colin should come over to you because Malo and Talo are not allowing him to see Ilia. The first thing you will see is that Malo and Talo are gone, so Talo isn't going to take your sword! Now just play the game like you normally would. (Remember not to get the Wooden Sword yet!) When you take your human form, go back to your house, and open the chest in your house, and you have the Wooden Sword!
 * Notes: Getting the Lantern in the 1st day is not important. When you're on the pause screen, the Wooden Sword will appear as the Ordon Sword, you can get the Ordon Sword back by pressing on it on the pause screen, but you won't be able to get the wooden sword back.

Psychic Hena

 * Effect: Kicks Link out of Hena's house in the Fishing Hole on the 3rd roll.
 * Prerequisites: Access to the Fishing Hole.
 * How To: Go into Hena's house at the Fishing Hole. Roll into something until Link gets kicked out. Apologize, and execute two more cycles of this. On the 4th cycle, if you roll in the corner with the Rollgoal minigame in it, the game assumes that the 3rd and 4th roll are the same, causing Link to get kicked out when he presses forward on the Nunchuk and A.

Floating Skull Kid

 * Effect: The Skull Kid will appear to be standing in midair.
 * Prerequisites: Snowpeak Ruins completed, access to the Sacred Grove.
 * How To: In the arena where Skull Kid is fought for the second time, as a human, look into the sky above the entrance before jumping down. Skull Kid will be visible standing in midair, waiting for the cutscene to trigger where he drops down to confront Link.
 * Notes: The Hawkeye can be used to get a closer view of the Skull Kid.

Twilight Hack

 * Effect: Arbitrary code execution, including homebrew (both GameCube and Wii)
 * Prerequisites: Free modification of the save file
 * How To: Download the Twilight Hack, and save it to the internal system memory. Load the save slot for the appropriate disc version, and walk backwards.
 * Notes: Nintendo added code in Wii Menu 3.3 to check for and delete any save file with this exploit, and prevent copying to the internal memory. There were bugs in both of these checks, which got fixed in Wii Menu 3.4, although a new bug in the copying to internal memory was introduced in that fix, and was quickly exploited. This was finally fixed in Wii Menu 4.0.