Water Temple (Ocarina of Time)


 * This article is about the temple in Ocarina of Time. For other similar temples, see Lakebed Temple or Ocean Temple.

The Water Temple is a dungeon found in Ocarina of Time. It is the source of the curse that has frozen Zora's Domain.

Entrance to the Temple
The ancient temple lies deep under the vast Lake Hylia. Guarded by the Zoras, it is considered a sacred temple that is used to worship the water spirits. The Water Temple is accessible after the young hero finds the Iron Boots in Ice Cavern. Aided with the boots and the Hookshot, Link can access its entrance by shooting the target above the gate.

Themes and Navigation
Various parts of the temple require Link to go underwater for substantial amounts of time, thus necessitating the Zora Tunic (though the Water Temple can be beaten without it by an experienced and resourceful player). Its enigmatic structure consists of various floors (four in total, one of them is a basement) and requires the use of playing Zelda's Lullaby at each of the special markings on the walls that manipulate the level of water, which give Link access to various parts of the temple from the hub room. Link will need to use all of his intellectual skills and cunning survival techniques to truly conquer this temple, as puzzles and obstacles are strategically varied: From the aforementioned water level manipulation, to swimming in presence of current flows, defeating enemy groups, climbing a waterfall with descending platforms, raise and lower pillars with a switch, etc.; the young hero will also come to confront his very own doppelgänger in the Water Temple. After defeating Dark Link, Link will find the Longshot which, once acquired, helps Link in the search for the Boss Key and enter the lair of the aquatic boss, Morpha.

This is often seen as the hardest temple that Link will come across in the game and possibly one of the hardest in the entire Zelda series. It's also significantly longer than the other temples.

Master Quest
The Water Temple makes much use of Din's Fire in the Master Quest version of the game. The Hookshot is also used more often than in the original version. The infamous "serpent-shaped" room now has Hookshot targets over the wall, making it easy to simply bunny-hop through the vortex-filled gauntlet. The map, compass, and even the Longshot are obtained very early in the dungeon. The Longshot gives access to a lot of new areas and makes most puzzles easier than before. Most rooms are blocked with gates, so puzzles must be solved to be able to access them. Boulders and most enemies are no longer found, except for two Spikes and eight completely new Stalfos. Two curious new features include a room with several Dodongos, plus several crates that are found throughout the dungeon. Only two of these crates are somehow important (one contains a Small Key and the other hides a switch).

In the GameCube version of the Master Quest, Link can obtain an extra, useless Small Key. This is because the door that Link is meant to unlock unlocks itself when a certain "flag" in the game's code is hit, specifically when defeating the Stalfos prior to Dark Link and causing the dragon heads to rise. The only way to reach this door and unlock it normally is by using glitches. In the 3DS version of the game, this glitch was fixed.

Trivia

 * It is theorized that in an early version of Ocarina of Time, an Ice Temple took the place of the Water Temple. This is evidenced by text mentioning a "Ice Medallion" in the Japanese version of the game's code. The Water Medallion also has a symbol similar to that of a snowflake, and Ruto's section in Ganon's Castle is ice-themed. Renmants of this dungeon may of been incorporated into the Ice Cavern.
 * Due to the water mechanics and length, many regard the Water Temple as the most frustrating dungeon in Ocarina of Time, and due to the confusing layout, one of most difficult Zelda dungeons. Compounding this perceived difficulty is the need to pause the game in order to equip or unequip the Iron Boots, adding a lot of extra time to the dungeon. Eiji Aonuma apologized for the design of the Water Temple in a 2009 interview, and, with the announcement of the Nintendo 3DS remake of Ocarina of Time, specifically mentioned that he plans on changing the gameplay in such a way to make the Water Temple less frustrating, such as making the Iron Boots easier to use.
 * As well as the Iron Boots being changed into an item rather than a piece of equipment in the 3DS version of the game, the dungeon also received glowing markings on various walls and corridors to mark where the player must go and to make changing the water level more clear. An additional camera scene was added in the central tower of the dungeon to make the location of a commonly and easily missed Small Key more obvious.
 * The Hookshot is associated with a water-themed dungeon in several titles, which began with the Swamp Palace in A Link to the Past. The Hookshot is often used in the Water Temple (one of the few items that can be used under water) and the upgrade to the Hookshot, the Longshot, is found in the Water Temple.
 * If the player were able to go to the Shadow Temple and get the Hover Boots, he/she can beat this dungeon much more quickly (less than 10 minutes), as shown here. It should be noted, however, that it is impossible to enter the Shadow Temple before beating the Water Temple without glitches or hacking.
 * A seldom-used but very useful strategy is to use Farore's Wind at doors near the water rising tablets, and then warp back when they are required.