Ocarina of Time Forest Temple Walkthrough: Keys, Poe Sisters, Phantom Ganon

The Forest Temple is the first adult dungeon. It sets the pattern for the later temples: a main hall, four goals spread around it, and a boss route that opens only when all four are done. It comes after Inside Jabu-Jabu’s Belly, the last child dungeon; for the full dungeon order, see the walkthrough hub.

What do you need before the Forest Temple?

Sheik teaches the Minuet of Forest at the Sacred Forest Meadow. The stairs to the temple are broken, so Hookshot the tree branch over the entrance.

How does the Forest Temple work?

When you enter the main hall, the four Poe Sisters steal the flames of four colored torches around the elevator: red (Joelle), blue (Beth), green (Amy) and purple (Meg). The elevator to the basement and the boss returns only when all four burn again. On the west side, a twisted hallway straightens or re-twists when you shoot a silver eye switch in the Stone Tower, which changes which exits you can reach.

How do you get the first three Small Keys?

1. Beat the two Wolfos. They attack together in the entrance courtyard. Lock on to one and strike when it turns its back.
2. Climb the eastern vines for Gold Skulltula #50. It sits on the vines beside the eastern tree; Hookshot it and grab the token.
3. Take Small Key 1 from the western tree. Jump across to the other treetop, or Hookshot the chest.
4. Hookshot the Big Skulltula in the hallway. One Hookshot shot kills it without waiting for it to turn.
5. Take Gold Skulltula #51 beside the north door. After the Poe Sisters cutscene, climb to the main hall’s north door; it is on the wall to the right.
6. Clear the north rooms for Small Key 2. Shield-bash the Blue Bubble to put out its flame, then beat the two Stalfos. A pot in this room holds a Fairy.
7. Play the Song of Time at the Time Block. It blocks the door to the west courtyard.
8. Climb the vines past the Skullwalltulas. A Big Deku Baba waits by the door. Hookshot the Skullwalltulas on the northeast vines and climb to the upper door.
9. Beat the Blue Bubble for the Dungeon Map. Its chest appears in the second-floor hallway.
10. Drain the well from the east courtyard balcony. Hookshot the target above the far balcony and step on the red floor switch. The well connects both courtyards.
11. Hookshot the island chest for Gold Skulltula #52. Drop down, Hookshot the chest on the raised ground to pull yourself up (it holds a Recovery Heart), and take the token on the wall.
12. Take Small Key 3 from the well tunnel. Climb into the drained well; the chest is at the western end. The vines lead up into the west courtyard.

How do you get the Fairy Bow?

13. Unlock the main hall’s west door. Hookshot the Big Skulltula beyond it and enter the Stone Tower. Slip past the Blue Bubble and climb both ladders.
14. Push the green block into its slot. Pull it out far enough to walk around it, then push it along the painted arrows until it clicks. It is green on Nintendo 64 and blue on 3DS.
15. Push the red block from above. Climb the ladder the green block was hiding and push the red block until it hits the wall.
16. Finish the red block from the ledge. Climb the green block, jump to the hidden ledge on the right and push the red block into its slot. Climb up and go through.
17. Unlock the top door into the Twisted Hallway. Ignore the two Blue Bubbles. Walk the twisted corridor; a Wallmaster drops in the chamber at the end and sends you back to the entrance if it grabs you.
18. Unlock the door past the platforms. It leads to Joelle’s staircase room. Her portraits do nothing until you have a bow, so go down the stairs.
19. Beat three Stalfos for the Fairy Bow. One Stalfos fights around a hole in the floor. When it falls, a platform fills the hole and two more appear; kill both close together or the first one gets back up.

Where is the Boss Key?

20. Shoot the silver eye switch in the Stone Tower. Go back to the top of the tower and hit it with an arrow. The Twisted Hallway straightens.
21. Take the Boss Key, then drop into the pit. The ornate chest on the chamber wall is now reachable. The locked doorway has become a pit to a small room with two Blue Bubbles.
22. Hookshot Gold Skulltula #53. The door opens onto the west courtyard balcony. Jump to the arches with Recovery Hearts and look high on the north wall.
23. Beat the Floormaster for Small Key 4. Its room is behind the balcony’s western door. When it splits into three small hands, finish them fast with a spin attack or Din’s Fire.
24. Grab the arrows and re-twist the hallway. The southern door returns to the Stone Tower. Shoot the golden eye switch on the upper level for a chest of arrows, then shoot the silver eye again.

How do you beat Joelle, Beth and Amy?

25. Burn Joelle’s three portraits. Walk back through the twisted corridor. She jumps to another frame when you get close, so shoot each portrait. She then fights on the floor; five hits relight the red torch and drop Small Key 5.
26. Repeat the fight with Beth for the Compass. Her staircase room is on the other side of the Bow room. Five hits relight the blue torch.
27. Unlock the door at the top of Beth’s room. It leads to a second twisted-looking chamber with another Wallmaster; use the ladder on the right if you miss the jump.
28. Pass the Green Bubbles and unlock the last door. They circle in place; stun or shoot them, or just walk around.
29. Thaw the frozen eye switch over the poison pool. Shoot an arrow through the torch on the central pillar from a rotating platform, or stand on the switch’s platform and use Din’s Fire. The eastern chamber twists and opens a hole in its floor.
30. Drop into the falling-ceiling room. The ceiling crushes everything except the squares under its openings. Move from gap to gap, grab the arrow chest near the south door and press the switch at the end.
31. Solve Amy’s block puzzle. Shoot her portrait and five blocks fall. Rebuild the picture before the timer ends; one block belongs to another picture and stays out. If time runs out, the blocks reset and you get extra time.
32. Defeat Amy for the green flame. She fights like her sisters and falls after five hits. Hookshot the Big Skulltula in the next hallway to reach the main hall.

How do you beat Meg?

33. Shoot the Meg that spins first. She makes three copies and circles you. The real one spins first; hitting a copy lets her hurt you. Four hits relight the purple torch and bring back the elevator.

How do you reach the boss door?

34. Push the basement wall counter-clockwise. A section of wall sticks out into the room; pushing it turns the whole ring. Stop at the northwest chamber and press its floor switch.
35. Rotate to the east chamber switch. The first switch lifted its bars.
36. Take Gold Skulltula #54 and the arrow chest. Both are in the southwest chamber, guarded by a Big Skulltula.
37. Press the southern switch and use the Boss Key. The bars lift from the boss corridor. Restock arrows and Fairies first.

How do you beat Phantom Ganon?

38. Turn to leave the empty arena. Bars close the exit and Phantom Ganon rides into one of six paintings.
39. Shoot the real rider as he leaves the painting. He and two copies ride toward the front; the real one is lighter in color and a purple portal opens in front of him. Three arrow hits make him abandon his horse. If you miss, his electric ball spreads across the floor, and the Triforce marks in the corners are safe.
40. Return his energy balls. Swing the sword (an empty bottle works too) as each ball arrives. After a few volleys one hits him and he falls; slash him until he rises.
41. Watch for the charge. Below half health he may spin his staff and charge for three hearts; dodge or use a spin attack. Take the Heart Container and step into the blue light.

What chests are in the Forest Temple?

Where are the Forest Temple Gold Skulltulas?

Numbers follow the site-wide Gold Skulltula checklist, not an in-game order.

What happens after the Forest Temple?

• Saria awakens as the Sage of Forest and gives you the Forest Medallion.
• In Kokiri Forest the Deku Tree Sprout tells Link he is a Hylian, which is why he grew up and the Kokiri did not.
• At the Temple of Time, Sheik teaches the Prelude of Light and explains that the pedestal sends you back to childhood. On 3DS, this talk also opens the Boss Challenge from Link’s bed.
• The adult Shooting Gallery in Kakariko gives the Big Quiver (40 arrows) for hitting all ten targets.
• With Epona and the bow, you can hunt the ten Big Poes in Hyrule Field; selling all ten to the Poe Collector earns an empty bottle.

Next is the Fire Temple on Death Mountain. For version differences, see N64, 3DS and the remake.