The Swamp Palace, a Proto-Water Temple - Dungeon Design in Zelda

The Swamp Palace is home of the second crystal in A Link t the Past’s Dark World, and is an all around well designed dungeon, acting almost as a precursor to the Water Temple of Ocarina of Time. But how well does it stand on its own merits? Let’s take a look!

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TIME STAMPS:
0:00 - Intro
0:55 - Before The Dungeons
2:23 - Dungeon Themes & Progression
9:26 - The Dungeon Boss
12:03 - Conclusion

#Zelda #Dungeon #alinktothepast #legendofzelda

[MJ-vqws]

Before doing this dungeon, I usually go grab the Bombos Medallion at the entrance of the desert and then use it to get rid of the swimming enemies in the room just before the boss, works a treat.

[rebeccaimmel]

I remember my teenage self being totally impressed by the splashy footstep sounds. The audio was streets ahead of anything I’d played previously.

[GPXBrent]

Swamp Palace is definitely my favourite dungeon in the game. Loving your videos!

[Joseph_Roffey]

I had no idea that so many awesome things I love in Zelda have their origins here and I agree, looks like a fab design!!

[tetra]

GIT OUTTA MAH SWAMP!! lol I love how the light world and dark world interact in this game, such a cool mechanic. Gotta love water levels changing! Yeah honestly I remember liking this one/not being frustrated or stumped by it. Hookshot rocks 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 it's so much fun in this game! You just zoom around, I love it! This boss reminded me of the frog with the bubbles on it, I think from twilight princess? So it's definitely a re-used concept in the series lol. I love that you enjoy water temples so much 😋Another great video!! Excited for the next one 😁👏🏼🎉

[garvensman]

Part of the reason why you see rooms re-used, and not as much variety in the look of dungeons overall, is the same reason why we got the same music in every dungeon. Limited space in the cartridge. LTTP was on one of the largest available cartridges at the time it was made, yet the memory was still limited, and these helped save resources.

[zorasaphire]

Great work! This was one of my favorite bosses as a kid. My mom had trouble with him, but I was able to beat him the next day. Access to the Thieves Hideout is available before you do this and I sometimes skip to the tempered blade before doing this dungeon.

[HopelessHermit]

For all the boss keys type people who talk about Zelda backtracking (not in the sense of a loop but you actually doing it), I have to admit the one thing that always comes to my mind is swamp palace.

[devonm]

I wish ALttP did more with the interactions between the parallel worlds. It was introduced in the Swamp Palace, but then nothing more came of it.

[RickRaptor]

I, too, wish the Hookshot was utilized more in this dungeon than just the skulls in the central room and the boss.
It's why I consider the Catfish's Maw in Link's Awakening a better example of a 2D Zelda dungeon.

[AlanKey]

I saw a theory on Reddit that the Dark World is set in the future and the Light World is set in the past.

One piece of evidence the theorist gave was the swamp draining that's required to enter this dungeon. They also pointed to the flute boy travelling to the Dark World when he plays the Magic Flute (which, they say, is the Ocarina of Time)

So my son and I sat down one night at bedtime to think it all through. We think the theory can't be right because when Link first visits the Swamp Palace he's unable to progress. If he "goes back in time" to drain the swamp then that cause should produce an affect that would've carried through to the future, meaning that when Link first visited the Swamp Palace he would have been able to make progress.

We drew timeline diagrams and everything :D

[dyrezzplays]

Hey CaptBurgerson, was listening to your dungeon analysis and started hearing you describe Arrghus, and - while it is nit picky, and I’m sorry to nitpick 😢 - the “rocks” that surrounds Arrghus are actually miniature Polyps, they are called Arrgi, they are a distinct Zelda Enemy.

Love your series, and wanted to share some of my Zelda Knowledge with someone really into Dungeon Design. 😊

[MorgenthauMusic]

I always found this dungeon to be strangely relaxing ... maybe it's the design (even the color scheme), but the fact that it is also one of the most cleverly designed dungeons in the game never really occurred to me as a kid.

[scorpionsapprentice]

it is interesting how this dungeon started the puzzle motif that tww promoted. it is also the first dungeon to use thematic room changing event.

[jaredbowen]

After you get done with the dungeons, you should treat both Light and Dark World Maps, as a whole dungeon(s). 👍🤔

[finchytv]

Babe get up. Burgerson finally released the Swamp Palace video!

[docAvid]

Man, every one of these videos I feel an urge to comment about how this is one of the best dungeons in this game, and have to refrain. I have no idea what the best dungeons in this game are. It's just such a well crafted overall game, it's all amazing. I'm really, really hoping that Tears will be taking inspiration from this, in the same way that Breath was inspired by the original Hyrule Adventure.

[nfenestrate]

Man this dungeon really shows how to simulate 3D gameplay in a 2D game.

[MCastleberry]

This dungeon is proof of the idea that the best Zelda puzzles are the ones that make a 12 year old feel like a genius when they solve it.

[chaosprime]

the TIC easter egg is weird design choice before the boss room. i have no idea what it means lol.