Is it Possible to Get Permanently Stuck In the Water Temple?

Have you ever wondered if it was possible to get permanently stuck in Ocarina of Time's Water Temple? Well over the years there has been myths and legend exclaiming this exact thing. That it is possible to get to a point in the Water Temple where you have 1 locked door and no small keys and are permanently stuck.

[masteryoraerasante]

I remember that room.
Never expected so many people got lost because they missed it...

[Bassua]

The funniest thing is that you can actually complete the dungeon without that key at all. You can use another entrance to that center room by saving and starting on the top floor. I thought this was the way to do it as a kid when I restarted the whole game thinking I was permanently stuck. You can beat this dungeon with an EXTRA key!

[ozzcoremidmx]

I personally considered this temple not difficult, what most of the players forget is that there is an item that helps you A LOT with the backtracking to the water level rooms: Farore's Wind

Using Farore's Wind helps a lot and many players did not even consider using it here

[elijahrunyon]

I honestly wish more dungeons were this complex. Really made me think.

[pacesteam]

I actually think that the water temple is an acquired taste. The more I play ocarina of time, the more I come to like it. With multiple playthroughs you start to rout this thing more efficiently using farores wind for instance. Also playing this temple in OOT3D is a lot better than in the N64 Version because you don't constantly have to pause to equip/unequip the iron boots. But in the end a temple has to be fun for everyone l, not just the ever recurring players that already know how to beat it. I have to admit It sure was frustrating as a kid.

[danielevans]

“Did you miss it?” Nope, and I love hidden items like this. RIP to those who missed it back in the day.

I didn’t know anything about this issue when my cousin got stuck here in the ‘90s. I borrowed the game and beat the game in a blind playthrough within one weekend. I remember thinking the Water Temple was tedious, but not necessarily hard.

I don’t think my cousin ever forgave me for beating his game before him, but he still loves Zelda so it’s all good. Overall, I think this kind of hidden chest should be used for non-essential items. This hiding spot would be legendary if it were hiding a piece of heart instead of a key.

[ItsCrawdaddy]

See, I didn't get stuck in this dungeon when I played it for the first time, so I've always liked it lol. It's my 2nd favorite Adult Dungeon, behind the Spirit Temple.

[STRU_TV]

The water temple is awesome because of how challenging it is. I wish newer zelda games had dungeons as challenging as the water temple

[Soafia]

When I was little this temple was an absolute nightmare, but in my recent play through I actually found it to be the most intuitive dungeon. Everything made a lot of sense and seemed to just flow for me whereas I got stuck and had to run around trying to find what to do at least once in every other dungeon. I know that definitely goes contrary to the normal opinion, but I think the layout is really well made and has become my favorite in the game!

[scatlinksean]

I mean; if you managed to find everything else upto that point, you'd have the map and compass. And despite how the map works, the map is working correctly. And if you have everything except that 1 key it'd be the only chest on the map that is close to the center tower. If you were to check the block rising up when you raise the water level to go down further to get closer to the chest, you'd find the opening which leads to it. And yes; the original cutscene very briefly shows the opening, but if you were to keep going around I would assume since you're focused on finding anything to help; you'd eventually see the opening under the block when it rises up.

The 3DS cutscene may seem like an overcorrection, especially when the other major problem of the Water Temple (pausing constantly to change the Iron Boots) was also changed as you can equip them like an item. If this wasn't to correct this pausing annoyance, it's to bring the boot usage in line with Zelda games that came after the N64 (Wind Waker and Twilight Princess Iron Boots)

[mistydolphin]

I honestly never understood why this temple gets so much hate. I always liked it.

[NitsuaGamer]

Honestly the key I kept forgetting about is the second floor key above Ruto which requires the water level to be at level 2 and for you to backtrack to that area before you fully raise the water level. Though now, I honestly really like the Water Temple.

[racehallabrin]

I feel like the only one who could not find a key for a long time because I did not notice the whole behind the chest where you get the longshot

[TheJadeFist]

The Water Temple, has a path you take through it, and if you follow it and make sure not to skip a side room or key, you basically just do a few laps around the whole thing and it easy enough.

[trentonrothan]

The part that had me convinced I broke the game was the fact that there are two different directions on the water temple which require two small keys back to back. If I used the keys in different spots and was convinced I was stuck. One had a small hallway with two locked doors and the other hand the place with the sinking platforms.
This detail needs to be discussed in this temple.

[Superkenon]

Definitely the trickiest key in the game, though somehow it didn't ruin the dungeon for me when I was a kid. The cutscene was lost on me, so the map was actually how I figured it out. I obsessed over the mysterious unexplored basement room. So I combed over every space above it until I finally stumbled into the entrance. I was definitely stuck there for a bit, but I can't remember how long due to the time compression of my memory lol

I would have been 10 at the time. I want to say I beat the game within the span of a couple months, but it could have easily been more.

[AdolfoTorresMIJO]

Wow man, taking 10 years to beat the water temple. You truly are The Hero of Time!

[crazycoolkids]

This has always been my favorite dungeon. It was actually engaging for once.

It feels like, from my perspective, that the complaints against this dungeon amount to "I didn't sign up to use my brain when playing an rpg. How dare they force me to." Maybe that's an oversimplification, but other than constantly having to pause and equip different boots, I don't see anything frustrating or tedious about this dungeon. It just challenges your mind, that's all. Many of us would think of that as a good thing. 🙂

[theartshow]

I got stuck at this temple for years as a kid as well, but it was the time block behind the long shot chest that got me. I actually beat master quest first and that’s how I discovered that block was there, so I was finally able to go back and beat the regular oot lol. Never missed the key below the center structure though. Didn’t realize people struggled on that one.

[xvenomx]

The struggle I went through as a 10 year old trying to beat the water temple was crazy. This was before walkthrough videos. I asked my older brothers for help and they gave me the good old "I forgot..." but when I finally did beat it I felt the best relief I've ever felt in my life. The cutscene where the water in Lake Hylia rises to its normal state is iconic to me because of what I went through back in 07.