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THE WIND WAKER
Fan guide Wii U / GameCube Golden path + completionist Spoiler-safe

The Wind Waker HD

The whole adventure on one page. Open a section as you reach it — and flip on Completionist mode to layer in upgrade timing, easy Pieces of Heart, and 100% checklists.

Golden-path progress 0 / 8 sections
The Great Sea · main story
1
Prologue

Outset Island

TelescopeFirst sail

Golden path

  1. Talk to Aryll for your telescope, then watch a giant bird drop a girl into the forest.
  2. Visit Orca below for a sword lesson, head up the forest path, and rescue Tetra.
  3. The bird snatches Aryll instead — board Tetra's pirate ship to give chase.
Do this now Bank Orca's 500-hit reward early. Land 500 cumulative sword hits on Orca across visits for a Piece of Heart. Chip away now while it's free — it doubles as combat practice you'll want anyway.
Tip Telescope the bird. Watching through the telescope triggers the cutscene that starts the game. If nothing happens, you haven't zoomed in on it yet.

Completionist · this area

0 / 2 collected

Watch it instead

18:42
▶ IGN Guides
Intro & Outset Island — full walkthrough

▲ thumbnail from YouTube's CDN · the player loads only when you press play

2
Chapter 1

The Forsaken Fortress

StealthNo sword

Golden path

  1. You're flung in weaponless. Grab a barrel and wear it — guards ignore a barrel that holds still when searchlights sweep.
  2. Move only in the dark gaps between rotating lights. Caught = back to the start cell.
  3. Free the captured girls, reach Aryll up top — then the giant bird hurls you out to sea and the talking boat, the King of Red Lions, rescues you.
Heads up There is no sword to find here. Don't waste time hunting for a weapon — the whole chapter is built around avoidance, not combat. Patience beats speed.
Tip This is a 'watch it' section. Searchlight timing is much easier to copy than to read. If you're getting caught, the embedded video shows the exact safe route.

Watch it instead

24:05
▶ ZeldaMaster
Forsaken Fortress & Windfall — Part 2

▲ thumbnail from YouTube's CDN · the player loads only when you press play

3
Chapter 2

Dragon Roost — Din's Pearl

Grappling HookBoss: Gohma

Golden path

  1. Deliver the letter, help Prince Komali find his courage, and grab the Grappling Hook inside the cavern.
  2. Use bomb-flowers and the hook to climb the lava chambers to Valoo's tail.
  3. Boss — Gohma: grapple the ceiling support to drop rock on its head, then strike the eye. Repeat ×3.
Missable Photograph Gohma if you have the Deluxe Picto Box. If you've already picked up the camera, snap Gohma here for the Nintendo Gallery. It's far more convenient than the late-game alternative. No camera yet? Skip it — you can return.
Tip The Grappling Hook also steals. It pulls rupees and items off enemies all game. Worth remembering when you're short on cash for chart deciphering later.

Completionist · this area

0 / 2 collected

Watch it instead

27:31
▶ ZeldaMaster
Dragon Roost Cavern + Gohma — Part 4

▲ thumbnail from YouTube's CDN · the player loads only when you press play

4
Chapter 3

Forbidden Woods — Farore's Pearl

BoomerangBoss: Kalle Demos

Golden path

  1. Pick up the Boomerang — this dungeon's key item, which locks onto multiple targets at once and drives most of the puzzles.
  2. Ride Deku flowers across gaps to reach high platforms and escort the seedling sage Makar.
  3. Boss — Kalle Demos: boomerang the six vines holding it up, then slash the exposed bulb.
Missable Grab the mailbox Piece of Heart on the way out. After the dungeon, the King of Red Lions' postbox is shaking — a letter delivers a free Piece of Heart. Easy to sail straight past forever.

Completionist · this area

0 / 2 collected

Watch it instead

29:18
▶ 100% Walkthrough
Forbidden Woods & Kalle Demos — Part 7

▲ thumbnail from YouTube's CDN · the player loads only when you press play

5
Chapter 4

Greatfish, Jabun & Nayru's Pearl

Bombs unlockedFree sailing

Golden path

  1. The story turns hard: Greatfish Isle is destroyed and Ganondorf is now hunting you directly.
  2. Return to the pirates, gain Bombs, and blast open Jabun's cave behind Outset for Nayru's Pearl.
  3. Place all three Pearls on their statues to raise the Tower of the Gods from the sea.
Do this now This is the upgrade window — you can finally sail freely AND you have Bombs. Several permanent upgrades open up the moment you have bombs and a cannon. Detouring now makes the entire back half of the game easier. Flip on Completionist mode for the exact list.
Permanent upgrade Great Fairy upgrades (spread across the map's corners). The corner Great Fairies permanently upgrade your Bomb Bag (30→60→99) and your Wallet (1,000→5,000 rupees). Some of their caves must be bombed open, which is why you couldn't reach them earlier. The Quiver upgrade needs the Bow — that arrives next chapter.
Tip Why the bigger wallet matters. Late game you'll pay Tingle to decipher Triforce charts — that costs serious rupees. Grabbing the wallet upgrade now saves a painful grind later.

Completionist · this area

0 / 3 collected

Watch it instead

21:50
▶ IGN Guides
Pearls, Jabun & the road onward

▲ thumbnail from YouTube's CDN · the player loads only when you press play

6
Chapter 5

Tower of the Gods

BowBoss: Gohdan

Golden path

  1. Collect the Bow — the dungeon's key item. Many rooms use a statue you command with the Command Melody.
  2. Boss — Gohdan: arrow both hands to stun it, arrow the nose, then drop a bomb in its mouth to end each phase.
Do this now Now you have the Bow — go claim the Quiver upgrades. With the Bow in hand, the remaining Great Fairies will upgrade your Quiver (arrows 30→60→99). Worth a short sailing detour before the endgame ramps up.

Completionist · this area

0 / 2 collected

Watch it instead

30:12
▶ ZeldaMaster
Tower of the Gods walkthrough

▲ thumbnail from YouTube's CDN · the player loads only when you press play

7
Chapter 6

Hyrule & the Master Sword

Master SwordBig reveal

Golden path

  1. The sea hides drowned Hyrule. You draw the Master Sword — and Tetra is revealed as Princess Zelda.
  2. Ganondorf attacks; you must return to the Forsaken Fortress to rescue Zelda and Aryll.
Heads up Your Master Sword starts powerless. Restoring its power — by awakening two new sages — is the spine of the back half of the game. Don't expect it to one-shot anything yet.
Tip Stock up before you commit. Top off arrows, bombs, potions and Fairies in bottles now. The next stretch is long and you won't want to sail back mid-temple.

Watch it instead

19:27
▶ GameXplain
The Hyrule reveal & story beats

▲ thumbnail from YouTube's CDN · the player loads only when you press play

8
Endgame

Forsaken Fortress II, the Temples & Ganon

Triforce huntFinal boss

Golden path

  1. Return to the Fortress and beat the Helmaroc King (Skull Hammer cracks the mask).
  2. Awaken the sages Medli (Earth Temple) and Makar (Wind Temple) to restore the Master Sword.
  3. Gather the eight Triforce of Courage shards using deciphered charts, then storm Ganon's Tower for the finale: parry + Light Arrows, ending with the sword to the forehead.
Do this now Decipher charts in bulk with the rupees you saved. Now is when the early wallet upgrade pays off — Tingle's fees for the Triforce charts add up fast. Batch all eight charts before you start salvaging so you're not sailing back and forth.
Missable Last call for the Nintendo Gallery. If you're chasing 100%, photograph any remaining figures with the Deluxe Picto Box before the point of no return — several enemies and bosses don't reappear.

Completionist · this area

0 / 3 collected

Watch it instead

15:09
▶ GameXplain
All Ganon forms + ending

▲ thumbnail from YouTube's CDN · the player loads only when you press play