Zelda: FAQ and Walkthrough

============================
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
============================

**************
Boss Strategy Guide
**************
                  The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
                        Boss Strategy Guide Version 2.5
                    Copyright 1999 XSceptor@aol.com
                                                                     
                                        -September 9, 1999

===================
Contents
A. Introduction
B. Version History
C. Boss Strategies
    1. Moldorm
    2. Genie
    3. Slime Eyes
    4. Angler
    5. Slime Eel
    6. Facade
    7. Evil Eagle
    8. Hot Head
    9. The Final Nightmare
       a. Giant Blob
       b. Agahnim
       c. Moldorm
       d. Ganon
       e. Lanmola
       f. Dethl
D. Mini-Boss Strategies
    1. Rolling Bones
    2. Hinox
    3. Dondogo Snakes
    4. Cue Ball
    5. Grommas
    6. Smasher
    7. Grim Creeper
    8. Blaino
E. Credits
==================
------------------------------------
A. Introduction
In this strategy guide I will tell you the name of each boss,
the location of each boss, the strategy for defeating each
boss, and which Sirens' Instrument you receive for defeating
each boss.
The setup will go as follows:
------------------------------------
Boss Number. Boss Name--Location of Boss~Level Name*(an asterisk
if you should have potion for the battle)-Difficulty: 1-10 (1 easiest-10 hardest)
Items Needed:
Strategy for defeating boss.
-Instument received for defeating boss:
-Number of hits it takes with Level 1 sword:
-Number of hits it takes with Level 2 sword:
-Other weapons used in battle:
-------------------------------------

*************
B. Version History
*************
Version 1.0-July 21, 1999. First version of the FAQ. I'm working on
a mini-boss section for this FAQ.

Version 1.5-July 22, 1999. Added some mini-boss strategies.
Fixed some of the text at the top of the FAQ, it was way out
of alignment.  Changed some of the difficulty ratings.

Version 2.0-July 24, 1999. Completed the mini-boss section.
Once again changed the some of the difficulty ratings.

Version 2.5-September 9, 1999. Updated the strategy for 
Slime Eyes. Changed some mini-boss difficulty ratings. For
some reason I forgot to add Blaino to the mini-boss section,
but I added him now, so don't worry!


*************
C. Boss Strategies
*************
1. Moldorm--Level 1~Tail Cave -Difficulty: 2
Items Needed: Sword, Roc's Feather/Sheild
When you begin fighting the boss, hit him in the tail. He will 
speed up so either block with your sheild, or dodge him with
Roc's Feather.  It is pretty easy to dodge Moldorm when he 
speeds up, but just make sure that he doesn't push you off the
edge of the platform, or you will fall into the room below and
you will have to start the Nightmare all over again! To avoid 
falling off the edge, stay close to the center of the platform. 
You can try and hit him when he speeds up, but just remember 
that you must hit his tail only.
-Instrument: Full Moon Cello
-Level 1 Sword: 4 hits
-Level 2 Sword: 2 hits *(See note at end of FAQ)

2. Genie--Level 2~Bottle Grotto* -Difficulty: 4
Items Needed: Sword, Power Braclet/Roc's Feather
*Before the battle, you should get some Potion from Crazy Tracy.
When the battle begins, the Genie will throw 8 fire balls at you.
Dodge these by simply walking around the room being sure to 
stay one step ahead of the fire balls being thrown, or you can switch 
your Braclet with Roc's Feather and jump away from the balls 
as they are thrown. After he throws the fire balls at you he will go
into his bottle. While the bottle his hopping around the room, hit 
it with your Sword. When the bottle is immobilized, pick it up with
your Power Braclet and throw it against the wall. The Genie will
come back out and throw 8 more fire balls at you. Dodge them as 
before. After you have thrown the bottle against the wall three 
times, it will break and the Genie will float around the room.While 
he does this you will see double images of him. When the images 
come together, he will throw a fire ball at you. Dodge it by jumping,
and then hit him with your sword. After you hit him, he will split into
two images again. Repeat the process of dodging the fire balls and
hitting him until he is dead.
-Insturment: Conch Horn
-Level 1 Sword: 8 hits
-Level 2 Sword: 4 hits

3. Slime Eyes--Level 3~Key Cavern-Difficulty: 3.5
Items Needed: Sword, Pegasus Boots/Roc's Feather
When you first enter the room, you must ram into the wall
with your Pegasus Boots on to make the boss fall down.
When Slime Eyes is on the floor, charge at the center of the
eye with your Pegasus Boots on. It takes 4 or 5 _direct_ hits
to make Slime Eyes split into two. (The hits must be non-stop.)
Once it is split, pick one of the eyes and concentrate on it. 
Hit it once with your sword. After you hit it, it will fly up above
the room. Watch for it's shadow and jump away from it.  
While it is falling, jump once to avoid getting knocked down 
on the floor. When it is back on the ground, hit it again. Jump
to avoid the shadow, and then jump again to avoid getting 
knocked onto the ground. Repeat this process of hitting and 
jumping until the eye dies.Do the same to the other eye until it 
is dead.
-Instrument: Sea Lily's Bell
-Level 1 Sword: 8 hits, 4 per eye
-Level 2 Sword: 4 hits, 2 per eye

4. Angler--Level 4~Angler's Tunnel*-Difficluty: 4
Items Needed: Sword, Flippers (used automatically)
When you enter the Nightmare's Lair, climb the ladder down into
the water.  When the battle starts, hit him with your sword as many
times as you can.  Becareful to dodge the little fish that swim by
you during battle.  Sometimes Angler will charge at you. When he
charges, dodge him and he will hit the wall. When he hits the wall,
rocks will come falling through the water. Dodge the rocks and
little fish and hit Angler if you can.  Keep repeating the process of
hitting him and dodging him if he charges. To get some extra damage
on the boss, use the swinging blade technique.
-Instrument: Surf Harp
-Level 1 Sword: 10 hits
-Level 2 Sword:   5 hits

5. Slime Eel--Level 5~Catfish's Maw*-Difficulty: 5
Items Needed:  Sword, Hookshot
When you enter the Nightmare's Lair, stay at the door. When the
fight begins, the boss will punch a hole in the middle of the room
with it's tail. Next it will smash four holes into the wall with it's head.
When it's finished smashing all of it's holes, get _behind_ it's tail and
stay close behind it all the way through the battle.  When Slime Eel's
head pops out of a hole near you, grab it with your Hookshot and
then hit it with your Sword as many times as you can.  After you hit
it keep moving, or otherwise the tail will catch up with you and cause
you damage.  Sometimes when you grab the head with the Hookshot
it will come all the way out and move around the room. Move away
from it while remaining behind the tail, otherwise you will sustain heavy
damage from the decoy and the tail.  When the decoy comes out all the
way and moves around the room don't try and hit it because it is_just_a
decoy and any damage you put on it won't damage the boss. Keep
grabbing the head with the Hookshot and hitting it with your Sword
until it is dead. Remember to always stay close behind the tail. A good
way to stay behind the tail is to move around the hole in the center of
the room.
-Instrument: Wind Marimba
-Level 1 Sword: 16 hits
-Level 2 Sword:   8 hits

6. Facade--Level 6~Face Shrine*-Difficulty: 5.5
Items Needed: Bombs, Power Braclet/Sword/Sheild
This is the first battle in the game in which you do not attack the
boss with your sword.  When you first enter the Nightmare's Lair,
even before Facade appears on the floor, go around to all four of
the pots in the four corners of the room, pick them up and break
them.  Facade should appear after you have broken the third pot.
When you can, go and brake the fourth pot. When all the tiles start
to come up off of the floor, break them with your Sword, or block
them with your Sheild. I recommend that you get into a corner and
block all the incoming tiles with your sheild. After all the tiles are
gone, holes will begin to randomly appear on the floor. Dodge
these as best as you can and walk onto Facade. Don't worry, as
long as you stand on top of Facade, you can't get hurt! When you
are on  it's face, drop a bomb on it. When it explodes the face will
disappear for a second or two.  When the face reappears, drop
another bomb.  Stay on Facade and keep dropping bombs until
it dies.
-Instrument: Coral Triangle
-Level 1 Sword: -
-Level 2 Sword: -
-Bombs: 5

7. Evil Eagle--Level 7~Eagle's Tower*-Difficulty: 7
Items Needed:  Hookshot, Shield
One thing to remeber for this battle-Never fall off of the tower
or you will have to start the Nightmare all over again! When you
get on top of the tower, get to the center of it and stay at the
center of it as much as you can. When Evil Eagle flies by you,
hit it's beak with your Hookshot. This can get kind of difficult
because sometimes he flies very high, and sometimes he flies
directly towards you. In either case, you must use your Hookshot
_before_ Evil Eagle flies by you, or else your timing will be off
and he will fly right on by. When Evil Eagle suddenly stops and
hovers vertically in the air, this is your cue to use your Sheild.
While he flaps his wings, hold your Sheild out to protect you
from the feathers, and to prevent you from being blown off the
edge. If you are not close enough to the center of the platform
when he starts to flap, then you will fall off the edge whether you
are using your sheild or not. When he is done flapping, get back
to the center of the platform and get ready to hit him again. Try
not to get hit too many times by Evil Eagle, because he can take up
to three hearts away from you from each hit. Remember to stay close
to the center of the platform, and hit him whenever you have the
chance.
-Instrument: Organ of Evening Calm
-Level 1 Sword: -
-Level 2 Sword: -
-Hookshot: 6 hits


8. Hot head--Level 8~Turtle Rock**-Difficulty: 8
Items Needed: Magic Rod, Roc's Feather
When the fight begins, as soon as Hot Head jumps out of the
lava, hit him as fast as you can with the Magic Rod.  The hits
you get on him must be_continous_, or otherwise when he
jumps back into the lava he will rejuvinate. If he does go back
into the lava, wait until he comes back out and hit him quickly.
Don't let up on him even if it looks like he is going to bounce
into you; if he touches you while he is in the air, you can't get
hurt. When you hit him enough times, his 'lava shell' will break
off. All you need to do is hit him a couple more times until he
is toast (not that he isn't toasted enough as it is). During battle,
always watch out for the lava that he splashes out when he
jumps back in. If you get hit by just one drop of lava you will
lose FOUR hearts. To avoid the lava that he splashes at you,
quickly jump out of the way. Don't bother with your sheild 
because it can't protect you from lava. (The double star next
to the bosses location indicates that I VERY strongly suggest
you have some potion with you. This battle isn't easy, and
without potion, you could die in less than four hits from the
lava.)
-Instrument: Thunder Drum
-Level 1 Sword: -
-Level 2 Sword: -
-Magic Rod: 12 hits

9. Final Nightmare--Final Level~The Egg**
The Final Nightmare has 6 forms. For each form I will tell
you it's name, what items you need to defeat it, how many
hits is takes to defeat it, and it's difficulty level. Always stay
on your guard, because you fight these last 6 bosses one 
right after the other.

a. Giant Blob
Items Needed: Magic Powder
When you start this battle, make sure you have magic powder
equiped.  When the Blob is hopping around the room, walk up
to it and sprinkle some magic powder on it. Don't try to hit it
with your Sword or anything else because nothing else works.
-Magic Powder: 3 hits
-Difficulty: 2.1

b. Agahnim
Items Needed: Sword, Roc's Feather
As soon as he is formed, go to the end of the room opposite
of where he is and face him (For example: If he is at the top
of the room, you move to the bottom of the room and face
him).  When he charges up his energy ball and throws it at
you, swing your Sword when the ball is close enough to you
to bat the magic back at him.  Sometimes he throws some
other object at you. When he throws it, jump out of the way
as best as you can, because it will break apart and damage
you.
-Magic thrown back at Aghanim: 4 hits
-Difficulty: 4

c. Moldorm
Items Needed: Sword, Sheild
This is a re-creation of the boss from Tail Cave. You
attack him the same way; by hitting him in the tail. This
time, though, you must hit him more times. He speeds
up as before, and if you let him slow down, you will
have to start him all over again.  Use your sheild if you
can't hit him and he is charging at you.
-Level 1 Sword: 14 hits
-Level 2 Sword:   7 hits
-Difficulty: 4.3

d. Ganon
Items Needed: Sword, Pegasus Boots
Right when he forms, do the charging sword attack with
your Pegasus Boots and Sword. Keep charging, even if
you take a little damage. If you let up on Ganon, you will
take heavy damage. Immediately after you start hitting him,
he will throw six bats at you which will damage you if you
let them start chasing you. After Ganon throws his bats, he
will throw his staff at you and the charge. The staff and the
charge both hurt you. If you keep hitting him from the start
of the battle, you will take little damage.
-Charges to Ganon: 6
-Difficulty: 6.5

e. Lanmola
Items Needed: Hookshot/Magic Rod/Boomerang
Lanmola isn't too hard to beat, but if you let it start
chasing you, you will take heavy damage.  To avoid 
taking any damage, line up with Lanmola before he is
even fully formed and hit him with the Hookshot, or
Magic Rod, or Boomerang.  Trust me, if he chases
you, you could take very heavy damage.
-Hookshot/Magic Rod/Boomerang: 1 hit (you only
need to hit him once with one of the weapons, not
all three of them.)
-Difficulty: 3.5

f. Dethl
Items Needed: Arrows/Boomerang, Roc's Feather
This is it. The final battle of the game, and it isn't all that easy.
When Dethl forms, jump over it's swinging arms. You will
_constantly_ be jumping in this battle. When it opens it's eye
shoot an arrow into it, or throw the boomerang into it. After
you hit it, it will speed up. It will continue to speed up every
time you hit it, which can make this battle very difficult. Unlike
Moldorm, Dethl does NOT slow down. When ever it's eye
opens again, shoot it as fast as you can. Always stay below
Dethl during battle, or else it's arms will deal heavy damage
to you. If you have enough heart containers (not hearts, heart
containers. I recommed you have at least 11) you should be
fine.  If you don't have enough have enough heart containers,
but you still have a potion, then you should be fine too. If you
don't have enought heart containers and you don't have any
potion, then good luck.
-Arrows: 16 hits
-Boomerang: 1 hit (Using the Boomerang is obviously easier,
but try using Arrows for a challenge. When you use the
Boomerang, it must be a _direct_ hit into the center of the
eye.)
-Difficulty: 4.8 (with Boomerang), 9.7 (with Arrows)

******************
D. Mini-Boss Strategies
******************
In this section there is no recommendation for potion. Most of
these bosses are simple to defeat. For their location, I will tell
you which levels they are located in.

1. Rolling Bones--In Levels: 1, 8~Difficulty: 2
Items Needed: Sword, Roc's Feather
Rolling Bones is one of the easiest mini-bosses in the game.
All you have to do is jump over the rolling thing and hit Rolling
Bones with your Sword. To damage him more, use the your
swinging blade technique.
-Level 1 Sword: 8 hits
-Level 2 Sword: 4 hits

2. Hinox--In Levels: 2, 7, 8~Difficulty: 3.5
Items Needed:  Sword/Hookshot/Magic Rod
To defeat Hinox, all you have to do is hit him with one of
the weapons listed above and dodge his bombs. Becareful
though; sometimes he might come at you and pick you up,
and then he throws you.  If he throws you onto weak floor,
then you might fall through.
-Level 1 Sword: 8 hits
-Level 2 Sword: 4 hits
-Hookshot: 3 hits
-Magic Rod: 2 hits

3. Dondogo Snakes--In Levels: 3, 6, 8~Difficulty: 3.8
Items Needed: Bombs
Bombs are the only weapons that will harm the Dondogo
Snakes.  All you have to do is throw the bombs so that
the Snakes eat them.  An easy way to make sure they will
eat the bombs is to wait until they are hudled into a corner,
and then throw bombs at them.  Becareful in Level 6 because
there is always the possibility that you might throw bombs
into the pits accidentaly.
-Bombs: 6 bombs, 3 per Snake

4. Cue Ball--In Level: 4, 8~Difficulty: 3.2
Items Needed: Sword
Yet another easy mini-boss.  First of all, get to the left of the
block (level 4), or the left side of the lava (level 8). When Cue
Ball comes to the top or bottom left corner of the room, hit it
in the abdomen (big round part of it's body). After you hit it,
it will spin and turn around.  Sometimes it will go all the way
around the room, or it might just turn around and come back.
To get more hits in on Cue Ball, use can use the swinging blade
technique. Watch out for the lava in Level 8!
-Level 1 Sword: 8 hits
-Level 2 Sword: 4 hits

5. Grommas--In Level: 5~Difficulty: 3.9
Items Needed: Hookshot/Arrows
To defeat these spider-like creatures, all you have to do
is hit them in the eye (mouth?) when it opens.  When they
open up, they will shoot at you; so becareful.  Sometimes
they will speed up, and sometimes they will charge at you,
so watch out!  To make this battle easier, I suggest you
concentrate on one Gromma at a time, preferably the one
at the bottom first.
-Hookshot: 12 hits, 6 per Spider
-Arrows: 6 hits, 3 per Spider

6. Smasher--In Level: 6, 8~Difficulty: 4.3
Items Needed: Lv 2 Power Braclet
This is one strange creature (It reminds me of a dog).  As
it hops around the room, it will throw it's ball at you.  All
you have to do is pick up the ball and throw it back at him.
You must pick it up before Smasher does, or you will have
to wait until he throws it again. Be sure not to get hit by the
ball or Smasher!
-Hits by the ball: 4 hits

7. Grim Creeper--In Level: 7~Difficulty: 5
Items Needed: Sword, Sheild
I would say this is the hardest mini-boss, although some
people would say it is the easiest.  To defeat the Grim
Creeper all you have to do is kill all six of the birds in
one pass. It seems easy enough, but if you miss all six
on the first pass, then they regroup in a different patern
and it could become difficult.  If you don't hit all the of
the birds in one try, they will keep coming back until you
do (all six come back). You can use your Sheild to block
the birds if you want, but it really isn't neccesary. He will run
away once you defeat all 6 birds in one pass.
-Sword: Kill all 6 birds in one pass

8. Blaino--In Level: 8~Difficulty: 6.9
Items Needed: Sword, Roc's Feather
I lied...this is the hardest mini-boss.  The only place you
can attack this guy is on the side, unless he is getting ready
for a punch; then you can hit him on the front side.  If you
can get to the side of him (which is very hard to do), hit
him with your sword as many times as you can. Or, you can
just wait until he winds up for an uppercut and then hit him,
but be careful!! If he uppercuts you (the punch where he
winds up first), it will knock you all the way to the beginning
of the dungeon!!  Just avoid his front side and you should do
just fine.
-Level 1 Sword: 16 hits (Extremely difficult!)
-Level 2 Sword: 8 hits

=====
D. Credits
=====
First of all I would like to thank GameFAQs for putting my
guide on their site. Second, I would like to say that all of the
information in the FAQ is mine, and you may not change it
or modify it in_any_ way. You may use this FAQ on your
site if you want, buy you must get my permission first. Other
than using is on you site, you can not use this FAQ for any
other reason. Thank You.

I would also like to thank http://www.world-of-nintendo.com
for the Game Genie code to get the Level 2 Sword.

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening and all other Zelda games
are Copyright 1986-1998 Ninteno Inc.

Copyright 1999 XSceptor@aol.com

Thank You for reading my FAQ!

*Technically you can't get the Level 2 Sword until you have
collected 20 seashells.  But there is a Game Genie code which
allows you to get the Level 2 Sword at the beginning of the
game (02C-745-E6E), so I have put the Level 2 Sword thing
at the end of every boss for those of you who decided to use
the code to get the Sword early.