The Shadow Temple in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is built around deceptive routes, concealed hazards and enemies that are difficult to see. The Lenses of Truth reveal many of its secrets, while the Hover Boots help Link cross dangerous gaps and unstable platforms.
Before entering, players need the Lenses of Truth, obtained in the Bottom of the Well, and Din’s Fire, found at the Great Fairy Fountain atop Death Mountain. The Scarecrow Song is also required to collect every Gold Skulltula. At the entrance, use the Lenses of Truth to locate the unlit torches, then light them with Din’s Fire to open the way inside.
Early in the dungeon, the Lenses reveal the correct skull for a vulture statue puzzle and expose hidden paths through rooms that appear blocked. Defeating a ReDead and two Keese opens a chest containing the dungeon map. Further on, Link must defeat a Dead Hand to obtain the Hover Boots, which allow him to briefly walk over gaps after stepping off a ledge.
The route to the compass and onward involves more hidden doors, moving scythes, guillotines and crystal puzzles. The guide recommends using the Sun’s Song to stun ReDeads, bombs against Beamos enemies, and the Lenses of Truth to spot invisible platforms and traps. Small keys found along the way unlock the doors needed to progress, while optional detours offer rupees, health and magic recovery, and Gold Skulltula tokens.
Later sections add strong fans, more concealed walls and a boat sequence. Link must use Iron Boots to resist the wind in one passage, then switch between them and the Hover Boots to navigate the fan-filled corridor. After riding the boat, he can reach the boss key by finding hidden routes, defeating Floormasters and using Din’s Fire or Fire Arrows to clear a room with closing walls.
The final boss is Bongo Bongo, whose body is invisible unless Link equips the Lenses of Truth. The arena is a giant drum: the boss’s hands strike it, so the guide advises using the Hover Boots or jumping to avoid being thrown into the air. The Fairy Bow is useful for hitting the hands when they are out of sword range.
Attack the hands when they stop glowing. Once both have been hit, Bongo Bongo’s eye lights up. Use the Lenses to see the boss, then shoot its eye with the Fairy Bow or Longshot to stun it and create an opening for close-range attacks. The boss adds further hand attacks as the fight continues, but the same approach—avoid the strikes, hit vulnerable hands, then target the eye—can be repeated until Bongo Bongo is defeated and Link receives a Heart Container.
Sources: Polygon.