Misery Mire

The transporter for the sixth dungeon is only accessible by flute, and takes Link to the dark equivalent of the Desert of Mystery, the Swamp of Evil. One heart piece is hidden in a building next to the dungeon entrance, and another requires warping back to the Light World in the northeast corner of the swamp. Then it’s stand on the tile that looks like the Ether Medallion, use the medallion, and into dungeon #6.

It’s a Zelda game, so of course there are Wizzrobes. Unlike the ones future Link will encounter, these guys spawn in fixed positions, either absolute or relative to Link’s position, so they’re easier to deal with than in previous games. The Beamos make their return and are only slightly less terrible because Link has the Blue Mail to protect him now. There’s a new kind of laser-emitting enemy, Laser Eyes, which are mounted on walls and fire when Link enters their line of sight. For the time being, they’re more of a nuisance than a threat, but they can be deadly, at least until Link gets the proper countermeasure. Finally in the new enemy department, we have Sluggulas, bomb-laying slugs that are just… kind of funny.

Getting the big key requires solving a “light the four torches” puzzle with the torches in two separate rooms. With the Big Key, Link can get the dungeon’s treasure: the Cane of Somaria, which is the weirdest item in the game. The game even punts on the description, but the primary function becomes clear: to create mobile magical blocks. This ability is required to pass a button that needs something on it to stay active puzzle when there’s no statues or blocks around to push onto it. Finally, Link’s inventory is complete.

Armed with the cane, Link heads for the boss: Vitreous, another eye monster, bathing in a toxic bath with a bunch of little eyeballs. Vitreous is the easiest boss in the game. Just stand in the corner, spam sword attacks until all the little eyeballs are done, and Vitreous will come out to play. Vitreous continually hops toward Link, and despite being a giant eye, apparently can’t see that Link’s holding out his sword. Vitreous dies after hopping onto the sword enough times, and Link recovers the sixth maiden’s crystal. The maiden tells Link to hurry after Zelda to Turtle Rock, but there’s something to do first.

The Cursed Faerie

At the Dark World equivalent of his home, Link finds a bomb shop, with a Super Bomb for sale. The Super Bomb is capable of blowing a hole in the Great Pyramid where it’s cracked, and Link finds a pond like at the Waterfall of Wishing. This time the items that can be upgraded are the Master Sword, which is replaced with/turned into the Golden Sword, and the bow and arrows, which are upgraded to Silver Arrows to defeat Ganon.

The final two objectives, Turtle Rock and Ganon’s Tower, are on Dark Death Mountain, so it’s time to make one last trip up. Turtle Rock is the only Dark World dungeon whose Light World counterpart is only interesting in connection with it. Reaching the top of the Light World version requires lifting a rock with the Titan’s Mitt. Then to open the portal needed to the Dark World, Link has to hit the three pegs on top in the correct order. Then, after returning to the Dark World, before jumping off the rock, the Quake Medallion is needed to open the entrance.

Before going inside, there’s another heart piece to get. After going west from Turtle Rock, Link lifts a rock and passes through a cave, ending up on the disconnected mountain top, and then he warps to the Light World to pick up the heart piece. Now it’s time to go back to the Dark World and enter Turtle Rock.

Next: Zelda and Agahnim, one last time.