After our complete tour of the Woodland Tower, there is only one area missing that we have deliberately not completely covered so far: Hyrule Castle. During our exploration of the Hyrule Field we have already activated the Saas Ko’sah Shrine in the pier, read the royal recipes in the library and collected a Royal Guard’s Shield for “The Black Series”, but deliberately postponed the actual castle tour. Now we return and completely clear the massive ruins without entering the sanctuary and thus triggering the final battle against the Calamity Ganon.
This section is one of the densest of the entire Breath of the Wild Walkthrough. In Hyrule Castle we collect everyone 25 Koroks, defeat the Stalnox in the dungeon and the rare Stone Talus in the east tunnel, get it Hylian Shield, read Zelda’s and King Rhoam’s Records, contain all five types of weapons in the Guard series, and, with the expansion pass installed, represent the three-part Bodyguard set together and activate on the bridge between Zelda’s The souvenir photo “Father and Daughter” is in her room and her study. Only when the roofs, towers and outer walls have been checked will we leave the castle again. Ganon still remains untouched.
Preparation for Hyrule Castle
Don’t teleport to Saas Ko’sah Shrine right away. For our 100% route we start at the southern main entrance because there are already several Koroks at the bridge and above the first gate. Equip the Master Sword: The blade awakens within Hyrule Castle and is therefore ideal for almost the entire tour. Also take a good bow, enough arrows, some ancient arrows for particularly annoying guards and, if possible, the Zora armor. Revali’s Gale+ saves a lot of time on the outer walls, while Urbosa’s Fury+ quickly kills the Stalnox and the rare Stone Talus.
Hyrule Castle has its own three-dimensional map. Therefore, don’t just orientate yourself on the top view, but also rotate the castle model regularly and pay attention to the different height levels. Many rooms are connected via tunnels, waterways, shafts and ruined stairs. Our path first leads from the main gate through the southwest and western castle area into the dungeon, then via the pier and library through the interior, then to Zelda’s chambers and back up via the north and east sides. The sanctuary at the center is off limits throughout this chapter.
The first five Koroks at the main gate
Approach Hyrule Castle from the south across the large bridge. Before you even reach the actual gate, jump down the side of the bridge and look for a yellow flower directly underneath. Touch it and follow the row of flowers that appear along the bridge construction to the end – Korok 1 appears. Then climb onto the large entrance gate and lift the small stone there for Korok 2. Sentinel Airmen patrol this area; kill them with an Ancient Arrow or keep moving.
Go through the gate and look straight up. The large coat of arms of Hyrule is located on a stone surface. Shoot directly at the coat of arms until Korok 3 appears. There is a wind turbine in the immediate vicinity. Stand next to it, wait for the distant balloon and take the arrow fall into account when shooting – after the hit, Korok 4 is yours. Climb even higher onto the structure. There is another wind turbine between the mud of hate, where several balloons appear. Hit all targets and collect Korok 5.
Southwest castle wall and first gatehouse
Before we penetrate deep into the castle, we work through the southwestern outer wall. Climb the high wall, which is roughly in line with the large pillar southwest of the castle. On the top you will find a single small stone; raises it for Korok 6. From here you get to the first gatehouse. You can enter the lower interior and fight against the Lynels there, but this fight is not mandatory for our 100% score. Lynels are not among the three monster groups for which Kilton later awards medals.
The top of the tower is more important. Climb to the top outside of the first gatehouse or use Revalis Sturm+. Leaves sparkle at the top. Examine them and you will receive Korok 7. From up here you also have an excellent overview of the castle’s intricate architecture and can Zelda’s You can see the study room in the west and the sanctuary in the center.
Training Area – Bodyguard Boots and Korok 8
Below the first gatehouse is the castle guard’s training area. An entrance leads over the waterfall south of the gatehouse. Use Cryonis under the bars or look for the side passage and follow the passage inwards. Just before the large practice room there is a crumbling wall in a corridor. Blow it up with a bomb and look up behind the opening: an acorn is hanging there. Shoot them and collect Korok 8.
The actual training area is one of the most productive rooms in the castle. Defeat the Lizalfos and the Moblin and take high-quality royal weapons with you. Owners of “The Champions’ Ballad” will also find an EX Chest containing the Bodyguard Boots. They are part of the three-piece bodyguard set that we collect in full in this chapter. The Moblin or the immediate armory also offers the opportunity to take a Guards two-handed sword with you. Photograph it for the Hyrule Handbook before using it – Guard weapons have huge attack stats, but comparatively low durability.
Waterfall above the main path – Korok 9
Leave the interior again towards the southern side of the castle and look for the waterfall above the first large gate. With the Zora armor you swim up the waterfall. Turn around at the top, slide back a bit to the rock wall and look for a fragile spot. Blow it open and lift the exposed stone. Below sits Korok 9. This completes the entire southern entrance area and we move to the west side of the castle.
West Passage – Lorenfahrt and Korok 10
Drop far down the southwest side of the castle towards the moat. The entrance to the western tunnel is behind a blastable rock wall. There is a cart on the rails in the tunnel. Climb in and place a round bomb in the back compartment or use bomb explosions to accelerate the cart along the route. At the end you will reach an area with a hot spring and three small statues.
There are already boiled eggs in front of two figures. Place a regular bird egg in the hot water in front of the third statue. After a short time, the heat also turns it into a boiled egg and the pattern is complete. Korok 10 appears. Then take the path deeper into the western Depths, because our next destination is the dungeon – and one of the most important items in the entire game awaits there.
Shaft under Zelda’s Study – Korok 11
West of the castle center, the tower of the Zelda’s study room reaches far down. In the underground shaft you can carefully fall from platform to platform. About halfway up there is a single small stone on the wall or on a narrow ledge. Lift it and collect Korok 11. Then let yourself fall further down or follow the underground connecting passage towards the dungeon.
Dungeons – Stalnox and Hylian Shield
The dungeon of Hyrule Castle consists of several cells and dark corridors. Open the bars with the switches and check the rooms, because in addition to monsters there are various weapons and materials here. Our actual target is in the large round cell: As soon as you enter it, a Stalnox will rise. This opponent is doubly important to our full score because, on the one hand, he is part of Kilton’s later Hinox counter and, on the other hand, he guards the Hylian Shield.
The fight works like with the other Stalnoxes. Shoot his eye as soon as it is exposed and attack with the Master Sword while stunned. Towards the end, the eye completely separates from the skull; destroys it before it can hop back into the body. After the victory, a large Treasure Chest appears. Inside lies the Hylian Shield, the hero’s traditional shield and by far one of the most resilient shields in Breath of the Wild. Take a photo of it immediately for the Hyrule Handbook and then take it with you.
The Hylian Shield is unique, but not irretrievably lost. If it breaks later, you can buy a replacement from Granté for 3,000 Rupees after you have completely built Tarrey Town. However, the prerequisite is that Link has received the original shield here in the dungeon at least once. For our 100% pass, the original remains in inventory whenever possible.
Jetty and Saas Ko’sah Shrine
Our path leads from the underground area to the pier. We already know this section from the chapter on the Hyrule Field: There we lit the large fire bowl and thereby unlocked the Saas Ko’sah shrine. If you skipped the detour back then, do it now. The shrine contains a difficult test of strength and a Treasure Chest with a fire sword. Anyone who followed our route already owns the Spirit Orb and can use the shrine as a fast travel point within the castle at any time in the future.
Climb the stairs from the pier. One of the passages leads through or behind a sliding metal shelf directly into the library. This allows us to reach the central interior area without having to go through the heavily guarded main street again.
Library and King’s Study
We have already read the two books for “Royal Kitchen” in the library. This time, take your time for the entire room. Several large bookcases are made of metal and can be moved using the magnetic module. Behind one of them lies the hidden King’s Study. There you will find King Rhoam’s diary as well as a Royal Guard’s Shield and a Treasure Chest. Anyone who has already taken the guard’s shield with them in the previous chapter for “The Black Series” still checks the diary – these notes are among the most interesting background texts about Zelda and the events before the devastation.
Also searches the upper levels of the library. In addition to Rupees, arrows and strong royal weapons, there are various high-quality pieces of equipment here. For the 100% tour we don’t need every normal weapon from every chest, but we do need at least one copy of each of the five guard weapons for the Hyrule Compendium: guard sword, guard two-handed sword, guard halberd, guard bow and Royal Guard’s Shield. We should have a Royal Guard’s Shield and a guard two-handed sword by now at the latest.
Dining Hall – Guards halberd and bodyguard robe
Follow the corridor out of the library towards the dining room. Several Moblins have set up shop between the long tables. Clear out the room and particularly examine the area by the fireplace: There you will find a guards halberd, which can be reached with the magnetic module. Take a photo of it and then take it with you. The weapons of the Royal Guard are less suitable for longer fights than their enormous attack values would suggest, but they definitely belong in a complete Hyrule handbook.
DLC 2 owners now search the corridor near the dining room. Behind a crumbling wall lies a small room with an EX chest. Blow up the wall and open the chest – inside is the bodyguard robe. Along with the boots from the practice area, the only thing missing is the hat. You can also find the complete set in our overview of the armor in Breath of the Wild. The parts cannot be improved with the Great Fairies, but as a complete set they have a bonus to the stamina consumption of charged attacks.
Korok 19 in the corridor near the dining room
Before we leave the eastern interior, take the red carpet hallway by the dining room. Follow the stone corridor and turn into the first side passage. There is a cracked spot on the wall. Blow it up and look up behind the opening. An acorn hangs from the ceiling; hit it with an arrow and Korok 19 appears. In this solution, we do not collect the Koroks strictly according to their geographical numbering, but along a route that covers as many important rooms as possible at the same time.
Zelda’s Chamber – diary, guard sheet and Korok 12
Now climb up the west side of the central castle to Zelda’s chambers. In her room you will find Zelda’s personal diary, which provides several additional insights into her research, her doubts and her relationship with Link. There is also a guard arch above the fireplace or in the room. Photograph him for the Hyrule Handbook and take him with you. This means that the only thing we are missing from the black guard series is the guard sword, if you haven’t collected it in the adjacent corridors yet.
Then step onto the balcony of Zelda’s room. Korok 12 is hidden under a small stone. Afterwards, stay on this side of the castle and go to the narrow bridge that connects Zelda’s chamber with the towering study.
souvenir photo “Father and Daughter”
The next place of remembrance shines on the bridge between Zelda’s chamber and her study. Examine it and Link will remember a scene with Zelda and King Rhoam. This gives us the souvenir photo “Father and Daughter”. Anyone who has followed our route from the beginning should also have this particularly easy-to-miss castle entry in their collection. You can compare missing memories at any time with our overview of the memories or the memory photos in Breath of the Wild.
Zelda’s study room and Korok 13
Enter the small study and examine the records and objects there too. Then you go outside and all the way to the top of the tower. Revalis Sturm+ makes the climb significantly shorter. Leaves sparkle at the top. Examined them for Korok 13. From this position you can easily glide to the northwestern outer wall, on which the next three Koroks are located.
North West Exterior Wall – Koroks 14 to 16
Follow the high wall above the dungeon to the northwest. There is a wind turbine at the northern end. As soon as you stand next to it, several balloons will appear; shoot them completely and collect Korok 14. A little further to the northeast, on a high ledge near the watercourse, lies a single stone. Lift it up and Korok 15 pops out.
For Korok 16 you orientate yourself on the large column that points to the castle from the north. High on the north side, a path runs under a rocky overhang. Climb over it or use Revalis Sturm+ and look for a brittle boulder. Blow it up and examine the exposed area. This means that the entire northwest side has been cleaned up.
Northeast Falls – Korok 17
Now switch to the northeast side. Here several waterfalls cascade down towards the castle moat. Put on the Zora armor and swim up two of the waterfalls. Before the next climb you will see a circle of water lilies in the water. Jump from above right through the middle and Korok 17 appears. You can then easily gain further height through the waterfalls and move towards the east side.
Southeast Waterfall – Korok 18
On the southeast side, one of the huge outer columns points roughly towards a waterfall at the castle. There is a fragile boulder on the ground just to the west. Blow it up with a bomb and then lift the stone exposed underneath. This means that Korok 18 belongs to us. Anyone who follows our route has now completed all of the Korok puzzles in the lower outer walls.
Second gatehouse and Korok 20
Climb up to the second gatehouse. Here, too, you can compete against a Lynels in the lower area, but this is not required for the actual 100% rating and Kilton’s medal. We need the top instead: Climb to the highest point of the gatehouse and examine the sparkling leaves there. You will receive Korok 20.
From here we then glide far to the east or drop down to the lower entrance to the eastern tunnel. The castle’s two underground passages are easy to miss and are therefore one of the most common reasons for incomplete castle tours.
East Tunnel – Korok 21 and rarer Stone Talus
Enter the east tunnel from the lower east side of the castle and use the cart there to get deeper into the tunnel. There are several large blocks of ice at the edge of the path. Melt the middle or largest block with a firearm, a fire arrow or a lit torch. Once completely melted, examine the sparkling spot and receive Korok 21.
Search the east tunnel completely, because there is also a rare Stone Talus. Defeat him now for Kilton’s eventual Stone Talus Medal. Climb onto his body as soon as he falls to the ground and attack the chunk of ore on his back with a powerful two-handed sword. Urbosa’s Fury+ can shorten the fight significantly. Then collect the gems; Diamonds and other high-value ores are hardly financially necessary at this point, but are still needed for some armor improvements.
Eastern Castle Wall – Korok 22
Leave the east tunnel and climb back up on the east side above the waterfall. On the northern side of the destroyed outer wall lies a small, single stone high above the water. Lift it and collect Korok 22. From here our path finally leads to the upper levels of Hyrule Castle. We are only missing the three Koroks directly at the sanctuary and the last part of the bodyguard set.
Optional: control all five guard weapons
Before you climb any further, open the Hyrule Manual and check the Guard Series. The guards sword, guards two-handed sword, guards halberd, guards bow and guards shield should be photographed no later than after our castle tour. We found the guards shield in the king’s study, the guards bow in the Zelda’s chamber, the guards halberd in the dining room area and the guards two-handed sword in the training area or with its opponents. You can find the Guards Sword in the adjacent armory and corridors of the castle. Axyl up and photograph each specimen at least once before wearing out the weapons in battle.
The Guard series has some of the highest attack values of their respective weapon types, but this strength comes at the price of low durability. You don’t have to save them for the upcoming final battle. Our fully awakened Master Sword is the much more reliable main weapon within the castle.
Bodyguard cap over the sanctuary
Owners of DLC 2 still need the third part of the bodyguard set. The Bodyguard Cap is located in a room above the sanctuary. Climb to the upper floors from outside and approach the area via the roofs if possible. Do not enter the central lower area of the sanctuary, because that is where the fight against the Calamity Ganon is triggered. Stay on the upper gallery or in the rooms above the actual fighting area and open the EX chest with the bodyguard hat.
This means that DLC players have a bodyguard hat, bodyguard robe and bodyguard boots. The complete set is part of the DLC content for Breath of the Wild and cannot be improved on the Great Fairies.
Korok 23 – Time Trial over the Sanctuary
Above the front entrance to the sanctuary is a Korok tree stump on a balcony. Stand on it and a target ring will appear on a nearby spire. Jump off immediately, open the Paraglider and slide through the ring before time runs out. With Revalis Sturm+ you can get a cheaper starting height beforehand if necessary. If you reach the target ring in time, Korok 23 appears.
Clock Tower – Korok 24
Continue climbing onto the roofs of the sanctuary. Above is a tall clock tower with a large bell. A single balloon floats in the area directly above the bell. Hit him with an arrow and collect Korok 24 . As you climb, constantly check your position towards the central hall – we still don’t want to enter the sanctuary from below.
Highest Point of Hyrule Castle – Korok 25
Now all that’s missing is the highest point of the entire castle. Climb further from the rooftops to the central peak. Revalis Sturm+ saves most of the climb, otherwise you look for ledges and wait for dry weather if necessary. Leaves sparkle again at the top. Examine it and Korok 25 appears.
This means that all 25 Koroks have been found within Hyrule Castle. Together with the 89 Koroks that we collected in the chapter on the level of Hyrule outside the actual castle area, the central region has also been completely processed.
All 25 Koroks in Hyrule Castle – Checklist
| # | Location | solution |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Under the bridge at the main entrance | Follow the row of yellow flowers to the end. |
| 2 | main gate | Lift stone on the gate. |
| 3 | Above the main gate | Shoot the large Hyrule crest. |
| 4 | At the coat of arms | Activate wind turbine and hit distant balloon. |
| 5 | Above the coat of arms | Activate the wind turbine and shoot down all the balloons. |
| 6 | Southwest high castle wall | Lift stone. |
| 7 | First gatehouse | Investigate sparkles on the highest spire. |
| 8 | Walk to the training area | Blast the fragile wall and shoot the acorn. |
| 9 | Waterfall in the southern castle area | Blast fragile wall and lift stone. |
| 10 | West tunnel | Place the bird egg in the hot spring in front of the free statue. |
| 11 | Shaft under Zelda’s Study | Lift stone on a ledge. |
| 12 | Zelda’s Room | Lift stone on the balcony. |
| 13 | Zelda’s Study room | Investigate sparkles on the top of the tower. |
| 14 | Northwest exterior wall | Activate wind turbine and hit all balloons. |
| 15 | Northwest Ledge | Lift single stone. |
| 16 | High North Side | Blast brittle rock and examine the site. |
| 17 | Northeast Falls | Jump into the water lily circle. |
| 18 | Southeast of the castle | Blast boulders and lift stone underneath. |
| 19 | Corridor near the dining room | Blow up the wall and shoot the acorn on the ceiling. |
| 20 | Second gatehouse | Investigate sparkles on the highest peak. |
| 21 | East tunnel | Completely melt large ice block. |
| 22 | Eastern outer wall | Lift the stone above the waterfall. |
| 23 | Above the entrance to the sanctuary | Activate tree stump and reach target ring in time. |
| 24 | clock tower | Shoot the balloon above the big bell. |
| 25 | Highest peak of Hyrule Castle | Investigate Sparkling Leaves. |
Completely control Hyrule Castle
Before we leave the castle, check our collection status again. The Saas Ko’sah Shrine is completed, the Stalnox in the dungeon and the rare Stone Talus in the East Tunnel have been defeated, the Hylian Shield is in the inventory and all five types of Guard weapons have at least been photographed. In Zelda’s chamber we read her diary and collected the guard sheet, found King Rhoam’s notes in the king’s study and activated the memory “Father and Daughter” on the bridge to Zelda’s study. Owners of the Expansion Pass also have a Bodyguard Hat, Bodyguard Robe and Bodyguard Boots.
The most important thing is the number Koroks: Within the castle area must be exact 25 seeds have been added. If one is missing, work through the above list again from bottom to top. Particularly often overlooked are the egg jug in the west tunnel, the acorn in the corridor to the exercise area, the ice block in the east tunnel and the three seeds on or above the sanctuary.
The sanctuary remains untouched
Now explicitly not go to the central hall of the sanctuary. Everything we need for the 100% tour of Hyrule Castle can be collected without starting the final battle. Instead, teleport yourself out of the castle – for example to the Korok Forest, to Kakariko Village or to any stable. The next step is a final inventory of the entire game.
After this chapter, there is no normal region left in Hyrule that we have yet to fully explore. All towers are activated, all 120 regular shrines have been completed, the regional collection routes have ended and now Hyrule Castle, its Hylian Shield, the castle memory and all 25 Koroks are covered. This is the ideal time for our big 100% check before Ganon.
100% status after Hyrule Castle
| Target | status |
|---|---|
| Saas Ko’sah Shrine | Completed |
| Hylian Shield | Collected |
| Stalnox in the dungeon | Defeat |
| Rare Stone Talus in the east tunnel | Defeat |
| Memory “Father and Daughter” | Activates |
| Zelda’s Diary | Read |
| King Rhoam’s Records | Read |
| Guard Series | Collected or photographed all five weapon types |
| Bodyguard Set | Complete, provided DLC 2 is installed |
| Koroks in Hyrule Castle | 25 out of 25 |
| Calamity Ganon | Not yet fought |
The next chapter is the big final check of our entire Breath of the Wild Walkthrough. We check the 900 Koroks, all shrines, memories, Side Quests, armor, horse equipment and the Hyrule Compendium, prepare Kilton’s three monster orders and clarify exactly what actually counts towards the 100% card rating that will be displayed later. Only then do we return to Hyrule Castle one last time and face the Calamity Ganon.