Daily Debate: Is Ocarina of Time’s Water Temple Really That Bad?

Whenever a conversation about Ocarina of Time is struck, it will inevitably come to the Water Temple at some point: sometimes for the better, but more than likely for the worse. The Water Temple is such a frequently discussed and contested topic because, for many people, it’s the only significant fault they can find with the game. So what is it that makes the Water Temple so controversial, and why do so many people consider it a blemish on what is otherwise considered a masterpiece?

At the bottom of Lake Hylia, the Water Temple is home to a creature called Morpha, who is responsible for draining Lake Hylia and freezing Zora’s Domain. Link enters the dungeon as an adult to slay the beast and save the Zoras. Upon entering, you will find a large, three-story room with a central column and branching paths in the cardinal directions on each level. The room is filled with water, so Link must use his Iron Boots to descend to the lowest level and begin exploring the temple in its murky depths. This is where the first, and arguably biggest, complaint often arises.

In order to equip the Iron Boots, the player must open the menu, navigate to the equipment subscreen, select the boots, and exit the menu. This would be all fine and dandy except the Iron Boots are so heavy that they cause Link to sink (as is their intended purpose) and they slow his movement on land. This means that for general traversal and puzzle solving, Link will find himself equipping and unequipping the Iron Boots regularly. The process of opening the menu and navigating to switch boots can become tedious, especially when done in rapid succession. While the 3DS remaster fixed this issue by mapping the Iron Boots to an item button, it hasn’t saved the Water Temple from its reputation of tedium.

The second oft-cited issue with the Water Temple is its complexity. Right from the start, there are eleven different paths to consider, including two doors on the central column. While most of these are made impassible by locked doors, by an incorrect water level, or by requiring the dungeon item, there are still more options than any other dungeon in the game. Even if there is only one correct path forward at the start, it is still incredibly daunting to see so many paths laid before you. Combine that with branching paths and the need to backtrack through previously explored areas, and it is easy to get lost.

The Water Temple also has a gimmick in controlling the water level of the central room. At three locations throughout the temple, Link can raise or lower the water, making new paths accessible. This adds to the complexity by forcing the player to consider the water’s level when solving some puzzles or before heading down certain paths. This gimmick alone makes traversing the dungeon a puzzle in itself. The water level and the general complexity of this dungeon work together to put the player in a position where there are multiple factors they must consider with every decision they make.

Third, the Water Temple just suffers from being a video game water level. For developers, water levels are a tough nut to crack. By their very nature, they alter the control scheme, they change how the player approaches traversal, and they usually slow your character’s movement. As such, water levels are often treated by players as an anomaly that they can’t wait to finish, just so they can get back to normal gameplay. Even the best-crafted water levels will suffer from this stigma, and the Water Temple is no different. Underwater movement is slow, though not to an agonizing degree, and the player has to consider movement in three dimensions rather than being glued to the ground. Even if these things aren’t bad per se, it is still a deviation from the rest of the game, and it makes the Water Temple feel out of place.

So, now I have to ask, is the Water Temple really that bad?

In my opinion, the answer is “no.” While I will admit that the Water Temple stands out from among the other dungeons in Ocarina of Time, I’d argue that this is due in large part to it being the best-crafted dungeon in the game, and one of the best dungeons in the series. Are the Iron Boots tedious? Sure, but switching them out doesn’t take more than five seconds. Is the Water Temple complicated? Yes, and that’s a good thing! It presents a real challenge. Name one other dungeon where resource management for your keys is a real consideration. This is the only dungeon that isn’t just a collection of smaller puzzles but is itself a puzzle.

I know that the very nature of being a water level will have players asking more from the Water Temple than other dungeons, but it more than delivers. Not every aspect of the Water Temple is a home run, but everything about it works so well in harmony with one another that those inconveniences become insignificant when viewing them as a whole. The Water Temple is a masterclass in dungeon design, and selling it short for its difficulty or for a few inconvenient gameplay mechanics really misses the forest for the trees.

So, tell us what you think! What are your thoughts on Ocarina of Time‘s Water Temple? Is it really that bad? Which of its qualities do you like or dislike? How do you feel about its bosses? Join the debate in the comments!

Nick Miller

Nick is a writer for Zelda Dungeon and a longtime fan of the Zelda franchise. In his free time, he enjoys fishing, archery, skateboarding, and some good ol’ fashioned family time. He’s an advocate for physical media and an avid video game collector. His favorite Zelda game is Ocarina of Time, though Breath of the Wild and the Link’s Awakening remake are close contenders. His other favorite video games series include Kingdom Hearts, Fallout, and Ratchet & Clank.