I remember I got a Gamecube from my parents and my friend got me The Wind Waker (my first game ever) for my birthday. I was stuck on Outset Island for some time until I figured out you were supposed to talk to Tetra (I was 6, I didn't read the text). After that I couldn't get past the Forsaken Fortress because I had no idea how to turn off the light to get to the jail cell. After that I couldn't figure out how to get the chu's off the Deku Tree. My grandparents took me to a game store the next year and I got OoT with Master Quest, but I also got the Wind Waker strategy guide (with an OoT strategy guide inside) and it was hidden behind a bunch of other game strategy guides.
3 years later I actually decided to read the strategy guide and I beat the game, although I finished The Minish Cap and Ocarina of Time before that.