Ocarina of Time Which first, Shadow or Spirit?

[Xinnamin]

I do the Spirit Temple first only because the first time I played I was scared silly of the Shadow Temple, and I never listen to Navi anyways so I didn't think much of an order. Then again I like doing temples out of order. I know I finished Jabu-jabu's belly immediately after getting the bombs since I didn't like Dondongo Cavern. I went to get the Lens of Truth at the first possible chance (after beating the Forest Temple). I remember doing the Water and Fire Temples near simultaneously, switching back and forth since I didn't particularly like either.

The only order that is forced in the game seems to be that the Great Deku Tree is the first child dungeon since you can't leave the forest before then, the bombs have to come before Jabu-jabu but you don't have to beat King Dondongo first, the Forest Temple is the first adult dungeon since you need the arrows for the Water and Fire dungeons (do you need to beat the Forest Temple or just get the arrows? I know you need to beat it for the Well), and the Water Temple has to come before the Shadow and Spirit Temples (well technically only before the Shadow Temple since you can do Spirit after getting the Longshot). I wonder if you could put off the Fire Temple until last? You don't need the Megaton Hammer before Ganon's Tower after all (I think), and the only reason to do it early is for the Fairy upgrade....Now I realize I'm really confused about the dungeon order.

 

[yann]

Did you ever try listening to Navi or asking Saria after completing the Water Temple where to go next?

I think this will give you a massive clue as to where Miyamoto wanted you to go next, personally I did the Shadow Temple first all the time because the Spirit Temple is my favourite temple and I wanted to save until last.

 

[Asme]

@xinnamin You do not need arrows for fire temple, only if you wan't the map, also you have to do the fire temple AND water temple to trigger the shadow temple cutscene, so no. You can't do fire temple last.

 

[Xinnamin]

That makes sense since it'd be kinda odd for the Kakariko thunderstorm to occur while Death Mountain is still wonky, but then the Fire Temple could still be left for second last right? In fact, with all these restrictions on the order placement for the Shadow Temple (must be after full completion of Forest, Fire, and Water while Spirit can be done after full finish of Forest and half of Water, correct me if I'm wrong since my memory of the dungeons is a bit fuzzy), it does seem as if the Shadow Temple was originally meant to be the last Temple.

 

[jakesuhr]

I knew you could do either first before the other but I always did Shadow first cause that is the next one they tell you to complete and when Sheik tells you about the 5 temples before you go to beat the Forest temple she mentions the Spirit temple last. But your theory does make some sense.

Btw I saw ur signature. I think everyone hated Navi cause she is annoying and keeps telling you to go somewhere when you are trying to complete a side quest or are not wanting to go there just yet and she constantly keeps saying "hey Listen"

 

[Valientlink]

You can't save the fire temple for last, because the Shadow Temple events cannot be triggered until the Forest, Fire, and Water temples have been completed. But to my knowledge you can beat the Spirit Temple at any point after you've beaten the Forest Temple.

 

[Olaf Forkbeard]

Um, I had a fun experience with dungeon order once. I never finished my test but you can theoretically get pretty far without "beating" a dungeon. Do forest temple till you get a bow. Do fire temple until you get the hammer. Do Water Temple till you get the Longshot. I'm determined to believe that you don't need the Lens of Truth, Trying to do it now. And if memory serves you don't need the Mirror shield for anything but Twin-Rova and cool looks. So you can theoretically get to just before Ganon in his castle by doing all the puzzles in his dungeon using the items. The only flaw is the lack of "Sage" to finish each section. In my tests I have managed to do them all out of order. I think finished Water first, then Fire, then Shadow, then Spirit, then Forest. Just to prove to my friends that you can. But that was about 4 years ago, It may of been that i didn't finish the last two temples.

Oh, BTW you can beat Bongo Bongo with 3 hearts, 1 fairy, No hover boots and some good, quick aim.

 

[Asme]

I must ask, why do a temple halfway for the item then leave? When you first are there and are halfway, why not just finnish the temple =/? going halfway and then leaving for another just seems like hazzle and not worth the extra backtracking.

 

[Zeruda]

I must ask, why do a temple halfway for the item then leave? When you first are there and are halfway, why not just finnish the temple =/? going halfway and then leaving for another just seems like hazzle and not worth the extra backtracking.

Because it's fun. The games are getting more and more linear, so it's nice to be able to still do those things. I like to grab the equips from the dungeons and then run around completing sidequest, harharhar.

 

[Deku Nutter]

And if memory serves you don't need the Mirror shield for anything but Twin-Rova and cool looks. So you can theoretically get to just before Ganon in his castle by doing all the puzzles in his dungeon using the items.

You do need the mirror shield for some of the puzzle elements in the Spirit temple too, for example reflecting light on the suns.

I think you're certainly directed by the game to do the Shadow first, i've never heard of it being done in any other order, it's just the song and medallion appear in a different order on the status subscreen for some reason, probably because it was coded earlier on in development. Apart from what's been already mentioned, Kaepora Gaebora talks to you for the first time in a while once you get the silver gauntlets and it seems to be a farewell message for your imminent battle with Ganondorf.

You're definatley meant to have the hover boots and lens of truth for the Spirit too, as there are uses for them, even if it may be possible without them.

 

[Flute Boy]

the official order is forest, fire, water, shadow, spirit, however there are other options, you can go to the water temple after forest, you truely dont need the hammer for that dungeon. in retrospect, if you think about it, you can finish the temples in any order you want, except for the shadow temple cant be done untill either water or 1st three completed. as long as you get the bow from the forest, you can start a different temple, if you only recieve the items, you can theoredically attempt any order you like.

 

[irishfire]

I think im going to go through ocarina fo time again just to see if all this is true, if youe can do all these temples in different orders, because that is wierd that Nintendo would put the shadow medallion lastif it was intended to be the 5th medallion, so i'm not decided. You get the lens of truth (needed for the shadow temple) and then kakariko being on fire due to Bongo Bongo (shadow temple boss). And all of a sudden switching gears towards the spirit temple after all this stuff happpens having to due with the spirit temple? Woah! i need to take a breath here, getting my self too worked up! well, theres evidence on both sides.

 

[Raven]

I always did the Spirit Temple first, I didn't learn about the official order until much later so I had always assumed that I was playing the temples in order although I have switched it up from time to time I have always save the Shadow Temple for the very last. It's just so Evil! It seems more fitting that the last dungeon wouldn't be the homeland of the the boss, we were just in gerudo valley and now you want me to kill their king? no the Shadow Temple is a nice little breather for me before i go kill that Gerudo theif... too much gerudo isent good for you... lol

also there are a few ways to get out of Kokiri Forest early now, nothing is beyond your grasp! power laughs.

 

[MalonMaverick11]

I really hadnt thought about doing the spirit/shadow temple in the oposite order...I should give it a try. and i think that the only time in the fire temple when you need arrows is to shoot the eye to get the compass...but its been a while since ive played thru.

 

[Austin]

A semi-related question; in order for Sheik to teach you the Nocturne of Shadow, do you need the first three temples completed or just the Water Temple?