Boss Rush Tips
Ocarina of Time (Remake) lets you fight every boss again, against the clock, in the new Hall of Fallen Foes. You can replay a single boss to beat your best time, or take on one of three trials, back-to-back boss gauntlets where your health carries over from fight to fight. Here is how it works, followed by tips for every boss.
New in the Remake
The Hall of Fallen Foes and its trials are New. The original Nintendo 64 game had no way to refight bosses. The 3DS version's Boss Challenge, which you reached by sleeping in Link's bed, was the closest thing. The remake replaces it with a whole hall of statues, a timer for every boss and three gauntlets.
Opening the Hall
- The hall opens during the adult part of the game, around the time you clear the Forest Temple. Kaepora Gaebora, who runs the hall, will steer you to it, and a bed glowing with a green light appears. Early guides disagree on which glowing bed you find first (one in Kakariko Village or the lakeside house by the Lakeside Laboratory), so look for the green glow.
- Sleep in the glowing bed and you wake up in the hall, a round dream hall full of statues. After your first visit, beds such as the ones in Link's house, Kakariko Village and Lake Hylia offer to take you there as well as letting you sleep until morning or night.
- Talk to Kaepora Gaebora to wake up again in the bed you used.
- Every monster you have defeated gets a statue with notes on where it lives and what works against it. The boss statues stand around the edge of the hall.
Boss Rematches
- Examine a boss statue and choose Rematch to fight that boss again with a timer running. Your best time is shown on the statue, so you can keep coming back to beat it.
- It's a dream. Damage you take in the hall isn't real, items you use are restored when you wake up, and your inventory isn't changed. You can practise a fight as often as you like.
- You get a fixed set of equipment for each boss rather than your own inventory, with only what that fight is meant to use. The statue lists the items that are useful against the boss, so read it before you start.
- There are no rewards for single rematches. The time is the prize, and there are no online leaderboards.
The Three Trials
The owl statues of Kaepora Gaebora in the hall start the trials, which are boss rushes: you fight several bosses in a row, and the damage you take carries over to the next fight. Each trial opens once you have beaten all of its bosses in the story.
Trial of the Spiritual Stones
Queen Gohma, King Dodongo, Barinade
Trial of the Five Sages
Phantom Ganon, Volvagia, Morpha, Bongo Bongo, Twinrova
Trial of the Hero of Time
All eight dungeon bosses, then Ganondorf and Ganon
- Before each fight you can open a chest containing 200 Rupees. One guide also mentions Business Scrubs selling supplies between battles, so stock up on Red Potions and fairies when you can.
- Clearing a trial earns you a Kaepora Gaebora trophy for Link's house in Kokiri Forest, one for each trial.
- Since your health carries over, play it safe early on. One careless hit from Volvagia or Ganon can end a run that was going well.
Speed Tips for Every Fight
- Learn the opening, then go for time. Every boss has one trick that opens it up for damage. Use a first attempt to learn the pattern and the timing, and save your fast runs for when you know it.
- Dash to the weak point. The remake's dash gets you to a stunned boss much faster than walking or rolling, which means more sword hits before it recovers.
- Swap items with the shortcuts. Put the fight's key item on a directional button so you never open the menu mid-fight.
- Aim with motion controls. Gyro aiming makes quick shots with the Slingshot and Fairy Bow much easier than the sticks alone, especially on moving targets like Phantom Ganon and Bongo Bongo's hands.
- Use jump attacks. In the original game a jump attack did double the damage of a normal slash, so land one on every stunned boss if you have the time.
- Don't over-swing. When the boss starts to recover, get out. Taking a hit costs more time than the extra slash gains.
Boss by Boss
These tips are about clearing each fight quickly. For full strategies, see the Ocarina of Time boss guide. The fights are rebuilt for the remake but follow the same patterns, and a few have new weaknesses that their statues point out.
Queen GohmaGreat Deku Tree
Shoot her eye with the Slingshot while it glows on the ceiling, then dash in and slash the eye while she is stunned. A Deku Nut also stuns her when she's on the floor with her eye open. Ignore the larvae unless they're in your way; every second spent on them is wasted.
King DodongoDodongo's Cavern
Throw a bomb into his mouth the moment he opens it to inhale, then run in and slash. Pick up a bomb flower or ready a bomb as soon as he recovers so you're never caught waiting. Stay out of the way of his rolling charge.
BarinadeJabu-Jabu's Belly
Boomerang the cluster to break it up, then pop the jellyfish as fast as you can. They're the slow part, so lock on and throw as soon as the Boomerang returns. When the body drops low enough, finish it with your sword.
Phantom GanonForest Temple
In the painting phase, wait at the right spot to shoot the real Phantom Ganon (not the fake) with the Fairy Bow as he rides out of the frame. In the second phase, bat his energy ball back with your sword (the Empty Bottle works too) until it hits him, then slash. One guide reports the rematch gives you the Fairy Bow, the Hookshot and a bottle with a Red Potion.
VolvagiaFire Temple
Watch for the hole it's about to rise from and stand next to it with the Megaton Hammer ready. Hit its head the moment it surfaces, then follow up with sword slashes. Its statue notes that freezing its mouth with Ice Arrows stops its fire breath.
MorphaWater Temple
Stay on the outer walkways, Longshot the red core out of the water and slash it while it flops on the floor. If a tentacle grabs you, mash the button to break free. The statue says its tentacles are weak to heat, so Din's Fire is worth a try.
Bongo BongoShadow Temple
Shoot both hands with the Fairy Bow (the statue says freezing them with Ice Arrows stops the drumming), then use the Lens of Truth to spot the eye and shoot it. Dash in and slash it while it's stunned. The Hover Boots stop the drum from bouncing you around.
TwinrovaSpirit Temple
Reflect Koume's fire at Kotake and Kotake's ice at Koume with the Mirror Shield. When they merge into Twinrova, keep using the shield on her blasts (in the original you soak up three of the same element, then release them at her) and slash her when she falls.
GanondorfGanon's Castle
Bat his energy orbs back with your sword (or an Empty Bottle), then shoot him with a Light Arrow while he's stunned and dash in to slash him on the floor. Watch out for the floor tiles that fall away.
GanonGanon's Castle ruins
Without the Master Sword, get behind him (roll between his legs) and hit the crystal on his tail. Once Zelda returns the Master Sword, use Light Arrows on his weak points and slash when he staggers. Keep your distance from his twin blades.
The remake came out on November 5th, 2026, and early guides are still filling in details like exact equipment per rematch. If you've set a good time or found a trick, let us know.