Hello! My name is EchoJX and this is my (mostly personal) resource document for Link to the Past. Over time, my goal is for this to be the go-to source for anything and everything to do with speedrunning Link to the Past, in any category, including randomizer strats. The finished product should be a one-stop shop for anyone wanting to learn to run the game as well as help current runners improve their times and knowledge.

        By no means do I proclaim myself an expert of this game, but I want to do my part to contribute to this community as it continues to grow and become more popular. If you have suggestions to add to the doc, corrections, or other contributions, please email me at echojerichox@gmail.com. Alternatively, you can contact me on Discord as EchoJX#1009, or PM me on Twitch.

        This doc will contain several links throughout to external websites containing more detailed information about specific topics. Be sure to see the bottom section of the doc for a list of all external links and credits to the authors.

In Link to the Past, you will see there is a fair bit of tech to learn that can improve your time considerably. Not all of the tech is necessary, but most of it is incredibly simple, consistent, and easy to work in to your regular play. Take note that some of the tricks are specific to the Japanese 1.0 version of the game. This section of the doc will help you with getting started in speedrunning in general, tips for LttP specifically, as well as how to select your version and other useful information.

Selecting your version…

        There are many ways to speedrun Link to the Past as far as the game version is considered. However, it has been firmly established that the Japanese 1.0 version is the most desirable due to considerable time saves on text boxes, and a handful of 1.0-exclusive tricks such as Fake Flippers and Spin Speed. It is also             known that the GBA version of Link to the Past is the least acceptable, as many of the tricks are no longer possible, and it is considerably slower. Virtual Console is somewhere in the middle, unless you can somehow inject the J1.0 version into your console. Here is some good information, taken from this post on SDA…

        The version of cartridge you have is discernible on the back label. It should have a small, 2- or 3-character imprint. The imprint will simply be two numbers, followed by a letter if the version is 1.1 or later. So, for example, a Japanese 1.0 cart might say “13,” or in my case “00”. A cartridge with two numbers, followed by an “A” would be a v1.1 cart. A “B” at the end would be a v1.2, and so on. It should be known that this guideline applies only to Japanese versions of the game. US and PAL versions are all v1.2. Here are a few examples:

        The only surefire way to know the version (because there are some fakes out there) is to take apart the cartridge and look at the PCB, but it isn’t very practical in most cases. The name of the game here is this: when purchasing your copy of the game, make sure you ask the seller to show you the back of the cartridge to make sure you get the version you want. Generally speaking, the J1.0 cart is highly obtainable for roughly $20 USD. Finally, all changes in the GBA version are listed here and also here for a more in-depth analysis. If nothing else, you can always download a ROM of the game and load it up into an emulator, but a console, CRT TV, and original cart is ideal due to the absence of input lag. See below for more details on setting up your speedruns.

Setting up your runs…

        At bare minimum, you will need an emulator and hopefully a controller, but there are some things to consider when it comes to optimizing your run, improving the effectiveness of your practice, and keeping track of your progress. Note that the following sections will not provide information on streaming setups.

Choose your platform...        

First thing you should consider is what platform to play on. You generally have 3 choices: a SNES console in some form (SNES, SNES Mini, some kind of all-in-one console like a Retron, etc.), Virtual Console, and emulator. Ideally, you will want to play on a console with a CRT-style TV (one of the older, glass-screened TVs that use a projector or a cathode ray tube) in order to minimize input lag. This will ultimately help you be more reactive during your runs. I personally prefer to practice half on console, and half on emulator. My reasoning is that an emulator’s inherent input lag will require you to plan ahead a few frames of each input, training your brain and muscle memory to react with technically less time. This way, when you transition to console, you will be more highly prepared for each trick or input.

        Emulators are perfectly suitable, but it should be known that there are some emulators that are banned due to inaccurate emulation of the game. Banned emulators are ZSNES and SNES9x v1.43 and below. I personally prefer to use SNESGT, due to the “synchronous update” option which eliminates screen tearing in most cases. For more information on screen tearing in emulators, check out this page.

Choose your controller...

        As far as controllers go, you really only have two options, as any kind of turbo controller/feature is banned, and nothing else is really practical: SNES and SFC controllers. Internally, these controllers are basically the same, but on the outside, SFC controllers have convex X and Y buttons instead of concave, which many believe is more comfortable (like myself). If you already have controllers, and may be interested in restoring them in some form, you can consider buying some SNES controller refurbish kits.

Ultimately, you will probably want an original controller, rather than aftermarket. There are several affordable and decent third-party controllers, but be careful, as you often get what you pay for (some controllers are only $2 or $3 USD). It is worth it to spend the extra money on an original, used controller, as the D-pad will be softer and broken-in for you. Some tricks can be annoying or difficult with a super-stiff D-pad, but it all comes down to preference. Finally, I would consider giving this video a watch from my good friend Nintoaster_81 on how to maintain your SNES controllers.

Choose some optional software...

        There is a good bit of software that can also help you in optimizing your runs and keeping track of your times and progress. I personally use LiveSplit to keep track of my individual segment and run times. The generally accepted methods of split timing are as follows (using NMG as an example):

        Start when pressing the input to start a game on the file select screen.

Split every time you complete a boss, and Link does his spin animation and holds his sword in the air.

        End on the earliest frame possible upon entering the Triforce room after defeating Ganon.

        The only real exception would be the Hyrule Castle escape, where I prefer to split right when the altar starts moving when you enter the Sanctuary’s secret entrance. Splitting is non-essential in general, but it helps you keep track of your progress and time saves/losses by section so you can plan your practice sessions.

Choose some optional hardware…

Beyond this, some SNES accessories can also help vastly when doing console runs/practice. One such accessory is the GameSaver+, which allows you to save states like you would on an emulator, but on your console. You also might consider getting a Super Everdrive, or SD2SNES for loading up your practice ROM or randomizers on console. See below for links to the randomizer.

Choose your category…

        When you are first learning this game, it is highly advisable to start out in an NMG route, specifically Master Sword. It only requires you to learn the first few dungeons, is a short run clocking in somewhere between 25-30 mins (until you get good), and helps you learn a good amount of the fundamentals to running the game. It also allows Save and Quit (S+Q), so you can forego learning some overworld movement at first. Once you get confident, you can start looking into Any% NMG, which will test your memory and your routing skills. I would recommend getting confident with the route to the point where you do not need to have any notes, guides, or maps alongside you before moving into a bigger category like 100%.

        Glitched categories require a different type of skill and precision than traditional categories do, and are simply a different style of running the game. I would still recommend learning basic mechanics and tech in the NMG categories before looking into glitched play.

        Randomizers are a very different beast, but can probably introduce an overarching familiarity with the layout of the map and the locations of all items and chests in the game the quickest. It also requires you to think on your feet and problem-solve in ways that no other category really does. Not to mention, it is different every time, so you are less likely to get bored.

        Whatever route you choose, make sure you practice it as often as possible, and as you get better at the game, other categories will become easier to learn.

Understand the rules for each category…

        It is crucial to understand that each category has a different rule set that must be adhered to have any kind of a “legit”, submissible run. You can find the rules for each category on the speedrun.com page for Link to the Past. Generally speaking, S+Q is not allowed except in Master Sword, and you should never use any kind of advantage that accessories or emulators offer such as fast-forwarding, save states, turbo, or impossible inputs (like left+right simultaneously). It is also highly frowned-upon to intentionally die to simulate a S+Q because it is generally hard to prove. Just be sure to check the rules for each category before running to ensure you do not waste your time on a run.

Miscellaneous tips…

        Finally, here are some other unrelated tricks and tips to helping improve your LttP speedgaming... I would highly recommend watching LttP runners of all skill ranges. Never try to just emulate what the current world record-holder does, because many tricks they use are extremely rehearsed and difficult. It is wiser to choose what is simpler and more consistent for you when you are learning to run this game.

        This might seem silly to some, but getting someone else to physically help you manage your splits or your stream while running and practicing can help you focus and be less concerned about what happens outside your gameplay. While speedgaming is super fun, it requires your full attention to be truly competent and consistent at the game. Or you can be like me, and just run your stream to interact with people (that’s good too!). One thing I have also considered is getting a USB foot pedal just to trigger my splits without diverting attention from the game to the keyboard or something.

        Train your brain and muscle memory. Going back to the optional hardware, I would strongly recommend getting a GameSaver+ if you play on a SNES. The ability to grind a difficult trick in rapid succession is invaluable in the long run. Take note that the best time to save with the GameSaver+ to grind tricks is when the menu is in the process of closing (the animation of it sliding up out of the top of the screen). This keeps you from accidentally (embarrassingly) opening the S+Q menu during practice. Even when it feels like you aren’t hitting the trick consistently in practice, your brain is getting used to working with the inputs and it is “downloading” to your muscle memory, so to speak. Various types of memory and brain exercises can come in handy when learning routing, because it can be quite convoluted and confusing at times.

        The biggest tip I can possibly offer is practice. Speedrunning requires a lot of dedication and focus. Take your console to work, and play on your break, if you must. Any practice is good practice!

        There is a great deal of movement tech in Link to the Past that are small time saves from segment to segment, but can save several minutes over the course of a run when combined and used frequently. It is essential that some of these glitches and tricks are learned in order to have even remotely relevant times for Link to the Past. This section will contain a mix of tech, even minor movement glitches that are accepted in NMG.

Wall- and air-pumping…

        While this is easily the simplest tech to execute, it is also one that is complicated to explain. Air and wall pumping can save you roughly a few frames in some rooms, or several frames in longer Pegasus Boots-less areas, adding up to quite a few seconds over the course of an entire NMG run, for example. It can be fairly significant during the Hyrule Castle escape. Here’s how it works…

        Link’s running animation alternates between a 2-pixel movement, and a 1-pixel movement. When Link is moving north or west, it always starts on a 2-pixel move, while moving east or south starts on a 1-pixel move. Air and wall pumping allows you to reset Link’s animation while moving north or west in order to gain speed. This is exceptionally effective in water and on stairs, for example, as you move 1 pixel at a time more often on that terrain, but still start with a 2-pixel move if going north or west.

        To wall-pump, simply tap the D-pad towards the wall you are moving against. This resets the animation, and causes Link to move 2 pixels every time you tap. The speed gain comes when you mash on a frame that Link would typically move 1 pixel on. For example, if moving west along a wall to Link’s south, you want to hold left to walk, and then mash down to “pump” against it. Air-pumping is exactly the same, except you don’t have a wall, and can alternate which side you mash on. Mashing both sides in a 1-tile-wide space (like a staircase) can allow you to gain considerable speed if you happen to “pump” on a frame when Link would move 1 pixel, causing him to move 2 instead. Most runners pump with both hands on the D-pad, but some, like Solidus, can pump effectively with one hand by tilting their thumb. One final note: Never try to pump while walking east or south. This resets your animation to 1 pixel and is actually slower.

Reducing stair lag…

        This is a very simple tactic that saves you a few frames every time you exit a staircase in a dungeon/house/interior that faces south. Instead of holding down, hold left or right to immediately start moving at normal speed upon exiting the door jamb. You will notice that if you simply hold down, Link does a few stutter-steps before actually exiting the doorway and moving like normal. Reducing stair lag by holding another direction helps with this.

Quick-falling…

        After you obtain the Pegasus Boots, you can start using quick-falls. If you try jumping off a ledge, you will notice that Link will do a few steps in place before actually hopping down It can cause you to lose about a half-second. Once you have touched the ledge, continue pressing towards it to start jumping off, but quickly tap A as early as possible to immediately hop down the ledge. This does not work on ledges facing north, however. Instead, you can move diagonally, facing parallel to the ledge, and then initiate a dash to quickfall.

Key-dashing…

        All sprites/walls/blocks in Link to the Past are placed on a 16x16 grid. Aligning yourself on one such wall or block will line you up perfectly to dash through a locked door without bonking away. Dash-turning is often helpful for setting these up (see below). All that is required is that you are a multiple of 4 pixels away from the door before trying to dash through it. There are many opportunities to do this throughout the game.

Dash-turning…

        When attempting to initiate a dash, Link does a little bit of a cartoon wind-up with his feet, and you have a few frames to change your mind before committing to the dash. As you know, you can break dashes by pressing the D-pad in any direction other than the direction you are dashing. You can also do this to turn in place, and help initiate key dashes without moving away from your 4-pixel alignment. Simply hold A, press the direction you want to turn, and let go of A before the dash starts to turn in place. You can also continue holding A to simply start the dash after you turn.

Spin Speed/Hook Speed (J1.0 only!)...

        This glitch is an extremely useful piece of movement tech that can actually make a few sections of the game significantly easier in certain parts of runs, as well as significantly faster. It allows you to move at the same speed as dashing, but with full directional control. This trick is initiated in two steps. Here’s how it works:

        In order to use a Spin Speed glitch, you need to enter a glitched state, of which there are two ways to enter. The first way is to simply Hook Dash (AKA “Hook Speed” after getting the glitch, see “Item Dashing”). The other way is to charge your sword to full, release the spin, and then on the frame immediately after releasing the B button, you press A (AKA “Spin Speed”). Personally, I like to stand my thumb up straight on the B button, and then slide it across the controller over the A button. I manage to initiate the state about 95% of the time that way. The most common way this seems to get screwed up is pressing A on the same frame you let go of B, instead of on the frame after. In order to verify that you are in the glitched state, try pressing B again. If Link does not swing his sword, you have entered the state correctly.

        Once in the glitched state, you need to find a set of stairs. When you first enter a staircase (the ones you can freely move up and down on, not the short ones that “grab” Link and move him up and down automatically), there is a little transition area on either end of it where it slows link down to the usual 1-pixel-per-frame movement. If you simply touch this transition bit, and then step out, you will be able to freely run in all directions at the speed of a Pegasus Boots dash. You will be able to continue using the glitch until you either take damage, or cancel the glitched state. To cancel the glitched state, you have three options: leaving the current screen, initiating a dash, or jumping down a ledge. Note that even if you take damage after getting the glitch, you can still re-initiate the speed boost by touching stairs again.

Item Dashing (J1.0 only!)…

        Item Dashing is the broad definition for various types of special dashes initiated by pressing Y and A on the same frame. This allows you to initiate a dash and use an item at the same time, but the behavior varies from item to item. Some are useful, some are pointless. Some simply use the item and then start a dash on the same frame. However, here are some otherwise noteworthy Item Dashes…

        Boomerang (Boom Dash): Link holds the Boomerang out, and when the dash starts, he throws it. You can also press directional inputs at the same time you initiate a Boom Dash to throw the Boomerang in that direction. Just be sure to release those directional inputs before the actual dash starts. Otherwise, Link will not dash, and simply walk towards the direction you are pressing (since pressing any D-pad input any direction other than the one the dash is going cancels the dash), and toss the Boomerang.

        Hookshot (See “Hook Speed” above): Doesn’t do anything special, except set up the glitched state that allows you to use the Hook Speed glitch.

        Hammer (Hammer Dash): Probably one of the most useful in a lot of situations. Link holds the hammer over his head and starts a dash on the same frame. Interesting to note that you can instantly hammer all pegs in your path without stopping. Note that you cannot hammer enemies in your path. Instead, you will just take damage. The only way you can damage enemies is by stopping the dash by pressing a conflicting D-pad input.

        Flute: Noteworthy only in that it really annoys your viewers...

        Net: Starts a dash, and spins the Net when you bonk or otherwise stop the dash.

        Cane of Somaria: Drops the Cane block, then dashes into it, making it bounce away from you.

Pot Speed…

        This technically works with objects besides pots, but if you pick up an object and then run along the edge of a pit, you actually move significantly faster while carrying it. This is particularly useful when setting up tricks like the Hammeryump (see next section).

One-pixel movements…

        You can move precisely one pixel at a time by tapping diagonal D-pad inputs simultaneously for one frame. This is useful for making pixel-perfect line-ups for tricks like Bomb Jumps or Bumper Skip. Tapping right or down on the D-pad also starts Link’s animation with a 1-pixel movement, so if you have a method of pressing that input for only one frame, that works, too.

Bomb-jumping…

        This trick is quite necessary for a lot of big time-saves in dungeons and randomizers, and is fairly simple to execute vertically. 2-tile-wide gaps are crossable using some precise positioning, timing, and bomb placement. It sounds rather complicated, but it does depend on which direction you are trying to jump.

North jumps are quite easy, and there are two lineups for that. One method involves moving within one or two pixels away from the gap (by holding your sword out and backing up to it), and then placing the bomb, and waiting for it to explode. I do not recommend this method, as it is very common to fall in the hole you are trying to jump across unless you can consistently do 1-pixel movements. The other method involves moving within 6 pixels of the gap, facing left, and bonking the wall so you are mid-air right before the bomb explodes to get you across the gap. This method is the generally accepted one since it only requires some loose timing (the window for timing when you hit the ground is quite large), and imprecise positioning.

Horizontal bomb jumps are a different story. Most of the individual jumps are quite different and call for different lineups, but these particular jumps require greater precision both in placing the bomb, and where you stand when it blows up. Hammeryump, for example, requires pixel-perfect bomb placement, and pixel-perfect positioning of Link in order for the trick to work. Same goes for the Ice Palace Bomb Jump (IPBJ). Vertical bomb jumps are used quite often, so it is more prudent to get those down before studying horizontal bomb jumps.

Quick warping…

        A quick warp will allow you to save 34 frames on any transition between worlds. It works only by checking if the X coordinate (left-right position) of the camera is on a multiple of 4 pixels, so for every 8 pixels on the screen, 2 will allow for a quick warp. The Y coordinate does not matter. Link is a great tool for lining up various quick warps, but keep in mind that certain things can cause the camera to be offset by even just a pixel, nullifying your Link line-ups.

NMG (no major glitches) routes:

Any%.

100%.

Low%.

Master Sword.

Mirror Shield.

Glitched routes:

Any%.

Any% (No EG, DW, WW).

RBO (reverse boss order).

Defeat Ganon.

All dungeons (No EG).

All dungeons swordless.

Notes:

Route details below are intended to only show how to complete the category, and will not get into specific strategies. Route deviations are included, however.

Master Sword is the only route that allows Save and Quit (S+Q).

Blue text indicates beginning and end.

Red text indicates a heart piece location for categories that include them.

Bold text indicates duck, mirror, mirror portal, or blue portal travel. Italic text indicates a dungeon.

Underlined text indicates a route deviation or optional path/item.

START: Link’s house.

Sword, Boomerang, escape.

Sanctuary Heart Container.
Eastern Palace.

Pegasus Boots, Book of Mudora.

If you want to get Bottle(s), and the Net, now is a slower chance to do so, unless you choose to do Fake Flippers, then this is faster.

Desert Palace.

Fake Flippers to Death Mountain whirlpool, or walk to entrance of mountain.

Tower of Hera.

Master Sword, Mushroom.

Agahnim’s Tower.

Palace of Darkness.

Shovel, Flute, Bottle(s), Net, duck.

Fly to 2 for Magic Powder if you got Mushroom earlier, fly to 3.

Take portal north of Kakariko.

Thieves’ Town.

Bomb southern shack for 300 rupees.

Get blacksmith’s apprentice.

Mirror by blacksmith’s house, Half-magic.

Turn in sword, mirror portal, mirror, Tempered Sword, mirror portal.

300 rupees in house with U-shaped interior.

Skull Woods.

Mirror, fly to 4.

Hyrule Castle gate portal.

Quake Medallion.

Mirror, Flippers, take whirlpool outside Zora’s Domain.

Take portal to access Ice Palace.

Ice Palace.

Deviation option 1: If you are getting the Gold Sword and Silver arrows…

     Mirror, fly to 1, take portal below Tower of Hera.

     Mirror, Ether Medallion.

     Fly to 8, Ice Rod.

     Fly to 6.

     Misery Mire.

     Mirror, fly to 4, take portal below Link’s house.

     Mirror next to front of Swamp Palace.

     Dam to drain water, mirror portal.

     Swamp Palace.

     Grab Super Bomb.

     Mirror.

     Hyrule Castle gate portal.

     Fat fairy, Silver Arrows, Gold Sword.

Deviation option 2: If you are doing Tempered Sword route…

     Mirror, fly to 4, take portal below Link’s House.

     Mirror next to front of Swamp Palace.

     Dam to drain water, mirror portal.

     Swamp Palace.

     Mirror, fly to 1, take portal below Tower of Hera.

     Mirror, Ether Medallion.

     Fly to 8, Ice Rod.

     Fly to 6.

     Misery Mire.

Mirror, fly to 1, take portal below Tower of Hera, mirror.

Turtle Rock.

Ganon’s Tower.

Pyramid of Power.

FINISH: Triforce room.

START: Link’s house.

Sword, skip Boomerang, escape.

Sanctuary Heart Container.
Eastern Palace.

Sahasrahla for Pegasus Boots, 3 chests in back of house for bombs and rupees.

Book of Mudora.

Lower Desert Palace.

Desert Palace ledge HP.

Upper Desert Palace.

NE desert cave HP.

Fake Flippers glitch to Death Mountain whirlpool.

Bonk cave HP.

Tower of Hera.

HP under Spectacle Rock.

Master Sword, Mushroom.

Lost Woods pit HP.

Agahnim’s Tower.

Pyramid HP.

Palace of Darkness.

Dark world “hype cave” for 300 rupees from the transformed thief.

Shovel, mirror, Flute, mirror portal.

HP in cave on ledge south of Flute meadow.

Digging game HP, mirror.

Light World maze HP.

Bottle 1, Net, Duck.

Fly to 2, Magic Powder.

Fly to 3, Bottle 2.

Bomb wall in Blind’s basement for HP.

NW Kakariko cave for Bombs and HP behind bombable wall. Get rupees if under 310.

Take portal north of Kakariko.

Bomb southern shack for Magical Boomerang (contains 300 rupees if you have Blue Boomerang normally).

Thieves’ Town.

300 rupees in house with U-shaped interior.

Get blacksmith’s assistant.

Pegs.

Mirror, turn in sword to get it tempered, mirror portal, grab chest.

Mirror, bat cave for Half-magic.

Retrieve Tempered Sword.

Fly to 7, take chest to thief in desert for Bottle 3.

Fly to 3, take portal north of Kakariko.

Skull Woods.

Mirror, fly to 4.

Quake Medallion.

Mirror, Flippers, Zora’s ledge HP.

Take whirlpool below Zora’s Domain.

Take portal to access Ice Palace.

Ice Palace.

Mirror, fly to 1, take portal below Tower of Hera.

Spike cave, Cane of Byrna.

Mirror, Ether Medallion.

Fly to 6.

Take portal, Misery Mire cave HP.

Misery Mire.

Mirror in NE part of Mire swamp, NE desert ledge HP.

Fly to 4, take portal below Link’s house.

Mirror, Bombos Medallion, mirror portal.

Mirror next to front of Swamp Palace.

Dam to drain water, dam HP, mirror portal.

Swamp Palace.

Mirror for Lake Hylia island HP, mirror portal.

Mirror next to bridge to get to hobo for Bottle 4, mirror portal.

Grab Big Bomb.

Mirror.

Hyrule Castle gate portal.

Fat fairy, Silver Arrows, Gold Sword.

Mirror next to King’s tomb, Magic Cape.

Mirror for graveyard ledge cave HP, mirror portal.

Bumper cave HP.

Mirror, lumberjack HP.

Fly to 8, Ice Rod.

Fly to 1.

Turtle Rock part 1.

Mirror halfway through Turtle Rock (on the way to the Mirror Shield).

Mimic cave HP.

Turtle Rock part 2.

Through Hookshot cave to upper ledge for final HP.

Ganon’s Tower.

Pyramid of Power.

FINISH: Triforce room.

This section is related to the VT Randomizer hack, hosted here: http://vt.alttp.run/randomizer. This hack takes all items in the game and reshuffles their locations, with the purpose of attaining a goal set by the player using coded logic to prevent the player from getting stuck or “soft-locking.” The goals can vary depending on the type of seed generated, from simply defeating Ganon, to obtaining the three pendants to gain pedestal access, and so on. Randomizer has been getting a lot more attention lately, especially since the tournament that ended in June 2017, so I figured it deserved its own section. Here are the different Randomizer modes...

Standard: The base version of randomizer. Start at Link’s house in the escape sequence.

Open: Start with the option to spawn at Sanctuary or Link’s house. No free light cones. Uncle is already in the sewers, Zelda is already in the Sanctuary.

Swordless: No swords anywhere in the game. Curtains and vines in Agahnim’s Tower and Skull Woods are already open. Hammer breaks the barrier to Agahnim’s Tower. Medallions can only be used directly outside the dungeons they are randomized to open (they usually require a sword to use). Ganon can be damaged by the hammer. Silver Arrows are in all difficulties. Ether/Bombos tablets are inaccessible (they require a sword).

Alongside the different modes, there are different types of logic to follow depending on your tastes…

No Glitches: Requires no advanced knowledge, and is closest to “vanilla.” Prevents you from getting stuck or soft-locking, regardless of how you use small keys in dungeons. There are some situations where you may need to Save and Quit.

Overworld Glitches: Accounts for some of the “easier” clips in the Overworld in order to randomize more thoroughly. Two major glitches are required: Overworld clipping with Pegasus Boots, and Mirror Clipping. All minor glitches are also accounted for.

Major Glitches: Accounts for everything except for EG and semi-EG.

        Be sure to check the “Resources” section at the bottom of this document for things like maps and trackers because they are very useful in Randomizer. That said, there are tons of tips and other resource pages to get help with learning Rando, but I will try my best to compile them here. You may need to refer to other sub-sections to understand where some of the named locations are, since they are not always self-explanatory. Here are some general tips...

• Before jumping too deep into Randomizer, it is very helpful to take notes and keep them up next to you while running. Various tips to keep you from making mistakes should be recorded as you learn those lessons in runs.
• Keep track of what items are required to access certain areas of the game. You can lose a lot of time walking to a location, only to realize you are missing something to access the item location.
• Ideally, you want to strike a balance between clearing overworld locations, and dungeons. It is important to not ignore dungeons depending on what items you have, and how far along you are.
• Try to form a logical path where you can check multiple locations in a row. Try combining your fast travel methods with certain locations to make it faster, such as using the Flute to transport the Purple Chest. Also, be very thorough as you go along. As you get better at executing good movement and tricks, you can gamble skipping item locations that are otherwise closeby to save time, but you generally don’t want to risk leaving behind highly accessible items, since odds are, someone stopped by there and got it when it was convenient. It if it was an important item, you can lose time.
• Agahnim’s Tower (Aga1) contains no potential item locations, only what is required to clear it. You should only clear this dungeon if you desperately need Dark World access, Moon Pearl is on the Pyramid, or if the item in the Lumberjack Cave is required.
• Understand the map well, and utilize Save/Quit as often as possible to save time on Overworld traversal. It is allowed in all forms of Randomizer.
• Be sure to scout crucial locations you may not have access to when you are close by, such as…

• The map in both the Light and Dark Worlds.
• Lumberjack Cave (determines whether or not Aga1 is required).
• Library item in Kakariko South.
• Medallion requirements for Misery Mire and Turtle Rock.
• Item on top of Spectacle Rock.
• Lake Hylia Island.
• Bumper Cave.
• The Sky.
• Master Sword Pedestal.

• Dark rooms, or rooms you navigate without the Lamp are never required, but it can be very beneficial to learn some of the basic ones like the Old Man Cave, as the Lamp can be very distant.
• Minor glitches are allowed but not required or factored into the logic in the NMG categories. It is useful to learn things like Fake Flippers to check Hobo or Zora early in the seed. Other minor glitches like Spin Speed, Super Bunny, and Hovering can also be useful to save time across the span of the run.
• Consider some unconventional uses for items in dungeons, like the Hookshot to access the chest on the right side of the dungeon to skip the switch/Anti-Fairy room, or using the Cane of Somaria to hold down switches you would otherwise need to push a statue onto.
• Every few seeds, you will have the occasion to farm rupees. There are many important aspects to this, as sometimes the ability to early-access Zora’s item is very helpful. Here are some things to consider when rupee-farming…

• Prize packs are shuffled for all enemies in Randomizer. Some may have an affinity for dropping rupees if you pay close attention.
• Pull trees on the way out of the Escape and in the early parts of the game for a chance at getting rupees. One tree is below where you check the Lumberjack Cave, and the other is in Lost Woods after you check the Thieves’ Pit. There are 3 tiers of loot for tree pulls based on prize packs, so kill a few enemies between each pull to cycle the loot, if you can.
• The hidden cave on the way to the Desert Palace area contains 50 rupees. You can leave and re-enter as many times as you want to get more rupees.
• You can use the Chris Houlihan room to get 225 rupees per visit. Tutorial here.
• If you are truly desperate, you can try taking bottled bees to the bottle merchant in Kakariko for a chance at 100 rupees if you have a golden bee.

• Learn unconventional strategies for fighting some bosses, especially Ganon. There will be many situations where you may have to fight some bosses without a decent sword, or a sword at all. This is especially the case in Open mode, where you may go swordless for quite a while into the run. Also understand what bosses require which items to defeat, like Helmasaur requiring the Hammer or Bombs, Trinexx requiring both rods and some magic, etc.
• Try to get information on what will be required for “go mode” for the seed you are playing, or what will be required to stop searching for items, and start dungeon rushing. It is also crucial to analyze the maps for dungeons to see what keys (if any, in the case of Ice Palace) are needed. I recommend looking at the map, starting at the boss room, and working backwards counting locked doors and keeping track of where the guaranteed keys may be. For example, you know at least 1 key is guaranteed before the Chomp Room, plus another guaranteed key from the Hokkubokku (AKA Hokbok or “Pokey”). After the Chomp Room, you can see you only need the Big Key and 2 small keys to reach Trinexx.

Several other peoples’ resources and tutorials helped contribute to this guide, so I want to give credit where it is due. Please be sure to show your appreciation on others’ content in any way you can, be it with a comment, a like, a subscription, or a simple “thank you.”

ALttP Wiki: www.alttp-wiki.net.

Official racing/speedrun streams: http://www.speedrunslive.com.

Official leaderboards: http://www.speedrun.com/alttp. Also, see the “Guides” section for more tutorials!

Full game maps: http://ian-albert.com/games/legend_of_zelda_a_link_to_the_past_maps/.

General ALttP tips: https://goo.gl/97P3eB.

Enemy/boss stats/prize packs/etc.: https://goo.gl/6dj1ju.

Practice hack: https://milde.no/lttp/.

Andy’s Any%, NMG, no S+Q tutorial: https://youtu.be/CYF5JuhWYLE.

Fruitbats’ Any%, NMG, no S+Q tutorial (beginner-friendly): https://youtu.be/fBiCzWubXCg.

EchoJX’s Any%, NMG, no S+Q tutorial (beginner-friendly): https://youtu.be/3xnSjE-xqyg.

wqqqqwrt’s Ice Palace Bomb Jump tutorial: https://youtu.be/N6mD9YM8m7Q.

Superskuj’s Glitch outline: https://goo.gl/wvM8Xe.

MaddHatts’ Chris Houlihan Room entrances: https://youtu.be/b7i2AHjvPMg.

Old written guide by skarsnik: http://sr.nyo.fr/alttp/Alttp%20any.html#mozTocId144127.

Identifying cartridge version (plus other unrelated info.): https://goo.gl/tnGtuw.

Randomizer Discord invitation: https://discord.gg/MkYmA55.

Randomizer official website: http://vt.alttp.run/.

Randomizer official resource doc: https://goo.gl/qMhp2b. Includes various trackers for use during runs!

General tips: https://goo.gl/WNH8ji.

Synack’s “gotchas” guide: https://goo.gl/jxFJqJ.

Stat checker: http://smallhacker.com/alttp/stats/.

Glossary: https://goo.gl/zXbkF7.

Andy’s 100% locations tutorial: https://youtu.be/T0sSrY44PQ8.

Sakura’s locations guide: Overworld locations. Dungeon locations.

Sakura’s dungeon requirements guide: https://goo.gl/BpSmHq.

Sakura’s SRL/weekly Randomizer guide: https://goo.gl/AfbG9s.