The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past/Hyrule Castle

'A broad bridge spans the river in front of Hyrule Castle and leads to the main entrance. The bridge connects the royal fortress to the forest area, Link's house and regions farther south.'

Sanctuary
It is supposed to be a place of peace, but history shoes that the Hyrulian Sanctuary was once the site of a brutal battle. One of the oldest structures in the land, it is where Zelda goes for help when she first escapes from Agafnim, and the Sage there offers her shelter. He is a king man who will guide Link on the first steps of his legendary journey.

Sacred Ground
The great Hyrulian Cemetery lies just east of the Sanctuary. Buried there are some of the most famous people in Hyrulian history. It is an eerie and mysterious place, and ghosts seem to always hover nearby. It is said that some of the tombstones there hide, not bodies, but buried treasure.

The Castle
Hyrule Castle once welcomed all Hyrulians. It was the home to several generations of royalty who were worshiped by their people. Inside the castle, royal red carpets are rolled out over the castle's stone floors, and rich tapestries from far off lands adorn its walls. Many fierce battles were waged just outside the castle walls against outside attackers, but the Hyrulians prevailed—until Agahnim appeared with his sinister strategy.

Link's Cottage
Like the other homes in Hyrule, the cottage where Link and his uncle live is simple. It is furnished with a bed and table, both hand-crafted from logs bought from the lumberjacks in the north. The only unusual furnishing is a finely carved chest that sits in one corner of the room. The home is south of Hyrule Castle, just at the edge of a thick forest where Link and his uncle hunt for their food.

Leaving Home
Link hears words in the darkness; a plea from Zelda who is being held captive. He awakens suddenly and notices his uncle sheathing his sword. The old warrior looked grim. When his uncle was gone, Link hopped out of bed and opened the chest in the corner and took out the Lamp.

The Castle Gates
The castle itself dates back to early Hylian times, but its surrounding wall and gate were constructed in later years. Once long ago, people came from all over the kingdom to pass through them when they were completed. Now, however, one of Agahnim's spell bound guards refuse entry to anyone who arrives.

Outside in the driving storm, Link hears another telepathic message alerting him to a secret entrance outside the castle walls. He crosses the moat, then follows a path of stones until it leads to a bush. With a mighty heave, Link pulls the bush out of the ground, revealing a secret entrance.

Secret Passage
After falling through the hole, Link lands in a puddle of water. He stumbles upon his Uncle, fatally wounded. With his dying breath he gives his sword and shield to Link, and teaches him the secret Spin Attack technique, pasted down among the Hyrulian Knights (press and hold the attack button, on SNES or  on GBA, until the magic sparks reaches the tip of the sword). Link rises and enters the door on the left.

The guards in the next room don't actively attack Link but he does take damage if they touch him. The chest will contain a Lamp if Link did not collect one back in his cottage. Otherwise, it will contain a blue rupee. After collecting magic potions from the pottery, Link can use the now-powered lamp to light the room; this does nothing here, but lighting these floor lamps in other rooms can often reveal a secret or open a door. When Link is finished, he heads for the stairs to the left.

The Castle Garden
Plants from the far reaches of the kingdom were transplanted in the garden courtyard the fronts Hyrule Castle. Fine marble tiles from the moutains line the walk, and colorful Rosehedge and Orangecap bushes dot the carpet of grass. Guards observe the garden from the catwalks on the castle walls.

Badly outnumbered, Link has to battle his way past the enchanted palace guards that patrol the castle grounds. Hyrulian soldiers are heavily armed. Their shields bare warriors' crests and their swords are specially forged to withstand fierce blows. Link safely makes his way to the double doors that serve as the Castle's entrance.

Hyrule Castle
First off, save the Princess, and pick up some goodies along the way. From the entrance room head east and then north. Take either path, both lead to the dungeon. Once you reach the door head west and down the northern stairs. Kill the guard for a Small Key, and open the chest for the Map. You can now view the map at any time ( on SNES, on GBA). Unlock the door and head south.

In this new area you can knock the enemies off the edge with a little effort, but make sure they don't do the same to you! Follow the path until you reach the room with the horizontal overpass. Go to the far left here and up through the door. Kill the guard and the doors will unlock. Head right. Kill this guard for aSmall Key and open the chest for theBoomerang. This stuns some enemies for a short time (such as the soldiers) and injures or even kills other types of enemies. Head back to the left and then up through the door. Go down the stairs and down the other stairs, and prepare for battle! This miniboss wields a morningstar-like weapon that he can swing quite a distance. The boomerang will stun him, but unlike other enemies he shakes himself straight away and so recovers almost instantly. The pots in the left-hand cell all contain hearts, so refill there if you need to. However he can still attack you through the bars so you aren't safe there. After eight hits he goes down. The best strategy for killing him is to grab the pots with the hearts under them and throw them at the enemy, they attack at a range and it only takes 2 pots to do it. Grab the Big Key and use it to open Princess Zelda's cell. There's a Lamp in the chest if you don't have one already. Be sure to get it if you didn't before, as you can't progress without it.

Now with the princess in tow, return to the central room of the castle. From the southern entrance go directly up and don't stop until you come to the ornamental shelf. Zelda explains you can push it. Go in.

Sewers
Once inside the sewers it's very dark. Watch out for rats in this room. They typically run in a straight line and turn at right angles meaning they're mostly at the edge of the room, but they do run into pots or across the central areas. Make your way up and to the right and through the door to the next area. This one has snakes. They move much the same, but if they see you they'll dash towards you at faster than usual speed. The door is directly to the left of the one you came through.

In the next room are more snakes, as well as a chest with aSmall Key. The moment you come to a fork in the room's layout head right to find the chest. The door it opens is directly north of where you entered from.

In the next area all the rats are on a northern stretch of flooring. They can't swim so won't bother you as much as in the previous rooms. A solitary rat runs madly around on a tiny island in the middle. You can hit all the rats on the northen flooring with the boomerang then kill them all for Rupees. Exit to the West.

The next room is much the same. The moment you enter head up and then left. You'll only encounter a Keese this way, the other enemies are all on other floor areas. You can smash the pots scattered around the room for hearts if you wish. Anyway head north.

In this room a rat to your left has swallowed aSmall Key. Get it and then head to the top-right corner for the door, watching out for the Keese and the two other rats.

In the next room you can see again. Take note of the cracked walls on the left-hand side, once you have bombs you can knock them down. For now just kill the rats and head up and through the door by moving the middle block north one square.

In the next room just head down, killing or avoiding rats on your way. But now you're presented with a choice. The left-hand lever releases seven snakes, while the right-hand one opens the door.

Now you get a short cutscene where more of the story is revealed. Once they finish talking open the chest for a Heart Container. Now head off west and then south to explore Kakariko Village.