The Legend of Zelda/Walkthrough

This walkthrough uses the following notation throughout each quest. There are many things that are immediately available to you in the Overworld before you even set foot in the Underworld. You may choose to take advantage of that fact early in your quest, or wait until you have grown a little stronger instead.
 * This is a mandatory task that must be completed before any of the tasks listed below it.
 * This is an optional task that is listed at the earliest time that it becomes possible to complete.

Note that the GameCube disc, The Legend of Zelda: Collector's Edition, begins on the 2nd quest.

1st Quest

 * Collect the wooden sword from the cave immediately visible from your starting position in the lower right corner of section six.
 * Earn 60 rupees and purchase the Blue Candle.
 * Earn enough rupees (160, 130, or 90 if you have the Blue Candle and uncover one of the secret shops) to purchase the Magic Shield.
 * Collect some bombs and obtain the heart containers found in the lowest row of section four and the giant boulder in section one.
 * Use the Blue Candle to burn one of the trees in the upper right corner of section six in order to collect another heart container.
 * Once you have at least 5 total heart containers, head to the cave above the waterfall in section three to obtain the White Sword.
 * Travel through the Lost Woods and the cemetery to reach an area in section five where you can discover the Power Bracelet which will allow you to use the secret passageways found in section seven, section four, and section one.
 * Save up 250 rupees to buy the Blue Ring from the hidden shop located in the bottom left corner of section five.
 * Earn 80 rupees and purchase wooden arrows.
 * Obtain the letter from the old man in section one and then show it to any of the medicine women in order to purchase the Water of Life.
 * Locate and enter level 1 and collect the Bow, defeat Aquamentus to earn a Heart Container, and recover the first piece of the Triforce.
 * Collect the wooden boomerang in level 1.
 * Locate and enter level 2 and defeat Dodongo to earn a Heart Container, and recover the second piece of the Triforce.
 * Collect the magic boomerang in level 2.
 * Locate and enter level 3 and collect the raft, defeat Manhandla to earn a Heart Container, and recover the third piece of the Triforce.
 * Use the raft to collect the heart container found on the island in section one.
 * Locate and enter level 4 and collect the ladder, defeat a two headed Gleeok to earn a Heart Container, and recover the fourth piece of the Triforce.
 * Use the ladder to collect the heart container found on the far out dock in section two.
 * Once you have at least 12 total heart containers, head to the upper right corner of the cemetery and locate the movable tombstone to obtain the Magic Sword.
 * Locate and enter level 5 and collect the Whistle, defeat Digdogger to earn a Heart Container, and recover the fifth piece of the Triforce.
 * Increase your bomb carrying capacity in level 5
 * If you haven't done so already, you must purchase arrows in order to defeat Ghoma in level 6.
 * Locate and enter level 6 and defeat Ghoma to earn a Heart Container, and recover the sixth piece of the Triforce.
 * Collect the Magic Wand in level 6.
 * If you haven't done so already, you must purchase Monster Bait for the hungry Moblin located in level 7.
 * Locate and enter level 7 and feed the hungry Moblin, defeat Aquamentus to earn a Heart Container, and recover the seventh piece of the Triforce.
 * Collect the Red Candle in level 7.
 * Increase your bomb carrying capacity in level 7
 * Locate and enter level 8 and defeat a four headed Gleeok to earn a Heart Container, and recover the final piece of the Triforce.
 * Collect the Magic Book and the Magic Key in level 8
 * Locate and enter level 9 at Spectacle Rock in Death Mountain and collect the Silver Arrows.
 * Collect the Red Ring in level 9.
 * Locate and defeat Ganon in level 9 and save Princess Zelda.

2nd Quest

 * Note: The whistle is far more important in the 2nd Quest than the 1st Quest due to its power to reveal more secrets in the Overworld, including the locations of two heart containers. It may be worth your time to try and obtain it from level 2 before proceeding to level 1.  That will enable you to get the White Sword before you enter level 1.  Likewise, if you are brave, attempt to obtain the ladder from level 6 before or after entering level 4.  That will enable you to obtain the Magic Sword before you enter level 5.
 * Collect the wooden sword from the cave immediately visible from your starting position in the lower right corner of section six.
 * Earn 60 rupees and purchase the Blue Candle.
 * Earn enough rupees (160, 130, or 90 if you have the Blue Candle and uncover one of the secret shops) to purchase the Magic Shield.
 * Travel through the Lost Woods and to the cemetery and go to the north west corner of the cemetery. Push the second tombstone from the left in the middle row to find a man who offers Link a Heart Container.
 * Travel through the Lost Woods and the cemetery to reach an area in section five where you can discover the Power Bracelet which will allow you to use the secret passageways found in section seven, section four, and section one.
 * Save up 250 rupees to buy the Blue Ring from the hidden shop located in the north east corner of section one.
 * Earn 80 rupees and purchase wooden arrows.
 * Obtain the letter from the old man in the hidden staircase in section seven and then show it to any of the medicine women in order to purchase the Water of Life.
 * Locate and enter level 1 and defeat Aquamentus to earn a Heart Container, and recover the first piece of the Triforce.
 * Collect the wooden boomerang in level 1.
 * Locate and enter level 2 and obtain the Whistle, defeat Gleeok to earn a Heart Container, and recover the second piece of the Triforce.
 * Once you have at least 5 total heart containers, head to the cave above the waterfall in section three to obtain the White Sword.
 * Use the whistle in the north east corner of the desert to reveal a staircase where a man offers Link a Heart Container.
 * Use the whistle in the area just right of Spectacle Rock in section five to reveal a staircase where a man offers Link a Heart Container.
 * Locate and enter level 3 and defeat Manhandla to earn a Heart Container, and recover the third piece of the Triforce.
 * Collect the magic boomerang in level 3. (You will need to purchase Monster Bait)
 * Locate and enter level 4 and collect the raft, defeat Digdogger to earn a Heart Container, and recover the fourth piece of the Triforce.
 * Collect the magic book in level 4.
 * Increase your bomb carrying capacity in level 4
 * Use the raft to collect the heart container found on the island in section one.
 * Locate and enter level 5 and collect the Bow, defeat a three headed Gleeok to earn a Heart Container, and recover the fifth piece of the Triforce.
 * Once you have at least 12 total heart containers, head to the area of section three where the boulders are shaped like an arrow. Push the left boulder to obtain the Magic Sword.
 * If you haven't done so already, you must purchase arrows in order to defeat Ghoma in level 6.
 * Locate and enter level 6 and obtain the ladder, defeat Ghoma to earn a Heart Container, and recover the sixth piece of the Triforce.
 * Use the ladder to collect the heart container found on the far out dock in section two.
 * Locate and enter level 7 and feed the hungry Moblin, defeat Aquamentus to earn a Heart Container, and recover the seventh piece of the Triforce.
 * Collect the Red Candle in level 7.
 * If you haven't done so already, you must purchase Monster Bait for the hungry Moblin located in level 8.
 * Locate and enter level 8 and defeat a four headed Gleeok to earn a Heart Container, and recover the final piece of the Triforce.
 * Collect the Magic Wand and the Magic Key in level 8
 * Increase your bomb carrying capacity in level 8
 * Locate and enter level 9 in the north west corner of section seven and collect the Silver Arrows.
 * Collect the Red Ring in level 9.
 * Locate and defeat Ganon in level 9 and save Princess Zelda.