Link has a complete 72 hours before the world ends. Before it ends, you must warp back through time. 72 hours equal a total of three days and three nights spread evenly of 12 hours.
Telling Time
The in-game clock is different from a real clock because you probably won't play the game 72 hours straight (unless you really, really want to!). Roughly one minute of real time is about one hour in the in-game clock. Days and Nights change at 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. The number going around on the outside of the clock is the in-game time it is now. If it's daytime, the hour number will have a sun next to it and if it is nighttime, it will have a moon next to it. The 1st, 2nd, and Final days are shown in the middle of the clock. If you slow down time, then the color that is behind what day it is will glow blue instead of the usuall green. (Green means normal)There is a little sun icon that rotates around and around in a circle. Every time it completes a rotation, it will have been one hour.
Messing with Time
Link is the Hero of Time so he is aloud to mess with time. If you talk to the scarecrow either in the Shop in West Clock Town or the one in the Astral Observatory, he will tell you what you must do to twist time. (He will also allow you to go to the next 6 a.m. or 6 p.m. as well.) Below is what you must do to affect time.
- Playing the Song of Time will warp you back to the start of the first day. It will also save your progress thus far.
- Playing the same notes twice (right, right, A, A, down, down) will ask you if you want to go to the next 6 o'clock.
- Playing the Song of Time backward will result of you slowing down time. While this gives you more time to complete things such as dungeons, this will also slow down everyone else but Link in the game as well! Play the Song of Time backward again will put the time back to normal
Saved or Lost in Time?
Before the moon hits, play the Song of Time and warp back to Day 1. However, some things are kept and things are gone. Here is a list of those things.
Things that will be saved
- Any new songs that you learned.
- An owl statue you activated.
- A major item such as the bow, bomb bag, and the hookshot you obtained.
- Maps that were bought from Tingle.
- Rupees that are in the Bank.
- Any mask you have earned.
- Boss Remains from a boss.
- Dungeon Maps & Compasses
- Great Fairy's gifts
- Any progress made in the Bombers' Notebook
Things that will be lost
- Ammo (includes things like arrows, bombs, magic beans, & Deku Nuts)
- Anything that is kept inside a bottle.
- People and situations will revert to where you once found them in the first place.
- Any high scores you made.
- You won't have any ruppes in you pocket (but you can get some at the Bank.)
- Chests that you have opened will have their prizes restocked (or have five rupees in them).
- Stray fairies that you find.
- Every dungeon will reset with the boss inside.
- Small Keys and the Boss Key will go.
- The Chateau Romani and its effects on your magic power.
Taking A Break
If you need a break for awhile, talk to any owl statue you have activated. Please read the instuctions carefully! Note that this is only a temporary save and if you start the game again and turn off you system without saving, you must restart from Day 1.