The Legend of Zelda

In time this page will hold more information about records, races, and strategies. We also have [records/ records].

Beginner Route

If you'd like to start running the game, it may be best to begin with the Any% category. 100% may sound easier, but it's better to be able to buy the blue ring, and to skip a heart container for a free potion. Here is a beginner's route for Any%. Note that in every Level you have to get the Heart Container and the Triforce piece, in addition to the items listed:

Level 2.
30 Rupee secret just northeast of Level 2
30 Rupee Secret north of that one
Heart Container north of Level 2
100 secret in the northeast corner
Optional: Letter
Candle in the shop east of Level 5
White Sword
30 Rupee secret just northeast of Level 1
Level 1. Get the Bow.
Heart Container south of 1
Level 3. Get the Raft.
100 Rupee secret south of Level 7
Blue Ring from the Blue Ring shop
Level 4. Get the Ladder.
Level 5. Get the Recorder.
(Use the Recorder to reach Level 2. Face up and press B, to increment the warp counter from 1 to 2.)
100 secret near the Heart Container on the south coast
Heart Container on south coast
Heart Container on the east coast
Heart Container (or potion, your choice) north of the east coast Heart Container
If you need Rupees: Recorder warp to 1.
If you need Rupees: 30 secret just southeast of Level 1
(Recorder warp to 3. Face up and press B so the warp counter goes from 2 to 3.)
Meat from the Blue Ring shop
Arrows from the shop south of the Blue Ring shop
Level 7.
Magic Sword
Level 6.
If necessary, buy potions from the potion shop east of Level 6
(Recorder warp to 2 Face down and press B this time so the counter goes from 3 to 2.)
Level 8.
(Recorder warp to 1. Face down and press B so the counter goes from 2 to 1.)
If necessary, bomb into the potion shop north of Level 1 for potions
Level 9. Get the Silver Arrows.

This route was designed without the 'screen scroll' trick in mind, so don't feel the need to be able to do it to play. It's capable of producing solid times, though it does too much walking and extra item fetching to be at a World Record pace.

Maps

The instructions above assume you know the overworld map, as well as where to get everything inside the dungeons themselves. For maps see NESMaps.com, including dungeon maps and a fully annotated overworld map.

Screen Scroll

The 'screen scroll' trick is useful for getting over overworld obstacles, as well as for clipping through blocks in dungeons. That means you get to some stairs without killing all the enemies first! Here's a graphic with some pointers:

Since the above chart was made, an alternate way of clipping through a block has been discovered by はる＠よつば. First, you get onto the pixel as in the above picture, with the top of Link's head lined up with the flat part of the block. Then, instead of doing a single-frame tap, slash the sword and press right or left. The sword slash, done correctly, will prevent you from moving. You will get the same effect as the single frame tap, so if you're positioned right, you will turn around. After the sword slash, walk through the block. This trick only works with block clips, not overworld scrolls or ladder clips.

Drops

The enemy drops are not random. Whether they do drop an item is random, but when they do drop, here's what they'll be. The counter starts at 0, and goes up by 1 every time you kill (most) enemies. Chart via Baxter at TASVideos:

However there's also the consecutive kill counter. Kill 10 enemies without getting hit and you'll get a forced, guaranteed 5 rupee drop from the next enemy that drops items (not in the X group). Kill the 10th enemy with a bomb instead, and instead of a 5 rupee you'll get a forced, guaranteed bomb drop! Kill 16 enemies in a row and you get a fairy drop forced, but only if the 16th enemy is capable of dropping an item (not in the X group).

Note that if the 10th enemy does not drop items (in the X group), then killing that enemy with a bomb means the next drop that does happen will be a bomb. Killing that 10th enemy with the sword or any thing else will mean the next drop will be a rupee, even if you kill the next-dropping enemy with a bomb. It's the actual 10th enemy kill that counts, not the succeeding enemy that drops items.

Note that splitting a Zol into two Gels, or splitting a Vire into two Keese, will not count as a kill or a consecutive kill. Killing one of those split Gels or Keese will not count as a kill for drops, but will count as a consecutive kill. Yes, there are some circumstances that are an exception to this. If the Zol/Vire is trapped against a barrier, it can sometimes trigger an extra 'kill' that way. A kill sound in place of a split sound is a hint to when this might happen.

Advanced strategies: If you avoid a fairy at the 16th kill, by killing 16 on a non-dropping enemy, then the next forced drop is at 20, either a bomb or a blue rupee. Every 10 after that will give another bomb or blue. If you do get the fairy, then every 10 after the fairy will be a forced bomb or blue rupee. So it goes like this: 10, (fairy at 16), 26, 36, 46... or 10, (skip fairy at 16), 20, 30, 40... depending on the fairy. Credit to Darkwing Duck for piecing these facts together while in Level 9 of a Swordless run.