Playing through The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time can be significantly improved by using the Zelda Notes companion app on a smartphone, making it much easier to track down collectibles like Golden Skulltulas. The Verge reports that the maps within the app help players locate elusive items, transforming tedious item hunts into a much more manageable experience.
Using the Zelda Notes Companion App
The Zelda Notes feature is hosted inside the free Nintendo Switch application, and users do not require a Switch Online subscription to access it. Inside the program, players can browse a comprehensive map of Hyrule and select specific regions for a detailed view. The app provides precise guidance by placing icons on the map to mark various collectibles. Tapping an icon opens a popup window detailing the specific items or prerequisites required to acquire them.
Additionally, the app includes several useful filters. Players can switch between maps depicting child Link and adult Link, as well as toggle specific icon categories on and off. The map has repeatedly proven useful for locating Golden Skulltulas, especially when the characteristic spider sounds are heard but their exact hiding spots remain unclear, even with the help of the new Echo Gem Skulltula tracking item. Consulting the map allows players to pinpoint precise locations and determine if specific items or time-of-day changes are necessary.
Finding Hard-to-Reach Items and Secrets
During a recent playthrough of the Shadow Temple, a player spotted a Skulltula while descending on an elevator but could not figure out how to reach it. Checking the Zelda Notes map revealed that the Scarecrow Song was required to spawn a hookshot target, prompting the player to prioritize obtaining the song immediately after completing the dungeon. The application has also proven valuable for locating Pieces of Heart that increase Link’s health pool.
While exploring Zora’s River, distant ledges held two Pieces of Heart that seemed unreachable. Tapping the corresponding icons on the Zelda Notes map indicated that a Cucco was needed to glide across, instantly explaining the presence of the white bird near the zone’s entrance.
Although constantly unlocking a phone to look up items can feel counterproductive for someone trying to escape smartphone usage during gaming sessions, the app offers a streamlined alternative to reading inconsistent online text guides, relying on artificial intelligence summaries, or scrubbing through lengthy videos. The quick, targeted clues have already helped the player discover more than 70 Golden Skulltulas, sparking a new goal to find all 100.
