Getting through Koholint Island is hard enough, but finding the dungeons spans in difficulty throughout Link's Awakening. From walking right up to the front steps to being taken down a rabbit hole of tasks, every dungeon is different. The ups and downs in difficulty make it hard to keep rhythm as players traverse the terrain.
Some dungeons even require a mini-boss battle to either retrieve the key or unlock the door. It saves players a lot of time at least knowing the path to get there. Even if there isn't an intricate path to the entrance, it will chop travel time in half identifying the simpler tasks. Link's Awakening has nine main dungeons across Koholint Island, so players better get ready to explore.
10 Tail Cave
The Mysterious Forest holds the key to Tail Cave. Link's first step is through a tunnel directly through the first narrow path to the right. Clearing the tunnel and exiting, players will have to fight and defeat a Moblin before retrieving the Toadstool to the left.
Once back through the tunnel, players must leave the forest. Entering the glaringly obvious Witch's House, trade the Toadstool for some Magic Powder. Use the Powder on the raccoon that's guarding a tree containing the Tail key, located at the entrance to the forest in the upper right corner.
Then it's back through Mabe village, Southwest heading towards Toronbo Shores. After dropping off the first ledge, follow the path of trees to the right, this will take Link all the way to Tail Cave entrance.
9 Bottle Grotto
Once players return to Mabe Village they find out that Madam MeowMeow's pet has been taken. Back through the Mysterious Forest and to the witch's house, collecting the Heart Piece along the way, head North towards the Tal Tal Heights sign.
Turn right and enter the cave, it will be filled with Moblins spread throughout 3 separate rooms. Once defeated, Link can retrieve BowWow and deliver him home. This is short-lived as Link takes BowWow with him to the Grotto.
This time players will head out of the Mysterious Forest's NorthWest exit and proceed right toward the swamp. Moving across the top of the swamp, just get to the door on the upper right and enjoy Bottle Grotto.
8 Key Cavern
Once players have met Richard and received their quest to retrieve the 5 Golden Leaves, it's on to Kanalet Castle. Once at the gates, banana in hand, give it to Kiki the Monkey and he will recruit his gang to build a bridge for Link. Call Ulrira as players navigate through the castle to get various tips on finding each leaf, ending in the final battle with a Ball & Chain Soldier that will result in the 5th.
Once completed, return to Richard's House in Pothole Field. In celebration he will reveal a secret path to a chest, inside will be a Secret Seashell. Then Link must cut through the bushes outside and navigate the Pothole Field, in the top left will be an Owl Statue. Players have to dig in the dirt directly in front to retrieve the Slime Key.
Getting to the entrance requires a massive counter-clockwise loop around his field until players reach the water. Hop across the islands and find the entrance to Key Cavern.
7 Angler's Tunnel
Once Key Cavern is cleared, the owl will tell players to go to Yarna Desert. This requires going through Animal Village, a town to the South of Kanalet Castle. Talk to the bear and find out that Link has to go back and retrieve Marin to unblock the path to the desert.
Finding her at the right side of the beach, lead her back through the teleporter to Animal Village. Cross the field beside Chef Bear's house and follow the path down to find the Walrus. Once he does his dance and gets out of the way, players are free to roam Yarna Desert.
Head North and find the Lanmola, the main goal. It won't attack unless provoked so players can explore the area before facing it. Hit its head 7 times and it will give up the Angler Key. The Owl will tell Link that Tal Tal Heights is the next destination. Looking for a path East of Bottle Grotto, players must follow the path down to the fish-shaped keyhole, unlocking Angler's Tunnel.
6 Catfish's Maw
Catfish's Maw is one of the easiest dungeons to unlock because it doesn't have a key. Players only have to travel South of Martha's Bay. The entrance is placed dead canter in the middle of the water, fairly hard to miss. Players just have to dive down into the water and swim up to it, taking Link straight through the entrance of Catfish's Maw.
5 Face Shrine
Travel to the Ancient Ruins from Animal Village, where Armos statues need to be defeated before proceeding. This will lead to the Armos Knight battle, the holder of the Face key. Face Key in hand, take the road North to the Maze of rocks. At the exit, Link must swim to the island of 2 Armos and defeat them, opening up the tunnel to the entrance.
4 Eagle's Tower
Before entering, players will need to resurrect the Rooster by playing Frog's Song Of Soul at the Flying Rooster Whirligig in Mabe Village. This will allow Link to continue back to the Tal Tal Mountain Range, following the path to Angler's tunnel, all the way East to the first waterfall ladder.
Moving through the first cave, players will have to move boulders to open up the exit. The rooster is used to fly over the gap, leading players to Bird Key. The entrance is located up through the tunnel above the shack on Tal Tal Heights. The path is wormy but easy to figure out if players look at it on the map. Once out, clear the rock to the West and enter Eagle's Tower.
3 Turtle Rock
Another walk in the park, Turtle Rock has no key, leaving Link to stroll on through. NorthWest of Goponga Swamp, return to Tal Tal Heights and head West. Hookshot across the Broken Bridge and through the tunnel, on the top level Link should find Li'l Devil. Once players make it all the way West, a ''turtle'' statue should be waiting for them. This will trigger a boss fight that once ended will reveal the entrance to Turtle Rock.
2 Wind Fish's Egg
Hiding in the Mabe Village library is the last book next to the plant. Players will need their Magnifying Glass to read it. The last page of the book contains the directions through the entrance maze, something that needs to be memorized. Now head to Mt. Tamaranch via the path from Dampe's house, taking Link all the way to the huge, pink egg. Play the Ballad Of The Wind Fish and the dungeon will be revealed. Follow the exact path that was detailed inside of the library book.
1 Color Dungeon
For the go-getters out there, the color dungeon not only upgrades Link's look but his stats. It's back to the library for more clues to a puzzle and Pegasus Boots from the Key Cavern will be needed. The book hanging off the top shelf holds the code to the puzzle. After it's memorized, head to the cemetery East of the Mabe Village shop.
Link will have to disturb the cluster of gravestones to summon the Ghinis. After the fight, the gravestones have to be pushed in the order the book states. The staircase is revealed and Link gets some new threads.