The environment plays a big role in determining the actions Link can perform at any given time. We’ve covered the basics; now let’s explore the many different situational moves and actions Link may perform based off his current surroundings.

Common Interactions

Link can interact with a variety of different environmental objects. All of these actions are initiated in the same way: by moving close to the object and then pressing the A button to interact with it. Here are some of the many actions Link can perform in this manner:

Speaking with characters

Talking to animals

Throwing pots, rocks, and other objects

Pushing movable blocks

Reading signage

Lifting pots, rocks, and other objects

Opening doors

Ladders, Ledges, and Vines

Link’s world is vast in all directions, including up and down. Very few areas in Hyrule are completely flat; just about every Overworld region and dungeon chamber features something that can Link can climb onto. No special button presses are required to make Link grab hold of a ledge, ladder, or collection of vines. Simply move Link toward any of these objects and he’ll perform the appropriate action automatically.

Move Link toward a low block or ledge and he’ll automatically vault up onto it. If the ledge is a bit too high, Link may jump up and grab onto its edge. Then press the appropriate direction to make him climb up the rest of the way.

While hanging from the edge of a ledge, you can make Link shimmy sideways in a hand-over-hand fashion. This can be useful when you need to cross a ledge that’s too narrow to stand atop.

If you want Link to drop off a ledge instead of leap, push the Left Analog Stick gently so that he walks over the edge. Link automatically spins as he falls and grabs hold of the ledge on his way down. Then press the A button to drop to the ground, or move the Left Analog Stick in the appropriate direction to shimmy sideways, or climb back up.

When climbing ladders and vines, simply use the Left Analog Stick to move about. Link’s not the fastest climber, but he gets to where he’s going eventually! If you decide not to make the trip, press the A button to let go and drop to the ground below.

Once you acquire the Clawshot, you can scale vines much faster than normal. Target a patch of vines with the Clawshot and then fire to zip up as far as you can.

Link can’t climb ladders and vines in wolf form, but he can grab hold of ledges if need be. This is especially useful when jumping from one ledge to the next!

In wolf form, Link has the advantage of being able to traverse wire-thin tightropes with exceptional balance—an ability he’s never mastered as a human. Use this trait to your advantage to help reach otherwise inaccessible areas.

Water and Swimming

Link is an accomplished swimmer. When he enters a deep body of water, he naturally begins swimming about its surface. Press the A button to make him swim a bit faster.

Link can’t hold his breath for long and won’t dive underwater on his own at first. Once you find the Iron Boots, you can put them on to make Link sink to the bottom of the ocean floor. Keep a close eye on Link’s oxygen meter when you do this, however. The gauge rapidly depletes until you return to the surface, and it’s lights out for Link if you don’t get there in time!

Once you acquire the Zora Armor, Link can swim about underwater like a fish. He no longer runs out of oxygen and can dive down as deep as he pleases.

Still, to perform any underwater actions, Link must don his Iron Boots so he can stand up straight on the ocean floor. With the Iron Boots equipped, Link can open submerged treasure chests, use Water Bombs to clear away underwater Bomb Rocks, lift sunken rocks and pots, and so on.

Long Drops and Short Stops

It doesn’t take long for Link to encounter areas of the Overworld that are so high up that a fall would be fatal. In most cases, when Link plummets into a bottomless chasm, he’s returned to the point from which he fell, with one less Heart in his Heart meter.

Not every fall is a fatal one, of course. A long drop onto solid ground may sting a bit, but it usually isn’t fatal. In fact, Link can plummet quite a surprisingly long distance before the impact starts to inflict damage.

Fire and Lava

Link starts feeling the heat when he nears the top of Death Mountain. Fire becomes an enemy all itself, with giant flaming boulders cascading down all around him. But things really get toasty once Link enters the Goron Mines, where lakes of lava and columns of searing flame are all too common.

Running into a fiery spire is never a good idea, but taking the plunge into a molten inferno is about the worst thing that can happen! The effect is very similar to slipping into a bottomless pit; Link restarts at the point from which he entered the chamber, sans two Hearts.

It may seem obvious that items made of wood are flammable, but the reality can be shocking when your Wooden Shield unexpectedly burns up due to a nasty dose of a Dodongo’s flame breath! Make sure to bring a metal shield when exploring areas in which fire is part of the natural feng shui.

Waking the Wind

It’s everywhere, and although you can’t see it, you’ll eventually learn to respect the raw power displayed by a forceful gale of wind! Depending on the current situation, powerful drafts can be obstacles to overcome, or methods of reaching otherwise inaccessible areas. When faced with an overwhelming gust of wind that’s blowing you away, slap on those Iron Boots and do your best to hang in there!

Looking to rise to new heights? With a Cucco or an Oocca at hand, updrafts become virtual elevators, allowing you to reach tall platforms and progress to unexplored areas. Handy!

Snow and Cold

Some areas of the Overworld are hostile by themselves, with or without the monsters that lurk there! Peak Province is one such place. The icy waters you must traverse in the entry area aren’t meant for swimming. Don’t even try it!

Naturally, monsters who give off a freezing aura are similarly chilling encounters. Being touched means getting frozen for a few moments, during which your health slowly melts away. Keep your distance from such cold-hearted foes and do your best to avoid this frosty fate!