Ocarina of Time Glitch Found 28 Years Later Skips Hammer, Light Arrows

A new glitch has been discovered in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 28 years after the game's release, according to gamesradar.com. The trick lets players beat Volvagia without the hammer and Ganondorf without light arrows.

The glitch involves using a bottled item as a hitbox is disappearing to overwrite damage values. Combining the magic spin attack with using a fairy in a bottle is described as pretty consistent.

The same technique also works in The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, where the magic spin plus spring water yields powder keg damage. With some setup, the effect can be used to quickly reach the Goron Racetrack and Romani Ranch.

Speedrunners weigh in

Speedrunner ZFG said the glitch will be very situational because it relates to memory loading and unloading, and sometimes needs specific setups. He said the No Wrong Warp category can now skip the long process of getting magic in exchange for just the slingshot, saving a few minutes, while randomizer runs are the biggest winner thanks to beating Volvagia without the hammer.

Speedrunners are also experimenting with a method to get the slingshot for a potentially faster Volvagia fight in the All Dungeons category. The glitch reportedly works on the Nintendo Switch Online version of the game and on the original cartridge release.