Rupees are indispensable in this game, having greater importance than in other Zelda titles. How many Rupees your team collects by the end of the stage determines whether you obtain a key from the Great Fairy after defeating the boss. The following is a breakdown of Rupee values in Hyrule:

* Green Rupee = 1 Rupee
* Blue Rupee = 5 Rupees
* Red Rupee = 20 Rupees
* Big Green Rupee = 50 Rupees
* Big Blue Rupee = 100 Rupees
* Big Red Rupee = 200 Rupees

Note that when all members of your team are at full health, then you have something called Rupee fever, which means the number of Rupees you collect is doubled as long as everyone’s heart gauge remains full. Rupee fever ends when a teammate takes damage. However, when a team member runs out of hearts and dies, how many Rupees your team has determines whether or not the game goes on. At first, it costs 50 Rupees to revive a fallen teammate. After that, the price increases every time in increments of 50:

* First time: 50 Rupees
* Second time: 100 Rupees
* Third time: 150 Rupees
* Fourth time: 200 Rupees
* Fifth time: 250 Rupees
* Sixth time: 300 Rupees
* Seventh time: 350 Rupees
* Eighth time: 400 Rupees
* Ninth time: 450 Rupees
* Tenth time (and thereafter): 500 Rupees

If the team lacks the appropriate number of Rupees when even one teammate falls, then it’s game over for everyone, and the team returns to the stage select screen.

These are golden partial Rupees that have no value of their own. When one player collects four of them, however, it’s worth 500 Rupees.

If you try to pick up one of these, you will lose a variable number of Rupees. The Rupees will scatter to the ground, and you (or your teammates) will have to pick them up again. This actually comes in handy, however, if you’re in Rupee fever since you double the amount of Rupees you pick up.

More an enemy than an item, this ghost will haunt your steps and steal your Rupees every time it makes contact with you. The only way to get it to stop following you is to touch one of your companions, at which point it’ll go after them instead. Eventually, the Rupee Wraith will go away after a time, so it simply takes some patience when one appears.

In every stage, your team will find certain types of seeds hidden under grass, bushes, rocks, or flames. Razor Seeds, which are red, will increase Link’s attack power, lessening the number of hits to subdue an enemy, for the remainder of that stage. Note that each Link can only collect two Razor Seeds per stage.

In every stage, your team will find certain types of seeds hidden under grass, bushes, rocks, or flames. Armor Seeds, which are blue, will increase Link’s defensive power, enabling him to take less damage from enemies, for the remainder of that stage. Note that each Link can only collect two Armor Seeds per stage.

In every stage, your team will find certain types of seeds hidden under grass, bushes, rocks, or flames. Pegasus Seeds, which are green, will increase Link’s speed, enabling him to walk faster, for the remainder of that stage. Note that each Link can only collect two Pegasus Seeds per stage.

Fairies are found commonly in bushes and sometimes in the wake of defeated enemies. Touching a Fairy results in a completely refilled life meter for the player who touches it. This is especially valuable in boss battles, so be careful not to cut up the shrubbery while in the thick of battle unless you’re in need.

Just as in other Zelda games, finding a Heart will renew Link’s life gauge by one whole heart. These are most readily found under bushes or after defeating enemies.

At the end of each segment of a stage, you will find a single Heart Container (i.e. for a total of two Heart Containers per stage). Obtaining one will add an extra heart to Link’s life gauge, enabling him to take more damage before dying. However, only one Link can grab a Heart Container at the end of an area. Let the weakest player grab it–or if you’re feeling greedy or competitive, grab it yourself before the others can.

Many areas have locked doors that Link must use a key in order to pass through and progress in his quest. Each key works once on a locked door. Keys are found more often than not in treasure chests lying around Hyrule. Note that you can see how many keys a particular player is carrying by seeing the key number above their heads.

This is the default sword that you will use throughout the game. Because of its mystical powers, it split Link into four persons so that together the team may vanquish the evil Vaati and rescue Princess Zelda. Note that after obtaining the Master Sword in A Link to the Past, your sword in this game will shoot beams when you have full health. Moreover, upon completing the Riddle Quest in that same game, Link will obtain the devastating Hurricane Attack, which is enacted by holding down the B button longer than it takes to do a regular spin attack and will result in Link spinning all around the screen doing a lot of damage to any enemies whom he connects with, as well as cutting up a lot of shrubbery.

This is the default item with which each Link is equipped until you pick up a different item from a pedestal. This shield blocks many enemy attacks (though not all) and is even instrumental in defeating some foes.

A traditional weapon in Link’s arsenal. Press A to ready an arrow, then release the button to let it fly. A useful long-distance weapon against enemies as well as for hitting various other targets. Unlike most Zelda titles, Link has an unlimited numbers of Arrows to shoot in this game. Note that you can hold down the A button for a charged arrow attack, which makes the arrow stronger.

These boots, also highly useful in this cartridge’s companion game, A Link to the Past, are just as handy in this game. With them, Link can speed through areas and charge through enemies, bushes, etc. An added bonus in this game is that Link can dash up slopes that would otherwise be too steep to climb. Note that you can also use the Pegasus Shoes to push a companion along if he lacks these boots (i.e. up slopes).

This is another long-range attack weapon, even if it lacks the range of a Bow & Arrow. However, it always returns to you. Weaker than the Arrow, it tends to stun enemies instead of damaging them. The Boomerang is perhaps more useful, though, for retrieving far-away items and hitting distant switches.

Bombs are useful for fighting slow and weak enemies, but more for blowing open holes in the wall–look for cracks in walls or on blocks wherever you go. Press A once to bring a Bomb out. Press it again to throw it, and then press A for a third time to detonate it. If you never detonate it, the Bomb will blow up on its own after a short time–but detonating it is useful if you’re not in a position to wait. Be careful not to get hit by the blast, however, as it damages Link a little.

Use this mantle to gain a jumping ability. Jump over enemies, obstacles, or especially pits. Press A to jump once, and for greater range, press and hold A again in midair to open up the cape and soar a little bit farther. This is particularly useful if you’re trying to catch a moving platform.

A throwback to Oracle of Seasons! Use this item to push or pull yourself toward or away from a magnetic target by pressing A. Every time you press A, your glove will reverse polarity. If pushing A once brings you toward a magnet, then pressing it again will push you away from the magnet, and so on. Even more usefully, you can use the Magnetic Glove to attract your teammates as well. Some of the most inventive puzzles in this game necessitate skillful use of this item in navigating magnetic blocks and bringing your companions along for the ride.

A unique item to this game (and precursor to the “Minish Cap”), wearing this hat shrinks Link down to a mere cluster of pixels. As a pint-sized adventurer, you’ll be able to access tiny holes that were previously inaccessible to you. Use this item to reach secret areas. You can grow back to your regular size anytime by removing the hat.

This is the rarest item in the game. If you’re fortunate enough to find it, BowWow will tag along with you devouring whatever enemies come into your path. Be careful, however, because if he nips a teammate, that player will lose Rupees.

These are special keys, held by the three Great Fairies, that decide whether you will advance in your quest or not. You must collect a key from each Great Fairy in order to gain access to Vaati’s Palace. On your first play-through, you must obtain three Silver Keys (one from each stage) in order to advance. Then in the second play-through, assuming all players have Silver Keys, the next requirement is three Golden Keys. On the third play-through, the final requirement is three Hero’s Keys. At the end of each stage, the Great Fairy will count up the team’s Rupees and determine if enough have been collected to earn a key. Requirements for earning a key per stage are as follows:
Silver Key: 1000 Rupees
Golden Key: 3000 Rupees
Hero’s Key: 5000 Rupees

After the boss fight at the end of each stage, your team will be evaluated by the Great Fairy of that region. In addition to determining whether you win a special key, there will also be an award ceremony for the player who collected the most Rupees in that stage (regardless of whether your team won a special key or not). The player who collects the most Rupees in a stage wins a Medal of Courage on their particular game cartridge; you can see the number of these Medals won on your save file. Once you’ve collected 10 Medals of Courage on your game pak, this will unlock the Riddle Quest in A Link to the Past.