As you make your way through Link's Awakening, you've probably encountered characters who have either asked you for some weird items or given you some. These characters are part of a trading quest that spans the entire game, and while not necessary, is nonetheless recommended to do before you beat the game. Essentially, you start with one item and then trade it to a character for another, which you then exchange for another, and so forth until you have items that are useful to you.
How to complete the trading quest in Link's Awakening
You'll be working on this quest as you make your way through multiple dungeons, and won't be done until the very end of the game. But don't worry! Despite being a bit winding and long, the trading quest is very easy to finish, with a cool reward at the end. Here's how to do it!
- Play the Trendy Game in Mabe Village and win the Yoshi Doll.
- Give the Yoshi Doll to Mamasha in the big house (with all the beds) in Mabe Village to receive a Ribbon.
- In Mabe Village, visit the house with the Chain Chomp outside and give the Ribbon to the small Chain Chomp inside the right-hand building. She'll give you Dog Food.
- South of Mabe Village on Toronbo Shores, enter the blue-roofed hut and give Sale the food for Bananas.
- At this point, you'll have to hold onto the Bananas until you're on your way to Kanalet Castle. You'll reach a dead-end near the castle that's guarded by a monkey named Kiki. Give them the Bananas for a bridge that will let you progress, as well as a Stick.
- The Stick is for Tarin, who you'll find near the Warp Point in Ukuku Prairie (close to the village) trying to shake down a beehive. Reluctantly hand it over for him to poke the next, and when he's gone pick up the HoneyComb.
- When you reach Animal Village, a bear chef in one of the houses will accept your Honeycomb and give you a Pineapple in return.
- Once you can dash, swim, and lift boulders, Tal Tal Heights will open up to you, and you can find Papahl, who's very hungry. Offer him the Pineapple for a Hibiscus.
- Head back to Animal Village with the Hibiscus and give it to Christine, a goat in one of the houses, in exchange for a Letter. (Return once you've delivered it for a Seashell!)
- The Letter is addressed to Mr. Wright, who you met earlier in the game north of forest and just west of the swamp. He'll give you a Broom in exchange.
- Backtrack again, either to Mabe Village if you've not woken up the walrus yet with Marin or Animal Village if you have, and give the Broom to Grandma Ulrira for a Fish Hook.
- Now that you have the flippers, you can swim under the bridge in Martha's Bay (just south of the Owl Statue) to meet a fisherman, who will take the Fish Hook in exchange for a Necklace.
- You don't have to go far for this one, and you're almost done. Leaving the bridge, swim to the north into an open area of water and speak to the Mermaid, who wants her Necklace back and will give you a Scale for it.
- Finally, once you've finished the fifth dungeon and have the Hookshot, you can cross a large gap in Martha's Bay and reach the Mermaid Statue. Place the Scale on the statue, which will open a cave that holds the Magnifying Lens. Be careful! There are hidden enemies in the room. Just keep going and try to avoid them until you get the item.
- The Magnifying Lens can then be used to read the book in the bottom right of the library in Mabe Village, which will instruct you on how to finish the game's final dungeon.
The trading sequence is easy enough to do, though it's not technically required past giving the Bananas to the Monkeys to cross the bridge to the castle. The Magnifying Lens gives you directions through the final dungeon, but if you look online or know the instructions already from playing the game before, you don't need to rely on it. However, getting the Magnifying Lens does allow you to get the Boomerang.
How do I get the Boomerang?
The Magnifying Glass lets you see hidden things, and it just so happens that there's a hidden NPC that gives the Boomerang only to those who can see him. He's located on Toronbo Shoes. From Sale's house, drop down to the lowest level (near the waterline) and head slightly east until you see a cracked wall. Bomb it, and you'll enter a cave where an NPC named Goriya will trade you the Boomerang in exchange for another item you have on your person. Give him something you don't need, like the Shovel, and enjoy your new Boomerang.
Are these items required?
No, you don't need the Boomerang to do anything in Link's Awakening, though it is beneficial to be able to hit or stun enemies from a distance without wasting arrows. And, though it does reveal an invisible NPC in a house in Animal Village (the empty home in the corner where you hear a weird noise when you walk in) the magnifying glass is not necessary either. The hidden animal simply tells you where to find Goriya...and gives you a Seashell for your trouble!
Our top equipment picks
Everything you need to set out on your adventure on Koholint Island.
Awake the wind fish
Link finds himself stranded on a strange island that exists in the shadow of a massive egg. The egg is said to house the sleeping Wind Fish, whom Link must awaken if he ever wants to leave. Our hero must journey across Koholint Island and obtain eight magical instruments across eight dungeons to play the ballad that will send him home.
Additional Equipment
If you want to experience everything Link's Awakening has to offer fully, you may also need to pick these up:
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening amiibo ($16 at GameStop)
This tiny friend can be tapped in the game's Dungeon Creator mode to send a Shadow Link scurrying after you, hindering your progress. Add it for an extra cute challenge!
ButterFox Carrying Case ($11 at Amazon)
Keep your adventures on Koholint Island safe with an inexpensive traveling case for the Nintendo Switch. It can hold 19 games, the Switch itself, and multiple cables and Joy-Con controllers.
Nintendo Switch Lite ($200 at Amazon)
If you're obsessed with gaming on the go, consider the Nintendo Switch Lite as an alternative or addition to the regular Nintendo Switch. It's smaller, cheaper, more durable for if you have kids playing the system, and comes in fun colors like yellow and turquoise. It can't dock on a TV, but if you're primarily a handheld gamer, this may be the best option for you.
