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This article is about the item used to find treasures and boss lairs in dungeons. For other uses, see Compass (Disambiguation).

Compasses are recurring Dungeon Items in The Legend of Zelda series.[1][2][3][4]

Mainline appearances[]

The Legend of Zelda[]

Compasses first appear in The Legend of Zelda. When Link obtains a Compass within a Dungeon, a blinking dot indicates the room where the Dungeon's Triforce Shard is located. In the case of the final dungeon, Death Mountain, it instead indicates where Princess Zelda is detained.

A Link to the Past[]

A Link to the Past Manual Description
A Link to the Past logo
Compass
The compass points out the location of the evil master of the dungeon.
*There is no compass in Hyrule Castle.
A Link to the Past & Four Swords Manual Description
A Link to the Past & Four Swords logo
Compass
The compass makes the dungeon boss's lair appear on the map.

In A Link to the Past, the Compass shows the location of the Boss on the map, as well as which floor Link and the Boss are on.

Link's Awakening[]

Link's Awakening Manual Description
Link's Awakening logo
Map and Compass
The Map will show you all the rooms of the dungeon. The Compass will indicate the location of the dungeon's Nightmare and the position of treasure chests that you have not opened yet.

In Link's Awakening, Compasses allow Link to see the hidden Treasure Chests on the Dungeon Maps and the Nightmare. A Compass also plays to alert Link whenever he enters a room with a hidden Key.[5]

Ocarina of Time[]

In Ocarina of Time, the Compass has the usual role of showing the location of every Treasure Chest in the dungeon, as well as the boss's location. A Compass also shows Link's location on the minimap and marks which door he entered from.

Majora's Mask[]

In Majora's Mask, Compasses have the same function and appearance as in Ocarina of Time.

Oracle of Seasons/Oracle of Ages[]

Oracle of Ages Manual Description
Oracle of Ages logo
Compass
The Compass shows you where to find treasure chests and the lair of the dungeon's boss. It also makes a noise when you enter a room that has an unopened chest.

Compasses in both Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages retain their role from Link's Awakening, including the beeping sound they make. However, Compasses have entirely different sprites, unlike most other things returning from Link's Awakening.

The Wind Waker[]

In The Wind Waker, Compasses again have the usual role of displaying the location of the Treasure Chests and the Boss of a dungeon. However, three dungeons have a Compass that each denote something else. In the Tower of the Gods, the Compass shows where the Servants of the Tower are located, while the Compass of the Earth Temple and the Wind Temple display the locations of Medli and Makar, respectively.

The Minish Cap[]

The Minish Cap Manual Description
The Minish Cap logo
Compass
When you find the Compass, you will be able to see the location of treasure chests and the dungeon boss on the Floor Map.

There are five Compasses in The Minish Cap, one in each Dungeon. They are all found in large blue Treasure Chests and as in other games of the series, acquiring it will reveal the location of all other Chests in the Dungeon that Link is currently in.[6]

  • In the Deepwood Shrine, the Compass is found in a room in the northern area of the second basement floor, where Link must push aside two Blocks to reach it.
  • In the Cave of Flames, the Compass is in one of the first rooms, accessible after Link defeats a pair of Spiked Beetles.
  • In the Fortress of Winds, the Compass is found in a room in the northwestern area of the third floor, after Link defeats a pair of Eyegores..
  • In the Temple of Droplets, the Compass is found in the southeastern area of the second basement floor, after Link defeats a Madderpillar on an icy platform reachable only by using the Gust Jar to propel a Lily Pad through the water.
  • In the Palace of Winds, the Compass is found on the first floor, on the right side of a dark room after Link defeats a Red Darknut and activates the blue Warp Point.
  • In Dark Hyrule Castle, the Compass is found on the first floor, after defeating a Red Darknute in the Throne Room. The room where it lies is equivalent in location to the room where Link first wakes up after being attacked by Vaati at the Picori Festival.

Twilight Princess[]

In Twilight Princess, other than its usual functionality from previous 3D installments of The Legend of Zelda series, certain Dungeons also have a Compass that display the location of something specific, similarly to The Wind Waker. In the Forest Temple, the Compass shows where each caged Monkey is located. In the Snowpeak Ruins, the Compass shows where every Cannonball is. In the Temple of Time, the Compass displays the location of the Ancient Statue required to reach Armogohma. Lastly, in the Palace of Twilight, the Compass displays the location of the two Sols.

Spirit Tracks[]

Main article: Compass of Light

In Spirit Tracks, the Compass of Light guides Link to the Demon Train.

A Link Between Worlds[]

In A Link Between Worlds, there is a Compass in every dungeon, and collecting it causes all unopened Treasure Chests within a dungeon to appear on the map.[7]

Spinoff appearances[]

Zelda's Adventure[]

ZA Compass

Seven Compasses appear in Zelda's Adventure, one in each shrine. Every Compass is numbered according to which dungeon they are associated with, in progression order. Compasses show Zelda's current location in the shrine where it is found, similarly to how a Compass functions in a dungeon of The Legend of Zelda series. Unlike other appearances, Zelda can use a Compass outside of a shrine to warp back to the shrine it is associated with. The Compasses appear in these locations, usually after defeating every enemy in an area:

  1. The Compass of the Shrine of Earth appears once Zelda has defeated every Keese in the room south of the crossroads area.
  2. The Compass of the Shrine of Illusion appears after Zelda has defeated at least the Wizzrobe pair in the western half of the tent room north of the vanishing bridge.
  3. The Compass of the Shrine of Air appears after defeating every Patra in the room east of the first Vapora fight.
  4. The Compass of the Shrine of Destiny appears after defeating every Gibdo in the first Jack room.
  5. The Compass of the Shrine of Water is in the room after the North Kelpi.
  6. The Compass of the Shrine of Strength is given to Zelda by the Water Bearer south of the Shrine's entrance.
  7. The Compass of the Shrine of Fire appears after defeating the second and last Blacksmith in the Shrine.

Hyrule Warriors[]

In Hyrule Warriors, the Compass is an Item Card in Adventure Mode, resembling its appearance in The Legend of Zelda. It is used to reveal which squares on the search screen hide a secret by making them sparkle. An 8-Bit version of the compass from The Legend of Zelda, called the 8-Bit Compass, appears as the Lv.★ form of Lana's Summoning Gate. It was added to the game with the Majora's Mask Pack DLC in Hyrule Warriors, and can be unlocked without the purchase of DLC in Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition.

In Hyrule Warriors Legends and Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition, Linkle has a Compass given to her by her grandmother, which has been passed down for generations.

Crossover appearances[]

My Nintendo Picross: Twilight Princess[]

MNPTP Compass Sprite

The third puzzle in the Picross series and the ninth puzzle in the Mega Picross series depict a Compass.

In other media[]

Ancient Stone Tablets[]



The Shadow Prince[]

Main article: Golden Compass

In The Shadow Prince, the Golden Compass does not have the usual directions of north and south. Instead, it has a variety of letters in all of its directions.

Nomenclature[]

TMC Forest Minish Artwork Names in other regions TMC Jabber Nut Sprite
LanguageNameMeaning
JapanJapaneseコンパス (Konpasu) (TLoZ | ALttP | OoT | ALBW)[8][9][10][11]Same as English.
NetherlandsDutchKompas (TLoZ)[12]Compass
CanadaFrenchCABoussole (ALBW)[13]
FranceFrenchEUCompas (TLoZ)[14]
Boussole (ALBW)[15]
Compass
GermanyGermanKompaß (LA)[16]
de-niwa:KompassKompass (LANS | HWDE)[17]
Kompass (ALBW)[18]
de-niwa:KompassKompass (LANS | HWDE)[19]
Same as English.
Compass
Same as English.
ItalyItalianBussola (LANS | ALBW)[20]Compass
South KoreaKorean나침반 (Nachimban) (ALBW)[21]
SpainSpanishEUBrújula (ALBW)[22]
Latin AmericaSpanishLABrújula (ALBW)[23]
This table was generated using translation pages.
To request an addition, please contact a staff member with a reference.

Gallery[]

See Also[]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 120 (TLoZ | ALttP | LA | OoT | MM | OoS | OoA | TWW | TMC | TP | ALBW)
  2. "You've got the compass! Now, you can see where the chests and Nightmare are hidden! This compass has a new feature—a tone will tell you if a key is nearby!" — N/A (Link's Awakening for Nintendo Switch)
  3. Zelda's Adventure manual, pg. 4
  4. "Compass: Use this while searching to identify where an Item Card can be used." — Tutorial (Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition)
  5. "You've got the Compass! Now, you can see where the chests and Nightmare are hidden! This Compass has a new feature-- a tone will tell you if a key is hidden in a room when you enter!" — N/A (Link's Awakening DX)
  6. "You got the compass! Use it to find the locations of hidden items." — N/A (The Minish Cap)
  7. "A compass makes all unopened chests in a dungeon appear on the map. No more hunting blindly for chests, once you collect this useful item." (The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds Prima Official Game Guide, Prima Games, pg. 22)
  8. The Legend of Zelda manual, pg. 22
  9. A Link to the Past manual, pg. 37 Nintendo Official Guidebook—The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past Vol. 1 (Shogakukan 1) pg. 29 Nintendo Official Guidebook—The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past & Four Swords (Shogakukan) pg. 13
  10. Nintendo Official Guidebook—The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Shogakukan) pg. 149
  11. "「コンパス」を手に入れた!
    宝箱と鍵のかかった扉の位置が分かる!
    " — N/A (A Link Between Worlds)
  12. The Legend of Zelda manual, pg. 23
  13. "Vous avez obtenu la boussole! Elle indique l'emplacement des trésors et des portes verrouillées." — N/A (A Link Between Worlds)
  14. The Legend of Zelda manual, pg. 23
  15. "Vous avez obtenu la boussole ! Elle indique l'emplacement des trésors et des portes verrouillées." — N/A (A Link Between Worlds)
  16. "Der Kompaß! Nun kannst Du sehen, wo sich die Endbosse und Truhen befinden. Und… NEU NEU NEU NEU! Ein akustisches Signal zeigt Dir die Räume an, in denen Schlüssel versteckt sind." — N/A (Link's Awakening, German version)
  17. "Kompass:
    Damit findest du verdächtige Orte auf der Karte.
    " — Tutorial (Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition)
  18. "Du hast den Kompass erhalten. Jetzt sind auf der Karte Schätze und verschlossene Türen sichtbar." — N/A (A Link Between Worlds)
  19. "Kompass:
    Damit findest du verdächtige Orte auf der Karte.
    " — Tutorial (Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition)
  20. "Hai ottenuto la bussola! Ora sai dove si trovano gli scrigni e le porte chiuse a chiave!" — N/A (A Link Between Worlds)
  21. "「나침반」을 획득했다!
    보물상자다 잠긴 문의 위치를 알 수 있다!
    " — N/A (A Link Between Worlds)
  22. "¡Has conseguido la brújula! Te revelará la ubicación de los cofres del tesoro y de las puertas cerradas." — N/A (A Link Between Worlds)
  23. "¡Has obtenido la brújula! Te revelará la ubicación de los cofres del tesoro y de las puertas cerradas." — N/A (A Link Between Worlds)
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