The Minish Cap Walkthroughs
Chapter 1, The Past is Prologue

Link awakes in his bed as Princess Zelda has just walked into his house, where he lives with his grandfather, the Master Smith, to pick up the fabled Picori Sword. The sword is needed for the Picori Festival, which occurs every hundred years and gives Hyrulians a chance to pay homage to the Picori people who crafted a magic sword that defeated old demons that had attacked Hyrule. As part of the festival there is a sword tournament, from which the victor may touch the Sword as a grand prize.

When you get control of Link, go down stairs then to the right door to meet both Zelda and the Smith in his workshop. Master Smith will give you the sword to deliver to the Castle. As Zelda rushes out, don’t forget to open the chest in the room for free 20 Rupees.

Outside chase after Zelda as you two head north to the Town of Hyrule. Inside Zelda will get excited by the Festival and run off ahead. Follow her to talking to one old man, then another, and then the carnival game. You’ll watch her win a prize, a tiny Shield, which she then gives to you to defend herself with. How kind. Nevertheless, continue northward towards the Castle.

As you two run through the Castle grounds Zelda will be “attacked” by a Business Scrub.

"Apparently, the Scrubs spit seeds whenever they talk. Do this mean they were just trying to hold a conversation in all the previous games?"

Use your new shield to bounce back a seed at the Scrub, causing it to be distraught at the poor business prospects of accidently attacking its customers, and then fleeing away from you two. As such, continue on ahead and up to the Castle. When you reach Minister Potho (oh those silly Hyrulian names) he’ll relieve you of the sword and invite you to stay for the award ceremony as Zelda runs inside.

When the ceremony commences, the guards will bring out the Bound Chest with the Picori Sword locked on top of it. The winner, a young sorcerer named Vaati will then move forward, only to reveal his true intentions

"Vaati is clearly the same Vaati of the Four Swords games. This game is thus a prologue to all those games and how Vaati first became a giant angry cloud."

Vaati will smash the Sword and release the monsters in the chest, and then celebrate his evilness by turning the poor Princess to stone, despite your best attempts to the contrary. A perfect trifecta. He will then disappear.

Link awakens in bed later to find a nurse at his side. She’ll tell you the King is about to discuss the matter with Minister Potho and Master Smith in the next room. Go there and Smith will tell you to listen. Events ensue, and somehow you find yourself charged with going to Minish Woods to see the Picori (because they only appear to children, that is, you). Oh, and that the whole Picori Festival is a giant lie. Blasted secretive monarchies.

As a parting gift, the Master Smith will give you the Smith’s Sword and the Broken Picori Sword to take to the meeting grounds where the Picori can be found. As such, leave the Castle and head south. Be careful of Octoroks that roam the Castle Grounds.

After some short walking you’ll find Boss Carpenter Mutoh and the rest of the Carpenters Crew. The way to the Town is blocked apparently, so head right. Once in Lon Lon Ranch (unfortunately you cannot explore), head south until you cannot go south any more. Turn right and enter the Minish Woods.

From here you need to head rightward across the map then south when you hit the wall. Turn left at the turn and up at the stream. Suddenly you’ll hear a… talking hat… being attacked by Octoroks. Run over to save the locquacious clothing and he’ll thank you by following you. Run forward and get scolded three times, until Ezlo, as he is called, gives up and jumps on your head.

"If you’d like advice as to where to head next, press select and Ezlo will duly scold you. Hey, you asked for it."

Head south until you pass the stump again, whence Ezlo will emerge and instruct you to jump on it and press R. Do so and you will shrink to Minish-sized proportions. Now, head left, going through the log leftward until you find a small pond. Jump on a lily pad as it floats by and ride it to the top path. Go up and past all the acorns and you’ll find find yourself in Minish Village. You’ll immediately be swarmed by the wee ones, who will all then flee like tiny things tend to do.

"The Picori language consists of the following letters: P, I, C, O, R, and K. Oh, and they all talked like a Pikachu (and thus you will never hear another Pokemon reference on this website again)."

When the Minish are done probing you, head to the top left of this screen following the labrithine paths and go up to the next screen. From here head right to the wall and up across the bridge to a castle. Inside is your quarry, a Picori that doesn’t talk like a Pikachu.

"Okay, THAT was the last reference. I swear."

The fellow will reveal himself as Festari, the aboot of the abbey (not a castle, duh) that you are currently in and the shrine to the north. He’ll tell you to find a Jabber Nut in the Barrel House to the south. Thus, leave the abbey and head south, taking the bottom right path and following it right across the bridge until you are on top of a Barrel. This must be the place!

Go down the ladder and up, pushing the front box to the right of left and snatching the precious Jabber Nut from its pedestal. Yummah. Leave the Barrel House via the ladder and return to the Abbey. Instead of going inside, though, head left and north up the ladder to the Elder’s House. Inside talk to the old coot, and he’ll tell you that to repair the blade you’ll need the four elements.

Now, return to Festari, the other old coot, and he’ll step aside and thus open the way to the Shrine. Head up leaving the village and then north through both tunnels until you reach the Shrine entrance. Go on inside.