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This week sees the release of the Nintendo Switch 2 remake of one of the most beloved games in the medium's history, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. But while many settle into long evenings of classic adventuring, the 1998 original is still offering up hitherto unsolved mysteries, 30 years on from its original N64 release.
As Ocarina of Time veterans will know, young Link encounters a friendly, if frightening, gravedigger by the name of Dampé, whose nightly "Heart-Pounding Gravedigging Tour" offers up a selection of items for the young adventurer, such as Rupees, Heart Pieces, or nothing at all. For years, players have attempted to understand the RNG (random generation) of these items in hopes of "gaming" the system, to no avail.
Until now... As former speedrunner and current tinkerer "Poodleskirt" appears to have found the key "tell" in Dampé's nefarious nocturnal activities. According to Poodleskirt, knowing the optimum digging time is hidden in Dampé's eyes - specifically in his blinking pattern. With the aid of a calculating tool, Poodleskirt has established an almost 1:1 recognition pattern of Dampé's dig command and the unearthing of the elusive Heart Piece. Check out ZPF's absolutely fascinating video above for the details, as well as visual evidence.
Like all of the best speedrunning/RNG tricks, it makes perfect sense just as much as it makes no sense. The ability to discover these secrets, and the needle in a haystack like nature of RNG trickery, is nothing less than gobsmacking. In the video, ZPF is playing Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D for the 3DS, so it is yet to be confirmed whether the same formula applies to the N64 or modern remake of Nintendo's legendary RPG.
So, if you're currently enjoying the Ocarina of Time remake on your shiny Switch 2 console, just remember to keep 'em peeled. Secrets, riddles, and solutions are hidden everywhere - sometimes intentionally, sometimes unintentionally - with clues as obvious as a cracked wall, and as subtle as the blink of an eye.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is available now on Nintendo Switch 2.