A former speedrunner has discovered the formula to a particular minigame from the original Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time which, if used correctly, can guarantee players a Piece of Heart every time.
In the legendary 1998 title, players can partake in the Heart-Pounding Gravedigging Tour in the graveyard near Kakariko Village. For ten rupees, gravekeeper Dampé will dig into the ground and give Link whatever he unearths — which will either be a rupee of varying value, or the top prize, the health bar-expanding Piece of Heart.
The prize is random, but software tinkerer Poodleskirt has found a way to save players money and time — and speedrunners a 28 year-long headache — by calculating the precise moment to dig. As explained in ZFG’s handy video below, the key to success is hidden within Dampé’s blinking pattern.
The animation will have him blink either three or four times, and by repeatedly inputting these sequences into Poodleskirt’s custom calculator, it will initiate a countdown directing players to select “Yes” at the right moment to secure their reward.
The Nintendo Switch 2 remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time launched today and is available now. Nintendo Wire’s launch guide advises where to buy the various editions of the game, the new Zelda-themed Switch 2 console and Pro Controller, the Electronic Ocarina, and more.
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Written by Reece Heather
A veteran Zelda Universe editor and First-class journalism graduate, Reece emerged with a Nintendo 64 and a lifelong obsession after a narrow escape from Santa’s Naughty List in 1998. Outside of games, he’s reading Punisher comics, being bossed around by his cocker spaniel, and cornering innocent bystanders to rant about the importance of game preservation.
