The Nintendo Switch remake of the Game Boy classic The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening is finally here! And just like the original game, there’s a trading sequence sidequest players must complete before they can face the final boss. The trading quest in The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening differs a bit from other Zelda series trading sequences in that it’s mandatory to complete to progress through certain points. For completing the entire trading sidequest, Link will receive the Magnifying Lens, which allows him to see things that’re normally invisible.
The trading sequence in the Nintendo Switch version of The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening is almost exactly the same as the Game Boy and Game Boy Color versions of the game’s, and involves the following items:
- Yoshi Doll
- Ribbon
- Canned Food/Dog Food
- Bananas
- Stick
- Honeycomb
- Pineapple
- Hibiscus
- Goat’s Letter
- Broom
- Fishing Hook
- Necklace
- Scale
- Magnifying Lens
Keep scrolling for our full step-by-step guide to the trading sequence sidequest in The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening and learn how to obtain all the items!
1. How to get the Yoshi Doll
The very first item to get in the Link’s Awakening trading sequence is the Yoshi Doll. The Yoshi Doll is a prize in the Trendy Game, which costs 10 Rupees to play. This crane game is located in the southeastern part of Mabe Village, and just like real-life crane games, may cause extreme and violent anger in players. But the prize is well worth the sweat and tears! If you can manage to grab the Yoshi Doll with the crane, consider it yours.
2. How to get the Ribbon
Now that you have the Yoshi Doll in your hands, take it to Papahl’s house in Mabe Village. Give the Yoshi Doll to Papahl’s wife Mamasha to receive the Ribbon in return.
3. How to get the Canned Food/Dog Food
The next item in the Link’s Awakening trading sidequest is the Canned Food/Dog Food. Take the Ribbon you got from Papahl’s wife to the Chain Chomp (named ChowChow) in the dog house next to Madam MeowMeow’s humble abode in Mabe Village. In exchange for the Ribbon (Chain Chomps need to feel pretty, too!), the Chain Chomp will give you the Canned Food/Dog Food.
4. How to get the Bananas
The fourth item in the sequence is the bunch of Bananas. To get these, head over to Sale’s House o’ Bananas in Toronbo Shores. Hand the Canned Food/Dog Food over to Sale to receive the Bananas in return. The Bananas are required to complete the game.
5. How to get the Stick
After getting the Bananas, head over to Kiki the Monkey, who hangs out near the Kanalet Castle moat. Once the Bananas are in Kiki’s monkey clutches, more monkeys will show up to build a bridge to Kanalet Castle, allowing Link to progress. After they leave, they’ll leave the Stick behind, which you can go and collect.
6. How to get the Honeycomb
In order to get the Honeycomb, you’ll first need to have obtained the Sea Lily’s Bell from Key Cavern. This will cause Tarin to appear in the Ukuku Prairie. He’s looking to knock down a Beehive from a tree, and so he asks the player for the Stick in order to accomplish his goal of maddening a bunch of innocent bees. After a scene in which Tarin gets (deservedly) chased down by pissed-off bees, a Honeycomb’ll be left behind, which you can go over and pick up.
7. How to get the Pineapple
In Animal Village, you’ll run into a character named Chef Bear, who lives in a house in the southeastern corner of the town. He’ll ask Link for the Honeycomb in exchange for the Pineapple. The Pineapple is required to finish the game. After getting the Pineapple, the Chef Bear will tell Link that Marin can awaken the Walrus that’s blocking the Yarna Desert entrance by singing to it. If the Pineapple isn’t received (and, consequently, this advice isn’t given to Link), Marin will not follow Link to awaken the Walrus.
8. How to get the Hibiscus
Good ol’ Papahl, who gave you the Yoshi Doll at the very beginning of the trading sequence, has gotten lost up in the mountains since then. In Tal Tal Heights, he’ll tell Link that he’s famished and needs something to eat. Luckily for him, you have your hands on a delicious, juicy Pineapple. Give it to him and he’ll reward you with a Hibiscus he picked off the mountain.
9. How to get the Goat’s Letter
With that flower, head over to Christine in Animal Village. She’s a goat who loves eating paper and will give Link the Goat’s Letter in exchange for the Hibiscus. You’ll then need to take this to Mr. Write, whom Christine regularly corresponds with.
10. How to get the Broom
With Christine’s Letter, head to the west of Goponga Swamp to find the lonely Mr. Write who looks… strangely similar to that one Assist Trophy in Super Smash Bros…. and that one advisor in SimCity. Hm, weird. Must be a coincidence. Anyway, hand over the Goat’s Letter to get a Broom in return.
11. How to get the Fishing Hook
We’re nearing the end of the Link’s Awakening trading sidequest! The next item you’ll need is the Fishing Hook, which is gotten by talking to Grandma Yahoo, located outside Christine’s house in Animal Village. Granny Yahoo’ll tell Link she needs a new broom, and… what’d’ya know?! You just so happen to have a perfectly-good Broom right there in your inventory! Hand it over and she’ll thank you by giving you the Fishing Hook.
12. How to get the Necklace
Head over to the bridge at Martha’s Bay to find a Fisherman underneath it. Sadly, it appears he’s lost his Fishing Hook. Hand him the one Grandma Yahoo gave you and he’ll give you his next catch: the Necklace.
13. How to get the Scale
The penultimate item in the Link’s Awakening trading sequence is the Scale. To get this, you’ll need to return the Necklace you got from the Fisherman to its rightful owner: Martha the Mermaid. As a reward for giving her her Necklace back, she’ll hand Link one of her Scales.
14. How to get the Magnifying Lens
We’ve arrived at the end of the trading sequence! The final item, and the ultimate reward for all your hard work, is the Magnifying Lens. To get this, take the Scale Martha gave you and place it in The Mourning Mermaid — a statue found near Martha’s Bay. Once you place the Scale on it, it’ll move, revealing a cave in which the Magnifying Lens can be found.
With your snazzy new Magnifying Lens, you can now see things that were previously invisible, like the book called Dark Secrets and Mysteries of Koholint in the Mabe Village library. This book contains the sequence of directions of the Wind Fish’s Egg — that’s useful!
Have any questions? Reach out to us in the comments and we’ll be happy to help, and remember to stay plugged in to Nintendo Wire for more great The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening content!
More The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening guides
It’s dangerous to go alone! Check out some of our other helpful guides and walkthroughs for your journey across Koholint Island:
Written by Daniel Dell-Cornejo
Daniel is an editor at Nintendo Wire. Always with his head in the clouds, he is never apart from his creative thoughts – a blessing for an aspiring fiction writer. As a journalist and lifelong gamer, he aims to provide readers with the very best in Nintendo coverage.
