Face Shrine Link's Awakening: Why This Dungeon Changes Everything

You’ve been slashing through Moblins and jumping over pits for hours. By the time you reach the Face Shrine Link's Awakening segment, you probably think you’ve seen the game's peak. You've beaten the Angler’s Tunnel. You’ve navigated the Catfish’s Maw. But Face Shrine isn't just another dungeon filled with keys and compasses. It is a psychological gut-punch that fundamentally shifts your perspective on what Link is actually doing on Koholint Island.

Honestly, it’s where the "hero" fantasy starts to feel a bit like a tragedy.

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Before you even step foot inside the main dungeon, the game forces you through the Southern Face Shrine. It’s a small, unassuming ruin filled with Armos statues, but it houses the most haunting reveal in Zelda history. You read a mural that basically tells you the entire island—every person you’ve helped, Marin, the kids in Mabe Village—is just a figment of the Wind Fish’s imagination. If you wake the dreamer, the world vanishes. It’s heavy stuff for a game that looks like a toy box.

Getting Into the Face Shrine

Actually reaching the entrance is a bit of a process. You need the Face Key from that Southern ruin I mentioned. Once you have it, you have to navigate the maze-like Ancient Ruins, dodge giant boulders, and find a specific pair of Armos statues guarding a secret staircase on a tiny island.

Pro tip: Use your Hookshot. There’s a gap in the underground passage that looks jumpable, but you'll likely fall. Hookshot across to the rock instead. When you emerge on the other side and use the key, the Face Shrine literally rises out of the ground. It’s an awesome visual, but the music that starts playing? It’s somber. It’s not the "let’s go on an adventure" vibe from earlier. It’s the sound of a man who knows he’s about to destroy a world.

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The L-2 Power Bracelet and Heavy Lifting

The big prize inside is the Powerful Bracelet (the Level 2 version). This thing is a game-changer because it lets you pick up those massive elephant statues that have been mocking you in previous rooms.

The dungeon layout itself is actually shaped like a face. If you look at the map, you’ll notice the symmetry. The puzzles lean heavily on this "face" theme, often requiring you to "enter the space where the eyes have walls." It’s a cryptic hint from an Owl Statue that basically tells you to bomb a wall in a room that looks like an eye.

1. The Chess Piece Puzzle: This is where people usually get stuck. You find these Knight pieces (one black, one white). You can't just drop them; you have to throw them. They move in an L-shape, just like in real chess. If they don't land upright in their designated squares, the door won't open.
2. The Crystal Switches: You’ll be doing a lot of back-and-forth hitting orange and blue switches. If you get stuck behind a barrier, remember you can throw a bomb, run past the barrier, and let the blast hit the switch for you.
3. Flying Tiles: Several rooms involve floor tiles flying at you. Don't waste your energy trying to attack them all. Just stand in a corner with your shield up. Let them break against you.

Facing the Boss: Facade

The boss of this place is appropriately named Facade. He’s literally a face in the floor. No body, no limbs, just eyes and a mouth. It’s creepy.

The fight is a waiting game. He’ll throw tiles and pots at you first. Again, the shield is your best friend here. After the projectiles stop, he starts opening holes in the floor. Do not fall in. If you do, you reset the room. The only way to hurt him is to drop bombs on his face when he appears.

It sounds simple, but the timing is tricky because he moves around. It takes about five or six well-placed blasts to finish him. As he dies, he drops one more bit of existential dread, warning you that you're making a mistake by waking the Wind Fish. Then you get the Coral Triangle, and the "victory" music feels a little hollower than usual.

Essential Gear Checklist

• Bow and Arrow: Honestly, it makes the Wizzrobes in here a joke.
• Hookshot: Mandatory for crossing the pits outside and inside.
• Bombs: You will go through a lot of these. Buy a full bag before heading in.
• Magic Powder: Useful for lighting torches to see hidden stairs.

Why the Face Shrine Still Matters

Most modern games try to be "deep" with hours of dialogue. Link's Awakening does it with a single room and a change in background music. The Face Shrine is the moment Link stops being a castaway and starts being a reaper. You realize the "Nightmares" aren't just monsters; they are the island’s immune system trying to keep the world alive.

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When you leave the shrine and the Owl tells you to head to the mountains, the tone of the game has shifted. You aren't just collecting instruments anymore. You’re completing a ritual that ends everything.

Next Steps for Your Journey

To ensure you're fully prepared for the final stretch of the game, you should head back to Mabe Village and check the shop. If you haven't bought the Bow yet, do it now—you'll need it for the Eagle's Tower. Also, if you’re playing the Switch remake, stop by Dampé’s shack. Completing the Face Shrine unlocks new dungeon tiles for the Chamber Dungeon editor that are surprisingly versatile for custom builds.

Finally, take a swing by the Color Dungeon in the graveyard if you haven't already. Having the Red Mail (double damage) or Blue Mail (half damage) makes the upcoming boss fights significantly less frustrating.