To get the Zora Tunic in the Ocarina of Time remake, free King Zora. As adult Link, carry Blue Fire in a bottle from the Ice Cavern back to the throne room in frozen Zora’s Domain and pour it next to him, and once he thaws he gives you the tunic for free.
It lets Link breathe underwater for as long as you like, and you need it for the Water Temple. Below are the steps, the shop option, how to put it on and where it matters.
What You Need First
- Adult Link. Zora’s Domain only freezes over in the adult era, so this is a job for after the Master Sword.
- An Empty Bottle. It carries the Blue Fire. Nothing else will do: your sword, bombs and fairy powers leave King Zora’s ice alone.
- A way into the Ice Cavern. It is past King Zora, across Zora’s Fountain. Our Iron Boots guide covers the route and the whole cavern, and you want the boots from the same trip anyway.
Step by Step: Free King Zora
- Reach the blue flame in the Ice Cavern and scoop some Blue Fire into your bottle. The first flame comes early in the cavern, and there are more on the way through.
- Finish the cavern and take the Iron Boots from the chest at the end. Sheik teaches you the Serenade of Water here.
- Refill your bottle at the flame before you leave, because each bottle of Blue Fire melts only one block of ice, and you may have used yours on the way.
- Leave through the water. Put on the Iron Boots with down on the D-pad and sink through the small opening. The tunnel comes out at Zora’s Fountain.
- Walk back to the throne room in Zora’s Domain.
- Pour out the Blue Fire. Stand next to King Zora, hold R, pick the bottle from the quick-select bar and press ZR. The red ice melts.
- Talk to him. He has a word about his missing daughter and hands over the Zora Tunic.
Our quick swap guide explains how the quick-select bar handles bottles.
How to Put It On
Tunics are the one part of your kit the remake leaves in the menu. They do not go on the quick-select bar or the D-pad, so open the menu with the plus button, go to the Equipment tab and select the tunic.
The practical habit is to change before you need it, then let the D-pad handle the boots. The game’s own text for it says: “Wearing this diving tunic made by the Zora, you can stay underwater as long as you want without coming up for air.”
Can You Buy the Zora Tunic?
Yes. The Zora Shop in Zora’s Domain stocks one too, at a price running into the hundreds of rupees. There is little reason to pay it. You need to go into the Ice Cavern for the Iron Boots either way, so the Blue Fire is on your route, and King Zora’s tunic costs nothing. Spend the rupees on the Great Fairy offerings instead.
Where You Need It
- The Water Temple. This is the big one. Play the Serenade of Water (L, R, A, A, Y) to warp to Lake Hylia, wear the tunic, drop into the water and put on the Iron Boots to sink to the door. Shoot the switch above it with the Hookshot and the bars lift. Our 1998 Water Temple guide covers how the dungeon’s water levels work, and our story on what Nintendo changed there has the developers’ comments.
- The Gerudo Proving Grounds. Its water room asks you to dive with both the boots and the tunic.
- Long stays on the bottom. The Piece of Heart on the floor of Zora’s Fountain, number 28 in our Heart Piece guide, is a good first test.
Without the tunic Link has to come up for air, so change before you sink rather than after. Our 1998 item list has the rest of Link’s kit, though some details differ in the remake, and every remake guide is on our Zelda hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do you get the Zora Tunic in the Ocarina of Time remake? From King Zora in Zora’s Domain, after you melt the red ice around him with Blue Fire as adult Link.
Where is the Blue Fire? Inside the Ice Cavern, across Zora’s Fountain. Scoop it into an Empty Bottle at any of its blue flames.
How do you melt King Zora’s ice? Stand next to him, hold R to pick the bottle of Blue Fire and press ZR to pour it out.
Can you buy the Zora Tunic instead? Yes, at the Zora Shop, for hundreds of rupees. Freeing King Zora gets you one for free.
Can you quick swap the Zora Tunic? No. Tunics stay off the quick-select bar and the D-pad, so change it from the Equipment tab of the menu.
Do you need the Zora Tunic for the Water Temple? Yes. The temple sits underwater, and the tunic is what keeps Link breathing down there.