Level 3: Manji Labyrinth
3.0Getting to the Labyrinth
From the starting screen, head up one screen, left five screens, down one screen, and then right one screen to find the entrance to the Manji.
You should have at least five heart containers by this point in the game. It is highly recommended that you upgrade your Wooden Sword into the White Sword before continuing. You may also want to go buy a Potion before going in to the Manji, as it’s much more challenging than the previous dungeons.
3.1The Compass
The entrance hall has only one door and no enemies, so enter through the door to come across a room with six Zols in it. There is a key in the center of the room; pick up the key and continue north. The next room contains more Zols. This time, you’ll have to fight them. Defeat them all to find a second key and continue north.
Then, you’ll come across three Red Darknuts (one of my least favorite enemies in the games). You can earn some extra bombs by defeating the Darknuts, but it is not required. Head through the western door.
In the next room you’ll find four Keese, four Blade Traps, and the Compass in the center of the room. You don’t need to kill anyone here, so just avoid the Blade Traps, grab the Compass, and then unlock the western door.
3.2The Raft
You’ll come across five Red Darknuts in this room. Kill all of them to unlock the south door; then, continue south.
If you want an extra key, enter the room north of the five Red Darknuts to find a room with three Bubbles, three Keese, and two Zols. Defeat the Keese and Zols to earn an extra key!
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- Fighting all of these Darknuts is suicide. Just run down the stairs!
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- Pick up the Raft, and run back towards the start of the dungeon!
Here you’ll find a stairwell and eight more Red Darknuts. Its best that you avoid these–you can get bombs from them if you defeat all of them, but it’s not worth it. Head down the stairs into a side-scrolling room with four Keese and the Raft. Grab the Raft, then backtrack out of this screen, up one screen, and right two screens to where you first encountered the three Darknuts.
3.3The Map
When you arrive where you first encountered the three Red Darknuts, enter the north door to find three locked doors and three Zols. Kill all of the Zols for a key, and then unlock the eastern door.
The next room has two Zols, four Blade Traps, and the Map. Grab the map and head through the south door.
In the room where you find the map, place a bomb on the eastern wall to open a shortcut that takes you directly to the boss, Manhandla.
The south door will lead you into a room with a sealed door on the east wall and three Red Darknuts. Kill all of them to unlock the door.
Enter through the eastern door to find three Keese, two Zols, and three Bubbles. Bubble can’t hurt you, but they will make you temporarily unable to use your sword and cannot be defeated. Kill all the Keese and Zols to unlock the northern door.
Enter this door to run into the Labrynth’s boss, Manhandla.
3.4Boss: Manhandla
Manhandla’s main attacks are shooting fireballs that cannot be dodged by shields and running into you. To kill it, you have cut off the four claws by slashing at them with the sword or blowing them up with bombs. The more claws lost, the faster he becomes, so it’s best to take him out as fast as possible. It is totally possible to take Manhandla out in one shot with a bomb if it’s well placed.
In any case, once Manhandla is dispatched, grab the Heart Container he leaves behind and enter the northern room to grab the next shard of the Triforce of Wisdom.
