Given how much we’ve complained of late about difficulties with Skyward Sword and our previously disclosed dislike for the Eldin region in general, one might expect that our visit to the volcano in search of the second stanza of the Song of the Hero would be another exercise in whining about life not being fair. We were not looking forward to the day’s play. We’d also read descriptions of this quest that made it sound too much like BOTW’s Eventide Island: Link would be stripped of all his weapons and potions upon arrival, the Internet warned us. This only added to our trepidation. We girded our loins for another rage quit extravaganza.
Luckily for all of us, a funny thing happened on our way to see Eldin the dragon. It wasn’t that bad! Moments of it were even fun![1]
Once we’d finished our Faron Woods concert with the Tadtunes and chatted up the finicky Faron, we departed for Eldin. We quickly learned the volcano was doing what volcanos do (i.e., erupting) and therefore our landing was as unsatisfying as the detour into Faron. Fortunately, that was the last real disappointment.
Yes, to be sure, the detour into the erupting volcano results in a crash landing and apparent capture by the Bokoblins who have staked out the region as their base. Link awakes in a jail cell and, as foreshadowed in our guides, all his earthly (or Skyloftly, we suppose) belongings have gone missing. (Cue Itzal’s growing anxiety and Demelza’s frantic page-turning of the iPad cheat guide.)
Another old friend, this time Plats the Mogma, arrives to save the day. In pretty short order, and with the help of the aforementioned guide, we collected the requisite items that had been lost in Link’s descent and hidden (in a manner never clearly explained) in treasure chests around the volcano’s environs. There’s some underground digging, some climbing, eventually some Clawshotting, but the entire quest sequence is imminently do-able and straightforward. Consult the map, move along, take the recommended steps, and, yes, you’re sort of cheating, but isn’t it more satisfying than the silly Spiral Charge or those off-key Tadtunes?
We thought so anyhow.
Just a few thoughts come to mind.
Zelder Tip #1 – when Link is underground there is a difference between “rocks,” which he can break, and “boulders,” which he must blow up. This difference was not immediately apparent to Itzal (although it was to Demelza) and nearly resulted in a snark-off between us.
Zelder Tip #2 – the Bokoblins really are quite deaf and maybe blind. You can stomp around a bit. And fear not! If they do see you, you aren’t booted back to the very beginning, which – despite what the Maria von Trapp told you in The Sound of Music – isn’t always a very good place to start (over). No Eventide Island, this. You start over essentially right where you were captured. No need for rage.
Zelder Tip #3 – Although your results may vary, we unearthed a fairy in the ground next to the Bird Statue near those evil Spumes. Have an empty bottle at the ready. Don’t waste it, as we did, thinking it would be rupees waiting to be dug up. You might need it after the Spume Room.
But, really, questers, that’s it! Not bad at all. Just bring along your turn-by-turn guidance from zeldadungeon.net (or your favorite online resource), and before you can say (as we did), “This whole section was designed by a much nicer team of Nintendo game developers” you will (a) have your Master Sword again and (b) find yourself in the presence of Eldin the fire dragon.
Does he make snarky comments? Does he send you off to find his band of merry notes, the Hot Coals? Does he suggest you return to the sky and cure some spirit of an undisclosed parasite, while singing the French national anthem and with one Joy-Con tied behind your back?
No.
He does none of that, nor any of the other nonsense that’s been the bane of our play existence for the last few sessions. He belts his verses of the Song of the Hero in what can only be called an operatic manner, basso profundo. And then you’re free to go.
Celebrate, as we did, with a drink we recently spotted on the menu of the Pacific Beach Ale House in San Diego. It was called an Imagine That. Since the phrase “Imagine our surprise” pops to mind about our day in Eldin turning out so nicely, we gave it a whirl. The menu only listed ingredients, not quantities, so we experimented (again, cough cough) and substituted to make it our own. You can find our recipe in the usual place.
[1] We must admit that Demelza, ever vigilant and somewhat shell-shocked from Itzal’s rage quits of late, was armed with the zeldadungeon.net online guide as well as the 2010 Prima Games guide. We highly recommend having such resources at your disposal when you arrive at the Eldin Volcano.