The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Guide | How to Win Treasure Chest Mini-Game

Here’s a guide on how to win the Treasure Chest Mini-Game in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

Game Guide by Ragib Rawnak on Nov 14, 2026

The Treasure Chest Game in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time looks like a simple game of chance, where you guess between two identical wooden chests in five consecutive rooms. Since the winning chest is completely random every time you play, trying to beat it through pure luck feels like a scam that drains your wallet.

Fortunately, you do not have to leave this minigame up to chance. By bringing the right item along, you can peek inside every box and guarantee a win on your very first try. Here is how it works to find the shop, beat the odds, and claim your Piece of Heart.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Treasure Chest Minigame

Finding the Treasure Chest Shop

You can play this minigame by visiting the Treasure Chest Shop located on the west side of Hyrule Castle Town while playing as Young Link in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

Here's the thing: the shopkeeper refuses to open his doors during the daytime. You have to visit at night to get inside. You can either stand in Hyrule Field and wait for the sun to go down, or pull out your ocarina and play the Sun's Song to instantly skip ahead to nighttime.

Once the stars are out, head into the alley on the west side of the market and walk through the open door.

Treasure Chest Minigame

Inside the shop, speak to the Treasure Chest Shopkeeper behind the counter and pay the 10 Rupee entry fee to unlock the first door.

In the five rooms, you will see 2 chests next to each other. One chest holds a Small Key to open the door to the next room; the other one has a single Rupee, which ends your run immediately if you have opened it.

Guess correctly five times in a row to reach the sixth room, where a large chest holds a Piece of Heart in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

Using Lens of Truth to Win

If you try to guess your way through all five rooms without help, you only have a one-in-32 chance of reaching the end. Instead of wasting hundreds of Rupees on bad guesses, wait until you unlock the Lens of Truth from the Bottom of the Well in Kakariko Village.

Once you have the Lens of Truth and a full Magic Power meter, walk into the Treasure Chest Shop and start the game. In each room, activate the Lens of Truth for just a brief second to look straight through the wooden lids.

You will clearly see which chest holds the Small Key and which one holds the Rupee. Turn the lens off right away so you do not waste magic, open the chest with the key, and repeat this process until you reach the final room in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Using Lens of Truth to Win

FAQ

Q. Can I play the Treasure Chest Game as Adult Link?

A. No, you can only play this minigame as Young Link. Once you pull the Master Sword and seven years pass, Hyrule Castle Town falls to ruins and the Treasure Chest Shop shuts down permanently, though you can always return to the past at the Temple of Time to play it.

Q. What happens if I beat the Treasure Chest Game a second time?

A. You can pay 10 Rupees to replay the minigame as many times as you want after winning the Piece of Heart. However, the final chest in the sixth room will only reward you with a purple Rupee worth 20 Rupees on repeat runs.

Q. How much Magic Power do I need to use the Lens of Truth?

A. The Lens of Truth drains your Magic Power slowly while active, so you only need a standard magic meter to beat the minigame. Just tap the item button to flash the lens for a split second in each room, and you will barely use any magic at all before reaching the end.

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