Ocarina of Time has no busier stretch than Castle Town, and the only version of it you’ll see alive is the one Young Link visits.
In Young Link’s timeline the town lies just outside Hyrule Castle, and it’s crowded. Four businesses open during the day, and another three open their doors only after dark. Together they cover shopping, minigames and a handful of upgrades worth having.
Ocarina of Time became a classic for more than one reason. Music sits at the front of the game, and its soundtrack ranks among the series’ best (Zelda concerts regularly perform it as one of their headline pieces). It also plays well, and the remake's arrival makes that truer still.
Ask the right person and the bazaar gets cheaper
The bazaar works as an ordinary general store, with an owner who stocks a range of basic goods. Two conditions apply. Bombs stay off the menu until you own a Bomb Bag, and arrows stay off it until you have the bow.
Before shopping, speak with the Hylian Soldier on the road to Death Mountain. That conversation cuts the shield’s price to 60 Rupees.
You can visit the bazaar during the day.
Fill your bottles at the Potion Store
True to its name, the Potion Store deals mainly in potions, along with items you can carry in a bottle.
Your best purchases here are Red and Green Potions. They’re cheap, and they can get you out of trouble in dungeons.
You can visit the Potion Store during the day.
The Shooting Gallery needs nothing you don’t already have
As soon as you arrive in Castle Town, the Shooting Gallery is available. Link already got the slingshot inside the Deku Tree before reaching town, so no extra errand stands in the way.
Hand over the fee and shoot down the targets. Finish the basic course and you’ll earn a larger Deku-Seed bag.
You can visit the Shooting Gallery during the day.
The Happy Mask Shop comes with its own side quest
No stop in Castle Town demands more from you than the Happy Mask Shop. It runs a complete questline made up of several steps.
Your first move is to talk to the owner and buy the Keaton Mask. Bring it to the guard watching the gate on the route to Death Mountain, at the top of Kakariko Village. Then return to the shop to carry the questline forward.
Forgot which character wants which mask? The NPC standing outside the shop offers hints on where each one should go. You can visit the Happy Mask Shop during the day.
Bombchu Bowling opens once night falls
Nighttime brings the rest of Castle Town to life. Bombchu Bowling works exactly the way its name suggests: point a Bombchu at the middle of the target and send it off.
Each attempt costs 10 Rupees. Among the prizes is a larger Bomb Bag (up to 30), a handy upgrade, though you don’t need it.
You can visit Bombchu Bowling at night.
The Bombchu Store sells one item
The Bombchu Store may be the most basic shop in the whole game, since Bombchus are all it stocks. These moving bombs help with both puzzles and enemies, and the store sells them in fixed quantities.
You can visit the Bombchu Store at night.
Come back to the Treasure Chest Shop later
Pay 10 Rupees and you can try your luck at choosing the right chest five times in a row. Get all five and the prize is a Piece of Heart.
The idea is straightforward, and completionists will eventually want to beat it, ideally after they find the Lens of Truth later on. With the Lens, you can see what’s inside the chests. You can visit the Treasure Chest Shop at night.
Castle Town is gone in the future
In the future, Ganondorf wipes out Castle Town. Playing as Adult Link, you’ll see that many of its features have relocated to neighboring Kakariko Village.
A return trip is still possible. Warp to the Temple of Time, return the Master Sword to its pedestal and travel back to Young Link’s timeline.
Step outside the Temple of Time and you’ll be standing right in the center of Castle Town as it was in its busy days.