Octoball Derby

Master the Octoball Derby mini-game in The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds! Learn the best strategies to hit pots, trigger the crow, and earn that Heart Piece.

Alright, so you've stumbled upon the Octoball Derby, huh? This little mini-game can be a bit of a head-scratcher, but don't worry, I'll walk you through it. The goal here is to hit 100 points to snag a Heart Piece, and the best way to do that is by hitting pots and triggering the special bearing crow for big points.

How to Play:

First off, let's get the controls down. You use the circle pad to adjust your batting stance. Hold it DOWN to aim for the far-off trees, UP for the area directly in front of you, or leave it neutral for the middle ground. Once you've got your stance, press B to swing. The timing of your swing is super important – hitting the ball early sends it more to the right, and hitting it late sends it more to the left. Miss the timing completely, and, well, you'll miss the ball!

Strategy for Success:

The key to getting those 100 points is hitting three pots in a row to make the 20-point bearing crow appear. You only need five of these crows to get the Heart Piece, and even golden pots are only worth five points each, so focusing on the crows is your best bet. We want a system that makes sure you don't miss any pots.

Here’s a breakdown of how to hit those pots consistently:

• For pots to your RIGHT:
  • Hold UP and strike the ball early to hit one of the closer pots right in front of you.
  • Don’t hold anything on the circle pad and strike early to hit one of the slightly further away pots to your right.
  • Hold DOWN and strike the ball early to hit one of the pots on the trees to your right.
• Triggering the Crow: After hitting three pots in a row using the methods above, a crow will appear. Just hit the ball earlier than usual, and it should home in on the crow for a sweet 20 points!
• For pots to your LEFT:
  • Hold UP and strike the ball later to hit one of the closer pots to your left.
  • Don’t hold anything on the circle pad and strike later to hit one of the slightly further away pots to your left.
  • Hold DOWN and strike the ball later to hit one of the pots on the trees to your left.
• Triggering the Crow Again: Similar to the right side, after hitting three pots on the left, hit the ball earlier and watch it fly towards the crow for another 20 points.
• Extra Points: If you're feeling confident with your timing, you can repeat steps 1-8 to score even more points. Aim for the pots from closest to farthest away in that order.
• Resetting Pots: See those crabs? If you hit one (hold UP to keep the ball low), it'll reset any broken pots on the field, giving you more chances.

Stick to this system, and you'll be smashing pots and racking up points way easier than just randomly swinging. The crow is your main point-earner, but if you can snag a golden pot while you're at it, even better!

Don't forget, there's a video guide linked above if you want to see this strategy in action with commentary. With a little practice, you'll be getting that Heart Piece in no time!