PRINCESS RUTO
Walkthrough
How to Rescue Princess Ruto in Jabu-Jabu's Belly
Follow Ruto downstairs, carry her through the switches and ledges, collect the Boomerang, defeat Big Octo, then clear Barinade. She waits at the blue warp; the Sapphire reward scene follows outside.
Updated 2026-11-14
The broad rescue route is shared by the older game and the remake, but the room details are not identical. Zelda Dungeon publishes separate N64/3DS and Switch 2 walkthroughs. The table below identifies the Switch 2 route; the following comparison tells older-version players where to diverge.
Switch 2 room sequence
| Stage | Action | Ruto’s position | Check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entrance | Shoot the ceiling switch with the Slingshot | Not yet encountered | Avoid the electric Biri |
| First meeting | Follow her through the hole and talk again | Lower room | Agree to carry her |
| Water-level room | Throw her onto the south ledge; raise the water | On the ledge | Open the Dungeon Map chest here |
| Octorok and elevator | Trigger the ceiling target and ride up | Carry her on the platform | Return to the upper room |
| Boomerang room | Use Ruto to hold the switch, then defeat Stingers | On the switch | Open the Boomerang chest |
| Tentacle corridors | Use the Boomerang to clear the tentacles | Set down or carried | Collect the optional Compass |
| Big Octo | Throw her onto the raised platform, then fight | Taken out of reach | Stun and attack the rear weak spot |
| Upper rooms | Continue upward using boxes for switches | No longer accompanying Link | Continue rather than search the nest |
| Barinade | Cut the attached tentacles, clear jellyfish, stun and strike | Appears at the blue warp | Take the Heart Container and enter the warp |
N64 / 3DS and Switch 2 differences
| Detail | N64 / 3DS | Switch 2 | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dungeon Map | Chest after the first red parasitic tentacle | Chest in the water-level room before the Boomerang | 1 publisher · two version-specific guides |
| Big Octo | Boomerang stun and rear attacks | Same weak spot; walkthrough adds Shabom waves and dashing | 1 publisher · two guides |
| Spiritual Stone scene | Ruto retrieves it on a platform that rises | Walkthrough describes her running to the stone before Big Octo | 1 publisher · two guides |
| After Barinade | Meet Ruto at the warp, receive Sapphire outside | Walkthrough also gives the Sapphire scene after leaving | 2 publishers · Zelda Wiki / Zelda Dungeon |
Carrying and recovering Ruto
Carry her when a switch or high ledge requires her. The older Zelda Dungeon walkthrough says she disappears from most rooms if left behind, but remains on the switch in the main tentacle corridor. Return to the room or switch where you last left her and use your version’s walkthrough to retrace the route. After Big Octo, her absence is expected: finish the upper rooms and Barinade to meet her at the blue warp.
Big Octo
The Boomerang stops Big Octo long enough to reach its vulnerable back. The remake walkthrough adds Shabom bubbles as the battle progresses and recommends using the dash to get around it. These remake-specific details come from one publisher, while the broad Big Octo-to-Barinade sequence is also described by Zelda Wiki’s Ruto article.
Barinade and the reward
Use the Boomerang to detach the ceiling tentacles and deal with the jellyfish around Barinade, then stun its body and attack with the sword. After the fight, collect the Heart Container and use the blue warp with Ruto. The older Ruto article and the remake walkthrough place the Sapphire handover in the scene outside the dungeon. The rescue is the route to the Spiritual Stone; it is not complete at the Big Octo platform.
Questions people ask
Where is Ruto after Big Octo?
Her absence from that room is expected. Finish the upper rooms and Barinade; she is waiting at the blue warp afterward.
Where is the Dungeon Map?
The Switch 2 walkthrough puts it in the early water-level room. The N64/3DS walkthrough puts it after the first red parasitic tentacle. Follow the guide for your edition.
Why must I carry her?
She is needed for switches and ledges. Set her down when required, and take her onward when the route requires it.
What should I do if I left her behind?
Retrace the last room and switch in your version’s walkthrough. The older guide specifically distinguishes the main corridor’s switch from rooms where she disappears if left behind.
When do I get the Sapphire?
Ruto is at the warp after Barinade. The Sapphire reward scene follows outside the belly.
Sources
- Zelda Wiki — Ruto — checked 2026-11-14
- Zelda Dungeon — N64 / 3DS belly walkthrough — checked 2026-11-14
- Zelda Dungeon — Switch 2 belly walkthrough — checked 2026-11-14