Extra Heart Containers

In Zelda, there are two ways to extend your life meter. The first is by finishing a dungeon, as the defeated boss will give you a heart container. However, there are five hidden heart containers scattered throughout Hyrule's Overworld. The following is a guide to the Hidden Hearts Five.

Note: You can get these hearts in any order, as long as you have the requisite item.

To see the Overworld Map if you need it for reference, click here. It will open in a new page.

First Heart
Overworld Map Coordinates: A-3
Required items needed: Power Bracelet
Route from game start (Map, H-8): From the game start, travel one screen up, then four screens left, then one screen down, then one screen left with the upper left path, then one screen up, then one screen left, then one screen up, then one screen left, then one screen down, then one screen left, finally go four screens up.
How do I get it?: Once you reach the location (shown at left), you will need to push a tombstone to find a hidden stairway. Stand underneath the second tombstone from the left in the second row. From there push the tombstone up, a stairway will appear as shown here. Upon entering it, an old man will offer you a choice between a full life potion and a heart container. Pick the container.
Extra Info: The directions in italics are for the Lost Forest maze. You MUST have the Power Bracelet in your inventory before you can get this heart container. The Power Bracelet is located under an Armos statue in the E-3 location.

Second Heart
Overworld Map Coordinates: G-1
Required items needed: Recorder
Route from game start (Map, H-8): From the game start, travel one screen up, then four screens left, then one screen down, then one screen left with the upper left path, then one screen up, then one screen left, then one screen up, then one screen left, then one screen down, then one screen left, then three screens up, then three screens right, then one screen up with the right upper path, then one screen right, then one screen up, then three screens right, then one screen up, and finally one screen left.
How do I get it?: Once you reach the location (shown at left), equip your recorder. Use the recorder and a stairway will appear as shown here. Upon entering it, an old man will offer you a choice between a full life potion and a heart container. Pick the container.
Extra Info: The directions in italics are for the Lost Forest maze. Your recorder will be useful in opening up one more heart container location. The Recorder is obtained in the Second Dungeon.

Third Heart
Overworld Map Coordinates: K-4
Required items needed: Recorder
Route from game start (Map, H-8): From the game start, travel one screen right, then two screens up, then one screen right, then one screen up, then one screen right, then one screen up.
How do I get it?: Once you reach the location (shown at left), equip your recorder. Use the recorder and a stairway will appear as shown here. Upon entering it, an old man will offer you a choice between a full life potion and a heart container. Pick the container.
Extra Info: Your recorder will be useful in opening up one more heart container location. The Recorder is obtained in the Second Dungeon.

Fourth Heart
Overworld Map Coordinates: P-4:P-3
Required items needed: Raft
Route from game start (Map, H-8): From the game start, travel eight screens right, then four screens up.
How do I get it?: Once you reach the desired location (shown at left), if you have the Raft it's no problem. Just step onto the dock and you'll float up one screen, shown here. Enter the ominous looking cavern and an old man will offer a heart container or a full life potion. Pick the container.
Extra Info: You MUST have the Raft in your inventory before you can get this heart container. The Raft is obtained in the Fourth Dungeon.

Fifth Heart
Overworld Map Coordinates: P-6
Required items needed: Ladder
Route from game start (Map, H-8): From the game start, travel eight screens right, then two screens up.
How do I get it?: When you get to the location (as shown on the left), it's very easy to get the container. With the ladder in your inventory, just stroll across the bridges, as demonstrated here. You'll pick up the heart container automatically.
Extra Info: You MUST have the Ladder in your inventory before you can get this heart container. The Ladder is obtained in the Sixth Dungeon.

All Five Hidden Hearts
Required items needed: Power Bracelet, Recorder, Raft, Ladder
How do I do it?: Presuming you know how to get the five hearts already, the best route I've discerned to obtaining all five of them efficiently is as follows. From the game start, travel eight screens right, then two screens up (Heart); then two screens up (Heart). Come back to that dock, then travel one screen left, then one screen up, then four screens left, then one screen down (Heart); then one screen up, then three screens left, then one screen up, then cross the water with your ladder and go one screen up, then one screen left (Heart). For the final Heart Container, travel one screen right, then one screen down, then three screens left, then one screen down (pick up the Power Bracelet here from under an Armos statue if you don't have it yet), then one screen left, then one screen down, then three screens left, and finally one screen up (Heart).