Crystal Switch

Crystal Switches are recurring objects in the Legend of Zelda series. Crystal Switches are a common mechanism found throughout several games. When Link hits one with a sword, Boomerang, arrow, or blast from a Bomb, these mechanisms usually trigger the opening of a door or gate, or open up a new walking path.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
In the first ever appearance of the Crystal Switch, A Link to the Past, the switches are round and similar in appearance to a crystal ball. They start out either red or blue, and when hit, would turn to the other color. They control the rise and fall of color-matched block obstacles in the dungeon floors. When the switches turn blue, the blue blocks sink into square openings in the floor, allowing Link to walk across them. When the switch is red, the red blocks are lowered, and the red pathway is revealed.

The switches can only lower one of the sets of coloured blocks at a time, and a single switch controls all other switches within the same dungeon, forcing Link to retrace his steps and find a Crystal Switch to lower blocks blocking his path.

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
In the original monochrome release of Link's Awakening, the Crystal Switches are either black or white, but otherwise operate exactly the same way as in A Link to the Past. In the color re-release Link's Awakening for the Game Boy Color, the switches assume their original color scheme from A Link to the Past.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask
In Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask, both the appearance and function of the Crystal Switches are changed. Here, they resemble diamond-shaped gems with orbs inside them. Hitting them results in either the opening of a door, the unbarring of a gate, or the lowering of a catwalk for Link to progress through to the next area.

Here, each switch works independently of each other, and the dungeons are designed to challenge the player to hit switches across wide gaps and behind obstacles, such as tall wire fences and growing vines.

The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons
Crystal switches in Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons have the same properties as those from A Link to the Past. Link can hit the crystal switches to simultaneously change all of their colors from red to blue or vice versa. When the crystal switches are red, the red blocks are lowered and the blue blocks are raised, and when they are blue, the blue blocks are lowered and the red blocks are raised.

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
In The Wind Waker, the appearance and function are the same as in Ocarina of Time although they are smaller. There are often multiple Crystal Switches in the same area, and Link must hit them all in succession in the right order with the boomerang. This happens in the Forbidden Woods and in Ganon's Tower.

The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures
The crystal switches in Four Swords Adventures work the same way as in A Link to the Past. They are red or blue in color and lower the colored blocks that correspond with the switches' current color. Link can change the switches' color by attacking one of them. They are only found in the Temple of Darkness, the dungeon of the fifth level.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
In Twilight Princess, crystal switches operate the same way as in Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, and The Wind Waker. Hitting them results in the opening of a gate. They are most commonly found in the Goron Mines.

The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
In Phantom Hourglass, the appearance of the Crystal Switches are reverted to their original design and function. Link is often required to draw a path for the Boomerang with the Stylus to hit a switch. In this game, the switches are available in three colors: a purplish-black, blue, or red. The red switches turn into blue switches when hit, and blue switches turn into red switches when hit, as in the previous games. Depending on the color of the switch, the corresponding red or blue color blocks will recede into the floor, opening up new passageways. The purplish-black switches perform many functions, such as making air jets stop blowing, or to make spikes go down into the floor, or to make flames disappear.