Since the beginnings of The Legend of Zelda, Link has started every adventure with just three measly hearts for health. If our The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds review is anything to go by, three hearts just doesn't cut it. You'll acquire more by completing dungeons, but this will only take your total to thirteen.
How do you get the last seven hearts of health? By collecting Pieces of Heart - every four pieces found earns you another heart. Follow along, and we'll help you track down the 28 Pieces of Heart scattered throughout both of the game's kingdoms. The Hyrule pieces are on page two; the Lorule pieces are on page three.
You'll earn a whole heart for every dungeon you complete. Learn how to conquer them all in our dungeon guide! Looking for every Master Ore? We've got a guide for that too. Want to track down all 100 MaiaMia Babies? Oh yes, we've got a guide for that too!
You'll find this by the castle's eastern wall. Lift the small rocks to reach it.
You'll probably spot this as you travel through the Sewers underneath the Sanctuary early in the game. Return with the merge ability, then cross through the wall from the walkway above to reach it.
This is on an upper ledge behind the Blacksmith's house. To get there, merge into the front side of the house. Slip back here to grab your prize.
This is found inside a cave underneath the Blacksmith's house. When you obtain the Titan's Mitt, you can lift the boulder blocking the cave in front of the house.
This is found inside the well. At the northwest corner of the village are two entrances to said well. Lift the rocks on the upper ledge, then hop in from the cliff. Head up the stairs inside to grab it.
When you reach Thieves' Town in Lorule, look for a rift in the middle of a wrecked house. Use this to return to Hyrule…right inside of this lady's locked home! She'll give you a Piece of Heart and leave her door unlocked from now on.
The ranch is located just south of Kakariko Village. Speak to the Cucco Girl to play her game; you must dodge flying cuccos for 30 seconds. Complete all three levels to earn a Piece of Heart.
Rupee Rush is located just west of the Cuccoo Ranch. The goal here is to grab as many Rupees as you can within 30 seconds; the thing is, there is no timer on screen while your running around. You'll have to get 100 Rupees during the game to earn a Piece of Heart. It sounds tough, but you receive bonus Rupees the close you get to the game's ending timer.
This is found in the area south of Link's House (it's equivalent to the Swamp Palace in Lorule). Among the columns is a Piece of Heart blocked by several columns. Directly southeast of here are two heads against a cliff face. Place a Bomb between them to reveal a hidden cave entrance. Follow the cave as it wraps counterclockwise to emerge at the Piece of Heart.
This is found along the river that leads to the Zoras' waterfall home. When you drop over a waterfall, look for the cave entrance behind the falls. Enter to find a Piece of Heart inside.
Head to the northeast section Death Mountain. The fire-breathing enemies here are guarding the entrance to the mine. Inside, you'll follow some platforms until you reach a central one guarded by two more fire-breathers. You have a few platforms to choose from here; take the left path (you'll need a Hammer to launch from the frowning faces) to eventually reach a Piece of Heart.
Directly south of the Eastern Palace entrance is a cracked wall behind an Armos. Bomb the wall, then enter the cave. Merge to cross the gap left; there's a Piece of Heart on the ledge.
Head farther south from the Eastern Palace to find a series of pegs surrounding a Piece of Heart. Pound them out of the way with the Hammer to grab it.
Head to the enclosed area northeast of the lake proper. Here you'll find the Racing Bro, who runs Hyrule Hotfoot. Complete the second race to earn this. Yes, it's almost unfairly difficult to clear, but you'll beat it with persistence.
Now, you're probably wondering just how you're supposed to complete these footraces. Without the Pegasus Boots, you just won’t be able to finish in time. To get them, you need to talk to the Shady Guy in Kakariko Village. Speak to him by merging into the cliff nearby and sneaking up behind him.
Just before reaching the Tower of Hera, you'll merge across this gap. Drop to the central cave and head through. Instead of entering a proper cave, you'll walk beneath the volcano and discover a Piece of Heart.
This is found right in the center of the forest. In the central log is a small crack in the rocks. Merge through here to find a Piece of Heart.
This is found in the Fortune's Choice game on the east side of town. As this is a game of chance, there's no real strategy we can give you. Just keep at it until you open a chest with this inside.
The Rupee Rush game exists in Lorule too. This time, you have to get 200 Rupees to earn a Piece of Heart as a prize.
The Octoball Derby game is found directly south of the Vacant House (Link's House equivalent). This tricky game has you batting balls at pots and birds on a baseball diamond. Score 100 points (it's tough to do) to earn a Piece of Heart.
For the next Piece of Heart, you'll need to use the Bomb Flower. To access it, you must pay a one-time fee of 200 Rupees to the Bomb Shop Man at the Bomb Flower Store directly south of Thieves' Town.
Lead the Bomb Flower directly south of the Vacant House. In this lower area, just east of the Swamp Palace, is a giant cracked boulder. Use the Bomb Flower to blow it up, revealing a cave entrance. This is inside.
You'll find this while sneaking to the dungeon (though you may want to beat the dungeon first, causing the patrols to clear out). It's on a narrow ledge just before the dungeon proper.
This is found just south of the actual woods. On the edge of the area is an abandoned home. You can merge around behind it to find a Piece of Heart tucked away atop a cliff.
East of the woods proper is a destroyed home, the equivalent of Rosso the Miner's house in Hyrule. Enter this area from a small distance south to spot a ladder that will take you to the cliff behind the house. Grab the Cucco Vulture and move to the northern edge of the cliff. From here, you can glide to the Piece of Heart on the balcony in front of the destroyed house.
Use the rift inside the Sanctuary to get here. Exit to the outside and head east. Climb the ladder at the northern end of the graveyard, then use a Bomb to blow away the cracked rock, revealing another rift. Merge through and enter the cave on the other side to find another Piece of Heart.
The Treacherous Tower is located where the Tower of Hera can be found in Hyrule. Here in Lorule, the tower is battle arena, where you can face off against waves of enemies. Complete the intermediate course to receive a Piece of Heart as a prize.
Remember the path we took through Rosso's Ore Mine in Hyrule? Well, you're going to do the same thing in Lorule on your way to the Ice Ruins. When you reach the platform with the gargoyle statues, take the left series of platforms. When you reach the column, turn and take the northern series of platforms. When you emerge outside, merge through the rift to find a Piece of Heart atop Hyrule's Death Mountain.
We're actually going to reach this one from the Desert of Mystery in Hyrule. Head to the northeast corner there and use the Sand Rod to cross the gap. Head up the stairs and merge through the rift on the cliff face. There's a Piece of Heart on the other side.
This is found during the Turtle Rock dungeon. For more information, see our dungeon guide.