Zelda franchise strategy guide/Items/Hookshot

The HookShot is an item featured in some of the Legend of Zelda games by Nintendo. The most common form enables Link to fire the hook at an object (pots, rocks, etc) or an enemy. If fired at an enemy, it will just act as a long range attack weapon, but is not as effective as the bow and arrow in most combat situations. If it hits an object, it will pull Link towards the object, even if there is a gap in the way.

A Link to the Past
This item made its debut in The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. Link finds the hookshot in the Flooded Palace. While Link shoots it, he is invincible, and cannot be harmed. It is used to stun enemies, but mainly to pull Link across gaps. It hooks on the wooden items (trees, treasure boxes, etc.)

Link's Awakening
The hookshot is found in Catfish Maw, and is used to beat the boss, Slime Eel. When you enter the room to fight the mini-boss (Master Stalfos), he flees, and you do not receive the hook shot. When you go out, you will find a note say he found the "special item" that was there. Chase him down (he travels around a few different rooms) to finally beat him to gain the hookshot. It is used the same way, and is needed in order to learn the Frog's Song of Soul.

Ocarina of Time
For the first time, the plane is 3D, so you can now shoot the hook shot up in order to get to higher grounds. It won't hook to all woods; mainly on wooden bulls-eyes. It is obtained once you beat or at least nearly match Dampe in the graveyard race. In addition to its aid in travel, the hookshot can be used as a weapon, replacing young Link's boomerang as adult Link's unlimited ammo ranged weapon that can retrieve items it hits. To enter the Forest Temple, the Hookshot must be obtained. Later, for the first time in the series, the hookshot is upgraded, becoming the longshot. The longshot is twice as long as the original hookshot. It is used to get to the boss of the Water Temple, and in order to beat its boss. When you get captured by Gerudos, the longshot is needed in order to get out of their jail.

Majora's Mask
The hookshot is located in Gerudo Lagoon. The Gerudo are talking with one another, with the hook shot in the room. Have Link shoot an arrow at the bee hive above them to scare them out. Go around and get the hookshot. It is need to get the Zora egg in the tank.

Oracle of Ages
Whilst Oracle of Ages didn't actually feature a Hookshot, it featured a very similar item, the Switch Hook (and, later, the long hook). This still gives the ability to travel across gaps, but differs in the fact that, rather than being pulled towards the object, you switch places with it. This allowed for some interesting new puzzles for the game. You also switch places with enemies, rather than attacking them.

Wind Waker
The hookshot makes another appearance in the Wind Waker. This time, it can hook to many different wooden objects. It is used to beat the boss of the Wind Temple, Molgera, and is needed to get on top of Ganon's Tower. The game also has a weaker version called the grappling hook which is found earlier in the game in Dragonroost Cavern upon finding Midli.

Twilight Princess
In Twilight Princess, an similar item called the Clawshot is used instead of the hookshot.

Super Smash Bros. Series
In Super Smash Brothers, Link uses the hookshot to grab other players, stunning them and pulling them to him so he grabs them, upon which he can throw them to the ground, or throw them over his back and give them a back kick. In Melee, Young Link has the weapon as well, presumably referring to his use of the item in Majora's Mask. In addition to its previous abilities, the hookshot can be used to grab onto the edge of the platform when thrown off to the side, like Samus Aran's Grapple beam.