Finding the Bombers in The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask is one of those early-game tasks that looks simple until five tiny troublemakers scatter through Clock Town like they just drank an entire bottle of Chateau Romani. You need them for story progression, for the secret code to the Bombers’ Hideout, and, depending on the version you are playing, for access to one of the most useful tracking tools in the game: the Bombers’ Notebook.

This guide explains how to find the Bombers in Zelda Majora’s Mask in six clear steps, including where each Bomber hides, how to catch them faster, what changes in Majora’s Mask 3D, and what to do after you receive the secret password. Whether you are playing on Nintendo 64, GameCube, Wii Virtual Console, Switch Online, or Nintendo 3DS, the goal is the same: win the hide-and-seek game before time runs out and prove that Link is more than a small forest child with excellent cardio.

Why Finding the Bombers Matters

The Bombers Secret Society of Justice is a children’s group in Clock Town led by Jim, the red-bandana-wearing kid in North Clock Town. In the first cycle, Deku Link needs their password to enter the Bombers’ Hideout, which leads to the Astral Observatory. That route is required to continue the opening sequence and eventually recover the Ocarina of Time.

In the original version of Majora’s Mask, playing hide-and-seek again as Human Link can also help you obtain the Bombers’ Notebook, a schedule-tracking item that turns the game’s three-day chaos into something slightly less likely to melt your brain. In Majora’s Mask 3D, the Notebook is handled differently, but the Bombers still teach you the password and help introduce Clock Town’s side-quest structure.

Step 1: Restore the Great Fairy and Get Bubble Blast

Before you can officially begin the Bombers hide-and-seek game, you need Deku Link’s magic ability. Go to North Clock Town and enter the Great Fairy Fountain. The Great Fairy has been split into pieces, and one stray fairy is missing. During the day, the Stray Fairy floats around Laundry Pool. At night, it appears in East Clock Town. Collect it, return it to the fountain, and the Great Fairy will reward Deku Link with a Magic Meter and the Bubble Blast ability.

Bubble Blast matters because Jim is trying to shoot down a large balloon in North Clock Town. You cannot impress him with polite conversation, dramatic staring, or aggressively standing nearby. You need to pop the balloon with a bubble. Aim carefully, fire, and watch the balloon burst. Jim will notice, and the Bombers’ test will become available.

Step 2: Talk to Jim in North Clock Town

After popping the balloon, speak with Jim near the playground in North Clock Town. He will challenge you to a game of hide-and-seek. The rules are simple: find and catch all five Bombers before morning. The execution is where things get spicy, because the boys do not simply stand still and say, “Congratulations, you found me.” They run.

Once the game begins, you should start moving immediately. If you are early in the first day, you have plenty of time. If you begin late at night, the clock becomes your least favorite NPC. Starting during the morning or afternoon is the safest choice, especially for first-time players who are still learning Clock Town’s layout.

Step 3: Understand the Clock Town Layout

Clock Town is divided into several areas: North Clock Town, South Clock Town, East Clock Town, West Clock Town, and Laundry Pool. The Bombers hide throughout these sections. The exact locations depend on whether you are playing the original version or Majora’s Mask 3D.

The easiest way to win is to follow a route instead of running around like a panicked Cucco. Start in North Clock Town because Jim is nearby, then move through the town in a loop. Use Deku Link’s spin attack when you get close to a Bomber. The spin attack covers more space than simply walking into them, and it makes catching the faster ones much easier.

Step 4: Find All Five Bombers

Here are the important Bomber locations. Because the original version and the 3DS remake use different hiding spots, check the section that matches your game.

Original Majora’s Mask Bomber Locations

Majora’s Mask 3D Bomber Locations

For the 3DS version, pay special attention to crates. Two Bombers hide under boxes, which can make them easy to miss if you are only scanning for moving characters. If a crate looks suspicious, treat it like a Zelda object: bump it, break it, or otherwise question its life choices.

Step 5: Catch the Bombers Before Morning

Finding a Bomber is only half the job. You need to catch him. When a Bomber notices you, he usually runs away. Deku Link’s spin attack is your best tool because it lets you tag the kid quickly without needing perfect positioning. If you chase normally, you may trail behind him for longer than necessary, which is annoying when the moon is literally rehearsing its grand entrance overhead.

Try to approach from angles that reduce escape space. In narrow areas, such as East Clock Town paths or the Laundry Pool corner, you can trap Bombers more easily. In open areas like South Clock Town or West Clock Town, start running before you get too close, then spin when you are within range. If you miss, keep calm. The Bombers are quick, but they are not dungeon bosses. They do not have phases, dramatic music, or emotional backstories. They are just kids with excellent evasive movement.

Step 6: Get the Secret Code and Enter the Hideout

After you catch all five Bombers, they will gather and give you a five-digit password. The code uses the numbers 1 through 5, but the order is different for each save file. Write it down immediately. Do not trust your memory unless your memory has defeated the Water Temple without a guide.

Once you have the password, go to East Clock Town. In the northeast area, a Bomber guards the entrance to the Bombers’ Hideout. Speak to him and enter the code. If the code is correct, he will move aside and let you enter the underground passage leading toward the Astral Observatory.

Inside the hideout, follow the tunnel carefully. You may encounter enemies and another balloon blocking the path. Use Bubble Blast to clear the way. Eventually, you will reach the Astral Observatory, where Professor Shikashi allows you to look through the telescope. Look toward the Clock Tower and zoom in on Skull Kid. After the scene, a Moon’s Tear falls outside the observatory, which becomes the next key item in the opening sequence.

Original vs. 3D: What Changes?

The biggest difference is how the Bombers’ Notebook works. In the original Majora’s Mask, you can earn the Notebook as Human Link after dealing with the Bombers and their hideout. It becomes one of the most helpful tools in the game because it tracks schedules, side quests, and character events across the repeating three-day cycle.

In Majora’s Mask 3D, the Notebook is more modern and more generous. The game gives it to Link automatically after learning the Song of Healing, and it includes improved side-quest tracking. This makes the 3DS version more beginner-friendly, especially for players who love the atmosphere of Majora’s Mask but do not love keeping a detective board beside the couch.

Best Route for Finding the Bombers Quickly

If you are playing the original version, begin with both Bombers in North Clock Town, then go to West Clock Town, then East Clock Town. This route keeps you from doubling back too often and helps you handle the trickier East Clock Town Bombers at the end.

If you are playing Majora’s Mask 3D, start in North Clock Town, move to South Clock Town, continue to East Clock Town, dip into Laundry Pool, and finish in West Clock Town. This creates a clean loop through the town and reduces wasted travel time. Since the 3DS version includes crate-hiding Bombers, make sure you check objects instead of only watching for kids running around.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Starting Too Late

You have until morning, but that does not mean you should begin at the last possible minute. Start early so you can learn the route without stress.

Forgetting the Password

The password is random for your save file. Write it down. If you forget it, talk to a Bomber again. Still, saving the code somewhere saves time in future cycles.

Looking in the Wrong Version’s Locations

This is the big one. Many players search online, find the original N64 locations, then wonder why the 3DS Bombers are not where expected. Always match the guide to your version.

Trying to Catch Them Without Spin Attacks

You can catch Bombers by running into them, but Deku Link’s spin attack makes the job easier. Think of it as the polite, leafy version of a tackle.

Extra Player Experience: What This Quest Teaches You About Majora’s Mask

The Bombers quest is not just a small hide-and-seek game. It is a miniature lesson in how Majora’s Mask wants you to think. Unlike many Zelda games where progress is mostly about finding a dungeon item and using it on the obvious suspicious wall, Majora’s Mask is built around observation, schedules, repeated attempts, and learning the town like you actually live there.

When players first enter Clock Town, it can feel strangely overwhelming. The town is not huge, but it is dense. People move. Shops open and close. Characters appear at certain times. The moon keeps staring down with the subtlety of a falling refrigerator. The Bombers hide-and-seek game forces you to pay attention to all of this in a playful way. You learn the entrances between town sections, the value of starting tasks early, and the importance of remembering details between cycles.

One of the best experiences related to finding the Bombers is the moment when Clock Town suddenly clicks. At first, you may run through East Clock Town and West Clock Town as if they are random hallways. After chasing the Bombers, you begin to remember landmarks: the Stock Pot Inn balcony, the Milk Bar path, the playground in North Clock Town, the Laundry Pool bench, the Post Office area, and the central space in South Clock Town. The game quietly turns confusion into familiarity.

The quest also teaches a useful emotional skill: do not panic just because the timer exists. The three-day countdown looks intimidating, but most early objectives give you enough time if you move with purpose. The Bombers are a perfect example. You might fail the first attempt because you do not know where everyone is. That is fine. Resetting, learning, and improving are central to the game’s rhythm. Majora’s Mask is not mocking you for failing; it is handing you a weird clock-shaped puzzle and saying, “Try again, but smarter.”

Another memorable part of this quest is how funny the Bombers are as a piece of worldbuilding. They are children running a secret society, guarding a sewer entrance, maintaining a password system, and acting like Clock Town’s unofficial neighborhood watch. It is ridiculous, but it fits the game’s tone perfectly. Termina is strange, sad, funny, and slightly broken all at once. The Bombers capture that feeling in a small, charming way.

For new players, the best advice is to treat the quest as practice rather than a chore. Use it to learn movement, area transitions, camera control, and the habit of writing things down. If you are playing the original version, the Bombers’ Notebook becomes especially valuable because it helps track the lives of Clock Town’s residents. If you are playing the 3DS version, the improved Notebook makes side quests easier to follow, but the spirit is the same: watch people, learn patterns, and use time wisely.

By the time you finish the Bombers challenge, you have done more than find five kids. You have learned how Majora’s Mask communicates. It rarely says, “Here is the obvious path, hero.” Instead, it drops clues in conversations, schedules, locations, and repeated cycles. The Bombers are your first training session in that design philosophy. Also, they make you chase children through town while the moon falls, which is peak Zelda weirdness and honestly kind of beautiful.

Conclusion

Learning how to find the Bombers in Zelda Majora’s Mask is one of the most important early steps in the game. It opens the path to the Bombers’ Hideout, helps you reach the Astral Observatory, and introduces the larger rhythm of Clock Town’s time-based quests. The key is to know your version, start early, follow an efficient route, use Deku Link’s spin attack, and write down the password as soon as you receive it.

Once you understand the Bombers’ locations, the quest becomes quick and enjoyable. More importantly, it teaches the habits that make the rest of Majora’s Mask easier: observe carefully, respect the clock, remember character schedules, and never underestimate a suspicious wooden crate.