In Shadow of the Colossus, each of the sixteen colossal beings you face is essentially a living puzzle. You’re not just battling a giant monster; you’re figuring out a complex problem: where to find it, how to approach it, and crucially, how to exploit its weaknesses by striking its magic sigil points to bring it down.
This comprehensive guide will walk you step-by-step from the Shrine of Worship to the location of the 12th colossus and provide a detailed strategy to defeat it. Along the way, we’ll also highlight the locations of valuable collectibles like shrines and shining lizard tails to boost your journey.
Locating the 12th Colossus: A Journey to the Watery Arena
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Visual guide for locating the 12th Colossus in Shadow of the Colossus, showing map directions and terrain features.
To find the 12th colossus, you’ll be venturing into a new area to the northeast of the Shrine of Worship. Follow these directions to reach the arena:
- Head East from the Shrine: Facing the Shrine of Worship, ride your loyal steed Agro to the right (east), mirroring your path towards the 5th colossus.
- Canyon Edge Detour: Before reaching the cliff edge that led to the 4th colossus, veer left towards the canyon rim.
- Narrow Natural Bridge: Locate a narrow natural bridge stretching across the canyon in a north-south direction. Carefully guide Agro across this bridge.
- Northward Canyon Path: After crossing, stay close to the canyon’s edge and continue riding north. You’ll encounter a shrine along your path – a good opportunity to save your progress and replenish health.
- Northeastern Mesa Corner: Keep heading towards the northeast corner of the mesa. You’re looking for another natural bridge in this area.
- Wooded Alcove Bridge: This bridge will lead you into a naturally formed, wooded alcove.
- Loop to the Right: Follow the winding paths within the alcove, looping around to the right.
- Canyon Edge Path Again: You’ll emerge from the alcove onto a different path. Continue along the canyon edge, this time heading left.
- Dead End Path: Follow this path until it seems to end abruptly.
- Pillar Jump and Shimmy: Dismount Agro and jump onto the pillar directly ahead and slightly to your right. Shimmy along the ledge to the right until you can safely drop down to the ground on the other side.
- Water’s Edge Path: Run along the path on the other side as far as you can go, then jump into the water.
- Swim to the Arena: From the water, simply swim north. This will trigger a cutscene, signaling your arrival at the arena of the 12th colossus.
Collectibles En Route to Colossus 12: Shrines and Lizard Tails
Locations of shrines and shining lizard tails on the path to the twelfth colossus in Shadow of the Colossus, enhancing player stats.
During your journey to the 12th colossus, keep an eye out for these helpful collectibles:
- Shining Lizard Tails (x4): These elusive lizards, identifiable by their shimmering tails, are crucial for increasing your stamina. Stamina is vital for longer climbs on colossi and extended combat.
- Shrines (x2): Shrines serve as both health restoration points and quick save locations. Activating a shrine fully heals Wander and creates a save point, valuable for progress and in case of unexpected defeats.
- Fruit Trees (x0): There are no fruit trees on this particular route. Fruit trees typically increase your maximum health, but you’ll need to rely on lizard tails and shrines for boosts on this journey.
First Shrine and Lizard Location: After crossing the first natural bridge, you’ll find a shrine on the mesa, roughly halfway to the 12th colossus arena. This area is also home to three shining lizards. If you find it challenging to locate all three lizards, try saving at the shrine, exiting, and reloading the game. This trick can sometimes make the remaining lizards easier to spot.
Second shrine location near a waterfall cliff in Shadow of the Colossus, offering a hidden save and health point.
Second Shrine and Lizard Location: The second shrine and the final shining lizard are located after you navigate through the wooded area and follow the cliff path to the top of the waterfall. Just before the point where you must leave Agro behind to proceed into the water, look to your left. The shrine is uniquely built into the rock wall, making it less obvious than other shrines and easy to miss. The lizard should be nearby on the ground.
Approaching and Mounting the 12th Colossus: Submerge and Strike
Guide on how to approach and mount the 12th Colossus in Shadow of the Colossus, utilizing underwater tactics and arena cover.
To get onto the 12th colossus, known for its aquatic nature and electrical attacks, you’ll need to use the environment to your advantage:
- Utilize Arena Pillars: Take cover behind the short pillar located on the small island in the arena. This pillar will shield you from the colossus’s electrical discharges, which can knock you off balance.
- Submerge and Swim: After the colossus unleashes an electrical attack, quickly jump into the water. Dive beneath the surface to avoid further electrical attacks and swim towards the colossus’s back. Wander is faster underwater, giving you an advantage in maneuvering towards the giant.
- Mount the Back and Ascend: Once you reach its back, climb upwards towards its head. This initial climb is crucial for positioning yourself to steer and attack the colossus.
Be prepared to repeat this approach if you are thrown off. Patience and timing are key to successfully mounting the 12th colossus.
Defeating the 12th Colossus: Steer, Expose, and Strike the Belly Sigil
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Step-by-step visual guide on how to defeat the 12th Colossus in Shadow of the Colossus by steering it towards ruins and attacking its belly.
The key to defeating the 12th colossus lies in steering it and exploiting its vulnerable belly sigil:
- Steer with Head Projections: Once on its head, use the three glowing blue, tooth-like projections to steer the colossus. By attacking these projections, you can influence the direction it moves. Steer it towards one of the two-story ruins located around the arena.
- Jump to the Ruins: As you approach a ruin, jump from the colossus’s head onto the rooftop.
- Ruin Cover and Wait: Position yourself behind the short pillar in the center of the ruin’s rooftop. This provides cover from the colossus’s electrical attacks while you wait for the next phase.
- Belly Sigil Exposure: Eventually, the colossus will become agitated and rear up onto its hind legs in frustration. This action exposes its belly, revealing the magic sigil weak point.
- Attack the Sigil: Quickly run from behind the pillar and jump onto the colossus’s exposed belly. Attack the glowing magic sigil with your sword. Be swift, as you’ll only have a short window to strike before the colossus lowers itself and the sigil is submerged again.
- Repeat and Relocate: You likely won’t defeat it in one go. After a few strikes, the colossus will retreat and the sigil will become inaccessible. Swim back to its back, remount its head, and repeat the steering process towards another section of ruins if the first set is destroyed. The belly sigil remains its only weak point, so continue this strategy, relocating as necessary, until the colossus is defeated.
With persistence and precise attacks on its belly sigil, you will successfully conquer the 12th colossus.
Explore More Shadow of the Colossus Guides
Looking for help with other colossi or collectibles? Check out our complete Shadow of the Colossus guide series for detailed walkthroughs, collectible locations, and expert tips to master the game.
Shadow of the Colossus Guides
