Deltarune is no stranger to secrets, and Chapter 3 takes things up a notch with hidden minigames, rare items, and an optional boss fight that’s easy to miss if you’re not paying attention. One key item you’ll need to unlock that secret boss is the Ice Key—but getting your hands on it requires a bit of extra effort during Tenna’s chaotic TV game show.
Here is the step-by-step guide on how to obtain the Ice Key before it falls through your hands.
What is the Ice Key?
The Ice Key is one of three secret items required to trigger a secret boss fight at the end of Chapter 3. It’s tied to Tenna’s performance and hidden behind a secret minigame accessible only under specific conditions. If you make it through, there ain’t no going back—you’ll need to replay part of the chapter, so don’t come crying to us!
How to Unlock the Ice Key?
You’ll get your shot at the Ice Key shortly after the first episode of Tenna’s game show—specifically, the Zelda-like adventure minigame segment. Here’s how to do it:
Earn an S Rank
- To even be in the running for the Ice Key, you have to earn over 1500 points on the first minigame.
- That gets you your S Rank, and opens the door to a special backstage lounge.
Enter the S-Rank Changing Room
- After earning the S Rank, look for a changing room with a giant “S” on it.
- Inside, you’ll find a dingy hallway, some oddball NPCs, and a closed door guarded by another character.
- Talk to the NPC in front of the door on the left, and he’ll mention more games waiting inside.
Find the Console & Get a Controller
- Head into the room, take a left, and you’ll find an old game console.
- Interact with it and it’ll ask for a controller.
- Back out, and you’ll find a controller lying on the ground nearby—pick it up and plug it in.
The Secret Minigame: A Darker Twist on Adventure
You’ll be dropped back into the familiar 2D Zelda-like world, but this time without your party. Things feel a bit darker—literally and tonally.
Become Stronger
- The usual shop cave now just says “Become Stronger.”
- Head south, find the subterranean post office mail room once you arrive, and pick up the sword.
- Then go all ghostbuster: kill every single overworld enemy.
- This serves to level you up to Level 3, which opens up the cut-cactus ability.
(Thanks to John Nolan for noting that these ghost enemies don’t count on a pacifist path–they don’t show up as real kills.)
Clear the Path
- Head east and use your new cactus-cutting ability to access a path previously inaccessible.
- You’ll enter a new, fog-covered zone. Keep fighting enemies here to reach max level, unlocking tree-cutting abilities.
Chop Your Way to the Prize
- Return to the main area and start cutting through trees in any direction.
- After a few screens, you’ll come across a chest.
- Open it to claim your reward: the Ice Key.
Final Tips
Once you have obtained the Ice Key, you can then go back to Tenna’s show business as normal. Obtaining extra S ranks on future segments will then open up more secret minigames within that back room, with another limited item tied into the secret boss route.
(Pro tip: Save a copy before each game show segment, just in case you don’t manage to get the S rank and you want to try again.)
While Chapter 3’s hidden path isn’t nearly as wild as Chapter 2’s Snowgrave path, it does have some pretty wild deviations from the regular story—so don’t skip the Ice Key if you’re attempting to get that alternative ending.
