• Guide

How to solve the Crystal Marble puzzle - Resident Evil 4

Follow our guide to navigate the twists and turns of Resident Evil 4's crystal marble puzzle in the village area.

David Craddock

March 23, 2023 9:45 PM

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Capcom’s Resident Evil 4 remake has reinvented many of the game’s most iconic areas, and the Village Chief’s manor is no exception. A number of puzzles and side quests can be found there, and figuring out how to solve the crystal marble puzzle is “chief” among them. There’s another puzzle you have to crack first, and our guide will walk you through both of them step by step.

Finding the Crystal Marble

The crystal marble is a key item that must be inserted into a door on the second floor of the Village Chief’s manor. Before you can do that, you need to acquire the crystal marble. It’s found in a wardrobe on the first floor, and in true Resident Evil fashion, the wardrobe is locked.

The lock, which will look familiar to anyone who’s played Capcom’s remakes of Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3, uses symbols instead of numbers or letter. For those of you who want a hint to the solution, consider this passage from a book found nearby.

The book spells out the order of symbols you need to line up on the wardrobe lock to open it. If you want to skip ahead to the solution, it’s Crop - Pig - Baby. You can also see it in the image below.

Solving the Crystal Marble puzzle

Now that you have the crystal marble, head up the stairs and proceed down the hallway until you come to a locked door. Insert the marble to begin the crystal marble puzzle. Your goal is to rotate the marble until the bubbles hug the Las Plagas insignia. The bubbles themselves form the same shape, but you’ll need to twist and turn them until you can make it out.

Rotate the marble until the bubbles form the insignia right-side up, standing on its point. Next, make sure the bubbles hug the insignia in the background. You’ll know when you’ve got them lined up correctly because the marble will click into place and the door will unlock. Refer to the images below for a rough look at how to solve the puzzle.

Now that you’ve gained access to the locked room in the Village Chief’s manor, you’re ready to progress in the storyline. Be sure to check out the Shacknews Resident Evil 4 strategy guide, where you’ll find other walkthroughs such as how to solve the Grave Robber request in the church.

David Craddock

Long Reads Editor

David L. Craddock writes fiction, nonfiction, and grocery lists. He is the author of the Stay Awhile and Listen series, and the Gairden Chronicles series of fantasy novels for young adults. Outside of writing, he enjoys playing Mario, Zelda, and Dark Souls games, and will be happy to discuss at length the myriad reasons why Dark Souls 2 is the best in the series. Follow him online at davidlcraddock.com and @davidlcraddock.