The 20 HARDEST Dungeons In Zelda Games

The 20 Hardest Dungeons in Zelda Games

Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we’re looking back on dungeons from “The Legend of Zelda” that offered players the most grueling challenges.

City in the Sky

“The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess” (2006)

Most dungeons in “Twilight Princess” aren’t too difficult, except for one or two annoying features. But the toughest of the bunch is the City in the Sky. It’s a fairly big place that offers a lot of traversal challenges, both horizontal and vertical, since Link uses various Oocca to glide around and earns the Double Clawshot halfway through. Navigating a dungeon in this way takes some getting used to, and there are lots of spots to easily fall into the clouds below. Adding to the difficulty of navigating the City in the Sky is its layout; it’s the type of dungeon you can easily get turned around in.

Temple of the Ocean King

“The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass” (2007)

Part of the hate fans hold towards the Temple of the Ocean King is the fact that you have to return to it multiple times, and replay some sections you’ve already completed. But even if you were to stitch each part together and look at the dungeon as a whole, it’s still the most difficult that “Phantom Hourglass” has to offer. What makes it challenging is its curse; sand is drained from Link’s hourglass as he spends time here and if it runs out, your health is the next to go. Then there are the Phantom enemies, which wander throughout the dungeon, can’t be killed, and reset Link to the beginning of a floor should they hit him.

Sky Keep

“The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword” (2011)

The final dungeon in “Skyward Sword” has Link change its layout through several sliding block puzzles in different rooms. This makes it a unique challenge, since you have to keep rearranging the rooms to progress. Puzzles and obstacles are based on dungeons from previous areas, just with the annoyance factor dialed up a bit. Rooms that are a particular pain include one where Link painstakingly rides on a slow lava river and a duo of combat encounters with hordes of skeletal and Bokoblin enemies. It’s still one of the best dungeons in the game, but the Sky Keep has more than its fair share of frustration.

Sword & Shield Maze

“The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons” (2001)

Overall, the dungeons in “Oracle of Ages” are more challenging than those in “Seasons.” But the Sword & Shield Maze still deserves a mention. It combines the most difficult elements found in ice and fire dungeons. In the ice sections, Link slides around with horrible traction while in the fire areas, lava pits and other traps cover most of the rooms. No matter where you are, this makes navigating and dealing with enemies, of which there are many, a lot more troublesome. It’s a fine line of needing to remain patient when traversing and not being able to, and it can be a hard one to walk.

Stone Tower Temple

“The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask” (2000)

In general, the dungeons of “Majora’s Mask” are going to come with an added level of stress thanks to the game’s built-in time limit. And since the Stone Tower Temple is the last dungeon before the finale, it’s naturally pretty tough. One of the things that makes it harder is the fact that it uses all four of Link’s forms, testing your knowledge with each one. Another thing that earns the temple its spot is the fact that it flips upside down at a certain point. While this aspect is extremely cool, it also brings new skill tests to each room and adds another level of difficulty when it comes to navigating.

Turtle Rock

“The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past” (1992)

The penultimate dungeon in “A Link to the Past,” Turtle Rock is far less adorable than its name might imply. Thanks to the heavy use of the Cane of Somaria for exploration and solving puzzles, it is essential to use a TON of magic in this place. If you haven’t upgraded Link’s magic meter, this is going to be a lot less fun. Navigating in general can be a pain since you have to create blocks with the Cane that travel on fixed rails, as well as pipes that spit Link out at certain spots. Needless to say, it can be easy to go the wrong way. That’s not to mention rooms with multiple rolling spike logs that will quickly drain Link’s health.

Palace of Winds

“The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap” (2005)

There are a lot of places Link can fall into the abyss inside the Palace of Winds, something you’re going to get used to seeing on a first, second, or even third attempt. The sky-themed dungeon has a lot of places where Link must glide or jump to progress, and just as many obstacles or traps that make doing so a nuisance, like fans embedded in the walls that will push less patient players straight to their death. On top of that, some of the strongest enemies in the game can be found here, including Wizzrobes and Darknuts. The boss also tests your jumping abilities through a mid-flight fight with no solid ground.

Tower of Spirits

“The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks” (2009)

Like the Temple of the Ocean King, players return to the Tower of Spirits throughout “Spirit Tracks.” It’s a bit more likeable since you don’t have to redo sections, but it is still a major test of your skills. Throughout, players must have Zelda take control of Phantom enemies, of which there are several types, in order to solve puzzles and navigate obstacles. This reaches peak difficulty on the final visit, since you must swap between the different types, on different floors. And which one you may need and where they might be found isn’t always obvious. Once again, if Link is hit once by one of these enemies, he’s knocked out and starts the floor over, causing nothing but immense rage.

Hyrule Castle

“The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” (2017)

There have been several iterations of Hyrule Castle that acted as dungeons in the series, but the one in “Breath of the Wild” is surely the hardest. For one thing, it’s gigantic with several huge areas to explore inside and out, all of which are swarming with the most powerful enemies in the game. Sure, you don’t have to do all of them; you can skip some portions if you just want to head to the boss. But tackling everything this Hyrule Castle has to offer earns you a ton of great rewards. Its difficulty can vary depending on many Shrines you’ve completed, and so how many hearts you have, as well as which Divine Beasts you’ve conquered. Those you haven’t done will have their bosses waiting for you before Ganon, so you can actually make this harder on yourself. Still, even if you have done everything, Hyrule Castle is a beast itself.

Mermaid’s Cave

“The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages” (2001)

If you’re a fan of backtracking, the Mermaid’s Cave in “Oracle of Ages” won’t be too much of an issue. But since most of us probably aren’t, it’s going to test your patience. The most confusing thing about this dungeon is Link’s need to travel back and forth through time to progress. It isn’t as simple as pressing a button or even going to a specific room. You have to head outside its entrance to travel through time. And knowing when you need to do so, and how it will help you progress just adds to the exasperation. The enemies and puzzles are no cakewalk either, and you’ll find the rage beginning to boil upon repeat encounters.

Turtle Rock

“The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening” (1993)

Just like “A Link to the Past,” the Turtle Rock of “Link’s Awakening” is one of the hardest in the game. Encountered right before the game’s climax, exploring this one is painful, primarily because there is lava EVERYWHERE. And there are so many different enemies and obstacles that make taking a scorching hot bath so easy. There are also a lot of rooms and a lot of hidden small keys to track down, making this dungeon feel like a trap you’re caught in. Some of those rooms have puzzles you can’t solve until later in the dungeon, forcing you to remember multiple places and backtrack to them. Well, at least the boss isn’t too bad.

The Dragon

“The Legend of Zelda” (1987)

Puzzles naturally weren’t as heavy of a focus in the first game in the series. So, Nintendo relied on increasing difficulty through combat encounters. Also simply known as Level 6, the Dragon dungeon is where the developers really turned up the heat. This is done mostly through the introduction of a new enemy, the Wizzrobe, which comes in two power levels and teleports around the rooms, shooting projectiles. Add on other pesky foes like Bubbles and Like Likes, and these fights can get pretty annoying. This level can also be a major pain if you haven’t already gotten the Magic Sword, since every enemy can soak up a lot more damage.

Three-Eye Rock Palace

“Zelda II: The Adventure of Link” (1988)

Honestly, we could have loaded this list up with multiple dungeons from “Zelda II,” but we wanted to limit ourselves for the sake of variety. The Three-Eye Rock Palace, also known as the Hidden Palace, is an excellent example of this entry’s reputation for being the hardest in the franchise. Like the first game, difficulty mostly scales up through combat, and the enemies found here are some of the game’s most aggravating. Iron Knuckles that are experts in blocking and firing sword beams, Wizards that are really just stand-ins for the projectile-based Wizzrobes, and Bubbles that bounce around at alarming speeds and take freaking forever to go down!

Great Bay Temple

“The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask” (2000)

Remember that built-in time limit we mentioned earlier? Well, add that on to a confusing layout that requires changing the flow of water and turning switches to activate water spouts to reach other areas, and you’ve got a surefire recipe for tension. The Great Bay Temple of “Majora’s Mask” is a series of rooms connected by complex waterways that Zora Link must navigate. On a first playthrough, or even several after that, it’s almost guaranteed you’ll miss something in one room and have to backtrack for it. And if you’ve already changed the water’s flow before you realize it, that just means more work for you. Sure, Zora Link’s swimming mechanics are fun. But as the clock winds down, you’re more likely to get lost or make a mistake.

Jabu-Jabu’s Belly

“The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages” (2001)

Certain water dungeons have reputations for being hard. And while they certainly earned those reputations, we’re here to tell you that Jabu-Jabu’s Belly is the absolute worst one. It has similar issues that hinder your fun; mostly, a requirement to change water levels to get through certain rooms. What makes it more frustrating than others, though, is that you have to continuously go back to the same room in order to do so. Like others, that means backtracking is its greatest sin. This causes a lot of confusion when trying to slowly swim through its rooms, dealing with the same groups of enemies. Everything about this dungeon is a huge hassle.

Ice Palace

“The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past” (1992)

We’ve already talked about the difficulty that can come with ice dungeons. With the Ice Palace in “A Link to the Past,” that’s going to encompass your entire experience. In most rooms, the ground is covered in ice. Slipping and sliding around is irritating on its own. But then you factor in traps and enemies that wholly take advantage of your reduced traction, and that becomes multiplied. There are also block puzzles that become that much more challenging. Even in normal rooms, you still have tricky puzzles and traps to deal with, on top of groups of strong enemies since this is a late-game dungeon.

Death Mountain

“The Legend of Zelda” (1987)

The final dungeon in the original game will truly test your ability to survive in combat. It will seem like you’re confronted with endless waves of enemies no matter which direction you go in. And it will feel that way because there are nearly sixty rooms to make it through, which is frankly absurd. Some of the game’s strongest enemies are all grouped together, including Bubbles, Like Likes, Vires, and, of course, Wizzrobes. Not only are rooms filled with hordes of deadly monsters, but since there are so many rooms, it can take a lot of effort to figure out how to navigate it all.

Water Temple

“The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time” (1998)

Coming as a shock to absolutely no one, the Water Temple is the hardest dungeon in “Ocarina of Time.” There are certainly dungeons in the series that are less enjoyable, but it didn’t become hated by players for decades for no reason. It can be confusing to navigate since you need to change the water level at several points. And if you miss something, which most players do, you then have to backtrack to those specific points in order to readjust the levels. In the original version, there’s also the added layer of tedium that comes from being forced to constantly pause to equip and unequip the Iron Boots so Link can walk under water. Tedium doesn’t necessarily equal difficulty. But it does enhance everything that’s already hard in the first place.

Eagle’s Tower

“The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening” (1993)

Widely considered by fans to be the hardest dungeon in “Link’s Awakening,” we have to say we agree. Eagle’s Tower is a nightmare to climb for several reasons. There are plenty of obnoxious traps including pits, spike floors, and spinning blades, all of which are easy to get caught by. Navigation is the biggest pain, though, since you’ll have to deal with blue and red switches that block or open certain paths, an older “Zelda” staple. Link must also carry a giant iron ball between different rooms and use it to knock down four pillars in order to reach the final section of the dungeon. This, of course, is made harder by all the aforementioned traps and obstacles.

The Great Palace

“Zelda II: The Adventure of Link” (1988)

“Zelda II’ is the hardest game in the series, and the Great Palace is the hardest dungeon in the game. Since it's the final challenge, it’s much bigger and more labyrinthine in design than any other. However, a confusing layout is the least of your worries. In a game known for the most grueling combat and enemies in the franchise, it shouldn’t surprise you to learn that the monsters found in the Great Palace are absolutely brutal. This goes double for the newly-introduced Fokkas, relentless bird knights that I’m so grateful have never appeared in any other game. As if the regular enemies weren’t bad enough, this dungeon also comes with two bosses, helping secure “Zelda II’s” undeniable legacy.

Did we leave off a dungeon that frustrated and confounded you? Share your pain in the comments below!