The Hardest Boss Fight From Every Zelda Game

The Toughest Boss Fight From Every Zelda Game

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Welcome to MojoPlays and today we’re looking at our picks for the Toughest Boss Fight From Every Zelda Game. While the series isn’t necessarily known for its grueling bosses, there are definitely a few that can be tricky to figure out. So for this video, we’ll be showcasing the bosses that gave us the most grief from each of Link’s adventures. What’s tough for us may not be tough for you, so be sure to let us know which Zelda bosses gave you the biggest challenge in the comments below.

“The Legend of Zelda” (1987)

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Link fights this multi-headed dragon on three different occasions in the original game. And each fight adds another head. First found as the boss of the 4th level, Gleeok guards the exit while barraging Link with fireballs and making it difficult to get close to deal damage. Destroying one head will only cause it to float around, keeping up the attack. And by the time you face him a third time, his two heads have doubled. Sure, you’re stronger too. But the constant bombardment is enough to make you curse its existence.

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

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Another boss with a hefty supply of fireballs is the Thunderbird, the penultimate boss fight before Dark Link. But while your shadow can be defeated with an easy trick, you can’t kneel in a corner to fight the Thunderbird. First, you need to have collected all Magic Containers in the game to learn the Thunder Spell, a feat in its own right, before you can deal any damage. Then you just have to dodge the downpour of fire to stab it enough times in the head. Easier said than done.

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

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In the case of this massive worm boss, difficult really just means annoying. Moldorm is found at the end of the third dungeon, the Tower of Hera. Like many Zelda bosses, its weak point is its tail. But actually dealing damage requires significant patience. The biggest problem is the arena itself. As it slithers about, Moldorm will try to knock Link off the side or through the very inconvenient hole in the center. Considering it gets faster the more damage it takes, and that hitting any other part of it will knock Link backwards, Moldorm will likely succeed. Which forces you to climb back up and face it again at full health.

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

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Any boss that divides your focus is bound to be a little tricky. The Slime Eel, found in the game’s fifth dungeon, is such a boss. Its spike-balled tail swings around the room from the center while its face moves around four holes in the wall, trying to take bites out of our hero. The hookshot can yank it out of its hiding spot, revealing its weak point. Adding to the difficulty is the two-items-at-a-time button layout. The Roc’s Feather makes the tail easy to avoid, but it means constantly swapping out your Hookshot or sword.

Nintendo significantly increased the difficulty of Dark Link when they brought him into 3D. Although he’s only a mini-boss, he puts up much more of a challenge than the Water Temple’s boss. He has as much health as you and can copy or counter most sword attacks. If you use the thrust attack, he’ll actually hop onto your sword to taunt you. He makes you fight more strategically than just slicing wildly at a weak spot. There are easier ways to deal with him, such as the Megaton Hammer or Biggoron’s Sword. But you can’t defend yourself when using them. Or you can use the unblockable, undodgeable Din’s Fire, though it uses a big portion of magic. Regardless, Dark Link doesn’t go down easily.

Gyorg wasn’t Link’s first giant fish boss fight, but it was certainly the most frustrating. Link comes across Gyorg in the Great Bay Temple and it will immediately begin trying to knock him in the water to munch on him. Players must be quick on the draw with their bow to stun Gyorg before he slams into the platform or slides across it. Once stunned, Zora Link’s magical barrier will be the key to dealing damage. Unfortunately, Gyorg’s recovery time after the attack is pretty quick and he’ll begin to send little minion fish after you. The 3DS remake makes things a bit harder by giving Gyorg some armor and reworking the fight. At least it gives you plenty of arrows and magic.

The final boss of this handheld entry proves why he’s the one in charge. The heavily armored brute can only be hurt by spin attacks. And he’ll cover the arena in damage in the form of his spiked ball and chain and boulders that he periodically rains down from above. He also uses the crystalized Din as a shield, which will electrocute Link if he touches it with anything other than the Rod of Seasons. Surprisingly, this is the easy part. Onox will then turn into a dragon, unleashing fire attacks and swiping his claws across the screen. Only jumping on his claws to reach the gem in his head will deal damage.

Nintendo has designed so many bosses to be a floating head with hands that we’ve honestly lost count. But credit where credit is due: Ramrock operates pretty uniquely. The boss can be found in the Ancient Tomb, the game’s eighth dungeon. The fight comes in four phases, each of which requires a different weapon to combat and none of which are immediately obvious. Deflecting his hands at the right angle and placing bombs in his crusher hands isn’t too bad. But dodging his ranged attacks while trying to ricochet a seed into his back can be a bit tricky. Finally, Link will need to grab one of his ball-and-chains with the Power Glove while avoiding the other one.

“The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords” (2002)

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This pack-in game for the GBA re-release of “A Link to the Past” didn’t feature a lot of bosses. And the Talus Cave’s giant slug, Dera Zol, is by far the toughest. It’ll hop around the arena, trying to crush the Links and bringing down icicles. Using the Pegasus Boots to dash it into an ice wall sounds easy. But one dash is rarely enough to cover the distance, and it’s entirely probable that Dera Zol will jump right over you if you don’t time your dash properly. Its final form isn’t too tough, though each Link will get shocked if they hit an orb that doesn’t correspond to their color. And each player can only see the color of one orb.

“The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker” (2003)

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Ganon’s marionette creation ends up being a lot tougher than the actual villain. Each of its three phases is trickier than you might expect given that its weak point is constantly in view. First is the boar form, smashing down its arms and swinging its tail madly. Link must use his boomerang to cut its strings so he can shoot its tail with a light arrow. But even being able to lock on doesn’t mean your Boomerang will reach. Then there’s the spider form, which spins around above before slamming down. Finally is the snake form, which careens around the room with no pattern. Each form makes it difficult to hit its weak point while dominating the space.

“The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures” (2004)

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It wouldn’t be a proper boss list without Link’s greatest foe, the mighty Ganon. And his appearance in this multiplayer adventure is one of his most imposing. He’ll frequently leap across the screen trying to squash the group of Links. But he’ll also shoot lightning that transports them to the Dark World, where they must defeat a group of enemies before they can escape. He’ll attack faster after a while and begin throwing his massive trident around, which leaves a trail of blue fire. It was already a David vs. Goliath type of battle, but the final phase has you defend Zelda while Ganon hurls green fireballs your way.

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

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Vaati may not look like much of a threat. But once he transforms, he definitely is. This traitorous Minish’s battle comes in three phases, each of which offers a challenge. Lasers, fire, teleporting, and orbs that act as shields can be annoying during the first phase. But at least he makes his weak point obvious. Vaati Transfigured, on the other hand, is heavily guarded and litters the screen with hazards making most of the arena unsafe. His third form wonderfully mixes in Minish gameplay and keeps up waves of projectiles. The entire fight utilizes Link’s arsenal against the shadowy invader, keeping the player on their toes.

Most of “Twilight Princess”’s bosses are incredibly fun, although easily manageable. The City in the Sky’s Argorok, however, can force some tedium if you’re not careful. The armored dragon looms over Link throughout the temple. And once the fight begins, he’ll attempt to burn Link to the ground. Literally. He’ll shoot waves of fire at Link as he climbs up the arena’s pillars. But it’s higher in the sky that he’ll begin to move and attack more quickly. If he hits, you’ll have to do a lot more Clawshoting back up to him. Luckily, Argorok’s weak points are easy to figure out.

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

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Any boss that turns invisible is bound to be a little troublesome, so Crayk earns its spot. The giant hermit crab can be found in the Temple of Courage. But its invisibility actually provides a unique use for the handheld’s dual screens. The top screen shows Crayk’s point of view. And once Link comes into its view, the beast will charge and grab him with a giant pincer. A well-placed arrow will stop it. But you’ve got to look out for its Crayklings as well. And it isn’t great that the boss can accidentally run into you while it’s lurking about. But when you get rid of its shell, and invisibility, laying into its tail is awfully satisfying.

“Spirit Tracks”’s Malladus takes the Demon King role usually occupied by Ganon. And he certainly earns the title. After possessing his minion Chancellor Cole, the fight will begin as Malladus sprays fireballs across the screen. While Zelda builds up her spell, Link has to deflect as blocking will actually cause damage. Additionally, Malladus can curve his projectiles and shoot them in larger numbers. Once the spell is complete, you’ll have to distract Malladus while Zelda hits him in the back with three light arrows before Link can deal damage. Getting close enough to distract him means you’ll be taking a lot of hits. And it isn’t as if Zelda is quick on the draw.

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

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Unlike the original game’s Gleeok, the three fights with The Imprisoned will just build up your irritation. Figuring out this boss is relatively easy, especially during the first fight as the slow-moving monster’s attacks are easy to get out of the way of. The second fight however, gives it the ability of generating shockwaves with every step. Which makes attacking The Imprisoned a pain. By the third fight, its shockwaves deal heavy damage. But he’ll also try to fly up to the Sealed Temple above, which can be stressful as you try to get to the top so Groose can fire you to its back. If you’re not quick enough, you’ll lose the fight no matter how many hearts you have left.

“The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds” (2013)

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Although Moldorm returns for this spiritual sequel to “A Link to the Past,” the fight isn’t nearly as frustrating. Dharkstare, the boss that resides in the Ice Ruins, naturally has some pretty annoying ice attacks. It will periodically try to ram its ice-encased body into Link, but its most irritating feature are the orbs that float around it. These three orbs, and later six, will be sent out to create big triangles around Link, freezing him unless he gets out of the way. It isn’t too hard to deal damage: melt its armor with the Fire Rod and attack as Dharkstare hops about. But its ability to freeze you in place and quick movement are enough to be tough.

“The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes” (2015)

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Communication is key in this latest attempt at “Zelda” multiplayer. But there are enough steps in Stalchampion’s fight that makes playing alone mean you’ll also have your hands full. One Link will need to hit Stalchampion in the back, causing it to hop around in pain. A second hit will break the skeleton warrior apart and reveal its vulnerable core. Only the Link holding the Hammer can then deal damage, but Stalchampion’s mace hand will begin chasing the Link closest to it. Increasingly larger shockwaves and a rib boomerang just add to the mayhem. When it leaves its body behind, the players will need to strategically stack in order to hit the floating skull. But the rolling mace will continue to keep you alert.

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

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“Breath of the Wild”’s second DLC pack ends in what is, in our opinion, the toughest boss fight “Zelda” has to offer. Coming in four phases, he brings an array of elemental bombardments, from different types of arrows to full-on lightning storms. His speed is also problematic, giving us troubling flashbacks of Thunderblight Ganon. As if his attacks weren’t powerful enough, Maz Koshia can also make copies of himself, teleport, and embiggen. No matter what, he’ll make you work hard for victory. The normal-sized Monk can be slippery while the giant-sized version can hurl giant spiked balls and stomp Link into the ground. But it’s all worth it for that sweet, sweet Master Cycle.