Summary
For nearly forty years,The Legend of Zeldahas captivated players' imaginations with its magical worlds,cast of iconic charactersand absolutely incredible design philosophy. And among the key elements that make a greatZeldagame, the legendary boss battles have become the gold standard for the industry, as the unique designs and high-stakes survival have led to some of the most beloved encounters ever seen.
But while most bosses can be defeated in a single round, a few of the bosses inThe Legend of Zeldarefuse to go down without a fight, as they require multiple phases to eliminate for good. Whether it’s a boss that needs some sort of armor to be shattered, exposing their true weak point, or one that changes form midway through,Zeldabosses are some of the toughest in video games. These bosses have been ranked based on their design and transition from each phase.
The Minish Capis one of the few occasions where Link has faced off against someone other than Ganon,as Capcom took the reinson one of the most outstanding entries in the entire franchise. It sees Link shrink down into the world of the Minish, where the wizard Vaati became obsessed with power and became one of Link’s most compelling rivals, clashing with the Hero of Time in the finale of the GBA classic.
Link first encounters him as Vaati Reborn, where he must target and eliminate a pair of eyes circling him, exposing his true weak point and triggering the next stage of the fight. At this point, any sense of humanity in Vaati begins to disappear, as he transforms from a humanoid figure into something much more monstrous. The final form is known as Vaati’s Wrath, the ultimate embodiment of evil that features increased speed, much more dangerous attacks, and is far more difficult.
The Helmaroc King serves as the guardian of the Forsaken Fortress during theevents ofThe Wind Waker, and kidnapped Link’s sister Aryll after mistaking her for Tetra, a pirate captain that Ganon believed was Princess Zelda. Ascending the Forsaken Fortress, the first phase involves Link avoiding a rising tide and the aggressive attacks of the Helmaroc King, culminating in them meeting at the top.
His armored beak is deadly, as he uses it to smash into the ground, but thanks to Link’s acquisition of the Skull Hammer, breaking it becomes the key to transitioning into phase two. The Helmaroc King increases his speed and aggressiveness, becoming far more intimidating as a result, forcing Link to move quickly. It is one of the most outstanding boss encounters inThe Wind Waker, as the sense of urgency makes it a standout battle in the franchise.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Timeis one of the most influential video games ever made, as thislegendary Nintendo 64 gamebrought the series into 3D for the first time. And while players had defeated Ganon multiple times in previous 2D entries, fighting the King of Evil for the first time in 3D is still one of the most memorable moments in video game history, as Link would ascend his sinister castle to defeat him and save Hyrule.
The first phase involves Link using the fabled Master Sword to deflect Ganon’s energy attack back at him, then using Light Arrows to knock him to the ground and leave him vulnerable to attack. A beaten, bloodied Ganon then transitions into his final form, a large, hideous creature that requires some agile rolls behind the back to eliminate for good.Ocarina of Time’s legacy has continued to stand the test of time, and this iconic final battle with Ganon remains one of the franchise’s most engaging.
Utilizing the advanced motion controls of their seventh-generation video game console, as well as an add-on known as Wii Motion Plus, Nintendo created one of the most outstandingZeldagames ofall time withSkyward Sword. With the Wiimote, players had firm and direct control over the Master Sword, which came in handy during the multiple fights against Ghirahim and the numerous stages it took to defeat him.
Swinging the Wiimote against Ghirahim, as well as in the 2023 Nintendo Switch remaster, feels outstanding. Link takes on Ghirahim in Skyview Temple, the Fire Sanctuary and the Sealed Grounds, where he becomes far more aggressive and powerful each time. Each fight is broken down into phases, with Ghirahim upping the stakes on each subsequent phase and taking full advantage ofSkyward Sword’s unique control system.
2Gohma (The Wind Waker)
The Best Version Of Gohma In The Franchise
Gohma is a recurring boss in theZeldafranchise, becoming one of Link’s most consistent foes over the years, and hisappearance inThe Wind Wakerremains the absolute best version of this iconic arachnid. InThe Wind Waker, Gohma is revealed as the source of the great dragon Valoo’s pain, as they torment the mighty beast by yanking on his tail, forcing Link to confront the nasty creature at the bottom of Dragon Roost Cavern.
Using the recently acquired grappling hook, Link can use it to swing across the battle arena by attaching it to Valoo’s tail, which will anger the dragon and send debris tumbling down. Enough damage to its armored exterior will trigger the second phase, where Gohma becomes much faster, but becomes vulnerable to Link’s grappling hook and sword attacks. The fight against Gohma inThe Wind Wakeris incredible, as swinging across a lava pit and avoiding their attacks adds some scale to the whole encounter. In terms of Gohma battles, the one featured inThe Wind Wakeris still the best in the franchise, as the unique mechanics and vibe feel spectacular.
As his most fierce rival, Ganon has engaged Link in combat in nearly every game in the franchise, and is still one of the most legendary video game villains in history. But the battle between Link and Ganon in the heart-stopping finale ofTwilight Princessis still their most epic encounter, as this climactic showdown is littered with incredible moments and a satisfying conclusion that has helped elevate this stone-cold classic into one of the greatest games ever made.
The battle begins with the Dark Lord using Princess Zelda as a puppet, recreating the familiar back and forth between Link and Ganon that requires the player to bounce energy attacks back. The combination of Zelda’s theme with Ganon’s is a stroke of genius, leading directly into Link’s next battle with Dark Beast Ganon, a familiar form that bursts through portals and sees Midna use the power of the twilight realm to expose his weak point and trigger the final phase. It’s here where Link engages Ganon on Epona with Zelda shooting light arrows at him, then a one-on-one sword fight. This epic clash sees all the forces of goodcome together against Ganon, creating one of the most satisfying conclusions in franchise history.
