The Legend of Zelda has many games with varying art styles, and one consistent thing throughout the series lies in its intricately designed dungeons.
Over the years, these dungeons expanded on themselves, involving some reiterations and entire reimaginations—a part of what makes these games challenging and memorable.
From the strange labyrinths in Ocarina of Time to the shapeshifting dungeons in Breath of the Wild, these games expanded their horizons on weaving puzzles and dangerous fights together in epic adventures. Meet the most awesome Legend of Zelda dungeons.
1. Wind Temple (Tears of the Kingdom)
As an exemplary introduction to anyone new to The Legend of Zelda, the journey to the Wind Temple employs everything in Nintendo’s arsenal to infuse the experience with glory and gratification. Enveloped by a cyclone, the Wind Temple floats within the eye, demanding players to navigate the sails of airborne vessels and gradually evolving puzzles along the ascent. During this, Tulin of Rito Village joins, lending the crucial ability of air streams and helping with combat.
The pinnacle of the journey lies in the battle with Colgera, an armored flying serpent whose thick spiked shell makes it impossible to damage from certain angles. This battle culminates everything players learned and honed during the ascent to emerge victorious, setting an example as one of the series's best and most memorable dungeon adventures.
2. Arbiter’s Grounds (Twilight Princess)
The Arbiter’s Grounds looms at the far end of the Gerudo Desert as a prison for Hyrule’s most ruthless offenders. The first room pays homage to the Forest Temple in Ocarina of Time, necessitating the defeat of four Poes to ignite torches and unlock the inner chambers. Here, the undead thrives as Stalfos, Stalchildren, Gibdos, Bubbles, and Ghoul Rats lurk in its halls. Poison Mites infest some spaces, threatening to drag Link down into quicksand that permeates the dungeon.
The Spinner, one of Link's most fun items, lies protected by a mini-boss, the Death Sword, a restless spirit of its former wielder. Link can ride the Spinner like a skateboard until it loses momentum, making traversing rails in the Arbiter’s Grounds and other dungeons exciting and opening up new secrets to find.
3. Forest Temple (Ocarina of Time)
Nestled deep within the Sacred Forest Meadow within the Lost Woods, the mansion-like Forest Temple rests, awaiting adult Link to take on his first dungeon. The stairway to the temple lies broken, requiring the Hookshot to grasp onto a tree branch dangling from the entrance platform. Within the temple’s eerie confines, intricate puzzles saturate its halls as much as the undead do.
An array of switches, capable of contorting hallways with unnatural twists, lay scattered for players to find. One of the earlier concepts of reshaping a dungeon's layout inspires future titles, especially prominent in most recent releases like the major dungeons from Breath of the Wild and Shrines from Tears of the Kingdom.
4. Ancient Cistern (Skyward Sword)
Hidden behind the Floria Waterfall past the throne of Faron, the Ancient Cistern intertwines water-centric puzzles and interactive environments, hailed as one of the most enjoyable water-themed dungeons in the series. Here, Link faces streams, pools, lily pads, waterwheels, and high-pressure pipes as functions for puzzle-solving and navigation. Despite the temple’s tranquil theme, its lower depths plunge into an ominous underworld teeming with Cursed Bokoblins.
This temple features the Whip item, acquired from a Stalmaster guardian, which allows Link to manipulate numerous switches throughout the dungeon where he could not before. This dungeon requires a lot of maneuvering and backtracking but evolves throughout the gameplay enough to feel massive in scale.
5. Dragon Roost Cavern (Wind Waker)
Nestled within the volcanic land of Dragon Roost Island, the Dragon Roost Cavern serves as a regular passage for Rito children seeking an audience with the Sky Spirit, Valoo, and obtaining his scales to foster their wings’ growth. Echoing similarities in both function and theme to Dodongo’s Cavern from Ocarina of Time, Link must employ Bomb Flowers to obliterate obstacles in the way.
Harkening back to the classic Legend of Zelda days, many rooms require illuminating torches and using enemy weaponry to smash or burn through barricades. Throughout the dungeon, water pots used to solidify lava flows enable safe traversal and ascent via volcanic geysers.
During the ascent, outdoor segments pose challenges, demanding caution to avoid plummeting down the mountainside. At the top rests the answer to questions asked during the adventure and the famous Grappling Hook item that allows for easily traveling future cliffsides or grabbing otherwise unreachable items.
6. Swamp Palace (A Link Between Worlds)
Standing proud as a recurring dungeon in the top-down Legend of Zelda games, the Swamp Palace in A Link Between Worlds resides in Lorule. Unlike the original from A Link to the Past, where Link moves between worlds by pulling switches to change the water level, this version of the Swamp Palace keeps the same function of water level puzzles but exists within the same dimension.
The Hookshot item obtained within the dungeon used the same in both game versions, accesses unreachable switches and allows Link to pull himself to distant platforms. The final boss requires the Hookshot to defeat, continuing an overarching theme in The Legend of Zelda, in which players learn how to use special dungeon items before confronting the big bad.
7. Tower of the Gods (Wind Waker)
The Tower of Gods, a sacred spire utilized by the Gods to test the courage of aspiring heroes, lies concealed beneath the ocean depths. Raising it from the abyss requires all three Goddess Pearls, meaning most of the game leads up to this moment. This dungeon features water and light puzzles, segmented into three floors, each with unique challenges that compound everything learned from the game.
The initial floor requires Link and the King of Red Lions to navigate fluctuating waters without wind, making water traversal a creative challenge. Link discovers the Command Melody on the second floor, allowing him to telepathically guide statues to their designated altars. Here, he also acquires the Hero’s Bow, which not only assaults enemies but activates distant mechanisms. Guarding the tower’s heart looms Gohdan, a colossal floating head accompanied by hands, embodying the ultimate trial for those drawn to the call of destiny.
8. Sandship (Skyward Sword)
The Sandship, once under the Ancient Robot Captain Skipper’s command, serves as the guardian vessel of Nayru’s Flame and has the ability to cloak itself out of sight. Finding this cloaked Sandship brings Skipper and Link through Skipper’s Retreat, Lanayru Shipyard, and the Pirate Stronghold to find clues to where it roams today. Revealed to still sail the expanse of the Sand Sea, Skipper and Link chase after the obscured ship, launching cannons until it breaks down for Link to board.
Amidst investigation on deck, Link confronts the pirate captain, LD-002G Scervo, whom players must defeat to gain access to the ship's treasure: the Bow. Within the Sandship’s central mast resides a Timeshift Stone, which, when struck, reanimates the vessel and its Ancient Robot crew, now held prisoner. The dungeon then dives into classic Zelda fashion, a series of timeshifting puzzles to liberate the crew and restore the Sandship to its rightful guardians.
9. City in the Sky (Twilight Princess)
Legend holds that the prosperity of the City in the Sky stemmed from its mastery of advanced wind-based technology. Powered by machinery surpassing Hyrulean standards, the city’s propulsion relies on spinning propellers and wind-generating fans. The dungeon boasts many elevated platforms, including towers and walkways suspended over endless drops.
Fierce winds assail Link both outdoors and within the city’s confines. Equipping the Iron Boots or wielding the Ball and Chain provides stability against the harsh gales. Upon acquiring the second Clawshot from the mini-boss, Aeralfos, Link acquires the Double Double Clawshots, gaining newfound freedom to traverse the rest of the dungeon’s vertical expanse with ease.
10. Stone Tower Temple (Majora’s Mask)
Perched atop Ikana Canyon’s Stone Tower, the entrance to the dungeon requires Link to know the Elegy of Emptiness song to conjure lifeless replicas of himself to keep multiple switches pressed simultaneously. Diverging from the dungeons surrounding the theme of death and darkness, the Stone Tower Temple bathes itself in light, contradicting this theme in favor of a light-infused labyrinth, including elements of fire, water, and sky. Unlike any other dungeon in the game, this one demands utilizing all four of Link’s forms—Hylian, Deku, Goron, and Zora.
Hylian Link’s benefit of the Mirror Shield proves instrumental in solving the light puzzles before confronting Garo Master, whose defeat yields Light Arrows. Link triggers a transformative shift by directing a Light Arrow into the Red Emblem adorning the tower’s exterior, altering the dungeon's layout. The Stone Tower Temple exemplifies the dynamic environment manipulation central to the latest installments.
11. Snowpeak Ruins (Twilight Princess)
The Snowpeak Ruins surprises players with a dilapidated manor instead of a temple or mythical structure. It serves as the humble abode of a Yeti couple, Yeto and Yeta. While Yeto tends to the mansion’s kitchen, crafting nourishing soup for his sick spouse, Yeta’s presence remains confined to the front chambers and their shared bedroom.
With its three floors enveloped in the theme of ice, the mansion presents a macabre backdrop for exploration. Tasked with reaching the bedroom atop the third floor to secure a Mirror Shard, Link navigates the ruins with the unintentionally misleading direction of Yeta. Link finds the Ball and Chain after a confrontation with the mini-boss, Darkhammer, utilizing the item to destroy ice blocks.
12. Mermaid’s Cave (Oracle of Ages)
Located at the foot of Rolling Ridge, the Mermaid’s Cave spans past and present eras, a distinctive feature among the dungeons in Oracle of Ages and inspired by A Link to the Past. Link traverses between its past and present versions to fully navigate the dungeon, with different layouts and color schemes representing each era. In the present, the Cave’s first floor vaguely mirrors the form of a mermaid, inspiring its name, and in the past, its resemblance remains vague and submerged in water.
Both dungeon versions incorporate Dials as progression mechanisms, requiring Link to jump between times to complete puzzles by hitting them and seeing how they alter the environment. In the present, Link encounters the mini-boss, Vire, and secures a boss key and Mermaid Suit, enabling exploration of the submerged sections in the past. The dungeon's final boss, Octogon, and the Essence of Time it safeguards await Link in the past timeline.
13. Shadow Temple (Ocarina of Time)
Nestled deep within the Kakariko Village Graveyard, the Shadow Temple beckons only once Link masters the Nocturne of Shadow melody. Its dark ambiance delves into themes of death and fear, showcasing some of the series’ most terrifying enemies ever. Historically a Sheikah stronghold for interrogating enemies of the Hyrulean Royal Family, it now teems with the undead, lethal traps and complex puzzles designed to trap any intruders.
Concealed by invisible barriers, its deceptively simple labyrinthine passages demand the aid of the Lens of Truth to navigate. Link’s objective lies in descending deep into the temple to confront Bongo Bongo, a monstrous undead entity with a colossal torso, a protruding eye, and two huge disembodied hands beating on a giant drum. The dungeon’s mini-boss, Dead Hand, safeguards the Hover Boots, another amazing item to travel large gaps in Link’s way.
14. Divine Beast Vah Naboris (Breath of the Wild)
The Divine Beast Vah Naboris stands as a colossal creation forged over 10,000 years ago by the Sheikah to combat Calamity Ganon alongside the other Divine Beasts and their Guardians. Resembling a camel, its towering form harnesses electricity, channeling lightning through the twin humps adorning its back, shocking any nearby intruders. The quest for getting close and into the beast remains another example of an epic adventure before starting the dungeon, a trope that grows more prevalent in Tears of the Kingdom.
After succeeding in helping Riju find the Thunder Helm, Link embarks on a sandseal riding journey into the dunes, shooting arrow bombs at the ankles of the walking Divine Beast. Once inside, Link must manipulate electric currents and circuits to solve intricate puzzles and maneuver its mechanical innards. Within the torso, three primary cylinders can be rotated by players, housing five terminals Link must activate before reaching the main terminal to regain control of the beast. Standing in the way of the main terminal lies one of the most challenging fights in the game, Thunderblight Ganon.
15. Lorule Castle (A Link Between Worlds)
Standing as Hyrule Castle’s counterpart, Lorule Castle houses Lorule’s Royal Family and acts as the final dungeon in the game. Once Link rescues the Seven Sages and acquires the Triforce of Courage, Princess Hilda removes the barrier blocking the entrance, granting access to the now-overrun castle. Within, peril awaits amidst corridors flooded with lava, where Link uses Ravio’s Bracelet to turn into a painting on the wall and walk to otherwise inaccessible places.
Guarding the staircase to the second floor, the fire-wielding Lorule Ball and Chain Soldier stands as the first of five mini-bosses. Upon reaching the third floor, a set of doors adorned with images of four additional sub-bosses looms ahead. Echoing The Wind Waker, the four major rooms on the third and fourth floors intertwine familiar elements from previous dungeons with new and unique puzzles.
16. Eagle’s Tower (Links Awakening)
Atop the eastern peaks of the Tal Tal Mountain Range, the entrance to the Eagle’s Tower stands tall with grayish-green bricks. On its sides, head statues depicting eagles adorn the tower. Within the tower, Link finds puzzles involving blue and orange switch blocks with the goal of collapsing the fourth floor into the third floor in order to reach the top.
The Grim Creeper acts as a mini-boss; upon his first defeat during the ascent, he flees, only to return riding an Evil Eagle as the final encounter. Before reaching his final phase, Link finds the legendary Mirror Shield, with its vital discovery as the main tool for defeating the Grim Creeper.
17. Sword & Shield Maze (Oracle of Seasons)
The entrance to the Sword & Shield Maze lies at the mouth of a human face-shaped volcano, its eyes tracking Link’s every move. Situated in the northwestern corner of the Subrosian Volcanoes, the dungeon embodies the concept of opposite forces: the upper level embraces ice in the floor shape of a shield, while the basem*nt roils with fire and molten lava mirroring a sword shape.
Extensive use of Magnetic Gloves remains necessary, allowing the manipulation of magnetic orbs and creatures and tethering Link to distant magnet blocks. The icy floors in the upper level hinder navigation, but manageable if Link uses the Snowshoe Ring. Link discovers Ice Crystals, crucial for solidifying lava on the lower level, allowing deeper passage into the dungeon’s bowels.
18. Thieve’s Hideout (A Link Between Worlds)
To gain entry into the Thieve’s Hideout, Link must sing the “password song” gathered in pieces from the townsfolk. Once inside, Link encounters a captive Thief Girl, imprisoned for her knowledge of the location of one of the Seven Sages, Osfala. Reliance on the Thief Girl becomes pivotal throughout the dungeon, with floor switches designed to press simultaneously.
Crystal Switch puzzles also permeate the dungeon, solvable using Bombs or Bawbs, often requiring precise timing on conveyor belts. Once Link beats the dungeon, he earns the Sand Rod, a tool that points players toward the Desert Palace.
19. Ghost Ship (Phantom Hourglass)
Before the events of Phantom Hourglass, Bellum’s Ghost Ship garnered a reputation as a cursed ship from which no soul returns. Shrouded in dense fog, it prowls the waters, obscuring its path from all but those who know its secret path. Once Link discovers the elusive route, he navigates the dark fog to locate the Ghost Ship. This dungeon encapsulates a haunting and ghostly atmosphere and sadly does not take long to complete.
Once inside, Link undertakes the task of reuniting the four Cubus Sisters, similar to Poes found in the other games, revealing themselves as demons. After completing a stealthy path through the ship's bowels and reaching the deck, the Cubus Sisters challenge him to a game of Dead Man’s Volley, culminating in a tennis-like fight.
20. Lightning Temple (Tears of the Kingdom)
Out in the Gerudo Desert, the Lightning Temple manifests as a seven-floor gauntlet in the form of a pyramid. Surrounding the temple's entrance lies a hive teeming with Gibdos, which Link and Riju, the current Gerudo Monarch, must work together to extinguish. Upon this initial scenario’s success, the Queen Gibdo emerges and retreats deep into the pyramid.
Tasked with traversing its vertical corridors, Link must activate all four elevator batteries to reach the top, navigating through mirror light-bending puzzles. By overcoming these challenges, Link can finally confront Queen Gibdo in a climactic and electrifying showdown.
