Where there’s Link, there’s always a lot of monsters that are trying to end him. But they’re nothing compared to the bosses, and Link has taken on a lot of big baddies. From giant dragons to water monsters, Link has faced quite a few crazy bosses.
A good boss should be difficult to fight, but also interesting. And their design should be a combination of intimidating and fascinating. When it comes to a boss battles, you have to enjoy fighting them while also trying to stay alive. It’s not that much fun if you’re getting frustrated, or if the villain just looks weird.
I think one of my favorite boss battles in Zelda is Stallord from Twilight Princess. He’s a tricky boss, but it’s seriously so much fun to use the spinner to fight this guy. The whole battle is fast-pace and you’ve got to time things just right, but that’s part of what makes it fun.
Since there have been so many bosses in the Zelda games, there are some bosses that were not easy to defeat. Whether it was due to difficult control mechanics, tricky settings, or a rather tough boss, there have been many boss battles that have given gamers a run for their money.
So here are 20 Zelda boss battles that were seriously difficult, and some tips on how to beat them. Let’s bring out the bad, the worse, and the evil!
Think we missed some particularly hard boss battles? Make sure to let us know in the comments section below!
20 Try Not To Get Electrocuted
What’s interesting about Breath of the Wild is that the bosses in the game can be as easy or difficult as you want since a lot of the difficulty depends on how powered up you are.
But Thunderblight Ganon is probably the hardest boss out of the divine beasts. This boss is extremely fast and forces you to rely on quick reflexes to deflect its attacks. In the first stage, stay alert and be ready to block its attacks. Then counterattack when you can. In the second stage, take one of the metal beams it sends down, lift it up with your magnet ability, and hold it up to Thunderblight Ganon. The lightning will stun it, leaving you free to attack it.
19 This Shouldn’t Be So Fun
Out of all the Twilight Princess bosses, many think Stallord is the most enjoyable. It can be frustrating too though, especially if you’re not that good at the spinner. So, this guy can be tricky to beat.
With Stallord, it’s all about timing. In the first stage, just launch yourself off the walls toward Stallord’s spine buried in the ground. Time it so you can avoid the armies popping up and you’ll break him down in no time. The second stage is harder since it has you jumping from walls to walls to avoid projectiles. Jump too much or too little and you won’t be able to launch at Stallord’s head. Just pay attention to where you are and time it right. It may take a few tries.
18 I Never Did Like Puppets
Puppet Ganon from Wind Waker has an interesting design and it has three stages that can be difficult. And each stage gets harder. While fighting him isn’t impossible, it can be rather tricky.
Each stage is going to give you some trouble.
The first stage has you cutting down the strings it’s attached to, leaving it vulnerable for you to shoot it with a light arrow. The second stage requires you move to the right area to avoid getting smashed by the giant “spider” and still able to attack its tail. The final stage is the trickiest since he’s become a type of eel that moves quickly and randomly. In this case it’s going to take some luck and skill for you to shoot the tail while he’s moving.
17 It's The Ultimate Sword Fight
Demise gets mixed reactions from people when it comes to difficulty. Some found him incredibly difficult, while others though he was a letdown. But if you’re not very good at sword combat and dodging, then Demise is going to give you a hard time, since he’s powerful and fast.
The first stage is some usual sword play. Use your shield a lot and quickly counterattack when he swipes at you to catch him off guard. Then when the lightning comes in, you can actually raise your sword up to catch lighting and shoot it at Demise. This will stun him and give you a chance to attack. With this guy, it’s all about timing.
16 This Worm Is Surprisingly Hard
A lot of fans agree that Moldorm is one of the most frustrating and annoying bosses to fight in the Zelda games. And the biggest issue is the setup. Since Moldorm is surrounded by gaps in the floor, you can easily get pushed into one of them. And when that happens, you have to go back up and start the fight all over again.
The trick to fighting Moldorm is being aware if where you are in the room and moving quickly. Dart in and out to attack Modolrm, and be prepared for erratic movement. This boss is unpredictable and fast, so stay on your toes.
15 Time To Go Slay The Dragon
Did you know that Link had to fight a four-headed dragon? And Gleeok has become infamous as a seriously difficult enemy that has shown up in a few games. In The Legend of Zelda alone, you face this dragon multiple times, and the battle only gets harder each time as it increases heads.
The more heads, the tougher the battle.
What’s tricky about Gleeok is that the heads turn into ghost versions and continue attacking you after you cut them off, so you have to dodge the heads and the fireballs they spew out. To win, you have to take out all the heads. The key is to be fast and learn to dodge. If you stay sharp and don’t stop moving, you’ll be victorious.
14 This Dark General Will Take You Down
While General Onox may not be the final boss of Oracle of Seasons, the battle with him has been known to be incredibly difficult. Between his formidable mace and chain and his armor, this guy is not easy to beat. He also brings in an imprisoned Din as a shield, which electrocutes you if you hit it.
The trick for this battle is to keep your distance and attack quickly when the chance comes up. Unless you get the Master Sword, the only way to penetrate Onox’s armor is to use a spin attack. And when he does use Din as a shield, use the Rod of Seasons to deflect her away and leave Onox open for attack.
13 This Battle Will Give You Bad Dreams
The final fight in Majora’s Mask is both trippy and pretty difficult. You have to fight the mask itself in three different stages, all of them bringing their own difficulties.
The first stage is the mask itself, and its weakness is its back. Use your boomerang to stun it and you can then hit it with your sword. The second stage is the mask with arms and legs and it’s very fast. Use arrows to stun it, or roll around as Goron Link to damage it. The third stage is a stronger version that has tentacle whips. Keep your distance and use arrows to stun it. Or use Zora Link’s barrier to stun it and protect yourself. Hit it enough times, and you win!
12 This Eagle Has Some Issues
You’d think an eagle wouldn’t be that formidable as a boss, but Evil Eagle from Link’s Awakening is a very difficult battle, but that’s mostly due to the setting. Throughout this battle, you’re in a limited tower space. You have to avoid being knocked off this tower because if you do fall, you have to start the battle all over again.
If you fall off the tower, you have to start again.
To defeat this foe, you have to aim for the beak. Use a combination of your sword, hookshot, arrows, and boomerang. The trick is to learn how to dodge in a small space. So, you have to move quickly without moving too much.
11 Feel The Fire And Thunder
Many fans have lamented about the battle with Thunderbird being one of the harder battles in The Adventure of Link. It is the mini boss you fight before you fight the final boss, and it’s one of those bosses that only gets harder the more damage you do.
What’s tricky about Thunderbird are the fireballs it spews out. These fireballs deal a lot of damage and as you damage Thunderbird more, he spits them out almost continuously. The trick is to block them using a reflecting spell and develop your dodging skills. Also, remember you have to use a thunder spell in order to make Thunderbird vulnerable to attacks.
10 He’s The Ultimate Baddie
A Link to the Past has quite a few difficult bosses, and Ganon, the final boss, is definitely one that gives you trouble. He can teleport, throw his trident, summon fireballs, make the floor collapse, and even turn invisible. And if you fall through the floor, you have to start the whole battle over again.
To defeat Ganon, you have to be adaptable. You will deal the most damage with your sword, so keep your distance but dart in and attack when you can. Towards the end when he goes invisible, you must relight the lanterns to reveal him. After you stun him with a sword, attack him with a silver arrow. If you do this four times, you’ll defeat him.
9 In Zelda, The Fish Eat The Player
The boss battles in Majora’s Mask in general are pretty difficult. But Gyorg stands out as a rather hard boss to fight. What’s tricky about him is that you have to act quickly while avoiding several attacks. If you’re not careful, you could get eaten by this boss, which deals a lot of damage.
You just might get eaten by this guy.
To win this battle, you have to be comfortable as Zora Link and using his abilities. Use your boomerang fins to stun Gyorg. Then dive into the water as Zora Link to attack him, using your electrical barrier. The attacks are pretty straightforward, but if you haven’t mastered Zora Link, you’re going to have a hard time.
8 Don’t Get On This Train
You’d think a train wouldn’t be all that dangerous, but the Demon Train from Spirit Tracks is a seriously difficult boss to fight. And if you don’t get the timing right, you can get completely smashed by this demon train.
This train has three different stages. In the first stage you have to shoot the explosive barrels the demon train drops near it to damage it. In the second stage, you have to shoot and destroy the lasers. And at the third stage, several cogs that look like eyes appear. Once you shoot those, you’ll defeat the boss. The trick is to avoid getting shot by this train while still doing damage and not running out of track.
7 Go Big Or Go Home
What’s interesting about Breath of the Wild is that you can make boss battles as easy or as difficult as you want, depending on how many upgrades and armor you get. And if you want a real challenge, you can take on Calamity Ganon at the very beginning of the game with only three hearts.
The trick to beating Calamity Ganon with very little health and stamina is to stock up on some weapons and some food. If you’re careful, you can take down all the Blights and Calamity Ganon himself. And if you run out of weapons, there are some around the edge of the arena. The trick is to use the shields to deflect his beam as much as you can.
6 Aim For The Tongue
Molgera may not be the hardest boss in Wind Waker, but it is a difficult one that can give you a lot of trouble. You have to attack its while avoiding getting eaten. There’s also a bunch of mini molgeras that give you trouble too.
In this fight, your hookshot is your friend.
You’ll use your hookshot a lot in this battle. Use it to take out the molgeras, and use it to bring Molgera’s tongue to you and slash away. Also, just always be aware of where Molgera is and avoid getting too close to the head since it will eat you and cause a lot of damage. But keep slashing at the tongue and you’ll be victorious.
5 This Was A Pretty Dramatic Battle
For some fans, the final battle with Ganon wasn’t too difficult, but for others it was a tricky one. This battle relies on your sword-fighting abilities, so if you’re not good at combat, you’re out of luck. Plus, at the end, you have to do some team attacks with Zelda that can get tricky.
With Ganon, you have to stay alert and have fast reflexes. And in the beginning, use your counterattack move often. At one point, Zelda will have to aim her light arrows at you and you will need to reflect that arrow to Ganon with your mirror shield. This may take a couple of tries. And then you’ll need to do a jump attack. That will take him down.
4 Fighting My Inner Darkness
Dark Link is probably the most infamous when it comes to difficult bosses. He’s the final boss in The Adventure of Link, and he’s also a pretty difficult mini boss in Ocarina of Time. What makes him so hard is that he mimics your movement, making attacking and counterattacking very difficult.
The trick to beating Dark Link is timing. He can’t attack at one height and defend at a different height, so jumping and attacking is a good bet. Another trick is to crouch in the left corner and just stab at him when he approaches. You’ll also want to use a shield spell when you enter the room.
3 Levias/Bilocyte From Skyward Sword
You have to give the battle with Levias and Bilocyte credit for having some great atmosphere. You’re flying your bird through this giant cloud and trying to divebomb the parasite that’s taken over this giant flying whale.
If you're not good at flying, this battle is impossible.
While this battle is fairly straightforward, what makes it incredibly difficult is the mechanics. Skyward Sword is known for having some difficult game controls, and this battle is no exception. You’re dealing with flying and attacking while in flight, which isn’t easy. With this battle, it’s all about timing, and if you do mess up and miss, don’t give up; just loop around and try again.
2 This Dark Sorcerer Will Take You Out
Vaati is a pretty powerful guy, and the battle with him in The Minish Cap is not an easy one. He has several stages that require all the skills you’ve learned.
The first stage, you’ll need to aim for the eye that opens on Vaati’s body. The second stage requires you to shoot the small eyes with an arrow and then split into four clones to attack them. Once they disappear, attack Vaati. His final stage will require you to shrink down and go inside his arms to attack the eyes. Once those disappear, the eyes will reappear and he’ll start shooting energy balls. Split into four and hit them at once and they’ll fly back to his eyes. Then attack Vaati’s body.
1 That Was One Crazy Battle
Zant does get points for having one of the more insane boss battles. And what makes fighting him a bit tricky is that to defeat him, you have to remember how you defeated previous bosses in the game. Plus, Zant’s fighting style is both aggressive and unpredictable, so you have to stay alert with him.
Zant will teleport you to boss battles you’ve done in the past, so make sure you remember how you defeated those bosses. Use the items you’ve gained in those temples, and you’ll be fine. The final stage involves you in hand to hand combat, and this is where it gets hard. Zant doesn’t leave you much room to breathe, so you have to act quickly between defending and attacking.