Zelda bosses are a dime a dozen, with Link facing off against countless gigantic foes across the years. With floating hands, glowing eyes, and a whole load of swords, this pantheon of powerful parasites is legendary (sorry) among Legend of Zelda fans. But today, we’re here to pick the very best Zelda bosses from across every mainline game.
Just before we fire an arrow of information into the glowing red weak point known as your brain, be sure to check out our stellar coverage on The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. As well as our bumper Zelda Tears of the Kingdom review, we’re busy delivering essential guides like our articles covering the Zelda Tears of the Kingdom master sword, Zelda Tears of the Kingdom zonaite, Zelda Tears of the Kingdom DLC, and Zelda Tears of the Kingdom Lookout Landing.
Let’s throw a bomb at our best Zelda bosses guide and hope for the best. Get ready for some fights, and not just in the comments.
Helmasaur King – A Link to the Past
Bosses work best when you get to unleash powerful attacks with a brand-new weapon, plus they pose a decent challenge. The Helmasaur King from A Link to the Past is an imposing figure that flails around wildly, and you can’t beat it until you use bombs or the magic hammer to knock of its bone helmet.
However, underneath its armor, the best is just as scary, and its attacks only grow in ferocity. It appears a perfect point in the game, as you’re not quite strong enough to beat the beast with ease. Plus, it is really satisfying blasting its face off with a bomb and getting in a few licks with your sword. A stellar entry in a game packed with good bosses.
Bongo Bongo – Ocarina of Time
One particular Zelda boss haunts the halls of my childhood memories. A ghoulish specter with floating hands, Ocarina of Time’s Bongo Bongo traumatized many a kid back in the day. It is also one of many, many, Zelda bosses with a glowing red eye just begging for an arrow or a little smack from the master sword.
One fun thing in particular about his fight is using the lens of truth to reveal its true form, as there is a master behind those hands. An even creepier apparition hanging from the ceiling, and helping those hands to slap Link around like a crazed drummer. It’s a great balance of different items, abilities, and atmosphere. Just a perfect melding of what makes Zelda bosses so memorable.
Majora’s Wrath – Majora’s Mask
I love Zelda bosses, but more often than not, the best boss is somewhere along the way to your ultimate opponent, instead of the final foe being the highlight. Majora’s Mask bucks that trend, not only by eschewing Ganon and Ganondorf entirely, but by unleashing a boss that is ready to absolutely annihilate Link. Majora’s Wrath is no joke, so you’d better come prepared.
Now, you can make the fight much easier by equipping the fierce deity mask, but getting that mask is a job in and of itself. Either way, there is no way to waltz your way through the Majora’s Mask’s credits, and the title isn’t afraid to truly test the player. Plus, seeing a giant creature made up of Majora’s Mask’s design is just cool.
Ganondorf – Wind Waker
You might notice there is only one Ganondorf or Ganon fight on this list, and that’s because one is a clear-cut above the rest. Wind Waker excels in using art design to convey emotion, and that also reaches out to the King of the Gerudo himself, Ganondorf. In Wind Waker, he cackles, he threatens, and he feels just so imposing compared to other incarnations.
He’s a constant threat throughout the game, and this final showdown feels earned. Couple that with Wind Waker’s snappy and satisfying sword mechanics, as well as a truly emotional and shocking ending, and I’m not sure how any ending can ever live up to what Wind Waker achieves.
Stallord – Twilight Princess
Remember what I said about the best bosses allowing you to go mad with a good weapon? Well, Stallord is a skeletal opponent that spins around a circular track, and a boss that demands you use the absolutely incredible Spinner item you find in Twilight Princess. Essentially, Link is flying around on a cross between a skateboard and a Beyblade.
You use the spinner to hop between platforms while careening quickly around the level, hoping to unleash attacks on your skeletal foe. Twilight Princess might have a boring overworld, but it absolutely excels in the dungeon and boss design. In a packed field, Stallord is easily the most thrilling, memorable, and fun.
Bilocyte – Skyward Sword
You might judge me for not choosing Koloktos here, and it’s a tough choice. However, while the golden sword-wielding boss is certainly a fun one, the experience of riding through the sky to land on the back of Levias is one of the most cinematic moments in any Zelda game. Finally, a boss fight that takes place out in the world of the game instead of the confines of a dungeon!
Plus, with the changes made to Skyward Sword HD, using the sword isn’t the challenge it once was. But flying through the sky, avoiding enemies, and carefully landing on the back of the flying sky fish is still a blast. The Loftwings are the highlight of the game, and it’s only right they get the best boss fight as well.
Monk Maz Koshia – Breath of the Wild
There is very little debate that Breath of the Wild is a masterpiece, but one area it drops the ball is with its cookie-cutter Calamity Ganon bosses. Fighting five gelatinous blobs of red evil is fine, but it’s hardly the thrill of previous boss fights. Luckily, that’s where Breath of the Wild’s DLC comes in.
Making your way through the final dungeon rewards you with a boss fight that dares to be different, and tough! One of the monks you meet in every shrine comes to life, grows huge in size, and even clones themself to throw countless attacks at you. Also, your reward is the amazing master cycle, which easily makes it worth it.
King Gleeok – Tears of the Kingdom
If you’re wondering why Demon King Ganondorf isn’t here, well, frankly, I haven’t gotten to him yet. I’m too busy exploring and having an absolute blast flying around the skies and discovering shrines, armor, and enemies alike. Right now, one of my absolute favorite moments in the game is a tiny island in the Hebra region, that I decided to try and reach from quite a distance away.
Eventually, after using a heap of constructs, batteries, and elixirs, I found this elusive island. My reward? The feral flying hydra known as King Gleeok, a three-headed menace ready to eviscerate me with three different elements. This beast is tough, it’s fast, and also you might entirely miss it during your journey. It’s a testament to Tears of the Kingdom that it allows you to discover some of the very best moments in the entire game on your own.
Right, well we hope you enjoy our list, but if you have any disagreements please don’t hit me in my glowing red weak point (my emails). If you hunger like a Molduga for even more Zelda knowledge, then be sure to check out our guides covering Zelda Tears of the Kingdom amiibo and Zelda Tears of the Kingdom towers next.