Every Zelda title boasts a bevy of bosses, most serving as the climactic finale to an extended dungeon crawl. Debates continue about which bosses are the best, which games have the best sets of bosses, and whether or not bosses are a strength for Zelda in general. I think most fans would agree that the series’ boss roster is a collection of hits, misses, and a lot in between. Content creator Warbot has released an analysis video on his YouTube channel, Design Doc, critiquing a trend he identifies in many Zelda bosses; what he refers to as “The Zelda Pattern”.

The primary thesis expressed in this critique is that many Zelda bosses, especially in the high-profile 3D games, are too formulaic. This is a common criticism, and one that most fans can acknowledge contains some merit. Undoubtedly, most bosses from these games are defeated by using the associated dungeon item to perform a rigid attack process upon the foe. Repeating this a few times leads to the boss’ defeat, or perhaps another phase of the fight which usually behaves in a similar fashion. The Design Doc analysis points out Ocarina of Time’s King Dodongo, Twilight Princess’ Fyrus, and basically every boss from The Wind Waker as examples of this common motif. A point is made to acknowledge that many of the older and 2D games offer more varied and dynamic bosses, but the sentiment is clear that the modern bosses too often become mired in repetition.

While I consider this analysis mostly valid, there are also some rebuttals I believe are worth mentioning. The 3D Zelda games (before Breath of the Wild) have their roots in the classic Adventure genre. The challenge and reward of this type of game comes primarily from figuring out what to do; actually performing that action is often trivial once the logic clicks. A game like Ocarina of Time may be open world, but actually progressing the game’s important events is a linear affair and the dungeon bosses fit that design philosophy. They’re typically intended to serve as an epic set piece moment rather than a test of skill. The analysis video gives praise to the more flexible boss encounters found in Breath of the Wild, but these have their own shortcomings. All of them are aesthetically similar, and the battles can be completely undermined depending on the player’s equipment. Both types of bosses have their strengths, and both are suited to the games in which they exist.

If you appreciate this analysis video, check out the Design Doc YouTube channel for more deep dives into video game design. You can also follow the creator on Twitter.

What do you think about this video’s analysis? Are Zelda bosses too formulaic? Let us know what you think in the comments below!

Source: Design Doc

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