Daily Debate: What Is Your Favorite Fire or Lava Themed Dungeon in the Zelda Series?
Posted on November 26 2018 by Sean Gadus
Fire is one of the key elements of human culture. It is often considered one of the most important discoveries in human history. The element of fire is also a key part of myths and literature, sometimes representing passion, compulsion, and creativity. Fire plays key roles in the classic Greek myth of Prometheus, as well as medieval classics like Dante’s The Divine Comedy.
Keeping this in mind, let’s talk about the hottest places in Hyrule! These are the dungeons that often involve fire, lava, and other primordial elements of similar nature. In Zelda games, it almost guaranteed that there will be a fire dungeon or area. Even the iconic Breath of the Wild, which removed many conventions of the Zelda series, still included a fire dungeon in Divine Beast Vah Rudania.
There are many excellent fire and lava dungeons in the Zelda series, each with different ideas and designs. Dungeon’s like Dodongo’s Cavern in Ocarina of Time, and Dragon Roost Island in The Wind Waker are natural, built deep into the earth and surrounding landscape. Other temples, like Ocarina of Time‘s Fire Temple and the Fire Sanctuary from Skyward Sword have a much more developed and cultural feel. These temples include ornate statues and complex architecture.
Personally, I really enjoy the Goron Mines of Twilight Princess, and their mix of mechanization, lava, and fire. The designers had interesting ideas, such as using the iron boots and magnetism for navigation. The mines also illustrate the Goron people and their attempts at taming the powerful natural resources of Death Mountain.
Which fire or lava dungeon is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below!
Featured art by Know-Kname.
Sean Gadus is a Senior Editor at Zelda Dungeon. His first Zelda game was Ocarina of Time, and he loves all of the 3D Zelda games from 1998-2011. The final battle of Tears of the Kingdom is one of his favorite final battles in the entire series. He wants to help build a kinder, more compassionate world. You can check out his other written work at The-Artifice.com.
