Celebrating Twilight Princess’ Cave of Ordeals

Despite the imminent threat of darkness that plagues Twilight Princess’ Hyrule, most of the game’s side content is relatively lighthearted. That’s by no means a knock against the game, though. From the delightful zaniness of the Flight By Fowl and Fruit Pop Flight Challenge mini-games to the awe-inspiring serenity of Iza’s Rapid Ride and Hena’s Fishing Hole, Twilight Princess boasts some of my favorite side quests in the series. Agitha’s bug collect-a-thon speaks to the Banjo-Kazooie fan in me, while snowboarding manages to feel exhilarating without the need for swordplay.

All of that being said, none of these secondary activities have had a greater effect on me than the Cave of Ordeals. Located below the Gerudo Mesa, this 50-floor gauntlet is one of the few legitimate, combat-oriented challenges in an otherwise easy game. And because of its difficulty and inventiveness, I find myself returning to this unique dungeon over and over again.

Now, admittedly, everything that I’m about to say must be taken with the understanding that I tend to willingly enter the dungeon at somewhat of a disadvantage. Although I typically tackle it toward the end of my journey — having collected a decent number of heart pieces — I don’t fill all of my bottles with potions and fairies. I mean, I might go in with one potion bottle.

Additionally, my appreciation for the Cave was heightened significantly with the release of Twilight Princess HD. With the advent of Hero Mode, hearts never appear and Link takes double damage from enemies. For me, playing through the dungeon under these circumstances is so much more rewarding than on the base difficulty setting. I still don’t have the courage to activate the Ganondorf amiibo, though, as it effectively quadruples the amount of damage Link takes. Considering Twilight Princess is my all-time favorite video game, I make sure to play it once a year — maybe this year’s run-through will be the one in which I finally take that dreaded plunge!

Diving into the specifics, the Cave definitely eases the player in. Although the first floor features only a single Bokoblin, the variety and quantity of enemies steadily ratchets up with each successive floor. My first time through the dungeon, I remember letting my guard down — jumping headlong into each arena.

As I learned the hard way, though, you’ve got to take note of your surroundings. The Cave’s latter half, especially, is truly a test of one’s patience. For instance, there may be torch slugs that drop down from the ceiling as you hop off of the ledge and into the arena proper. Another floor, meanwhile, boasts bow-and-arrow-wielding Bulbins who are chilling just below the entry ledge — just out of view, unless you pan the camera in such a way that you can see them.

Although the first dozen or so floors asked me to employ only the most basic, tried-and-true sword techniques, the later ones definitely required that I be more methodical. Not only did I have to pick my battles — focus on only one enemy at a time — but I also found myself using certain items in ways I had previously never thought of. Using the ball and chain to take out particularly deadly foes — like Gibdos — from afar was a revelation!

The dungeon does a magnificent job of keeping me on my toes, and nowhere is that more palpably felt than in the bottom floor. Even without Hero Mode, this final battle against three Darknuts is the stuff of legends. Keeping them far enough apart from one another so that I could attack one without being hit by one of the others — that’s an ordeal unto itself. Coupled with the fact that I’m usually down to only a handful of hearts by the time I arrive, this fight is about as intense as it gets.

There were several instances in which I chipped away all of the final Darknut’s armor, only to be killed because of a rash decision on my part. From there, I had to start all the way back at the beginning of the dungeon. The things I screamed to my TV screen that night probably woke the neighbors. It was only that much more satisfying, then, when I finally did best those three, armored elites. Again, patience, people. Patience.

As much as I love Twilight Princess’ combat system, enemy encounters are pretty straightforward throughout most of the game. This optional dungeon, however, seriously encourages the player to think outside the box — to dispatch foes in new, inventive ways. For this reason alone, the Cave of Ordeals is definitely a highlight of Link and Midna’s unforgettable adventure.