Top Ten Easiest Zelda Bosses

I’ve said it as recently as my last article; bosses are one of my favorite parts of Zelda games. They can be impressive in size and design, but it is not uncommon to ultimately find yourself underwhelmed. When it comes to bosses, nothing is more disappointing to me than an absurdly easy battle. Even an extremely frustrating battle is eventually worthwhile due to the rewarding feeling you get once you claim victory. Now, there are certainly going to be bosses absent from the list that may surprise you, but keep in mind that there are several easy bosses in the series, and only ten available slots.

It was quite difficult for me to decide how I would rank these bosses. I find them all almost equally as pathetic. But in the end, I decided to judge overall ease mostly by how easy I found it to avoid each enemy’s attacks. Lengthier battles do not necessarily equate to higher difficulty, however. For example, I found Koloktos of Skyward Sword to be extremely easy, however the battle takes upwards of three minutes simply because of how the fight is set up. The difficulty in locating weaknesses was not considered because, let’s face it, the Zelda series has never been coy about this. One last thing considered is how far into the game an easy boss appears. For example, Hothead would have made a decent second or third boss in Link’s Awakening based on difficulty, but being the last one before the final boss knocks his threat level down greatly. A boss that far into the game should be much more challenging. Of course, the ease of a battle is all a matter of opinion and level of skill, but I think we can all agree that these ten (except for one that may surprise you) were among the most laughable “fights” in Zelda history.

#10: Aquamentus (The Legend of Zelda)

Why it’s so easy: You know this is going to be a pathetic list of enemies when the most difficult boss on it is the very first boss of the very first Zelda game. But, to be fair, a first boss should be easy. The Legend of Zelda is full of challenging moments, which diminishes Aquamentus’ threat level significantly. If he were an easy boss in an easy game, it is possible that he would be considered more difficult, in a way. What I mean by that is that if a game is steadily easy throughout, you don’t notice a boss’ difficulty. You simply breeze through it like the rest of the game. However, Aquamentus is an easy boss in a very difficult game, so facing him seems like you caught a lucky break. Like I said, credit should be given since he is the first boss, but he is also the seventh boss, and his difficulty hasn’t significantly increased, if at all. He barely moves and his fireballs are easy to avoid, so long as you patiently strike him once or twice, move away, wait for the projectiles to pass you, then hit him again. The battle is even easier if you have full health and just shoot sword beams from a safe distance.

What makes it even remotely challenging: I find that I only take damage in this battle if I’m too impatient to move away when he’s ready to attack. But you don’t even have to move to the left of the screen most times. Given the position of the boss when he fires, you can simply take two paces to the top of the screen, which will be out of the boss’ reach, then come back down within half a second to finish him off.

#9: Morpha (Ocarina of Time)

Why it’s so easy: The room’s spiked walls are more of a threat than the boss itself. That’s pretty sad. Morpha can only get you if you are extremely slow or not paying attention to the other water arm (the one Morpha doesn’t inhabit). Morpha can be defeated in under a minute with the right positioning and a little bit of luck. Just run to a corner safe from both water arms’ reach (you will have plenty of time to do this), wait for the creature to surface, hook it, and maneuver yourself quickly to switch places so that it is in the corner. Then go nuts with your sword. Even if this strategy eludes you, Morpha’s only change of attack is conjuring another water arm to grab you, and it’s easily avoidable. Adding more water arms would’ve likely knocked Morpha off the list. There’s no rush, and it can be defeated at your own pace. The battle may take longer than any other on this list, but that doesn’t make Morpha difficult, just tedious.

What makes it even remotely challenging: The spiked walls of course do not make things easier, but really, they don’t make things harder either. Avoiding them really isn’t an issue. Once Morpha conjures another water arm, you will need to be more wary. But keeping track of two water arms rather than one should not slow you down. Just pick another corner to hide in.

#8: Agahnim (A Link to the Past)

Why it’s so easy: While I find both Agahnim battles to be cakewalks, the first one is significantly easier. Agahnim only attacks with projectile spells, and they don’t move very fast. All you need to do is face him and reflect his attacks. His occasional lightning attacks may seem intimidating, but he only fires them downward, from the top center of the room. Just stand near the top-left or top-right of the room to avoid this. Furthermore, Agahnim will always face you when preparing an attack other than lightning. So, when he charges up an attack, move about the room, to the left or right. If his direction of aim does not change, he is about to throw lightning, Emperor Palpatine style.

What makes him even remotely challenging: Those projectiles that split upon hitting a wall (or your sword) and fly across the room can be difficult to dodge. However, keeping your distance from Agahnim and recognizing these projectiles far before they reach you will make it significantly easier to plan your maneuver around the blast.

#7: Twinrova (Ocarina of Time)

Why they’re so easy: Go ahead: turn on your Caps Lock and write your angry comments, Zelda fans. But I’m sticking to this one, and I’ll try to justify my opinion as best I can. The Sorceress Sisters are a great battle in many ways. The atmosphere and fire and ice dynamic are fun and memorable. I have absolutely nothing against them as characters, in fact I want to see them come back in future games. But remember, we’re talking about boss difficulty. Think about it: their attacks were pathetic, and way too easy to avoid. First of all, during the first phase of the battle, they never attack at the same time, which is their number one advantage here; there are two of them, and one of you. Not only does it sometimes take way too long for one of them to stop floating about aimlessly and ready an attack, but when the attack happens, you have plenty of time to prepare for it. It takes them awhile to charge up.

The second phase is even more laughable. Z-Targeting allows for effortless tracking of the foe, which is easy enough without it. Again, rather than attacking with both elements at once, she strikes with one at a time. Wouldn’t the battle have been much more challenging and fun if she released both simultaneously, forcing you to run and catch the one you need? But I digress. When she throws the opposite element you need, that’s when the battle gets as hard as it will be. But stand at a safe distance if you’re worried. Even at close range, she doesn’t raise her wands quickly enough for the attack to be a surprise, and the blasts themselves travel slowly. Not to mention, sidestep jumping makes dodging these attacks even easier. Twinrova, as the second to last boss of the game, is a joke.

What makes them even remotely challenging: If my memory serves me correctly, this battle could be somewhat of a pain on the N64, only because of the faulty Z-Targeting. I seem to remember getting frustrated when I wanted to deselect aiming at them altogether, but rather Navi would switch my aiming to the other witch. But Z-Targeting is useless during the first phase of the battle anyway, so don’t even bother using it. Also, it can occasionally be irritating to properly align yourself so that you not only catch the attacks but also accurately reflect them upon the appropriate witch. But that doesn’t really make the battle “difficult,” because you’re never getting hit. What’s remotely challenging about the second phase of the battle you ask? Um, nothing. It’s a joke… Okay… MAYBE your first time you accidentally mixed the elements in your shield. But I never did. That seemed way too obvious a trap.

#6: Dodongo (The Legend of Zelda)

Why it’s so easy: Some may want to argue that Dodongo belongs further down the list. After all, it never even attempts to attack Link. I don’t care if you’re a newcomer to the NES classic. If you die because the second boss of the game was too challenging, you probably should put down that video game controller before you hurt yourself. If, however, you intentionally die because you ran out of bombs and need to start over… I suppose I can sympathize. No wait, scratch that; just save your game instead. Running out of bombs should be your number one concern when facing this guy, but that doesn’t really make the battle difficult. You shouldn’t ever get hit. If I were to justify not placing this joke of a boss further down the list, it would be for two main reasons: 1) This battle takes place in the original NES classic, before Link could throw bombs. As such, you do have to get quite close to the beast to attack it, making it (barely) more risky to take damage. And 2) His movements are unpredictable and he can change direction at anytime. You may have him right where you want him: lined up, ready to place your last bomb, and then… he turns. And you’re screwed.

What makes it even remotely challenging: Again, running out of bombs. But like I said, does that really make the battle “difficult?” I think not; just annoying.

#5: Gohma (Ocarina of Time)

Why she’s so easy: Right from the get-go, she’s vulnerable. Stun her eye with a Deku Nut or Deku Seed, then damage her with your sword. Wait for her to climb to the ceiling, and have your Slingshot ready. Aim for the eye, and once it turns red, let loose with a Deku Seed. If you land that hit, she will fall, be stunned, and you can perform one more series of sword attacks before she’s defeated. One of the fastest, and of course easiest, boss battles in Zelda history.

What makes her even remotely challenging: Aiming at the eye with the Slingshot is easy, but I must admit that I have missed in the past. Even so, I’d nail her my second or third try. If you fail to stun her, she’ll hatch babies that will make the battle a tad more difficult. Even then, not so much.

#4: King Dodongo (Ocarina of Time)

Why he’s so easy: King Dodongo is one of the most predictable and repetitive bosses in the series. His attack pattern never changes, and the fight does not get more difficult as it progresses. Keeping in mind the NES Dodongo’s weakness, the dungeon item received, and the bomb flowers in the corners of the room, his weakness should be beyond obvious. His rolling attack is easy to avoid, and he takes a long enough breath before releasing a fireball. And even if you don’t manage to get a bomb in his mouth in time, the fireball is fairly easy to avoid as well.

What makes him even remotely challenging: Standing in just the right spot between the lava pit and the rolling monster’s path might be tricky for some. And by “some,” I mean the kind of people who have yet to master the zipper on their pants. But why even risk that when standing close up against the wall works just as well, and avoids the risk of taking damage? This boss is even easier than the one that preceded it.

#3: Dodongo (Oracle of Seasons)

Why it’s so easy: Dodongos are so pathetic that they’ve appeared on this list three times. I honestly hope that next time Nintendo brings these monsters back, they surprise us by being one of the hardest bosses we’ve ever encountered. But back to the matter at hand…

The Oracle of Seasons Dodongo is much like the one found in The Legend of Zelda, however I find this boss to be much easier. First of all, you can throw your bombs, and therefore maintain a safer distance between yourself and the boss. Secondly, the beast actually stops momentarily and the time window in which you can successfully land a hit is much greater. And finally, you cannot run out of bombs. If you do, there are bushes in the corner of the room for you to restock. The second part of the necessary attack pattern may take awhile for first time players to figure out, but keeping in mind the dungeon item you received and the pit of spikes in the center, it shouldn’t take long to put two and two together. But, even if it does take you awhile to figure this out, you’re not going to find yourself taking lots of damage. Its attacks are easy to avoid.

What makes it even remotely challenging: I would say that its fireballs are threatening, but before he releases them you should already have thrown a bomb in its mouth. The monster’s charge should probably be your biggest concern, but it’s very obvious when the boss is preparing to do so, and you should have plenty of time to get out of its path.

#2: Angler Fish (Link’s Awakening)

Why it’s so easy: Where should I begin? The weak point is screamingly obvious, and staying out of harm’s way is a cinch. You don’t even need to travel to another area of the screen to get to a safe location. The top of the screen (where you enter the fight) is where you want to be, and that’s exactly where the weak spot is. The only advice you need here are two simple words from Mel Gibson: “Swing away.”

What makes it even remotely challenging: Falling debris and smaller fish may get in the way, but that’s only if you let the boss live that long. The Angler Fish can literally be defeated in a matter of seconds. Just stay at the top of the screen and hack away at the obvious weak point. Even if you go easy on the boss and allow the fight to drag, everything is easy to dodge. The smaller fish move in a predictable pattern and can be taken out quickly even with the level one sword. Debris falls straight down and takes its time, so no worries there. The biggest threat at this point becomes the boss’ charge attack. The only thing that makes the fight even remotely difficult is a mix of those three threats occurring at once. Dodging the boss, smaller fish, and debris all at once might cause problems. But again, why let the boss live that long? Take it out!

#1: Gohma (The Legend of Zelda)

Why she’s so easy: The most underwhelming of all boss battles, Gohma is the biggest joke in the series. The Legend of Zelda has had its fair share of contenders on this list, but none is more surprisingly simple than Gohma. As it was for Aquamentus, placing such an easy boss so late in such a challenging game makes you realize just how pathetic she is. The continuous array of fireballs coming your way may be at first intimidating, but they’re fired in a continuous, timed order, so adapting to their pattern is a breeze. There are even statues in the lower corners of the room that have shot fireballs in other areas of the game, but these ones do nothing. When facing Gohma, all you need to do is walk left to right, right to left continuously, and you will find that dodging her fireballs comes naturally. Just keep moving, and wait for her to open her eye. One arrow and she’s done.

What makes her even remotely challenging: Like I said, lots of fireballs will be unleashed in your direction, but they are fired in a continuous, easy-to-dodge pattern. Like Dodongo before her, it is possible to run out of the item you need to claim victory. However, unlike bombs, you can carry hundreds of arrows. And since rupees (which for some reason are used as arrows in this game) are so commonly left behind by dungeon enemies, and you rarely ever spend money in dungeons, you should have more than enough ammunition to finish off Gohma. Again, she’s a one hit K-O. If you collect 255 rupees and still manage to run out of arrows… Nevermind. No such person could possibly exist. She’s that easy.

Like I said, there were a slew of options to choose from, so I would feel neglectful if I didn’t at least give you guys a short list of honorable mentions:

Digdogger (The Legend of Zelda)
Gohdan (The Wind Waker)
Horsehead (Adventure of Link)
Hothead (Link’s Awakening)
Plasmarine (Oracle of Ages)
Slime Eel (Link’s Awakening)
Stagnox (Spirit Tracks)

What do you all think? Do you agree or disagree with the list? Which bosses would be in your own top ten list? Comment below, and let’s talk about it!