Dodongo's Cavern

In-depth guide: Ocarina of Time Walkthrough Chapter 4: Dodongo's Cavern

Dodongo's Cavern is the second Dungeon in Ocarina of Time. It is located below Goron City in the Death Mountain Trail and contains the Bomb Bag.

Story

The cave was blocked with a huge stone by Ganondorf after the leader of the Gorons, Darunia, refused to give the King of Evil the Spiritual Stone of Fire. These events caused the Goron population to starve because their primary source of food was the gourmet rocks present in the cavern. Darunia gives Link the Goron's Bracelet so he can wipe out the monsters in the cavern and restore the Goron food source. The Bracelet gives Link the ability to lift and use Bomb Flowers to destroy the rock blocking the entrance to the cavern. After defeating the boss, King Dodongo, he is rewarded with the Goron's Ruby by Darunia. They also become sworn brothers.

Gaining Entrance

Link can find the Dodongo's Cavern halfway up Death Mountain Trail. He cannot enter without first destroying the large rocks blocking the entrance. To do so, he must acquire the Goron's Bracelet from Darunia. He can do this by playing Zelda's Lullaby to open the door to Darunia's chambers in the Goron City, then playing Saria's Song to lighten the Goron chieftain's attitude. He will then grant the bracelet to Link.

To open the dungeon Link must then head outside. Leaving the Goron City, Link will find a cliff to his right overlooking the blocked entrance to the Cavern. There is a gap in the fence there with a Bomb Flower next to it. Link must lift the Bomb Flower and throw it through the gap so it lands and destroys the rock. Link can then enter the cavern.

Dungeon Design

As a Fire dungeon, the Dodongo's Cavern is mainly composed of rocky walls and lava pools. There are also a lot of Bomb Flowers. This dungeon is not as hot as Death Mountain Crater or the Fire Temple so Link is not timed without the Goron Tunic.

The dungeon consists of caves and tunnels that are centered around one large central cavern. This cavern has a large lava pool surrounding a main platform and ringed by other ledges. Beamos are situated all around this room and can be destroyed by Bomb Flowers.

Around the main platform there are also three stone cylinders that raise and lower themselves. Link can use them to move from the center to the other ledges; later he can also activate a switch that makes one of them reach to the second floor. In the north part of the room is an ancient skull said to be taken from the Dodongo Queen, and if Link drops bombs into this skull's eyes it will open its mouth to enable him to reach the final parts of the dungeon.

Throughout the dungeon are a number of fire enemies, including Fire Keese and Dodongos. If it is burned away by these enemies, there is a Business Scrub in the main room who will sell Link a replacement Deku Shield.

The item for this dungeon is the Bombs and Bomb Bag. With it, Link will receive 20 bombs to carry and use at will along with the ability to purchase Bombs and Bombchu.

Lizalfos

The dungeon has two miniboss battles, each of them involving a pair of Lizalfos. The battles take place in a two-story room with a river of lava that flows from one floor to the next in a "lava-fall." The river is studded with rocks that Link must jump between to challenge the Lizalfos. The first battle takes place on the lower section of the room, and the second one is on the upper platforms.

To fight the Lizalfos, Link needs to focus on them one at a time by Z-targeting. Then he simply needs to avoid their attacks and strike in between their movements to avoid being hit. The Lizalfos can be stunned for a short time using a Deku Nut.