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00:00Welcome to Mojo Plays, and today we are ranking every final dungeon in The Legend of Zelda.
00:14Our choices are based on a variety of factors such as enemies, puzzles, and atmosphere.
00:26Before we get into it, we publish new content all week long, so be sure to subscribe and
00:31ring the bell to get notified about our latest videos.
00:35Number 20, Temple of the Ocean King, The Legend of Zelda, Phantom Hourglass
00:45The Temple of the Ocean King from Phantom Hourglass gets a lot of hate from the Zelda
00:50fan, and for good reason.
00:52Link visits it multiple times throughout the story, and each time, he has to retread
00:57floors he's already completed.
00:59Granted, you can earn some treasure and unlock shortcuts as you gain new items, but it's
01:04still a tedious process.
01:06Even looking at the final section on its own, which thankfully allows Link to kill those
01:11annoying phantoms with his newly powered up phantom sword, there isn't much to offer
01:15in terms of puzzles, or interesting environment, or anything, really, beyond a bit more treasure
01:21and some ship parts.
01:22The climax with Bellum is fine, but this dungeon left a sour taste in everyone's mouth.
01:33Number 19, Vaati's Palace, The Legend of Zelda, Four Swords
01:44When it comes to dungeons in Four Swords, they're more centered around multiplayer
01:48combat challenges than puzzles or atmosphere.
01:51The finale, Vaati's Palace, is mostly based around wind navigation, with the Links using
01:57rocks taped to fly across moving platforms and breakable floors.
02:01It also recycles themes and bosses from previous areas, though it can be a bit hard to judge
02:07given the game's procedural generation.
02:10Still, much like the rest of the game, there isn't much depth to be found here, making
02:14it easy to rank it rather low.
02:17Vaati himself provides a decent fight, but it's still the weakest of his three appearances
02:21in the series.
02:27Number 18, The Wind Fishes Egg, The Legend of Zelda, Link's Awakening
02:38Ranking Link's Awakening low on a list just feels plain wrong, given how oddly charming
02:43the majority of the game is.
02:46But when it comes to a final challenge, venturing inside The Wind Fishes Egg doesn't measure
02:50up to most other climaxes in the franchise.
02:53There are really only two parts.
02:56The first is a maze, the correct order of which requires reading a specific book in
03:00the library with the magnifying glass, earned through the trading sequence.
03:05After that, it's the final boss.
03:07Death Eye does provide one hell of a fight, and the ending that follows is a beautifully
03:12bittersweet one.
03:13Simply put, The Wind Fishes Egg is barely a dungeon.
03:21Number 17, Onyx's Castle, The Legend of Zelda, Oracle of Seasons
03:31Onyx must have drawn the short straw because his final dungeon isn't nearly as interesting
03:36as Varen's from Oracle of Ages.
03:38It mostly consists of a few rooms with enemies for Link to fight, and while one of them is
03:44the mini-boss, Fassad, who's always a good time, there isn't really anything that interesting
03:49about the rest of it.
03:51Onyx himself is a great final boss, using Din as a shield and transforming into a massive
03:56dragon for his second phase.
03:58But the bit that leads up to him is pretty forgettable, both from a design and a world
04:04building perspective.
04:09Number 16, Sky Temple, The Legend of Zelda, Triforce Heroes
04:22One of the few titles referred to as Black Sheep of the Zelda family, Triforce Heroes
04:27still manages to have a decent final stretch.
04:30The Sky Temple pits the three Links against a variety of enemies.
04:35What makes it fun is that you have to fight on different terrain, with different enemies
04:39and items relegated to them.
04:41This gives the combat challenge a neat spin as opposed to just throwing enemies at you.
04:46The final boss, Lady Maud, also makes good use of the game's totem feature.
04:51It's nowhere near as good as a traditional final Zelda dungeon, but it's a suitable finale
04:56for this type of game.
04:57Number 15, The Tower of Spirits, The Legend of Zelda, Spirit Tracks
05:12Like Phantom Hourglass, Spirit Tracks makes Link return to the Tower of Spirits multiple
05:17times throughout the game.
05:19The difference is that you don't have to go back through the same rooms over and over
05:23again, making it a fair bit better.
05:26The final floors before facing off against Amalidus and Chancellor Cole are also the
05:30strongest, and definitely the hardest.
05:33Link must get Zelda to possess multiple types of phantoms, traveling between different rooms
05:38to solve puzzles, including one that's pitch black and another with sand pit traps everywhere.
05:44It's a sizable challenge, but a satisfying one that fully utilizes Zelda as the companion.
05:50Number 14, The Black Tower, The Legend of Zelda, Oracle of Ages
06:08Like I said, the final dungeon of Oracle of Ages is a fair bit stronger than its season's
06:13counterpart.
06:14Part of that comes from the fact that it's just longer, it's still mostly combat focused,
06:19though there's a maze of staircases you need to find your way through unless you want
06:23to do a lot more fighting.
06:25But another reason The Black Tower ranks higher is the role it plays in the game's story.
06:30In the past, it was built by Queen Amby, until the villain Varan goes back in time and convinces
06:35her to build it to the heavens.
06:37She then makes time stand still, forcing the builders to continuously work on it for an
06:42endless day, earning its name from the townsfolk.
06:45Number 13, Death Mountain, The Legend of Zelda
06:59The original game is undeniably hard, and the final dungeon is the apex of that difficulty.
07:06Also simply known as Level 9, Death Mountain is Ganon's lair, and therefore comes with
07:11swarms of enemies packed inside nearly 60 different rooms.
07:16Yeah, no wonder it's shaped like a skull.
07:18By the time The Legend of Zelda was released, this was a proper final challenge, amping
07:22up the difficulty and ensuring players deserved to reach the end.
07:26It can be frustrating of course, but it acts as the crescendo of everything this game did.
07:32Link's first fight against Ganon is especially iconic, as he turns invisible, teleports around
07:38the room, and gives away his location only by shooting fireballs at him.
07:47Number 12, Palace of Winds, The Legend of Zelda Four Swords Adventures
07:57By far the strongest final dungeon in a multiplayer entry, the Palace of Winds in Four Swords
08:03Adventures features plenty of obstacles and a grandiose design.
08:07There are strong enemies like Fallen Chain Soldiers and Hinoxes, and treacherous paths
08:13to navigate, many of which make great use of the GBA as a second screen for puzzles.
08:18That's not to mention two pretty stellar fights.
08:22The Wind Mage Vaati acts as the penultimate boss, clearly though, the star of the show
08:27is Ganon, who includes elements from past appearances, as well as new ones that tie
08:31in with this entry's specific gameplay.
08:40Number 11, Gloom's Approach, The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom
08:50Diving below Hyrule Castle to the deepest of the depths in Tears of the Kingdom is appropriately
08:56thrilling.
08:57With Gloom covering nearly everything, including every single powerful enemy Link comes across,
09:03players would be wise to watch their step.
09:05There aren't really any puzzles, it's quite linear, and it lacks originality in
09:09its design from the rest of the depth.
09:11But what it lacks there, it makes up for thematically.
09:15As you face off against Ganondorf's army and the Sages come to your side, as long as
09:19you've completed their questlines, it's a moment of pure heroism and camaraderie.
09:25Plus, the fight against the actual Demon King is one of the best in the series, with incredible
09:32music and fantastic gameplay.
09:40Number 10, The Great Palace, Zelda II, Adventure of Link
09:50If you thought Death Mountain's forces were tough, the enemies of The Great Palace
09:54make them look like a bunch of wimps.
09:56It's a truly massive final area, at least in terms of NES games.
10:01There are several pores Link reaches via elevators, which have many paths full of hearty foes,
10:06deadly traps, and secrets lying within the walls.
10:10Like the original game, it's a fitting challenge that requires full understanding of this game's
10:15combat, as well as use of Link's resources and spells.
10:18On top of that, you get two boss fights in the Thunderbird and the now iconic Dark Link.
10:24Plus, no one can deny how much that theme song slaps.
10:36Number 9, The Moon, The Legend of Zelda, Majora's Mask
10:45The final leg of Majora's Mask earns a lot of points for its atmosphere.
10:50After Link is sucked inside the moon, he's transported to a surprisingly serene field
10:56with a lone tree, under which several masked children play.
11:00You can skip right to the final boss from here, but four of the children offer obstacle
11:05courses designed around each of Link's forms.
11:08None are particularly long, and you're required to have all masks before completing them,
11:13but they are nice final offerings to say goodbye to the various gameplay elements before
11:18facing the big bad.
11:20And each child offers existential questions that tie in with the game's themes.
11:25Then you have Majora's Mask itself, an intense, bizarre, and incredibly fun final encounter,
11:32whether using the Fierce Deity Mask or not.
11:41Number 8, Ganon's Town, The Legend of Zelda, The Wind Waker
11:52Like The Moon, the final dungeon in Wind Waker earns credit for its wonderfully tense atmosphere.
11:57An imposing tower under the ocean, whose barrier Link must literally stab to earn entry.
12:03It features rooms designed around four previous dungeons, each one ending in a rematch against
12:08previous bosses.
12:10You then get a maze of rooms full of phantom Ganons, whose sword held points Link in the
12:14right direction.
12:15Finally, it's the excellent one-two punch of boss fights in Puppet Ganon, the artist
12:21in the game, and Ganon himself, a confrontation that both gives more insight into the villain's
12:26desires and provides incredible combat.
12:36Number 7, Sky Keep, The Legend of Zelda, Skyward Sword
12:47When it comes to Skyward Sword's Sky Keep, what makes it stand out from many others is
12:51how it's navigated.
12:53It's essentially one giant puzzle box.
12:56At certain points, Link can slide around aisles that represent the different rooms, changing
13:01their order.
13:02It's a really novel concept, and one that's mostly pulled off really well.
13:06Additionally, the rooms are themed around other dungeons, but are original enough to
13:10keep them fresh.
13:11Unfortunately, it's disconnected from the final climax with Ghirahim and Demise, and
13:17doesn't have its own boss, so we can't rank it any higher.
13:21But it does have two mini-bosses, one of which is another robot pirate, a great sword duel.
13:27Plus, it's War of Being Link's final test left by Hylia that earns him the full Triforce
13:33gives the Sky Keep a monumental feeling.
13:41Number 6, Dark Hyrule Castle, The Legend of Zelda, The Minish Cap
13:51The last dungeon in The Minish Cap does just about everything right.
13:56In terms of atmosphere, Hyrule Castle being altered by Vaati's magic and its denizens
14:00turned to stone, turns the once magnificent setting into something far more sinister.
14:06It has fantastic puzzles and navigation obstacles that take Link through sprawling floors, and
14:12even on the outside of the castle.
14:14There are plenty of tough enemies for you to take on as well, including multiple Dark
14:19Knights.
14:20The fight against Vaati is also one of the best in the entire franchise, featuring three
14:24distinctly fun and challenging phases, together which use most items and abilities Link has
14:30learned across the game.
14:37Number 5, Ganon's Tower, The Legend of Zelda, A Link to the Past
14:48The original version of Ganon's Tower is the epitome of classic, much like everything
14:53else in A Link to the Past.
14:55It's a test of your skills in every type of trap, enemy, puzzle, and even a few bosses
14:59from the rest of the game.
15:01However, this isn't just a retread.
15:03Those bosses have newly designed arenas, while traps and obstacles are made even more precarious
15:09than they were before, and puzzles are just a bit trickier to figure out.
15:13It can be easy to get lost or overwhelmed by it on a first playthrough, but we can't
15:18deny how well designed it is.
15:21That's not to mention the two bosses in Agahnim and Ganon, the latter of which is so good
15:26multiple top down entries have expanded on it for years.
15:38Number 4, Lowrule Castle, The Legend of Zelda, A Link Between Worlds
15:48The wall merge mechanic of A Link Between Worlds never grows old, and the way that Lowrule
15:54Castle uses it in tandem with classic elements seen in past top down entries is truly remarkable.
16:00Like other final dungeons, Link has to beat previous bosses to progress, but in between
16:05each fight are stellar puzzles, like an invisible path that only reveals itself in darkness.
16:11The music plays a bigger role than that of nearly every other final dungeon, including
16:16a reversed Hyrule Castle theme and adding more instrument the higher Link climbed.
16:22The final boss, an unholy fusion of Ganon and main villain Yuga, also blends classic
16:28elements with that of this new installment.
16:30Like everything else about the game, Lowrule Castle builds off of its predecessor extremely
16:35well.
16:41Number 3, Hyrule Castle, The Legend of Zelda, Breath of the Wild
16:53Whether you skip right to it or follow the rest of the story first, this iteration of
16:57Hyrule Castle is a huge endeavor.
17:00It's perhaps the biggest version of the famous setting we've seen so far, with a wealth
17:04of rooms crawling with strong enemies and plenty of worthy loot, including the Hylian
17:09Shield.
17:10From an atmospheric perspective, Nintendo also knocked it out of the park.
17:14Wandering through the desolate halls with everything in disarray while twisted versions
17:19of classic Zelda tunes blended to form the soundtrack, it was a worthy conclusion to
17:24this particularly groundbreaking installment.
17:27While Ganon was a bit weak, especially if you completed the Divine Beast, the overall
17:32dungeon was anything but disappointing.
17:40Number 2, Hyrule Castle, The Legend of Zelda, Twilight Princess
17:51Of course, it's also great seeing a Hyrule Castle that isn't crumbling into ruin.
17:56Twilight Princess's version is, so far, the only 3D one that both acts as a final
18:02dungeon and shows off the fortress's pristine architecture.
18:06It's highly memorable in its design and art style, and a great final challenge for the
18:11game.
18:12Both inside and out, there are tantalizing secrets, plenty of wonderful combat encounters,
18:18and puzzles and obstacles that make great use of Link's human and wolf forms.
18:22Meaning, it's not only an incredibly well-constructed dungeon, it's also a well-balanced one.
18:28Naturally, the final confrontation with Ganondorf is momentous and cinematic, showcasing this
18:33game's signature flair across four wonderful phases.
18:42Number 1, Ganon's Castle, The Legend of Zelda, Ocarina of Time
18:47Genius.
18:53Pure genius.
18:55Call us nostalgic purists, but there's something about Ganon's Castle and Ocarina of Time
19:00that just hits different.
19:02Rooms themed around each area of the game feature their own unique puzzles, traps, and
19:08items, but never feel quite like retreads of what you've already experienced.
19:12It's also impeccably designed, giving off its own sense of self that many other final
19:17dungeons in the series lack.
19:19Climbing the spiraling staircase afterwards instills both dread and excitement.
19:24There are tough enemies to face, but the ever-growing louder organ version of Ganon's theme, revealed
19:30to be played by the villain once you reach the top, creates a mood so powerful, we've
19:36never forgotten it.
19:38We haven't even mentioned the fight against Ganondorf yet, a two-phase bout with a thrilling
19:42escape from the crumbling fortress in between.
19:45It's a fantastic finale from both a gameplay standpoint and a storytelling one.
19:55What do you think is the peak of Zelda's final dungeons?
19:58Share your thoughts in the comments, and be sure to subscribe to Mojo Plays for more great
20:02gaming videos every day.