Summary
- The Wind Waker's unique animation style took a risk, but became iconic and influential in the Legend of Zelda franchise.
- The boss fights in The Wind Waker are excellently designed and challenging, showcasing mechanics like the hook shot and grappling hook.
- The final boss fight with Ganondorf is epic, with a spine-tingling sense of accomplishment and a memorable use of the parry attack.
Of all the Legend of Zelda games that have been released and helped the franchise to stay at the very height of the gaming industry for so long now, The Wind Waker is definitely one of the most uncommonly created. The animation style was bold, appearing more childlike and friendly than previous entries.
This colorful style was hugely successful and has become iconic, even being called one of the most influential Zelda games, but it was a risk at the time. However, the friendly animation didn’t keep developers from adding a great deal of challenge to the game, particularly in boss fights, of which there are several excellently designed and highly memorable ones throughout The Wind Waker.
6 Molgera
The Wind Waker has several memorable temple designs, similar to many Legend of Zelda games which manage to use different mechanics in highly successful ways. But one of the very best temples remains the Wind Temple, which ends with the giant serpentine villain Molgera.
Link’s primary attack in his fight with Molgera is his hook shot, which remains easily one of the best mechanics that has appeared in Legend of Zelda games. This boss is memorable for design and aesthetic, but most of all for the musical theme that plays during it. Molgera’s theme remains the absolute, unquestioned fan favorite piece of music from The Wind Waker soundtrack, helping elevate the boss fight itself massively.
5 Gohma
There is a great history of first boss battles in Legend of Zelda games, but The Wind Waker really put itself near the top of the list with Gohma. This franchise loves boss battles against arachnids, so it is unsurprising to find Gohma, who has now appeared in seven separate Legend of Zelda entries in different forms, hiding in the cavern under the Spirit of the Sky.
The great thing about Gohma is the feeling of challenge without entering rage-inducing levels that the fight manages to have. Early in the game, the first big mechanic that is introduced and must be used to defeat Gohma is Link’s grappling hook, a wonderfully fun mechanic that helps Link bring the ceiling down on top of the fiery monster, making for a great opening in a game that is a good jumping-on point for beginners.
4 Kalle Demos
While some bosses in The Wind Waker were familiar to fans of The Legend of Zelda franchise, others were fairly unique and new to this entry, such as Kalle Demos. Hanging from the cavern ceiling when Link enters, this boss has a wonderful design and can be tricky to bring down. Fortunately, there’s another great mechanic made for use in this fight.
Link’s boomerang is a great recurring mechanic, and the hero has to use it in the fight against Kalle Demos in order to break the monstrosity’s grip on the ceiling. Once it falls, Link can surge forward with his sword. This is a fun fight with a great design, and there is even an Easter Egg where players can do extreme damage with forest water against Kalle Demos.
3 Puppet Ganon
One of the final bosses in The Wind Waker, there are often alternate versions of Ganon before the player must fight the real Ganondorf. In this case, it was a puppeteer version of the final boss, which came in three separate forms to try and stop Link from reaching the real Ganon.
Puppet Ganon has a fascinating design and is a particularly challenging boss fight. Players have to defeat a boar-like puppet Ganon, then a spider-like one, before the fight culminates with a Moldorm-like Ganon puppet creature which is probably the hardest boss fight in the game. With great music, design, and mechanics, this boss fight is truly memorable, and the truest test of continued focus and longevity in The Wind Waker.
2 Helmaroc King
The Wind Waker’s opening contains great sadness, mostly due to Link’s sister being kidnapped by the Helmaroc King. This huge bird is one of the true focuses of Link’s rage and determination throughout the game, so when he returns to the Forsaken Fortress and finally confronts it, players feel almost as much of a sense of grandeur around the boss fight as they do the final test against Ganondorf.
This boss battle technically comes in several parts, beginning with the wonderful rising water escape sequence as the Helmaroc King chases Link down, followed by the actual fight with the bird atop the tower. Link’s Skull Hammer is his main tool against the Helmaroc King, and the setting as well as the history between the foes helps make this one of the most worthy and memorable boss fights in the game.
1 Ganondorf
While it isn’t always the case in other Legend of Zelda entries, there is very little question that the fight with Ganondorf concluding the game is the best overall boss fight in The Wind Waker. The conclusion feels epic, the story of the fight, with Zelda pelting light arrows at Ganon until he attacks her and takes her out of commission; it all works brilliantly.
The sense of accomplishment when players defeat the Puppet Ganon and come face-to-face with the final boss himself, with nothing left but a sword battle to the death, is spine-tingling. The best part of the fight is that Link’s main defense is the parry attack, which he learned at the very beginning of the game. All of this, combined with the epic music and setting, helps to make Ganondorf a fantastic final boss that lets players feel a true sense of accomplishment when they win this truly timeless game.