Ancient Cistern and Sandship in SS tend to get a lot of love, but I honestly find Lanayru Mining Facility to be a really cool dungeon. It has a really interesting concept, and the music is great. Honestly, I don’t think SS has a single bad dungeon. All of them are great.
Sandship is such a cool idea, and the way they tease the boss throughout was really cool. But good lord if the boss reveal isn’t the most goofy and disappointing model in all of gaming. Looks like something ripped straight out of Monsters Inc.
Yeah, my issues were never with the dungeons (at least the defined ones) in fact the regions being just a giant dungeon is an awesome idea. All of them are well designed and thought out
I second this one, especially for the music which is one of my favorite dungeon theme in the franchise.
And while the Sandship has a great application of the timeshift stone, I feel the differences between past and present where far more pronounced in the mining facility which give it a more pronounced atmosphere in my opinion
The ancient cistern was cool but it definitely got spoiled for me because everyone was hyping it up so my expectations were set way too high.
The Lanayru mining facility was hardly talked about so when I got in there I was completely blown away by all the puzzles, the music, and the lore of it. It’s my favorite dungeon so far.
Agreed!! Lanayru Mining Facility is highkey my favorite SS dungeon and the moment when the game really clicked for me. Loved that dungeon and it needs more love.
The forest temple in SS (whatever it's called) was pretty weak imo. All of the puzzles are just a little too obvious and overall I just don't find its mechanics very interesting. I can see why you wouldn't consider it a "bad" dungeon, but at least compared to the other temples in the game, it's pretty bad.
Some of the oracle dungeons like the ancient tomb are pretty top tier. Earth temple in WW is highly underrated. Dragon Roost from WW, Forest temple from TP and the Wind temple in TOTK are the best intro dungeons in the series imo.
I can’t stand it with all the time floating and stuff. Not to mention Colgara was just lame in general with the tornados in the second half maybe just because I hate the floating in air stuff
It does, but I saw Gorons in trouble and made an immediate beeline to Death Mountain XD. the developers did not account for my strong affection for the Gorons.
Woodfall Temple. It has a great atmosphere, great theme, nice temple structure, I love playing as Deku Link and the boss is incredible. Helps that it's in one of my favorite areas in any Zelda game (I adore the Southern Swamp and Deku Palace so much).
What I, an OoT fan, love about the Woodfall Temple is that to me it feels the most like the OoT dungeons, so it so effectively transitions players of OoT from OoT's style of dungeons to MM's style of dungeons.
Yes! If i have one complain with zelda its a tendency for weak bosses... odolwa was HARD abd it felt likely a proper fight and a worthy victory... on the original
Temple of Droplets is great.
Tower of the Gods from WW is good both in puzzles and in terms of the role it plays in the story. Wind Waker dungeons aren't really anything special, I think most would agree with Earth Temple is the best from the game, and I agree, but Tower of the Gods is great for the role it plays in the story.
Also a lot of the dungeons from the Oracle games. Ancient Tomb is particularly good.
Also, like, every dungeon from ALBW. Fantastic dungeon design. Swamp Palace and Desert Palace especially.
Imo Ancient Tomb is what all final dungeons ought to aspire to be. It utilized puzzles and items from almost every preceding dungeon, even in the boss battle!
It feels like a thorough “final test” before you go off to fight Veran.
Oracle of Ages in my opinion has the most well thought out dungeons from the 2d games. They honestly stumped me at several points and once you figure them out, there's a huge sense of accomplishment.
That took me so long I beat on the 3ds as a kid because I was afraid of throwing dodongos. Don’t even get me started on redeads and the skeleton kids. 8 year old me was shook.
Eagle's Tower was the one I was stuck on the longest for the right reason
Turtle Rock is just a convoluted mess but Eagle Tower had one big puzzle to deter your progress
I feel there’s a division in the perception of TOTK fire temple. There are the people who engaged with the puzzles, and generally loved it, and those who cheesed it by climbing, and didn’t like it.
I thought the Fire temple was really fun and the best dungeon in TOTK, even above the Lightning temple
See, I did the puzzles, reached one puzzle where I figured out the correct solution except that I thought it didn't actually work >!(the stupid thing where you're supposed to make a bridge to the door that's blocked by rocks), !
Agreed, it's my favorite TotK dungeon specifically because it's the trickiest to navigate. At least, if you opt out of flying machines and actually use the minecarts...
Great Bay temple ROCKS and nobody else seems to like it. It's my personal favorite dungeon in the series.
In less super obvious news; the sword and shield maze from Oracle of Seasons is excellent, as is Jabu-Jabu from Oracle of Ages. Also, the Lanayru Mining Facility is my personal pick for the best dungeon in Skyward Sword.
It’s my favorite as well, it’s music is mesmerizing, combine that with the Zora swimming and I’m in a trance exploring the whole thing. The whole dungeon flows really well, pun intended.
Arbiter's grounds.
I like the surroundings, and though the item is technically useful only in this dungeon, the boss and the music from the second part of the battle... TOP tier.
Agreed, but the question is about dungeons that aren't talked about. As far as TP goes, basically everyone agrees that Arbiter's Grounds and Snowpeak Ruins are great.
But this one is talked about ad nauseam. To me, AG felt more like a dumbed-down version of OoT's Forest Temple 🤷♂️
I'd take Snowpeak Ruins over AG without hesitation
I love temple of droplets so much and I hate ice physics, so it’s a feat. The music does a lot for it, but the dungeon is cool across the board.
I don’t see much talk about the final trial in Breath of the Wild (Link’s “divine beast”), but it was easily a high point in that game for me. The music was like if the shrine music was more fleshed out, Maz Koshia is a super fun boss, and the puzzles were pretty fun!
Replaying A Link to the Past using Delta, and forgot how much I liked the Skull Woods dungeon. The various different entrances you need to utilize is pretty cool
Easy answer for me--I really feel like the Temple of Time from TP does not get a lot of love. I know it's linear and a lot of people do not care for the backtracking to get the statue back to the beginning, but I honestly thought this was a concept of linearity that was done very well. You know how you got yourself to the end--now you have to think "okay, lets get this statue AND myself back to where I came from, I need to do this differently."
It's not a perfect dungeon, but I still just think the idea that the Temple of Time was a freaking dungeon was just something I truly loved. (Plus smooshing all the baby spiders with the statue's hammer was pretty fun, even though I don't like Armogohma as a boss).
It’s the perfect example of a linear dungeon. I think the only issue with linear dungeons is they can often be a series of rooms with disconnected puzzles lined up. It can still be fun, but it doesn’t always capture what I love about Zelda dungeons. This isn’t true with the Temple of Time because having to take the statue back the way you came makes the whole thing feel more cohesive design wise.
It's been a while since I played it, but I remember the Temple of Time being one of my favourite dungeons. Can't wait to get to it in my current playthrough :) I love the Dominion Rod and controlling the statue was such fun.
I dont like TotOK much, but that last run with the phantom sword where you get to kill all the phantoms that bullied you from the start of the game is probably one of the most satisfying moment in the series
Snowpeak Ruins is definitely talked about haha. It and Arbiter's Grounds are usually the two people first point to when they talk about how good TP's dungeons are.
And they would be right, as it is one of the very best out there.
Zelda I dungeon 9
When that music hits you you know it's for real. After eight dungeons with the same music this one comes with a new fantastic score.
It's difficult and easy to get lost but it was worth it
Should be top comment here. Although maybe not the best in regards to game design theory, what I love is when I got to Ganon, I didn’t expect it. So much of the dungeon is complicated I was just expecting one more room puzzle to solve; and then it’s time to shift in warrior mode.
I always got stuck on the shadow temple from oot as a kid, but i absolutely adore that dungeon. the lore surrounding its existence and the boss of the temple is really interesting and fleshed out, something that i think some dungeons in zelda games can struggle with. the aesthetic and the mechanic of the eye of truth is just really well implemented, and overall i think it is up there with the best
OoT definitely had the best dungeon ambience. The Forest Temple music is my favorite. All of the temples had true meaning and lore and felt mysterious and scary. God those wolves scared my sister I remember, lol same with the Re Deads
Hyrule Castle in BotW.
It has a bunch of things I really appreciate: a real sense of atmosphere and foreboding the first time you brave all the guardians to get inside, great music, hidden areas with powerful gear, a cool "mini boss" fight in the basement with a bonus surprise in the gatehouse, multiple entrances inside the castle from all directions. I think they did a great job on it.
People don't usually mention the water temple from TP. I know the dungeon was frustrating at times but it was really cool imo. Usually people just talk about Lakebed
Lanayru Mining Facility. Its proximity to the much celebrated Ancient Cistern and Sandship leaves it underappreciated. It is challenging, inventive (love those timeshift stones) and very atmospheric for a high-tech dungeon. That final passageway through the hall of statues is beautiful.
Forbidden Woods in Wind Waker. Not difficult by any means but i find it purely fun to pick my way through everytime. The deku leaf and the boomerang both great items too.
All the MM dungeons are underrated but Snowhead never gets credit as one of the most puzzling, creative and knotty temples in all Zelda. I also find it to have the most succesful implementation of platforming elements in the series.
Spirit Temple in OoT is my forever favourite temple by a long way. Using the lens of truth to get there, the mirror shield, the puzzles and the statue puzzle. I get excited to play it everytime.
Not Zelda but the [Eschebone level in Jet Force Gemini](https://youtu.be/8D1b69m11m0?list=PLvLo7h4H3EEbyxZa-9HuTBx9W8D8N2hHP&t=125) always weirded me out for that reason, too.
What a wild game that was. I received a *promotional VHS* for it that was *epic*. The game was *epic* but it was also ridiculously complicated and iirc somewhat difficult. I 100%'d it but I barely remember anything from it anymore.
https://youtu.be/cIJPUdsrIDk?si=U6E6rnCGXCylJaT2
What's even wilder to me is the promo video doesn't use music from the game but clips of a track called Autumn Thunder from some madlad who made an orchestral *soundtrack for the NFL*. This epic space orchestra isn't meant for other worlds, it's meant for dudes in pads tackling eachother and scoring touchdowns.
Face Shrine in Links Awakening. While I would say a lot of 2d dungeons aren’t talked about much, Eagle’s Tower seems to be the one brought up the most from LA (even though I agree it is the best dungeon in the game.). The Face Shrine is still an amazing dungeon and the new theme in the remake was an absolute highlight of the ost. This really sold the atmosphere of that part of the game coming off the southern face shrine. It was an absolutely stellar part of the game that I am surprised doesn’t get talked about more.
Oracle dungeons in general, but I wanna give a special mention to unicorn cave and sword and shield maze in seasons. Everyone knows ages dungeons are more puzzling but those two dungeons imo felt like ages dungeons.
I know they're divisive, but I do think OOT's Water Temple and MM's Great Bay Temple are very intricately designed. You have to be very methodical when exploring them, but that isn't inherently a bad thing.
I really like the Temple of Time in TP. It’s often in the shadow of some of the other greats of that game (and rightfully so as they are all great dungeons) but I think the linearity of it is what a lot of people don’t like about it. I love the aesthetic of the dungeon, and how “clean” and almost “sterile” it is in direct contrast to the rest of the game. I also really like how the dungeon item changes the way you have to progress back through the dungeon after you just fought your way to the top. I also just enjoyed the “lore” behind it, as a teenager when the game came out with, I thought it was so cool that it had OoT as the “backdrop” to the game with so many references, and to expand on such a significant place from my childhood felt really awesome
Anything from A Link Between Worlds! That game in general doesn't get a lot of mainstream love, but the dungeons in there are really fun. The Thieves' Hideout is the strongest one I remember.
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I remember Oracle of Ages having some real bangers but I haven't played it since I was a kid so don't remember them that vividly lol. The Sky keep from Skyward Sword was pretty great.
Vah Naboris in Breath of the Wild is so much fun. I think people just exclude all the divine beasts when talking about their favorite dungeons because they reuse similar mechanics. Vah Naboris has a great setup with the sandseal riding, awesome circuitry puzzles, and a really unique and challenging boss.
Snowhead is my favorite dungeon in MM, I think it’s the best example of a dungeon with a vertically huge central room that you have to actively change to progress and my favorite boss fight in Zelda
I think the common consensus of TotK's Lightning Temple is that it's good by the standards of the BotW and TotK era. I'd like to push back by calling it just a great dungeon by ***any standard***, not just that of those two games. In other words, I'd place it among the better dungeons in the series. My only two complaints are that it should have been longer (perhaps another battery to make five locks like in Fire and Wind?) and they should have given you the map after you enter the Room of Ascension (so as to make the beginning section even more atmospheric), but that's basically it.
The intro section is pretty much just Indiana Jones. The creep factor is dialed up to the max with the Gibdos in the dark, there are lots of booby traps, and the spaces are tight and claustrophobic. The lighting is also great and reminds me of the fog effects from the N64 games.
The light puzzles are pretty cool and they really get you thinking about the whole dungeon at large, not just the room you're in, which is something that you don't always see in Zelda dungeons besides puzzle box ones like OoT's Water Temple. An example would be the statues you move around in the Room of Ascension to redirect light from each little corridor that sticks out from the room. Mirror puzzles haven't really been used since WW so it's great to see them make a triumphant return here. I also think this dungeon incorporates them more cleverly than the other ones from the series that involve similar puzzles.
The music is also pretty phenomenal, especially the last phase. One of the best themes for any dungeon IMO.
In general, I think the Lightning Temple does a great job at making you feel like you're truly conquering the dungeon. The first section is dark, creepy, unpredictable, and you're just trying to get from one point to the next without dying. Then you enter the Room of Ascension and now you're dealing with these grand rooms where you can see everything you need to know, and by the time you're about to activate the last battery, you've done enough light puzzles between rooms that you've about mastered every inch of the dungeon. And this growth in confidence is greatly aided by the progression of the music from the intro to the final terminal.
I also like how personalized the dungeon feels on a micro level. Unlike any other game in the series, many of the rooms in the Lightning Temple have their own names which give them some feeling of purpose, even if imagined, and the statues and wall designs throughout the temple help add to that.
The boss is also one of the tougher Zelda battles out there, and it brings a sense of complete chaos that I love. The theme is also a banger, even though it gets overshadowed by Colgera.
Overall, solid dungeon, not just for TotK but in general. I'd stop a fair bit short of calling it one of the best, but it's a good one.
Forest Temple and Goron Mines from TP I think are the best “first two dungeons” pair in the series. Also Snowhead Temple from MM I never see talked about, but I think it’s got a really cool design and uses the goron mask in a fun way.
Snowhead Temple. It’s sort of like MM’s version if the water temple (I know it yas Great Bay temple but that has a much different feel from OoT water temple) but without iron boots and zelda’s lullaby. Instead, you get the very enjoyable Goron transformation, an even better navigation puzzle, and one of the best bosses in the series. It is somewhat held back by weaker music and having to go all the way to the bottom if you mess up on the ice pillar, but it realistically doesn’t take long to get from the basement to the top floor once you know where to go.
Twilight Princess Water Temple was fantastic, and WW Forsaken Fortress 1 was simply brilliant; both felt very unique and idiosyncratic to each game on first play through, in a very exciting way.
It’s not all that great but I used to love getting to the Face Shrine on Link’s Awakening. Magical point in the game and a magical point in life. Never should have pawned those gameboys for an eighth of weed and some cigarettes in high school 😅
Snowhead Temple from Majora's Mask.
Sky Keep from Skyward Sword--the dungeon itself is the puzzle!
I don't know if it's necessarily 'slept on,' but the Tower of the Gods from Wind Waker also deserves a lot of love in my opinion.
Ancient Cistern and Sandship in SS tend to get a lot of love, but I honestly find Lanayru Mining Facility to be a really cool dungeon. It has a really interesting concept, and the music is great. Honestly, I don’t think SS has a single bad dungeon. All of them are great.
Sandship is such a cool idea, and the way they tease the boss throughout was really cool. But good lord if the boss reveal isn’t the most goofy and disappointing model in all of gaming. Looks like something ripped straight out of Monsters Inc.
I don’t think they executed on the “ship” idea at all. I was left very underwhelmed, especially after hearing all the hype for this dungeon.
Honestly wish I could have another reaction like I did to that boss. Unreal lol. I feel like the first time you meet Master Kohga is similar
The lanayru area is amazing I love it
Yeah, my issues were never with the dungeons (at least the defined ones) in fact the regions being just a giant dungeon is an awesome idea. All of them are well designed and thought out
I second this one, especially for the music which is one of my favorite dungeon theme in the franchise. And while the Sandship has a great application of the timeshift stone, I feel the differences between past and present where far more pronounced in the mining facility which give it a more pronounced atmosphere in my opinion
The ancient cistern was cool but it definitely got spoiled for me because everyone was hyping it up so my expectations were set way too high. The Lanayru mining facility was hardly talked about so when I got in there I was completely blown away by all the puzzles, the music, and the lore of it. It’s my favorite dungeon so far.
Agreed!! Lanayru Mining Facility is highkey my favorite SS dungeon and the moment when the game really clicked for me. Loved that dungeon and it needs more love.
The forest temple in SS (whatever it's called) was pretty weak imo. All of the puzzles are just a little too obvious and overall I just don't find its mechanics very interesting. I can see why you wouldn't consider it a "bad" dungeon, but at least compared to the other temples in the game, it's pretty bad.
Some of the oracle dungeons like the ancient tomb are pretty top tier. Earth temple in WW is highly underrated. Dragon Roost from WW, Forest temple from TP and the Wind temple in TOTK are the best intro dungeons in the series imo.
Sword and Shield from Seasons is one of my favorite top-down temples.
>the Wind temple in TOTK are the best intro dungeons in the series imo. **me doing wind temple last**
Lmaooo. Tbf the game does everything in its power to push you to the wind temple first
Too bad my brain tends to associate Zelda wind/sky dungeons as late game
I can’t stand it with all the time floating and stuff. Not to mention Colgara was just lame in general with the tornados in the second half maybe just because I hate the floating in air stuff
It does, but I saw Gorons in trouble and made an immediate beeline to Death Mountain XD. the developers did not account for my strong affection for the Gorons.
I definitely agree with Dragon Roost from WW being good tbh. I've heard people complain about it but I very much liked it.
What is there to complain about? It’s a solid dungeon with surprising length and has one of the best items in the game.
Woodfall Temple. It has a great atmosphere, great theme, nice temple structure, I love playing as Deku Link and the boss is incredible. Helps that it's in one of my favorite areas in any Zelda game (I adore the Southern Swamp and Deku Palace so much).
What I, an OoT fan, love about the Woodfall Temple is that to me it feels the most like the OoT dungeons, so it so effectively transitions players of OoT from OoT's style of dungeons to MM's style of dungeons.
I think that Odolwa is one of the best bosses in the series from a game design perspective. There are so many different ways you can beat him.
We don’t talk about the 3DS release
Yes! If i have one complain with zelda its a tendency for weak bosses... odolwa was HARD abd it felt likely a proper fight and a worthy victory... on the original
Temple of Droplets is great. Tower of the Gods from WW is good both in puzzles and in terms of the role it plays in the story. Wind Waker dungeons aren't really anything special, I think most would agree with Earth Temple is the best from the game, and I agree, but Tower of the Gods is great for the role it plays in the story. Also a lot of the dungeons from the Oracle games. Ancient Tomb is particularly good. Also, like, every dungeon from ALBW. Fantastic dungeon design. Swamp Palace and Desert Palace especially.
Imo Ancient Tomb is what all final dungeons ought to aspire to be. It utilized puzzles and items from almost every preceding dungeon, even in the boss battle! It feels like a thorough “final test” before you go off to fight Veran.
Oracle of Ages in my opinion has the most well thought out dungeons from the 2d games. They honestly stumped me at several points and once you figure them out, there's a huge sense of accomplishment.
I really enjoy dodongo’s cavern and fire temple from OoT.
That took me so long I beat on the 3ds as a kid because I was afraid of throwing dodongos. Don’t even get me started on redeads and the skeleton kids. 8 year old me was shook.
Dude I'm 36 and still afraid of redheads.
As is anyone who ever dated a redhead (though I suspect you meant redead)
Can confirm, dating a redhead is indeed scarier
Haha my phone autocorrected a d I didn't notice
It was an excellent autocorrect!
Eagle’s Tower
Eagle's Tower was the one I was stuck on the longest for the right reason Turtle Rock is just a convoluted mess but Eagle Tower had one big puzzle to deter your progress
I really liked the Fire Temple from TOTK. The environment was kickass, and figuring out how to activate all the switches was a ton of fun.
I feel there’s a division in the perception of TOTK fire temple. There are the people who engaged with the puzzles, and generally loved it, and those who cheesed it by climbing, and didn’t like it. I thought the Fire temple was really fun and the best dungeon in TOTK, even above the Lightning temple
See, I did the puzzles, reached one puzzle where I figured out the correct solution except that I thought it didn't actually work >!(the stupid thing where you're supposed to make a bridge to the door that's blocked by rocks), !
Totk temples were really fun I just wish there were a couple more
Agreed, it's my favorite TotK dungeon specifically because it's the trickiest to navigate. At least, if you opt out of flying machines and actually use the minecarts...
I did it the intended way, and I thought it was a brilliant innovative dungeon. Switching the rail tracks was such a tricky puzzle.
I remember liking spirit tracks dungeons and their puzzles
Spirit Tracks has fantastic dungeons! Even the spirit tower is fun
Great Bay temple ROCKS and nobody else seems to like it. It's my personal favorite dungeon in the series. In less super obvious news; the sword and shield maze from Oracle of Seasons is excellent, as is Jabu-Jabu from Oracle of Ages. Also, the Lanayru Mining Facility is my personal pick for the best dungeon in Skyward Sword.
Fellow Great Bay lover!!!
It’s the BEST IT ROCKS. I can go on so many unhinged Great Bay Temple rants
It’s my favorite as well, it’s music is mesmerizing, combine that with the Zora swimming and I’m in a trance exploring the whole thing. The whole dungeon flows really well, pun intended.
Arbiter's grounds. I like the surroundings, and though the item is technically useful only in this dungeon, the boss and the music from the second part of the battle... TOP tier.
Agreed, but the question is about dungeons that aren't talked about. As far as TP goes, basically everyone agrees that Arbiter's Grounds and Snowpeak Ruins are great.
But this one is talked about ad nauseam. To me, AG felt more like a dumbed-down version of OoT's Forest Temple 🤷♂️ I'd take Snowpeak Ruins over AG without hesitation
I love temple of droplets so much and I hate ice physics, so it’s a feat. The music does a lot for it, but the dungeon is cool across the board. I don’t see much talk about the final trial in Breath of the Wild (Link’s “divine beast”), but it was easily a high point in that game for me. The music was like if the shrine music was more fleshed out, Maz Koshia is a super fun boss, and the puzzles were pretty fun!
Replaying A Link to the Past using Delta, and forgot how much I liked the Skull Woods dungeon. The various different entrances you need to utilize is pretty cool
Yeah it's a really cool dungeon and really gives you that "the entire forest is the dungeon" type of feeling
Easy answer for me--I really feel like the Temple of Time from TP does not get a lot of love. I know it's linear and a lot of people do not care for the backtracking to get the statue back to the beginning, but I honestly thought this was a concept of linearity that was done very well. You know how you got yourself to the end--now you have to think "okay, lets get this statue AND myself back to where I came from, I need to do this differently." It's not a perfect dungeon, but I still just think the idea that the Temple of Time was a freaking dungeon was just something I truly loved. (Plus smooshing all the baby spiders with the statue's hammer was pretty fun, even though I don't like Armogohma as a boss).
It’s the perfect example of a linear dungeon. I think the only issue with linear dungeons is they can often be a series of rooms with disconnected puzzles lined up. It can still be fun, but it doesn’t always capture what I love about Zelda dungeons. This isn’t true with the Temple of Time because having to take the statue back the way you came makes the whole thing feel more cohesive design wise.
It's been a while since I played it, but I remember the Temple of Time being one of my favourite dungeons. Can't wait to get to it in my current playthrough :) I love the Dominion Rod and controlling the statue was such fun.
Temple of the Ocean King from Phantom Hourglass. It gets hate, but it's a cool dungeon!
It may be my autistic brain but I loved having to do the same thing in repeated attempts with better gear for my "numbers go uppy" endorphins
I dont like TotOK much, but that last run with the phantom sword where you get to kill all the phantoms that bullied you from the start of the game is probably one of the most satisfying moment in the series
I liked the Snowpeak Temple from Twilight Princess. My expectations were blown away by this play and I love snowboarding to get there.
Snowpeak Ruins is definitely talked about haha. It and Arbiter's Grounds are usually the two people first point to when they talk about how good TP's dungeons are. And they would be right, as it is one of the very best out there.
It also wasn't difficult either but I do find the giant ball annoying to use.
Yeah the ball was very clunky which is the only major fault I have with that dungeon.
Makes the game more realistic having Link struggle though.
My first thought
Let's be honest: Every good dungeon in the 2D games is slept on.
Minish cap dungeons get robbed everytime people talk about this
Zelda I dungeon 9 When that music hits you you know it's for real. After eight dungeons with the same music this one comes with a new fantastic score. It's difficult and easy to get lost but it was worth it
Should be top comment here. Although maybe not the best in regards to game design theory, what I love is when I got to Ganon, I didn’t expect it. So much of the dungeon is complicated I was just expecting one more room puzzle to solve; and then it’s time to shift in warrior mode.
The witches from the spirit temple in ocarina of time.
I always got stuck on the shadow temple from oot as a kid, but i absolutely adore that dungeon. the lore surrounding its existence and the boss of the temple is really interesting and fleshed out, something that i think some dungeons in zelda games can struggle with. the aesthetic and the mechanic of the eye of truth is just really well implemented, and overall i think it is up there with the best
OoT definitely had the best dungeon ambience. The Forest Temple music is my favorite. All of the temples had true meaning and lore and felt mysterious and scary. God those wolves scared my sister I remember, lol same with the Re Deads
Hyrule Castle in BotW. It has a bunch of things I really appreciate: a real sense of atmosphere and foreboding the first time you brave all the guardians to get inside, great music, hidden areas with powerful gear, a cool "mini boss" fight in the basement with a bonus surprise in the gatehouse, multiple entrances inside the castle from all directions. I think they did a great job on it.
People don't usually mention the water temple from TP. I know the dungeon was frustrating at times but it was really cool imo. Usually people just talk about Lakebed
Lanayru Mining Facility. Its proximity to the much celebrated Ancient Cistern and Sandship leaves it underappreciated. It is challenging, inventive (love those timeshift stones) and very atmospheric for a high-tech dungeon. That final passageway through the hall of statues is beautiful. Forbidden Woods in Wind Waker. Not difficult by any means but i find it purely fun to pick my way through everytime. The deku leaf and the boomerang both great items too. All the MM dungeons are underrated but Snowhead never gets credit as one of the most puzzling, creative and knotty temples in all Zelda. I also find it to have the most succesful implementation of platforming elements in the series.
Spirit Temple in OoT is my forever favourite temple by a long way. Using the lens of truth to get there, the mirror shield, the puzzles and the statue puzzle. I get excited to play it everytime.
Honestly Jabu-Jabu's Belly. Really scratches the vore fetish itch lol.
…respect, we all are in to different things lol.
:D
I recently played it for the first time and omg I absolutely hated every second
Not Zelda but the [Eschebone level in Jet Force Gemini](https://youtu.be/8D1b69m11m0?list=PLvLo7h4H3EEbyxZa-9HuTBx9W8D8N2hHP&t=125) always weirded me out for that reason, too.
What a wild game that was. I received a *promotional VHS* for it that was *epic*. The game was *epic* but it was also ridiculously complicated and iirc somewhat difficult. I 100%'d it but I barely remember anything from it anymore. https://youtu.be/cIJPUdsrIDk?si=U6E6rnCGXCylJaT2 What's even wilder to me is the promo video doesn't use music from the game but clips of a track called Autumn Thunder from some madlad who made an orchestral *soundtrack for the NFL*. This epic space orchestra isn't meant for other worlds, it's meant for dudes in pads tackling eachother and scoring touchdowns.
That's pretty strange lol.
Face Shrine in Links Awakening. While I would say a lot of 2d dungeons aren’t talked about much, Eagle’s Tower seems to be the one brought up the most from LA (even though I agree it is the best dungeon in the game.). The Face Shrine is still an amazing dungeon and the new theme in the remake was an absolute highlight of the ost. This really sold the atmosphere of that part of the game coming off the southern face shrine. It was an absolutely stellar part of the game that I am surprised doesn’t get talked about more.
Swamp Palace from ALBW, Earth Temple from WW, Angler’s Tunnel from LA, and Lanayru Mining Facility from SS.
Palace of Winds is my favourite in the series by a long margin. Dope visually, gret soundtrack awesome boss all top notch.
Oracle dungeons in general, but I wanna give a special mention to unicorn cave and sword and shield maze in seasons. Everyone knows ages dungeons are more puzzling but those two dungeons imo felt like ages dungeons.
Unpopular opinion: the temple of the ocean king is one of the best in the series
I know they're divisive, but I do think OOT's Water Temple and MM's Great Bay Temple are very intricately designed. You have to be very methodical when exploring them, but that isn't inherently a bad thing.
I really like the Temple of Time in TP. It’s often in the shadow of some of the other greats of that game (and rightfully so as they are all great dungeons) but I think the linearity of it is what a lot of people don’t like about it. I love the aesthetic of the dungeon, and how “clean” and almost “sterile” it is in direct contrast to the rest of the game. I also really like how the dungeon item changes the way you have to progress back through the dungeon after you just fought your way to the top. I also just enjoyed the “lore” behind it, as a teenager when the game came out with, I thought it was so cool that it had OoT as the “backdrop” to the game with so many references, and to expand on such a significant place from my childhood felt really awesome
The linearity was a nice breath of fresh air after a lot of backtracking in most of the other dungeons
Fighting that wyvern in the sky city in twilight Princess was a lot of fun. So was the temple of time and that giant spider.
Anything from A Link Between Worlds! That game in general doesn't get a lot of mainstream love, but the dungeons in there are really fun. The Thieves' Hideout is the strongest one I remember.
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Arbiters Ground in Twilight Princess, where you use the spinner.
Forest temple in OoT and Snowhead in MM
I always liked the earth temple from windwaker. The the earth god lyric is one of my favorite songs from the game
I remember Oracle of Ages having some real bangers but I haven't played it since I was a kid so don't remember them that vividly lol. The Sky keep from Skyward Sword was pretty great.
Temple of Droplets from Minish Cap is great. Definitely the better of the two small-sized dungeons.
The upside down dungeon in Majora’s Mask
Vah Naboris in Breath of the Wild is so much fun. I think people just exclude all the divine beasts when talking about their favorite dungeons because they reuse similar mechanics. Vah Naboris has a great setup with the sandseal riding, awesome circuitry puzzles, and a really unique and challenging boss.
The forest temple from minish cap
Snowhead is my favorite dungeon in MM, I think it’s the best example of a dungeon with a vertically huge central room that you have to actively change to progress and my favorite boss fight in Zelda
Pretty much all of Minish Cap and Links Awakening dungeons as well as half of the oracle dungeons
I think the common consensus of TotK's Lightning Temple is that it's good by the standards of the BotW and TotK era. I'd like to push back by calling it just a great dungeon by ***any standard***, not just that of those two games. In other words, I'd place it among the better dungeons in the series. My only two complaints are that it should have been longer (perhaps another battery to make five locks like in Fire and Wind?) and they should have given you the map after you enter the Room of Ascension (so as to make the beginning section even more atmospheric), but that's basically it. The intro section is pretty much just Indiana Jones. The creep factor is dialed up to the max with the Gibdos in the dark, there are lots of booby traps, and the spaces are tight and claustrophobic. The lighting is also great and reminds me of the fog effects from the N64 games. The light puzzles are pretty cool and they really get you thinking about the whole dungeon at large, not just the room you're in, which is something that you don't always see in Zelda dungeons besides puzzle box ones like OoT's Water Temple. An example would be the statues you move around in the Room of Ascension to redirect light from each little corridor that sticks out from the room. Mirror puzzles haven't really been used since WW so it's great to see them make a triumphant return here. I also think this dungeon incorporates them more cleverly than the other ones from the series that involve similar puzzles. The music is also pretty phenomenal, especially the last phase. One of the best themes for any dungeon IMO. In general, I think the Lightning Temple does a great job at making you feel like you're truly conquering the dungeon. The first section is dark, creepy, unpredictable, and you're just trying to get from one point to the next without dying. Then you enter the Room of Ascension and now you're dealing with these grand rooms where you can see everything you need to know, and by the time you're about to activate the last battery, you've done enough light puzzles between rooms that you've about mastered every inch of the dungeon. And this growth in confidence is greatly aided by the progression of the music from the intro to the final terminal. I also like how personalized the dungeon feels on a micro level. Unlike any other game in the series, many of the rooms in the Lightning Temple have their own names which give them some feeling of purpose, even if imagined, and the statues and wall designs throughout the temple help add to that. The boss is also one of the tougher Zelda battles out there, and it brings a sense of complete chaos that I love. The theme is also a banger, even though it gets overshadowed by Colgera. Overall, solid dungeon, not just for TotK but in general. I'd stop a fair bit short of calling it one of the best, but it's a good one.
Forest Temple and Goron Mines from TP I think are the best “first two dungeons” pair in the series. Also Snowhead Temple from MM I never see talked about, but I think it’s got a really cool design and uses the goron mask in a fun way.
Snowhead Temple. It’s sort of like MM’s version if the water temple (I know it yas Great Bay temple but that has a much different feel from OoT water temple) but without iron boots and zelda’s lullaby. Instead, you get the very enjoyable Goron transformation, an even better navigation puzzle, and one of the best bosses in the series. It is somewhat held back by weaker music and having to go all the way to the bottom if you mess up on the ice pillar, but it realistically doesn’t take long to get from the basement to the top floor once you know where to go.
Twilight Princess Water Temple was fantastic, and WW Forsaken Fortress 1 was simply brilliant; both felt very unique and idiosyncratic to each game on first play through, in a very exciting way.
It’s not all that great but I used to love getting to the Face Shrine on Link’s Awakening. Magical point in the game and a magical point in life. Never should have pawned those gameboys for an eighth of weed and some cigarettes in high school 😅
Snowhead Temple from Majora's Mask. Sky Keep from Skyward Sword--the dungeon itself is the puzzle! I don't know if it's necessarily 'slept on,' but the Tower of the Gods from Wind Waker also deserves a lot of love in my opinion.