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Dungeon Bosses and Mini-Bosses

Dungeon bosses8, one per main dungeon, each guarding an Instrument of the Sirens
Optional bossHardhit Beetle (Color Dungeon)
Final bossShadow Nightmare, six forms, last form Dethl (Wind Fish’s Egg)
Reward per dungeon bossHeart Container (+1 maximum heart) and an Instrument
Key to every fightUse the item found in that dungeon; carry a fairy or Secret Medicine for the last fights

Every dungeon in Link’s Awakening ends with a Nightmare boss that is beaten with the item or tool you just found in that dungeon. Moldorm (Tail Cave), Genie (Bottle Grotto), Slime Eye (Key Cavern), Angler Fish (Angler’s Tunnel), Slime Eel (Catfish’s Maw), Facade (Face Shrine), Evil Eagle (Eagle’s Tower) and Hot Head (Turtle Rock) each drop a Heart Container and lead to one of the eight Instruments of the Sirens. The optional Color Dungeon has its own boss, the Hardhit Beetle, and the Wind Fish’s Egg ends with the Shadow Nightmare, which changes through six forms. Below you get a quick reference, then the tactic for each fight, then the mini-bosses.

Link holding up the Full Moon Cello with its item message box shown in full
Link holding up the Sea Lily's Bell with its item message box shown in full
Link holding up the Coral Triangle with its item message box shown in full
Link holding up the Thunder Drum with its item message box shown in full

Boss quick reference

#BossDungeonWhat you needReward
Moldorm1MoldormTail Cave (Level 1)Sword, Shield, Roc’s FeatherHeart Container, Full Moon Cello
Genie2GenieBottle Grotto (Level 2)Sword, Power Bracelet, Roc’s FeatherHeart Container, Conch Horn
Slime Eye3Slime EyeKey Cavern (Level 3)Pegasus Boots, Sword, Roc’s FeatherHeart Container, Sea Lily’s Bell
Angler Fish4Angler FishAngler’s Tunnel (Level 4)Flippers, SwordHeart Container, Surf Harp
Slime Eel5Slime EelCatfish’s Maw (Level 5)Hookshot, SwordHeart Container, Wind Marimba
Facade6FacadeFace Shrine (Level 6)BombsHeart Container, Coral Triangle
Evil Eagle7Evil EagleEagle’s Tower (Level 7)Sword, Mirror Shield, Roc’s FeatherHeart Container, Organ of Evening Calm
Hot Head8Hot HeadTurtle Rock (Level 8)Magic RodHeart Container, Thunder Drum
OptionalHardhit BeetleColor DungeonSword; Bow or Magic Rod helpRed Mail or Blue Mail from the Fairy Queen
Shadow Nightmare (Dethl)FinalShadow Nightmare (Dethl)Wind Fish’s EggMagic Powder, Sword, Roc’s Feather, Boomerang or BowThe ending

The eight dungeon bosses

Moldorm's name card above the giant worm in its arena

Moldorm (Tail Cave (Level 1))

Moldorm is a giant worm that thrashes around a small platform with no railings. Its tail ends in a glowing tip, and that tip is the only target. Every hit makes it faster and angrier, and four hits finish it. The danger is being knocked off the edge.

Moldorm's name card above the giant worm in its arena
Moldorm's segmented body curling around the arena while Link keeps his distance
Moldorm turned red and faster as Link slashes at its tail
Moldorm bursting into purple light after the final hit
Link holding up the Heart Container with the item message box shown in full

When it charges, raise the Shield, step to the side and strike the tail as it passes. Take the Heart Container, then walk up the steps for the Full Moon Cello.

The Genie hovering over his bottle and throwing fireballs at Link

Genie (Bottle Grotto (Level 2))

Phase one: the Genie floats over his bottle and throws fireballs. Run along the walls and jump the shots with Roc’s Feather. When he retreats, the bottle bounces around; slash it with the Sword to stun it, lift it with the Power Bracelet and throw it at a wall. Repeat until the bottle breaks.

The Genie hovering over his bottle and throwing fireballs at Link
Link carrying the bottle toward a wall while the Genie flames above
The bottle sitting alone in the middle of the Bottle Grotto boss room
The Genie writhing in purple light after his bottle broke
Link holding up the Heart Container with the item message box shown in full

Phase two: with the bottle gone, he vanishes, reappears and circles before flinging a large fireball. Dodge it, then slash him while he is open. A few hits finish him. Take the Heart Container, then the Conch Horn.

The Slime Eye dropping from the ceiling into the middle of its room

Slime Eye (Key Cavern (Level 3))

Slime Eye hides in the ceiling. Dash into the wall with the Pegasus Boots to shake it down, then keep dashing into the eye while swinging the Sword. When it stretches into two halves, run between them with the boots to cut them apart for good.

The Slime Eye dropping from the ceiling into the middle of its room
The Slime Eye stretched out long as Link runs along its side
The Slime Eye split into two halves with Link between them
The last Slime Eye turning red before Link finishes it
Link holding up the Heart Container with the item message box shown in full

Each half then bounces around: slash the eye and use Roc’s Feather to avoid the stun when one lands. A Heart Container appears afterwards, and the Sea Lily’s Bell is on the pedestal in the next room.

The Angler Fish name card over the glowing-lure fish in the flooded arena

Angler Fish (Angler’s Tunnel (Level 4))

You fight in a flooded arena, so the Flippers are required. Stay above the Angler Fish and let it charge; when it crashes into a wall, rocks drop from the ceiling, so swim clear. Slash the glowing lure on its head as it turns around. It takes about ten Sword hits.

The Angler Fish name card over the glowing-lure fish in the flooded arena
Link swimming above the Angler Fish and slashing its glowing lure
Rocks dropping from the ceiling as the Angler Fish crashes into the wall
The Angler Fish turned red and charging in the underwater arena
Link holding up the Heart Container with the item message box shown in full

After several hits it summons small fish. Clear them, then return to the lure. Take the Heart Container, climb the ladder and collect the Surf Harp through the north door.

The Slime Eel's spiked tail rising from the central pit as Link waits at the ring's edge

Slime Eel (Catfish’s Maw (Level 5))

The arena is a ring of floor around a central pit. A spiked tail sweeps the ring, so keep moving around it. Eel heads poke out of holes in the walls and some are decoys, so if a head you grab turns out fake, leave it and wait for the next one.

The Slime Eel's spiked tail rising from the central pit as Link waits at the ring's edge
The Slime Eel name card with its head and tail around the pit
Link beside a decoy head in the Slime Eel arena while the tail sweeps the ring
Link grabbing the Slime Eel's glowing pink head from the wall hole
Link holding up the Heart Container with the item message box shown in full

Hookshot a real head to pull the body out, then slash the glowing pink segment before it retreats. Repeat until it falls. Take the Heart Container; the Wind Marimba is through the north door.

Facade's grinning face forming in the floor tiles while Link stands at the bottom wall

Facade (Face Shrine (Level 6))

Facade is the floor itself: a face that appears in the tiles, throws floor tiles and drops pots from above. Walk along the walls to dodge them and stay off the face, which hurts.

Facade's grinning face forming in the floor tiles while Link stands at the bottom wall
Link dodging along the wall as Facade throws floor tiles
Holes opening across the floor around Facade's face
Link throwing a bomb at Facade's face from the wall
Facade bursting in purple light after the final bomb
Link holding up the Heart Container with its item message box

Drop Bombs on its face whenever it appears. Holes open in the floor as it weakens, so watch your footing. A fairy from the torch room before the fight refills your hearts. Take the Heart Container, then the Coral Triangle.

Link on the tower top as the Evil Eagle arrives with a taunt

Evil Eagle (Eagle’s Tower (Level 7))

The fight is on top of the tower with wind and open sky. Stay in the middle of the platform. The eagle swoops at your height or above, so slash it as it passes, or jump with Roc’s Feather to hit it when it is above you. It also throws feathers, which the Mirror Shield blocks.

Link on the tower top as the Evil Eagle arrives with a taunt
The Evil Eagle name card as the bird dives in over the open sky
Feathers flying across the tower top as Link stands his ground
The Evil Eagle turned red and swooping above Link
The Evil Eagle swooping at Link's height and being hit

When it hovers near the edge and blows wind, hold up the Mirror Shield and walk toward it so you are not pushed off; if you fall, climb the ladder back up. Take the Heart Container and the Organ of Evening Calm from the room inside.

The Hot Head name card over the flaming face in the lava room

Hot Head (Turtle Rock (Level 8))

Hot Head fights in a lava room with a safe strip along the bottom edge. It leaps out as a flaming face and splashes fire diagonally when it lands, so stay out of the diagonals. Shoot it with the Magic Rod as it jumps; keep firing at it each time it is exposed.

The Hot Head name card over the flaming face in the lava room
Link firing the Magic Rod up the room at the lava boss
Hot Head leaping out of the lava above the safe strip at the bottom
Fire splashing diagonally across the lava room as Link stays on the bottom strip
Link holding up the Heart Container with the item message box shown in full

After enough hits it cracks open to reveal a smaller head, and a few more rod shots finish it. Take the Heart Container from the ledge, then the Thunder Drum in the shrine beyond.

Optional boss: Hardhit Beetle

Link striking the Hardhit Beetle while its shell is view green

Hardhit Beetle (Color Dungeon)

The Hardhit Beetle is a giant armored beetle whose shell changes color as it takes damage until it turns red. Block its shots with your shield and jump in to slash it. It recovers if you pause, so keep hitting without long breaks. It may summon Stalfos; ignore them and keep striking. The Bow or Magic Rod also work. Afterwards the Fairy Queen offers Powerful Red Mail (double damage dealt) or Sturdy Blue Mail (half damage taken). There is no Heart Container or Instrument here; the full route is in the Color Dungeon guide.

Link striking the Hardhit Beetle while its shell is view green
The Hardhit Beetle with a yellow shell after taking damage
The Hardhit Beetle red and nearly beaten while small Stalfos appear
The Fairy Queen explaining red mail for offense and blue mail for defense

Final boss: Shadow Nightmare and Dethl

The Shadow Nightmare in the Wind Fish’s Egg changes shape six times and you fight all six in a row. Arrive with a bottled fairy or Secret Medicine. The chapter route is in the Wind Fish’s Egg walkthrough.

A dark shape rising in the Wind Fish's Egg chamber as the fight begins
The Shadow Nightmare's glowing eyes in the Egg chamber
Link hitting the first Shadow Nightmare form, dark fragments flying
The final Shadow Nightmare form with an eye and a red-tipped tail near Link
A flash on the final Shadow Nightmare form as Link lands a hit
The Egg chamber calm again with the Owl speaking after all Nightmares are beaten

Form 1: Giant Blob

A bouncing blob that only Magic Powder hurts. Wait for it to land, throw powder over it, and keep away between hops. Three sprinkles change its shape.

Form 2: Agahnim’s Shadow

It teleports around the room and throws red energy balls. Swing the Sword as a ball reaches you to knock it back; about four returned balls end this form. Its other attack, a spread of small orbs, cannot be reflected, so step out of their lines.

Form 3: Moldorm’s Shadow

The first boss again, only faster. Slash the tail, jump its lunges with Roc’s Feather to get behind it, and strike early with a spin attack while it is still slow.

Form 4: Ganon’s Shadow

He raises a flame that turns into Fire Keese and throws a spinning trident. Dodge or jump the bats, and hit him with a spin attack or a Pegasus Boots dash right after the trident is thrown.

Form 5: Lanmola’s Shadow

A quick worm that chases you and sometimes vanishes. Jump its rush with Roc’s Feather, burn it with Magic Rod blasts whenever you get a clear shot.

Form 6: Dethl

A giant eye on a chain of dark segments with a glowing red hand at each end. Jump the sweeping hands with Roc’s Feather and throw the Boomerang or fire an arrow at the eye whenever it opens. After it falls, a staircase leads to the Wind Fish.

Mini-bosses

Mini-bosses guard a dungeon’s item or a key and usually leave a fairy and a blue warp portal back to the entrance. They are listed in the order you meet them.

#Mini-bossWhereHow to beat it
1Rolling BonesTail CaveJump the spiked beam it swings, then hit it with the Sword.
2HinoxBottle GrottoStay in the middle, slash it after a missed charge and back off before it swings.
3Dodongo SnakesKey CavernDrop a bomb in front of each snake’s mouth; each swallows three bombs and bursts.
4LanmolaYarna Desert (for the Angler Key)Hit its head when it rises from the sand and do not slip into the center.
5Cue BallAngler’s TunnelJump over its charge or hit it from the side or back; the front is safe for it.
6Master StalfosCatfish’s MawMeet him four times; hit from the side, then bomb him. On the fourth he drops the Hookshot.
7GohmaCatfish’s MawHookshot the eye when it opens, then slash the body.
8Armos KnightSouthern Face Shrine ruinsJump his landing, break his armor with a charged spin attack, finish with arrows or the Sword. Drops the Face Key.
9SmasherFace Shrine and Turtle RockLift the ball with the Power Bracelet L-2 and throw it back at him.
10Red HinoxEagle’s TowerStay across the pit, hit it with the Boomerang; it drops a Small Key.
11Grim CreeperEagle’s TowerHit all six Big Keese he sends in one round and he flees.
12BlainoTurtle RockKeep your distance, dodge his punches with Roc’s Feather and strike his back. The chest afterwards holds the Magic Rod.
13Giant Buzz BlobColor DungeonShrink it with Magic Powder, then slash it.
14Stone HinoxColor DungeonSlash it with the Sword and dodge the rocks it throws.

General tips

Fill your Secret Medicine bottle and keep a bottled fairy for the final bosses. Bring plenty of bombs for Facade and Master Stalfos. Hearts are not refilled mid-fight, so retreat through the dungeon to heal if you are low before opening a Nightmare door.

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