10 Best Boss Fights In The Legend Of Zelda Franchise

The dead man’s volley - a sequence in which Link and his foe bat energy balls back and forth until one is struck by the projectile - was not invented in Ocarina Of Time, but it was certainly perfected.

It’s a cornerstone of the final battle with Ganondorf, but the earlier boss fight with the Gerudo king’s horse riding, painting-hopping Phantom is even better.

The climax of the delightfully spooky Forest Temple sees Link locked in the mansion’s art gallery. Moments later he’s joined by a very lifelike apparition of his nemesis - a life size Ganondorf ghost atop a horse, leaping in and out of the wall mounted artwork as Link attempts to figure out which one is the real deal.

Ocarina can boast some of the series’ best boss fights, but Phantom Ganon might be the cream of the crop. It’s moody and atmospheric and features a great battle mechanic. It also perfectly marks the switch to the adult portion of the game. Though Link has faced some tricky foes thus far, the bosses in the early goings aren’t a patch on the threat posed here. Things just got real.