10 Times Video Games Made You Fight Yourself

Link first faced off against a dark version of himself in Zelda II: The Adventure of Link. Before Link can finally claim the Triforce, his own shadow separates from himself and attacks. This final boss, commonly dubbed Link’s Shadow, was simple to defeat. If the player backed into a corner and continued slashing away, then the fight ended quickly.

However, this idea would be revisited several more times throughout the series, most notably in The Ocarina of Time.

At the half-way point of Ocarina’s infamous Water Temple dungeon, Link enters a room where the floor is submerged in water, which perfectly reflects a mirror image of the surroundings. Once Link passes a small isle in the room’s centre, his reflection in the water vanishes and becomes the dungeon’s sub-boss, Dark Link.

The fight can be a difficult one, particularly if you’re using the Master Sword; Dark Link’s a terrible cheat and seems to read the players actions; he’ll ably dodge most attacks, even occasionally performing a back flip to land on the tip of Link’s sword in an outrageous display of showboating. However, if Link equips the Megaton Hammer, Dark Link’s AI seems to bug out and he’ll offer little resistance as you play whack-a-mole with his head.

Dark Link has become something of a fan favourite - recent appearances for the character include an alternative Smash Bros costume for Link and the Dark Armour set in Breath of the Wild.