After playing through The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, I went back to A Link to the Past and was reminded of the challenging bosses from previous games. The focus of Zelda boss battles has changed over the past 30 years, with modern-day bosses being comparatively easier.
Learning From Tears of the Kingdom
When facing Mothula in Skull Woods, I had to rely on my own skills and tactics, unlike modern-day Zelda bosses. In Tears of the Kingdom, I found myself quickly respawning outside of the boss area after dying a few times. Running to create space, healing up, then going back in is not an option on A Link to the Past.
The lesson to learn from Tears of the Kingdom is that it has made bosses more accessible. In A Link to the Past, I would often get frustrated and quit, unlike in TOTK where I had the confidence to keep playing. That being said, modern-day bosses are easier than the ones we dealt with before, such as Phantom Ganon in Ocarina of Time’s Forest Temple or Vaati in The Minish Cap.
TOTK’s Approach to Boss Battles
I don’t want the next Zelda game to require hundreds of attempts on just one boss. That being said, TOTK has found a good balance of variety in its boss battles. Compared to difficult bosses such as Gohma, the bosses in Tears of the Kingdom are easier, but still provide enough of a challenge to make the game enjoyable.
However, it’s always worth remembering how far we’ve come in the past 30 years. Technological advancements and better game design make TOTK’s approach to boss battles feasible, but it’s not always necessary.
If you want to compare modern-day Zelda bosses with those from the past, try playing some classic Zelda games and see how far you’ve come in your gaming abilities.
What are your thoughts on Tears of the Kingdom? Do you think it’s easier or harder than previous Zelda games? Let us know in the comments.