The 10 Hottest FIRE-Based Zelda Bosses

Grinexx “The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds” (2013)

The boss of Turtle Rock in “A Link Between Worlds” is a literal rock turtle. Even as the most tame boss on our list, in terms of how hot things get, Grinexx still brings the heat. It spends the first phase swimming around a pool of lava, spewing magma upwards from its shell that Link must avoid. By using the Ice Rod to drop shards through the convenient holes in the arena floor, Link can move on to the second phase. Grinexx will then attack Link head-on, attempting to bite him, spin around the arena in its shell, or emit a powerful explosion, all while lava geysers still rise from below. After whacking it in the head with your sword enough times, the boss’ fire will be put out.

Hot Head “The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening” (1993)

Hot Head is another boss that guards Turtle Rock, albeit an entirely different version. As a boss that’s essentially a giant talking fireball, it isn’t something you’d want to get too close to. Not that you could, since Hot Head also sits in a pool of lava. As it hops around, trying to splash Link with the hottest substance known to man, players must use the Magic Rod to extinguish its flames. It’ll then bounce around the arena, trying to ram into him while you use the Magic Rod again to deal damage and get rid of its shell. It’s a fun, quick-paced fight that keeps you dodging damage.

King Dodongo “The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time” (1998)

As a kid playing “Ocarina of Time” for the first time, the entrance of King Dodongo was certainly an intimidating one for me. He’s a massive, fire-breathing lizard that either tries to smush you or set you ablaze. And most of his arena is covered in molten rock, somewhere you should definitely not stand. Of course, as only the second boss in the game, he isn’t all that hard once you know his gimmick and how to avoid his attacks. As he inhales to unleash a devastating blast of fire, Link just has to toss a bomb in his mouth, making him vulnerable to sword attacks. Still, this was a pretty epic and dangerous encounter for Link to have early in his adventure.

Fireblight Ganon “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” (2017)

The first phase of Fireblight Ganon doesn’t get too hot. Although, fighting on top of a Divine Beast on the side of an active volcano still seems pretty humid to say the least. The boss will use sword attacks while up close, but will shoot fireballs if Link keeps his distance. After getting through half its health bar, the boss will turn up the heat during the second phase. Literally. It sets its sword on fire, and covers itself in a spherical shield made of flame. This can block everything Link has except for his Sheikah Bombs. But those can only be used when Fireblight Ganon sucks in air for another attack, similar to how Link dealt with King Dodongo. It’s far from the most troublesome boss in the game, but getting hit by that flaming sword will hurt quite a bit.

Scaldera “The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword” (2011)

We’ve seen molten rock in boss arenas. But a few bosses are actually made entirely of it. Scaldera is the second boss in “Skyward Sword,” fought at the end of the Earth Temple. Most of the time, Link will be running as Scaldera chases after him, unleashing fire attacks. By hitting it with a bomb, you can force it to roll back down the ramp. At the bottom, it begins to inhale, preparing for another giant fireball. Again, King Dodongo taught us what to do here. But after throwing in a bomb, and blasting away some of the rocky shell, you’ll then have to poke its eye with your sword, which can be tricky depending on how much shell is left and since the eye moves around the body.

Marbled Gohma “The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom” (2023)

Gohma is one of the most frequently recurring bosses in the series, and has appeared in fire-based dungeons before, like in “Wind Waker.” But since Marbled Gohma actually uses fire-based attacks, we’re going with that iteration. Link and Yunobo face off against this rock titan at the end of the Fire Temple. She’ll try to use her giant legs to crush you, but will also toss boulders at Link that will detonate after a short period, emitting deadly explosions. After using Yunobo’s ability to crumble her legs and deal enough damage to her eye, she’ll cling to the ceiling and rely solely on this type of attack, surrounding Link with explosive boulders that deal heavy damage should you get caught by them.

Cragma “The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks” (2009)

Not only does this fight bring all the peril of fire-based bosses, it’s also one of the most fun ones. Surrounded by a pool of lava, Cragma will attempt to pound Link with its fists, which also causes flaming rocks to rain down from above. Afterwards, you use the nearby minecart and railways to circle the boss, firing at its various weak spots with the bow until it collapses so you can take stabs at its head. Of course, if you take too long on any given tier, Cragma will grab Link with what we can only imagine is a very hot hand, and toss him back to the bottom. The bow’s touchscreen controls are simple, but intuitive, making this a standout fight in “Spirit Tracks.”

Fyrus “The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess” (2006)

Fyrus of the Goron Mines basically looks like a Balrog from “The Lord of the Rings” in the “Zelda” setting. While this boss isn’t nearly that powerful, he still looks impressively cool. And we bet being in the same room as him had to be mighty uncomfortable for Link. The boss starts the fight by lighting his whole body on fire and swinging his red-hot chains around. You have to shoot him in the head, wear the magnetized Iron Boots so you can pull on the chains attached to his legs to make him fall, then stab him in the head to deal extra damage. He’ll then rise, emit a fiery wave as he reignites, and continue the pattern. Sure, he isn’t very hard. But he gets a lot of points for style.

Volvagia “The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time” (1998)

One of the more iconic bosses in “Ocarina of Time” is Volvagia, the dragon fought at the end of the Fire Temple. He’s faced in the middle of a volcano, which requires Link to wear the Goron Tunic to not take constant damage from the heat. He’ll hide between a number of magma patches on the ground. And when he pops up, you have to whack him with the Megaton Hammer before he breathes fire or slashes with his claws, opening him up to sword attacks. When flying around, he’ll be invulnerable, breathing fire or bringing flaming rocks down on Link’s head. It’s a pretty fun fight, so we were happy to see Volvagia return in “Echoes of Wisdom.”

Flame Gleeok “The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom” (2023)

Link has fought the multiheaded Gleeoks in multiple games, but “Tears of the Kingdom” gave them elemental variants that appear in the Overworld. The Flame Gleeoks will have no problem annihilating Link if players come across one in the early hours of their adventure. Like Volvagia in “Ocarina of Time,” Link will take damage from the insane heat unless he wears the proper gear or eats a proper meal. It also discharges mighty fire blasts from each head until Link can knock them out with arrows, opening them up for further damage from melee weapons. At a quarter health, the Flame Gleeok will fly high in the sky, raining down fireballs greater than any other boss before it. As long as Link is still alive, he can catch the updraft it creates, shoot its eyes a few more times, and bring the beast crashing down. Did we leave off one of your favorite fire bosses from the series? Let us know about it in the comments. And if you haven’t already, be sure to subscribe to MojoPlays for more great gaming videos every day!