Christmas Editorial #1 – Top 5 Snow Areas in Zelda

Christmas time has officially started! For me at least. To me, Christmas time starts as soon as Thanksgiving is over. So to kick off Christmas time at Zelda Dungeon, I’m gonna tell you my top five snow areas in Zelda!

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So here we go, with my Top 5 Snow Areas in Zelda!

5. Ice Palace – A Link to the Past

I’m starting off this list with the Ice Palace, the eighth dungeon in A Link to the Past. It’s not technically an “area” otherwise it would probably be higher on this list. This dungeon is probably my third favorite in A Link to the Past, only behind Turtle Rock and the Dark Palace. This dungeon contains some clever puzzles, and one of my favorite items in A Link to the Past, the Fire Rod! The boss, Kholdstare, is a lot of fun to fight, too.

4. Zora’s Domain (Adult) – Ocarina of Time

Next up is Zora’s Domain from Ocarina of Time. This one is special because it doesn’t start as a snow area, but becomes one later. It was a real shocker to me the first time I walked into the Zora’s Domain as an adult. At that point, it gains a mini-dungeon, the Ice Cavern. Here in the Ice Cavern, Link acquires both the Iron Boots, and the Serenade of Water here. The area itself is expansive, with lots of hidden caverns and other things to discover.

3. Isle of Frost – Phantom Hourglass

Now we have the Isle of Frost from Phantom Hourglass. I like this area because of the whole Yook quest. I loved following what each of the Anouki said and piecing it together to find who the Yook in disguise was. Getting into the dungeon, the Temple of Ice certainly wasn’t my favorite dungeon in the game, but it does have a couple of redeeming qualities. First off, this is where you find the Grappling Hook, which is arguably the most important and useful item in the game. Secondly, the boss, Gleeok was my favorite boss in the game, mainly because it felt so epic.

2. Snowhead – Majora’s Mask

The Snowhead area from Majora’s Mask consists of the village, Goron City, and Snowhead Temple itself. In the village, you can get your sword upgraded, get the Goron Mask, Don Gero’s Mask, and get a heart piece (using the Don Gero’s Mask actually). In the Goron City, you get the Lens of Truth, the Powder Keg, and the Rock Sirloin. Lastly, Snowhead Temple is an absolutely fantastic dungeon. It’s my second favorite in the game (second only behind Stone Tower Temple). The item of the dungeon, the Fire Arrows, are useful throughout the entire game. The boss, Goht, is (in my opinion) the best boss in the game. Goht is unique in the way that it was something that had never been done before, and hasn’t been done since.

1. Snowpeak – Twilight Princess

Finally, Snowpeak from Twilight Princess. This area is first on the list because everything about it is amazing. The area leading up to the dungeon is expansive and mysterious. This area uses the wolf ability like no other does. Link constantly has to be switching between human and wolf, in order to effectively battle and navigate. Once you reach the peak, you meet the Yeti couple, Yeto and Yeta. Yeto challenges you to an ice-board race, which is in my opinion the best minigame in Twilight Princess. There are many different paths Link can take, and he can even play dirty (by slashing at Yeto or Yeta). When Link arrives at the dungeon, which is actually just a house, and he enters, he is immediately sent on a continuous fetch quest that spans the entire dungeon. Now, when you read “fetch quest”, you probably think, “Ugh, I hate fetch quests, they’re terrible”, but not in this case! The fetch quest adds a new level of depth to the dungeon, and underlying sense of purpose in the dungeon. When you arrive at the Boss Chamber, it stings a bit, because you realize that you’ve been lied to about the location of the mirror shard throughout the entire dungeon. But then the real surprise comes when you realize that that Yeta has been overtaken by the power of the mirror shard. The boss here, Blizzeta, isn’t really inventive in the way of strategy, but it makes good use of the dungeon’s item, the Ball and Chain.

So those are my Top 5 Snow Areas in Zelda! Be sure to check back next week for the next Christmas Special Editorial! In fact, make sure to check back every Wednesday up until (and including!) Christmas Day for a new Christmas Editorial!

So what did you think? What are your top five snow areas? Let us know in the comments!