Daily Debate: Are Enemy Rush Dungeons in Zelda Games Good Side-quests?

The Savage Labyrinth in The Wind Waker, the Cave of Ordeals in Twilight Princess, the Treacherous Tower in A Link Between Worlds: these are all examples of the optional enemy rush dungeons that exist in the Zelda series. The format is carried over from game to game; Link must battle his way through many rooms of enemies, each with increasing difficulty. As these side-quests continue to appear in the series, it is time decide if they truly are good additions to Zelda games.

While enemies and combat mechanics may change from one Zelda game to the next, these types of enemy rush side-quests have always functioned the same way. The player guides Link through a challenging string of fights, with the battles becoming more merciless the longer the player goes. Fundamentally, these side-quests have a lot of value. They serve as great (and perhaps the only) ways for players to truly test their combat skills in a Zelda game. Each battle offers a new sense of challenge, and each one rewards significant satisfaction when completed. These areas also prove as great ways to show off an entire game’s collection of enemies or bosses, reminding players of the challenges they have overcome throughout their adventure. Coupled with ever-changing arena configurations such as in A Link Between Worlds‘ Treacherous Tower, a lot of strategic variety can be included in these enemy rush modes.

However, there may be criticism in the way these modes are implemented. For example, The Wind Waker makes the first 30 floors of its Savage Labyrinth a requirement if players want to finish the main quest. Some may feel that forcing players to complete this set of enemy challenges poorly affects the pacing of The Wind Waker’s story and helps the already-dragging Triforce quest to feel even more dragged out. To these players, the nature of these combat areas is much better suited for optional content, not for the main quest. The reward for completing these side-quests is also something to consider. For example, Twilight Princess‘ Cave of Ordeal (arguably one of the most difficult enemy rush dungeons) rewards the player with a bottle of Fairy Tears, and the original The Wind Waker‘s labyrinth only offers a heart piece. These rewards may seem underwhelming after a long, arduous string of battles, especially considering how other optional dungeons (like Ocarina‘s Gerudo Training Grounds) offer cool new items and abilities. Some players may need a satisfying reward if they are to see the good in these side-quests.

What do you think of these enemy rush side-quests? Do they have a place in the Zelda series? How should they be implemented if they are to be considered good side-quests? Fight it out in the comments, and join the Daily Debate!

Rod Lloyd

Rod Lloyd is the Editor-In-Chief at Zelda Dungeon, overseeing the news and feature content for the site. Rod is considered the veteran of the writing team, having started writing for Zelda Informer in 2014 as a Junior Editor. After ZD and ZI officially merged in 2017, he stepped into the Managing Editor role and has helped steer the ship ever since. He stepped up to lead the writing team as Editor-In-Chief in 2023.
You can reach Rod at: rod.lloyd@zeldadungeon.net