Daily Debate: Do Dungeons Need to be Challenging to be Good?

We all have that level, puzzle, or dungeon that stands out in our memory. Perhaps it was a dungeon that took the combined forces of you and a friend to beat, or a puzzle that forced you to consult a walkthrough. Maybe the level that you remember most dearly wasn’t ever a challenge, but was such a pleasant experiences that you’d go back through it without hesitation. In a general discussion of the myriad temples and dungeons of the Zelda series, however, the level of challenge of said trial and its puzzles seem to reign supreme, but just how important is this aspect?

While I’m as up for a proper Zelda challenge as much as the next player, it’s most certainly not the only feature I find myself wanting in a dungeon. What of its visual and auditory aesthetic? At a mere thought, I can bring up memories of playing through Ocarina of Time‘s Forest Temple because of how vividly I recall its theme. When I consider the dungeons I loved most in Twilight Princess, I can’t help but remember the joy of traversing the City in the Sky with the double hookshot, and the tension of creeping through the Palace of Twilight, just hoping a wallmaster wouldn’t catch me unawares. If I am considering dungeons insofar as their unique mechanics are concerned, the Lanayru Mining Facility of Skyward Sword and its time stone shenanigans stand out.

Among other traits that have made or broken a dungeon, narrative important, boss design, utilization of items, and overall level design come to mind, but there are bound to be other that you consider. Even so, in terms of importance, challenge could rightfully be the number one feature. It is hard to beat the satisfaction of that final “a-ha!” moment when one finally sees the solution to a puzzle and can progress, or the sigh of relief when the boss drops that heart container and one can finally venture outside again. Where do you stand on the matter? Is there a single factor that makes a dungeon appeal to you? Or is a multiple of composite factors? Do dungeons need to be challenging to be good? Join the Daily Debate!