My favorite enemy, believe it or not, is the Like Like. Like Likes are strange worm-like creatures that have no head, eyes, mouth, arms or legs. No, the Like Like is a simple life form that doesn't seem much more advanced than bacteria, and is much more dangerous than normal enemies. However, this enemy has quite the appetite for items dear to Link. Where the Like Like differentiates itself from other Zelda enemies is that it doesn't care about doing damage to Link. It instead seals a much more vicious blow to the player by taking away Link's shield, meaning that Link must march to the nearest shop and fork over rupees for an item that he had owned previously.
Perhaps what is most interesting about the Like Like is its ability to look completely harmless yet be one of the most feared creatures of Zelda lore. When I first encountered Like Likes in Ocarina of Time, I thought they were mere platforms for Link to jump on or peculiar-looking pillars. Upon a closer look, these indescribable cylindrical monsters flailed around and tried engulfing Link. This enemy has appeared in several different Zelda games, but has retained the same overall appearance over the last 25 years.
There is a great flexibility in the Like Like's abilities, varying from game to game. In the instance of The Legend of Zelda, if Link does not react fast enough to defeat this foe after being swallowed, it will eat his shield. Likewise in A Link to the Past, Link must be swift enough to conquer the Like Like before his shield goes down the drain, but it does not have the ability to consume the Mirror Shield. Special shields and items that can only be acquired once in the entirety of a Zelda game are excluded from a Like Like's diet because they will never be able to be obtained again. This is the case with Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask and Link's Awakening.
Regaining your shield is a simple matter, while losing the Mirror Shield could have the effect of halting a player's progress in a game. Nintendo knew where to draw the line, which is a damn good thing. To add to the frustration of the possibility of losing your shield, Like Likes also have the ability to devour tunics. Tunics are very costly items and will probably set Link back a few hundreds rupees if eaten. And to top it off, Like Likes in Majora's Mask are attracted to Link when he wears the Stone Mask, which is odd since the Stone Mask's purpose is to make Link unnoticeable.
Most Zelda enemies are not as creative, intelligently designed and intuitive as Like Likes. Simplicity is bliss, and these ingenuous-looking creatures will surely make gamers' heads turn as they see their precious shields and tunics being gobbled up. Taking on a Like Like is always a wager, and that's not something that we often see in Zelda games. Add to that the fact that these enemies are quite rare and not always easy to find, and Like Likes really become something else. Whether or not other people see these creatures the way I do, I believe that they are icons of the franchise.