Highlights

  • Death Mountain is a recurring location in the Legend of Zelda franchise that is often portrayed as a dangerous and treacherous place.
  • In 2D Zelda games, Death Mountain is associated with evil and late-game dungeons, while in 3D Zelda games, it is home to the Goron tribe and becomes a lively place of trade.
  • Regardless of how Death Mountain is portrayed, players can expect it to be an important and challenging part of their adventures in the Legend of Zelda series.

Across the Legend of Zelda franchise, plenty of iconic locations have delighted and challenged players. The kingdom of Hyrule reuses a consistent set of themed environments, and it tends to label said environments with similar names. For example, the Lost Woods, Zora's Domain, and Hyrule Castle Town make frequent appearances throughout the Legend of Zelda series, each respectively hosting a significant force of good that must be hidden away, the Zora civilization, and the central Hylian seat of power. If one of these locations shows up, players can expect it to mirror those that have come before it.

Standing with the other recognizable Zelda locales is Death Mountain. Often portrayed as an active volcano, this frequent stop on Link’s adventures is named for the immense danger its environment presents to normal humans. Only the hardy Gorons and assorted monsters can bear living on it, and they’re able to thrive if left in peace. Having been with The Legend of Zelda since its first entry, Death Mountain is a recognizable part of the series’ legacy. With all of that said, however, the many Zelda titles tend to portray Death Mountain in one of two dramatically different ways.

Zelda Tears of the Kingdom_Death Mountain Feature
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Death Mountain is 2D Zelda’s Domain Of Treachery and Evil

In The Legend of Zelda’s younger days, Death Mountain used to not only be associated with danger, but threats to Hyrule itself. The original NES Legend of Zelda introduced Death Mountain as an accursed location guarded by the Zelda franchise’s frustrating Lynel enemies, and a space-warping place called the Lost Hills, acting similarly to the Lost Woods. However, they and the Level 5 dungeon they concealed were not Death Mountain’s only secrets, as Ganon actually built his Level 9 base inside the mountain. This portrayal went on to define how Death Mountain appeared throughout the 2D Zelda entries.

  • The Legend of Zelda
  • The Adventure of Link
  • A Link to the Past
  • Four Swords
  • Four Swords Adventures
  • A Link Between Worlds

Common traits of a Death Mountain gripped by evil are late-game dungeons, sometimes belonging to Ganon himself, and places where the geography is almost impossible to navigate. The former is found in the overworld of the original Zelda and A Link to the Past, while the latter is represented by a maze of tunnels in The Adventure of Link, and Four Swords Adventures’ Hebra's Hill calling back to the Lost Hills. Four Swords’ Death Mountain is a more generic dungeon location, but ALBW’s Death Mountain commands player respect with both its Light and Dark World dungeons, and the Treacherous Tower battle gauntlet.

The Legend of Zelda’s Gorons Call 3D Death Mountains Their Home

Fortunately, 3D Zelda Death Mountains are a little more hospitable thanks to the presence of Gorons. Since the tribe's introduction in Ocarina of Time, almost every Zelda game with a Goron society placed it on Death Mountain. Befitting the active volcano's name, it's still not a place most other tribes venture, as lava flows and either boulders or outright molten rock can cascade down the mountain alongside the occasional rolling Goron. Still, for those able to make the trip, it's a very inviting place in times of peace.

  • Ocarina of Time
  • Twilight Princess
  • Breath of the Wild
  • Tears of the Kingdom

Games with a Goron-inhabited Death Mountain have, so far, all followed the template set by Ocarina of Time's Death Mountain. One or two dungeons in Death Mountain are causing trouble for the Gorons, and they need Link’s help to restore peace. After that, the underground or open-air Goron City becomes a lively place of trade. Death Mountain will always be a treacherous climb in any Legend of Zelda, but Link will need to brave it sooner or later, and any friendly inhabitants will be more than happy to see him root out the evil that's taken hold of the region.