In The Legend of Zelda, dungeons are key narrative locations that require Link to obtain something to progress the story. Each dungeon has its notable theme, which are staple aspects of each Zelda game that players will learn to become well accustomed to.
While dungeon themes do not influence the gameplay in any way, a good theme can make an otherwise forgettable dungeon extremely memorable, and the music within The Legend of Zelda franchise plays an extremely important role in the way it can influence and emotionally affect players.
10 Wind Temple - The Wind Waker
The Wind Temple's theme is a breath of fresh air. With most of the preceding dungeons in the Wind Waker having darker, more serious themes, the Wind Temple's playful theme is a reprieve from all the danger. This is further explored within the dungeon itself, which has Link traversing areas with the Deku Leaf and having to solve puzzles more often than fighting enemies.
The theme is almost whimsical, forcing players to want to feel relaxed and safe in this new environment. This isn't to say the Wind Temple is lacking enemies in any capacity, but more so that the temple's theme accompanies, and encourages, a more puzzle-heavy dungeon. Players shouldn't feel too relaxed, however, or they might find themselves dragged into the ground by a terrifying Floormaster.
9 Lanayru Mining Facility - Skyward Sword
The Lanayru Mining Facility is a great example of a dungeon whose theme exudes enigma. As players explore more thoroughly, it becomes apparent that the location once housed incredibly advanced forms of technology. Players can utilize the dungeon's gimmick, Timeshift Stones, which are capable of sending an entire area back in time.
The mystery continues with the Gust Bellows, the dungeon item, which allows Link to clear large areas of sand with ease. Utilizing this tool allows players to uncover buried secrets of the past, while they are uncovering the many mysteries prevalent in the dungeon's enigmatic theme.
8 Lakebed Temple - Twilight Princess
The Lakebed temple brilliantly establishes symbolism in an eerily atmospheric track. As Link scrambles to re-route the temple's water, the almost ethereal theme sets the tone for a very creepy dungeon. If players listen closely, at regular intervals they can hear a chilling breathing sound.
The preternatural exhaling and inhaling appear symbolic as it resembles how players feel as they traverse underwater through the winding waters of the dungeon. Throughout the theme, players can hear what sounds like chattering teeth and clattering bones, which can resemble Link as he experiences the damp, cold atmosphere that the Lakebed Temple evokes.
7 Lorule Castle - A Link Between Worlds
Lorule Castle's theme is extremely upbeat, and players can immediately understand that Link is embarking on a quest he will fulfill no matter what, almost as though they are on the journey with him.
Players will be surprised to know that if they play the theme backward, they'll be able to hear A Link To The Past's Hyrule Castle theme, making the track even greater. With Link's ties to the Triforce of Courage, it seems obvious that this theme would inspire a sense of determination and perseverance as he runs through the dungeon, which ultimately culminates into a theme imbued with fantasy and heroism.
6 Snowpeak Ruins - Twilight Princess
The Snowpeak Ruins is one of the most creative dungeons players will explore. The dungeon itself is the mansion home of Yeto and Yeta, a Yeti couple who welcome Link into their abode, making the dungeon's theme encapsulate that warm, fuzzy, homelike feeling. Despite the numerous difficulties and obstacles Link will face as he traverses the mansion, there is never a sense of unease present in the theme.
Yeto and Yeta assist Link throughout the dungeon, offering pumpkin soup and advice to help him locate a Mirror Shard fragment. Within the theme, intermittent triangle tones evoke an aura that captures the feeling that freezing cold temperatures have begun to take hold of the mansion. The location has a uniquely interesting design and a perfectly atmospheric theme, making players feel truly welcome as they speak to the Yeti couple by the fire, whilst also feeling the ice-cold weather outside.
5 Shadow Temple - Ocarina of Time
The Shadow Temple has one of the most disturbing themes in the entire franchise. Within the theme, two choirs continuously sing, one being very high-pitched, and the other with a deeper, more disturbing tone. The theme flips between the choirs frequently, with other chilling noises accompanying them. From an interpretive perspective, the higher pitch connotes an Angel, and the lower pitch resembles a Demon or Shadow.
The theme also utilizes a regular drum beat, which is significant as Link must face and eliminate the dungeon's boss, Bongo Bongo, on the very drum that plays the theme. It is uncanny to imagine the dungeon's boss playing the drum for the Shadow Temple's theme but is a noteworthy addition that makes the dungeon even more disturbing.
4 Stone Tower Temple - Majora's Mask
The Stone Tower Temple offers up one of the most ominous tracks in the Zelda franchise. Players will immediately feel the sense that something is amiss with an eerily foreboding theme, as they try to make sense of a dungeon that can be flipped upside-down.
The theme seems only fitting for a dungeon that can be quite complex for a first playthrough. Players can grasp the enormous scale of the tower, and simultaneously feel as though they don't belong there. The theme brilliantly portrays ideas of a once thriving, archaic temple of grandeur, while also imbuing the cursed tones of the Ikana region.
3 Ganon's Tower - Ocarina of Time
Few moments are as memorable as first stepping into the inner sanctum of Ganon's Tower. Perfectly embodying many feelings in one theme, Ganon's Tower encapsulates dread, fear, and hopelessness effortlessly. As players progress through his tower, they begin to hear an intense pipe organ playing from afar.
While not so intimidating at first, as Link continues to ascend the tower, the pipe organ increases in volume and intensity, leaving players in anticipation of what lies ahead. After reaching the top, players are met with the might of Ganondorf, who delivers a monstrous performance on the pipe organ with his nefarious villain energy. This theme is designed to make players feel uncomfortable and afraid, which is only fitting for such an iconic villain.
2 Spirit Temple - Ocarina of Time
The Spirit Temple's theme is shrouded in mystery, embedded with the cultural tones of the Gerudo. Fittingly, the dungeon's theme and architecture are inspired by Arabic and Egyptian culture. This is a major difference from most of the other music in the game, which is Western-inspired. This comes with a surprise to players entering the Spirit Temple for the first time, as the theme brings a fresh and unique approach to the game's soundtrack.
Players will feel a sense of unwelcoming as they explore the dungeon, completing an array of puzzles before they eventually get their hands on the Mirror Shield. Exploring the Spirit Temple, and always being attacked by flying pots makes for an incredibly fun dungeon, and its theme makes it even more distinctive.
1 Forest Temple - Ocarina of Time
When Link first enters the Forest Temple, the theme slowly introduces itself as one of the most chilling dungeon scores. As the theme progresses, it becomes repetitive, mirroring the player as they traverse the confusion of the temple. Being the first dungeon of Adult Link’s journey, there is a dramatic spike in difficulty, which is incomparable to the earlier Spirit Stone dungeons that young Link faced.
With its creepy theme and corridors that can bend and contort, running through this dungeon can feel like a hallucination. Players will get lost, confused, and the dungeon’s design and theme are curated in a way to make people feel as though they are stuck with no way out. Time can easily manipulate the player in the Forest Temple, and the persistent nature of its cunning theme can cause players to lose track of it.