Highlights
- Tears of the Kingdom introduces difficult enemies early on, surprising players exploring the vast open world.
- Gibdo, Like Likes, Boss Bokoblin, Gleeok, and Gloom Hands are tough enemies that require specific strategies to defeat.
- Lynel minibosses are infamous for their difficulty, requiring preparation and dodge abilities, making them a real challenge.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, compared to previous entries in the Zelda franchise, ramps up the difficulty early on. As with any video game where players get to explore a vast open world from the get-go, Tears of the Kingdom might surprise players by introducing them to some difficult-to-defeat enemies in the overworld.
While some of these enemies were just as frustrating to face in the game's predecessor, Breath of the Wild, some of them are brand-new to the Nintendo Switch title. From frequent enemies who roam the land of Hyrule, to more rare creatures fans really have to prepare for, these foes should be saved for when players are better equipped.
6 Gibdo
Most players will probably first encounter the Gibdo when they explore the Gerudo desert area during the "Regional Phenomena" main quest. Though they don't latch onto Link like they did in previous The Legend of Zelda games, these undead creatures can be very difficult to defeat one-on-one, as they are resistant to most of Link's attacks.
The only way to trounce Gibdo is by using fire or lightning damage, which can be achieved with powered-up arrows or magic weapons. However, at least early on in Tears of the Kingdom, players will likely want to save the Fire Fruit and Shock Fruit they find. By later in the game, acquiring these items will likely be no hassle for more hardcore players.
5 Shock Like
After being absent from Breath of the Wild, Like Likes return in the latest installment. Often found on the walls or ceilings of caves, these creatures are also resistant to Link's physical attacks, just like Gibdo. The key to defeating them is to hit or shoot an arrow at their uvula when it's exposed, and besting them with often drop a treasure chest full of valuables.
While regular Like Likes may be easy enough for players to defeat early on, Shock Likes make for much more formidable enemies. They operate similarly to regular Like Likes, except they also shoot electrical energy at Link, which can be a devastating hit to players with a low amount of hearts. It's safe to say these fights are better saved for later.
4 Boss Bokoblin
Bokoblins return from Breath of the Wild and can be found in their living or skeletal form all throughout Hyrule. Rare to find, however, are Boss Bokoblin, who are much more massive Bokoblin that lead a small troop of regular-sized Bokoblin. Even for high-level players, these can be precarious fights due to how many enemies they have to fight at once.
What makes this much easier for farther-along players, however, is the addition of the Sages. Furthermore, having better options for attacks, such as Ice Fruits, make for a good way to stall the Boss Bokoblin while Link takes out their soldiers. For early-on players, however, it might be simply too overwhelming.
3 Gleeok
Gleeok originally appeared in the very first The Legend of Zelda game on NES in 1986. These two-headed dragons would be confronted by Link in dungeons, blocking a doorway to advance through the level. In Tears of the Kingdom, not only can Gleeoks now be found in the wild, but they also have an additional head to create even more mayhem for players.
Thankfully, not even overconfident low-level players will go out of their way to face these gargantuan hydras scattered throughout Hyrule. Players will have to gather a large inventory of monster eyeballs before this match, as firing them at the Gleeoks will guarantee a targeted shot at their weak spot: their own eyes.
2 Gloom Hands
Also known as Gloom Spawn, these creatures will often appear near areas of gloom spread in The Depths and the overworld. They can be easily avoided by getting out of reach, but ending up in their field of attack can be very dangerous for players. Gloom Hands have the tendency to grab Link and afflict gloom damage, rendering his hearts useless.
It's safe to say that players who haven't upgraded with more Heart Containers simply can't pay the price of many hearts by being grabbed by Gloom Hands. The best way to kill them is by using Bomb Arrows, but those can be hard to come by early on. Defeating Gloom Hands will also summon a Phantom Ganon miniboss, which doesn't make it less difficult.
1 Lynel
Lynel have become infamous in the fandom of The Legend of Zelda thanks to their appearances in Breath of the Wild. These incredibly difficult minibosses roam the overworld of Hyrule, with many variations of differing power levels. Fighting them is a true test of the player's abilities to dodge and Flurry Rush, but taking a hit from a Lynel means bad news.
Even for players who have accrued many Heart Containers and Stamina Vessels, entering a fight with a Lynel requires a lot of preparation. It's best to pack extra meals and powerful weapons for the fight and spend some time practicing dodge abilities. As for newer players, it's best to stay away from Lynel unless they want a real challenge.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is currently available on Switch.