Re: Your Top Ten Favorite Zelda Dungeons
1.) Forest Temple:
It is the most atmospheric dungeon in Zelda history. It had a brilliant lead up with the Lost Woods. As the first adult Link dungeon, you are still discovering the changes that have taken place over the last seven years, and the evil that has invaded Kokiri Forest plays right into this. The seen with Mido and the placement of physically intimidating Monblins in the once peaceful Sacred Forest Meadow are very effective as well. And the role of Saria's Song cannot be overstated.
The temple itself was ingenious. The ambient music was quite unlike anything I'd heard from a video game before. The dark corridors contrasted the beautiful outdoor regions. Creative puzzles were abundant; Poe hunting (especially shooting them out of paintings--a motif that was carried on in the boss fight), twisting hallways, the checkerboard combined with the falling ceiling, the wall masters, and the very logical puzzle that called for you to fire an arrow through a torch to melt ice all stick very vividly in my memory. Even the dungeon's most boring puzzle--the rotating room in the basement--was still pretty creative. And the boss fight was fun.
2.) Spirit Temple:
The concept of playing half the dungeon as a child and half as an adult struck me as compelling. The child could never reach the temple, but the adult could never delve deep into it without the aid of his child form. This is the sort of paradox that can only be solved by traveling through time.
The dungeon itself was awesome for many other reasons. It was the first time we saw puzzles that involved using mirrors to reflect light which was very fun. The music and limited lighting created a moody atmosphere that was befitting of the game's final dungeon--a trend carried over into Majora's Mask and Wind Waker. Then of course, you had the Iron Knuckles and the game's best boss back story and brawl.
3.) Stone Tower Temple
Recently, through the work of Hylian Dan, I've been convinced that this dungeon has the greatest mythology and history of any other dungeon in Zelda history by far. I'm not expert on these subjects, but if you're interested in what I'm talking about, see his "Stone Tower of Babel" thread.
Even independent of that, the Stone Tower Temple is a work of art. The events leading up to the temple are as impressive as the dungeon itself. That is, the bottom of the well (which I was not fond of, admittedly) and the awesome Ancient Castle of Ikana, not to mention using the Elegy of Emptiness to ascend to the top of the tower.
The dungeon itself was nothing short of fantastic. It is a culmination of all the skills you've learned throughout the game. You use all four forms--human, Goron, Zora, and Deku--and you are expected to use them well. Many of the enemies are quite challenging. I think it is the hardest dungeon in 3D Zelda. A true trial as a final dungeon should be.
But it is in the feel where the dungeon truly excels. You can flip the dungeon upside down. How amazing is that? Even better, a change in the tone of music complements the gravity of the situation. The music is the best dungeon music of any dungeon in the series' history. The atmosphere, which is something I place heavy emphasis on, is absolutely kick ass.
The only thing that I really wasn't fond of was the boss, but using the Giant's Mask was a cool concept at least.
4.) Fire Temple
The Fire Temple was simply a very smart and enjoyable dungeon. It was not as elaborate as the the three dungeons ahead of it, but it was almost as enjoyable.
I think the repetition of many of the puzzles and ideas created a very cohesive experience. You had an excellent and potentially emotional back story. The Gorons had been kidnapped and locked away within the dungeon and were to be fed to Volvagia. The Goron leader, Darunia, was going to go and try to seal Volvagia, but he lacked the hero's hammer. Throughout the dungeon, you are saving Gorons, which is a nice little diversion. But there were many other themes that binded the individual rooms together--an abundance of timed puzzles, an emphasis on "the Goron's special crop" and "playing music at unusual spots" and flare dancers and flying tiles, and so on and so forth. Many of these ideas were repeated on several occasions, and I doubt this was a haphazard and random occurrence.
5.) Water Temple
The Water Temple is a double-edged sword. It is one of the most infamous dungeons in Zelda lore due to its complexity which could often bewilder and frustrate players. I once had a friend who had been fine up until the dungeon, but could never pass it.
I think I pretty much have it figured out now, but for several play-throughs, I continued to struggle. It is a demanding dungeon that requires a good deal of concentration, and even then, you're bound to make a mistake. To be sure, this sort of complexity would be undesirable if it were in every dungeon, but once or twice per game, it can really challenge and satisfy the player.
The hardest part of the dungeon was controlling the water level to open up new paths. Overlooking small details could cost you tremendous hardship and time down the road. Whether intentionally or not, the frustration of the dungeon as a whole was often reflected by the puzzles in the individual rooms--puzzles involving tricky water currents and long (admittedly drawn out a times), methodical puzzles were plentiful. Even the mini-boss, Dark Link, was highly perplexing. Thankfully, the mysterious music and bluish coloring created a serene atmosphere that, naturally, fit the mood and the puzzles.
If only they had allowed us to set our boots to C!
The other five
6.) Goron Mines (Twilight Princess)
7.) Snowhead Temple (Majora's Mask)
8.) Wind Temple (Wind Waker)
9.) Snowpeak Ruins (Twilight Princess)
10.) Forest Temple (Twilight Princess)