These deceptively simplistic monsters will mirror your own movements–but will do a fair bit of damage if they make contact with you. Therefore, be careful when dealing with a room containing them! Cautiously bring them into range of your sword and hack away, preferably with a spin attack. These enemies aren’t too much trouble if you know what you’re doing, and they appear very rarely (only in Moonlit Grotto).

The Ball & Chain Trooper is one tough customer who guards the way in advanced dungeons of the game, wielding a frightful mace and hurling it toward Link. You can guard against the ball and chain with your sword, however. Since this enemy is relatively weak to attacks from behind, you can attempt to use your Seed Shooter to ricochet a seed off the wall and into the trooper. Moreover, furious slashes of your sword will beat back the ball and chain and potentially allow you to get in some hits on the enemy’s body. The spin attack is effective here as well if you can time it right.

One of the more annoying enemies in the game, the Beamos has an eye that roams around the room, searching for intruders. If it catches you, it’ll repeatedly shoot an energy beam at you. Dodge it by getting out of its way, jumping it with Roc’s Feather, or blocking it if you have the Mirror Shield. Unfortunately, no Beamos can be destroyed.

Beetles are very easy enemies to handle and only have the element of surprise working in their favor. They are found most often by unearthing them with the Shovel out of the dirt. If this happens, all it takes is a single slash to destroy the vile insect. Moreover, it does quite little damage to Link.

Not so much an sentient enemy, Blade Traps have dogged Link’s steps ever since the original Legend of Zelda. The most basic kind will spring toward you as you come close–simply trigger the attack, then swiftly step away. As they’re slowly retracting, make your way fast. Other Blade Traps are huge and follow preset patterns in the room. Take time to observe the pattern and then move around accordingly–these tend to be less bothersome than they look. Then there’s the spinning Blade Trap that, once it’s been triggered, will chase Link up to a certain point. Look for places to hide and get away from it, or use Roc’s Feather to leap over it otherwise.

Buzz Blobs are deceptive, gelatinous creatures that roam the Nuun Highlands. They look weak, but as soon as you try to slice into one with your sword, you will be electrocuted while the Buzz Blob suffers no damage at all! Instead, use Seeds, Bombs, or your Boomerang to defeat them. In fact, it’s generally better to avoid them altogether unless any are particularly in your path.

These enemies are walking candles and at first are harmless enough–slow-moving, easy to avoid. When you have to destroy them (as is typically the case), then they’re much tougher. The only way to defeat one is to hit it with an Ember Seed, lighting its wick, which causes the Candle to run around frantically until it explodes. Because they move so fast and erratically, they can be very tough to avoid in this state. Do your best to make sure you only light one at a time. This enemy is found only in Oracle of Ages.

In underwater side-scrolling sections, Link will find Cheep Cheeps–large, slow, predictable, but dangerous fish. They don’t do much damage, but when you come upon one, it’s better just to finish it off with a simple slash of the sword since you don’t want to navigate waterways crowded with Cheep Cheeps.

Crows are birds that tend to stay in high, hard-to-reach places, such as treetops, cliff ledges, and the like. Whenever Link comes close, they’ll swoop in to attack and then fly away. So be ever vigilant. Hack at it furiously with your sword when one swoops in, or if you have a clear shot, take one down from a distance before it can spot you.

Deku Scrubs tend to populate Deku Forest (appropriately enough) in the past, before it was taken over by the Fairies of the present age. These are plant-like creatures that hide in the ground, but as soon as you come near, they’ll come out and spit nuts at you. Use your shield to deflect the nuts back at them, and they’ll surrender, giving you a tip for your troubles. You can also locate their less hostile relatives, the Business Scrubs, but their merchandise tend to be more expensive than what you should pay (yet there are certain exceptions to this rule).

Appearing only in the present day of Symmetry City, these segmented fire creatures come out of the hot, dusty ground to get in Link’s way and to shoot fireballs at the hero. Quickly slash away at the segments one by one to eventually destroy the whole thing. Also note that once you restore Symmetry City in the past, the present is changed, and you’ll no longer see these monsters thereafter.

Gels are small, green blob-like creatures that hide in the ground in caves and dungeons, waiting for anyone to come by so they can ambush them. Fortunately, they’re very weak enemies–a simple slash with your sword will destroy them easily. Moreover, because of their absurdly small size, they can’t damage Link. They normally come several at a time, and they will cling to Link and slow him down considerably, though. Perform a spin attack to get rid of them when they do this. The larger relative of the Gel is the Zol, from whom they spring.

Ghinis are ancient ghosts that appear most frequently in and around graveyards, and very familiar to the Zelda series. Ghinis typically float around an area (particularly in places like Yoll Graveyard, as well as inside a couple tomb-themed dungeons) and will do decent damage if they touch you. Plus, they are very strong ghosts and require many sword hits before they’re finally subdued. It’s best simply to stay out of their way and evade them.

A Gibdo is a powerful mummy with a cheap trick. Upon spotting you, Gibdo will slowly make its way over to you. The biggest problem with Gibdos is that in contrast to all other enemies, it will not recoil when hit–although it takes damage, it’ll keep coming toward you without being bounced away. This makes for some awfully difficult combat in close quarters and smaller areas! Stun one with a Boomerang and then slash, but beware that it takes many slashes to slay a Gibdo. Alternatively, burn it with an Ember Seed to reveal a (much easier) Stalfos enemy.

The Goponga Flower is a large, poisonous flower that takes root in (of all places) Jabu-Jabu’s Belly. The plant grows upward, its bud resting on the surface of the murky water. They will shoot fireballs at Link that have to be dodged. It’s best to avoid these plants (Link can even dive underneath them), but you can also engage the Long Hook on it to destroy the vile vegetation.

Ambi’s Palace is filled with many guards who remain loyal to the queen and the Oracle of Ages even when their decisions seem guided by evil. When you come to the segment of the game where you infiltrate the palace in your quest to free Nayru from Veran’s grasp, these Guards will kick you out of the compound if they spot you. It is necessary to keep out of their line of sight at all times. Inside the palace, instead of throwing you out, these Guards will attack you and can inflict heavy damage. You can’t defeat them, as your sword slashes only knock them backward without doing any damage. Your best bet, if you get spotted, is to escape to another room before they can get to you. Naturally, this enemy is only found in Oracle of Ages.

Hardhat Beetles are tough enemies that fight you under protective shells, protecting them from damage against almost any form of attack. Once you come near, any Hardhat Beetles that are around will charge the hero. Your sword will not damage these enemies directly, but each sword swipe does push them backward. Try to get as many of them as you can in front of you (instead of fighting from different directions) and use your sword to push them into a pit. In this game, that is the only way to get rid of them.

Alternatively called Hiploops, Iron Masks are reptilian enemies that hide under protective masks of iron that guard against nearly all frontal attacks. You must get behind them (or to the side) to damage them–which is quite hard because these enemies are quick and will chase you. Once you have the Switch Hook, they become far easier to deal with–simply latch onto the mask to switch places with it, removing it from the creature’s face. Be careful that you don’t land right on it, though, because even without a mask, it’ll still damage you if you touch it.

Alternatively called Bari (or Biri), Jellyfish are electricity-based jellyfish that swarm certain water-filled dungeons. Use your sword on them, but not when they’re electrified–for then you will be electrocuted. Wait until they stop flashing, then slash. Afterward, it will split into two smaller Jellyfish (much like Zols split into Gels after being struck), which can also flash and electrocute you if you hit them while flashing. So wait until they’re not flashing in order to slash. Also, the Switch Hook works very nicely on Jellyfish, and you don’t have to worry about whether they’re electrified or not. This enemy is only found in Oracle of Ages.

A common enemy throughout the Zelda series, Keese are bats whose task it is to pester and inhibit you at key points in caves and in dungeons. They are very weak and quickly beaten with a slash of the sword or any long-range weapon, including the Boomerang–but they can be hard to hit and can become especially annoying when there are a group of them swarming at you all together. Worse, they can disrupt you during puzzles or against tougher enemies. Try to nail them with your Boomerang from a distance while they’re sitting still.

Even more of a pain than regular Keese, the Fire Keese are wreathed in flame. They fly at a high elevation, but when Link comes near, they’ll dive in and attempt to burn him, dealing more damage than a regular Keese. Because they fly at a higher elevation than Link, it’s harder to hit them with any of your attacks. Wait for it to swoop down to your level, then slash it. Or, if you’d rather not wait (and put yourself in danger), use Roc’s Feather to jump up and hack away. If you’re hit by a Fire Keese, then its fire goes out and the bat becomes just an ordinary Keese.

Leevers are enemies that burrow underground, then pop up and attack at frequently unexpected times. Link encounters them anywhere in the overworld where there’s soft, sandy terrain. When you’re on a screen that has Leevers in it, watch for where it’s about to appear in the ground and get out of the way. Then hack away at the Leevers that come out with your sword. Leevers come in two varieties, red and blue. Red Leevers take less hits and are more random (and easy) about where they come out. Blue Leevers, however, take more hits, and are harder to evade as they try to pop out either right on top of you or in spots where you’re likely to be heading.

The bane of many a Zelda veteran, Like Likes are quivering tubes of flesh that wander around a variety of areas aimlessly. They don’t give chase, nor does Link take any damage from touching them. The problem, however, with Like Likes is that if one does touch Link, it sucks him inside its flesh and devours his shield! Afterward, you’ll have to purchase a new one. Like Likes take many sword hits to take down, but since they normally travel in groups, it tends to be a good idea to take the time and take them out. You always want to be especially on your guard when these type of enemies are about.

Smaller cousins of Moldorm from earlier Zelda games, these segmented worm-like enemies will roam around the room erratically trying to collide with you, damaging you in the process. They’re particularly annoying while you’re trying to solve a dungeon puzzle or get around narrow walkways, where they tend to thrive. Use your sword to hack away at these creatures multiple times in order to kill it–unlike their larger predecessor, the past boss Moldorm, you can hit these creatures anywhere on its body, not just the tail.

Moblins are an infantry group of enemies that come in many variations. First, there’s the bulldog-like enemy that tends to be more common. These kinds of Moblins will bombard you with spears or bow and arrows–but their attacks tend to be random, not geared to targeting you. Then there’s the pig-like Moblin, which are fewer in number but higher in rank, being closer kin to the Great Moblin himself, who is likewise pig-like in form. These soldiers carry swords and will charge straight at Link. It only takes a few sword slashes to take down a Moblin, no matter which type you’re dealing with.

The Octorok is one of the most enduring enemies in the Zelda series and has always been one of the easiest to deal with as well. It is an octopus-like land crawler that will wander aimlessly and shoot rocks about. The rocks are easily blocked with your sword and the Octorok itself easily killed with your sword. Red Octoroks are weaker. Blue Octoroks, however, will require one more hit to bring down.

The Peahat is a flying flower-like plant that, if encountered in groups, can crowd certain passageways in the overworld as well as a few early dungeons. Unfortunately, as long as the Peahat is flying (i.e. when its pedals are swirling about), it can’t be harmed. Wait for it to stop, then hit it with your sword to inflict damage–but it will only be stopped for a short time! Likewise, if you don’t have the patience to wait, you can destroy Peahats with Ember Seeds even while they’re still moving around.

Hiding inside water-filled crevices inside Jabu-Jabu’s Belly, these centipede-like creatures will reach out for Link when he comes close to ambush him–and do a fair bit of damage if they make a hit. As you walk by a hole, if you see two eyes appear, then a Pincer is about to come out. Either quickly move away, or block the Pincer with your shield. Once the enemy is out, quickly slash away at it with your sword before it retracts back into the watery safety of its hole.

These very strange creatures that almost like rabbit ears are surprisingly powerful and tricky to defeat, unless you know what to do. Chuck a Bomb at one to destroy it, or throw a jar at it. But far and away the easiest way to defeat these rare enemies is to pull out either the Harp of Ages or an animal’s flute and play it–their ears being too sensitive to music, which will result in the immediate destruction of all Pols Voices in that particular room. This enemy is found only in Oracle of Ages.

Sand Crabs are weak enemies found on Crescent Island who crawl around back and forth, sometimes moving up and down, other times from side to side. Sometimes they move nice and slow, and other times suddenly fast. So they’re a bit unpredictable but still quite easy to bring down with just a swing or two from your sword.

Snake Ropes are classic enemies that seem to be just regular snakes. They slither around the floor, seeming to mind their own business, but once Link is level with one, it immediately and swiftly charges into him. Snake Ropes tend to be very quick, so when you approach an area of them, be aware of their charge and prepare accordingly–holding out your sword for them to ram themselves into is a good idea. Also, if you find any that are unreachable, lay out some Scent Seeds and they’ll come right toward it.

Some of the toughest enemies in the game, these guys appear a bit more frequently in Oracle of Ages than they do in Oracle of Seasons; they particularly like to congregate just outside Symmetry City. They’ll charge you on sight and attack you. Some Soldiers have swords, while others have spears that they throw at you; all of their attacks can be deflected with your sword or blocked with your shield. Their armor makes them invulnerable to Boomerangs or to any weapon other than Bombs or–of course–your sword. So move in and prepare to deal a lot of sword slashes to bring such a Soldier down. Red Soldiers take less hits. Blue Soldiers take more.

Sparks are electrical orbiting spheres are enemies found primarily in side-scrolling segments of dungeons, as well as the traditional overhead rooms at times All they do is simply roll along the borders of ledges, walls, ceilings, and floors. Their patterns are easy to predict, making them fairly easy to avoid. You can defeat them with no weapon except the Boomerang–which also causes a Fairy to appear in its place!

Spiked Beetles are turtle-like creatures that move around the room slowly. When one sees you, however, it’ll charge straight at you much like a Snake Rope would. Unlike Snake Ropes, however, Spiked Beetles are protected from sword damage by their protective shells. So what you do is block their charge with your shield, which will flip them upside-down. Now you can slash at their vulnerable underbelly to destroy them! Be careful as Spiked Beetles normally appear in groups.

Similar to ordinary Beetles that hide in the dirt, Spiny Beetles are a bit more clever. They hide under bushes and rocks instead. Moreover, it’s impossible to tell where one is until you get close enough, and the Spiny Beetle will move under its bush or rock toward you in an attempt to damage you. If it carries a bush, a single slash of your sword will suffice to defeat it. If it carries a rock, though, the rock will shield it from sword slashes. Instead, you’ll have to move in close with the Power Bracelet and lift the rock from the Spiny Beetle and then slash it afterward. For these rock-carrying Beetles, it’s best simply to avoid them if you can and continue on your way.

Stalfos enemies are skeletal knights that attack Link in numerous ways. First, there are the blue ones that simply wander around and try to bump into you. Next, there are the green ones that try to jump on Link. Finally, there are the red ones that will attempt both to jump on you and throw bones at you. If you can get the timing down, they’ll all still be rather easy enemies to defeat. Blue Stalfos will take only one hit, but the other colors are stronger and may require an sword slash.

These are a different kind of Stalfos altogether! Shrouded in robes, they behave a good bit more like Moblins, except unlike the Moblins (who populate the overworld), Shrouded Stalfos enemies tend to reside in the dungeons. There are two kinds, and both have the same strength level (which isn’t all that high to begin with). One type will simply throw spears around in an attempt to attack from a distance; block them with your shield and attack with the sword. The other type carries a sword and will charge at you; meet this one at a good angle so that you may dispose of it with your sword quickly.

The Takkuri is a black and blue raven that swoops down unexpectedly at Link in certain parts of the overworld. Either dodge it or pick it off at a distance. If you need to get rid of it, use your sword to ward it off. These enemies are very similar to Crows, except Crows lie in wait on easy-to-see treetops.

Tektites are another classic Zelda enemy–bouncy, jumping arachnids that attempt to collide with Link by leaping in sudden, unpredictable patterns. There are two types of land jumping Tektites, red and blue, and they tend to inhabit moutainous areas. The red ones are weaker and a bit more predictable, whereas the blue ones take an extra hit to subdue and have jumping patterns that are harder to grasp. Still, these land Tektites are easier than their aquatic cousins.

Located primarily in Mermaid’s Cave, Water Tektites don’t jump around like their land-ridden relatives. Rather, they float on the surface of the water and attempt to converge on Link in groups when he dives into their waterways. If you can draw them near dry ground before getting into the water, do so and use your sword on them when they come near. If not, dive underwater as they come near. The Zora Ring can be helpful when these brutes are around.

Found only in side-scrolling segments of dungeons, Thwomps make a cameo appearance from the Super Mario series. They are giant chunks of stone that attempt to fall from the ceiling and to crush Link whenever he comes too close. Lined on their bottoms and sides with spikes, they are dangerous to the touch. Thankfully, however, their tops are flat and spike-free, allowing for safe passage up top. Use Roc’s Feather (or a nearby ledge) to hop on one and continue on your way. Note that you can’t stay on top of a Thwomp for too long, for it slowly retracts toward the ceiling and could crush you from below if you don’t move off the thing!

Wallmasters are one of the most bothersome enemies in all of Zelda. If one catches you, you’ll immediately be sent back to the beginning of the dungeon. Oracle of Ages lets you off a little more leniently with regard to these enemies than Oracle of Seasons, for in the latter there are some Wallmasters that drop indefinitely from the ceiling. In this game, however, Wallmasters appear both out of the floor and from the walls, but only in limited numbers. Once you enter a room with Wallmasters, make them your first priority! Defeat one with several slashes, and do the same for any other Wallmasters in the room.

Alternatively called Anti-Faeries or Bubbles, Whisps are very perilous enemies. The weaker types will bounce around off the walls and attempt to collide with you–these can be destroyed with a simple toss of the Boomerang. But the more menacing kinds move in less predictable patterns and are invincible. If these Whisps hit you, then you’ll be jinxed and unability to wield your sword for a short time. Whisps are particularly annoying in a room full of other enemies that need to be defeated. The Whisp Ring comes in handy if you’re having trouble getting around Whisps.

Wizzrobes are another pesky Zelda enemy; they are mighty wizards that will teleport to and fro and fire powerful magic attacks at you. In this game, there are three varieties: Green Wizzrobes are the weakest and additionally will teleport in and out of the very same place each time. Lie in wait for it and slash away when it appears. Red Wizzrobes are slightly stronger and teleport in and out of different spots, changing it up each time. As soon as it appears, hack away with your sword. Blue Wizzrobes are the most powerful and move around freely; they are invulernable while faded but will be vulnerable to your attacks when it’s fully visible, which is also when it attacks. Wizzrobes can be tough enemies, so try to take them on one at a time and stay out of the line of fire when they do appear.

Close relatives of Lynels from earlier Zelda titles, Wolf Warriors are perhaps the most powerful enemies in the game. Guarding only very strategic passageways outside Ancient Tomb and within the Black Tower, these devastating beasts will converge on Link when he enters their territory, and fire beams from their swords–beams that can even go through walls! Only the Mirror Shield can block them; otherwise, do your best to get out of the way. Don’t challenge these monsters head-on. Rather, try to attack them from the side or rear in order to avoid their sword beams. Red ones take many hits to defeat, but the blue ones require even more before they’re gone.

Zols are gelatinous blobs that that are in effect large versions of Gels. They will hop around and attempt to collide with you–but more insidious than that, they often spring out of the ground coming at you unexpectedly. You’ll know when this is happening when it looks like you’re leaving your shadow behind; it’s actually a Zol! They come in two colors, green and red. Green Zols can be eliminated with only a single hit. Red Zols are more complicated, however: If Link cuts one of these with the Wooden Sword, instead of dying it will split into smaller Gels that seek to cling to you and impair your movement. Destroy these as well! However, once you have the Noble Sword, it takes only a single hit to completely destroy even a red one.

Not to be confused with the peaceful Sea Zoras found at Zora Village, the vile River Zoras are their distant and estranged relatives. Inhabiting the waterways of both Holodrum and Labrynna, these Zoras lie in wait, and when an unwelcome traveler comes by, whether on land or in the water, the Zora will appear out of a whirlpool and emit fireballs at such persons. Use your Iron Shield to block these fireballs and remain on the move. If you can find a Zora close enough to shore, reach out with your sword to attack it. It’s generally better, however, simply to avoid these fishlike creatures and move on.