Unleashing the Ultimate Ranking of Dungeons in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

In The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Link had to overcome the challenge of taming the four Divine Beasts to stand a chance against Calamity Ganon. However, in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, the emergence of Ganondorf has brought about unprecedented situations in the four regions of Hyrule. From an unceasing blizzard to rocks with mind-altering properties, a relentless sandstorm, and even sludge raining from the sky, these regional phenomena all stem from remote temples hidden within the earth or amidst the clouds. While these four temples pose a formidable challenge, they aren't the only dungeons in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. As players progress through the story and approach the game's conclusion, they'll encounter additional areas with intricate puzzles to solve, including the imposing Hyrule Castle itself.

Warning! Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom story spoilers from this moment onward.

8 Gloom's Approach

At the end of Tears of the Kingdom, players will face Ganondorf in the final boss fight inside Gloom's Lair. In order to access it, Link has to either glide into the Hyrule Castle Chasm or jump in from the ground above. Upon descending into the Depths, Link will come across Gloom's Approach, which is a mini-dungeon that leads to Ganondorf's resting place.

This challenging dungeon requires players to battle formidable monsters that are not only high-level but also shrouded in Gloom. Along with combat, players must solve intricate traversal puzzles to make their way to Gloom's Lair. Similar to the daunting task of infiltrating Hyrule Castle in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, the journey to this lair tests the player's bravery and readiness for any obstacle that may arise.

7 Spirit Temple

Upon completing the "Guidance From Ages Part" main quest and giving life to Minera's spirit in the form of a Zonai Construct, she will guide Link towards the Spirit Temple in the Depths. Although not technically a part of the dungeon, this segment allows players to familiarize themselves with the mechanics of Minera's Construct and put it to the test.

When they reach the Spirit Temple, they are immediately met with a Construct created by Minera, but now controlled by Ganondorf's Gloom. Link engages in a fight with the rival Construct, which is a challenging task as he has only just begun to get the hang of controlling Minera's Construct. The battle is slow-paced, requiring patience and strategy to corner the opponent and deliver a few well-timed attacks.

On his way to the Spirit Temple, Minera tasks Link with a visit to TOTK's Construct Factory. In order to complete the "Guidance From Ages Past" main quest, Link is tasked with constructing a physical body for Minera's spirit by visiting each of the factory's four depots.

5 Hyrule Castle

Players won't find any enemies to battle in the depots of Tears of the Kingdom. Instead, they'll need to put their minds to work to solve the puzzles that will allow them to retrieve the different parts of the Construct body. Just like the Shrines of Light, there's no one right way to get each part out of its corresponding depot. It's all about using your imagination, creativity, and logic to succeed.

Hyrule Castle in Breath of the Wild was a massive dungeon that players had to navigate through, but it came with a confusing 3D map that made it even more challenging. In Tears of the Kingdom, Nintendo has simplified the traversal of the castle by providing a layered 2D map that is much easier to follow.

Players can once again explore the main structure of Hyrule Castle, despite it now being in the sky. However, this time around, it has been taken over by Ganondorf's creatures. While players can choose to enter the castle at any point in the game, they will be required to do so as part of the "Crisis At Hyrule Castle" main quest. During this quest, Link will be led around by a puppet of Zelda controlled by Ganondorf, adding an extra layer of challenge to the gameplay.

4 Water Temple

Zora's Domain has been hit the hardest by the regional phenomena in Hyrule. The Water Temple, known as TOTK, hovers above Lanayru and is responsible for the toxic sludge that is contaminating the land below. Although water can easily eliminate the poisonous mud, the amount of sludge raining down is too much for the limited clean water supply. In order to uncover the source of the problem, Link and Prince Sidon must venture skyward to investigate.

3 Fire Temple

Unlike other water temples and dungeons in the Zelda franchise, the Water Temple in Tears of the Kingdom stands out for its innovative use of water mechanics. From the strange gravity that affects both the temple and Wellspring Island (where Link and Sidon first arrive) to the unique experience of being submerged in floating bubbles, the Water Temple serves as the primary water source for Zora's Domain and is renowned as the Great Wellspring of Hyrule. Even seasoned Zelda players will appreciate the fresh take on water-based challenges in this particular game.

Out of the four main dungeons in the "Regional Phenomena" quest, the Fire Temple located in TOTK is the only one situated in the Depths. Link sets out with Yunobo to this destination after they jump and descend into the now chasm-like crater of Death Mountain. Prior to this, they engage in a fierce battle with Moragia, a massive mini-boss, which is a three-headed Magma dragon.

Link and Yunobo explore the Depths and stumble upon the ancient city of Gorondia, which was once home to the Gorons. The temple within the city is complex and made up of multiple minecart tracks spanning across its five floors. Navigating through the tracks proves to be a challenge as they need to hit five gongs to gain access to the chamber holding the secret stone and a Marbled Gohma.

2 Lightning Temple

The Lightning Temple, one of the four classic dungeons in Tears of the Kingdom, boasts an impressive structure that emerges from the sandy expanse of the Gerudo Desert. It comprises of eight levels where Link and Riju have to crack a series of light-beam puzzles to unlock charging points for the temple's batteries placed at its core.

1 Wind Temple

The Lightning Temple poses a significant challenge as it is shrouded in darkness, and the puzzles can initially appear complicated. However, as players progress, they will become more familiar with the mechanics. Ultimately, Link and Riju will reach the final floor and encounter the formidable Gibdo Queen and her army of Gibdos. This intense battle is widely regarded as the most difficult among the four primary dungeons.

Tears of the Kingdom follows the Breath of the Wild approach, allowing players to choose which of the four regional phenomena they want to tackle first. However, the game strongly suggests that players should prioritize the blizzard in Rito Village. The Wind Temple is situated on a flying boat known as The Stormwind Ark, which is considered legendary by the Rito. The journey to the temple is long and challenging, but the rewards are worth it. As Link and Tulin ascend the Rising Island Chain, they catch glimpses of little ships circling the blizzard before the big reveal.

Activating the five fans is a crucial step in finishing the temple, as it unlocks the main door on the ship's hull. However, this task is not easy as it requires Link and Tulin to solve puzzles that open up various sections of the boat, all while battling against Soldier Constructs, Aerocudas, and cannons positioned on either side of the Stormwind Ark. The Wind Temple, which serves as an entry point to the latest dungeon designs in Tears of the Kingdom, is bound to captivate players, and is likely to be the first area they explore. The game is currently available on Nintendo Switch.