The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess – All Enemies

Twilight Princess, like every other game in The Legend of Zelda series, provides a wide-ranging cast of enemies both big and small for Link to contend with as he makes his way through both Hyrule and the Twilight Realm. However, unlike many other games in the series, Twilight Princess has a plethora of foes that are exclusive to the game, never appearing in another Zelda title. Part of this exclusivity comes from the game’s much more dark and realistic tone and visual style, giving Twilight Princess a bit of maturity in comparison to its predecessor on the GameCube, The Wind Waker. When it comes to Twilight Princess, all enemies have the potential to give the player a run for their money in the combat department.

There are foes that Link will encounter on the overworld, in dungeons, or in both, and these enemies range all the way from standard, basic encounters to mini-boss fights that push the limit of player ability. Several of the foes in the game have very specific weaknesses and vulnerabilities to some of Link’s Hidden Skills he can acquire by visiting the Howling Stones, making collecting all of them a priority. Rather than look at the bosses that Link encounters within the game’s dungeons, this list will cover strictly the rank-and-file foes that players regularly encounter across Twilight Princess‘ version of Hyrule and its myriad dungeons.

Aeralfos

Aeralfos are exclusive to Twilight Princess and Tri Force Heroes and are an airborne variant of the classic Lizalfos enemies that Link faces throughout the Zelda series. Players will first encounter these enemies as a mini-boss of the City in the Sky, then as regular enemy encounters in both the Cave of Ordeals and within Hyrule Castle. To defeat the Aeralfos, use the Clawshot to pull it closer as it presents its shield and draws back its sword in preparation for an attack, slashing at it when it gets close.

Armos

Armos are the Zelda series’ recurring living statues, coming to life after Link makes contact with them and engages him in combat. Players will encounter Twilight Princess‘ version of the Armos within the Temple of Time and Cave of Ordeals as regular enemies. They are vulnerable to the Back Slice attack as well as controllable using the Dominion Rod.

Baba Serpent

Baba Serpents are similar to the Deku Baba, only larger, more aggressive, and exclusive to Twilight Princess. Players will first encounter a Baba Serpent within the Forest Temple, but they also appear throughout Hyrule Field in the area west of Castle Town, within the City in the Sky, and within the Cave of Ordeals. Like the Deku Baba, the Baba Serpent will emerge from its hiding spot within some foliage to strike when Link gets near.

Baby Gohma

Baby Gohma is yet another of Twilight Princess’ foes that are exclusive to the game, found only within the Temple of Time and appearing during the last phase of the fight with Armogohma. Their propensity to try and attack from behind and scuttle away makes them somewhat annoying to fight, but using bombs or bomb arrows makes targeting them from afar and picking them off one by one much easier.

Bari

The Bari are an enemy type dating back all the way to the original Legend of Zelda, and their appearance in Twilight Princess comes as part of the game’s aquatic areas. Before Link obtains the Clawshot he’s better off just avoiding the Bari, but with it in his possession he can use it to pull out their brains and slash away to defeat them.

Big Baba

There are only two of these extremely large Deku Baba in all of Twilight Princess, with one appearing as an enemy inside the Forest Temple and the other being an encounter in the City in the Sky. Defeating the Big Baba is simply a matter of dodging its attacks and having Link slash away while the Big Baba is otherwise busy.

Big Poe

Unlike their appearance as enemies and collectibles in Ocarina of Time, Twilight Princess‘ version of the Big Poe only appears in the Arbiter’s Grounds dungeon as part of its critical path. In order to clear the dungeon, Link needs to find and defeat four Big Poes and collect their souls.

Bokoblin

Bokoblins make their second appearance in the Zelda series in Twilight Princess, coming in both a standard purple variety and a stronger red variety. Other than the red Bokoblins having substantially higher HP, both colors of Bokoblin behave the same in battle. Link can either dodge their attacks and counter with his own or stun them using the Slingshot or Gale Boomerang to then follow up with an attack while they’re defenseless.

Bombfish

Bombfish are enemies unique to Twilight Princess and appear in both the Lakebed Temple dungeon and inside one of the Dig Caverns in Eldin Province. Link can block their ramming attack using his shield and then return the favor with a shield bash or follow-up strike from his sword.

Bombling

Bomblings are arachnid-like bomb-wielding creatures that rush toward Link before exploding (similar to what Bombfish do in aquatic environments). Bomblings only appear in the Forest Temple and are exclusive to Twilight Princess, and they are both enemies and a useful substitute for Bombs when fighting the Deku Like.

Bomskit

Bomskit are diminutive creatures that feature a head on top of two gangly legs. They mostly remain peaceful unless the player engages them directly, at which point they are easily defeated by a single arrow or sword slash. They are exclusive to Twilight Princess and appear on Hyrule Field and throughout Kakariko Gorge.

Bubble

Bubble are recurring flying enemies that appear in almost every mainline Legend of Zelda game. Their appearance in Twilight Princess is that of an avian skull with bat-like wings attached, and they feature prominently in both the Arbiter’s Grounds and Hyrule Castle. To defeat these flying creatures, shoot them with an arrow and then slash with Link’s sword once their wings retract.

Bulbin

Bulbins are extremely common enemies that players will face throughout Twilight Princess, as well as one of the first enemy types Link comes across after first visiting the Twilight Realm and returning to Hyrule. They can be found throughout most of the overworld and within dungeons and are especially vulnerable to the Back Slice attack.

Bulbin Archer

Bulbin Archers are identical to the standard Bulbin with the sole exception that they wield a bow and shoot Fire Arrows at Link from range. Like the standard Bulbin, Link will encounter the Bulbin Archer throughout several areas in Twilight Princess.

Bullbo

Bullbo are the boar-like creatures that players will regularly see Bulbin ride into battle. If Link defeats a Bulbin while it’s riding a Bullbo, he can hijack the Bullbo and use it to smash through barriers that are resistant to Bomb explosions.

Chilfos

Like the Aeralfos, Chilfos are knight-type enemies that are exclusive to Twilight Princess. The Chilfos are constructed entirely of ice and can only be found within the Snowpeak Ruins dungeon and Cave of Ordeals. They are especially vulnerable to the Helm Splitter attack as well as Bomb Arrows, and players need to try to defeat them quickly before they regenerate their health.

Chu

Although they share a common name with the ChuChus from other Zelda games, the Chu are exclusive to Twilight Princess and appear all throughout its world as a common enemy type. There are six different types of Chus in the game, including two that are incredibly rare (the golden Rare Chu and the Green Chu that comes from a Blue and Yellow Chu merging). As with the ChuChu enemies from other games in the series, Link can defeat these creatures with a single sword strike.

Chu Worm

Chu Worms are strange creatures that take up residence within a bubble of Chu jelly, emerging after Link either destroys the protective layer with a Bomb or pulls the Chu Worm out using the Clawshot. However, once out of the Chu jelly, the Chu Worm are especially weak and will fall after just a few sword slashes.

Darknut

Darknuts are imposing humanoid knight enemies that appear in the series right from the original Legend of Zelda. Link encounters Twilight Princess‘ version of a Darknut first as a mini-boss within the Temple of Time and then as a regular enemy throughout several dungeons. His sturdy armor and shield make it difficult to land hits, necessitating that players target-lock and strafe around to the side to land sword strikes.

Deku Baba

Since their debut in Ocarina of Time, the Deku Baba have gone on to be one of the more common enemy types Link encounters in several other Zelda games. However, unlike their appearance in Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask, the Deku Babas in Twilight Princess are capable of holding Link within their jaws after landing a successful attack. To break free, players need to perform a spin attack.

Dinolfos

Although their name features a slightly different spelling in Twilight Princess (Dynalfos), these dinosaur knights are the same as the classic Dinalfos from Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask. That said, they do have some new attacks in their repertoire, including being able to use their tales and attack Link while facing away from him. One of the best strategies to use is to stun them with the Ball and Chain then use Mortal Draw to easily defeat them.

Dodongo

After first appearing within the Goron Mines dungeon of Twilight Princess, the recurring Dodongo mostly shows up throughout the game’s several Cavern mini-dungeons around Hyrule. While previous games have the Dodongo appear almost dinosaur-like, Twilight Princess gives them a decidedly reptilian appearance. Their weak spot is their tail, which Link can strafe around to hit easily from the side or back.

Fire Bubble

Although Bubbles appears in several other Zelda games, the Fire Bubble first appears in Twilight Princess before going on to feature in future series entries. These flying enemies are identical to the standard Bubble except they are engulfed in flame and can deal more damage to Link.

Fire Keese

Fire Keese appears in several other Legend of Zelda games, acting the same as the standard Keese but featuring a protective flame barrier that damages Link if he gets too close. Accordingly, the first appearance of these flaming enemies is within the Goron Mines dungeon. Similar to other games in the franchise, their coming into contact with Link’s wooden shield will result in it burning to a crisp.

Fire Toadpoli

Fire Toadpoli is both exclusive to Twilight Princess and only an encounter within the Goron Mines. Like the Deku Scrubs in Ocarina of Time, they pop up when Link gets near and spit rocks at him which he can deflect back using his shield. That said, players need to have the Hylian Shield since it is resistant to flame.

Freezard

Freezards are another recurring enemy from The Legend of Zelda series that make an appearance in Twilight Princess. These frosty foes are regular encounters in the Snowpeak Ruins dungeon as well as in some of the caves dotting Hyrule. They are only vulnerable to the Ball and Chain item and will fall after two hits.

Ghoul Rat

Unlike the regular Rat, Ghoul Rats are exclusive to Twilight Princess and only visible when Link is in wolf form. They mostly gang up on Link and slow him down through numbers rather than posing any real threat. Players will encounter them in the Arbiter’s Grounds, Hyrule Castle, and the Cave of Ordeals.

Guay

Guay are bird-like enemies that reappear throughout the Zelda series, traveling in flocks and occasionally diving down to attack Link. The version of this enemy from Twilight Princess strongly resembles vultures and will relentlessly attack until Link defeats the entire flock. They regularly appear above the Graveyard in Kakariko Village.

Helmasaur

Helmasaur are smaller dinosaur-like reptilians that make their series debut in A Link to the Past, reappearing in later games in various forms. Twilight Princess‘ version of these recurring enemies is common encounters in the Lakebed Temple, Cave of Ordeals, and City in the Sky locations, as well as appearing all throughout Hyrule Field. The most reliable means of defeating these creatures is to use the Clawshot to pull their helmets off, exposing the weak spot underneath.

Helmasaurus

Helmasaurus are unique to Twilight Princess and are larger, more dangerous versions of the Helmasaur. They appear only in the City in the Sky and are only vulnerable to attacks from their flank.

Hylian Hornet

Hylian Hornets are enemies that only appear in Twilight Princess, and even then they only show up wherever there is a beehive. Accordingly, players will primarily encounter these pesky foes in the overworld. To defeat the swarms of these Hornets, simply use Link’s Spin Attack.

Ice Bubble

Like the standard Bubble and Fire Bubble, Ice Bubbles are flying enemies that have a protective frigid barrier that deals more damage to Link. Players will only encounter them in one area of the game, with the Ice Bubble being exclusive to Snowpeak and its various locations. Like Ice Keese, players can safely defeat them using the Clawshot.

Ice Keese

Players will encounter Ice Keese in both the Cave of Ordeals and within Twilight Princess‘ Snowpeak region and the Snowpeak Ruins dungeon. Like other enemies with an ice barrier, Link can safely defeat them without getting to close by using the Clawshot or the Hero’s Bow.

Imp Poe

Imp Poes are not standard Poes. Instead, they are enemies unique to Twilight Princess that appear only when Link is in wolf form. They appear as encounters in a handful of scripted sequences throughout the game, and always as Wolf Link.

Kargarok

Kargaroks are avian enemies that make their debut in The Wind Waker and then reappear in Twilight Princess. The standard Kargaroks are normal encounters throughout Hyrule Field, and players should exercise caution around them as they can knock Link off of Epona while he’s riding.

Keese

Keese are the bat-like creatures that appear in nearly every Legend of Zelda game, and their appearance in Twilight Princess shares much with that of previous games. They are common enemies that Link encounters in both the overworld and in dungeons, flying around before occasionally stopping to open themselves up for a sword slash or bow and arrow shot.

King Bulbin

As the name suggests, King Bulbin is, in fact, king of the Bulbins and leads them throughout Hyrule. The fight against King Bulbin is a recurring encounter throughout Twilight Princess until Link finally faces him one last time during the final trip to Hyrule Castle.

Leever

Leever are recurring series enemies that appear in every game up to Twilight Princess except for The Wind Waker. These subterranean pests emerge from the ground in packs to chase Link, and are easily defeated with a quick Spin Attack.

Lizalfos

Though they appear in several other games in the series, Twilight Princess‘ Lizalfos are unique in how much of a threat they pose. Link will first fight these creatures within the Lakebed Temple dungeon, and after acquiring the Master Sword they become one of the more common encounters. They are vulnerable to several of Link’s Hidden Skill attacks, including the Helm Splitter.

Mini-Freezard

Mini-Freezards appear after Link defeats a standard Freezard, forming out of the shards that result from Link’s sword slashes. Defeating them can prove difficult as they slide after striking them with the sword, sometimes resulting in Link getting hit himself and instantly freezing. However, players can use the Ball and Chain to make short work of large groups of these enemies.

Moldorm

Moldorms are recurring Zelda enemies that make an appearance in Twilight Princess similar to how they show up in other games. These worm-like enemies lurk beneath sand and then lurch out toward Link when he gets close. Link can use the Clawshot to easily pull these creatures up to the surface and slash them with his sword.

Phantom Ganon

Players only encounter Twilight Princess‘ version of Phantom Ganon (also called the Phantom Rider) during the fight with Ganon on horseback. The demon king will occasionally summon Phantom Riders to try and knock Link off of Epona. However, players can easily avoid these riders as readily as they can try to attack them.

Poison Mite

Poison Mites are small insects that typically attack in a swarm in an effort to overwhelm Link and slow him down. They appear within the Arbiter’s Grounds dungeon and are only vulnerable to Link’s Spin Attack.

Puppet

The Puppets are enemies that appear only within the Sacred Grove and Lost Woods and only within Twilight Princess. Skull Kid will summon these marionette helpers after blowing his horn, but they are pushovers. Players can easily defeat the Puppets using standard attacks and they don’t have complex patterns to dodge.

Pygmy Skulltula

Pygmy Skulltula is exclusive to Twilight Princess. Additionally, they are identical to the standard Skulltula only they are smaller and only appear within the Forest Temple. The easiest way to deal with these arachnids is to use the Slingshot or slash with the sword.

Rat

Rats appear in several Legend of Zelda games since making their debut in A Link to the Past. In Twilight Princess they are a common enemy that appears in both the overworld and within dungeons. That said, they most commonly appear within the decrepit Arbiter’s Grounds.

Shadow Beast

After Zant takes over the Twilight Realm and converts all the Twilii into mindless servants, one of the more common forms they take is the hulking Shadow Beast. Link will encounter Shadow Beasts regularly in both the Twilight Realm and within the Palace of Twilight dungeon, and they are only vulnerable to the Spin Attack move.

Shadow Bulbin

Link encounters Shadow Bulbin throughout Hyrule wherever Link has yet to restore it using the Vessel of Light. They are identical to standard Bulbin except in their appearance, but they do not wield the standard Bulbin weaponry. Instead, these foes brandish twilight clubs to attack Link.

Shadow Deku Baba

Shadow Deku Baba is the Twilight Realm version of the standard Deku Baba. Accordingly, they are common encounters and pose little threat to Link compared to other Shadow enemies. They first appear within the Twilight version of Faron Woods and then reappear in other parts of Hyrule where Link has yet to restore the light.

Shadow Insect

Before Link can claim a Light Spirt to help fill the Vessel of Light, he must first extinguish the Shadow Insects infecting the power of the Light Spirit. As such, there are 15 of these insects that Link (or Wolf Link) must defeat throughout Twilight Princess in order to retrieve Tears of Light and fill the Vessel of Light.

Shadow Kargarok

Like other Shadow enemies, Shadow Kargaroks are the Twilight Realm version of the standard Kargarok. It follows, then, that the Shadow Kargaroks behave identically to the standard Kargarok. Link can easily take out these enemies using the Hero’s Bow or by using the Jump Attack as Wolf Link.

Shadow Keese

Shadow Keese is the Twilight Realm version of Keese and is equally as common an encounter in the Twilight Realm as the standard Keese is in Hyrule. They are vulnerable to Link’s Spin Attack or to Wolf Link’s Jump Attack.

Shadow Vermin

Shadow Vermin are small creatures that appear within the Twilight-affected areas of Castle Town Sewers, Faron Woods, and Death Mountain. While they’re not much of a threat in smaller numbers, a group of the Shadow Vermin can prove to be quite bothersome. However, Link can use a Spin Attack to quickly lay waste to several of these weaker foes at a time.

Shell Blade

The clam-like Shell Blade makes their first series appearance in Ocarina of Time, showing up again in Majora’s Mask and Twilight Princess. They only feature in the Lakebed Temple dungeon in Twilight Princess and are vulnerable only after opening the mouths of their shells. While both sword strikes and the Clawshot are effective, Water Bombs are equally useful in getting rid of Shell Blades.

Skull Kid

The Skull Kid makes yet another appearance in Twilight Princess following his debut in Ocarina of Time and encore in Majora’s Mask. This time, the Skull Kid plays a game of hide-and-seek with Link all while summoning Puppets for him to fight. Though Link does not fight the Skull Kid directly, the meetings between the two result in lots of fights with Puppet enemies.

Skullfish

Skullfish are another enemy from Twilight Princess that are exclusive to the Lakebed Temple dungeon. They will swim after Link in small groups attempting to bite him but are easily defeated using the Clawshot or Hero’s Bow. Even better, Link can spot them from the surface before venturing into the water, making sniping them from range a preferable option to having to avoid them in the water.

Skulltula

Skulltula are large arachnid enemies that appear throughout The Legend of Zelda series, making their first appearance in Ocarina of Time. Twilight Princess‘ version of these iconic enemies is identical to past appearances, with an invulnerable front side and weak underbelly. Players can either use the Gale Boomerang to stun Skulltulas before attacking or target and strafe around to strike their backside.

Stalfos

Stalfos are the iconic skeletal knights that trace their series origin back to the original Legend of Zelda. In Twilight Princess, the Stalfos only appear in the Arbiter’s Grounds dungeon, and the strategy to defeat them is similar to other Zelda games. After defeating them in sword combat, Link needs to bomb their remains to fully eliminate them. Additionally, players can instantly kill Stalfos using the Ball and Chain or Bomb Arrows.

Stalhound

Stalhounds are skeletal undead dogs that appear throughout Hyrule Field at nighttime. Exclusive to Twilight Princess, these enemies are generally weak and easily defeated with a few sword strikes.

Stalkin

Stalkin are smaller, less dangerous versions of the classic Stalfos knight. These smaller skeletal warriors only appear in Twilight Princess, and even then only within the Arbiter’s Grounds dungeon. They are especially vulnerable to the charge attack while in wolf form or Link’s Spin Attack, both of which are capable of eliminating groups of Stalkin at a go.

Staltroop

Just like the Stalfos and Stalkin, the Staltroop are skeletal enemies that Link will encounter within the Arbiter’s Grounds. They only appear within the Stallord boss chamber, popping up out of the sand and attempting to prevent Link’s access to the boss’ weak spot. The easiest way to clear out these foes is to jump on them using the newly acquired Spinner.

Tektite

Tektite are yet another enemy type that trace their origins back to the original Legend of Zelda and make a return appearance in Twilight Princess. These jumping arachnids come in two varieties, red and blue, and their coloring dictates where Link will find them. Red Tektites tend to inhabit mountainous regions while Blue Tektites stick to areas with water, but Link will encounter both types in the Cave of Ordeals.

Tile Worm

Tile Worms are enemies exclusive to Twilight Princess that lie in wait under suspiciously askew floor tiles, jumping out when Link gets near. If Link is standing on a tile with the Tile Worm under it, their emergence will send him flying. The best way to deal with these enemies is to use the Gale Boomerang to remove the tile and the Tile Worm along with it, slashing it with Link’s sword after dislodging it.

Toado

Toado are strange toad-like fish that only appear in Twilight Princess and are only found in the Lakebed Temple dungeon during the battle with the Deku Toad. Toado will fall after a single strike from Link’s sword.

Toadpoli

Just like the Fire Toadpoli, the standard Toadpoli will pop up from underneath the surface of the water to shoot rocks at Link. And, just like the Deku Scrub enemies from Ocarina of Time, Link can deflect their projectiles right back at them using his shield.

Torch Slug

Torch Slugs appear on the ceilings and walls of caves in Twilight Princess, most commonly featuring in the Goron Mines and the Lake Hylia Cavern. They will drop down to try and harm Link when he gets near but are incredibly weak, and succumbs to just a single sword strike or arrow when attacking from range.

Walltula

Walltula are similar to the Skulltula enemies except they primarily cling to vines and rush Link as he tries to climb them. Since it’s impossible to use Link’s sword against these creatures, attacking from range using the Clawshot or Hero’s Bow is the best method to eliminate these foes. Players will contend with the Walltula in parts of Ordon Village, the Forest Temple, and the City in the Sky.

White Wolfos

White Wolfos are rarer versions of the standard Wolfos enemy that traditionally appear in snowy areas. In Twilight Princess, these enemies are exclusive to the Snowpeak region and the Snowpeak Ruins dungeon and are much more aggressive than in previous games. Rather than attempt to defeat a whole pack of White Wolfos, it’s preferable to just avoid them.

Young Gohma

Link will only encounter Young Gohma within Twilight Princess‘ Temple of Time dungeon during the final phase of the fight with its boss, Armogohma. Link can make short work of these small Gohma offspring using the Master Sword.

Zant’s Hand

Players will only encounter Zant’s Hand twice in Twilight Princess, and both times it will attempt to take a Sol away from Link as he uses it to solve a puzzle in the Twilight Realm. They are immortal but Link can stun them using the Hero’s Bow, or even retrieve a Sol from one using the Clawshot.

Zant’s Mask

Like Zant’s Hand, Zant’s Mask are enemies that Link will only encounter in the Twilight Realm. Zant’s Mask appear within the Palace of Twilight dungeon and shoot at Link from afar. Link can deflect their projectiles back at them to stun, then rush in and defeat them using three strikes from the Master Sword.