For the most part, the many Legend Of Zelda games are colorful and charming adventures in fantasy worlds featuring Link, Zelda, Ganondorf, and other iconic characters. It very much banks off being a high-fantasy game for the whole family, but that is not always the case.

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Every now and then, Nintendo tends to throw in terrifying elements into The Legend Of Zelda games. It can be haunting locations, weird NPCs, or haunting background music. In this case, it is the many scary enemies from across the many eras and timelines of The Legend Of Zelda that make gamers want to sleep with the lights on.

Koloktos: Skyward Sword

Koloktos boss fight in The Legend Of Zelda Skyward Sword HD

Even boss fights can make chills roll up the spine. The Koloktos of the Ancient Cistern from Skyward Sword is already unnerving with its expressionless face and strange body language. Combine that with how it chases Link and provides a challenging boss fight, Koloktos can creep anyone out.

The scariest park of Koloktos actually comes when Link defeats it. It loses control, swells up until it explodes. But, just before it explodes, the Koloktos lets out the giggle of the child, and it's something straight out of a horror movie.

Blizzeta: Twilight Princess

Yeta transforming into Blizzeta in The Legend Of Zelda Twilight Princess HD

Snowpeak Manor in Twilight Princess is already a mysterious Zelda location that comes with little to no explanation. Inside lives Yeta, a cute yeti who seems harmless until she is possessed by the Mirror Shard, which turns her into a red-eyed boss fight of the already ominous dungeon. This showcases just how much of a threat the Twilight is and how it can transform the kindest and cutest of characters into terrifying demons.

Guardians: Breath Of The Wild

Legend Of Zelda Breath Of The Wild - Link Approaching A Guardian

Yes, the various Guardian types are enough to give someone a heart attack. However, the more the player upgrades Link throughout Breath Of The Wild, the Guardians become less scary towards the later portions of the game.

That being said, stumbling across one of these mechanical monsters early on will make any newcomer scream. Breath Of The Wild provides complete freedom for players to explore Hyrule, which can result in unfortunate encounters with Guardians that will likely kill Link in a single hit.

Big Poes: Twilight Princess

Big Poe introduction in The Legend Of Zelda Twilight Princess

Poes have been in many Zelda games, and they're usually very cartoonish ghosts that provide elements of horror more through their backstories than their appearance. In Twilight Princess, Nintendo decided to amp up the scare factor by giving Poes a creepier design, but even more terrifying are the Big Poes.

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Big Poes are tall, lanky skeletal ghosts in hooded cloaks reminiscent of Dementors from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. The more realistic take on them makes them look closer to a monster seen in a Dark Souls game rather than The Legend Of Zelda.

ReDead: The Wind Waker

ReDead screaming and chasing Link in The Legend Of Zelda The Wind Waker HD

Essentially, zombies of The Legend Of Zelda universe, ReDeads are slow undead creatures that have haunted gamers since the Nintendo 64 era. However, the creepiest versions of these monsters came from the most cartoonish entry The Wind Waker.

Overly long arms, short legs, and alien-like bodies lead to an already unsettling design. What gives The Wind Waker version the edge is its signature scream that freezes Link. The scream is more ear-piercing than ever while the ReDead visibly extends its jaw and the eyes glow red, making its alien appearance even more disturbing.

Ghirahim: Skyward Sword

Ghirahim toying with Link in The Legend Of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD.

Ghirahim is one of the main villains in Skyward Sword, and, while he may not look scary, it's how he moves and acts that can make anyone cringe in fear. He moves with such grace while talking to Link, and it gives an unpleasant feeling—is he flirting with Link or threatening to eat him alive?

He'll teleport all over the place, whisper into Link's ear, and devolve into the occasional temper tantrum. It's similar to villains like Hannibal Lecter or Annie Wilkes where the fear comes from the anticipation of them doing something scary rather than the actual scares themselves.

Deep Python: Majora's Mask

Link encountering a Deep Python in The Legend Of Zelda Majora's Mask

Despite being a more horror-centric game, Majora's Mask doesn't have very many scary enemies. In fact, most of the NPCs Link meets are scarier than anything. However, within the Great Bay are giant snakes that hide in holes until Link comes too close. When he does, they dart out with extreme speed to get him.

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A similar enemy appears in Super Mario 64, but the Deep Pythons are much bigger and have more horrifying designs. What makes them even scarier is their speed; there is very little time to react when they dash out of their caves, and it doesn't take much for them to kill Link.

Silent Realm Guardians: Skyward Sword

Silent Realm Guardians awakening in The Legend Of Zelda Skyward Sword HD

In Skyward Sword, Link will be transported to the Silent Realm to complete trials. Within the trials are these frozen creatures that don't seem to do anything—that is until Link touches waking water or fails to collect a Tear of Light after in ninety seconds.

While the Guardians from Breath of the Wild are almost unkillable, these beings are completely invincible. Link has no weapon in the Silent Realm, forcing him to only run as if he's been transported to a survival horror game.

Lynel: Breath Of The Wild

Link fighting a hulking Lynel in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

Imagine roaming Breath Of The Wild in search of Link's memories and the player sees a centaur-like creature in the distance. One might think it looks like a simple enemy that can easily be defeated. Thus begins every new player's rational fear of Lynels.

These creatures are easily the hardest enemies in the game, often considered more difficult than bosses. The weakest one will end up killing an inexperienced player multiple times. They are fast, too, so running from them is often as challenging as confronting them, and they get harder throughout the game, making each encounter feel like a gauntlet.

Dead Hands: Ocarina Of Time

The Dead Hands in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

Ocarina Of Time is rated E for everyone, right? Perhaps by "everyone," the ESRB meant to insinuate that everyone will be running from their Nintendo 64s in fear of certain monsters?

Ocarina Of Time features easily the most disturbing mini-boss in the whole franchise in the Dead Hands. These things have become infamous for their grotesque appearance and tall hands circling the arena to grab Link. Their grab allows the long-necked beast to wiggle its way to Link and try to eat him. One could argue that, since they appear in the Bottom Of The Well and Shadow Temple, they fit the more horror-themed dungeons. This is true, but, for a non-horror video game, it's easy to see why this enemy traumatized many kids from the 90s.

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