Dragon Roost Cavern

Author: Efrain Silva

Dragon Roost Cavern, the first of many major dungeons to follow on behalf of brave Link’s adventure in The Legend of Zelda : The Wind Waker (for Nintendo’s one and only, Nintendo Gamecube). This dungeon is what cartoon Link has to fight through, to determine if he can one day become a real man...and face his main enemy at the end of the game (but as a child, still), Ganon. Link will face many odds here, all of which will transform him, only further and further, into a true Hylian warrior...and the man that he may one day become. This dungeon holds the first stepping stone to that much larger quest, and that is why, for the sake of all things that are considered good in Hyrule, in the mind of many fans, and in the world of greater Nintendo at large, Link cannot fail --- it’s not his destiny to…..never was, never will be.  

Dragon Roost Cavern: Grappling Hook

In this special dungeon challenge is where Link attains his grappling hook.  He can use it to latch on to certain objects and swing from one place to another.  It is different and serves a somewhat different purpose from the hookshot. It can also be used to hit things.  In this dungeon, Link also finds sea charts, in other words, small pieces to a much larger map….by which he can roam his world in search of saving that young, beautiful girl named Tetra. Link first finds this dungeon, by the way, when he’s out adventuring and doing his usual thing by Dragon Roost Island...and he learns of someone named Valoo, who may hold the next piece of his quest. 

Here, for the almost first time in a new Zelda game, Link will also encounter some rather strange, ugly and nasty specimens (known as moblins and bokoblins), facing them in their somewhat less scary ‘cartoon animated versions’. These guys are kind of like orcs and goblins, which you may know from Lord of the Rings, but a thousand times watered down...and made into characters for a kid - friendly game, which I like. It means I’ve got no real worries about passing on The Legend of Zelda : The Wind Waker as a hand - me - down for when my kids get older...heh. 

Everything, to be more specific, is ‘cartoony’ and shows a different visual resemblance from anything that’s ever been done before for any Zelda masterpiece. No story has ever done this, thus far...and The Legend of Zelda : The Wind Waker broke records. It did get a mixed reaction, at first, but being able to play well into this first dungeon was enough to break off the skepticism, for many….and truly enjoy the game for what it is. Others later ended up embracing it, as well, as a Zelda game...the first of its own, even if they didn’t like the cartoony feel it offered.

And Link is so darn young, too... perhaps even younger, smaller, more childlike and innocent (not to mention baby-faced) than he was in those last games, even Ocarina of Time. Many loved that fact, and others despised it. But it is what it is. 

Dragon Roost Cavern: A Featured Dungeon

Also notably is the fact that this dungeon was featured in many game demos for pre - release “previews” for this game. Places like Nintendo Power, E3, IGN and many others in the gamer’s business were able to put out fresh material on the game, to give buyers a taste of something they had never seen before….and before anyone else could. This included everything from new ads and posters, to in-game released footage, to features of the new game discussed, even to short, playable demos on it. It truly got the word out...and guess what?

Like I stated, this dungeon of Dragon Roost was the very first one that got some players hooked. It let them get their first feel for Link in the new game, seeing what they thought. And it opened up a whole new world for The Legend of Zelda : The Wind Waker. 

Dragon Roost Cavern Boss: Gohma

In this dungeon, there’s another lovely little surprise that fans get taken away by….and it’s the fact that Gohma returns….perhaps she never really died back in Ocarina of Time (one of the early Zelda games made, which set the spark for more….)? No, of course she did, and we all know it...this version you see in The Legend of Zelda : The Wind Waker is probably just a reincarnated version of her...but brought to life by who? That is the mystery. 

Anyways, here’s a new challenge for you. Take down Gohma. But do it differently this time. How?

Well, I’ll leave that part up to your ingenuity and on - the - spot wit. I know you can do it. Just think of the other ways you’ve had to beat her before, and consider spicing things up in this bout. She’s never been a match for Link (or you), and she most certainly will not be now. 

Action

You also get to see little action commands, and motion slashes with the sword and shield….in your first dungeon, here. You see it like never before. What do I mean?

Well, you remember that old Batman & Robin show from the 60’s, in which there would be a  “Kapow” or “Kabam”, for instance, in yellow letters...shown on the screen after every time Batman or Robin would punch a villain and send them running to mommy? Well, something similar happens here in this game, and you get to see some bright yellow - white flashes appear on the screen for every time you use your sword to parry, counter - attack, slash, strike, or jump slice. It’s pretty cool... and this dungeon here is where you really get to see the best of it in action. 

Dragon Roost Cavern is pretty cool. I still love playing it. Buy The Legend of Zelda : The Wind Waker and go there….. 

Learn more here: Dragon Roost Cavern.