Dodongo

A Dodongo from Majora's Mask.
Dodongo
Type	Dinosaur
Debut	The Legend of Zelda

The Dodongo is a rare and powerful creature that often resembles a dinosaur (generally a triceratops) and usually appear as minibosses or bosses (and sometimes powerful enemies) in various installments of the The Legend of Zelda series. It can breathe jets of flame, and when they die, their corpses are known to flash and explode as a last-ditch attempt to take down enemies.

Information

Baby Dodongos have been shown as small limbless creatures that burrow underground and pop out to attack any foreigners. They eventually grow arms and legs to become fearsome beasts of varying sizes. A Dodongo's greatest defense is its thick skin, which can repel nearly any attack. The best strategy to use against these creatures is an internal attack which is caused by tossing Bombs into their mouths, as Dodongos dislike smoke. That is the method Link has used to extinguish many a Dodongo. In most of their 3-D appearances, their tails are also vulnerable to sword attacks, although after being attacked Dodongos are known to immediately whirl around and breathe fire at the attacker.

Dodongos are usually rare creatures, but they seem to be capable of surviving in nearly any habitat, from volcanic caves to frozen icelands. Dodongos of Hyrule tend to appear on or around Death Mountain, especially within an area known as Dodongo's Carvern, where the Gorons and Dodongos have clashed in the past.

Appearances

Dodongos are often used for dungeon guardians due to their great power. Single Dodongos guarded the Moon Labyrinth in The Legend of Zelda and the Snake's Remains of Oracle of Seasons. Sets of three Dodongos also appeared as minibosses in later areas of The Legend of Zelda. The massive King Dodongo lorded over Dodongo's Cavern in Ocarina of Time, and a trio of Dodongos also guarded the Tower of Flames in Four Swords Adventures. Two more Dodongos appeared as enemies in the Realm of the Heavens, followed by a boss fight with a giant Blue Dodongo.

Aside from being dungeon bosses, Dodongos have made frequent appearances as normal enemies. In Ocarina of Time, Baby and adult Dodongos were both found throughout Dodongo's Cavern. For their first time in Majora's Mask, Dodongos were found in the overworld roaming around beneath Snowhead Mountain. In Twilight Princess. Dodongos are found in the Goron Mines and are unique due to their ability to walk on ceilings. These Dodongos also had a unique appearance that was more lizard-like, and they were also vulnerable to arrows in the mouth.

There has also been one Dodongo that has acted as an ally rather than an enemy. This is Dimitri, a helper character from Oracle of Seasons and Ages. An unusual trait that Dimitri possessed was the ability to swim up waterfalls, even though other dodongos have never been shown to be able to swim.

Trivia

• Their names are a play on "dodon", which is a Japanese onomatopoeia for an explosion.
• Link and Gongoron teamed up again Dongorongo, a variation of Dodongos, in The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass.
• Bomb Bags are made from Dodongo stomachs.
• Similar creatures called Dodongo Snakes appear in Link's Awakening.