Guides / The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Nintendo Switch 2)
Dodongo's Cavern
Dodongo's Cavern is a volcanic dungeon located at the base of Death Mountain Trail where Link must clear monsters to secure the Gorons' food source and obtain the Goron's Ruby.
Getting there: From the trail cliff above Death Mountain Trail, lift a Bomb Flower with the Goron's Bracelet and toss it down to blow away the massive boulder blocking the cave mouth at the base.
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Before you leave
- •Baby Dodongos flash and explode seconds after taking fatal damage.
- •Adult Dodongos detonate like giant bombs upon death.
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Items
0/9Route
6 steps- 1
Blast into Dodongo's Cavern. Blast the entrance boulder with a Bomb Flower and destroy the foyer barricade to enter the Main Hub.
- 2
Clear the Eastern Wing Lower Level. Explore the eastern wing, defeat Baby Dodongos and Lizalfos, and light torches to unlock grates.
⚠ Baby Dodongos start flashing and detonate seconds after taking fatal damage, so roll or backflip away immediately.
- 3
Solve the Western Wing Lower Level. Fight Adult Dodongos, solve western block and torch puzzles, and bomb the staircase to reveal a path.
⚠ Adult Dodongos explode like giant bombs upon death, which can catch you off guard in tight corridors.
- 4
Brave the Upper Level Traps and Arenas. Navigate blade traps and flame jets on the Upper Level, then defeat Lizalfos to claim the Bomb Bag.
- 5
Drop Bombs into the Dodongo Skull. Cross upper catwalks and drop bombs from rope bridge gaps into the Dodongo Skull's eyes to open its jaws.
- 6
Confront King Dodongo in the Subterranean Lair. Enter the skull's mouth, blast the floor in the antichamber, and defeat King Dodongo in his lair.
Key fights
5| Fight | Watch for | Weaknesses and resistances | Rewards |
|---|---|---|---|
| BeamosBeamos | Sweeps Link with a continuous tracking laser beamTactics: Throw a bomb or Bomb Flower directly at its base to destroy it, as it is immune to standard sword slashes. | ||
| Baby DodongosBaby Dodongos | Burrows and swarms Link; starts flashing and explodes within seconds of taking fatal damageTactics: Strike with a sword slash or slingshot pellet, then immediately roll or backflip away to evade the detonation. | ||
| Adult DodongosAdult Dodongos | Breathes wide streams of fire; highly armored front; executes a 360-degree tail spin after being hit; flashes and explodes like a giant bomb upon deathTactics: Strike from behind on the unarmored tail with a sword, then immediately shield or step back to avoid the 360-degree tail spin before resuming combat. | ||
| Lizalfos (Mini-Bosses)Pair of Lizalfos | Agile bipedal reptiles that jump between platforms, using jumping vertical overhead slashesTactics: Lock-on with Z/ZL-targeting, keep Hylian Shield raised to absorb incoming strikes, counter with sword combos while their weapon recoils, and reposition when they leap across lava chasms. | ||
| King Dodongo (Boss: Infernal Dinosaur)King Dodongo | Rolls across the ring-shaped arena in a lethal ball; breathes massive waves of fire covering the platformTactics: Stand at medium range and throw a bomb or Bomb Flower into his jaws when he inhales. When the bomb detonates in his stomach and staggers him, rush in with a sword jumping strike. Raise shield and hug the inner lava ditch or outer corners while he curls up and rolls around the outer loop, repeating until defeated. | Full Heart Container and the blue warp circle to claim the Goron's Ruby |
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The full walkthrough text
Dodongo's Cavern is a volcanic dungeon located at the base of Death Mountain Trail where Link must clear monsters to secure the Gorons' food source and obtain the Goron's Ruby.
1. Blast into Dodongo's Cavern
Lift a Bomb Flower from the cliff above Death Mountain Trail using the Goron's Bracelet and hurl it down to blow away the massive boulder blocking the entrance. Once inside the Foyer, grab one of the two flanking Bomb Flowers to destroy the cracked mud and stone wall barricade. Step out into the Main Hub, where stone elevator pillars rise and fall over lava around a central island and a colossal Dodongo Skull carving.
Tip: Toss a Bomb Flower directly at the base of the central Beamos to neutralize its tracking laser beam.
2. Clear the Eastern Wing Lower Level
Head into the eastern corridor where you can either collect optional resource pots and chests or proceed directly along marked bomb paths. Take down the swarming Baby Dodongos to unlock the switch gate, then blast a cracked wall to open a large chest containing the Dungeon Map and break a destructible wall to collect a Gold Skulltula Token. Enter the first mini-boss arena over lava to battle a pair of Lizalfos, then light your Deku Sticks in the torch corridor loop to lift the iron grates.
Tip: Lock-on with targeting, absorb overhead slashes with your shield, and punish the Lizalfos while their weapons recoil.
3. Solve the Western Wing Lower Level
Move through the western puzzle rooms, dealing with Adult Dodongos by striking their unarmored tails from behind. Locate the pushable stone block and torch corridor to open the large chest holding the Compass, then proceed to the statue hallway and bomb chain puzzle. Detonate the staircase flanked by bomb flowers to reveal a path upward, and grab the Gold Skulltula Token resting on the flanking vines.
Tip: Adult Dodongos perform a rapid 360-degree tail spin immediately after taking damage, so raise your shield or step backward before resuming attacks.
4. Brave the Upper Level Traps and Arenas
Advance to the Upper Level and maneuver carefully through the blade trap room using push blocks to slip past spiked sliding blade traps. Proceed into the flame barrier corridors by hitting eye switches to temporarily drop the fire jets blocking your path. Step into the second mini-boss arena for a rematch against another pair of Lizalfos, and defeat them to claim the Bomb Bag from the large chest in the following room.
Tip: Keep your Hylian Shield raised whenever a Lizalfos leaps across the chasms to avoid surprise aerial damage.
5. Drop Bombs into the Dodongo Skull
Step onto the Upper Catwalk's suspended rope bridges and locate the Gold Skulltula Token hidden behind an Armos statue. Peer down through the gaps in the rope bridge positioned squarely above the giant Dodongo Skull carving's eye sockets. Complete the eye-drop puzzle by dropping either standard wild Bomb Flowers from the walkway or player-held bombs from your newly acquired Bomb Bag straight into both eye sockets to open its massive jaws.
Tip: You can safely use either wild Bomb Flowers found on the bridge or your own Bomb Bag explosives to trigger the skull's eyes.
6. Confront King Dodongo in the Subterranean Lair
Walk into the giant Dodongo's open mouth and grab the Gold Skulltula Token from the corridor before reaching the boss chamber antichamber. Blow up the cracked floor tile in the antichamber to drop directly into the subterranean lair of King Dodongo. Throw a bomb or Bomb Flower into his open mouth while he inhales, strike his stunned body with a jumping sword slash, and evade his rolling form by hugging the inner lava ditch or outer corners until he falls.
Tip: Stand at medium range and toss your explosive the moment King Dodongo inhales to stagger him before he can breathe fire.
22 facts on this page · 0 checked · 22 still being checked · from ign.com, youtube.com, nintendolife.com
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