How To Beat Dodongo (Dungeon 2 – The Legend of Zelda NES)

Dungeon Two, “The Moon,” is your first real test in The Legend of Zelda. While the layout is still fairly straightforward, enemy difficulty ramps up quickly with fast-moving Ropes and boomerang-throwing Goriyas. The dungeon’s boss, Dodongo, is also the first fight that can’t be won with brute force alone.

Here’s a clean breakdown of how to prepare for—and defeat—Dodongo, plus tips to make the dungeon itself smoother.

Understanding Dungeon Two: “The Moon”

This dungeon is shaped like a crescent moon and introduces a few important mechanics:

• Locked doors that require careful key usage
• Enemy-clear rooms where doors only open once all foes are defeated
• Bomb-based puzzles and combat, foreshadowing the boss fight

Along the way, you’ll collect:

• Map
• Compass
• Magic Boomerang
• Bomb refills (multiple times, for a reason)

An Old Man hidden in the dungeon gives you the crucial hint:

“Dodongo dislikes smoke.”

That single line tells you everything you need to know about the boss.

Getting Ready for the Boss

Before entering Dodongo’s chamber, make sure you:

• Have at least a few bombs (the game provides them right before the fight)
• Clear the final Goriya-filled room to unlock the boss door
• Understand that your sword will not damage Dodongo

If you walk into this fight swinging blindly, you’ll be stuck. Dodongo isn’t dangerous—but he’s immune to normal attacks.

Boss Battle: How to Defeat Dodongo

Dodongo is one of the simplest bosses in the game if you know the trick.

What Doesn’t Work

• Sword attacks ❌
• Boomerang ❌
• Arrows ❌

Dodongo ignores all of them.

The Winning Strategy

1. Let Dodongo walk toward you
2. Drop a bomb directly in his path
3. Dodongo will walk into the bomb and “eat” it
4. The bomb explodes in his mouth, stunning him
5. Repeat this one more time

That’s it.

💣 Two bomb hits are all it takes to defeat Dodongo.

He has no ranged attacks, no charge, and no tricks—he simply wanders around. The challenge isn’t surviving the fight, it’s knowing how to fight him.

After the Battle

Once Dodongo is defeated:

• Exit left into the Triforce room
• Claim the Triforce of Power
• Your health is fully restored
• You’re automatically transported out of the dungeon

Dungeon Two complete.

Why Dodongo Works as a Boss

Dodongo is a perfect early-game design lesson:

• It teaches players to pay attention to hints
• It reinforces the importance of items over raw combat
• It prepares you for future bosses that require specific tools

If you figured this out without help back in the day, you earned it.

Final Thoughts

Dungeon Two may look simple, but it quietly introduces smarter enemy behavior, heavier item reliance, and puzzle-based boss fights. Dodongo isn’t about reflexes—it’s about observation.

Two dungeons down. Seven more to go.

If you’re enjoying classic NES Zelda content like this, stick around—there’s plenty more Hyrule ahead.

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