the forest temple from OOT also just gives that abandoned and haunted vibe, with the moss covered rooms and the echoing music, emphasizing its emptiness. It's always gave me the creepiest feeling, even back when i played the game for the first time.
the music's weird ocarina patterns and chanting always made me feel like there's something tiptoeing up behind you in the emptiness that you cant get a look at
In particular, the fact that it’s a *mansion* inside the lost woods raises so many questions. Who lived here? When did someone try to make a home in these woods? What happened to the owners (did they fall victim to the forest’s curse and become stalfos?)? Was this a sacred grove before or after the mansion was built?
It's crazy to me how many people I've seen try to say something in a fictional world is bad because it's "unrealistic," and it's just like "yeah, that's kind of the point."
17:00 rats were used in numerous torture methods IRL, most of them revolving around making the prisonners living food for the rats. Maybe the ghost rats jumps on you from hunger, but since they are dead, they cannot eat the flesh. ( for the alive one, i dunno, at the end of the day the devs wanted a mechanic, rest is just flavor XD )
I sincerely appreciate you our efforts and theirs. Im not disabled legally because I refuse to not work but I should be.... The pain I live with is immense at times. Your videos, NBC, Common Wealth, Zeltek, tri force trends, Bandit, etc..... give me something to keep my mind busy when the pain is almost intolerable. THANK YOU SIR!!!!! Not looking for sympathy either, I've learned to live with it and rarely talk about because I've learned most eventually get tired of hearing about it. So suffering in silence is the best way to deal. 🤝
I know it’s not a haunted place, but Dodongos cavern scared the crap out of me as a kid to the point I gave up playing for about a year. The ambiance and giant skull scared me so much.
Same! My cousin's played it before I did, and they told me about a giant skull in the wall, and eyes that shoot lasers. That's all the context they gave me. Safe to say... I was terrified to go in, haha
Imagine if Wind Waker's ghost ship wasn't a part of the main storyline. It had no rooms to explore and couldn't even be entered, there was no chart to be found, and no NPC even talks about it. You dig out your old Gamecube and copy of the game years later, delete one of your saves to start a fourth playthrough. You're sailing to your next destination when all of a sudden something you never experienced starts happening. The music gets sinister, the skies darken, and in the distance blue embers can be seen. With a chill down your spine you get closer to investigate, then all of a sudden, a big ghostly ship appears. You pass right through it, turn the camera around, but it's gone. The skies clear, the music returns to normal, and you don't see it again.
i believe there was a thing like that in the witcher 3. you can sail around skellige, and a ghost ship can be found randomly. no big fanfare, no comment from geralt- it just shows up, sails around, and leaves. more games need random encounters like that
The ghost ship in Wind Waker is not even apart of the main story line it just so happens that it has what you need a shard of the Triforce in the Wii U version but a chart in the GameCube version. Funny thing is you can actually get the shards before getting the charts for some of them literally so the Ghost Ship is potentially skippable at least for the GameCube version Like there are just shards that even in early game if you know where they are you can just grab them as long as you have the song that changes the wind direction negating the need to grind rupees to pay Tingle. Though nothing is really stopping you from doing most of the Triforce quest before tower of the gods in the first place, I say most as you need the hookshot for about at least 1 of them and Iron boots for two big rock which you get after tower of gods and forsaken fortress 2 Though I could be thinking of Wind Waker HD where some charts were removed and shards actually replaced where the charts were but I am pretty sure if you knew where the shards were you could collect them without having the charts, but that was probably a glitch and i forget if i was playing the Wii U or GameCube version, hell if it was a glitch then it probably happened as i already had a chart even if i didn't open it or pay tingle to decipher it. If i am right about the flag then it would be a pain in the ass to get the shard as you don't know where it will spawn around it's respective island as it's rng that you can manipulate a bit by resetting the console before beginning a new game and knowing the spawn rng based off of that. But anyways if you can actually get the shards before the charts then that's great but if you have to have the charts to trigger the shards to spawn then it's not that bad if you can actually grab them without paying Tingle, but it would be a pain in the ass salvaging them without any indication Now for WWHD there are only 3 charts and the rest of the shards are where the charts used to be pretty much so the Triforce quest is way better in HD. If anyone actually knows the trigger for the shard to spawn if it is not always there let me know as my brain seems to remember that you don't need to have the chart deciphered to go for the shards, like i am not sure if people actually looked into that especially after barrier skip was found
aside from being creepy as all hell, the ghost ship in the windwaker is the most memorable haunted location in the series for me, i liked the music so much that i had wound up charting out the ghost ship's patterns long before i got to triforce shards part of the game
I believe that the Hero of Time is actually buried in front of the Deku Tree. Or at least where the Deku Tree used to be. The first place you encounter the Hero's Shade (as the Golden Wolf) is in front of the Forest Temple. The Forest Temple could likely be the remains of the Deku Tree from Ocarina of Time as it is one of the only trees we know of large enough to make such a structure. It also has symbols on its doors resembling the Kokiri symbol. If he was buried here, this would match with the plaque in the Castle Graveyard which states "The cursed swordsman sleeps before the sacred tree". The tree in the Castle Graveyard is not significant or appears sacred or important in any way. The switch being in front of the tree in the graveyard could just be an internal reference to this.
I remember getting jump scared the first time I witnessed this in twilight princess. Didn’t expect those ghosts haunted faces to appear on my recommendations page and remembered what it was like to see these guys the first time. These ghosts will never not be disturbing to me in one way or another 😅.
I feel like the Royal Valley from The Minish Cap should've been mentioned as well. It's got Ghinis, but also notable ghosts in the form of Spekter, Gina, and even King Gustaf himself. I've always found that area interesting myself, especially with the Royal Crypt that adds significance to the area.
i believe the idea behind ghosts having weight is the weight of their grudge which is also holding them down to earth instead of passing on! its why possessed people are said to feel a great weight on their shoulders
I know Tears of the Kingdom was supposed to be all about the islands in the sky, but I loved exploring the Depths way more. It felt like plunging into the unknown, because even if you had a light you could never see that far ahead of you. I made sure to unlock all the lightroots, and that made it a bit easier to navigate, but it was still fun to strike out in a direction and not *really* know what was ahead of you.
Oh man, the first few hours of depths exploration was TERRIFYING in the best way. Total darkness, very low resources and health... coming across a frox in the pitch dark not knowing what it was.... incredible...
It's funny, some of the best dungeons in the entire series relate to the supernatural. Forest Temple, Arbiter's Grounds, the Stone Tower, and I might also add the Lightning Temple from TotK. All related to the supernatural and creepy aesthetic.
@@DemonicAdj I've been replaying OoT again recently. The Shadow Temple probably has one of the better atmospheres in the series. I think the Temple is a little too simple (?), so it isn't one of my favorites, but that boat part really is the standout. Creepy, cool, and with the stalfos fight. It's awesome
@DemonicAdj I wish we got more actual dungeons down there. I do enjoy clearing out the depths though. I just grab one light root and clear out the entire area before moving on to the next light root. I really wish we had gotten an actual Yiga dungeon down there. That could have been so cool.
Yeah, you can blame Yoshiaki Koizumi for that one ;). He loves writing scray and unsettling things for the Zelda series. Too bad he doesn't get involved much anymore...
@ Well, if the next Zelda game after Echoes of Wisdom follows up on Tears of the Kingdom in some way, maybe we’ll get a second T rated mainstream Zelda game
Super atmospheric vid and awesome list. I never made the connection between the Forest Temple poe sisters and Little Women. Mind blown! One honorable mention for me would be the spirit in Link's Awakening. I don't remember the details, but I remember being fascinated by that little ghost character and his dilapidated house.
Loved this video. For me, the horror aspects of these games completes the story theme palette, much like the earlier Disney films felt deep when the villains had that all-important spice called menace
One of the most memorable ghost moments for me in Zelda is in Link’s Awakening where the ghost asks you to take it home, but upon realizing that there is nothing left for them in the world of the living, they ask you to bring them back to the graveyard to rest in eternal slumber.
The comment about bumping into graves reminds me of something that my dad once said when I was a kid. He said to be respectful of the dead and those buried in graveyards, and told me not to walk over graves. Still can’t do it to this day.
Great job as always! Amazing video and audio quality, amazing writing (that is to my knowledge spot on), great narration, call outs to other Tubers, and so much content packed into it! Keep up the great work!!
Your channel is my favorite for all things Zelda ever since I watched your half hour theory video on Ikana and its history. Thanks for another great upload!
Great video. Though you combined them into one entry (I share your headcanon that they were possibly once connected) I always found the bottom of the well to be so much scarier than the shadow temple personally. Maybe it’s because you have to go down there as child Link, while you’re literally weaker, or maybe it’s the feeling of it being some kind of dark secret. Either way as a kid it always got to me in a way. Awesome work on this one as always Don
Pretty sure that valley from Minish Cap deserved a place in this list. It's got everything. Ghosts, haunted vibe, graveyard, music, and even a mini dungeon with the ghost thematic.
now knowing that the depths could be the new form of the still world from EOW makes it even more incredible, esp as a place the dead now go to rest before passing on. it's also amazing to consider how many ages it's been since EOW that SO much life has formed there, so much so that leviathan bones of creatures long forgotten rest there too. even in death there is life.
It wasn’t in this video, but the Silent Realm trials in Skyward Sword scared me so much when I first played. The music, the tension of trying to be fast and quiet, all while dodging murderous guardian ghosts
Cool video! Although I’m a bit surprised to see no mention of death sword in arbiters grounds. That thing has got to be some kind of paranormal and pretty powerful/important too
My theory is that the surface was created by taking chunks of the depths and putting them on the surface, which is why things like mountains create valleys in the depths
I'm terrified of the dark but not the blackness of it but what's in it is what scares me... You can imagine me trying to go through the depths in tears of the kingdom, but I do find it really interesting that the depths were inspired my the mythical vision of the underworld.
i think zombies and mummies should count because a zombie is just a ghost haunting its dead body! and a mummy is just a zombie that lost a fight with a terrible doctor lol! but really id count areas with lots of stalfos, gibdos, and redead
On the topic of the ghost ship from wind waker, I recall it actually freaking me out. I was probably around 7, and when I saw the ghost ship on Lenzo’s wall, I thought it was some sort of in-game ghost story without actually appearing in the game. Imagine my terrifying shock when while playing late, I saw the ghost ship I didn’t think was real sailing around Greatfish isle. I immediately ran to my bed to grab my iPod to take some pictures, thinking I’d just caught some ultra-rare Easter egg. I still have those photos. They’re low quality, but some of my favorites I’ve ever taken. This is coming me, from someone who has photography as a minor hobby
Wind Waker had a very unique, one of a kind atmosphere and mystique to it. I've always had a soft spot for stories from the sea. Sailors who saw things and tell about it. It's amazing!
having been a fan of these games for a long time it's really nice to see some of these nostalgic locations talked about in depth but not in the tradition "ooo but its so edgy" type of manor that for some reason youtubers obsess over. I feel like this whole video reminded me of why I always appreciated these types of areas / added extras that have been dwindling in games in general + zelda games. this is a good video.
Honestly, the Knights Academy at night is the most unsettling place for me in the entire series. Partially because you have to spend a lot of time there, but mostly the uncanny valley nature of a peaceful place holding weird secrets at night always made me more unsettled than the intentionally creepy places in other titles.
18:48 Not sure if that one Zelda manga is considered canon or not, but it did imply the ship had formerly been the one that Linebeck served on as the cabin boy, where he witnessed the horrible fates of his captain and crew members (I think something involving skin melting off of their bodies) before jumping overboard.
Monster Maze always seems to know when I need a video; last time it was on my birthday, and now he uploads the day after my trip to the ER and one that discusses multiple locations from Twilight Princess, my favorite game of all time!
@MonsterMaze As well as can be hoped. I’ve been fighting pneumonia for a few weeks and during a coughing fit felt a pop and severe pain in my side, turns out I tore the intercostal muscle that goes in and around the rib cage. Good news is that I’m on a number of antibiotics for the pneumonia and a few pain killers, bad news is if I don’t recover by the 22nd I’m being admitted.
I love how supportive and collaborative the zelda TH-cam community is! It's so sweet to see y'all shouting each other out and helping in each others projects so often!
The Forest Temple in Ocarina of Time is my most favorite dungeon in Ocarina of Time and the music as well. Also, Phantom Gannon is one of my favorite bosses in the series, the Ocarina of Time version of him.
Not exactly ‘haunted’, but Hyrule Castle in WindWaker has always stood out in my memory. The surreal and creepy vibe when you first get there with everything is frozen in time, and the “oh sh*t….” feeling when it all starts moving again.
Great video! I wanna say that Kasuto in Zelda II is actually the Japanese approximate pronounciation of "Castle Town." I forgot where I read that, but it makes more sense than being an undiscovered sage.
That actually makes sense! They'd pronounce "castle town" as カスル・タウン, so "kasuru taunn" (had to write it in katakana to make sure) and the "ru" at the and is silent, leaving "kasu". The "to" is the shortened "town"
That's right! We still have Kasuto! They could have named Rauru after _that_ town and made things _slightly_ less confusing. Even though the main point of the game was to turn the timeline into an M.C. Escher painting... just to make sure _nothing_ works.
Your videos are topics I speak to myself on a daily bases, I love Zelda Lore. I’ve grown up with it. It’s my LOTR. None of this is new information, it’s just interesting, way more interesting than the past 8 years of Zelda. That’s proven every time these topic videos are made by true fans. On 30y games. I like “Echos” a lot, cause it’s story. Would love your take on its story. “They never cared about the story” has never been true. Thank you for continuing your passion for the stories that inspires us all. This is what Zelda is about.
Don't forget about the Gerudo Sanctuary from Echoes of Wisdom when you complete it and light the candles there would be another Gerudo woman standing next to the coffin and once you tell the Gerudo who gave you the quest you light the candles that you saw a person standing next to the coffin she will say something like "Hm, strange I thought I was the only one here" so it's pretty implied it was a ghost.
This is an interesting video and I appreciate the musical choices. I haven't finished Echoes of Wisdom yet, so I tried to fast forward through that little section. Every time I see a big field of poes in the Depths, I think "Oh, something tragic happened here."
I wonder if the bosses in totk reappear in the depths because their spirits, would that mean that gannondorf reanimated them? Side note refighting the bosses was a feature i really wanted in botw.
No story spoilers though. I specifically made sure not to get into the story stuff. It's not an official sidequest either, hence why I felt comfortable putting it on the list ^^
A little late on this video 😅 been busy at work but, glad I can finally watch it. I love the creepy lore of zelda. I remember being 5 or 6 and playing a file from my older cousin oot and playing the well, I was scared out my mind 😂 same with the forest temple when i was young i couldn't get past it because i was scared
For the big poes in Oot Hyrule Field, I think another reason they're in the fields is because of the poor state Hyrule is in after the Ganondorf's takeover, thus making them appear more often as Hyrule gets worse plus they also harbor a strong hatred towards the world
Personally, I think the graveyard from Zelda II on the NES is the most terrifying, just because the ghosts are always out to get you. Like the moment you enter the enemy screen, they are swooping and bopping, trying to trip you up and they are hard to kill, so they will likely drain your hearts.
I really wish the history behind the Shadow Temple (and by proxy the bottom of the well) had been more explored and fleshed out. The Shadow Temple just screams dark rituals and sacrifices, which would've given a very strong horror element to the Zelda canon.
The forest temple, given that it is the residence of the main poes, may be a burial ground in of itself. Plus, it is a temple that tries to confuse Link in terms of where to go to progress. Almost like the lost woods. Just a thought I always had. There are many parallels across the Zelda universe. But, this one seems intentional based on where it is in the game.
The drifting spirits in the Shadow Dungeon remind me of the spirits being funneled through the mandala nodes at the New York Museum of Natural History and Shandor Island levels in Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered.
@LishB1011 that's fair. I dont particularly even think myrtle is original rather inspirational itself. I've never look that far into that specifically. Thought it was a neat similarity.
5:40 Mentions the big poes of Hyrule Field but shows clip of a regular poe. Though the fact that Hyrule Field is the only place you can find big poes really does add to the mystery of what happened to make it so haunted.
Hey Monster Maze! I wanted to suggest a haunted location. It would be Polymous Mountain in Breath of the Wild. So many player deaths there to their first Lynel would mean more spirits than anywhere on this list!
Back in the day, I died a few times (then I ran out of weapons). My coworker at the time just stealthed it, since all you really needed we the shock arrows.
I could never playthrough the well or shadow temple so i had to get my brother to play it. In return I played the water temple. I for some reason loved that temple.
The "Ghosts have Weight" concept is part of Japanese mythology, actually. A ghostly possession can be felt as a literal weight on your shoulders, since that's where a ghost clings to you.
There is actually a third group of ghosts in Twilight Princess' Hyrule Castle. In one of the hallways, they will point to a picture that you need to shoot with your bow and arrow. At least, they are there in the HD remake for the Wii U...
@@MonsterMaze No problem! Thank you for putting out such amazing content. I always love your videos; they're so well-thought out and put together. One of the best Zeldatubers and overall TH-camrs ever!
the forest temple from OOT also just gives that abandoned and haunted vibe, with the moss covered rooms and the echoing music, emphasizing its emptiness. It's always gave me the creepiest feeling, even back when i played the game for the first time.
We need a another creepy old mansion dungeon in future games
the music's weird ocarina patterns and chanting always made me feel like there's something tiptoeing up behind you in the emptiness that you cant get a look at
@@MonsterMaze the snowpeak mansion from TP really captured that well
The music still scares me today, the samples of link screaming pitched around are disturbing for sure
In particular, the fact that it’s a *mansion* inside the lost woods raises so many questions.
Who lived here? When did someone try to make a home in these woods? What happened to the owners (did they fall victim to the forest’s curse and become stalfos?)? Was this a sacred grove before or after the mansion was built?
Suspension of disbelief is a *must* for enjoying video games. Imagine playing Super Mario and complaining the power ups arent realistic
It's crazy to me how many people I've seen try to say something in a fictional world is bad because it's "unrealistic," and it's just like "yeah, that's kind of the point."
Dude, yes! I tried eating a flower once.... it didn't make me shoot fireballs. It just gave me a belly ache :(
@@MonsterMaze I have eaten flowers before, it was just kind of tasty, other than that, nothing happened.
@@homerman76 Realism can be a very good thing though.
@@MonsterMaze: Heart burn? If yes, then it totally worked. Just not correctly.
0:10, can't continue, that's too scary for me
Bro it’s so scary I’m still shaking
Fluffy ghosts are the scariest
17:00 rats were used in numerous torture methods IRL, most of them revolving around making the prisonners living food for the rats. Maybe the ghost rats jumps on you from hunger, but since they are dead, they cannot eat the flesh. ( for the alive one, i dunno, at the end of the day the devs wanted a mechanic, rest is just flavor XD )
Oof yeah... I remember reading about the "bucket method", which involves a rat as well. I won't describe further here but.. it's brutal!
@@MonsterMaze isn't that the one where the bucket is heated and the only way out for the rat is through the victim?
@@Java_Protogen Yup...
I love how wholesome the Zelda community is giving shoutout to each other I love all the content
We all work on the same big, confusing lore puzzle haha
I sincerely appreciate you our efforts and theirs. Im not disabled legally because I refuse to not work but I should be.... The pain I live with is immense at times. Your videos, NBC, Common Wealth, Zeltek, tri force trends, Bandit, etc..... give me something to keep my mind busy when the pain is almost intolerable. THANK YOU SIR!!!!!
Not looking for sympathy either, I've learned to live with it and rarely talk about because I've learned most eventually get tired of hearing about it. So suffering in silence is the best way to deal.
🤝
I appreciate you including less talked about Zelda games like Phantom Hourglass and Adventure of Link.
It's always fun to talk about the more obscure titles! ^^
Halloween was last week... but the spooks and scares never end on this channel!
Have a good weekend everyone! ^^
hi
Year-round spooks are the best
As a haunted talking rock, this video was right up my alley.
Haunted rocks are the best rocks
I know it’s not a haunted place, but Dodongos cavern scared the crap out of me as a kid to the point I gave up playing for about a year. The ambiance and giant skull scared me so much.
Same! My cousin's played it before I did, and they told me about a giant skull in the wall, and eyes that shoot lasers. That's all the context they gave me. Safe to say... I was terrified to go in, haha
Imagine if Wind Waker's ghost ship wasn't a part of the main storyline. It had no rooms to explore and couldn't even be entered, there was no chart to be found, and no NPC even talks about it. You dig out your old Gamecube and copy of the game years later, delete one of your saves to start a fourth playthrough. You're sailing to your next destination when all of a sudden something you never experienced starts happening. The music gets sinister, the skies darken, and in the distance blue embers can be seen. With a chill down your spine you get closer to investigate, then all of a sudden, a big ghostly ship appears. You pass right through it, turn the camera around, but it's gone. The skies clear, the music returns to normal, and you don't see it again.
i believe there was a thing like that in the witcher 3. you can sail around skellige, and a ghost ship can be found randomly. no big fanfare, no comment from geralt- it just shows up, sails around, and leaves.
more games need random encounters like that
And then 7 days later you die.
That's some creepypasta material here!
The ghost ship in Wind Waker is not even apart of the main story line it just so happens that it has what you need a shard of the Triforce in the Wii U version but a chart in the GameCube version. Funny thing is you can actually get the shards before getting the charts for some of them literally so the Ghost Ship is potentially skippable at least for the GameCube version
Like there are just shards that even in early game if you know where they are you can just grab them as long as you have the song that changes the wind direction negating the need to grind rupees to pay Tingle. Though nothing is really stopping you from doing most of the Triforce quest before tower of the gods in the first place, I say most as you need the hookshot for about at least 1 of them and Iron boots for two big rock which you get after tower of gods and forsaken fortress 2
Though I could be thinking of Wind Waker HD where some charts were removed and shards actually replaced where the charts were but I am pretty sure if you knew where the shards were you could collect them without having the charts, but that was probably a glitch and i forget if i was playing the Wii U or GameCube version, hell if it was a glitch then it probably happened as i already had a chart even if i didn't open it or pay tingle to decipher it.
If i am right about the flag then it would be a pain in the ass to get the shard as you don't know where it will spawn around it's respective island as it's rng that you can manipulate a bit by resetting the console before beginning a new game and knowing the spawn rng based off of that. But anyways if you can actually get the shards before the charts then that's great but if you have to have the charts to trigger the shards to spawn then it's not that bad if you can actually grab them without paying Tingle, but it would be a pain in the ass salvaging them without any indication
Now for WWHD there are only 3 charts and the rest of the shards are where the charts used to be pretty much so the Triforce quest is way better in HD. If anyone actually knows the trigger for the shard to spawn if it is not always there let me know as my brain seems to remember that you don't need to have the chart deciphered to go for the shards, like i am not sure if people actually looked into that especially after barrier skip was found
aside from being creepy as all hell, the ghost ship in the windwaker is the most memorable haunted location in the series for me, i liked the music so much that i had wound up charting out the ghost ship's patterns long before i got to triforce shards part of the game
Ghost ships in real life are pretty creepy too. A ship still sailing the seas after its entire crew is declared dead or missing? Pretty unsettling.
There is something magical and creepy about the idea of an abandonded vessel, drifting aimless at sea
I believe that the Hero of Time is actually buried in front of the Deku Tree. Or at least where the Deku Tree used to be. The first place you encounter the Hero's Shade (as the Golden Wolf) is in front of the Forest Temple. The Forest Temple could likely be the remains of the Deku Tree from Ocarina of Time as it is one of the only trees we know of large enough to make such a structure. It also has symbols on its doors resembling the Kokiri symbol. If he was buried here, this would match with the plaque in the Castle Graveyard which states "The cursed swordsman sleeps before the sacred tree". The tree in the Castle Graveyard is not significant or appears sacred or important in any way. The switch being in front of the tree in the graveyard could just be an internal reference to this.
I remember getting jump scared the first time I witnessed this in twilight princess. Didn’t expect those ghosts haunted faces to appear on my recommendations page and remembered what it was like to see these guys the first time. These ghosts will never not be disturbing to me in one way or another 😅.
The designers went hard with those ghost designs!
OH MY GOD same!!!! I thought I was the only one!!!!!
The stalchildren scared the crap out of me when I first played OoT as a kid. Now they seem so silly 🤣
They sure did! I was terrified of them as well
First they're scary, then they're silly. Then you think about the implications, and they're kinda scary again.
I feel like the Royal Valley from The Minish Cap should've been mentioned as well. It's got Ghinis, but also notable ghosts in the form of Spekter, Gina, and even King Gustaf himself. I've always found that area interesting myself, especially with the Royal Crypt that adds significance to the area.
Good call! The Royal Valley is definitely a great pick as well
i believe the idea behind ghosts having weight is the weight of their grudge which is also holding them down to earth instead of passing on! its why possessed people are said to feel a great weight on their shoulders
I know Tears of the Kingdom was supposed to be all about the islands in the sky, but I loved exploring the Depths way more. It felt like plunging into the unknown, because even if you had a light you could never see that far ahead of you. I made sure to unlock all the lightroots, and that made it a bit easier to navigate, but it was still fun to strike out in a direction and not *really* know what was ahead of you.
Oh man, the first few hours of depths exploration was TERRIFYING in the best way. Total darkness, very low resources and health... coming across a frox in the pitch dark not knowing what it was.... incredible...
@@JPBrooksLiveThe first Frox was a shock. Something big in the dark.
@@DemonicAdj Jeez, yeah absolutely! The first Frox was a massive jumpscare for me.
25:18 JUMPSCARE ALERT!!
It's funny, some of the best dungeons in the entire series relate to the supernatural. Forest Temple, Arbiter's Grounds, the Stone Tower, and I might also add the Lightning Temple from TotK. All related to the supernatural and creepy aesthetic.
Shadow Temple in OOT, too. With that weird boat..
@@DemonicAdj I've been replaying OoT again recently. The Shadow Temple probably has one of the better atmospheres in the series. I think the Temple is a little too simple (?), so it isn't one of my favorites, but that boat part really is the standout. Creepy, cool, and with the stalfos fight. It's awesome
Listening to this while I finish clearing out the depths in ToTK!
Enjoy, fellow explorer
I really wish there was more to them. Sometimes it feels like the ruined towns on the surface had more story.
@DemonicAdj I wish we got more actual dungeons down there. I do enjoy clearing out the depths though. I just grab one light root and clear out the entire area before moving on to the next light root.
I really wish we had gotten an actual Yiga dungeon down there. That could have been so cool.
Maybe they appreciate the teddy bear because it is a potential friend they can't accidentally kill, so it stays with them longer than humans.
I’ve kinda figured Ocarina of Time would have multiple entries on this list.
Yeah, you can blame Yoshiaki Koizumi for that one ;).
He loves writing scray and unsettling things for the Zelda series. Too bad he doesn't get involved much anymore...
@
Imagine if he was on the story team for Tears of the Kingdom
@@chrispork1443 Yeah.. I'd really like to make a video about this guy some day. He had such a big influence on the earlier Zelda canon
@
Well, if the next Zelda game after Echoes of Wisdom follows up on Tears of the Kingdom in some way, maybe we’ll get a second T rated mainstream Zelda game
Super atmospheric vid and awesome list. I never made the connection between the Forest Temple poe sisters and Little Women. Mind blown! One honorable mention for me would be the spirit in Link's Awakening. I don't remember the details, but I remember being fascinated by that little ghost character and his dilapidated house.
Yeah the ghost who wants to see his old home again before he can pass on. It's actually more sad than it is scary, haha ^^
@@MonsterMaze yes, that's the one! Very very true - a sad haunting, rather than a scary haunting 🩵
I have played Twilight Princess more times than I can even count and I had no clue about the soldiers that were outside of the castle!
Loved this video. For me, the horror aspects of these games completes the story theme palette, much like the earlier Disney films felt deep when the villains had that all-important spice called menace
One of the most memorable ghost moments for me in Zelda is in Link’s Awakening where the ghost asks you to take it home, but upon realizing that there is nothing left for them in the world of the living, they ask you to bring them back to the graveyard to rest in eternal slumber.
The comment about bumping into graves reminds me of something that my dad once said when I was a kid. He said to be respectful of the dead and those buried in graveyards, and told me not to walk over graves. Still can’t do it to this day.
Great job as always! Amazing video and audio quality, amazing writing (that is to my knowledge spot on), great narration, call outs to other Tubers, and so much content packed into it!
Keep up the great work!!
the toilet hand better be on here
Died on the john waiting for toilet paper. That's why they are usually asking for it.
Your channel is my favorite for all things Zelda ever since I watched your half hour theory video on Ikana and its history. Thanks for another great upload!
Funny enough today I thought to myself about when another Monster Maze video would drop and look at this! Thank you good sir!
I was a bit held up by a sidegig, but Im back!
Great video.
Though you combined them into one entry (I share your headcanon that they were possibly once connected) I always found the bottom of the well to be so much scarier than the shadow temple personally. Maybe it’s because you have to go down there as child Link, while you’re literally weaker, or maybe it’s the feeling of it being some kind of dark secret. Either way as a kid it always got to me in a way.
Awesome work on this one as always Don
Pretty sure that valley from Minish Cap deserved a place in this list. It's got everything. Ghosts, haunted vibe, graveyard, music, and even a mini dungeon with the ghost thematic.
"echoes of wisdom is tame in its spooky lore"
the final boss:*angry mysterious colors unlike any seen on earth noises*
now knowing that the depths could be the new form of the still world from EOW makes it even more incredible, esp as a place the dead now go to rest before passing on. it's also amazing to consider how many ages it's been since EOW that SO much life has formed there, so much so that leviathan bones of creatures long forgotten rest there too. even in death there is life.
25:18 This is the best part
He is the best boi
Ikr
It wasn’t in this video, but the Silent Realm trials in Skyward Sword scared me so much when I first played. The music, the tension of trying to be fast and quiet, all while dodging murderous guardian ghosts
Cool video! Although I’m a bit surprised to see no mention of death sword in arbiters grounds. That thing has got to be some kind of paranormal and pretty powerful/important too
I always find out something new when I listen to your content, great work!
My theory is that the surface was created by taking chunks of the depths and putting them on the surface, which is why things like mountains create valleys in the depths
Intersting theory!
I'm terrified of the dark but not the blackness of it but what's in it is what scares me... You can imagine me trying to go through the depths in tears of the kingdom, but I do find it really interesting that the depths were inspired my the mythical vision of the underworld.
12:14 I also thought it was neat that they seemingly referenced the onryo Hanako-San here
Yes!
Tears of the Kingdom’s depth essentially being the underworld now makes sense to me why the bosses you defeat throughout the story show up there.
20:00 awesome plug monster maze. I love the dungeons lore from bandit and my son loves to watch it all the time
Love this style of video! Keep up the good work
Excellent video Don! Loved this :D
Thanks bud! ^^
Been enjoying your "lore of famous locations" series a lot as well
i think zombies and mummies should count because a zombie is just a ghost haunting its dead body! and a mummy is just a zombie that lost a fight with a terrible doctor lol! but really id count areas with lots of stalfos, gibdos, and redead
On the topic of the ghost ship from wind waker, I recall it actually freaking me out. I was probably around 7, and when I saw the ghost ship on Lenzo’s wall, I thought it was some sort of in-game ghost story without actually appearing in the game. Imagine my terrifying shock when while playing late, I saw the ghost ship I didn’t think was real sailing around Greatfish isle. I immediately ran to my bed to grab my iPod to take some pictures, thinking I’d just caught some ultra-rare Easter egg. I still have those photos. They’re low quality, but some of my favorites I’ve ever taken. This is coming me, from someone who has photography as a minor hobby
Wind Waker had a very unique, one of a kind atmosphere and mystique to it. I've always had a soft spot for stories from the sea. Sailors who saw things and tell about it. It's amazing!
having been a fan of these games for a long time it's really nice to see some of these nostalgic locations talked about in depth but not in the tradition "ooo but its so edgy" type of manor that for some reason youtubers obsess over. I feel like this whole video reminded me of why I always appreciated these types of areas / added extras that have been dwindling in games in general + zelda games.
this is a good video.
Honestly, the Knights Academy at night is the most unsettling place for me in the entire series. Partially because you have to spend a lot of time there, but mostly the uncanny valley nature of a peaceful place holding weird secrets at night always made me more unsettled than the intentionally creepy places in other titles.
Oh my Terada Zelda art is my favorite. Kasuto, 8bit cemetary. Love this video and we are just getting started
Checking my bank balance is scarier than any ghost
Agreed
Thanks for including Kasuto! That town and its lore fascinated me in my youth.
18:48 Not sure if that one Zelda manga is considered canon or not, but it did imply the ship had formerly been the one that Linebeck served on as the cabin boy, where he witnessed the horrible fates of his captain and crew members (I think something involving skin melting off of their bodies) before jumping overboard.
11:28 the ghost in the Knights Acadamy reminds me of the girl that died in Harry Potter in the girl's bathroom I think. Myrtle Warren was the name ?..
Monster Maze always seems to know when I need a video; last time it was on my birthday, and now he uploads the day after my trip to the ER and one that discusses multiple locations from Twilight Princess, my favorite game of all time!
What happened? Hope the ER trip went well!
@MonsterMaze
As well as can be hoped. I’ve been fighting pneumonia for a few weeks and during a coughing fit felt a pop and severe pain in my side, turns out I tore the intercostal muscle that goes in and around the rib cage. Good news is that I’m on a number of antibiotics for the pneumonia and a few pain killers, bad news is if I don’t recover by the 22nd I’m being admitted.
@@GreenOfFields I wish you a speedy recovery! You got this
@MonsterMaze
Thank you, I appreciate that!
@MonsterMaze
My follow up went quite well, I am nearly pneumonia-free and my intercostal is recovering quickly as well
I love how supportive and collaborative the zelda TH-cam community is! It's so sweet to see y'all shouting each other out and helping in each others projects so often!
The Forest Temple in Ocarina of Time is my most favorite dungeon in Ocarina of Time and the music as well. Also, Phantom Gannon is one of my favorite bosses in the series, the Ocarina of Time version of him.
Not exactly ‘haunted’, but Hyrule Castle in WindWaker has always stood out in my memory. The surreal and creepy vibe when you first get there with everything is frozen in time, and the “oh sh*t….” feeling when it all starts moving again.
Great video! I wanna say that Kasuto in Zelda II is actually the Japanese approximate pronounciation of "Castle Town." I forgot where I read that, but it makes more sense than being an undiscovered sage.
The Zelda wiki lied to me! (again)
That actually makes sense! They'd pronounce "castle town" as カスル・タウン, so "kasuru taunn" (had to write it in katakana to make sure) and the "ru" at the and is silent, leaving "kasu". The "to" is the shortened "town"
Oh great! Miss your videos Mr Maze always a pleasure watch your videos!
That's right! We still have Kasuto! They could have named Rauru after _that_ town and made things _slightly_ less confusing. Even though the main point of the game was to turn the timeline into an M.C. Escher painting... just to make sure _nothing_ works.
Your videos are topics I speak to myself on a daily bases, I love Zelda Lore. I’ve grown up with it. It’s my LOTR.
None of this is new information, it’s just interesting, way more interesting than the past 8 years of Zelda. That’s proven every time these topic videos are made by true fans. On 30y games. I like “Echos” a lot, cause it’s story. Would love your take on its story.
“They never cared about the story” has never been true.
Thank you for continuing your passion for the stories that inspires us all. This is what Zelda is about.
Echoes' story is definitely a lot bigger than I anticipated! Love it ^^
Don't forget about the Gerudo Sanctuary from Echoes of Wisdom when you complete it and light the candles there would be another Gerudo woman standing next to the coffin and once you tell the Gerudo who gave you the quest you light the candles that you saw a person standing next to the coffin she will say something like "Hm, strange I thought I was the only one here" so it's pretty implied it was a ghost.
This is an interesting video and I appreciate the musical choices. I haven't finished Echoes of Wisdom yet, so I tried to fast forward through that little section. Every time I see a big field of poes in the Depths, I think "Oh, something tragic happened here."
5:18 got me pretty good
I wonder if the bosses in totk reappear in the depths because their spirits, would that mean that gannondorf reanimated them? Side note refighting the bosses was a feature i really wanted in botw.
I have a suspicion that this is indeed the case. They only show up in the depths after you kill them on the surface.
To skip echoes of wisdom spoilers: 4:18
No story spoilers though. I specifically made sure not to get into the story stuff. It's not an official sidequest either, hence why I felt comfortable putting it on the list ^^
@@MonsterMaze Understandable
Mostly saying it for people like me whom are too poor to buy the game yet and want to be completely in the dark :p
@@ckay11002 A noble cause ^^. Thanks!
“No zombies, vampires, mummies… or con artists.” had me dying!
Another fuckin banger of a video. I love zelda's approach to ghosts, so varied and yet there's always something so very zelda about them
Finally! I can’t wait to watch this! Got to go get some snacks real fast
Grab yourself a snack and drink! ;)
A little late on this video 😅 been busy at work but, glad I can finally watch it. I love the creepy lore of zelda. I remember being 5 or 6 and playing a file from my older cousin oot and playing the well, I was scared out my mind 😂 same with the forest temple when i was young i couldn't get past it because i was scared
I’m surprised you didn’t cover the well in Kakariko village in TOTK. Nothing really too crazy happening there but still was creepy
I would consider the thing inhabiting death sword in Arbiters Grounds as a 5th ghost, the tallest of them all
I'm surprised it wasn't mentioned at all.
@@SuperZergMan I... sincerely forgot all about Death Sword... and now I feel dumb, haha
@@MonsterMaze Such is life.
Its always a good day when a monster maze video is out 👍🏼
For the big poes in Oot Hyrule Field, I think another reason they're in the fields is because of the poor state Hyrule is in after the Ganondorf's takeover, thus making them appear more often as Hyrule gets worse plus they also harbor a strong hatred towards the world
Tingle Island in Wind Waker had got to be crawling with ghosts.
I found it really amazing that Echoes of Wisdom brought Moa back.
Personally, I think the graveyard from Zelda II on the NES is the most terrifying, just because the ghosts are always out to get you. Like the moment you enter the enemy screen, they are swooping and bopping, trying to trip you up and they are hard to kill, so they will likely drain your hearts.
I really wish the history behind the Shadow Temple (and by proxy the bottom of the well) had been more explored and fleshed out. The Shadow Temple just screams dark rituals and sacrifices, which would've given a very strong horror element to the Zelda canon.
The forest temple, given that it is the residence of the main poes, may be a burial ground in of itself. Plus, it is a temple that tries to confuse Link in terms of where to go to progress. Almost like the lost woods. Just a thought I always had. There are many parallels across the Zelda universe. But, this one seems intentional based on where it is in the game.
The drifting spirits in the Shadow Dungeon remind me of the spirits being funneled through the mandala nodes at the New York Museum of Natural History and Shandor Island levels in Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered.
The ghost in the bathroom sounds like a moaning myrtle reference
Allegedly, it's some Japanese rumor. It's obscure, though.
It predates Myrtle, as there's also a ghostly hand in Majora's Mask (at the Stockpot Inn)
@LishB1011 that's fair. I dont particularly even think myrtle is original rather inspirational itself. I've never look that far into that specifically. Thought it was a neat similarity.
5:40 Mentions the big poes of Hyrule Field but shows clip of a regular poe.
Though the fact that Hyrule Field is the only place you can find big poes really does add to the mystery of what happened to make it so haunted.
Happy late Halloween
Same to you
Small note that the scene at 0:19 is from Signs, a movie about aliens not ghosts. Still a good film
Always a good day when there is a Monster Maze video I can watch while drinking my coffee!
Hey Monster Maze! I wanted to suggest a haunted location. It would be Polymous Mountain in Breath of the Wild. So many player deaths there to their first Lynel would mean more spirits than anywhere on this list!
Back in the day, I died a few times (then I ran out of weapons). My coworker at the time just stealthed it, since all you really needed we the shock arrows.
Makes sense!
You just KNEW that some bad shit went down the moment you stepped foot into Ikana Canyon and that theme song starts playing.
Eyyy, we get EOW background music in videos now!
6:56 umm what 😅
That made me chuckle too!
😂
Skull Woods and Misery Mire from a Link to the Past deserve a mention.
Ben standing on the throne in Ikana feels so ominous
The Earth Temple from Wind Waker could be considered a necropolis.
I love how to recommend videos of other creators, you are so sweet
I could never playthrough the well or shadow temple so i had to get my brother to play it. In return I played the water temple. I for some reason loved that temple.
The "Ghosts have Weight" concept is part of Japanese mythology, actually. A ghostly possession can be felt as a literal weight on your shoulders, since that's where a ghost clings to you.
"Sexy goat town" 🤣 🤣 I love it.
There is actually a third group of ghosts in Twilight Princess' Hyrule Castle. In one of the hallways, they will point to a picture that you need to shoot with your bow and arrow. At least, they are there in the HD remake for the Wii U...
Good catch!, Thank you ^^
@@MonsterMaze No problem! Thank you for putting out such amazing content. I always love your videos; they're so well-thought out and put together. One of the best Zeldatubers and overall TH-camrs ever!
Those ghost soldiers would have been great as redeads.