Boss Key

Boss Keys, also known as Big Keys, are recurring items in the Legend of Zelda series. These special keys are needed to enter the boss room of a dungeon, and, in some games, are needed to open a dungeon's big chest, in order to obtain the dungeon's item. Contrary to the other big prize of a dungeon guarded by a mini-boss, one must usually solve a puzzle or riddle rather than win a difficult fight to obtain this item. In some games, a Boss Key serves as a dungeon's "master key", and can unlock certain doors other than the door to the boss room. Boss Keys are typically "stored" on a game's Map Screen, but there are exceptions. Some games have other types of keys in place of Boss Keys to open the final area of a dungeon.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Big Keys serve as a dungeon's "master key", allowing Link to unlock the chest containing the dungeon's primary item, as well as certain doors, along with the door to the boss's lair. After retrieving a dungeon's item, the Big Key icon on the Item Screen is subtly changed to reflect that the big chest has been opened.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time & Majora's Mask
Boss Keys are found inside big chests with a yellow and blue design. Their design is identical in both games. Their only purpose is accessing the dungeon's boss room. In Majora's Mask, the Boss Key is always accessed after defeating the second mini-boss of the dungeon.

The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages & Oracle of Seasons
Boss Keys are found after solving a puzzle and their only purpose is to open the Boss's lair.

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
Boss Keys are golden with an eye in the middle. In the first three dungeons, they are found in dark, red chests, and a puzzle must be solved to get it. In two temples, they are found in blue and gold chests and a special type of Darknut must be defeated to get it.

The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures
Big Keys are used to open certain treasure chests. These chests are much larger than other chests and usually contain huge numbers of Force Gems.

The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
Big Keys have a similar appearance to those seen in The Wind Waker. All Big Keys, with the exception of the key in the Temple of Droplets which is encased in a block of ice, are found in big chests.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Boss Keys are found in big chests, most having an orange and black design. In the Goron Mines, Link must use Key Shards to assemble the boss key, which was taken apart by the Goron elders to ensure that Fyrus, the dungeon's boss, would not escape his imprisonment. Link convinces them to give the key parts to him, and he successfully reassembles the Boss Key. In the Snowpeak Ruins, the Bedroom Key serves as the key to the boss's lair.

The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass & Spirit Tracks
Boss Keys are typically found in large chests. Unlike earlier installments, the key must be physically carried rather than kept in the inventory. Picking up a Boss Key usually prompts Key Masters to appear; these disembodied hands will attempt to reclaim the key, forcing Link to return to where he found it and repeat the process. Once a key is inserted into the block placed before the entrance to the boss room, the Keymasters disappear.

In Spirit Tracks, Link occasionally encounters electrified keys that causes damage if he touches them. In order to get these keys, Link requires the aid of a Phantom Guardian controlled by Princess Zelda, which is immune to electricity.

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