Stalfos Knight

Skeleton Knights, also known as Stalfos Knights, are a sword-and-shield-wielding variety of Stalfos found primarily in early games. They are often quite large, but other qualities that define them have since been applied to ordinary Stalfos.

Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
Skeleton Knights, referred to in English as simply Stalfos, appear in some of the early palaces. Stalfos come in red and blue. They attack with a sword and wield a shield at chest height, but leave their feet unguarded, allowing Link to attack them by swinging his sword while ducking. Stalfos are also capable of Down Thrusting when they spawn, but will not jump back in the air to do so. A stronger, helmeted version called a Parutamu is found in some later dungeons.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Skeleton Knights appear in the Ice Palace, where they fall from the ceiling. They are much larger than ordinary Stalfos, and wield long swords, which they slash at the ground with. Attacking them will cause them to temporarily crumble; from here, they can be destroyed with a bomb. They are only capable of facing towards the screen. In the Game Boy Advance version, ones with slightly different color appear in the Palace of the Four Sword.

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
One Skeleton Knight named Master Stalfos appears, and is even larger than the one in A Link to The Past. He steals the Hookshot in Catfish's Maw and must be fought four times. He acts like the ones in A Link to the Past, but takes more hits. Like the Gohmas, he is not encountered again in Turtle Rock.

Cadence of Hyrule
What appears to be Skeleton Knights appear and now wear teal helmets with orange horns. They wield huge battered swords and spiked orange shields, and are again larger than normal Stalfos. There is also a dark variety with a red helmet with gold details.