Hardhat Beetles,[1] also known as Helmet Beetles[2] or Octopods,[3] are a recurring enemy in the The Legend of Zelda franchise, appearing exclusively in fixed-camera games. Despite their English name, they more closely resemble cephalopods or jellyfish than beetles, and are likely based at least in part by the similar-looking Buzzy Beetle from the Mario franchise. Attacking them directly results in a large amount of recoil, and as such they are common around pits. In some appearances, pits are the only way of dealing with them.
History[edit]
The Legend of Zelda series[edit]
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past[edit]
In The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Hardhat Beetles come in indigo and red, both of which are first found in the Tower of Hera. They can be defeated with sufficient sword strikes, though knocking them into pits is generally quicker, particularly for the latter. With the sword, indigo ones take four hits and red ones take sixteen hits.
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening[edit]
In The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, Hardhat Beetles are now black with a pair of large eyes peering out of the shadows beneath, a design that persists in all rereleases. They are encountered as early as the first dungeon, the Tail Cave. The sword can no longer defeat them, making it so that only pits can be used at first. In the reissues' Color Dungeon, the main boss is a giant Hardhat Beetle capable of speech called Hardhit Beetle (formerly D. Poon). Unlike the normal ones, its eyes and colors resemble those of the ones from A Link to the Past, and it can only be defeated through quickly and repeatedly attacking it. Additionally, it has a pair of mandibles and segmented limbs, giving it a more arthropod-like appearance.
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons/Ages[edit]
In The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons and The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages, Hardhat Beetles look and act the same as in Link's Awakening. In the former game, they first appear in Snake's Remains, and in the latter game they first appear in the Skull Dungeon. In the former game, heavy magnetic balls can be used to crush them. Additionally, mauve-tinted ones appear during Patch's minigame in the latter.
The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures[edit]
In The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures, Hardhat Beetles look like they do in A Link to the Past, but are only found in blue. Like in the Game Boy games, they are generally invulnerable beyond knocking them around. However, stunning them with the boomerang allows them to be damaged and defeated normally. They first appear in the Tower of Flames.
The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass[edit]
In The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, Hardhat Beetles only come in blue and have black limbs. They are first found in the Temple of Courage. Once again, they can only be defeated through knocking them into a pit.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds[edit]
In The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, Hardhat Beetles look and act as they do in A Link to the Past, coming in both blue and red, with both being able to be defeated through sword strikes. The blue ones debut in the Tower of Hera, while the red ones do not appear until the Ice Ruins. Both appear in the Treacherous Tower.
The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes[edit]
In The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes, Hardhat Beetles appear in the Volcano in blue and red and are mostly the same as the ones in A Link Between Worlds. An added catch is that the red ones are on fire and must be extinguished by being stunned; doing so with the Gust Jar makes it permanent, turning them blue. Curse-bearing "dark" ones are also present in the Den of Trials.
Gallery[edit]
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language
|
Name
|
Meaning
|
| Japanese |
ポーン
Pōn |
Pawn, either as a reference to its shape resembling a chess piece or a bouncing noise
|
| Spanish |
botarabajo |
From "botar" (to bounce) and "abajo" (downward)
|
| French (NOA) |
Rétrocto |
|
| French (NOE) |
Pion |
Pawn
|
| Dutch |
kever |
beetle
|
| German |
Helmqualle |
Helmet Jellyfish
|
| Italian |
poon |
From Japanese name
|
| Russian |
каскожук
kaskozhuk |
|
| Korean |
돌충이
Dolchung-i |
|
| Chinese (Simplified) |
珠壳虫 |
|
| Chinese (Traditional) |
珠殼蟲 |
|
References[edit]
- ^ M. Arakawa. The Legend of Zelda – Link's Awakening Player's Guide. Page 98.
- ^ M. Arakawa. The Legend of Zelda – Link's Awakening Player's Guide. Page 28.
- ^ Stratton, Bryan, and Stephen Stratton. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past/Four Swords Prima's Official Strategy Guide. Page 17.
| The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (DX) (Nintendo Switch)
|
| Characters
|
| Main and supporting
|
Link • Marin • Tarin • BowWow • Owl • Flying Rooster • Wind Fish
|
| Other
|
Bear Cub • Chef Bear • Christine • CiaoCiao • Crazy Tracy • Dampé*** • Fairy Queen* • Fisherman • Gar and Dion* • Ghost • Grandma Yahoo • Goriya • Great Fairies • Henhouse Keeper • Hippo Model • Kiki the Monkey • Li'l Devil • Madam MeowMeow • Mamasha • Mamu • Manbo • Mermaid • Mr. Write • Old Man Ulrira • Papahl • Photographer** • Quadruplets • Raccoon • Richard • Sale • Schule Donavitch • Shopkeeper • Toucan • Trendy Gamester • Walrus • Witch
|
| Species
|
Bee • Bird • Chicken • Fairy • Fish • Fox • Frog • Mini Bow-Wow • Monkey • Mouse • Rabbit • Seagull
|
| Enemies
|
| Normal enemies
|
Armos • Ball and Chain Trooper • Ballereen • Beetle • Birky • Blooper • Boarblin • Bomb Trooper • Bombite • Bonewing* • Boo • Buzz Blob • Cheep Cheep • Crow • Cukeman • Dacto • Darknut • Firebat • Ghini • Giant Ghini • Gibdo • Giant Goponga Flower • Goo Specter • Goomba • Goponga Flower • Hardhat Beetle • Helmasaur • Hollow Mimic • Hue Ball* • K.K. Sniper • Keese • Leever • Like Like • Mini Angler • Mini-Moldorm • Mini Zol • Moblin • Octorok • Pairodd • Peahat • Pincer • Piranha • Piranha Plant • Pokey • Pols Voice • Rope • Sand Crab • Sea Urchin • Shrouded Stalfos • Shy Guy • Spark • Spiny • Spiny Beetle • Stalfos • Sword Moblin • Sword Stalfos • Tektite • Three-of-a-Kind • Vire • Voidmaster • Water Tektite • Winged Octorok • Wizzrobe • Zirro • Zol • Zombie • Zora
|
| Traps and obstacles
|
Anti-Faery • Blade Trap • Boulder • Eye Guard • Face Lamp • Flame Fountain • Flying Tile • Giant Bubble • Laser • Lava • Mega Thwomp • Podoboo • Quick Sand • Shadow Link*** • Spiked Thwomp • Stone Elevator • Thwomp • Wallmaster***
|
| Minibosses
|
Armos Knight • Avalaunch* • Blaino • Dodongo Snake • Giant Buzz Blob* • Gohma • Grim Creeper and Creeps • Hinox • Hydrosoar • Lanmola • Master Stalfos • Moblin Chief • Rover • Spike Roller • Turtle Rock
|
| Bosses
|
Moldorm • Genie • Slime Eye • Angler Fish • Slime Eel • Facade • Evil Eagle • Hot Head • Shadow Nightmares (Giant Zol Shadow • Agahnim Shadow • Moldorm Shadow • Ganon Shadow • Lanmola Shadow • Death Shadow) • Hardhit Beetle*
|
| Equipment
|
| Weapons
|
Bomb • Boomerang • Bow and Arrows • Hookshot • Magic Rod • Pegasus Boots • Power Bracelet (Powerful Bracelet) • Shield (Mirror Shield) • Sword (Koholint Sword)
|
| Items
|
Blue Clothes* • Compass • Dungeon Map • Fairy • Flippers • Golden Leaf • Guardian Acorn • Heart • Heart Container • Magnifying Lens • Nightmare Key • Piece of Heart • Piece of Power • Red Clothes* • Rupee • Secret medicine • Secret Seashell • Small Key • Stone beak • Toadstool • Trading sequence items (Yoshi Doll, Ribbon, Canned food, Bananas, Stick, Honeycomb, Pineapple, Hibiscus, Goat's letter, Broom, Fishing hook, Necklace/Bra, Mermaid's Scale)
|
| Dungeon Keys
|
Tail Key • Slime Key • Angler Key • Face Key • Bird Key
|
| Instruments of the Sirens
|
Full Moon Cello • Conch Horn • Sea Lily's Bell • Surf Harp • Wind Marimba • Coral Triangle • Organ of Evening Calm • Thunder Drum
|
| Locations
|
| Koholint Island
|
Animal Village • Cemetery • East of the Bay • Goponga Swamp • Koholint Prairie • Mabe Village • Martha's Bay • Mt. Tamaranch • Mysterious Forest • Pothole Field • Rapids Ride • Shrine Waterfall • Signpost Maze • South of the Village • Tabahl Wasteland • Tal Tal Heights • Tal Tal Mountain Range • Toronbo Shores • Ukuku Prairie • Yarna Desert
|
| Dungeons
|
Level 1 - Tail Cave • Level 2 - Bottle Grotto • Level 3 - Key Cavern • Level 4 - Angler's Tunnel • Level 5 - Catfish's Maw • Level 6 - Face Shrine • Level 7 - Eagle's Tower • Level 8 - Turtle Rock • Wind Fish's Egg • Color Dungeon*
|
| Buildings
|
Crazy Tracy's Health Spa • Henhouse • House by the Bay • Manbo's Pond • Madam MeowMeow's House • Marin and Tarin's House • Old Man Ulrira's House • Quadruplets House • Raft Shop • Richard's Villa • Sale's House o' Bananas • Seashell Mansion • Telephone Booth • Town Tool Shop • Trendy Game • Under the bridge • Village Library • Weird Mr. Write • Witch's Hut
|
| Other
|
Ancient Ruins • Camera Shop** • Chamber Dungeon*** • Dampé's Shack*** • Dream Shrine • Faerie Spring • Fishing Pond • Kanalet Castle • Mermaid Statue • Moblin Cave • Warp point • Weathervane • Well
|
| * Not in the original version ** Exclusive to Link's Awakening DX *** Exclusive to the Nintendo Switch remake
|
| The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
|
| Characters
|
| Protagonists
|
Link • Princess Zelda • Ravio
|
| Sages
|
Gulley • Oren • Seres • Osfala • Rosso • Irene • Impa
|
| Supporting
|
Blacksmith • Dampé • Fairy • Ganon • Great Fairy • Mother Maiamai • Princess Hilda • Sahasrahla • Sheerow • Thief Girl
|
| Other
|
Bag Guy • Bard • Bee Guy • Bird Lover • Bird-Masked Man • Blacksmith's Wife • Bomb-Shop Man • Bouldering Guy • Boy • Captain • Craftsman • Cucco Girl • Customer • Dampé? • Derby Boy • Derby Girl • Devilish Girl • Dungeon Bros • Flute Boy • Fortune's Choice Guy • Fortune-Teller • Girl • Gramps • Great Rupee Fairy • Hinox • Hint Ghost • Housekeeper • Hyrule Soldier • Item Seller • Lakeside Item Seller • Mama Turtle • Masked Elder • Masked Followers • Masked Granny • Milk Bar Owner (Talon • Ingo) • Mysterious Man • Octo • Official • Papa • Philosopher • Priest • Racing Bros • Rumor Guy • Runaway Item Seller • Rupee Rush Gal • Rupee Rush Guy • Shady Guy • Spear Boy • Street Merchant • Stylish Woman • Swimmer • Treasure Hunter • Veteran Thief • Witch • Woman • Young Woman • Zora Underling
|
| Bosses
|
Yuga • Margomill • Moldorm • Gemesaur King • Arrghus • Knucklemaster • Stalblind • Dharkstare • Zaganaga • Grinexx • Yuga Ganon • Shadow Link (optional) • Gramps (optional)
|
| Species
|
Fairy • Human • Maiamai • Turtle • Zora
|
| Enemies and minibosses
|
Armos • Arrghus • Arrgi • Ball and Chain Soldier • Bari • Bawb • Bee • Biri • Big Ice Gimos • Big Pengator • Blob • Bomb Soldier • Bow Soldier • Buzz Blob • Chasupa • Crow • Dacto • Dark Rat • Deadrock • Devalant • Eyegore • Fire Bubble • Fire Gimos • Fire Wizzrobe • Firebat • Flamola • Freezor • Geldman • Ghini • Gibdo • Gibo • Gigabari • Gimos • Golden Bee • Goriya • Gyorm • Hardhat Beetle • Heedle • Helmasaur • Hinox • Hokkubokku • Hyu • Ice Bubble • Ice Gimos • Ice Wizzrobe • Karat Crab • Keeleon • Keese • Kodongo • Ku • Kyameron • Leever • Like Like • Lorule Soldier • Lorule Soldier (ball and chain) • Lorule Soldier (spear) • Lorule Soldier (sword) • Lynel • Mini Moldorm • Moblin • Moldorm • Octorok • Peahat • Pengator • Poe • Popo • Rat • Ropa • Rope • Rupee Like • Sand Crab • Skullrope • Slarok • Sluggula • Snap Dragon • Soldier • Spear Soldier • Spear Throwing Soldier • Stal • Stalfos • Swamola • Sword Soldier • Taros • Tektite • Terrorpin • Vulture • Wallmaster • Water Tektite • Zazak • Zirro • Zora
|
| Traps and obstacles
|
Arrow Trap • Ball • Beamos • Boulder • Bumper • Fire bar • Flying Tile • Giant Ball • Lightning Lock • Magma bomb • Medusa • Moldola • Mole • Rolling Pin • Spiked Iron Ball • Trap
|
| Items
|
Apple • Arrow • Big Key • Bell • Blue Potion • Bombs (Rented, Nice) • Bomb Flower • Boomerang (Rented, Nice) • Bottle • Bow (Rented, Nice) • Bow of Light • Compass • Dungeon Map • Fire Rod (Rented, Nice) • Foul Fruit • Hammer (Rented, Nice) • Heart • Heart Container • Hint Glasses • Hookshot (Rented, Nice) • Ice Rod (Rented, Nice) • Lamp (Super) • Letter in a Bottle • Milk • Monster Guts • Monster Horn • Monster Tail • Net (Super) • Pendants of Virtue (Courage, Power, Wisdom) • Piece of Heart • Premium Milk • Purple Potion • Red Potion • Rupee • Sand Rod (Rented, Nice) • Scoot Fruit • Small Key • Smooth Gem • Tornado Rod (Rented, Nice) • Yellow Potion
|
| Equipment
|
Bee Badge • Blue Mail • Forgotten Sword • Green Tunic • Hylian Shield • Master Ore • Master Sword • Master Sword Lv2 • Master Sword Lv3 • Pegasus Shoes • Pouch • Power Glove • Red Mail • Ravio's Bracelet • Shield • Stamina Scroll • Sword • Titan's Mitt • Zora's Flippers
|
| Locations
|
| Hyrule
|
Blacksmith's Forge • Death Mountain • Desert of Mystery • Eastern Ruins • Graveyard • Hyrule Castle • Inn • Kakariko Village • Lake Hylia • Lake Hylia Shop • Link's House • Lost Woods • Miner's House • Mountain Cave • Ravio's Shop • Rosso's Ore Mine • Sacred Grove • Sahasrahla's House • Sanctuary • Southern Ruins • Spectacle Rock • StreetPass Meadow • Swamp Ruins • Waterfall of Wishing • Witch's House • Zora's Domain
|
| Lorule
|
Blacksmith's Forge • Bomb Flower Store • Dark Ruins • Death Mountain • Graveyard • Lake of Ill Omen • Misery Mire • Skull Woods • Southern Ruins • Thieves' Town • Vacant House
|
| Other
|
Fairy Fountain • Great Fairy Fountain • Item Shop • Sacred Realm
|
| Dungeons
|
| Hyrule
|
Secret Passage • Eastern Palace • House of Gales • Tower of Hera • Inside Hyrule Castle • Desert Palace
|
| Lorule
|
Dark Palace • Swamp Palace • Skull Woods • Thieves' Hideout • Ice Ruins • Turtle Rock • Lorule Castle (Throne Room) • Treacherous Tower (optional)
|
| Miscellaneous
|
Gallery • Pre-release and unused content
|
