The Bokoblins, smaller and weaker relatives of the ever-threatening Moblins, have served as standard enemies of Link’s in many of his adventures. Vicious and able to demonstrate varying levels of intelligence, these monsters are not to be dismissed when traversing the many versions of Hyrule.
The Bokoblins made their first appearance in 2003’s The Wind Waker. There primary purpose was to serve as a moderately strengthed and commonly encountered enemy that loyally served Ganondorf. They could be found in every dungeon and on multiple islands across the Great Sea, and were also often found manning many lookout towers.
The design of the Bokoblins was heavily influenced by the Moblins. They have similar porcine features, wore clothing (a vest with no shirt and a pair of pants), attacked with swords, and were smart enough to strategize against Link in battle. The Bokoblins also came in green, pink, and blue variants. These changes in color did not signify any change in strength or ability.
Defeating the beasts was a straightforward venture. Some of the beasts could block Link’s attacks by using a shield, but parrying their own attacks was a simple way to circumvent them. Aside from the shield, the Bokoblins lacked any real defensive measures, so Link was free to use any of his items to defeat them.
Link’s second encounter with the Bokoblins came three years later in Twilight Princess. They served much the same role as the one from The Wind Waker by acting as a constant hazard that Link faced in many sections of Hyrule, most notably Hyrule Field.
As to be expected, the visual design for the Bokoblins was significantly different than the one from The Wind Waker, though they still seemed to take inspiration from those original ones. They came in either red or blue colors (the red ones were the more resilient of the two), wore loincloths, and wielded crude and rusty blades as weapons. The biggest difference between these Bokoblins and the previous ones was their overall lack of intellect. They showed the ability to communicate but otherwise behaved like feral beasts.
The primitive nature of these Bokoblins made them easy for Link to defeat. With no defensive options, Link could use his sword, arrows, bombs, or nearly any weapon at his disposal to bring them down.
Skyward Sword featured a version of the Bokoblins that departed from the animalistic nature of the previous two. These Bokoblins were instead reminiscent of demonic beasts from Japanese folklore, such as the oni, complete with a set of horns and human-like facial features.
Being common enemies, the Bokoblins could be found in every region on the Surface and lurked in most of the dungeons. They were stronger and larger than previous types, and could at times offer Link a decent challenge. These Bokoblins were also capable of using multiple types of weapons, and they also came in sub-species variants, such as the Technoblins (Bokoblins equipped with electrified batons).
As mentioned earlier, these Bokoblins were noticeable threats to Link, and strategy was often required for defeating them. They knew how to block Link’s sword strikes, so careful timing and accuracy was important for close-range combat. They could still be dispatched easily from a distance with weapons like the Bow, though.
The as-of-now latest version of the Bokoblins appeared in Breath of the Wild in 2017. Appearance-wise they returned to their more swine-like appearance from The Wind Waker, albeit to a higher degree. Their noses were large with pronounced snouts that they used to sniff out food, their ears were large and wide, and their eyes were small and blue with white pupils.
As with all enemy species present Breath of the Wild, the Bokoblins came in a variety of colors, such as red, blue, and silver, with each one signifying an increase in strength and durability. They almost always worked and hunted in groups, preferring to make a base camp that they could patrol from during the day and sleep near at night. They were also known to attack and pursue roaming travelers and were also capable of taming and riding horses, which also denoted a significant amount of intellect.
These beasts, being perhaps the most dangerous of all the Bokoblin incarnations, forced Link to be careful and plan his assaults before facing them, especially if their numbers were great and he was lacking in powerful equipment and weapons. Their intelligence also made encounters challenging, as they were smart enough to use bows, attack from their steads, block attacks with shields, and even avoid bombs. To defeat them quickly, Link often needed to catch them by surprise to kill or damage them before they knew he was nearby.
The Bokoblins, though not one of the oldest species in the series, have made four very prominent appearances in four of the most beloved and acclaimed games. They serve the role of “standard enemy” perfectly, which means their return in future games is a safe assumption.
(For more information on the Bokoblins and the other fascinating creatures of Hyrule, visit Zelda Wiki.)
