Ghini

Ghinis are recurring enemies in. They are ghastly spirits that thrive in burial grounds and crypts. These cycloptic ghosts first appeared in, and have since become a staple of many early 2D Zelda games. They are almost always depicted with their tongues lolling out of their mouths.

In nearly all of their appearances, Ghinis fly in sporadic or circular patterns. In the early games, these spirits are easily disgruntled and rise from their slumbers to attack intruders; merely touching a tombstone is enough to provoke one into action. Often one Ghini will haunt each set of tombstones without first being disturbed. Ghinis are known to attack in groups, with a seemingly collective life force. In these instances, when the first Ghini is slain, all will be destroyed in the same instant. Later games have dropped this behavior, and now most Ghinis simply attack alone or in smaller groups. While they can be dispatched with many weapons, Ghinis are often more stringent and relentless in respect to their longevity and vitality as compared to many other enemies within the Zelda universe, and so often require many Sword swings to defeat.

Ghinis are notably absent in 3D console Zelda games, which instead features the similar ghost enemy Poes. Poes in in particular share many similarities with Ghinis, in which Ghinis are also absent. These Poes have a nearly identical behavior to Ghinis of early games, and may have served as a replacement to the Ghini in later games. More recently however, both Poes and Ghinis have begun appearing together in games such as and.

The Giant Ghini is a notable variation of this enemy, which is a much larger Ghini that occasionally acts as a mini-boss.

The Legend of Zelda
In, Ghinis inhabit the western Graveyards on the overworld of Hyrule. One Ghini appears haunting each set of tombstones, however more Ghinis will spawn if Link disturbs any of the graves by touching one. More Ghinis can appear from the same tombstone if Link continuously touches it. Ghinis that appear from tombstones cannot be harmed by any means, and attacks will go right through them. Instead, Ghinis all share what appears to be a collective life force, as all Ghinis on the screen will be destroyed if Link slays the first that appears in that area. They are, however, very resilient and take several hits with the Sword to defeat. Even after the first is slain, more Ghinis can still appear from tombstones and remain invincible. On a screen full of Ghinis, the two types can be differentiated from each other by their movements; the first Ghini floats slowly and around the graves, whereas the others fly more sporadically.

Link's Awakening
In, Ghinis appear in the Cemetery east of the Koholint Prairie and north of Ukuku Prairie. Like those of The Legend of Zelda, one Ghini appears haunting each set of tombstones. Only certain graves can summon Ghinis by touching them, and only one to that grave. As in the previous game, slaying the first Ghini will destroy all other Ghinis on the screen. However, the other Ghinis are no longer invincible and can be attacked, but defeating them will not destroy the others.

A Giant Ghini also appears by disturbing one of the Cemetery's tombstones. This larger Ghini takes many more hits to defeat, but like the other Ghinis that spawn from graves, it can be instantly destroyed by defeating the first Ghini in the area.

Oracle Series
In, Ghinis appear similarly to those of The Legend of Zelda and Link's Awakening. They inhabit the Graveyard in western Holodrum close to the Western Coast, and like Ghinis of previous games, a lone Ghini can be found haunting a set of graves and more appear when their tombstones are disturbed. Any grave can spawn a Ghini, but only one per grave. All Ghinis that appear can be fought, and destroying the first one of that area will also kill any on the screen. Despite the Ghini's characteristic resilience, it can be defeated with a single swipe of the Rod of Seasons.

In, Ghinis vary slightly as they no longer inhabit cemeteries on the overworld, but rather appear inside crypt-like dungeons. A lone Ghini appears in a single room in the Spirit's Grave, and must be defeated to open a door. Groups of Ghinis appear in several rooms in the Ancient Tomb. These Ghinis do not appear to share a life force, as defeating any one will not affect the others.

A Giant Ghini also appears as the mini-boss of the Spirit's Grave. This Ghini bears a distinctive appearance as it no longer has a single eye or a lolling tongue, and is surrounded by tinier Ghinis with a similar look.

Friendly Ghinis also play a role in a Linked Game. Two Ghinis are involved with the Graveyard Secret, and a Ghini living in the abandoned house on the Western Coast is involved with the Library Secret. These Ghinis only appear in a Linked Game.

Four Swords
In, Ghinis appear as bright blue ghosts in Vaati's Palace. They also appear in The Legend of Zelda-themed stage of the Realm of Memories and the Hero's Trial in. Ghinis behave differently as they appear in smaller groups and now grab onto the Links to drain their health. These Ghinis are no longer connected to one another, and defeating one will not defeat any others.

Four Swords Adventures
In, Ghinis appear in small groups, typically congregating in dark areas. They move in swaying motions and emit blue light as they fly, which slightly illuminates the area around them. Ghinis in this game do not emerge from tombstones, and no longer share a collective life force between each other. They are also much less resilient, and now only take one Sword strike to defeat. Ghinis may also sometimes periodically turn invisible, leaving only their shadow behind. They can be found in the cemetery of The Swamp, the dark castle basement in Infiltration of Hyrule Castle, and during the blizzard portion of Frozen Hyrule. Ghinis in The Swamp are susceptible to light and can be defeated by lighting certain torches, but Ghinis in other stages are unaffected by torch light. Some Ghinis also hide inside Pots in the Hyrule Castle basement as well. Ghinis are also summoned by the Big Poe during both of its boss battles.

Giant Ghinis appear as well in The Swamp. These large ghosts can only be defeated by lighting nearby torches activated by switches.

The Minish Cap
Ghinis in possess an entirely different behavior and strategy of attack than those of previous games. They can be found in haunted locales such as the region surrounding the Royal Valley and Dark Hyrule Castle, but no longer emerge from graves and appear solitary. Ghinis are found appearing to be asleep, but awake and pursue Link once he draws near. They adopt behaviors similar to Ghinis from Four Swords as well as ReDeads of other games; they will constrict Link's body using their tail once they catch him, and literally lick the life away for as long as they can secure him in their grasp. Link must then struggle free to prevent his life from being further drained.

There is also a friendly pink Ghini named Gina who appears in a grave in the Royal Valley. This Ghini offers to fuse many Kinstone pieces with Link.

A Link Between Worlds
In, Ghinis appear in "Light" and "Dark" versions; Light Ghinis resemble the ordinary white-colored Ghinis, whereas Dark Ghinis are black-colored and have a red eye. Both types appear in the pitch-dark corridors of the Dark Palace. Light Ghinis hide themselves in the darkness of the dungeon, but are easily seen when the area is lit, either by lighting torches or using the Fire Rod or Lantern. Conversely, Dark Ghinis are entirely visible in darkness but turn invisible when exposed to light. Both Ghinis move in small circular patterns and usually appear alone or in very small groups. They can be attacked regardless if they are visible or not. Both Ghinis also appear in the Treacherous Tower.

Tri Force Heroes
In, both "Light" and "Dark" Ghini types from A Link Between Worlds appear, albeit with slightly different behaviors. Dark Ghinis appear in the Palace Noir, inhabiting the dark chamber of the second stage, while Light Ghinis appear in the Lone Labyrinth and Sky Temple. While similar to those from A Link Between Worlds, both types are not affected much by light. Dark Ghinis are able to better conceal themselves in darkness, and remain visible even when exposed to light. Light Ghinis continue to hide in darkness, but only on The Ruins-themed platform in the Sky Temple.

Philips CD-i Games
In and, Ghinis resemble ghostly old men that fly through the air. Like other air-borne enemies, they repeatedly spawn from certain areas and fly directly at either Link or Zelda. They are unable to change direction mid-flight. They appear in white and green-colored varieties, although very little differs between them. Ghinis typically inhabit haunted or crypt-like locations, such as the Goronu, Glutko and Lupay regions of Koridai, and Sakado's crypt and the Gobiyan Ship of Gamelon.

Trivia

 * In the prototype release of The Legend of Zelda, Ghinis were originally depicted with two pairs of legs and an angrier glare. Artwork from Million Publishing's game guide depicts the Ghini identically to this sprite.
 * Although nearly always depicted with a single eye, Ghinis have two eyes in their official artwork from The Legend of Zelda, and in their sprites in.