Goron

The Gorons (pronounced ) are a race of rock people inhabiting Hyrule, Termina, and several other countries, typically living in mountain ranges. Gorons are one of the most consistently present races throughout.

By the time of, other major races such as the Zora, Kokiri, and Deku are nowhere to be found, presumably having either evolved or migrated. In SS undefined, which is the earliest game in the Zelda series timeline, the Goron race is still exactly the same, but all other races (excluding the Hylians) either do not make an appearance or have not evolved yet.

Characteristics
The Gorons are a large, mountain-dwelling race, with sizes ranging from medium, tall, and even gigantic. The largest known Goron in the series is Biggoron, who is roughly about the same height as the peak of Death Mountain. Gorons typically live in or under mountain ranges of several countries, including mountains such as Death Mountain of Hyrule and Snowhead of Termina, among others. Although they are also adept at living in non-mountainous regions, as seen in some titles such as. It is not uncommon to see Gorons come down from their mountain homes or even travel to faraway lands, such as in The Wind Waker and SS undefined. Some also live on islands, such as on Goron Island. Befitting with that of their habitat, their durable, round bodies greatly resemble that of stones and boulders, and nearly all Gorons have a hide of ridged stones on their backsides. They usually have light brown skin; however, green, red, and blue Gorons have also been seen only in the world of Labrynna. They also have small eyes and noticeable lips, which conceal unaligned square teeth. Combined with their round shape, Gorons can also curl themselves into a ball shape and roll like a boulder, which is also their primary attack against enemies.

Gorons possess immense strength which many in their race are proud of, and many groups of Gorons like to hold competitions that test each other's physical strength and even rolling ability, including competitions such as sumo wrestling and rolling racing, among others. While Gorons do have many strengths, they are also not without their weaknesses. Gorons tend to move slowly, which their ability to roll makes up for, and one of their apparent weaknesses is deep water as they cannot swim. However, as mentioned in, Gorons can hold their breath for long periods without ever needing to breathe and thus cannot drown. Another common trait is that they have symbols in the shape of the Goron's Ruby tattooed to the sides of their arms, whether this is natural or not is unknown.

The diet of Gorons consist almost strictly of rocks mined from nearby quarries, although it has been shown in other titles that Gorons also eat other kinds of foods. In the Oracle series, Gorons also drink lava, either in the form of Lava Juice or Lava Soup. also had a drink called Goronade, which acts much like an energy drink. In The Minish Cap, Biggoron had indicated that he likes to eat steel or iron, and asked Link to give him his Small Shield to "nibble" on, which eventually turned it into the Mirror Shield. In, it is mentioned that young Gorons may eat Wood Hearts to grow big and strong. It was also implied in Twilight Princesss that Gorons may drink milk.

Groups of Gorons often live in close-knit communities within their home mountains, often led by an elder leader, such as Darunia, the leader of the Death Mountain Gorons in. Gorons are very close and respectful to others of their own kind, and often refer to each other as brothers. Though the Gorons are a friendly race, they can also be slow to trust outsiders, and may come off as cautious or even aggressive depending on the situation. However, if an outsider is able to prove their worth, usually in a test of strength, skill, intelligence, or courage, the Goron tribe will accept them and come to call them one of their brothers.

Some Gorons are also known to be skilled smiths, notably Medigoron and Biggoron, of which the latter is responsible for creating the Biggoron's Sword. They are also known for harvesting Bombs from the Bomb Flowers which grows in Death Mountain, sometimes also called the "Goron's Special Crop." A few Gorons, notably Gorko, have been shown to be interested in archaeology, uniquely amongst the many Hyrulean races.

The Goron race have also been noted for lack of any identifiable females.

Ocarina of Time
Ocarina of Time was the first Zelda title to introduce the Gorons. The Gorons live within Death Mountain, in a large dome-shaped cavern which they call Goron City. This city houses several rooms, stairways, and also a giant vase at the bottom floor which contains a Piece of Heart, provided that the vase is spinning. There is also a shop on the bottom floor as well, run by a Goron. Many Gorons populate Goron City, but some do venture out into the trail and are willing to give directions to the city if spoken to. At first glance, the Gorons look like smooth boulders lying down, but will uncurl themselves if approached. The Gorons also have their own mining complex, Dodongo's Cavern. Its entrance lays at the base of the mountain trail, and the Gorons mine there for the rocks which they eat. One Goron mentions that the Gorons have became such gourmets that they refuse to eat ordinary rocks, and thus rely on the mines for their only source of food.

The Gorons in Ocarina of Time are governed by a single leader, a large Goron named Darunia who often stays in his room on the bottom floor. Another notable Goron is Biggoron, a gigantic Goron who is too large to live with the other Gorons, and thus resides on the peak of Death Mountain. Biggoron also has a younger brother named Medigoron who is much smaller, but still about two to three times the size of a normal Goron. He lives in his cramped workshop, Medigoron's Blade Store, within Goron City. Both Gorons are blacksmiths, but the eldest brother Biggoron is more skilled in his work than his brother. As an adult, Link can purchase a Giant's Knife from Medigoron for 200 Rupees, which will break after striking enemies or hard surfaces four times. Biggoron, however, is able to craft an indestructible blade, the Biggoron's Sword, which Link can obtain at the end of the Biggoron's Sword Trading Sequence.

Before Opening the Door of Time
The Gorons also guard the Spiritual Stone of Fire, more commonly known to them as the Goron's Ruby, which is received after beating Dodongo's Cavern. The Spiritual Stone of Fire was originally guarded on a high platform, which could only be reached by crossing a rope, until Darunia took it and guarded it himself in his room. The Gorons also grow a special kind of explosive plant called Bomb Flower, a flower that acts like a Bomb which the Gorons use for mining.

When Link goes to Goron City with the intention of acquiring their Spiritual Stone, he learns from the Gorons that a gigantic boulder had blocked the only entrance to their mining complex, Dodongo's Cavern. Because of this, the Gorons can no longer mine for the rocks they eat, and are now starving because of their rock shortage. Some of the Gorons had became so hungry, that a few had went to the Spiritual Stone of Fire with the intention of giving it just a little lick, only to find it missing from where it was usually kept. Darunia had taken the Spiritual Stone and guarded it himself to prevent the others from possibly eating it. In the process, he locks himself in his room, saying that he would only come out whenever Hyrule's royal messenger arrives. When Link plays "Zelda's Lullaby" on the doormat to Darunia's room, Darunia opens his door, thinking the Royal Family's messenger has arrived. But when Darunia sees that it was only a child, he becomes furious, saying that the Gorons are having their own problems. He then tells Link to leave him alone.

Some of the Gorons tell of the tunnel that leads to the Lost Woods, where "Saria's Song" can be heard, and that sometimes Darunia likes to listen to it. When Link plays "Saria's Song" to the Goron leader, Darunia begins to dance madly, and instantly becomes happier. Darunia then asks Link to help them with their problem, and that he would award Link with the Spiritual Stone, but only if Link helped them. He is then given the Goron Bracelet which allows him to pick up heavy objects such as Bomb Flowers. Link manages to find a Bomb Flower and use it to unblock the entrance. He goes inside the mining complex and eventually defeats the boss King Dodongo. Darunia tells Link that Ganondorf had approached the Goron tribe and had blocked the entrance to their mines, threatening them that he would only unblock it if they had gave him the Spiritual Stone of Fire. Once the mines are finally safe again, Darunia and two Gorons drop down to Link and announce that he was now one of them, a "sworn brother," and gave him the Spiritual Stone of Fire for his efforts. The Gorons also want to give Link a Goron hug, which Link runs away from.

After the Door of Time is Opened
Link awakens seven years into the future, where he finds himself as an adult. He is then told by Rauru, one of the six Sages, to go out and awaken the other five Sages to aid him in the battle against Ganondorf. During the seven years Link slept, Ganondorf wreaked more havoc on Death Mountain. Its trail became more dangerous and red smoke surrounded the mountain, reflecting its tumultuous state. After arriving in Goron City, Link finds that the Gorons' home is completely empty. There is however a single, rolling Goron who can be stopped with the use of a Bomb. This Goron introduces himself as Link, Hero of the Gorons who admires the real Link. Link the Goron says that he is the son of Darunia. He then tells Link that Ganondorf had revived an evil dragon named Volvagia that, according to Goron lore, had preyed on Gorons and was defeated by a Goron hero who used the Megaton Hammer in a battle against it. Darunia is a descendant of that Goron. More recently however, Ganondorf had captured nearly all of the Gorons and held them captive as prisoners in the Fire Temple, where he threatened to feed them all to the revived Volvagia, as an example to all of the other races who might question his rule over Hyrule. The only other Gorons who were not taken captive were Biggoron, Medigoron, and the Goron who runs the shop in Goron City. Darunia was not captured, but went into the Fire Temple to defeat Volvagia and to save his people. Link the Goron fears the worst and pleads with Link to save the Goron race. Link the Goron then gives him the Red Tunic and tells him of a secret passageway to the other half of the Death Mountain Crater that can be accessed by pushing away a block in Darunia's room. There, Link finds the bridge that leads to the temple.

Inside the Fire Temple, Link reunites with Darunia in the room that held the boss door. Although Darunia is glad to see him again and would love to have a man-to-man talk to him, Darunia has to save his tribe and was going to fight Volvagia, even though he did not have the Megaton Hammer with him. He asks Link to free the Goron prisoners and then goes inside. Most of the Small Keys in the Fire Temple are used to free the prisoner Gorons, who give Link advice about the temple before escaping. Their prisoner cells often also held important items, such as more Keys, which makes freeing all of the Gorons necessary in order to clear the dungeon. After Link frees all the prisoner Gorons and defeats Volvagia with the Megaton Hammer, Darunia awakens and realizes that he was the Sage of Fire. He gives Link the Fire Medallion, which is also a symbol of their friendship. Afterwards, all of the other Gorons return to their city, and thank Link again if spoken to.

Majora's Mask
In, the Gorons live in the Snowhead area north of Termina. They include the Goron Elder, its son, and until recently, Darmani. Throughout the plot of Majora's Mask, Link learns to become a Goron himself by using the Goron Mask.

Unfortunately, the Goron and Mountain Villages have been plagued by harsh snow and ice, changing the usually warm habitat of the Gorons. The source was apparently Snowhead Temple, so Darmani went to investigate. He was then blown off the trail by a blizzard and died along the way, but Link heals his soul by playing the "Song of Healing." After Darmani's soul came to rest, Link obtains the Goron Mask.

In Goron Village, the Baby Goron has been crying ever since his father left. Link must calm him by taking the form of Darmani using the Goron Mask and playing the "Goron Lullaby," partially learned from the Goron Elder, who is frozen just outside of the village area. Unfreezing Gorons requires Hot Spring Water, found in Darmani's grave.

After clearing Snowhead and defeating Goht, Goron Link is allowed to participate in the Goron Race. However, the entrance is blocked by a large boulder which can only be destroyed using a Powder Keg. To get one, Link must visit Medigoron near the Goron Village and carry the Powder Keg from the village to the boulder. If Link wins the race, he receives a Bottle filled with Gold Dust.

Another Goron named Link visits Clock Town during the three days Link is in town. The Goron has a reservation at the Stock Pot Inn, and claims it at four on the First Day. However, Link can check in before the Goron of the same name, because Anju has a difficult time remembering the faces of the customers.

Oracle Series
Gorons appear in both the lands of Holodrum and Labrynna in the Oracle series. Unlike other Zelda titles, the Gorons in Holodrum and Labrynna have skin color that ranges from the usual yellow to red, green, and blue.

Oracle of Ages
In, Gorons live in both the peaks of Rolling Ridge of Labrynna, as well as the base of the mountain. Unlike the Gorons of Holodrum, there are a lot more Gorons in Labrynna and make up most if not all of Rolling Ridge's population. They are also in fact one of the larger Goron tribes in the Zelda series. There are more Gorons in the past then there are in present day, suggesting that some may have died off or migrated.

The Gorons of Labrynna exhibit many interests in playing games as well as dancing. Their sense of society also closely resembles that of the Goron tribe in Hyrule's Death Mountain, as they have an elder and test outsiders in skill before calling them a brother. The base and eastern peak of Rolling Ridge appears to have the most activity, as well as many tunnels that lead to the base and vice versa. This is where most of the minigames that Link can play, a requirement in order to access the Mermaid's Cave, and also where the Goron Dance Hall is held. Oracle of Ages requires that Link completes the fifth dungeon, Crown Dungeon, before allowing access to the base and eastern peak of Rolling Ridge.

The western peak of Rolling Ridge is less active, but also appears to be the main caverns of the Gorons. The western peak is probably also the main area where Bomb Flowers are grown, most notably in the past. In present day the Goron Elder, who slightly looks like Darunia of Ocarina of Time, became trapped under some fallen rocks and could not get out. The other Gorons had tried to break away the rocks, but even with their Goron strength, they couldn't break it and required the use of a Bomb Flower, which hadn't been seen in years. In the past, the Great Moblin had built his fortress in the western peak of Rolling Ridge and had kept all of the Bomb Flowers for himself. Once Link had defeated the Great Moblin, the Gorons had their Bomb Flowers returned to them. As thanks, Link was rewarded a Bomb Flower which he took into present day to free the Goron elder, who admits that he was not in any trouble at all.

The Goron Dance minigame is hosted by a blue Goron in the present day and by a red Goron in the past, where they instruct dance moves to other Gorons in the Goron Dance Hall. According to the red Goron, he is the first generation of "Graceful Dancers," and that the blue Goron is the fifth generation. To join in, Link has to pay 10 Rupees in present day or 20 Rupees in the past to dance with them. The Goron Dance Hall is where at least seven Gorons do a dance in rhythm, under the instructions of their instructor. According to the dance instructors, only people who dance well will be considered a Goron. When Link completes the minigame, he is officially dubbed a fellow brother within the tribe. He is then given the Brother Emblem, allowing him access a tunnel that was being blocked by a Goron from non-brothers. Other games that the Gorons in Labrynna play include the Target Carts game that involves shooting targets with the Seed Shooter, and the Big Bang Game, where Link has to dodge falling Bombs for a certain amount of tim. Several Gorons also ask that Link find them items such as Rock Sirloin, Goronade, and the Goron Vase. Eventually, after completing a number of requests and minigames, Link is rewarded the Mermaid Key that provides him access to the Mermaid's Cave.

Oracle of Seasons
In, Gorons live in a cave in Mt. Cucco, near where the Temple of Seasons once stood in Holodrum. Unlike the Gorons of Labrynna, these Gorons do not appear to have a Goron elder, or at least not refer to anyone as their leader. Although Biggoron does reside with them and may be their elder, however, he has to stay outside due to his largeness. While the seasons are in chaos, Mt. Cucco experiences cold winters most of the time, forcing all of the Gorons but Biggoron to stay inside the caves.

Due to the cold winters, Biggoron had caught a cold, which was cured when Link gives him Lava Soup as part of the Trading Sequence. In return, Biggoron gives Link the rare Goron Vase, which can be then given to Ingo who lives in Sunken City.

A solitary, red Goron lives in a separate cave from the others. When visited, the Goron will thank Link for visiting him and reward him with a level 2 Ring Box, capable of allowing Link to equip three Magic Rings instead of one. The main cave in which the Gorons live can be used as a shortcut to the Temple of Seasons or as the sole entry to the peak where Biggoron resides.

The Wind Waker
In The Wind Waker, Gorons appear as wandering salesmen traveling the Great Sea in search of valuable goods and rarities.

These Traveling Merchants can be found scattered across three islands on the Great Sea. If Link has the Deku Leaf, he can use it to blow a Merchant's hat into the air, revealing that they are Gorons. These Gorons may be the few, last remnants of their diminished race, likely due in no small part to the Great Flood. They claim to be from a far away place, which may very well be the land which will eventually become New Hyrule, where many Gorons live. These merchant Gorons will trade with Link if he has purchased an item from Zunari.

The Traveling Merchants can be found on or near their rafts, which appears to be their main form of transportation. Three of these Gorons appear in The Wind Waker at Mother & Child Isles, Greatfish Isle, and Bomb Island. The merchants seem to know where each other are stationed, as each merchant will mention which islands the other two can be found. Each Goron has a different item that Link may trade with. This process is known as the Island Trading Sequence. Every time Link trades with a Goron, not only does he form the Merchant's Oath with that salesmen, but the item he received in trade from the Goron is available in Zunari's Shop on Windfall Island.

Each Goron merchant also wears a differently colored hat and shirt.

Four Swords Adventures
In, the Gorons once again live in the Death Mountain region. Unlike most Gorons, these Gorons are always seen wearing some type of clothing. The adult males tend to wear blue kilts, whereas the younger Gorons wear red shorts. The Gorons can be seen in the third level, Death Mountain. They appear in The Mountain Path stage and the Tower of Flames dungeon.

During the events of Four Swords Adventures, the Helmaroc King had decided to move into the mountain and had begun to harass the Gorons with its fast flying and by sending out falling boulders. The Gorons seem to have attempted to stop the monster, but were only able to figure out a way how to make the bird fall, by throwing Bombs at it, and then recorded this information for later use. Besides being hassled by the Helmaroc King, the mountain path had also been ignited by flames, most likely started by Shadow Link and the Gorons were unable to control it. The flames were later extinguished by the four Links who then proceeded to defeat the Helmaroc King.

Another Goron can be found in the Tower of Flames, claiming that he had tried to defeat the Dodongos in the next room but could not do it with his strength alone. He had brought a couple of Bombs and had the thought of using them against the Dodongos, but had accidentally dropped them into the lava below.

The Minish Cap
In The Minish Cap, only eight Gorons appear through the entire game. Six of them appear in a cave near LonLon Ranch, and the two other being Biggoron and a Goron Merchant. Most only appear after Link fuses Kinstone pieces with other people throughout Hyrule.

A Goron can be seen near Lon Lon Ranch trying to punch an entrance to a cave, and will eventually succeed once Link fuses a Kinstone with somebody. If Link enters inside, initiating the Goron Sidequest, he will discover that the Goron had opened a tunnel way, which has been blocked by many large rocks. The Goron says that he is unable to break it himself. Link can then later fuse more Kinstones with Mysterious Walls and Eenie to make more Gorons appear. Those Gorons would enter the tunnel and offer their assistance. The Gorons do manage to break the first rock, but encounter more rocks afterward, which are always larger than the previous rock. Thus they require more Gorons in order to unblock the tunnel. There are six Gorons needed to clear the tunnel.

The first Goron in the tunnel will also offer to fuse Kinstone pieces. Afterwards, a Goron merchant will appear wandering around North Hyrule and immediately decides to open up a shop in Hyrule Town. In the town square, the Goron merchant will be selling three differently colored Kinstone pieces, red, blue and green, although the shape of the Kinstone pieces is entirely random when bought. Green Kinstone pieces cost 50 Rupees, blue Kinstone pieces 200, and red Kinstone pieces 300. If Link had bought all of the Kinstone pieces on show, the Goron merchant will restock his wares at a later time.

Biggoron lives around the peaks of Veil Falls, near the cyclone entrance to Cloud Tops. At first, Link can only see the top of his head and hear Biggoron groaning to himself, and Link cannot interact with him. After fusing Kinstones with the sixth Goron who appears to help the others with the tunnel project, Biggoron will pop out and can be spoken to. Once Link has defeated Vaati, Biggoron can take his Shield for awhile and later upgrade it into the Mirror Shield.

Twilight Princess
In Twilight Princess, Gorons primarily populate Death Mountain. However, two Gorons have migrated to Castle Town as merchants. The Gorons in Twilight Princess are very different in appearance than previous incarnations of Gorons. Their skin is very yellow in color and they have what seems to be tribal tattoos painted on their skin. Only certain Gorons, such as Gor Coron have differently colored tattoos. They also have more hair, which is in the form of a rocky surface which extends all the way to their backsides, as well as rock surfaces along their arms. The Gorons are governed by five Gorons, their Patriarch, Darbus, and their four elders, Gor Amoto, Gor Coron, Gor Ebizo, and Gor Liggs.

The Gorons have constructed a large mining complex within Death Mountain, and they have also become more mechanical and industrialized developing magnetic cranes and elevator systems. They most likely use it to mine rocks which they eat, similar to the purpose of Dodongo's Cavern in Ocarina of Time. The mines also serve another purpose, being the place where the Gorons hold a Fused Shadow, as instructed by the Light Spirits, and the Hero's Bow that was once owned by an ancient hero. A single, armored Goron named Dangoro guards over the weapon. The mines also have three rooms where the Goron elders can pray, and where Gor Liggs, Gor Ebizo, and Gor Amoto can be found. Gor Coron does not seem to have to have his own room, or at least not one within the mines.

The Gorons also show a strong interest in sports of strength, such as wrestling or boxing, as well as bathing in their hot springs. On the very top of the mountain is a small cavern where the Gorons keep their wrestling ring, where they often hold sumo-wrestling competitions. This cavern is also the entrance to the Goron Mines, which also holds an elevator to the hot springs. Many of the older Gorons enjoy sumo-wrestling, although several Gorons mention that the youngsters seem to be losing interest in the sport. The hot spring is at ground level in Death Mountain. The hot spring also as a small stand where a Goron can sell Link some Arrows, a Wooden Ahield, and some milk.

The Gorons appear to be have developed a way of launching each other into the air, by having one Goron curling into a ball while the other climbs on top of him. The Goron below him will then spring out which will send anyone standing ontop to be shot up into the air. This seems to be how many of the Gorons climb their mountain, and is similar concept to shooting out of a Baba Bud in The Wind Waker. Link also uses this method to get around Death Mountain. They also apparently picked up the ability to stay underwater for extended periods of time and not need to breathe, as demonstrated by both a child Goron in the hot springs and the adult Goron Link frees from the rock in Zora's Domain.

Main Quest Involving Gorons
Shortly after Link restores Eldin's light to the Eldin Province, he learns from Renado of Kakariko Village that the Gorons have been keeping outsiders from their trail. Thus, anyone who dares to trespass would be knocked away by a Goron guarding the beginning of the trail, as well as several other rolling Gorons. The only way Link could stop them is to wear the Iron Boots he can obtain from Mayor Bo, who was one of the first people to earn the Gorons' trust by beating them in a sumo-wrestling competition by using his Iron Boots.

Once Link has managed to successfully arrive halfway through, many of the Gorons there will attempt to punch Link rather then roll at him. Link can stun these Gorons by jumping out of the way and then rolling into them with the Iron Boots, causing the Goron to curl into a ball. Link can then climb on top of the Goron to be launched to higher places. This is the only way that Link can get to the highest cavern which houses the wrestling ring and entrance to Goron Mines. During this time, the Gorons in the hot springs will not attack Link, giving Link a place he can rest. When Link reaches the highest cavern, Gor Coron will challenge him to a sumo-wrestling competition. This competition can be retried unlimited times. Since Gorons are much stronger and heavier than a human, Link requires the use of the Iron Boots again to beat him.

Link, having proved his worth to the elder, is told about the recent events. Gor Coron says that recently, the volcano has been growing very violent, and that Darbus and the elders had gone to investigate. When they arrived to the Fused Shadow which their mine guarded, Darbus had went to touch it and was suddenly transformed into a gigantic and uncontrollable monster, Fyrus. The Gorons had managed to use all of their strength to lock Darbus away, but continued to worry about their patriarch and the fate of their tribe. They also chose to cut off all relations with Kakariko Village and outsiders to ensure continued safety. Gor Coron asked for the help of Link to save Darbus and the fate of the tribe. Link then has to visit the three other elders within the mine, who were told about Link's assistance prior to Link visiting them. The Key to the sealed room of Darbus had been broken into three pieces and been held by Gor Liggs, Gor Ebizo, and Gor Amoto. Link has to visit each elder to retrieve a piece of the Key to restore it. He also has to battle Dangoro for the Hero's Bow, and finally, has to defeat Fyrus to transform Darbus back to normal and to obtain the second Fused Shadow. This makes Twilight Princess the first game where Link has to battle Gorons.

Side Quests involving Gorons
Once everything gets back to normal, the Gorons restore their past relation to Kakariko Village, with some of them even went to visit the village as well. With the restored relation, Barnes is able to make and sell Bombs again. During the night, a child Goron will open up a stand in the village and sell Lantern Oil, and Red and Blue potions. Two Gorons during the day time in the village will also offer to launch Link to either the village's hot spring or to the roof tops.

Gor Amoto and Gor Ebizo will also appear in Malo Mart, taking Rupee donations so that the eastern bridge to Castle Town can be rebuilt, and so that a Malo Mart can open in Castle Town as well. Eventually, Gor Coron and Darbus will come down and can be found in Renado's house, the Kakariko Village sanctuary. They seem to be there to help Renado with Ilia's amnesia problem. When Link obtains the Wooden Statue and gives it to Ilia, it will jog her memory of Impaz who kept her safe in the Hidden Village. Darbus seems to know the location of this village and will even go out to unblock its sole pathway.

Other appearances of Gorons in Twilight Princess includes a Goron merchant and his son in Castle Town, who were at one time selling hot spring water to people. This Goron can later be seen trying to unblock the entrance and exit of the Southern Castle Town gates. Although he will not be able to do it unless he drinks a Bottle filled with hot spring water. When Wolf Link is supposed to carry Midna back to Princess Zelda through Telma's Bar, a Goron can be seen inside the bar, mentioning that he had escorted Telma back to the Castle Town, as well as complaining that he cannot stand the city air. Finally, a Goron accidentally encased in the molten rock that Link used to unfreeze Zora's Domain can also be freed by Link by using Water Bombs. He will then reward him with a Bomb Bag.

Phantom Hourglass
In Phantom Hourglass, a tribe of islander Gorons live on a large island in the south-eastern Great Sea, aptly titled Goron Island. Various adult and child Gorons can be found wandering around outside or residing in their cavern homes. As with The Wind Waker, the Gorons have a yellow skin tone, but also include white markings, remarkably similar to the tattoos seen on the Gorons in Twilight Princess.

Goron Island
During the events of Phantom Hourglass, Link searches for the Pure Metals to forge the Phantom Sword, the only weapon that can defeat Bellum. Upon arrival on Goron Island, Link heads to retrieve the Gorons' treasure, the Crimsonine. As with most Gorons who first meet an outsider, Link is treated indifferently by the Gorons. Several of them offer advice or tell several facts about their lives. Link eventually finds a much larger cavern, home to Biggoron, the tribe's leader, and his son Gongoron. Link asks for the Crimsonine but iss refused it as he is just an outsider. However, since Biggoron has a love for quiz games, he decides that he would test Link in a quiz to prove himself as a Goron. Link has to meet and talk to every other Goron on island to begin the quiz.

Afterwards, Link returns eligible to be tested. For the price of 20 Rupees, Link is given six questions that all have to be answered correctly, and every correct question will yield him a couple of Rupees as a prize. These questions are mostly about the Gorons of the island, such as how many homes there were or what some Gorons talk about. After getting all of the questions right, Biggoron is amazed by Link's knowledge, rewarding him with a Wisdom Gem. He also announces that Link is now a Goron, provided that he paid 146 Rupees, which was the very same amount that he wins as prizes in the quiz. After paying the Goron leader, he is given the name Goro-Link and is now officially a part of the tribe. Upon Link's membership, Biggoron declares that Link is free to take the Crimsonine from the Goron Temple of the island

Goron Temple
Gongoron was meant to lead Goro-Link to the temple, but he refuses to accept Link as one of them and runs off hiding. After spotting him a few times on the island, Gongoron soon runs into the maze area of the island which also leads to the temple. A Goron who is guarding the maze's gates says that Gongoron had ran off inside the temple. After reaching the temple, Gongoron is no where to be seen. Link and Ciela eventually find him trapped in another room. Even being freed, Gongoron still did not reach Link. The game then gives the ability to instantly switch between Link and Gongoron.

The next time they see him, Gongoron is being attacked by Dongorongo. In the boss room, Gongoron and Link are separated by a pool of quicksand. Gongoron and Link both have to be controlled to defeat the boss, due to each ones abilities and Dongorongo's weaknesses. After Dondgorongo is hit enough times, it passed out, which Gongoron mistakes as a defeat and runs off into the next room containing the Crimsonine. A bridge appears over the quicksand and allows Link to cross, only for it to disappear again as Dodongorongo awakens challenging Link again, this time without Gongoron's assistance. After its true defeat, Dodongorongo dissolves away into two minute's worth of Sands of Time for the Phantom Hourglass. Link then hurries to the next room where Gongoron allows him to have the Crimsonine.

Back outside, Link visits Biggoron again who had been told what had happened by Gongoron. Biggoron, greatly impressed by Link's courage and strength, says that he is now worthy to leave the island; suggesting that all Gorons on the island have to leave at some point. This is also evident by a Goron outside who was watching S.S. Linebeck. Biggoron also leaves the Crimsonine with Link and says that he can do anything to it, such as boiling it or forging it. Link then leaves the island with the Pure Metal, not without the other Gorons saying their farewells and hoping that he would come back for a visit.

Dee Ess Island
Phantom Hourglass Gorons adhere to the Goron tradition of minigame hosting. After obtaining the Crimsonine, a new game ran by Gorons will become available on Dee Ess Island. Playability shifts to Gongoron during the Goron Game. The obstacle course cost 50 Rupees to play and the biggest prize to win is the Bombchu Bag.

Spirit Tracks
In, the Goron Village is situated in the Fire Realm. It is ruled by a Goron Elder. Upon first visiting the Goron Village, Link finds that the entrance to the village is blocked by fire geysers. At the altar to the north-west of the village, Link meets Kagoron, a prominent Goron in the village who acts as the spiritual connection between the Gorons and the Mountain Goddess whom they worship. Kagoron grants him a freight car to add to his train. Link then uses this to transport Mega Ice from the Wellspring Station back to Goron Village, thus extinguishing the flames blocking his way. Once in the village, Link is granted access to the Fire Sanctuary by the Goron Elder. But first he notes that Link must prove himself, only to be swayed moments later when his grandson runs into the room, noting that Link was the one whose efforts put out the lava.

After gaining the Spirit Tracks to the Fire Temple, Link is informed by the Goron Elder that the Key to the Fire Temple must be obtained by defeating three beasts terrorizing the rails. The Gorons of the village give Link helpful advice on how to defeat these enemies.

Minigames and Sidequests Featuring Gorons
Gorons are featured in two minigames in Spirit Tracks: the Goron Target Range and the Pirate Hideout. The former is situated near the Goron Village, and is run by a solitary Goron child. The Pirate Hideout is found in the Ocean Realm, and is essentially an archery minigame in which Link rescues a Goron child captured by the Miniblin pirates in order to earn treasure, a big Quiver, and a Heart Container.

One sidequest involves transporting the Goron Elder's Grandson from the Goron Village to Hyrule Castle Town. The reward is a Force Gem, and he will later reward Link with a Goron Amber once he realizes that the city is not what he expected, but he will make the most of it. Notably, the humans who live in Hyrule Castle Town have racist sentiments against Gorons.

Another sidequest involves taking a Goron to Anouki Village so it can see what snow is. Upon arriving the Anouki Village, the Goron is met by an Anouki claiming to be the Honcho. Link is then awarded a Force Gem while the Goron takes residence in the Honcho's house, much to the real Honcho's dismay. The final sidequest involves the transportation of Dark Ore from the Dark Ore Mine to Linebeck III's Trading Post. This Dark Ore is mined by Gorons, who happily provide Link with some of this rare material in return for Rupees. Furthermore, after visiting the Dark Ore Mine, Link receives a letter from Kagoron, telling him where to find treasure that the Goron had buried at the mine as a child.

Skyward Sword
In Skyward Sword, Gorons serve as one of the five Surface tribes, although only three Gorons appear as characters. Two of them inhabit the Lanayru Desert, while a third explores the world as an achaeologist. As one of the Surface tribes, the Gorons stood alongside Hylia against Demise.

Link first meets Gorko at the Sealed Grounds, where he saves the Goron from a pack of Bokoblins. As thanks, Gorko shares some of his knowledge on the myths of the Isle of the Goddess, and explains that he is currently researching the Bird Statues and Goddess Cubes. Once Link obtains the Goddess's Harp, Gorko lets him in on his research into the Sheikah Stones and Goddess Walls. These artifacts are all activated by Link's presence or actions, which stuns and amazes the Goron. After Link discovers a Goddess Wall at the Sealed Grounds, Gorko asks Link to experiment with the wall and help him figure out the various riddles for it that he found during his research.

On his way to the Lanayru Sand Sea through the Lanayru Caves, Link meets a Goron named Golo, who is busy digging his way into Lanayru Gorge, the domain of the Thunder Dragon Lanayru. He gives Link a Small Key to open the door to the Sand Sea, and by the time Link returns looking for Lanayru, he has broken a small tunnel through the rocks that he allows Link to use.

A third Goron, Gortram, resides at the Sand Sea's Shipyard, where he frequently rides the rails. He runs the Rickety Coaster minigame, challenging Link to beat his own times on the track.

Super Smash Bros. Series
Gorons appear as Trophies in, , and. They also appear as a Sticker in Brawl.

Scribblenauts Unlimited
Gorons can be created in Scribblenauts Unlimited, but cannot be edited in the Object Editor.

Sonic Lost World
Gorons appear as enemies in the dungeon area of 's Zelda-themed DLC, The Legend of Zelda Zone.

Hyrule Warriors
In, Gorons appear as allies in several stages in the game. They sometimes appear as enemies too, going against the heroic forces during the Death Mountain stage of the story, as well as being a enemy type during Ganondorf's story missions. In some stages, they help their allies by building giant Bombchus used to destroy pillars and forts standing in the way of progressing. They also appear in the Bazaar as smiths and salesmen, helping with upgrading abilities, brewing Potions, and reforging weapons for a Rupee fee and required materials.

The Goron leader Darunia is also a playable character.

Etymology
The name Goron may have originated from ゴロゴロ "goro goro," Japanese for the sound of a rolling rock, or more specifically, a boulder. The name Goron could also be related to the word "gora" (mountain) found in various Slavic languages. This would be appropriate as the Gorons' homeland is up in the mountains.

Baby Gorons and Mothers
Throughout the course of many Zelda titles, young or baby Gorons have appeared, including Link the Goron who is Darunia's son, Baby Goron the son of the Goron Elder, several other baby Gorons who have appeared in Twilight Princess, as well as Gongoro who is the son of Biggoron. Although fathers and Goron children have been mentioned and seen many a time, seemingly no female Gorons have been introduced, spoken of, or seen in the entire Zelda series which has made many fans wonder where baby Gorons come from. Though a female Goron makes an apperanace in the non-canon, this female is physically different in that she had longer eyelashes. Some theorists have come up with many fan made answers to this question. One theory is that the females are there, but are never seen in the games. A second theory is that the females and males look so much alike that it is impossible to tell them apart. A third theory suggest that Gorons are born through "Volcanic Birth," a process through which they are conceived when the earth itself channels the essence of Din, the Goddess of power, into life. This theory sustains the idea that Gorons are children of the earth, and also explains why Gorons have never evolved throughout the series. Other theories, although less common, include the theory of an and the theory that the gigantic Biggorons in the series could possibly be a Queen Goron, serving a similar function to queen ants in an ant colony.