Lynel

The Lynel (ライネル, Raineru) is a centaur-like race found in many of the 2-D games in The Legend of Zelda. They come in a blue and red variety and are extremely difficult to kill in close combat (apparently their hide and armor is designed to withstand a lot of punishment from all forms of weaponry). The Lynel has never been seen thus far in a 3-D The Legend of Zelda game.

The Legend of Zelda
In The Legend of Zelda, they are the most powerful enemies that roam the overworld, firing sword beams at Link in a similar fashion as he fires sword beams when he is at full health. Link's little shield offers no defense from Lynel's sword attacks. Be wary, as their beams do one or two hearts of damage, depending which color they are. The red color causes one, and the blue inflicts two hearts of damage. Lynels are also somewhat rare; they are found in the deeper parts of Death Mountain and just south of the graveyard. One of them guards the entrance to the old man on top of the waterfall.

A Link to the Past
In A Link to the Past, they are quite powerful enemies too, roaming the Death Mountain area in the Dark World. They fire fireballs at you, and can be quite evasive. It is recommended to use Spin Attacks against these foes, as it's easier to hit them with this attack. Lynels are only found guarding the path to Ganon's Tower, and it's recommended to use the Mirror Shield to deflect their fireballs (the other shields are too weak).

Oracle of Seasons and Ages
In Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages they are given a slightly different design than The Legend of Zelda, but have the exact same attack pattern and heart damage as their earlier counterparts. A one-of-a-kind Golden Lynel can appear in Seasons if certain conditions are met.

Trivia

 * In the Oracle of Seasons book, Lynel are incorrectly identified as "Fire Cats", likely a possible reference to their lion-like appearance.