Blade Trap

The Blade Trap (トラップ, Torappu) is a formidable mechanized trap that has impaled many a hero on its spikes, appearing in numerous Zelda games, following their original appearance in The Legend of Zelda on the NES. The traps have come in a variety of types over the years of Hyrulean history, and are impervious to all attacks. Generally speaking, upon crossing the path of a Trap, whether vertical or horizontal (in 2D view), the trap will react instantly by closing in rapidly on the intruder. Contact with a Trap damages Link (one heart by default), and may prove deadly in some circumstances.

The Legend of Zelda
The Blade Traps are motion sensitive and will sweep toward the intruder.

A Link to the Past
The Blade Traps found in A Link to the Past function similarly to those in previous games, except that they are only activated when Link walks between them.

Link's Awakening
The Blade Traps are more sentient, seeming to have mechanized eyes built into the center of their "body". They work much like their original counterparts, but with deadlier efficiency.



Ocarina of Time & Majora's Mask
These seem to be the first generation of the trap, since their programming is just to slide along floors even when an intruder is not near. They have no motion sensors.

Oracle of Seasons & Oracle of Ages
The Blade Traps are similar to those found in Link's Awakening although there are different models of the trap. The different models move at different speeds, with color indicating how fast the model moves.

In the Oracle series there also appears a spinning blade trap. When Link walks in front of this blade trap, it will spin and move in a straight line towards Link. The blade continues moving until it hits a wall or a block. At that point, if Link is still in its line of vision, it will spin back towards Link. They cannot be defeated but can easily be hoped over using Roc's Feather.

The Oracle series also featured a large Blade trap, unseen on any other game to date. These Blade Traps would constantly move, reversing direction whenever something which they could not break blocked their path.

The Wind Waker
It seems Blade Traps worked better as non-sentient beings for Ganondorf, as he still uses them. These traps, however, were superior to their Ocarina of Time counterparts. They had upgraded speed and power, making them a deadly and fearsome obstacle to would-be heroes.

The Minish Cap
Blade Traps have once again lost their mechanical "eyes" and come in blue and green varieties. Green traps only follow a set course, while the blue contain motion sensors.

Quote from The Minish Cap Trap figurine: "Appear in various areas. A trap with sharp blades. Some are trigger by nearby intruders, while others follow a set path."

Twilight Princess
There are two models in this game: a gilded model used in the Temple of Time, and a stone model used everywhere else. They have no functional difference, however. In a few cases, they travel in circles along the ground, but in most cases they are merely bladed versions of the Spinner, and compete with Link for space on the Spinner rails. The monster Stallord used them to greatest effect in its boss battle, but otherwise they are mere annoyances.

Trivia

 * This is currently the only style of Blade Trap which can be destroyed, by using the power of the statue brought to life with the Dominion Rod.

Phantom Hourglass
In Phantom Hourglass, Blade traps can be found in the Temple of Courage. They have a similar look and movement to the ones seen in Twilight Princess, but are motion sensitive like the ones that appear in The Legend of Zelda and The Minish Cap.

Strategy
There is no way to kill a Blade Trap except for in Twilight Princess, where the statue brought to life with the Dominion Rod can shatter them with its axe. They can be diverted in some games, such as Ocarina of Time and the Oracle series. Besides dodging, there's not a lot Link can do to these enemies...