Octorok

The Octorok (オクタロック, Okutarokku) is perhaps as much part of The Legend of Zelda series as Link or Princess Zelda, having appeared in every Zelda game except Twilight Princess. It's an octopus-like creature that shoots rocks from its snout. In the 2D Zelda games, they seem to have adapted to living on land and can generally be killed with one or two hits from the sword. That makes them "normal enemies".

The Legend of Zelda
Octoroks are found almost everywhere in Hyrule, though they primarily inhabit the forest. They tend to travel in groups and provide Link with his first combat opportunities of the game. They walk around in random directions shooting rocks. If you have your shield, no worries as long as you're facing the rock-spewing enemy. They come in red and blue varieties, the blue being the stronger of the two.

The Adventure of Link
Octoroks of Link's second adventure are quite different. While still found in groups practicing rock-shooting with Link as their target, they are now sedentary creatures that jump. The Octorok can be found only in caves and marshes, the latter of which provides a motile version that creeps up on Link under the cover of tall grass.

A Link to the Past
In A Link to the Past, Octoroks act much like they did in the original Legend of Zelda, however, they now have the added ability to suddenly stop and spew rocks in all four cardinal directions without warning.

Link's Awakening
Octoroks in Link's Awakening lose their added offensive punch from A Link to the Past, but they gain a related form: Winged Octoroks. Otherwise, they act pretty much the same as they always have, moving around the screen and spewing rocks at Link.

Ocarina of Time
Octoroks made their 3D debut in Ocarina of Time along with many other classic enemies. Although they still spit rocks, they now appeared as water creatures and sported a very different design, colored purple rather than red. They could be killed in a number of ways, the most common being using your shield to reflect the rocks they spit at you back at them. However, they can be killed with any projectile as well. An early screenshot showed several Octoroks walking on land like their 2D equivalents. It is likely that this design later evolved into the Deku Scrub.

Majora's Mask
In Majora's Mask, Octoroks are identical to those found in Ocarina of Time. But in Termina, shooting an ice arrow at them freezes them into a solid platform. This is an essential skill to learn in order to complete the Great Bay Temple as well as to reach the upper valley of Ikana Canyon.

Oracle series
For all purposes and appearances, Octoroks in both Oracle games are identical to their counterparts in Link's Awakening. Although they are slightly less common in these games, the only true difference is the lack of Winged Octoroks.

The Wind Waker
In The Wind Waker, Octoroks take an all new squid-like form that shoot rocks at you, as always. They seem to take from the Ocarina of Time version but more with many physical differences.

When out in the ocean, there are Big Octos. These creatures shoot bombs at you instead of their normal rocks. However, if you are going at a good speed, their attacks pose little to no threat.

Octoroks in The Wind Waker also include a larger, more intimidating variety. They look like unusually large Big Octos, with the inclusion of multiple eyes. The more eyes one of them has, the more powerful they are. They appear from whirlpools, and their presence may be detected by the tell-tale gathering of seagulls around the area. To defeat one, Link needed to weaken each of its eyes before the whirlpool sucks his ship below water. Just about any projectile item is effective against the eyes, but the most recommended are Fire Arrows and bombs. Once it is defeated, it will leave behind a sunken treasure spot, with the exception of one, which will release a Great Fairy, who will in turn double your Magic Meter.

Four Swords Adventures
In Four Swords Adventures, the Octorok came in three versions:
 * Reds, the originals, which fought almost identically to their previous incarnations in the first Legend of Zelda.
 * Purples, which remained still for a few seconds before consecutively launching four stones at the Links.
 * Blues, which shot in all four directions, much like their Octorok counterparts in A Link to the Past. Unlike Reds and Purples, this type of Octorok requires much more damage to be taken down.

The Minish Cap
See also: Big Octorok In The Minish Cap, Octoroks appear in three forms: Blue, Red, and Gold. The blue ones are tougher then the red ones, but golds are the toughest and can only be found by fusing kinstones. Quote from The Minish Caps Octorok' figurine: "Appears in various areas. There are red and blue ones. They've appeared in every Zelda game to date. They spit rocks, so be careful."

Twilight Princess
Twilight Princess is the very first game in the series in which Octoroks are totally absent; the monsters that were thought to be Octoroks in other locations are an entirely different species known as Toadpolis. Although Toadpolis act similarly to Octoroks, they resemble developing tadpoles and they actually swim underneath the surface of the water. They are only found in a few place and there are smaller ones and larger ones.

Phantom Hourglass
In Phantom Hourglass, Octoroks go back to their original form, despite the game being a direct sequel to The Wind Waker (in which they were very different). The game actually presents them in a 3D version of this form for the very first time. In the game, they come only in their Red versions but are more of a hazard than ever because of their rapid rock spitting. Yet, The Wind Waker's Octoroks, known as Ocean Octoroks, still appear in the game as a common enemy while navigating the Great Sea. These look almost exactly like the ones from WW but are so different from the ones found on land you wouldn't think to associate the two. These Octoroks circle your ship and will shoot bombs rather than rocks. Hitting them with the cannon will kill in one hit.

Another form of Octorok is the Octomine. It is an explosive species that can only be found underwater. They are found in two forms, its sleeping form where they lie completely still and a wide awake form which propels itself underwater either up and down, or left and right.

Super Smash Bros. series
Octoroks appear as enemies in the second level of Adventure mode in Super Smash Bros. Melee. They can, but rarely, be found in other modes in boxes. Octoroks do not appear in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.