Goron

The Gorons are a race inhabiting Hyrule, Termina and several other countries. They generally live in or under mountains. Their build makes them capable of rolling down mountains like rocks. Gorons are capable of immense strength and power, and can walk through lava and withstand extreme amounts of heat. Gorons are also extremely endurable, as well as being able to roll into balls that help them get around. Beside their rock-like appearance, another notable feature is that their diet consists strictly of rocks, although it was hinted that they also drink milk in Twilight Princess. Some Gorons are known to be skilled smiths, notably Medigoron and Biggoron, of which the latter is responsible for creating the Giant's Knife. They are also known for harvesting bombs from Bomb Flowers. Bombs are sometimes called the Goron's Special Crop. Gorons can also become extremely large like the previously mentioned Biggoron, towering above all other races. Often, though a friendly race, Gorons are slow to trust outsiders unless they can somehow win the trust of a Goron elder by performing a feat of strength, skill or intelligence.

Ocarina of Time
Ocarina of Time was the game that introduce the Gorons. In Ocarina of Time, the Goron race lives atop Death Mountain, in Goron City. Goron City is a huge rock dome with many rooms. Among the Gorons are their leader, Darunia, Biggoron, maker of Biggoron's Sword, Medigoron, Biggoron's little brother, who makes Giant's Knives, and Link the Goron, Darunia's son, named after the Hero of Time. The Goron race holds the Goron's Ruby, and harvested bombs. They feed on the rocks from Dodongo's Cavern.

The Gorons were being starved due to Ganondorf sealing the entrance to Dodongo's Cavern, the place which held the rocks that the Gorons ate. On the brink of starvation they were saved by Link who blow open the entrance to the cavern and dispatched the evil within. Seven years later the Gorons were imprisoned in the Fire Temple and awaited their deaths at the claws of Volvagia who had been revived by Ganondorf. With the help of Link and Darunia the Gorons were saved again and Volvagia was slain.

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

Oracle series
Gorons appear in both the lands of Holodrum and Labrynna. In Holodrum, they are located in the Goron Mountains. A giant Goron named Biggoron is located at the summit. In Labrynna, they appear in the Rolling Ridge in both past and present. The Gorons of Labrynna enjoy dancing.

The Wind Waker
In The Wind Waker, the Gorons appear as wandering salesmen traveling the Great Sea, situated on several different island, 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 are the last remnants of the their diminished race, likely wiped out during the flooding of Hyrule. The Gorons will trade with Link if he has purchased an item from Zunari. They claim to be from a "far away" place, which may very well be Goron Island.

Island Trading Sequence
In The Wind Waker, 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.

The Minish Cap
In The Minish Cap the Gorons appear when you complete Kinstone Fusions with Mysterious Walls. After you summon six of them, you can receive a Bottle and fuse a seventh Kinstones to wake up Biggoron who (after you defeat Vaati) can make you a Mirror Shield. Naturally, they feed on rocks. There is also an Eighth one, the travelling Merchant who sets up shop in hyrule after fusing a certain kinstone, he sells rare kinstone at 200 rupees each. Quote from The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap Goron Merchant figurine: "This Goron appears when you successfully fuse certain Kinstone pieces. He will sell you expensive but rare, Kinstone pieces."

Quote from The Minish Cap's Goron figurine: "These rock- and iron-eaters once lived on Mount Crenel in Western Hyrule. Now their numbers are few, and they live quietly in a cave."

Twilight Princess
In Twilight Princess Gorons primarily populate Death Mountain, or more correctly in Spectacle Rock. However, numerous Gorons have migrated to Castle Town as merchants, and a few have moved to Zora's Domain. Notable Gorons are the Patriarch Darbus and the four elders: Gor Amoto, Gor Coron, Gor Ebizo, and Gor Liggs.

In Twilight Princess, 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 also guard a Fused Shadow piece and the Hero's Bow. The Gorons are governed by four tribal Elders and their Patriarch, Darbus. In the game, Link is at first is not at all welcomed by the Gorons, who attack him on sight. Darbus had become possessed by the dark magic of the Fused Shadow which transformed him into an uncontrollable monster, the Twilit Igniter Fyrus. The four Goron Elders managed to subdue him and lock him away deep within the mines for the safety of the tribe and cut off relations with Kakariko Village. Link is forced to beat the elder, Gor Coron, in a sumo-wrestling contest (using the Iron Boots to even the playing field) to earn their respect and gain entry to the Goron mines. In the mines, he is forced to fight the armored Goron, Dangoro, that protects the Hero's Bow and eventually the transformed Darbus. After freeing Darbus from the influence of the Fused Shadow, the Gorons restore relations with Kakariko Village, many of them (including two of the Goron elders) venture down to Kakariko to help (one young Goron sets up a small shop that opens at night; while the two Goron elders help Malo Mart collect donations to rebuild the east bridge of Castle Town and buy the overpriced shop in Castle Town). The Gorons also help Link by restoring the southern pathway that leads into Castle Town and by selling him arrows, lantern oil, potions, hot spring water, etc. Link can also save a Goron who accidentally got himself encased inside the hardened chunk of molten rock that he uses to unfreeze Zora's Domain.

The Gorons love bathing in hot springs and enjoy sumo wrestling (though its popularity seems to have waned among the younger Gorons). The mayor of Ordon Village, Bo, is one of a few people known to have beaten a Goron at sumo (the other would be Link) in his youth, thus gaining the respect of the Gorons. However, he used the Iron Boots to level the playing field (as Gorons are heavier and stronger than humans). Link later borrowed the Iron Boots from Bo, and gained respect from the Gorons the same manner.

Twilight Princess is the first Zelda game where Link must battle with Gorons. It is the first game to feature Goron bosses. One of these is the Goron Elder, who must be fought by sumo wrestling. This battle is not very hostile, and can be retried unlimited times. A mini-boss battle that takes place in the Goron Mines against a large Goron guard is far more hostile. On the way up Death Mountain, several Gorons attack Link by rolling down. These Gorons cannot be defeated, but they can be stunned by stopping them while wearing the Iron Boots.

Gorons have 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 Domain. It should also be noted that the Gorons have, what appears to be, their own language script which can be seen on the doors in the Goron Mines.

The beta version of Twilight Princess included a boss called Goron Golem, which was formed from many many Gorons. This idea was evidently scrapped in early development, as the beta enemy shows to be incapable of harming Link or being harmed.

In the ending of Twilight Princess, the Gorons might actually be boxing, not wrestling. This is evidenced by the fact that some older Gorons in the game say that the younger ones have lost their interest in wrestling.

Phantom Hourglass
One tribe of Gorons are found on Goron Isle. Here you beat the Goron Temple and get the Crimsonine Steel, the first Pure metal. Gongoron, a Goron you meet on Goron Isle, lets you control him to beat the boss and the dungeon. After you beat the dungeon he heads to Dee Ess Island, another island with Gorons, where you can play the Goron game.