Death Mountain

Death Mountain is a recurring location in The Legend of Zelda games, and first appeared in the first game of the series, The Legend of Zelda.

Characteristics
Death Mountain is a large mountain placed in Hyrule, and in several appearances it has been an active volcano as well. It is riddled with caves, and is often the place for a dungeon. Tektite enemies are a common sight on Death Mountain, along with falling rocks. In all of its appearances, Spectacle Rock, a rock formation, can be found somewhere on it.

The Legend of Zelda
In The Legend of Zelda, Death Mountain was a large area that took up most of the nortern part of the map. Ganon's lair could be found inside it by entering Spectacle Rock.

===Zelda II: The Adventure of Link]] In Zelda II, Death Mountain is in the southwest portion of the map, and its area consists of a maze of caves. The proper exit of the maze leads the player to an area which is revealed to be the Overworld of The Legend of Zelda.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
In A Link to the Past, Death Mountain is the area which occupies much of the northern area of the map. It is location of the Tower of Hera in the Light World, and Ganon's Tower and Turtle Rock in the Dark World. When first visiting the mountain, Link encounters a lost old man in the cave-system leading to the area. After guiding him through the paths, the old man will give him the Magic Mirror and heal Link whenever he visits. The Japanese game refers only to the Dark World mountain as Death Mountain, calling the one in the Light World "Hebra Mountain", instead. This has never happened in any later Zelda games, so it is assumed the change during translation was deliberate and intended by the creators.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
In Ocarina of Time, Death Mountain is a volcano located in the far northeast reaches of the country, and can only be reached by going through Kakariko Village. It has an ominous ring of smoke around its crater. The Dodongo's Cavern can be found on the outside, and The Fire Temple is located inside the Death Mountain Crater.

Ocarina of Time also introduced Death Mountain as the place where Gorons live. The Gorons live inside a cave network with four levels called Goron City. Their stable supply of rock (for nourishment) comes from Dodongo's Cavern, which, in the time just before Ganondorf's invasion, had been overrun by the extinct race of Dodongos and the mighty King Dodongo. Beyond Goron City, Death Mountain can be climbed, although Tektites and falling rocks will impede Link's path. Along with an entrance to Death Mountain Crater, a Great Fairy's Fountain is hidden at the summit; the Great Fairy there grants Link his magic power. Inside the crater is a second Great Fairy's Fountain, where Link's magic meter can be doubled.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
In Twilight Princess, Death Mountain is a volcano once again, located close to Kakariko Village. Spectacle Rock is now the home of the Goron race, and also houses their Goron Mines. Lava flows inside the mines, and there is a hot spring located behind Spectacle Rock itself. Subsequently, Link is not able to enter the mine at first, but as the story progresses, Gor Coron, a Goron elder temporarily ruling in the patriarch's stead, will allow Link to enter after defeating him at sumo wrestling, to search for their possessed leader Darbus.

The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
In Majora's Mask, set in Termina, a mountain very similar to Death Mountain can be seen in the background, complete with a ring of smoke.

The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker
In The Wind Waker, an island volcano known as Dragon Roost Island is very similar to, and speculated by fans to be the tip of Death Mountain (as the gods had flooded Hyrule, only leaving mountaintops sticking out of the Great Sea). It has the same ring of smoke as in Ocarina of Time, Bomb Flowers grow there, and the Rito race in caves similar to those of the Gorons.

The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
In The Minish Cap, a mountain known as Mount Crenel has lava, abandoned mines, falling rocks, and a gap similar to one seen on Death Mountain in A Link to the Past.