Zelda Skyward Sword Boss 2

Of all the minigames in The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD this is the big one, the toughest and most rewarding challenge, the ultimate test of your skills. In this guide we'll explain how to find and play Thunder Dragon's Lightning Round and the rewards you can get if you beat the Silent Realms challenges and Boss Rush mode.

Zelda: Skyward Sword HD Thunder Dragon's Lightning Round Guide

Where is Thunder Dragon’s Lightning Round?

Zelda Skyward Sword Thunder Dragon

Once you’ve completed the Lanayru portion of the Song of the Hero quest, you can feel free to glide on down to Lanayru Gorge, have a word with Mr Thunder himself and sign yourself up for some extreme games.

You’ve got two options to play around with here, either taking on your choice of one of the game’s four Silent Realms or facing off against the game’s bosses in a boss rush style gauntlet.

For the Silent Realms you’ll be rewarded various prizes depending on how fast you complete your chosen realm. For the boss rush mode you’ll pick up prizes based on how long you manage to last!

Silent Realms - Challenge Times

In this element of the Thunder Dragon’s Lightning Round you’ll choose a Silent Realm and attempt to beat it as quickly as possible. Finishing it successfully will net you a reward from between 5 and 100 Rupees based on your time and, if you can beat the Thunder Dragon’s special set times, you’ll also pick up a rare treasure. Sweet!

You should note that the first time you try any Silent Realm here you’ll also net yourself 50 Rupees and the same goes for any time you beat your PB. The Thunder Dragon's special set times to beat on each realm are as follows –

  • Faron Woods – 3:00
  • Lanayru Desert – 4:15
  • Eldin Volcano - 6:00
  • Skyloft – 4:00

Boss Rush

Zelda Skyward Sword Ghirahim

In this mode — our own personal favourite minigame in Zelda: Skyward Sword HD — you’ll face off against a gauntlet of the game’s big bosses in order to win some pretty great prizes. As mentioned in our Heart Piece Guide there’s one piece up for grabs here if you can best four bosses on the trot. Beat eight bosses and you get your hands on one of the game’s nicest items, the Hylian Shield itself.

This round starts with you choosing which boss you’d like to battle first — make sure you choose tactically — after which Thunder Dragon does the picking and you’ll have to survive with whatever health you’re currently on through the entire ordeal.

You can drink potions before you approach the Thunder Dragon and their effects will last until they’d normally wear off but, once you’re in the fight, you’ve got no ways to heal or buff yourself outside of hearts you’ll randomly encounter during battles.

Boss Rush Prizes

Let’s take a look at the prizes up for grabs in this challenge and how many bosses you’ll need to best in order to claim them.

  • 20 Rupees – 1 Boss
  • Small Treasure – 2 Bosses
  • 100 Rupees – 3 Bosses
  • Piece of Heart! – 4 Bosses
  • 300 Rupees – 5 Bosses
  • Rare Treasure – 6 Bosses
  • 500 Rupees – 7 Bosses
  • Hylian Shield! – 8 Bosses
  • 2000 Rupees – 9 Bosses
  • 3x Rare Treasures - 10 Bosses
  • 3000 Rupees – 11 Bosses
  • 9900 Rupees – 12 Bosses

Remember too that you’ll earn little extra bonuses for finishing bosses off quickly and beating your PB for each one and make sure to put random hearts and health items to good use when you happen across them in boss arenas, they're absolutely vital to your success. Good luck!

Zelda Skyward Sword Finish

Now that you know how to access the Thunder Dragon's Lightning Round, why not jump back to our Zelda: Skyward Sword HD hub for more guides for the game?

There you'll find tips on the pros and cons of motion controls vs. analogue stick control, a list of the main differences between Skyward Sword on Switch and the Wii original, how to use the Zelda & Loftwing amiibo, where to find the Moonlight Merchant and the Thunder Dragon, and how to beat every boss and minigame.

You'll also find guides for all heart piece locations, all goddess cubes, and where to find every Gratitude Crystal, every upgrade treasure, every bug, and every potion recipe to fill your bottles with.