How to Kill the Worm Cave Monsters in Zelda Tears of the Kingdom

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom brings back many classic Zelda enemies, and one of the first you’ll encounter is the Like Like. These disgusting leech-like creatures are a common sight in the Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom‘s underground areas, and they can be deadly if you don’t know how to exploit their weaknesses. Here is how to kill Like-Likes, the worm monsters, in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.

How to Beat Like Likes on Great Sky Island in Zelda Tears of the Kingdom

The first Like-Like in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is on Great Sky Island in the cave before Gutanbac Shrine. While this is probably the most terrifying enemy encounter you’ve had up until this point, it’s also an excellent opportunity to learn how to defeat Like-Likes. When its jaw is closed, the Like-Like is practically invincible. However, when the Like-Like’ opens its mouth, it reveals its weakness, a glowing red eyeball. Hitting this eye once will stun the Like-Like, allowing you to hit it for more damage.

Since the Like-Like’s mouth will only open once you’re within range, you’ll want to use the seconds you have before the Like-Like pounces to your advantage. Launching an arrow into the Like-Like’s eye is an effective way to deal the blow needed to stun it, and equipping that arrow with a Bomb Flower can make that first blow even more effective. However, I’ve found that rushing in and attacking the Like-Like’s eye with a melee weapon is just as effective, provided you can get close enough.

Related: Are Arrows Available in the Downward Force Shrine in Zelda Tears of the Kingdom?

While the Like-Like on Grand Island represents the most common type of fleshy death noodle you will encounter in Zelda: Tears of the Kindom, there are elemental variants lurking in the Depths beneath Hyrule. Fortunately, the same rules for defeating the base Like-Like applies to these sub-species.

Like Likes have been a staple of the Zelda series since the original The Legend of Zelda on the NES, and the version found in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom doesn’t behave very differently than its 8-bit ancestors. Generally found stuck to the wall of caves like a sea anemone, Like-Likes will wait until Link gets too close, at which point they will open their circular jaws and try to swallow the Hero of Hyrule whole. While you can escape the Like-Like’s embrace by wiggling, the Like-Like will steal whatever shield you’re wearing and chew it up, dealing some durability damage.