255-496: The Legend of Zelda is a high-fantasy video game series created by Japanese game designers Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka . It is primarily developed and published by Nintendo , although some portable installments have been outsourced to Capcom , Vanpool and Grezzo ; as well, Monolith Soft has assisted in the production of some mainline titles. The series' gameplay incorporates elements of action , adventure , and puzzle-solving games . The series centers on Link ,
510-573: A Skyrim , there was the intimidating land of Hyrule. The Legend of Zelda has done more than shape the series as it's known today. It is known for influencing many of today's best games and its formula has inspired many of today's most recognizable game developers, both in the mainstream and indie space". Liz Finnegan for The Escapist commented on the original game's influence on the RPG genre, particularly its nonlinear open world, and opined that " Zelda ' s design inspired countless other titles to adopt
765-482: A cel-shaded Zelda game, later released as The Wind Waker in December 2002. Due to poor reception, nothing further was shown until a playable demonstration was ready. Miyamoto felt The Wind Waker would "extend Zelda ' s reach to all ages". The gameplay centers on controlling wind with a baton called the "Wind Waker" and sailing a small boat around an island-filled ocean, retaining similar gameplay mechanics as
1020-519: A creation myth , several fictional alphabets, the most prominent being Hylian, and a fictional universal currency, the rupee. Most games in The Legend of Zelda series follow a similar storyline, which involves the protagonist Link battling monsters to save Princess Zelda and defeat a villain, which is often the series' main antagonist, Ganon . Nintendo developed the series' lore into a timeline that spans thousands of years across its history. Hyrule
1275-665: A "hatred" for the character due to him being set up as the main villain, only to be reduced to a puppet of Ganondorf with no real power of his own. Zant also makes an appearance as a playable character in Hyrule Warriors . Zant's helmet is an obtainable armour piece in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom . Linebeck first appears in Phantom Hourglass , where he helps Link track down
1530-467: A "nutty clown freak" and stating, "we hate Tingle, we want him dead, and we're not going to stand for him in another Zelda game". He has starred in his own games, including Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland and Ripened Tingle's Balloon Trip of Love . He is also a playable character via downloadable content in Hyrule Warriors . His suit is an obtainable armour set in Breath of the Wild and Tears of
1785-688: A 2002 compilation for the Game Boy Advance . While the Game & Watch Zelda was developed in-house by Nintendo, the subsequent two LCD games were developed by third parties under license by Nintendo. In October 1989, The Legend of Zelda was developed by Nelsonic as part of its Game Watch line. This game was an actual digital watch with primitive gameplay based on the original Legend of Zelda . In 1992, Epoch Co. developed Zelda no Densetsu: Kamigami no Triforce for its Barcode Battler II console. The game employed card-scanning technology similar to
2040-510: A CD-ROM peripheral for the Super NES. Created independently with no observation by or influence from Nintendo, the games are Link: The Faces of Evil , Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon , and later, Zelda's Adventure . Nintendo never acknowledged them in the Zelda timeline, and they are considered to be in a separate, self-contained canon. These games are widely acknowledged to be the worst installments in
2295-500: A bird. He is voiced in English by Sean Chiplock and Noboru Yamaguchi in Japanese. Revali is skilled in aerial battles and has exceptional sight and archery skills. He initially believes himself to be superior to Link and resents him due to being given a lesser role than him in combating Calamity Ganon, but reluctantly changes his views after Link defeats Windblight Ganon, freeing his spirit in
2550-467: A common goal in defeating Zant, who invaded Hyrule and usurped the Twilight Realm's throne. When Link is transformed into a wolf in the Twilight Realm, she rides on his back and acts as his counterpart in battle. She is eventually revealed to be the true ruler of the Twilight Realm, the titular "Twilight Princess", who Zant overthrew and cursed into an impish form. At the end of the game, Midna's true form
2805-618: A counterpart to the silent protagonist in order to provide hints, navigation and storytelling. Fi is a humanoid spirit that resides within a sword called the Goddess Sword, which eventually becomes the Master Sword . She has a metallic appearance and her voice is robotic, which gives the impression that she displays no emotion. She wears a cape, which opens up when she spins. Her appearance is predominantly blue and purple in colour. Beneath her cloak Fi appears to have no arms, though when she dances
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#17330846201173060-569: A dark realm. In Skyward Sword , the Triforce was sought by the Demon King Demise, an eternal being that had conquered time itself. After a long battle against the goddess Hylia, guardian of the Triforce, Demise was sealed away within her temple. Hylia, placing the Hylians on a floating island in the sky called Skyloft to protect them, orchestrated a means to stop the demon from escaping: creating
3315-461: A deep history and wide geography over the series's many releases. Much of the backstory of the creation of Hyrule was revealed in the games A Link to the Past , Ocarina of Time , The Wind Waker , Twilight Princess , Skyward Sword , and A Link Between Worlds . Hyrule's principal inhabitants are pointy-eared, elf -like humanoids called Hylians , which include the player character , Link, and
3570-478: A drawer and revisit anytime you like". He drew his inspiration from the Kyoto countryside that he had explored in his childhood and wanted to recreate the experience of adventure and discovery. Alongside writer Takashi Tezuka , Miyamoto created a fantasy world in the style of fantasy authors like Tolkien , which was viewed from a top-down perspective . It was populated with colourful characters, monsters and dungeons for
3825-462: A dream. According to the in-game backstories, the world of Hyrule was created by the three golden goddesses : Din, Farore, and Nayru. Before departing, the goddesses left a sacred artifact called the Triforce , which could grant powers to the user. It physically manifests itself as three golden triangles in which each embodies one of the goddesses' virtues: Power, Courage, and Wisdom. However, because
4080-556: A dungeon from a different perspective, and enter areas through otherwise-impassable openings. It was later released on the Wii U Virtual Console. In November 2006, Twilight Princess was released as the first Zelda game on the Wii , and later in December as the last Nintendo-published game for the GameCube , the console for which it was originally developed. The Wii version features motion controls and
4335-450: A fairytale adventure game, Tezuka drew inspirations from fantasy books such as J. R. R. Tolkien 's The Lord of the Rings . According to Keiji Terui, who wrote the backstory in the first game's manual, the location named Death Mountain was initially a working title for the legend of the Triforce which was written with inspirations from the battles of medieval Europe . The Master Sword
4590-516: A fully 3D realm while successfully preserving the heart and soul of previous Zelda games. Its 'Z-targeting' mechanic refined the clumsy auto-targeting systems that made 3D console games of the day feel inferior to 3D action games on the PC. Finally, it presented a story about healing a broken world". Heather Alexandra, writing for Kotaku , remarked on the impact of the game's release: "There have been countless open world games since 1998, but Ocarina of Time
4845-429: A gameplay-wise sequel to the 2014 spin-off game Hyrule Warriors marketed as a prequel to Breath of the Wild , being set 100 years before, but the events of Age of Calamity diverged from the backstory established in Breath of the Wild , creating an alternate timeline separate from it. The central protagonist of The Legend of Zelda series, Link is the name of various young male Hylians who characteristically wear
5100-401: A green tunic and a pointed cap, and are the bearers of the Triforce of Courage . In most games, the player can give Link a different name before the start of the adventure, and he will be referred by that given name throughout by the non-player characters (NPCs). Miyamoto said in a 2002 interview that he named the protagonist "Link" because the character is/was supposed to be the "link" between
5355-520: A guide to Link. In Ocarina of Time , she plays a major role as a young warrior and Zelda's guardian. Her character design is similar in Skyward Sword , where she appears in both a young and elderly form. Breath of the Wild depicts her as a Sheikah elder in Kakariko Village, where she is about 120 years old. She is a playable character in Hyrule Warriors and Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity as
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#17330846201175610-495: A heart of gold". He praised her responsibility and kindness and noted that although she is unprepared to take on the role of sage and Valoo's attendant, she always tries her best and is a valuable ally in the game. Komali is a young Rito boy and the prince of the Rito. Upon first meeting with Link, he is very dismissive and will not listen to reason, but Link earns his respect after calming the island's dragonic god, Valoo. Halfway through
5865-488: A heart that does not possess a balance of the three virtues of Power, Courage, and Wisdom attempts to touch the Triforce, it will split into three triangles and bond with three people whose hearts embody the required virtue. Although their personalities and backstory differ from game to game, the incarnations of Link and Zelda often have many traits in common, such as Link often being left-handed and clad in green, and Zelda being associated with wisdom, light, and prophecy. While
6120-475: A horse or opening a treasure chest. These features were landmarks for Nintendo and influenced 3D world development within the games industry. During development, the staff spent less time on developing the dungeons. According to Miyamoto: "Instead of mapping your way through a maze, I think what's more important is a sense of dread, a sense of pressure, and of course an opportunity for finding secrets and solving puzzles—we should be pursuing an emotional immediacy,
6375-500: A journey across Hyrule to defeat evil, usually in the form of Ganon, and save Princess Zelda. To defeat his enemies, he typically obtains and wields the legendary Master Sword . Each incarnation of Link is humble, brave, and worthy to bear the Triforce of Courage, one of the three pieces that form the Triforce . As protagonist, Link has appeared in related media, including spin-off games such as Hyrule Warriors , comics and manga , and other video game series, such as Mario Kart 8 and
6630-460: A key to the Sacred Realm. It was first introduced in A Link To The Past , it has the power to "repel evil", which enables it to overcome powerful dark magic and slay evil and demonic beings that cannot be harmed by conventional weaponry. Skyward Sword reveals that it was originally known as the Goddess Sword, which is inhabited by a sentient female spirit named Fi . Near the end of the game,
6885-480: A kingdom across the land. The kingdom is ruled by the Royal Family of Hyrule, into which the various incarnations of Princess Zelda are often born. The Hylian alphabet is a cipher of either English or Japanese that first appears in A Link to the Past , where it is identified as "the ancient language of the Hylians" and is composed of symbols that Link must translate to progress. In Japan, an explanation of
7140-422: A lake. It was quite a surprise for me to stumble upon it. When I traveled around the country without a map, trying to find my way, stumbling on amazing things as I went, I realized how it felt to go on an adventure like this". Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto conceived the land of Hyrule as the setting for the original The Legend of Zelda , describing it as "a miniature garden that you can put into
7395-527: A land corrupted by Ganondorf's influence, with Hyrule Castle Town in ruins and Redead zombies as its inhabitants. Due to concerns about the limitations of the Nintendo 64, Miyamoto initially conceived the game taking place within a central hub in the confines of Ganon's Castle, similar to Peach's Castle in Super Mario 64 . He described Ocarina of Time as a "huge project" due to the fact that it involved making
7650-502: A large silver helmet that resembles a chameleon's head. Rob Crossley of GameSpot remarked that Zant's personality "descends from composed usurper king to a confused, overpowered adolescent" as he becomes increasingly desperate, and described his story arc as "fascinating and overbearing and weird and brilliantly imaginative". The final battle against Zant involves fighting him in the arenas of other bosses and sub-bosses before fighting him in front of Hyrule Castle. Destructoid expressed
7905-408: A major effect on the possible actions. It sounds obvious, but for example, if you push down a rock, it's going to roll according to the slope. We wanted people to be able to feel things in a "realistic" way, to break or move around big objects in the game and believe they could have had the same feeling in real life. This physically lived experience is very important". Breath of the Wild' s open world
List of The Legend of Zelda characters - Misplaced Pages Continue
8160-421: A one-player game with dungeons under mountains that surrounded Death Mountain, but we couldn't shake that "I want to play above ground, too!" feeling, so we added forests and lakes, and eventually Hyrule Field". The first specifications were drawn up on a whiteboard by Miyamoto and then copied onto a document on 1 February 1985. The document detailed early concepts for items and enemies that would later feature in
8415-568: A photo shop that allows interaction with the Game Boy Printer . Link's Awakening DX was released on the 3DS' Virtual Console in June 2011. An HD remake of Link's Awakening was released for the Nintendo Switch in 2019. Three video games were developed and released on CD-i in the early 1990s as a product of a compromise between Philips and Nintendo, after the companies failed to develop
8670-452: A place like it existing in our world. It's not just some fantasy, flashy place like you'd find in the Star Wars universe. It's meant to look like the real world, and Miyamoto achieved that goal in a way no one would have expected without actually seeing it first". The open world of Hyrule in Breath of the Wild has received praise for its design. Noelle Warner of Destructoid ranked all of
8925-486: A playable warrior. He wields the Boulder Breaker or Cobble Crusher in battle, and has a fire-based moveset. Daruk plays a major role in the storyline as one of the four Champions. Cinematic designer Naoki Mori stated that Daruk is reminiscent of Darunia from Ocarina of Time because he calls Link "little guy", which serves as a homage to Darunia calling him "brother". He designed him to have a straightforward nature like
9180-666: A poster, in Spirit Tracks as a shop figurine, and in Skyward Sword as a doll in Zelda's room at the Knight Academy. Tingle has gained notoriety due to being disliked by American players and has not appeared in the main series since Twilight Princess . He ranked first on IGN 's list of the weirdest Zelda characters. IGN staff expressed their disdain for the character with a 2004 "Die, Tingle, Die! Die!" Campaign", describing him as
9435-402: A princess from an evil villain and bring peace to Hyrule. The new game concept caused concern with Nintendo's management. In 2003, Miyamoto stated in an interview for Superplay magazine: "I remember that we were very nervous, because The Legend Of Zelda was our first game that forced the players to think about what they should do next. We were afraid that gamers would become bored and stressed by
9690-451: A princess within the bloodline of the goddess Hylia , as they fight to save the land of Hyrule from Ganon , an evil warlord turned demon king, who is the principal antagonist of the series. Ganon wishes to use the Triforce , a sacred relic left behind by the three goddesses that created Hyrule, to remake the world in his own dark image. When gathered together, the power of the Triforce can grant any wish its user desires, but if someone with
9945-897: A quieter person". Daruk was the Goron Champion and pilot of Divine Beast Vah Rudania, the Divine Beast that takes the form of a lizard. Daruk’s signature weapon is the Boulder Breaker. He is voiced by Joe Hernandez in English and Koji Takeda in Japanese. He is usually energetic and upbeat, and he becomes ferocious during battle and believes in Link's fighting capabilities, though he has a phobia of dogs due to being chased by them frequently in his youth. When Link defeats Fireblight Ganon, He grants Link "Daruk's Protection," which protects Link from attacks. He then takes aim on Calamity Ganon. Daruk also appears in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity . as
10200-538: A reversed world where everything that is in the west on the GameCube is in the east on the Wii. The display is mirrored in order to make Link right-handed to make use of the Wii Remote feel more natural for the majority of players. The game chronicles the struggle of a young adult Link to confront the troubles of the "Twilight Realm", a mysterious force that appears around and interacts with Hyrule. When he enters this realm, he
10455-438: A seamless open world . Since the launch of the original game, the series has been a commercial and critical success and introduced landmark innovations in world design that have influenced numerous developers in the video game industry. The Legend of Zelda series is set in a fantasy world that first appeared in the original The Legend of Zelda , which was developed and published by Nintendo . The game introduced Hyrule as
List of The Legend of Zelda characters - Misplaced Pages Continue
10710-401: A silent protagonist so that the audience is able to have their own thoughts as to how their Link would answer the characters instead of him having scripted responses. Princess Zelda is the princess of Hyrule and the guardian of the Triforce of Wisdom . Her name is present in many of her female ancestors and descendants. While most games require Link to save Zelda from Ganon, she sometimes plays
10965-407: A single-player campaign, in which using a Game Boy Advance is optional. Four Swords Adventures includes two gameplay modes: "Hyrulean Adventure", with a plot and gameplay similar to other Zelda games, and "Shadow Battle", in which multiple Links, played by multiple players, battle each other. The Japanese and Korean versions include an exclusive third segment, "Navi Trackers" (originally designed as
11220-526: A specially made arena where they can fight with no distractions. After Link mortally wounds him and restores Zelda's soul to her body, Demise's remains are sealed within the Master Sword . Before his end, Demise curses the future incarnations of Link and Zelda with the promise to manifest repeatedly throughout history. Within the history of the series, this is widely considered to be Ganondorf's origin as Demise's reincarnation. In Hyrule Warriors , Demise reappears in his Imprisoned form. Fi ( / f aɪ / )
11475-465: A specific area of Hyrule and its inhabitants. Several recurring races, such as the Gorons, Zora and Gerudo were introduced and given a distinct history and culture. Hyrule Field, an expansive open grassy area, was positioned at the centre of Hyrule, acting as a hub that connects other areas to create the illusion of a vast world. The game's time travel mechanic also introduced a dark version of Hyrule Kingdom,
11730-635: A supporting role in battle, using magical powers and weapons such as Light Arrows to aid Link. With the exception of the CD-i games, she was not playable in the main series until Spirit Tracks , where she becomes a spirit and can possess a Phantom Knight that can be controlled by the player. Zelda appears under various other aliases and alter egos , including Sheik (in Ocarina of Time ) and Tetra (in The Wind Waker and Phantom Hourglass ). In Skyward Sword , it
11985-507: A targeting system that let the player lock the camera on to enemy or friendly non-player characters which simplified 3D combat. The Legend of Zelda was principally inspired by Shigeru Miyamoto 's "explorations" as a young boy in the hillsides, forests, and caves surrounding his childhood home in Sonobe, Japan where he ventured into forests with secluded lakes, caves, and rural villages. According to Miyamoto, one of his most memorable experiences
12240-520: A wish, then decides that he wants his ship back, which was earlier destroyed by a falling mast, rather than great treasure. In Spirit Tracks , Linebeck's grandson, Linebeck III , runs Linebeck Trading at the Trading Outpost in New Hyrule, and hires a bridgemaker to build a bridge for Link in exchange for a precious ring he retrieves from the original Linebeck's resting place. Demon Lord Ghirahim
12495-504: A young warrior. In Tears of the Kingdom , she has retired and is investigating the Geoglyphs that have appeared around Hyrule, tasking Link with finding the Dragon's Tears and the memories they hold. Impa's characterisation was praised by Jenni Lada of Siliconera , who admired her for being an intelligent warrior and a respected character. Impa's character design has evolved significantly over
12750-451: Is "[one of the] first contemporary non-dance title[s] to feature music-making as part of its gameplay", using music as a heuristic device and requiring the player to utilise songs to progress in the game – a game mechanic that is also present in Majora's Mask . "The Legend of Zelda Theme" is a recurring piece of music that was created for the first game. The composer and sound director of
13005-417: Is a media franchise created by the Japanese game designers Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka . It is primarily developed and published by Nintendo ; some portable installments and re-releases have been outsourced to Flagship , Vanpool , Grezzo , and Tantalus Media . The series centers on the various incarnations of Link , a courageous young man of the elf-like Hylian race, and Princess Zelda ,
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#173308462011713260-429: Is a boss encountered throughout Skyward Sword . He seeks to kidnap Zelda to break the seal of the goddess Hylia so that the ancient evil Demise can be released, forcing Link to battle him to save her. Eiji Aonuma said that he wanted to include a different type of antagonist for the game in place of Ganon, so Ghirahim's delicate appearance was designed to contrast with Ganon's "very masculine, powerful, evil" image. In
13515-474: Is a female humanoid representation of the Goddess Sword, which later evolves into the Master Sword , who appears in Skyward Sword . She serves as Link's logical-minded companion and assists him throughout the game. Her design is based off of the Master Sword. In the end, after Demise is sealed within the Master Sword, Fi reveals her last order from the goddess is to let Link put her into an endless sleep within
13770-402: Is a vessel for Ganon's soul. Link faces Agahnim twice, first at the end of the light world and again near the end of the dark world, where he is assisted by two shadow clones. In the second battle, the player must distinguish between the shadow clones and the real Agahnim as they shoot projectiles at Link, who can bounce them back to defeat him. In Link's Awakening , Agahnim's Shadow is one of
14025-556: Is a young girl who appears in Link's Awakening . She finds Link washed ashore on Koholint Island and nurses him back to health, after which she spends her time in the village with her father Tarin . Marin is loved by the villagers for her singing, specifically her favorite song, the Ballad of the Wind Fish. If the player does not die during the game, a secret ending is revealed after the credits, where
14280-430: Is an evil deity and the final boss in Skyward Sword . He is presented as the origin of the evil that manifests throughout the history of Hyrule. Despite not being the first game in the series, Skyward Sword was designed to be the beginning of The Legend of Zelda timeline . In the ancient past, Demise invaded the world with his forces seeking to steal the Triforce from the goddess Hylia and have ultimate power over
14535-586: Is depicted as an athletic warrior, which is similar to her appearance in Ocarina of Time and her younger form in Skyward Sword . In Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, which features the younger self of her Breath of the Wild incarnation , she is portrayed as a powerful fighter and strongly resembles her future granddaughter, Paya. Impa's design, abilities, and gestures in Age of Calamity drew heavy inspiration from Naruto Uzumaki . Throughout her many incarnations, she bears
14790-429: Is encountered inside a cave and offers Link a sword, saying, " It's dangerous to go alone! Take this. " Ozzie Mejia, writing for Shacknews , remarked that this quote has become synonymous with gaming in popular culture and has been referenced in various media. Jack Yarwood of GamesRadar called him "iconic" and commented that he acts as a tutorial for the player, who is otherwise given no clear direction. The Old Man
15045-420: Is entirely mute, having the other characters speak while Link remains silent "would be off-putting". Instead of theme music for different locations, Breath of the Wild plays natural ambience around the player as main sounds, in addition to some minimalist piano music. The Legend of Zelda takes place predominantly in a medieval Western Europe -inspired fantasy world called Hyrule , which has developed
15300-460: Is frequently accompanied by a companion in Zelda games, starting with Navi in The Ocarina of Time . Characters like Navi, Midna , and Fi serve a tutorial function in their respective games and comment on events as they transpire in the story. The supporting cast of Breath of the Wild , featuring characters such as Mipha , Prince Sidon , and Urbosa , has proven to be popular among fans of
15555-502: Is happy to be able to make up for her people's shame, as one of Ganon's previous incarnations was a Gerudo. She grants Link "Urbosa's Fury", a devastating electric attack that can strike enemies in a wide radius for massive damage. She also appears in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity as a playable character. She was generally well-regarded, as she was considered one of the best characters of 2017 by Paste Magazine and Destructoid . The Legend of Zelda The Legend of Zelda
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#173308462011715810-519: Is incredibly inspiring". Adam Saltsman , creator of Canabalt , commented on the consistency of the game environment and the player's ability to experiment. Vlambeer 's Rami Ismail said that "no game has done verticality as well as BotW ". Sam Byford of The Verge commented on the impact of Breath of the Wild' s open world on the video game industry, describing it as a "revolutionary approach to open-world game design". He cited several other subsequent game worlds that bear similarities to Breath of
16065-514: Is later revealed to be the true identity of The King of Red Lions , the sentient red sailboat that accompanies Link and leads him to the Triforce of Courage, also helping Tetra to uncover her true identity as Zelda, ultimately usurping the Triforce to sink Hyrule. He later appears as a playable character in Hyrule Warriors Legends . In Breath of the Wild , the Old Man guides Link throughout
16320-402: Is made up of three smaller triangles known as the Triforce of Power , the Triforce of Wisdom , and the Triforce of Courage . These embody the essences of their respective goddesses, and present a power struggle and balance of morality between the central characters, Ganon, Zelda and Link. The Triforce first appeared in the original game as a focal point of the plot, which involves Ganon stealing
16575-470: Is more action-oriented. Both titles were later released on the 3DS Virtual Console and Nintendo Switch Online. The Game Boy Advance release of A Link to the Past in 2002 featured a new game, Four Swords , the first multiplayer Zelda . This game introduced Toon Link , a name first used in Super Smash Bros. Brawl to refer to cartoon-based visual designs of Link. Four Swords Anniversary Edition
16830-501: Is not defeated, leading into the Imprisoning War and A Link to the Past , Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages , Link's Awakening ( A Link Between Worlds , Tri Force Heroes , and Echoes of Wisdom were released after the timeline), The Legend of Zelda and The Adventure of Link . The second and third, where Ganon is defeated by Link, lead to a split timeline between his childhood (where Zelda sends him back in time so he can use
17085-523: Is not revealed whether he returns her affections. Her spirit is set free in the present day after Link awakens 100 years later and helps to reclaim control of Divine Beast Vah Ruta. Afterwards, she bestows Mipha's Grace upon him, which is a powerful healing ability that brings Link back to life should he run out of health, and sets Ruta up on a mountain to take aim on Calamity Ganon. She apologizes to her father for not returning safely and wishes that she could see her family again. Link honors her memory by wearing
17340-528: Is often seen at stables. IGN ranked him number 14 on its list of the weirdest Zelda characters. Medli is a young Rito girl and the Sage of Earth as well as the apprentice attendant of Valoo, a powerful dragon and the Sky Spirit. When not serving Valoo, she tends to the young Prince Komali and practices her harp, the symbol of the Sage of Earth. Her ancestor Laruto , a Zora, was the original Sage, and teaches Link
17595-485: Is revealed and she severs the connection with Hyrule by breaking the Mirror of Twilight. Midna returns in Hyrule Warriors as a playable character in both her imp and Twili forms. Destructoid listed Midna as one of the top ten best companions in gaming history, citing her cheeky character, her ability to help Link destroy enemies, and her emotional moments in the game. Jeff Levene, writing for The Escapist , also chose her as
17850-471: Is revealed that the Zelda of that game is a reincarnation of the goddess Hylia, whose power flows through the royal bloodline. The name "Zelda" derives from the American novelist Zelda Fitzgerald . Ganon, also known as Ganondorf in his humanoid form, is the main antagonist and the final boss in the majority of The Legend of Zelda games. In the series, Ganondorf is the leader of a race of desert brigands called
18105-456: Is similar to Hylian and is written in elongated, wispy letters. The Sheikah language was introduced in Breath of the Wild and consists of a complete alphabet of square-shaped symbols. Players have deciphered these languages to translate numerous signs and inscriptions commonly found around Hyrule. The universal currency of Hyrule is the rupee. Although it shares its name with the real-world currency , Miyamoto said in an interview that this
18360-657: Is slightly altered to make him resemble the Hyrule Warriors incarnation of Link. Aeralfos Mipha was the Zora Princess, Champion, and pilot of Divine Beast Vah Ruta, the Divine Beast that takes the form of an elephant. Mipha was the first of the Champions to master her Divine Beast. Her signature weapon is the Lightscale Trident. She is voiced by Amelia Gotham in English and Mayu Isshiki in Japanese. Mipha, alongside
18615-530: Is that the Phantom Guardians seen in Phantom Hourglass are, through a series of events, periodically controllable. It was the first time in the series that both Link and Zelda work together on the quest. It was later released on the Wii U Virtual Console. A new Zelda game for Wii was in development since the end of 2000s. The new title was revealed at E3 2010 as Skyward Sword , but its release
18870-483: Is transformed into a wolf , and loses the ability to use his sword, shield or other items, but gains other abilities such as sharpened senses from his new form. Twilight Princess includes an incarnation of Link's horse, Epona, for fast transportation, and features mounted battle scenarios including boss battles that were not seen in previous games. Twilight Princess diverted from the cel-shading of Wind Waker , integrating graphics featuring more detailed textures, giving
19125-451: Is worthy of wielding it. Hyrule is the main recurring setting of The Legend of Zelda series, but several games are set outside Hyrule in other lands, realms and parallel worlds. The geographical relationship between Hyrule and these other worlds is not clearly defined. Despite most games in the series nominally taking place centuries apart, The Legend of Zelda often features many recurring characters. The silent protagonist Link and
19380-646: The Super Smash Bros. series. Although he is mainly silent in the video games, he does speak in the Legend of Zelda cartoon series and the CD-i games from The Legend of Zelda series produced by Philips . Link was recognised as the second greatest video game character of all time behind Mario in the Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition 2011. Nintendo Life describes Link as "one of gaming's most iconic heroes", while GamesRadar describes him as, "one of
19635-409: The Super Smash Bros. series. Ganon was recognized as one of the greatest video game villains of all time in a 2013 poll for Guinness World Records 2013 Gamer's Edition . In 2022, GamesRadar named him as one of the most iconic gaming villains of all time. The Old Man appears in the original The Legend of Zelda and is notable for being the first character that Link meets in the series. He
19890-462: The Gerudo , which consists entirely of female warriors save for one man born every one hundred years. He is significantly taller than other human NPCs, but his looks vary between games, often taking the form of a monstrous anthropomorphic boar. His specific motives vary from game to game, but most often his plans include him kidnapping Princess Zelda and planning to achieve domination of Hyrule and presumably
20145-448: The Legend of Zelda series consists of various lands, the most predominant being Hyrule . The franchise is set within a fantasy world reminiscent of medieval Europe which consists of several recurring locations, races and creatures. The most prominent race in the series are the Hylians, a humanoid race with elfin features identifiable by their long, pointed ears. The series' lore contains
20400-594: The Nintendo Entertainment System , using battery-backed memory , was released in 1987 in the United States on August 22, and in Europe on November 27. The game features a "Second Quest", accessible either upon completing the game, or by registering one's name as "ZELDA" when starting a new quest. The "Second Quest" features different dungeons and item placement, and more difficult enemies. A modified version of
20655-491: The Triforce , a mystical artifact that will enable him to possess ultimate power. Although Link and Zelda have similar appearances in each game, they are different characters who reappear whenever evil threatens the world. Skyward Sword was established as the beginning of the series' history and involves the antagonist Demise cursing the first incarnations of Link and Zelda so their descendants appear in an endless cycle to protect Hyrule from evil. "I went hiking and found
20910-405: The best video game of all time , and ranking highly on IGN and EGM's "greatest games of all time" lists, as well as scoring perfect scores in several video game publications. In February 2006, it was ranked by Nintendo Power as the best game released for a Nintendo console. The game was originally developed for the poorly selling, Japanese-only 64DD , but was converted to cartridge format when
21165-411: The greatest video games of all time . Link is the silent protagonist of the series and the main playable character. He is a Hylian youth of varying age who has traditionally been depicted wearing a green cap and tunic. He has appeared as the hero of every game in the series, each time as a new iteration of the same character. Although each game stars a new variation of Link, he typically embarks on
21420-411: The playable character and protagonist who is often tasked with rescuing Princess Zelda and the kingdom of Hyrule from Ganon , who is the series' primary antagonist; however, other settings and antagonists have appeared in several games. The plots commonly involve the Triforce , a relic that is a set of three omnipotent golden triangles. Since the original The Legend of Zelda 's release in 1986,
21675-407: The princess Zelda are reincarnated in most Zelda games, while the antagonistic force Ganon , the final boss of most Zelda games, born from the primordial evil "Demise", repeatedly returns in a new form as well. Other figures who reappear across the series include Zelda's caretaker Impa and the fairy-obsessed man Tingle . In many Zelda games, Link obtains a horse named Epona . Link
21930-398: The recorder in The Legend of Zelda can reveal secret areas, as well as warp Link to the dungeon entrances. This warping with music feature has also been used in A Link to the Past and Link's Awakening . In Ocarina of Time , playing instruments is a core part of the game, with the player needing to play the instrument through the use of the game controller to succeed. Ocarina of Time
22185-432: The strategic , turn-based or active time combat of series like Final Fantasy . The game's role-playing elements, however, have led to much debate over whether or not the Zelda games should be classified as action role-playing games , a genre on which the series has had a strong influence. Miyamoto himself disagreed with the role-playing label, and classified Zelda as "a real-time adventure game"; he said that he
22440-467: The 2011 Guinness World Record Gamer's Edition . Ganon is the series' primary villain and final boss . His specific motives vary across games, but general themes include seeking the Triforce for power and destruction and to conquer Hyrule, and kidnapping Princess Zelda as a means to this end. Like Link and Zelda, he is the bearer of one third of the Triforce: the Triforce of Power. Ganon was introduced as
22695-554: The 3D games in the series have been re-released in HD resolution. Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages were released simultaneously for the Game Boy Color in 2001, and interact using passwords or a Game Link Cable . After one game has been completed, the player is given a password that allows the other game to be played as a sequel. They were developed by Flagship in conjunction with Nintendo, with supervision from Miyamoto. After
22950-439: The 64DD hardware was delayed. A new gameplay mechanic, lock-on targeting, is used in the game, which focuses the camera on a nearby target and alters the player's actions relative to that target. Such mechanics allow precise sword fighting in a 3D space. The game heavily uses context-sensitive button play, which enabled the player to control various actions with Link using only one button on the Nintendo 64's controller. Each action
23205-512: The Champions were designed as a throwback to characters in earlier games. He thought it would be interesting to create a character that does not accept Link as a hero like the other Champions, but wanted to ensure that he was not disliked for his overconfidence. The lead artist of NPCs, Hirohito Shinoda, stated that Revali was the first Rito character to be created for the game and defined the other Rito designs. Various bird motifs were considered for his design, including swallows and woodpeckers, before
23460-606: The Earth God's Lyric and appears to Medli in a vision to inform her of her sacred duty. Medli then travels to the Earth Temple with Link and helps him navigate it. She eventually begins offering up her prayers, which partially restores the energy and edge of the Master Sword. She also appears as a playable character in Hyrule Warriors through downloadable content. Josh Max of Nintendo World Report named Medli as his favourite Zelda character, describing her as "a little bird girl with
23715-684: The Four Swords, which requires the player to defeat four versions of him. He makes recurring appearances in Four Swords Adventures , and also appears in Oracle of Ages , where multiple Shadow Links are summoned by the sorceress Veran during the final battle. He also appears in a mini game in Spirit Tracks and the Den of Trials in Tri Force Heroes . The Dark Set, an obtainable armor set in Breath of
23970-565: The Ghost Ship in the World of the Ocean King and provides transport for Link in his ship, the S. S. Linebeck . During the first half of the game, he seeks to obtain the Ghost Ship's treasure. After the Ghost Ship's treasure is revealed to be a rumor devised by the monstrous Bellum to attract people to it, Linebeck indignantly gives up and refuses to accommodate Link any more. Oshus, who is revealed to be
24225-560: The Goddess Sword (later becoming the Master Sword) for her chosen hero and discarding her divinity to be reborn among the people of Skyloft. In time, Zelda and Link (the reborn Hylia and her predestined warrior) enacted the goddess's plan and Demise was destroyed, but he vowed that his rage would be reborn and forever plague those descended from Link and Zelda. Following the establishment of Hyrule Kingdom, Demise's prophecy came to fruition in Ocarina of Time , when Ganondorf's attempt to get
24480-681: The Goddess Sword transforms into the Master Sword after being infused with the Three Sacred Flames, with Fi's spirit form ceasing to be after the Master Sword absorbs Demise 's remains. The sword traditionally rests in a stone pedestal hidden in sacrosanct locations indigenous to Hyrule, such as the Temple of Time or the Lost Woods. Like the Sword in the Stone , the Master Sword can only be removed by someone who
24735-564: The Great Fairy heal Link completely. Occasionally the player will find fairies hidden in specific locations; these fairies can either heal Link immediately or be kept in empty bottles, and will revive the player the next time they die. The games pioneered a number of features that were to become industry standards. The original Legend of Zelda was the first console game with a save function that enabled players to stop playing and then resume later. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time introduced
24990-509: The Great Plateau and helps him obtain the paraglider and is eventually revealed to be the spirit of King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule . In the game's backstory, he prepared for the return of Calamity Ganon and put pressure on his daughter Zelda to awaken her sealing powers, but his efforts ended in failure and his death. King Rhoam returns as a playable character in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity . Great Fairies appear in almost every game in
25245-586: The Hylian Alphabet used in A Link Between Worlds , and the Hylian Alphabet used in Twilight Princess . The first three are used for transcribing Japanese, while the latter three are used to transcribe English, totaling six variations of written Hylian. Additional languages have subsequently appeared in the series. The language of the Gerudo was introduced in Ocarina of Time , a written and spoken language that
25500-649: The Hylian alphabet was written on the back of the instruction manual for The Wind Waker with a phonographic writing system, or syllabary , like the Japanese language. Since its first appearance, five more Hylian scripts have been developed and deciphered: the Old Hylian Syllabary used in Ocarina of Time , the Modern Hylian Syllabary used in The Wind Waker , the Hylian Alphabet used in Skyward Sword ,
25755-554: The King of Hyrule and brainwashing the castle soldiers. He also begins capturing the descendants of the Seven Sages and banishes them to the Dark World to release Ganon from his imprisonment. Link is unable to stop Agahnim from capturing Princess Zelda , as he escapes to the Dark World and drags Link with him. After a battle atop Ganon's Tower, prior to his defeat, it is revealed that his body
26010-518: The Kingdom , Aonuma used the same map of Hyrule as the one players experienced in Breath of the Wild to create a continuation of the same world. Hyrule was extensively expanded, by introducing Sky Islands to the map to place emphasis on vertical gameplay. In addition to its sky expansion, the game introduced the Depths, a vast pitch-black area beneath the surface of Hyrule. Aonuma said the development team had learned lessons from Skyward Sword , where Link
26265-500: The Kingdom , was released on the Switch in May 2023. New to Tears of the Kingdom are the battery-powered Zonai devices, which the player can use for combat, propulsion, exploration, and more. The game also features the new abilities to fuse materials together, ascend through ceilings, reverse objects' movement through time, and autobuild structures. Echoes of Wisdom , which features Zelda as
26520-518: The Kingdom , where they are found in different locations and can only be unlocked after being serenaded by a musical group called the Stable Trotters. In Hyrule Warriors , one of Link's unlockable weapons allows the player to control a Great Fairy, with Link held in a bottle that she carries with her. In Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity , Great Fairies are secret characters that can be unlocked by completing four Fairy Fountain challenges. Marin
26775-459: The Kingdom . Vaati ( Japanese : グフー , Hepburn : Gufū ) is the antagonist of The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords , Four Swords Adventures and The Minish Cap . His most common appearance is a black orb with a single eye, though he was originally a human sorcerer . In Four Swords , Vaati is initially sealed in the Four Sword, but escapes and captures Princess Zelda, only for Link, who
27030-464: The Kingdom , Ganondorf is known as the Demon King . His portrayal varies across each game in the series, ranging from a mute beast to a powerful warlock with formidable sword skills, but generally he is so powerful that only Link and Zelda are capable of defeating him. In addition to the main Zelda series, Ganon/Ganondorf appears as a playable character in spin-off games, including Hyrule Warriors and
27285-462: The Ocean King, promises Linebeck one wish if he continues to sail Link across the oceans, which will be granted after Bellum is defeated. In the endgame, Linebeck saves Link and Tetra from Bellum by stabbing his tentacle after the latter grabs them, after which Bellum possesses him to fight Link, but is ultimately killed and Linebeck is freed. When the now-restored Ocean King asks him what his wish is, Linebeck first questions whether he even has to make
27540-430: The Past is a prequel to the previous two games, and is followed by Link's Awakening ; Ocarina of Time is a prequel to A Link to the Past and takes the story many centuries back - according to character designer Satoru Takizawa, it was meant to implicitly tell the story of the Imprisoning War, and was followed by Majora's Mask as a direct sequel, set a few months later; Four Swords , upon its release,
27795-408: The Past , Oracle of Seasons , Oracle of Ages , the original The Legend of Zelda , Zelda II: The Adventure of Link , and finally Link's Awakening . In 2011, series translator Daniel Owsen revealed that, at one point, his coworkers at Nintendo of America and him conceived another complete timeline and intended to make it available online, but the Japanese series developers rejected the idea so that
28050-550: The Shadows of Link's former foes who attack him in the final battle at Koholint Island's Wind Fish Egg. The King of Hyrule is the title given to the various ruling monarchs of Hyrule, who are generally the father of Princess Zelda in most incarnations. He appears in many entries, but his presence is often relegated to cameos, backstory, or lore. In The Minish Cap, Link must rescue King Daltus after Vaati turns him to stone and imprisons him. In The Wind Waker, Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule
28305-400: The Triforce has no will of its own and it can not judge between good and evil, it will grant any wish indiscriminately. Because of this, it was placed within an alternate world called the "Sacred Realm" or the "Golden Land" until one worthy of its power and has balanced virtues of Power, Wisdom, and Courage in their heart could obtain it, in its entirety. If a person is not of a balanced heart,
28560-428: The Triforce of Courage was introduced, being obtained by Link at the end of his quest. The Triforce, or even a piece of it, is not always distributed as a whole. Such as in The Wind Waker , Link must find all the pieces (called Triforce Shards) of the Triforce of Courage before he can return to Hyrule. Even in the original The Legend of Zelda , Zelda breaks her Triforce of Wisdom into 8 pieces for Link to find, before she
28815-464: The Triforce of Power and Link searching for the scattered pieces of the Triforce of Wisdom to stop him and protect Hyrule from evil. The Triforce of Courage was introduced in The Adventure of Link as the third piece. When united, the Triforce allows the person who touches it to make a wish that usually lasts until they die or the wish is granted. If the person who finds it does not possess a balance of
29070-527: The Triforce scattered it with him gaining the Triforce of Power. The Triforce of Wisdom ended up with the Hylian princesses descended from Zelda, each named after her, while the Triforce of Courage is passed to a youth named Link across generations. While the Triforces of Power and Wisdom have been part of the series since the original The Legend of Zelda , it was in Zelda II: The Adventure of Link that
29325-549: The Wii U Virtual Console, and on Nintendo Switch Online. Three Zelda -themed LCD games were created between 1989 and 1992. The Zelda version of Nintendo's Game & Watch series was released first in August 1989 as a dual-screen handheld electronic game similar in appearance to today's Nintendo DS . It was re-released in 1998 as a Toymax, Inc. Mini Classic and was later included as an unlockable extra in Game & Watch Gallery 4 ,
29580-509: The Wild and Tears of the Kingdom is based on his appearance. He is also a downloadable costume in the spin-off Hyrule Warriors and an optional costume for Link in most entries of the Super Smash Bros. series. Game Informer considered Dark Link in The Adventure of Link as one of the top ten best Zelda boss fights, describing it as, "a notoriously difficult battle". Den of Geek praised Dark Link in Ocarina of Time as one of
29835-471: The Wild ' s timeline placement after all previous games in the series, without specifying a connection to any of the three timeline branches. Aonuma and Breath of the Wild director Hidemaro Fujibayashi justified the vague placement with the previous idea of keeping it open to players' imaginations. Nintendo moved Link's Awakening to take place before Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages . In 2020, Nintendo released Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity ,
30090-478: The Wild . Zelda is the reincarnation of the goddess Hylia in mortal form and is therefore capable of using various magical powers to aid Link, including light magic to seal away Ganon. She has also wielded the Bow of Light as a recurring weapon in the series. Zelda occasionally has aliases and alter egos , including Sheik in Ocarina of Time and Tetra in The Wind Waker and Phantom Hourglass . Despite being
30345-475: The Wild , including Genshin Impact , Immortals Fenyx Rising and Horizon Forbidden West . Both the miHoYo development team of Genshin Impact and Sam Barlow , creator of Telling Lies have cited Breath of the Wild as a significant source of inspiration. Elden Ring director Hidetaka Miyazaki also said that he was influenced by Breath of the Wild ' s open world. Upon its release, Breath of
30600-401: The Wind Fish grants her desire to fly away from Koholint by reincarnating her as a seagull. Jenni Lada of Siliconera considered Marin to be one of the most charming aspects of the game because, rather than being a one-note character, she grows as a person and plays a major role in the story. Timothy Monbleau of Destructoid opined that Marin's close relationship with Link marked a change in
30855-507: The Zora armor that she made for him and by aiding the Zora. Mipha also appears in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity as a playable character. She wields the Lightscale Trident, Zora Spear, or Traveler's Spear in battle and has the ability to heal herself and her allies on the battlefield. She also uses her ability to manipulate water to create water-based attacks. Mipha plays a major role in
31110-500: The action-adventure-exploration hybrid with a top-down perspective and expansive, cohesive overworld. These games have long since been informally dubbed " Zelda clones". Christian Donlan of Eurogamer noted the similarity and influence that Hyrule had on Dark Souls , comparing both kingdoms: "In the original Legend of Zelda , however, Hyrule feels, well, a bit more like Lordran—a place of scarred earth and wasteland, parched and rugged and filled with horrible creatures that erupt from
31365-467: The area with the Gust Jar. In Phantom Hourglass , he sells boat parts. In Spirit Tracks , he is seen soaring above in a balloon across New Hyrule. In Skyward Sword , he travels from his island home to Skyloft in a pedal-powered wooden shack with helicopter-type propellers, which also serves as his shop. In Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom , he travels on foot with a large backpack, and
31620-460: The best companion, describing her as a fully realized character with more layers than other companions. Usurper King Zant is a sorcerer and the antagonist for the majority of Twilight Princess . He is the enemy of the Twili, who willingly offered himself to Ganondorf, whom he saw as a god, to dispose of their princess Midna and invade Hyrule. He dresses in an oversized robe with his head enclosed in
31875-464: The cloth moves as though it were her limbs. She is revealed in Hyrule Historia to have arms hidden within her cloak. She wears a blue gem on her chest, a purple miniskirt and black tights with criss-crossed teal stripes. In the game she appears to wear heeled shoes that blend seamlessly with her tights but in early concept art she is described as barefoot. The shape of her cloak mimics the design of
32130-410: The confidential nature of this document, which only Miyamoto himself and the director of each game had access to. In-game content, marketing material, and developer statements once partially established a timeline of the released installments: the original The Legend of Zelda was followed by Zelda II: The Adventure of Link as a direct sequel, which takes place several years later; A Link to
32385-416: The conflict with Ganon serves as a backbone for the series, some games have featured other settings and antagonists, with Link traveling or being sent to these other lands in their time of need. Since The Legend of Zelda was released in 1986, the series has expanded to include 21 entries on all of Nintendo's major game consoles , as well as a number of spin-offs. An American animated TV series based on
32640-448: The conventions of previous games. He explained that in Ocarina of Time , the game world featured "routes" to help players navigate the 3D environment without getting lost, but that certain handholding and blockages had caused players to feel frustrated. By contrast, Breath of the Wild 's Hyrule was designed to allow the player to explore a vast world in any way they liked. Nintendo's senior product marketing manager Bill Trinen described
32895-513: The course of successive games. The transition from a 2D to 3D world occurred with the release of Ocarina of Time , due to the capabilities of the Nintendo 64 , which gave players the opportunity to experience a more realistic game environment. The 3D world was also accompanied by an expanding fictional lore that laid the foundation for other games in the series within an official fictional timeline . The game's dungeons were each unique and connected to
33150-489: The course of the series, having been depicted in various forms and ages to fulfill various roles in the games. In her first appearance, Impa was created as an elderly woman for the instruction manual of The Legend of Zelda . In Ocarina of Time , she appears as a slimmer, younger character with a sturdy build and hair tied back in a ponytail. By contrast, she was designed as an overweight woman for Oracle of Seasons . In Skyward Sword, she appears as younger and older versions of
33405-517: The discounted Player's Choice version. Ocarina of Time was available through the Wii 's Virtual Console service. Nintendo re-released it for the Wii U Virtual Console in July 2015. Ocarina of Time 3D for the 3DS, featuring remade graphics and stereoscopic 3D, was released in mid-June 2011. Ocarina of Time has been made available on the higher tier of Nintendo Switch Online in HD resolution. Ocarina of Time ' s follow-up, Majora's Mask ,
33660-439: The distant horizon". She also commented on the "range of quiet, clever techniques designed to help players navigate the environment". Andrew Webster of The Verge responded positively to the grandness of the game's massive open world: "The scale could have been daunting, but the joy of discovery and the satisfaction that comes from finding your own way make it inviting instead". Senior editor Caty McCarthy of USgamer ranked
33915-414: The door to battle the dungeon's boss enemy and open the item chest. In most Zelda games, the player's HP or life meter is represented by a line of hearts, each heart typically representing two hit points. At the start of the game the player only has three hearts; players can increase their max hearts by finding heart-shaped crystals called "Heart Containers". Full heart containers are usually received at
34170-403: The dungeons, which each feature various enemies, items and a boss . The concept of a role-playing game was a new experience for players in the 1980s. The gameplay diverged from the fast-paced games typically found in arcades like Super Mario Bros , by offering players an open world to explore, puzzles to solve and a fantasy story that centres on a protagonist embarking on an adventure to save
34425-426: The end of dungeons and dropped by dungeon bosses. Smaller "Pieces of Heart" are awarded for completing side quests or found hidden around the game world in various places, and require a certain number (usually four) to form a full heart container. Health can be replenished by picking up hearts left by defeated enemies or destroyed objects, consuming items such as potions or food, or going to a Great Fairy Fountain to have
34680-441: The eponymous princess, Zelda. The fictional universe established by the Zelda games sets the stage for each adventure. Some games take place in different lands with their own back-stories. Hytopia is a connected kingdom, Labrynna and Holodrum are different countries separate from the Kingdom of Hyrule, Termina and Lorule serve as parallel worlds, and Koholint is an island far away from Hyrule that appears to be part of
34935-518: The evil plant and saves Makar. Later, he accompanied Link to Wind Temple to restore the Master Sword's power. Midna is the titular character of Twilight Princess . She is an imp -like creature and the princess of the Twili race, who serves as Link's companion and guide, like Navi in Ocarina of Time . She initially shows contempt for Link and uses him to further her own goals, but over time grows to like him as she helps him on his quest, as they share
35190-592: The exception of Four Swords Adventures , where he is a reincarnation of the original. In each game the battles with him are different and he fights using different styles. The game Skyward Sword indicates that Ganon is a reincarnation of an evil deity known as Demise. The Legend of Zelda , the first game of the series, was first released in Japan in February 1986, on the Famicom Disk System . A cartridge version for
35445-400: The final battle reveals his true character. Nintendo Life described Ghirahim as, "one of Nintendo's most edgy, downright creepy creations", noting his intimidating character and strange mannerisms. Outside the main series, Ghirahim appears in Hyrule Warriors and both Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as an Assist Trophy. Demon King Demise
35700-410: The final boss battle, Ghirahim is revealed to be the spirit of Demise's sword, given life so that he can resurrect his master. He returns to his sword form, but is ultimately defeated by the Master Sword during the climactic battle with Link. Kenneth Shepard of Kotaku described him as a " queer-coded menace" and noted that despite all of his theatricality and cockiness, him resorting to brute force in
35955-540: The game a darker atmosphere. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD released for Wii U in 2016. At 2006 Game Developers Conference , a new title Phantom Hourglass for the Nintendo DS was shown. It revealed traditional top-down Zelda gameplay optimised for the DS's features, with a cel-shaded 3D graphical style similar to The Wind Waker for Gamecube. The game is a direct sequel to The Wind Waker . Phantom Hourglass
36210-427: The game as "open air": "I look at this game and I see a world that is fully integrated into the exploration and the adventure. It's not just a world that you're passing through. It's sort of a world that you're a part of". The game world benefited from advancements in Nintendo hardware. Earlier games had been restricted by the available technology, creating the need to separate Hyrule into individual connecting areas, but
36465-429: The game environment from 3D polygons and was larger in scale than anything that he had previously worked on. He said that he had approached the game by first focusing on what types of characters he wanted to include, rather than on the story or the game functions. Ocarina of Time was designed with several innovations to help the player navigate the expansive 3D world and interact with the environment. The camera system
36720-412: The game explored the relationship between its environments, the camera's 3D perspective and Link's place in it all to create a realm that felt far more like a real location than the game worlds that had come before it". Destructoid also noted Hyrule's impact in Ocarina of Time , saying "there was nothing else like it before 1998" and continued: "The awesome thing about Hyrule is that I can honestly see
36975-586: The game is often considered to be the greatest video game due to its technological innovations: "The problems Nintendo solved back then have been influential across gaming genres and, whilst public acknowledgment of this influence is thin on the ground, it's difficult not to view Ocarina of Time as one of the fathers of modern gaming". In the months following the release of Breath of the Wild in 2017, many video game developers were influenced by its open world design. Alx Preston, creator of Hyper Light Drifter , remarked that "the sense of freedom and experimentation
37230-419: The game received a gold-colored cartridge in a limited edition box with a golden plastic card affixed, reading "Collector's Edition". In some stores that had this "Collector's Edition" quickly sell out, a small and rare Zelda pin was given instead. It is the sword and shield emblem with "Zelda" written on it. Very few of them are known to remain. Ocarina of Time was re-released on the GameCube in 2002, when it
37485-433: The game without any help. So we sealed the map, with a message reading 'You should only use the map and strategic tips as a last resort'". Players were required to begin their adventure in the centre of Hyrule and use instinct alone to find an old man inside a cave who gives Link a sword and declares, " It's dangerous to go alone! ". While navigating Hyrule's overworld and its many dangerous enemies, players must eventually find
37740-426: The game world could now be experienced as a seamless environment. The concept of an "open air" environment began during work on The Wind Waker . Aonuma said that he wanted to remove the small connecting areas of The Wind Waker and replace them with open expanses, but the world ended up feeling smaller than he intended. "In Breath of the Wild , the fact that the world is supported by a coherent physics engine has
37995-427: The game world. This was designed to provide the player with a more interactive gameplay that was coined "chemical reaction play". Hyrule in Breath of the Wild was depicted using an art style that was based on the stylised visuals of The Wind Waker but developed into a more realistic, detailed style. The civilization of the Hylians was developed with a focus on their castle in the style of medieval Europe to return to
38250-523: The game, a visibly matured Komali reappears to rescue Link and Zelda from Ganondorf's clutches before Valoo burns down his hideout. It is implied that Komali has a crush on Medli. Makar is the Koroks' resident musician, as well as the Sage of Wind. Link meets him when the Great Deku Tree sends the young hero out to find the missing korok. Link finds Makar just as he gets eaten by Kalle Demos, so he defeats
38505-469: The game, such as a compass, bows and arrows and a boomerang, and "Hakkai", an early name given to Ganon . This was developed into rough sketches for various items and enemies within the following two weeks. The name for the game had not yet been decided, so the title was simply labelled "Adventure". Long paper was used to create the first land map of Hyrule, which was developed by Tezuka and Miyamoto sitting side by side and drawing together. Miyamoto said that
38760-543: The game?' And that's how we started mapping out the world in Breath of the Wild ". The development team used landmarks in Kyoto as a way of comparing the distance between landmarks in the game world, which helped staff during the development of the game. This measurement of distance allowed Hyrule to be scaled up to an enormous world that appears twelve times the size of its predecessor in Twilight Princess . For Tears of
39015-426: The games aired in 1989 and manga adaptations commissioned by Nintendo have been produced in Japan since 1997. The Legend of Zelda is one of Nintendo's most successful franchises; several of its entries are considered among the greatest video games of all time . Gameplay of The Legend of Zelda games feature a mix of puzzles , action-adventure , and exploration. These elements have remained constant throughout
39270-482: The graphical style of Ocarina of Time , it is also a departure, particularly in its atmosphere. It features motion-blur, unlike its predecessor. The game is darker in tone, dealing with death and tragedy in a manner not previously seen in the series, and has a sense of impending doom, as a large moon slowly descends upon the land of Termina to destroy all life. All copies of Majora's Mask are gold cartridges. A limited "Collector's Edition" lenticular cartridge label
39525-415: The handheld Four Swords , Four Swords Adventures was another deviation from previous Zelda gameplay, focusing on level -based and multiplayer gameplay. The game contains 24 levels and a map screen; there is no connecting overworld . For multiplayer features, each player must use a Game Boy Advance system linked to the GameCube via a Nintendo GameCube – Game Boy Advance link cable . The game features
39780-506: The in-game map of A Link to the Past as the best video game map, describing it as "perfect" world design in terms of the way it integrates with the gameplay. IGN ranked Hyrule as the sixth greatest game world, commenting that "few game worlds manage to leave as indelible an impression on the collective gaming subconscious as Zelda has. For that alone it ranks up there as one of the best, most fully realized worlds in all of gaming". In 2021, Evan Narcisse of Kotaku listed Hyrule as one of
40035-464: The later-released Nintendo e-Reader . The next game, Link's Awakening , for Nintendo's Game Boy , is the first Zelda for a handheld , and the first set outside Hyrule and to exclude Princess Zelda. Link's Awakening was re-released, in full color, as a launch game for the Game Boy Color in 1998 as Link's Awakening DX . This remaster features additions such as an extra color-based dungeon and
40290-500: The least value, while gold and silver rupees have the most. Although the geography of Hyrule varies from game to game, it typically features several recurring geographical landmarks, which appear in different locations relative to each other depending on the game. The Triforce, also called the "Power of the Gods" and the "Golden Triangle", is a triangular sacred relic left behind by the three Golden Goddesses after they created Hyrule. It
40545-532: The main antagonist of A Link Between Worlds . His obsession with beauty and art compels him to transform his victims into paintings. In the game, Link uses this ability to merge with walls to travel between Hyrule and Lorule. Yuga conspires with Lorule's ruler Princess Hilda to infiltrate Hyrule and steal its Triforce to restore Lorule, which has crumbled into ruin as a result of its people destroying their Triforce. Rather than being another pawn in Ganon's plan to take over
40800-472: The main antagonist of the original The Legend of Zelda in the form of a blue boar and his role and appearance has since evolved over time. Over the course of the series, he has generally appeared in two forms: Ganon, a monstrous, demonic pig-like form, and Ganondorf, a humanoid Gerudo form first introduced in Ocarina of Time . In Breath of the Wild , he appears in two forms in the final boss fight as Calamity Ganon and Dark Beast Ganon . In Tears of
41055-550: The main protagonist, was released in September 2024. Throughout the lifespan of The Legend of Zelda series, a number of games (including main series games as well as re-releases and spin-offs) in varying states of completeness have had their releases cancelled. Perhaps the earliest of these was Gottlieb 's The Legend of Zelda Pinball Machine (cancelled in 1993). After securing a license from Nintendo to produce two Nintendo-franchise-based pinball machines, pinball designer Jon Norris
41310-576: The main series, Yuga appears in downloadable content for Hyrule Warriors . Ravio is a mysterious merchant and a supporting character in A Link Between Worlds . He wears a purple outfit with a rabbit mask covering his face, referencing Link's transformation into a rabbit upon entering the Dark World in A Link to the Past . Ravio sets up a shop and rents equipment to Link for Rupees, and sends his pet bird Sheerow to retrieve rented items should Link fall in battle. Jim Sterling, writing for The Escapist , described Ravio as "really annoying" and disliked
41565-415: The most enduring heroic archetypes". Time named him as one of the most influential video game characters of all time. Princess Zelda is Hyrule's princess and the guardian of the Triforce of Wisdom . While older titles portray her as a "princess in peril" who Link needed to save from Ganon , since Ocarina of Time she has been developed as a more fully realized character, particularly in Breath of
41820-443: The name "Hyrule" seemed like the perfect choice during a discussion to find a name for a high-fantasy region. In Japan, The Legend of Zelda game was released as The Hyrule Fantasy , which was almost chosen as the name for the entire franchise, but was dropped after the first game. Miyamoto said this could have been due to the name being too similar to Final Fantasy , which was released soon afterwards. The original Hyrule map
42075-422: The new concept". During the testing phase, players complained about getting lost inside the game's dungeons, but rather than making the game more simplistic, Miyamoto decided to make it more challenging by removing Link's sword at the beginning of the game and forcing players to locate it. He wanted to encourage players to communicate with each other while solving the game's puzzles. Hyrule continued to evolve over
42330-537: The original Famicom game, BS Zelda no Densetsu , was released for the Super Famicom 's satellite-based expansion, Satellaview , in August 1995, in Japan. A second Satellaview game, BS Zelda no Densetsu MAP2 was released for the Satellaview in December the same year. Both games featured rearranged dungeons, an altered overworld , and new voice-acted plot-lines. The second game, Zelda II: The Adventure of Link ,
42585-517: The origins of villain Vaati and the creation of the Four Sword; Twilight Princess takes place in another of the parallel timelines that emerged from Ocarina of Time , more than a century later, in the "child era"; Phantom Hourglass is a direct sequel to The Wind Waker , and is followed by Spirit Tracks , which is set about a century later on a land far away from the setting of The Wind Waker . Skyward Sword precedes The Minish Cap , telling
42840-458: The other Gorons while being the elder spiritual leader of the Champions. Lead artist Hierohito Shinoda added that he wanted Daruk to feel like an experienced leader that anyone can count on, with his hair looking like armour. He also focused on his body shape to ensure that he was bulky and muscular. Revali was the Rito Champion and pilot of Divine Beast Vah Medoh, a Divine Beast resembling
43095-477: The other three Champions, died during the battle with Calamity Ganon. In the game's backstory, Mipha and Link were once childhood friends. In the Memory "Mipha's Touch", Mipha reminisces with Link about their past and promises to always heal him. Mipha is shown to have romantic feelings for Link, to the extent that she makes Zora armor, garments crafted by each Zora Princess for their future husband, for him to wear, but it
43350-416: The pace or making the game more annoying to play by critics. Due to her repeated interruptions in the gameplay of Skyward Sword , she has been the subject of various internet memes . Venture Beat writer Sebastian Haley, however, felt she was less annoying, and considered her the best aspect of the game. The change of her hints to be optional was well-received by critics. Yuga is a powerful sorcerer and
43605-491: The placement of each game would be kept open to the imagination of the players. On December 21, 2011, to celebrate 25th anniversary of the series, the Hyrule Historia art book was published by Shogakukan , which contained an official timeline of the fictional chronology of the series up to that point. This timeline subsequently posits that following Ocarina of Time , it splits into three alternate routes: in one, Ganon
43860-453: The player and the game world. The various Links each have a special title, such as "Hero of Time", "Hero of the Winds" or "Hero chosen by the gods". Like many silent protagonists in video games, Link does not speak, only producing grunts, yells, etc. Despite the player not seeing the dialogue, it is referenced second-hand by in-game characters, showing that he is not, in fact, mute. Link is shown as
44115-471: The player can tackle the game's dungeons in any order and that losing a life has more significance than in other Zelda games. He also considered Ravio's reveal as the cowardly version of Hyrule's hero as an opportunity to see Link in a new light. Ravio also appears as a playable character through downloadable content in Hyrule Warriors , where he uses the Rental Hammer as his primary weapon. His appearance
44370-522: The player some degree of freedom of action; areas of interaction with other characters (merely caves or hidden rooms in the first game, but expanding to entire towns and cities in subsequent games) in which the player gains special items or advice, can purchase equipment or complete side quests; and dungeons , areas of labyrinthine layout, usually underground, comprising a wide range of difficult enemies, bosses , and items. Each dungeon usually has one major item inside, which can be essential for solving many of
44625-546: The player to explore. Miyamoto and Tezuka started working on The Legend of Zelda during the development of Super Mario Bros . Initially, the game did not feature an overworld. In Hyrule Historia , Miyamoto said that Nintendo aimed to develop a launch title for the Famicom Disk System . An early game was initially designed to make use of the Disk System's ability to rewrite data, allowing players to create dungeons and explore other players' creations. He explained: "We made
44880-511: The player to replenish health and magic and receive upgrades that can be used in boss fights. In The Wind Waker , the Great Fairies resemble dolls with blank expressions, and upgrade Link's item inventory. Four Great Fairies, Cotera, Kayla, Mija and Tera appear in Breath of the Wild ; they are scattered across Hyrule, and will upgrade Link's armor in exchange for materials. They return in Tears of
45135-560: The power of the Light Force. Beedle , also known as Terry in other localizations, is a traveling merchant who sells Link items. He also values his consumers with rewards discounts. He first appears in The Wind Waker , where he can be found on islands in the Great Sea on his boat shop. In The Minish Cap , he appears in Hyrule Town selling Picolyte after Link fuses kinstones and clears
45390-450: The previous 3D games in the series. The Legend of Zelda: Collector's Edition , released for the GameCube in 2003, included the original The Legend of Zelda , Zelda II , Ocarina of Time , Majora's Mask , and a demo of The Wind Waker . The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD was released for Wii U in 2013. Four Swords Adventures was released for the GameCube in early 2004 in Japan and America, and January 2005 in Europe. Based on
45645-485: The princess after her, and titled it The Legend of Zelda . Link and the fairy were inspired by Peter Pan and Tinker Bell . When the series made the transition to 3D, the combat system of Ocarina of Time was based on the chanbara ( samurai ) style of Japanese sword fighting. Games in The Legend of Zelda series frequently feature in-game musical instruments, particularly in musical puzzles , which are widespread. Often, instruments trigger game events: for example,
45900-498: The process. Once he does, Revali grants Link "Revali's Gale,” a powerful vertical wind current that blows him into the air, making vertical travel much easier. Revali also appears in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity as a playable character. He wields the Great Eagle Bow or Swallow Bow in battle and has the ability to create updrafts that allow him to soar. In Creating a Champion , cinematic designer, Naoki Mori stated that
46155-516: The protagonist accompanied by a "beautiful personal assistant." They also intended for her design to resemble the Fairy Queen's from The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker . Despite the use of female pronouns, Fi is genderless. Fi has been met with mostly negative reception. Critics and gamers considered her frequent interjections in gameplay to be annoying, comparing her unfavourably to Navi from Ocarina of Time . She has been criticized for hurting
46410-425: The puzzles within that dungeon and often plays a crucial role in defeating that dungeon's boss, as well as progressing through the game. In nearly every Zelda game, navigating a dungeon is aided by locating a map, which reveals its layout, and a magic compass, which reveals the location of significant and smaller items such as keys and equipment. In later games, the dungeon includes a special "big key" that will unlock
46665-484: The reincarnation of one. He first appears in Majora's Mask , where he wears a green body suit and floats around on a balloon selling maps. He reappears in Wind Waker , first in a jail room located on Windfall Island, and then in a tall wooden tower, where he acts as a map maker . He also appears in Oracle of Ages , Four Swords Adventures and The Minish Cap . He makes cameo appearances in Phantom Hourglass as
46920-514: The rental system, as it requires the player to return to Ravio when they run out of health and rent the items again. Ravio is later revealed to be Link's counterpart in the Dark World, who attempted to stop Princess Hilda from stealing Hyrule's Triforce. GamesRadar 's David Roberts thought that Ravio's reveal is one of the coolest moments in the series, describing it as a "brilliant yet subtle callback". Peter Tieryas of Kotaku responded positively to Ravio's role, noting that his rental system means that
47175-401: The richest sci-fi and fantasy worlds in video games. Since the release of the original The Legend of Zelda game , critics have commented on the influence and legacy of The Legend of Zelda universe on the gaming industry. Ozzie Mejia of Shacknews highlighted the importance of the original The Legend of Zelda : "Before the open worlds of a World of Warcraft , a Grand Theft Auto , or
47430-572: The roots of the series, while the ancient technological features of the Sheikah were inspired by the Jōmon period of Japanese history. Fujibayashi stated that the layout of Hyrule in Breath of the Wild was inspired in part by his hometown of Kyoto: "I took a map of Kyoto and overlaid it on the game world, and I tried to imagine going to places that I know in Kyoto. I'd think 'It takes this much time to get from point A to point B, so how does that translate to
47685-434: The same character due to the storyline shifting in time and is dressed in Sheikah attire. The younger version of Impa was given an androgynous appearance, while her older version wears a costume designed to reflect the passage of time, including a pendulum braid and a triangular robe that becomes a sundial. In Breath of the Wild , she appears as a much older village elder with a short, shrunken stature. In Hyrule Warriors, she
47940-429: The sands or move in staggering hops". The original game was a phenomenal commercial success for Nintendo, selling over 6.5 million copies, and has been described by many critics as one of the greatest video games of all time. USGamer ' s Nadia Oxford commented on the significance of Ocarina of Time and considered it to be "a genius work of game design". She said that "it brought the traditionally top-down series into
48195-445: The secrets of the map with little help. In addition to its underworld, the Hyrule map consists of a large overworld created out of a grid structure that is much larger than can be displayed on a single screen. It is 16 blocks wide and eight blocks high and comprises 128 areas. Miyamoto said that maps for the game were included in North America: "The maps included various hints, but to be honest, I thought it would be more enjoyable to play
48450-414: The sense that you are really there". Hyrule and its characters in Ocarina of Time were depicted in an art style that drifted towards Western fantasy, although Miyamoto said there was no intentional replication of cultural elements from one specific country. Hyrule's fantasy characters were partially inspired by the American television series Twin Peaks . In an interview, Takashi Tezuka said he had used
48705-483: The series (such as bombs and bomb flowers, which can be used both as weapons and to open blocked or hidden doorways; boomerangs , which can kill or paralyze enemies; keys for locked doors; magic swords , shields, and bows and arrows ), while others are unique to a single game. Though the games contain role-playing elements ( Zelda II: The Adventure of Link is the only one to include an experience system), they emphasize straightforward hack-and-slash -style combat over
48960-421: The series as inspiration when creating Link's Awakening : "After that, in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask , all kinds of suspicious characters appeared". Many assets and character models in the game were later reused for Majora's Mask , both for stylistic purposes and to save development time. Producer Eiji Aonuma approached Breath of the Wild by breaking
49215-441: The series has expanded to include twenty entries on Nintendo's major game consoles , as well as several spin-offs. An American animated TV series based on the games aired in 1989. Individual manga adaptations commissioned by Nintendo have been produced in Japan since 1997. The Legend of Zelda is one of Nintendo's most prominent and successful franchises, and many of its games are considered by critics and fans alike to be among
49470-402: The series that resulted in more personal character stories in subsequent games, changing Zelda's role, and revealing more information about Link's character. Marin appears as a trophy in Super Smash Bros. Melee and as a playable character through downloadable content in Hyrule Warriors Legends . Tingle is a eccentric middle-aged man who is obsessed with fairies and believes himself to be
49725-570: The series' most creative battles as his counter moves force the player to try different methods to defeat him. In 2010 IGN ranked Dark Link as 77th on its list of the Top 100 Video Game Villains for being a "formidable opponent, mirroring your moves and putting up a seemingly impenetrable defense". Agahnim is an evil wizard and villain in A Link to the Past , who assisted the Royal Family by dispelling multiple plagues and became their trusted advisor for some time. However, he soon revealed his true intentions and seized power for himself by killing
49980-413: The series' primary setting and series protagonist Link , a Hylian boy or young man who is the player character . The storyline of each game varies, but follows a common overarching plot that involves Link travelling through Hyrule to rescue Princess Zelda and save the world from evil, which is typically the series' main villain, Ganon . A recurring plot element in the games is Ganon's attempts to obtain
50235-545: The series, Koji Kondo , initially planned to use Maurice Ravel 's Boléro as the game's title theme, but was forced to change it when he learned, late in the game's development cycle, that the copyright for the orchestral piece had not yet expired. As a result, Kondo wrote a new arrangement of the overworld theme within one day. Up until Breath of the Wild , the Legend of Zelda series avoided using voice acting in speaking roles, relying instead on written dialogue. Series producer Eiji Aonuma previously stated that as Link
50490-548: The series, residing in springs called "Great Fairy Fountains". They first appeared in the original The Legend of Zelda . Their designs have varied across the series, but they usually appear as voluptuous women. Their function is generally to help Link by bestowing hearts and upgrades. Ocarina of Time 's Great Fairy designs moved away from traditional winged depictions and feature them with bright pink hair worn in braids and ivy across their body, with similar designs later being used in Majora's Mask . Visiting these fairies allows
50745-399: The series, such as Hyrule Castle, the Lost Woods, Kakariko Village, Death Mountain and Lake Hylia. Hyrule was formed by three goddesses: Din, Farore, and Nayru. It is established in Ocarina of Time that Din created the physical geography of the realm, Nayru created the physical laws to govern it, and Farore created the races to uphold the law and the flora and fauna that inhabit
51000-445: The series, though have since gained a cult following in the form of internet memes . After five years without a new game, the series made the transition to 3D with Ocarina of Time for the Nintendo 64 , which was released in November 1998. This game, initially known as Zelda 64 , retains the core gameplay of the previous 2D games, and was very successful commercially and critically, considered by many critics and gamers to be
51255-490: The series, with refinements and additions featured in each new game. Later games in the series include stealth gameplay, where the player must avoid enemies while proceeding through a level, as well as racing elements. Although the games can be beaten with a minimal amount of exploration and side quests , the player is frequently rewarded with helpful items or increased abilities for solving puzzles or exploring hidden areas. Some items are consistent and appear many times throughout
51510-442: The series, without specifying a direct connection to any of the three timeline branches. In the early 2000s, Nintendo of America released a timeline on the official website of the series as one of the possible interpretation of the events from all entries released up to that point, featuring a single protagonist named Link, the "Hero of Time" from its first adventure in Ocarina of Time . It was followed by Majora's Mask , A Link to
51765-438: The series. Since the release of the original game, the series has featured several races. Alongside the Hylian race, which established the land of Hyrule, there are various other prominent races, such as the Gorons, Gerudo, Rito and Zora. The appearance of some creatures varies across different titles of the series: In their January 2010 issue, Nintendo Power listed Hyrule as one of the greatest Nintendo locations, citing
52020-418: The series. The Legend of Zelda and Zelda II were released in gold-colored cartridges instead of the console's regular grey cartridges. Both were re-released in the final years of the Nintendo Entertainment System with grey cartridges. Four years later, A Link to the Past returned to the top-down view (under a 3/4 perspective ), and added the concept of an alternate dimension, the Dark World. The game
52275-426: The settlements in Breath of the Wild and chose Tarrey Town as the favourite location, because players must build it from the ground up, making it one of the longest side quests in the game. Kate Gray, writing for The Guardian , was impressed by the beauty and large scale of the game world, noting that "the greens of the open plains contrast with the dark black of Death Mountain, which is streaked with orange lava on
52530-427: The stand-alone game "Tetra's Trackers"), which contains spoken dialogue for most of the characters, unlike other games in The Legend of Zelda series. In November 2004 in Japan and Europe, and January 2005 in America, Nintendo released The Minish Cap for the Game Boy Advance . In The Minish Cap Link can shrink in size using a mystical, sentient hat named Ezlo. While shrunk, he can see previously explored parts of
52785-421: The story of the creation of the Master Sword. A Link Between Worlds takes place six generations after A Link to the Past , and features the Triforce being reunited, and Ganon being resurrected; Tri Force Heroes is a direct sequel to A Link Between Worlds , which takes place several years later; Breath of the Wild and its direct sequel, Tears of the Kingdom take place after all previous games in
53040-547: The storyline as one of the four Champions. During a cutscene, she accepts her role as the Zora Champion, although her father King Dorephan says that it is only on the condition that she returns safely. Lead artist Hirohito Shinoda stated in development notes that he based her design off of a dolphin . Cinematic designer Naoki Mori said that Mipha's relationship with Link was intended to be different to his relationship with Princess Zelda, commenting that "it almost ended up being too intense. I tried to balance things by making her into
53295-492: The sword's crossguard , the pattern on her legs mimics the cross grid pattern on the sword's hilt and her blue and purple colour scheme also reflects the sword's prominent colours. Fi's figure is feminine in appearance but the character is officially genderless. Her original function was different than it is in the final game, though the function was not specified. They used 1980s anime as a source of inspiration for Fi's design, with them saying that anime from that era would have
53550-430: The team chose birds of prey . Shinoda also stated that it took a lot of experimentation to create a character that sees Link as his rival, but is unable to be honest about it. He also appears in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity as a playable character. VG247 reported that players lamented the absence of Revali's Gale in Tears of the Kingdom , describing it as the most useful of the four Champion abilities. Urbosa
53805-408: The team experimented with porting the original The Legend of Zelda to the Game Boy Color, they decided to make an original trilogy to be called the "Triforce Series". When the password system linking the three games proved too troublesome, the concept was reduced to two games at Miyamoto's suggestion. These two games became Oracle of Ages , which is more puzzle-based, and Oracle of Seasons , which
54060-423: The three virtues it represents, the pieces will split into its three components, leaving the finder with the one that represents the characteristic they value most. The Master Sword, also known as "The Blade of Evil's Bane", the "Sword of Resurrection", or the "sword that seals the darkness" is a divine , magic sword and Link's signature weapon. It is one of the few weapons capable of harming Ganon and acts as
54315-421: The titular character, Zelda is only a playable character in Spirit Tracks in the main series and the CD-i games , but is playable in spin-offs such as Hyrule Warriors , or other games, such as the Super Smash Bros. series. She was named as one of the most iconic female game characters of all time by Digital Spy . Along with Link, she was counted as one of the greatest video game characters of all time by
54570-410: The tracks) to find out why, but villains steal Zelda's body for the resurrection of the Demon King. Rendered disembodied, Zelda is left a spirit, and only Link (and a certain few sages) can see her. Together they go on a quest to restore the spirit tracks, defeat the Demon King, and return Zelda to her body. Using a modified engine of that used in Phantom Hourglass , the notably new feature in this game
54825-443: The triforce part that the user mostly believes in will stay with that person and the remainder will seek out others. In order to master and control the triforce as a whole, the user must get the other parts found in other individuals and bring them together to reunite them. The Sacred Realm can itself be affected by the heart of those who enter it: those who are pure will make it a paradise, while those who are evil will transform it into
55080-409: The typical traits of the Sheikah tribe, having white hair and red eyes. She also typically displays the Sheikah symbol, an eye with three triangles above and a teardrop below, on her forehead or clothing. As a representative of her people, she wears the unique garments of the Sheikah, which take inspiration from historical Japanese clothing. As a member of the Sheikah, Impa is highly skilled in combat and
55335-428: The use of magic. Dark Link (also known as Shadow Link ) is a recurring boss and doppelgänger of Link with a black color scheme and red eyes,who first appeared as the final boss of The Adventure of Link . He is a mini boss in the Water Temple in Ocarina of Time and is capable of mirroring his movements in combat. Dark Link appears in A Link to the Past and Four Swords in the optional dungeon Palace of
55590-432: The vast number of areas to explore, as well as referencing players' first experiences with the Lost Woods and Death Mountain as highlights of the players' adventures. Steve Watts of GameSpot praised the original game world, commenting that although it is minimalist, it, "conveys the feeling of going on a grand adventure through the wilderness, and the lack of hand-holding that would come to define later Zelda games makes
55845-407: The void. Skyward Sword expanded on this history by detailing the rise of Demon King Demise and his dark forces, who attempt to take the Triforce and destroy the world. The goddess Hylia stays to protect the Triforce and leads an army of free people into battle to weaken Demise and seal him away from the world. The realm was eventually named Hyrule after its dominant race, the Hylians, who established
56100-494: The weapon, which he does after encouragement from her and Zelda. She also appears in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild , where she informs Zelda that Link can be saved by bringing him to the Shrine of Resurrection. Fi also appears as a playable character in Hyrule Warriors . Fi is voiced in Skyward Sword and Hyrule Warriors by Ayumi Fujimura . Fi was first revealed at E3 2009 in concept art for Skyward Sword alongside Link . The designers created Fi to serve as
56355-405: The wisdom he has gained to warn young Zelda of the horrifying fate of Hyrule) and adulthood (where adult Zelda lives on to try and rebuild her kingdom). His childhood continues with Majora's Mask , followed by Twilight Princess and Four Swords Adventures . The timeline from his adult life continues into Wind Waker , Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks . In 2018, Nintendo revealed Breath of
56610-401: The world beyond it. To this end, he seeks the Triforce , a powerful magical relic. He often possesses a portion of the Triforce called the Triforce of Power, which gives him great strength, but it is often not enough to accomplish his ends, leading him to hunt the remaining Triforce pieces. Unlike Link, Zelda, and most other recurring characters, he is actually the same person in every game, with
56865-569: The world feel that much more expansive and mysterious". Yannick LeJacq for Kotaku commented that "Hyrule is one of the most iconic settings in the history of video games. The Legend of Zelda players have been poring over it in one way or another for almost 30 years now". Polygon 's Jeremy Parish remarked on the impact that Hyrule and its centrepiece Hyrule Field had on gamers in Ocarina of Time . He commented: "Open game worlds existed before Ocarina of Time . And in truth, Ocarina ' s rendition of Hyrule isn't even really all that open. But
57120-434: The world's mechanics, such as the ability to climb and explore between areas. The development team began Breath of the Wild by working on a 2D prototype of Hyrule to test interactions between objects. This was developed into a complex physics and chemistry engine that would present a higher level of realism. The chemistry engine allowed for elements, such as fire, water and electricity to interact with each other and objects in
57375-414: The world, Yuga decides to resurrect Ganon and use him to make himself more powerful by merging with him to become Yuga-Ganon. Link must defeat Yuga-Ganon in a boss fight that involves deflecting light arrows to hit him from behind. At a New York Comic Con panel, Eiji Aonuma explained that Yuga had been designed with long hair and physical features that make him "a little bit ambiguous gender-wise". Outside
57630-433: The world. After the goddesses completed their tasks, they departed for the heavens, leaving behind three golden triangles containing their power to govern all things; this relic became known as the Triforce . The creation myth was elaborated upon in Echoes of Wisdom , with the goddesses creating the world to be a prison for a primordial chaos entity named Null that had previously consumed anything that tried to form within
57885-469: The world. To protect the Triforce, Hylia sealed him away in the Sealed Grounds. However, he takes on a monstrous form called The Imprisoned and attempts to escape by breaking the seal. His sword, which assumes the form of the Demon Lord Ghirahim, tracks down Hylia's reincarnation, Zelda, and eventually uses her lifeforce to resurrect Demise. Impressed to see a Hylian like Link willing to stand up to him, Demise decides to battle him out of amusement, setting up
58140-406: Was "not interested in systems where everything in the game is decided by stats and numbers" but wanted "to preserve as much of that "live" feeling as possible", and felt that action games are better suited to convey to players. Every game in the main Zelda series has consisted of three principal areas: an overworld which connects all other areas, in which movement is multidirectional, allowing
58395-455: Was captured by Ganon. The chronology of the Legend of Zelda series was a subject of much debate among fans until an official timeline was released within the Hyrule Historia collector's book, first released in Japan in December 2011. Prior to its release, in a 2003 interview, series creator Shigeru Miyamoto confirmed the existence of an internal document which connected all the games, with series producer Eiji Aonuma later revealing in 2010
58650-432: Was considered the oldest tale in the series's chronology, predating Ocarina of Time ; The Wind Waker takes place in one of the parallel timelines that emerged from Ocarina of Time , more than a century later, in the "adult era"; Four Swords Adventures , upon its release, was considered to be a direct sequel to Four Swords , set sometime after its events; The Minish Cap is a prequel to Four Swords , telling of
58905-458: Was created as the original setting for The Legend of Zelda and has remained the main environment for successive games in the series. Inspired by dungeon crawlers , Miyamoto and Tezuka developed a high fantasy world in the form of a 2D map filled with monsters , puzzles and dungeons. Hyrule transitioned to a 3D environment with the development of Ocarina of Time . For Breath of the Wild , released in 2017, Nintendo developed Hyrule into
59160-509: Was delayed to 2011. The game, the earliest in the Legend of Zelda timeline, reveals the origins of Hyrule, Ganon (here known as Demise), and many elements featured in previous games; it uses Wii's MotionPlus feature as well. It was released in November 2011; the first run included a 25th Anniversary CD of fully orchestrated music from various Zelda games, including Skyward Sword . It was made available for download on Wii U in September 2016. An HD remaster , with optional button-only controls,
59415-517: Was designed to encourage exploration and discovery, requiring up to several hours to navigate. The map is nonlinear , so players are free to choose from several unmarked paths, with just a few areas being inaccessible at the start. Miyamoto was influenced by The Black Onyx and Ultima , two games that centre around fantasy dungeon crawling . The Zelda world was defined by its mazes, hidden rooms and treasures. The game's nine dungeons were designed to be difficult to locate, forcing players to uncover
59670-414: Was designed to integrate with the 3D world of Hyrule, giving the player a sense of perspective and tracking the movements of Link. The game's Z-targeting system was created to provide the player with a simple way to lock on and interact with objects, characters and enemies in the game world. The game also made use of context sensitive controls by using the A button for a range of interactions, such as mounting
59925-423: Was handled slightly differently but all used the 'A' button to perform. For instance, standing next to a block and pressing 'A' made Link grab it (enabling him to push/pull it), but moving forwards into a block and pressing 'A' allowed Link to climb the block. The game featured the first appearance of Link's horse, Epona , allowing Link to travel quickly across land and fire arrows from horseback. Those who preordered
60180-402: Was inspired by other video games. The game's director Hidemaro Fujibayashi named Minecraft and Terraria as his inspirations for "the sense of adventure, exploration and how it inspired curiosity". Aonuma also mentioned several other games that he had played, including The Witcher , Far Cry and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim . He also cited Skyward Sword as the basis for many of
60435-433: Was introduced as Excalibur in the French version of A Link to the Past , which is regarded as reminiscent to the legend of King Arthur . Celtic mythology inspired the name of Link's steed , Epona, based on Epona , Celtic goddess of fertility. Hearing of American novelist, socialite and painter Zelda Fitzgerald , Miyamoto thought the name sounded "pleasant and significant". Paying tribute, he chose to name
60690-443: Was not intentional and that he chose the word because it seemed cute and sounded like "rubies". Rupees resemble hexagonal crystals or gems and come in various colors that determine their value. In the manual for the original game, the currency was called rubies, but this was changed to rupees in later games. Subsequent games introduced more colors and sizes for rupees, each denoting a specific value. Generally, green rupees have
60945-416: Was offered as a pre-order incentive for The Wind Waker in the U.S., Canada and Japan. It includes the cancelled 64DD expansion for Ocarina of Time known as Ura Zelda during development. Named Ocarina of Time Master Quest , the game was given reorganized dungeon layouts for greater difficulty. Europe continued to receive this "Two-Game Bonus Disc" free in every copy of The Wind Waker , except for
61200-439: Was offered as the pre-order incentive . Copies of the game that are not collector's editions feature a normal sticker cartridge label. Majora's Mask was available on the Wii and Wii U Virtual Console catalogues. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D was released for 3DS in North America, Europe, Japan, and Australia in February 2015. The Nintendo 64 version was added to Nintendo Switch Online in February 2022; with this, all of
61455-417: Was released for Nintendo Switch in 2021. In 2013, Nintendo released A Link Between Worlds for the Nintendo 3DS , a sequel to A Link to the Past . Progression is more open-ended than previous titles, with the possibility of completing many of the game's dungeons in any order. Certain dungeon obstacles require the use of rented or purchased items. Tri Force Heroes , a cooperative multiplayer game,
61710-406: Was released for the Famicom Disk System in Japan in January 1987, and for the Nintendo Entertainment System in Europe in September and North America in December 1988. The game exchanged the top-down perspective for side-scrolling (though the top-down point of view was retained for overworld areas), and introduced RPG elements (such as experience points ) not used previously or thereafter in
61965-403: Was released for the Super NES in November 1991. A downloadable version of A Link to the Past and an exclusive modified version called BS Zelda no Densetsu Inishie no Sekiban were released on the Satellaview in Japan in March 1997. A Link to the Past was re-released for the Game Boy Advance in 2002. The SNES version was later re-released on the Wii Virtual Console in January 2007, on
62220-407: Was released for the 3DS in October 2015. It features the same Link as A Link Between Worlds but lacks open-world gameplay. While Nintendo had showcased a Wii U demo reel at E3 2011 that depicted Link fighting a monster in HD and the first original HD Zelda game was scheduled for a 2015 release, it was delayed. The title was finally revealed at E3 2016 as Breath of the Wild , and the game
62475-507: Was released in April 2000. It uses the same 3D game engine as the previous game, and added a time-based concept, in which Link , the protagonist, relives the events of three days as many times as needed to complete the game's objectives. It was originally called Zelda Gaiden , a Japanese title that translates as Zelda Side story . Gameplay changed significantly; in addition to the time-limit, Link can use masks to transform into creatures with unique abilities. While Majora's Mask retains
62730-409: Was released in June 2007, for Japan and October for North America and Europe. It was later released on the Wii U Virtual Console. The next Legend of Zelda game for the DS, Spirit Tracks , was released in December 2009. In this game, the "spirit tracks", railroads which chain an ancient evil, are disappearing from Hyrule. Zelda and Link go to the 'Spirit Tower' (the ethereal point of convergence for
62985-420: Was released in March 2017, as the last Nintendo-published game for the Wii U and a launch title for the Nintendo Switch . Similar to the original The Legend of Zelda , players are given little instruction and can explore the world freely. The world is designed to encourage exploration and experimentation and the main story quest can be completed in a nonlinear fashion. A Breath of the Wild sequel, Tears of
63240-445: Was released in September 2011, as free DSiWare available until February 20, 2012. When Nintendo revealed the GameCube on August 24, 2000, the day before Nintendo's Space World 2000 exposition, a software demonstration showed a realistically styled real-time duel between Ganondorf and Link . Fans and the media speculated that the battle might be from a Zelda game in development at the time. At Space World 2001, Nintendo showed
63495-502: Was restricted by the hardware to descend from particular points. He explained that the team had wanted to create the ability to "traverse a world that's not only horizontally connected in a single world, but vertically connected as well", noting the sense of freedom the player experiences by diving into that. The Kingdom of Hyrule , a medieval -based fantasy land, is the main setting of the series, which first appeared in The Legend of Zelda . Many of its areas have appeared throughout
63750-474: Was split into four by the sword's power, to return him to it. In the sequel, Four Swords Adventures , he escapes with Princess Zelda with help from Ganon , forcing Link to be split up again to defeat him. Before the events of The Minish Cap , Vaati was a Picori that became corrupted by the evil in the hearts of mankind. He used the Wishing Cap created by his master, Ezlo, to transform into a Hylian sorcerer and curse him into his current hat-like form, now seeking
64005-490: Was tasked with designing the table. Before it was completed, Gottlieb decided to repurpose the game with an American Gladiators theme. Licensing for this version ultimately fell through and the game was released as simply Gladiators in November 1993. Hylia (The Legend of Zelda) The Legend of Zelda is a video game franchise created by video game designers Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka and mainly developed and published by Nintendo . The universe of
64260-426: Was the Gerudo chief, Champion, and pilot of Divine Beast Vah Naboris. She is voiced by Elizabeth Maxwell in English and Rei Shimoda in Japanese. Urbosa is a strong and courageous leader who showcases care and concern for Princess Zelda's well-being, as she was good friends with Zelda's mother, the deceased Queen of Hyrule. Urbosa still feels bitter about her failure as a Champion one hundred years before. However, she
64515-418: Was the discovery of a cave entrance in the middle of the woods. After some hesitation, he apprehensively entered the cave, and explored its depths with the aid of a lantern. Miyamoto has referred to the creation of the Zelda games as an attempt to bring to life a "miniature garden" for players to play with in each game of the series. The story and setting were developed by Takashi Tezuka . Seeking to create
64770-417: Was the inspiration for several other characters that appear in the series, including a similar character in Breath of the Wild . Impa was introduced in the game manual for the original The Legend of Zelda as an elderly woman and member of the Sheikah who acts as caretaker to Princess Zelda and seeks out Link to save her from Ganon. She returns in Zelda II: The Adventure of Link , where she acts as
65025-421: Was the moment when the concept of massive, interconnected worlds began to really crystalize". Keza MacDonald of The Guardian also commented on the influence of Ocarina of Time , noting that it was one of the first real 3D adventures and that it "remains eminently playable today because so many of the things it invented became standard for any 3D game that came after it". Tom Power of Gamesradar opined that
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