177-577: The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks is a 2009 action-adventure game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS handheld game console . Set a century after The Wind Waker and its sequel Phantom Hourglass , the storyline follows the current incarnations of Link and Princess Zelda as they explore the land of New Hyrule to prevent the awakening of the Demon King Malladus. Players navigate New Hyrule, completing quests that advance
354-482: 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
531-619: A fantasy " setting. Tutankham , debuted by Konami in January 1982, was an action-adventure released for arcades . It combined maze, shoot 'em up, puzzle-solving and adventure elements, with a 1983 review by Computer and Video Games magazine calling it "the first game that effectively combined the elements of an adventure game with frenetic shoot 'em up gameplay." It inspired the similar Time Bandit (1983). Action Quest , released in May 1982, blended puzzle elements of adventure games into
708-446: A joystick -controlled, arcade-style action game, which surprised reviewers at the time. While noting some similarities to Adventure , IGN argues that The Legend of Zelda (1986) by Nintendo "helped to establish a new subgenre of action-adventure", becoming a success due to how it combined elements from different genres to create a compelling hybrid, including exploration, adventure-style inventory puzzles , an action component,
885-566: A monetary system , and simplified RPG-style level building without the experience points . The Legend of Zelda series was the most prolific action-adventure game franchise through to the 2000s. Roe R. Adams also cited the arcade-style side-scrolling fantasy games Castlevania (1986), Trojan (1986) and Wizards & Warriors (1987) as early examples of action-adventure games. Games like Brain Breaker (1985), Xanadu (1985), Metroid (1986) and Vampire Killer (1986) combined
1062-759: A subgenre of open world action-adventure video games in the third-person perspective . They are characterized by their likeness to the Grand Theft Auto series in either gameplay or overall design. In these types of open world games, players may find and use a variety of vehicles and weapons while roaming freely in an open world setting. Metroidvania is a portmanteau of Metroid and Castlevania ; such games are sometimes referred to as "search action", and are generally based on two-dimensional platformers. They emphasize both exploration and puzzle-solving with traditional platform gameplay. Survival horror games emphasize "inventory management" and making sure
1239-416: A "fun take on Zelda games", as well as praising how Princess Zelda accompanies Link. However, he criticized the stylus control issues and when the train rides take too long. Eurogamer ' s Oli Welsh called it a "tighter and more rounded game" than both Phantom Hourglass and even "most modern games for grown-up consoles". He also commented that the environments are "sometimes shockingly basic", while
1416-407: A "guaranteed must-buy". GamesRadar ' s Brett Elston questioned the inclusion of train travel, considering how much criticism sailing received, but noted that it would be a strong addition to the series, though only if they were "no more obnoxious than sailing". In his hands-on of Spirit Tracks , Eurogamer ' s Christian Donlan described the train travel as "natural", calling the railways
1593-602: A "huge leap" from Phantom Hourglass , it is "brimming with innovation", strongly recommending it. While he admits that train travel seems restrictive compared to Phantom Hourglass , these restrictions are eventually "put to good use", making traveling an "engaging challenge". Fellow The Guardian writer Greg Howson found Spirit Tracks to be enjoyable, though criticizing the execution of the Spirit Flute. He listed it as his second favourite DS game. USA Today ' s Jinny Gudmundsen called it an excellent game for kids who enjoy
1770-435: A "perfect fit" for the cel-shaded world of Spirit Tracks . He called it "another chunk of simple delight; another sweet-natured adventure". It was nominated for best-of-show at the 2009 Gamescom . The Daily Telegraph included it as one of the top 20 most anticipated games of E3, calling its cel-shaded visuals "beautiful" and "innovative" touch-screen controls. Ars Technica ' s Ben Kuchera praised it for how it exudes
1947-503: A "very pleasant mood and feel". He adds that he has always anticipated it, but the Phantom and train mechanics give it a "flavor of its own". He also commented on the E3 2009 trailer, stating that fans of the series will "be in heaven". Kotaku ' s Stephen Totilo criticized the use of the microphone for items, specifically the "Whirlwind" item, commenting that it would make it difficult to play on
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#17330860754212124-688: 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
2301-510: 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
2478-545: A choice of what to say. The NPC gives a scripted response to the player, and the game offers the player several new ways to respond. Due to the action-adventure subgenre's broad and inclusive nature, it causes some players to have difficulty finishing a particular game. Companies have devised ways to give the player help, such as offering clues or allowing the player to skip puzzles to compensate for this lack of ability. Brett Weiss cites Atari 's Superman (1979) as an action-adventure game, with Retro Gamer crediting it as
2655-417: A comment about this never giving the feeling of climbing a tower, resulting in the spiral staircase included in the final design. Using feedback from Phantom Hourglass , the team adjusted the controls so players would find performing Link's actions on the touchscreen easier. They also removed elements that had met with negative feedback from players, such as the time limit imposed on players when going through
2832-448: A complex text parser and no free-moving character. While they share general gameplay dynamics, action-adventures vary widely in the design of their viewpoints, including bird's eye , side-scrolling, first-person, third-person , over-the-shoulder, or even a 3/4 isometric view . Many action-adventure games simulate a conversation through a conversation tree . When the player encounters a non-player character , they are allowed to select
3009-569: 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
3186-461: 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
3363-462: 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
3540-556: 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
3717-450: 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
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#17330860754213894-524: 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
4071-434: 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 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
4248-401: 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
4425-471: A lot of " déjà vu " as well as several great additions to the series. He commented that the controls for Princess Zelda were simple, though her "constant chatter" and "slow movement speed" caused the game to slow down at some parts, but ultimately felt that it was overall a good addition. IGN commented that Spirit Tracks was set to be a "worthy sequel" to Phantom Hourglass . In discussing its potential appearance at E3 , IGN ' s Craig Harris felt that if
4602-474: A more independent character. As a result, Zelda actively adventures alongside Link in spirit form, in sharp contrast to the damsel-in-distress role she fulfills in some earlier installments in the series. There was also a conscious effort to contradict the "princess" aspect of Zelda's character to defy the player's expectations. She was designed and written to behave like any girl her age would, despite her royal status, particularly in her friendship with Link. This
4779-568: 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
4956-474: A playable demo wasn't featured for it, Nintendo would show an "absolutely epic trailer that will bring fanboys to tears in the same way the company did with Twilight Princess in 2004". They awarded it Best Action game for the Nintendo DS at E3 2009 , as well as runner-up for best DS game E3 2009 and best handheld game at E3 2009. GameSpot ' s Sophia Tong commented that it was "well on its way to being
5133-401: A result of the decision that toon shading would be best to deliver the games on their chosen platform. Aonuma commented that with realistic graphics, it would make the characters poorly scaled to their surroundings, adding that though possible, it was not ideal. The music in the game was composed by Toru Minegishi, Manaka Tominaga, and Asuka Ota. Minegishi wrote the main overworld music and shared
5310-538: 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
5487-705: A side-scrolling platformer format with adventure exploration, creating the Metroidvania platform-adventure subgenre. Similarly, games like 005 (1981), Castle Wolfenstein and Metal Gear (1987) combined action-adventure exploration with stealth mechanics, laying the foundations for the stealth game subgenre, which would later be popularized in 1998 with the releases of Metal Gear Solid , Tenchu: Stealth Assassins , and Thief: The Dark Project . The cinematic platformer Prince of Persia (1989) featured action-adventure elements, inspiring games such as Another World (1991) and Flashback (1992). Alone in
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5664-401: 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
5841-400: A single avatar as the protagonist . This type of game is often quite similar to role-playing video games . They are distinct from graphic adventures , which sometimes have free-moving central characters, but also a wider variety of commands and fewer or no action game elements and are distinct too from text adventures , characterized by many different commands introduced by the user via
6018-462: 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 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 ,
6195-407: 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
6372-635: 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
6549-507: 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
6726-486: A title that will have appeal to a wider age group in its financial report. Former Nintendo of America Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing Cammie Dunaway used Spirit Tracks as a show of its holiday contenders in 2009. Spirit Tracks was anticipated to be the best-selling video game of December 2009 in North America by video game sales analyst Michael Pachter. GamePro predicted that Spirit Tracks would be
6903-655: A war with the Demon King Malladus by sealing him away in the Tower of Spirits with the "Spirit Tracks". Link and Tetra then built "New Hyrule" as their home and they got married. A century later, Link (who is not the same Link from The Wind Waker and Phantom Hourglass , but a different version) successfully graduates as a train engineer. At his graduation ceremony in Hyrule Castle, he meets Princess Zelda (the granddaughter of Tetra) and her chancellor Cole. Zelda befriends Link and asks for his aid in escaping Hyrule Castle to investigate
7080-424: 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 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
7257-438: A worthy sequel" to Phantom Hourglass , adding that the ability of the characters to "convey the mood" of the game was well-done enough without using voice acting. She also praised its improved visuals over Phantom Hourglass . Fellow GameSpot writer Tom Mc Shea commented that it looked as "charming" as its predecessors. Crave Online's Erik Norris called it "hilarious and awesome". He praised the change from sea to land, calling it
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7434-451: 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
7611-447: Is a video game hybrid genre that combines core elements from both the action game and adventure game genres. Typically, classical adventure games have situational problems for the player to explore and solve to complete a storyline, involving little to no action . If there is action, it is generally confined to isolated instances. Classical action games, on the other hand, have gameplay based on real-time interactions that challenges
7788-557: Is a game that has enough action in it not to be called an adventure game, but not enough action to be called an action game." In some cases an action game with puzzles will be classified as an action-adventure game, but if these puzzles are quite simple they might be classified as an action game. Others see action games as a pure genre, while an action-adventure is an action game that includes situational problem-solving. Adventure gamers may also be purists, rejecting any game that makes use of physical challenges or time pressure. Regardless,
7965-420: 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
8142-424: Is heavily reliant upon the player character's movement, which triggers story events and thus affects the flow of the game. Popular examples of action-adventure games include The Legend of Zelda , God of War , and Tomb Raider series. There is a good deal of controversy over what actually constitutes an action-adventure game. One definition of the term "action-adventure" may be '"An action/adventure game
8319-470: 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
8496-474: Is non-canonical, as all four players play as different Links, each with different-colored tunics (a style that was used in The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures ). Each player attempts to collect as many Force Gems (of varying sizes, value and number) as possible within a set time limit. Opposition includes the other players, a varying number of non-partisan Phantoms, who will attack any player on sight; and
8673-501: 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
8850-405: Is particularly displayed in several comedic scenes early in the game when she is still getting used to being a ghost, and when she becomes hysteric over her missing body. Aonuma felt that the inclusion of Zelda as Link's partner in both storyline and gameplay was his favourite part of the game, commenting that Spirit Tracks highlights her personality and characteristics better than other titles in
9027-519: 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
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#17330860754219204-530: 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
9381-483: 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
9558-587: The Uncharted franchise, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Ark: Survival Evolved . The Legend of Zelda#Fictional chronology The Legend of Zelda 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
9735-462: 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
9912-594: 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
10089-405: 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
10266-426: 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 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
10443-450: 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
10620-574: The "Lokomo Sword", which is infused with sacred light. Link and Zelda enter the Dark Realm, and remove Malladus from Zelda's body. Byrne, now reformed, sacrifices himself in the process, and Malladus possesses Cole. As Cole's blood is not sacred, Malladus knows his time is limited, and prepares to destroy the world. Calling on the power of the Lokomos via the Spirit Flute, Link and Zelda use the Lokomo Sword and
10797-813: The "first to utilize multiple screens as playing area". Mark J.P. Wolf credits Adventure (1980) for the Atari VCS as the earliest-known action-adventure game. The game involves exploring a 2D environment, finding and using items which each have prescribed abilities, and fighting dragons in real-time like in an action game . Muse Software 's Castle Wolfenstein (1981) was another early action-adventure game, merging exploration, combat, stealth, and maze game elements, drawing inspiration from arcade shoot 'em ups and maze games (such as maze-shooter Berzerk ) and war films (such as The Guns of Navarone ). According to Wizardry developer Roe R. Adams, early action-adventure games "were basically arcade games done in
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#173308607542110974-535: The "franchise's best audio offerings in ages". The Daily Telegraph ' s Nick Cowen called it both one of the best DS games of 2009 and the best video game for all ages of 2009, calling it "challenging and fun" and "chock-full of side-quests". The Daily Telegraph also included it as the ninth best Christmas gift for teenagers, while Cowen and fellow writer Tom Hoggins included it as their honourable mentions in their top 10 list of video games for 2009. The Guardian ' s Adam Boult commented that while it wasn't
11151-554: 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
11328-490: 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
11505-655: The Bow of Light in tandem to defeat Malladus. Anjean and the Lokomos return to the Spirits' Realm, and New Hyrule returns to peace as Link and Zelda hold hands. In an epilogue, Zelda is writing in her room. Should Link resume his engineering career, Zelda hears his train whistle and looks down at him from afar. Should he become a royal guard, Zelda greets him, only to accidentally cause an accident by distracting him. If Link does not know what path he will take, Zelda looks up wistfully before resuming her work. The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
11682-452: The DS's capabilities, calling the game's offerings a "deep experience", but criticized it for taking too long to get going in the beginning and for doing little to differentiate itself from Phantom Hourglass . RPGamer ' s Adriaan den Ouden praised the gameplay, commenting that it was "refined" from Phantom Hourglass ; on negative side, he criticized its travel as "slow and tedious", also calling
11859-477: The DS's microphone. In the case of the pan flute, completing songs can unlock new magical songs, reveal hidden secrets, heal Link, or restore more of the Spirit Tracks. In certain dungeons, the ethereal Zelda can inhabit Phantom Guardians. The player can direct the possessed Phantom along a stylus-drawn path to attack enemies or simply follow Link. Several puzzles of the game require the player to manipulate Link and
12036-486: The Dark (1992) used 3D graphics , which would later be popularized by Resident Evil (1996) and Tomb Raider (1996). Resident Evil in particular created the survival horror subgenre, inspiring titles such as Silent Hill (1999) and Fatal Frame (2001). Action-adventure games have gone on to become more popular than the pure adventure games and pure platform games that inspired them. Recent examples include
12213-616: 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
12390-564: 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
12567-504: 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
12744-430: 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,
12921-408: 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
13098-594: The Phantom. Together, Link and Zelda discover glyphs that restore the Spirit Tracks, facilitating travel to the regions of Hyrule. Anjean entrusts Link and Zelda with the Spirit Train, which they use to travel throughout Hyrule, and the Spirit Flute, a pan flute with mystical powers that Link uses to duet with Lokomos across Hyrule to restore more Spirit Tracks. Together, Link and Zelda defeat servants of Malladus that have corrupted various temples in Hyrule and successfully repair
13275-432: The Tower of Spirits. On their victorious return, Link and Zelda are ambushed by Byrne, who is revealed to be a Rogue Lokomo. Anjean battles him and teleports Link and Zelda away. Despite the Tower being repaired, Malladus is resurrected into Zelda's body and betrays Byrne before fleeing into the Dark Realm. Anjean arrives and instructs the group to find the Bow of Light and Compass of Light. Link does so, and Anjean gives him
13452-400: 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,
13629-484: 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
13806-576: 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
13983-513: The Wide World ) was finalized. Originally using the Spirit Flute, known in Japanese as the "Whistle of the Wide World", was used in the subtitle. Feeling this title would be too long, and after toying with using the English title as inspiration, the current subtitle instead emphasised the train travel across large areas. The Japanese names of world regions paid homage to the subtitle. A limited edition tin
14160-549: 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 ,
14337-471: 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 ,
14514-471: The Zelda-possessed Phantom to complete a goal. In towns, the player can have Link speak to its residents, buy goods at local stores, and learn helpful tips. Unlike Phantom Hourglass , Spirit Tracks does not feature Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection multiplayer. Instead, up to four players can play via DS Download Play, using only one game card, and only one game system per player. This multiplayer mode
14691-489: The action-adventure label is prominent in articles over the internet and media. The term "action-adventure" is usually substituted for a particular subgenre due to its wide scope. Although action-adventure games are diverse and difficult to classify, there are some distinct subgenres. Many games with gameplay similar to those in The Legend of Zelda series are called Zelda clones or Zelda -like games. Popular subgenres include: A Grand Theft Auto clone belongs to
14868-490: The best handheld The Legend of Zelda titles, commenting that fans of the series would get it either way. Games Master called it "delightful" in spite of how similar it was to Phantom Hourglass . IGN ' s Mark Bozon commented that while it can "drag on from time to time", praising it as superior to Phantom Hourglass as well as praising it for its bosses, dungeons, and challenge. Computer and Video Games ' s Mike Jackson commented that while it "doesn't rewrite
15045-548: The characters were "so detailed, so expressive, so exquisitely animated". GamesRadar ' s Dave Meikleham called it "one of the best Zelda games yet", calling its control scheme intuitive. He adds that the best use of the DS' controls were its items, specifically citing the Spirit Pipes which make use of the DS's microphone. Fellow GamesRadar writer Brett Elston praised the overworld theme, commenting that it put him in an "adventurous mindset", as well as calling it similar to
15222-537: The clear signs of peace being restored, the ending was left a little ambiguous so players could imagine what Link and Zelda were doing, and were given a little choice with the question Zelda asks before the final battle. The game was officially confirmed in March 2009. The game's subtitle differed between English and Japanese. The English version was decided early on before the Japanese subtitle Daichi no Kiteki ( Train Whistle of
15399-488: The concept from a children's book and incorporated some of its elements into the game. Originally planned as a quickly-produced sequel similar to Majora's Mask , production lasted two years due to the new features. The character of Zelda was given more agency and a key role in both the narrative and several puzzles, breaking away from her earlier passive characterisations. The game was lauded by critics from both dedicated video game outlets and general journalistic sites. Praise
15576-410: 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
15753-402: The disappearing rails loosen Malladus' bonds. Link attempts to attack Cole, but is knocked unconscious by Byrne. Link awakens in the Tower of Spirits, where he and the disembodied Zelda meet the lokomo Anjean, a friend of Tetra who instructs the two to restore the Tower of Spirits and the Spirit Tracks. Link is almost killed by a Phantom, a guardian of the tower, but Zelda saves him by possessing
15930-517: 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 ,
16107-481: The dungeons and puzzles are good, it all feels "a little tired, brief, and empty", calling it "most likely the series' worst entry". Giant Bomb ' s Jeff Gerstmann also found it disappointing in some ways, though he added that the flaws were offset by "terrific puzzle design and a great, fun story that feels noticeably different from the standard "save the princess" saga that series fans are used to seeing". GamePro ' s Aaron Koehn praised it for its use of
16284-426: 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
16461-441: 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
16638-592: 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
16815-421: The flute as a major addition to the gameplay. Despite praising some aspects, he commented that it wasn't right for a portable game. GameTrailers commented that it "addressed the shortcomings" of Phantom Hourglass , calling it "one of the better outings in the series". GameSpy ' s Brian Altano praised the game's dungeons and bosses as "some of the most imaginative" in the series. He also called it "one of
16992-511: The following week, selling approximately 49,000 copies, and falling to eighth place next week, selling approximately 22,000. For the first half of 2010, Spirit Tracks ranked as the 14th best-selling game in Japan, selling 376,054 copies with total sales at the time at 696,995. Forbes ' Brian Caulfield anticipated that Spirit Tracks would strengthen DSi sales for December. IGN predicted that DSi sales would remain steady, due to Spirit Tracks in part. Nintendo listed Spirit Tracks as
17169-566: The fourth best-selling game of December, expecting sales in excess of 725,000 copies. For its debut week, it ranked number one for Nintendo DS games. It retained its position in the following week. Spirit Tracks debuted at 12th place in the United Kingdom 's video game sales chart. It was the fourth best-selling DS game in the UK. As of March 2010, Spirit Tracks has sold over 2.61 million copies. Action-adventure game An action-adventure game
17346-442: 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
17523-409: The game more than it helped. RPG Fan ' s Kyle E. Miller commented that he went into Spirit Tracks with "low expectations", expecting a similar reaction to Phantom Hourglass , which he described as "far from amazing". On the other hand, he still found the title disappointing due to the train mechanic, which he states was a "foolish" idea by the developers to build a game around. He adds that while
17700-419: 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
17877-436: The game's main story, but may opt to complete sidequests for further rewards. In the overworld and dungeons, the player is able to make notes on their current map as an aid in puzzle solving and continuing the story. In the overworld, Link is able to direct his train across land, with the ability to control speed and forward or reverse direction, to turn at track intersections, and to blow the train's whistle to scare animals off
18054-406: The gameplay still follows a number of adventure game genre tropes (gathering items , exploration of and interaction with one's environment, often including an overworld connecting areas of importance, and puzzle-solving). While the controls are arcade-style (character movement, few action commands) there is an ultimate goal beyond a high score. In most action-adventure games, the player controls
18231-528: 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 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
18408-482: 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
18585-415: 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
18762-417: 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 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
18939-569: The inclusion of Zelda's effect on the gameplay. However, he criticized Zelda's character, describing her as teenage-angsty Hannah Montana than the calm-yet-troubled princess in previous series iterations. He added that this makes the adventure "taken off course". In a second opinion, fellow Game Informer staff member Phil Kollar similarly called the game mixed, comparing its reception to the NES video game Zelda II: The Adventure of Link . He adds that while glad that Nintendo did something different, it hurt
19116-413: The intellectual challenge of puzzles inside a captivating fantasy story filled with interesting characters. She also commented that kids are able to control both a hero and a heroine. The Independent ' s Rebecca Armstrong called it "endlessly inventive" with "new features galore", citing its usage of the microphone for items. She also called it "pacy, absorbing and very, very playable". Spirit Tracks
19293-464: 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
19470-562: 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 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
19647-534: The main Zelda series has consisted of three principal areas: an overworld which connects all other areas, in which movement is multidirectional, allowing 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
19824-550: 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
20001-537: 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 ,
20178-570: 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
20355-462: The overworld themes of Phantom Hourglass and The Wind Waker . Nintendo World Report ' s Neal Ronaghan praised the addition of the train and the quality of the dungeon designs, though criticizing the lessened exploration and control issues, but he specifically praised the Phantom controls. PALGN ' s Jeremy Jastrzab commented that while it doesn't stray from its predecessor much, it features "genuine improvements" over it, citing specifically
20532-404: The passenger happy. As the game progresses, the player opens more of the map. In towns and dungeons, the player controls Link using the stylus, directing the character where to go. The stylus is also used to perform attacks and dodges and to select items such as bombs and a boomerang, used for combat and puzzle solving. Certain items, in particular Zelda's pan flute, require the player to blow into
20709-491: 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
20886-403: The play stages themselves, with environmental hazards. Results of the most recent game played will show up on a bulletin in most in-game towns and cities. "Tag Mode", an item trading system, is also available between local players. Similarly to Phantom Hourglass , Spirit Tracks features a central dungeon, which uses a spiral staircase to access upper floors instead of having the player traverse
21063-453: 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
21240-489: The player has enough ammunition and recovery items to " survive " the horror setting. This is a thematic genre with diverse gameplay, so not all survival horror games share all the features. The Resident Evil franchise popularized this subgenre. Action-adventure games are faster-paced than pure adventure games, and include physical as well as conceptual challenges where the story is enacted rather than narrated. While motion-based, often reflexive, actions are required,
21417-400: The player's reflexes and eye-hand coordination . Action-adventure games combine these genres by engaging both eye-hand coordination and problem-solving skills. An action adventure game can be defined as a game with a mix of elements from an action game and an adventure game , especially crucial elements like puzzles inspired by older adventure games. Action-adventures require many of
21594-450: 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
21771-476: The previous game's main dungeon. The Spirit Flute was brought up early in the game's development. Because the microphone capabilities were featured so prominently in the game, the team decided to incorporate it into the flute. At an early stage, the team decided to focus on the ability to control and work cooperatively with a Phantom, originally used in Phantom Hourglass as a Wi-Fi battle mode-exclusive character. In questioning why an enemy character would aid Link,
21948-485: 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,
22125-431: The rules", it was "engrossing". He also called it an exception to the DS' library in 2009, which was otherwise not exciting. Official Nintendo Magazine ' s Fred Dutton agreed with it being familiar, calling it a "wonderful game nonetheless". 1UP.com ' s Jeremy Parish commented that it "doesn't simply coast along on its legacy", calling it a "fine game in its own right". Game Revolution's Blake Morse called it
22302-560: The same floors multiple times as in the previous game. Also, although safe zones are still present, being used to hide from Phantoms, the dungeon does not feature a curse that Link needs to protect himself from for a limited amount of time. Spirit Tracks takes place at the end of the "Adult Timeline" within the Zelda continuity : it takes place a century following the events of The Wind Waker and its direct sequel Phantom Hourglass. Long ago, Spirits known as Lokomos escaped their realm to end
22479-439: The same physical skills as action games, but may also offer a storyline, numerous characters, an inventory system, dialogue, and other features of adventure games. They are typically faster-paced than pure adventure games, because they include both physical and conceptual challenges. Action-adventure games normally include a combination of complex story elements, which are often displayed for players using audio and video. The story
22656-420: The series' shining moments", but he criticized the train travel, saying that it makes backtracking tedious. GameSpot ' s Randolph Ramsay called the dungeons "exciting and well-designed", while also praising its side-quests, boss fights, multi-player, and Phantom gameplay, which he says "adds new depth to the series". Video Gamer ' s Wesley Yin-Poole praised the controls for Link and Zelda, as well as
22833-593: 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
23010-546: 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
23187-491: 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
23364-471: 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
23541-658: The series. While taking place in the same continuity as Wind Waker and Phantom Hourglass , all the characters except supporting character Niko were new; Niko was used to explain the game's history and setting to players. The team were careful not to focus too much on events from Wind Waker and Phantom Hourglass , allowing first-time players to enjoy the game. The Japanese names of Lokomos characters were all puns on either train parts or specific models of trains. The antagonists were written to have more personality than in previous entries, with Byrne and Cole being played as contrasting rivals while also being Link's main opponents. Despite
23718-443: The side-quests "weak delivery subquests". Ars Technica ' s Ben Kuchera praised the train travel, calling it a "solid length" game and praising it for its touch screen usage. He did however criticize it for its slow beginning and lack of innovation. Stephen Totilo praised the characters and towns, commenting that the characters have "good senses of humor". He also praised the train travel, commenting that while it feels long to use
23895-477: 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
24072-422: The story and solving environmental and dungeon-based puzzles, many requiring use of the DS's touchscreen and other hardware features. Navigation between towns and dungeons is done using a train, which features its own set of mechanics and puzzles. Production began in 2007 following the release of Phantom Hourglass , with half the team including director Daiki Iwamoto and producer Eiji Aonuma returning. Aonuma got
24249-476: 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
24426-589: The subway with dignity. In his "sneak peek" at Spirit Tracks , Toronto Sun ' s Steve Tilley called it one of his "must-have" video game for the holidays, calling it both "very Zelda-y" and "very fresh". The Independent ' s Michael Plant called it "hotly-anticipated". Wired named it the third best portable game at E3 2009, with Gus Mastrapa praising it for its "killer dungeons" and "challenging puzzles". The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks received generally positive reception, according to review aggregator Metacritic . Nintendo Power called it one of
24603-680: The team came up with the idea that a second character would take control of the Phantom; Zelda was ultimately chosen because she was "an interesting and appropriate character". The multiplayer was incorporated based on Miyamoto's liking for The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords , wanting something more than the earlier game's battle mode. A survey conducted in the United States signified consumers preferred more independent female characters, including Zelda's alter egos Sheik (from Ocarina of Time ) and Tetra (from The Wind Waker and Phantom Hourglass ). Iwamoto expressed an interest in making Zelda "a more integral part" of Spirit Tracks , in addition to being
24780-408: 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
24957-521: 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
25134-413: The tracks. The player is able to automatically set a route for the train by drawing on the map, though not all locations are immediately available. Later, Link is given a cannon that he can use to defend the train from attacks. Link also eventually gains a cargo car, which he can use to move goods between towns. Some missions require Link to transport a passenger along the rails and require the player to keep
25311-417: The train sometimes, it can be fun if players multi-task. He called it one of the five best-looking games for the DS, but criticized some aspects of it, specifically its flute item, which he says can be unusable if players are playing on a train for instance. IGN UK ' s Matt Wales called it a "stunningly presented package", praising the graphics as "packed with personality". He called its soundtrack one of
25488-552: The train was fixed early on, but the concept of players building train tracks was discarded as Aonuma saw it as a "nightmare" to manage. The Tower of Spirits was originally going to function the same way as the Temple of the Ocean King from Phantom Hourglass , requiring the player to climb the tower each time they restore a new floor by going through the tower again from the bottom until they reach it. As development neared its end, Anomua made
25665-421: The train was not a good fit for the series, splitting the staff between those who thought the train should be changed, and those who successfully fought to keep the train. Aonuma felt that the team had created new ways of playing, while retaining several elements from the series. Aonuma commented that because the puzzles were designed by a designer who was formerly a programmer, they felt different to him. The use of
25842-443: 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
26019-460: The vanishing Spirit Tracks. As they arrive at the Temple of Spirits, the source of the Spirit Tracks' power, it is revealed that Cole is a demon serving Malladus. With his accomplice Byrne, Cole disembodies Zelda's spirit from her body. As only a host with sacred blood can sustain Malladus, Cole plans to allow Malladus to possess Zelda's body. Spirit-Zelda flees to the Tower of Spirits, which fragments as
26196-423: The various incarnations of Link , a courageous young man of the elf-like Hylian race, and Princess Zelda , 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
26373-437: The visual quality of the characters, but criticized the train mechanic and its "tired features", commenting that the series needs changes to structure and gameplay rather than visuals. Game Informer ' s Andrew Reiner commented that he has not seen a game that "fluctuates between highs and lows as frequently" as Spirit Tracks . He called it his least favourite title in the series, praising its controls, while also praising
26550-405: 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
26727-539: The work on field, character and event themes with Tominaga. Series sound composer Koji Kondo contributed the ending theme, while Ota was responsible for some of the music in the multiplayer mode. The concept for Spirit Tracks came to Aonuma while he was reading a children's book to his son. The book, titled Senro wa tsuzuku , concerned a group of children creating a railway line in a magical countryside region. Iwamoto felt that Spirit Tracks should not be too like other Zelda titles, citing an argument that occurred that
26904-401: 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
27081-436: 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 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,
27258-615: The year. It was the readers' choice in every category except for best multiplayer game. IGN , however, named it only one of the runners-up in all of these categories. During the 13th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards , the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences nominated Spirit Tracks for " Portable Game of the Year ". Spirit Tracks ranked second in its debut week in Japan, selling 291,496 copies. The next week, it fell to third place, selling approximately 126,000 copies. It fell to fifth place
27435-455: 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
27612-432: 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
27789-509: 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,
27966-399: Was developed by Nintendo EAD . It was developed by one part of the Legend of Zelda team, the other working on Skyward Sword . Director Daiki Iwamoto and producer Eiji Aonuma returned from Phantom Hourglass , along with half the original staff. The team were so pleased with the touchscreen design of Phantom Hourglass that they wanted to develop a sequel on the same platform. Their plan
28143-452: Was directed towards its narrative and gameplay concepts. Spirit Tracks continues its style of gameplay from Phantom Hourglass , in which players use the stylus to control Link and use weapons and items. The game is divided into an overworld, which Link traverses using the Spirit Tracks, and towns and dungeons which he travels by foot. The player alternates between exploring the overworld and exploring towns and dungeons in order to complete
28320-423: 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
28497-481: 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
28674-412: Was much like Phantom Hourglass , and the plot was enough to get him "jazzed" about Spirit Tracks . IGN UK ' s Emma Boyes, in her impressions of the multi-player mode, commented that how players can lose the majority of their Force Gems in one hit makes the mode have tension and balance. She called the single and multi-player modes a "huge amount of fun". IGN ' s Mark Bozon commented that it had
28851-636: Was nominated for best handheld game in the Game Developers Choice Awards. It was given the GAME Award of 2009 in the BAFTA through a reader's choice nomination. Nintendo Life named it runner-up for best Nintendo DS game of 2009, and its readers chose it as their runner-up for best game of the year. It was nominated for several DS-related awards, including best action game, visual excellence, sound excellence, best story, best multiplayer game, and game of
29028-416: 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
29205-439: 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
29382-417: 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,
29559-406: 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
29736-569: 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
29913-457: 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
30090-417: 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 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
30267-555: 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
30444-455: Was released in Europe for Spirit Tracks . It features a tin box that contains two models from the game—Link and a Phantom. When it was revealed, the fan reaction to Spirit Tracks was stronger than the reaction to the Nintendo DSi reveal beforehand. In his impressions, IGN ' s Craig Harris found the storyline to be "compelling" with an "interesting premise". He felt that the gameplay
30621-409: 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
30798-477: 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
30975-445: 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
31152-418: 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
31329-515: Was to produce Spirit Tracks on a short schedule, similar to Ocarina of Time sequel Majora's Mask , using ideas that had been proposed and not implemented in Phantom Hourglass . Due to a number of factors, development was extended to two years, double the estimated time. Despite the increased production time, Aonuma described this as a smooth production compared to other protracted or turbulent development cycles of earlier Zelda games. The graphics were chosen, similarly to Phantom Hourglass , as
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