The Legend of Zelda (series)

2008/9 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Computer & Video games

The Legend of Zelda (ゼルダの伝説, Zeruda no Densetsu ^?) is a high fantasy action-adventure video game series created by game designer Shigeru Miyamoto and developed and published by Nintendo. The gameplay consists of a mixture of action, adventure, puzzle solving, role-playing and occasional platforming, stealth and racing elements. The series centers on Link, the main playable character and protagonist. Link is often given the task of rescuing Princess Zelda and the most common setting of the series, Hyrule, from Ganon who is the primary antagonist of the series. However other settings and antagonists have appeared throughout the games, with Vaati having recently become the series' secondary antagonist. The story commonly involves a relic known as the Triforce, a set of three golden triangles of omnipotence. The protagonist in each game is not always the same iteration of Link, although the same character sometimes appears across multiple games.

The Legend of Zelda series has sold over 52 million copies since the release of the first game, The Legend of Zelda, and continues to be successful worldwide. The series consists of fourteen official games on all of Nintendo's major consoles, as well as several spin-offs. An animated series based on the games aired in 1989, and a manga adaptation officially endorsed and commissioned by Nintendo has been produced in Japan since 1997.

Overview

Gameplay

The Legend of Zelda games feature a mixture of puzzles, strategic action, adventure/battle gameplay, and exploration. These elements have remained constant throughout the series, but with refinements and additions featured in each new game. The player is frequently rewarded for solving puzzles or exploring areas. Most Zelda games involve locating and exploring dungeons, in which puzzles are solved and enemies fought, then defeating the dungeon's boss. Each dungeon usually has one major item inside, which is usually essential for solving many of the puzzles in that dungeon and often plays a crucial role in defeating that dungeon's boss. Some items are consistent and appear many times throughout the series, while others are unique to a single game. The series also consists of stealth gameplay, where the player must avoid enemies while proceeding through a level, as well as racing elements.

Chronology

The precise chronology of the Zelda universe is hotly debated among fans, although some fans do not feel the games are definitively connected. As the series progressed, and more games were released, the exact order of the games in an overall timeline became complex and heavily disputed.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is a prequel to the original NES games, and the back of the game's box states that Link is an ancestor of the Link from those games. The Nintendo 64 The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time was also a prequel, going even further back and showing the origins of many things from the previous games. The Legend Of Zelda: The Wind Waker takes place hundreds of years after the events of Ocarina of Time. The game explicitly references the "Hero of Time" from that game, and states that due to the hero's absence, it was necessary to flood Hyrule in order to stop Ganon. The Minish Cap, Four Swords and Four Swords Adventures reference other titles and are known to be a part of the timeline, but they follow a separate storyline, leaving their exact relationships with the other games uncertain. It is not known how much time has passed in Hyrule between each of these games.

In an interview conducted by Nintendo Dream with Eiji Aonuma in December 2006, it was revealed that there are two parallel universes in the Zelda chronology. The timeline is split at the end of Ocarina of Time, when Link is sent back in time by Princess Zelda to live through his childhood, while the original events of Ocarina of Time continue on a different path. Once returned to his original time, Link goes to see Zelda again, and the result of this meeting is an alternate future in which the villain Ganondorf is arrested and tried by the ancient sages, who attempt to execute him, but are instead forced to banish him to the Twilight Realm. Twilight Princess then occurs over one hundred years later, after Link's role as a child in the events of Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask. Meanwhile, The Wind Waker occurs in the "adult Link" timeline, hundreds of years after the Hero of Time saved Hyrule in Ocarina of Time, and it is directly followed by Phantom Hourglass.

Inspiration

The Legend of Zelda was principally inspired by Shigeru Miyamoto's explorations as a young boy in the hillsides surrounding his childhood home in Kyoto, where he ventured into forests with secluded lakes, caves, and rural villages. According to Miyamoto, one of his most memorable experiences 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. This memory has clearly influenced Miyamoto's work, as cave exploration is often a major component of most Zelda games (usually by the light 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.

Hearing of F. Scott Fitzgerald's wife Zelda, Miyamoto thought the name sounded "pleasant and significant." Paying tribute, he chose to name the Princess after her, and titled his creation The Legend of Zelda.

History

The Legend of Zelda, the first game of the series, was first released in Japan in 1986 on the Famicom-only Disk System. A cartridge version, using battery-backed memory was released in the United States and Europe in 1987. The game features a "Second Quest", accessible upon completing the game, where dungeons and the placement of items are altered, and enemies are more difficult for the player to defeat. In 1994, during the last years of the Famicom, the game was re-released in cartridge format. A modified version known as BS Zelda no Densetsu was released for the Super Famicom's satellite-based expansion, Satellaview, in the mid-1990s in Japan. BS Zelda was then re-released for the Satellaview again a year later, with rearranged dungeons and an altered overworld.

The second game, Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, was released in January 1987 for the Famicom Disc System in Japan, a full six months before the first game was released in America. Nintendo would wait almost a full two years from its initial release in Japan to release Zelda II in America on December, 1988. The game sparked controversy among the series' fans, as it exchanged the top-down perspective for side-scrolling (though the top-down point of view was retained for times that Link is wandering the overworld), and introduced RPG elements (e.g., experience points) not found in other Zelda installments. Both this game and its predecessor had gold-colored game cartridges, instead of the system's usual gray cartridges. Both games were later re-released in the final years of the Nintendo Entertainment System, with gray cartridges.

Four years later, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past returned to the top-down view (under a 3/4 perspective), and added the concept of an alternate dimension to explore — a land simply known as Dark World. The game was released for the Super NES in 1991. It was later re-released for the Game Boy Advance on December 9, 2002 in North America, on a cartridge with Four Swords, the first multiplayer Zelda, and then through Nintendo's Virtual Console service on January 22, 2007. In addition, both this game (unchanged, except for being converted into a downloadable format) and an exclusive "loosely-based" sequel (which used the same game engine) called BS Zelda no Densetsu Kodai no Sekiban were released on the Satellaview in Japan.

The next game, Link's Awakening, was the first Zelda for Nintendo's Game Boy handheld, and the first to take place outside of Hyrule, and not to include the Princess Zelda. It was re-released for the Game Boy Colour in 1998 as Link's Awakening DX with some additional features, including an extra colour-based dungeon and a photo shop that allowed interaction with the Game Boy Printer.

After another hiatus, the series made the transition to 3D with the installment Ocarina of Time, which was released in November 1998. This game, initially known as Zelda 64, retained the core gameplay of the previous 2D games, and was very successful commercially and critically. It ranked highly on IGN and EGM's "greatest games of all time" lists, and scored perfect scores in several video game publications, including the first 40/40 score in Famitsu (a Japanese gaming magazine). In February 2006, it was ranked by Nintendo Power as the best game to ever appear on a Nintendo console. The title was originally slated for the ill-fated, Japanese-only Nintendo 64DD, but was ported to a cartridge when the hardware was delayed. Innovations include the use of lock-on targeting, a new gameplay mechanic that focuses the camera on a nearby target, and alters the player's actions to be relative to that target. Such mechanics allow precision-based sword fighting in a 3D space, and were a revolutionary development for the time. Those who preordered the game received a gold-colored cartridge in a limited edition box with a golden plastic card affixed reading "Collector's Edition".

Ocarina of Time was re-released on the Nintendo GameCube in 2002, when it was offered as a pre-order incentive for The Wind Waker in the U.S., Canada, and Japan. Europe continues to receive it free in every copy of The Wind Waker, except for the discounted Player's Choice version. It included a previously unreleased 64DD expansion known as Ura Zelda in Japan and Ocarina of Time Master Quest in North America. Ocarina of Time was included as part of Collector's Edition for the GameCube in 2003. It is now available through the Virtual Console service.

The follow-up title, Majora's Mask, which was released in November 2000, used the same 3D game engine as the previous Nintendo 64 game (dropping the Fixed 3D elements), but added a novel time-based concept, leading to somewhat mixed reactions from series fans. It was originally called Zelda Gaiden, a Japanese title that translates as Zelda Side story. Gameplay changed significantly; in addition to a form of time-limit, Link could use masks to transform into different creatures with unique skills. While Majora's Mask retained the graphical style of the landmark Ocarina of Time, it was also a departure, particularly in terms of its overall atmosphere. It also featured motion-blur, unlike its predecessor, Ocarina of Time. The game is much darker, 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. All copies of Majora's Mask are gold cartridges. Instead, a "Limited Collector's Edition" lenticular cartridge label was offered as the pre-order incentive. Copies of the game that weren't collector's editions featured a more traditional sticker cartridge label.

The next two games, Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages, were released simultaneously for the Game Boy Colour, 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 the team experimented with porting the original Legend of Zelda to the Game Boy Colour, 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 titles at Miyamoto's suggestion. These two titles became Oracle of Ages, which is more puzzle-based, and Oracle of Seasons, which is more action-oriented. ‎

When Nintendo revealed the Nintendo GameCube on 24 August 2000, the day before Nintendo's SpaceWorld 2000 exposition, one software demonstration showed a realistically-styled real-time duel between Ganon and Link. Fans and the media speculated that the battle might be from a Zelda game under development. At Spaceworld 2001 Nintendo showed a cel-shaded Zelda title, later released as The Wind Waker, which Miyamoto felt would "extend Zelda's reach to all ages". The media reported that Zelda was shifting to a younger audience, to Miyamoto's surprise. Nothing further was shown until a playable demonstration was ready, which was well-received. The gameplay centers on controlling wind with a baton called the "Wind Waker", and sailing a small boat around a massive, island-filled ocean.

Next in the series came Four Swords Adventures for the GameCube, which was released in the first half of 2004 in Japan and America, and in January 2005 in Europe. Based on the handheld Four Swords, Four Swords Adventures was another deviation from previous Zelda gameplay, focusing on multiplayer gameplay and "level-based" action (like many Super Mario Bros. titles). The game contains 24 individual stages and a map screen; there is no connecting overworld. For the multiplayer features of the game, each player is required to use a Game Boy Advance system linked to the Nintendo GameCube via a GBA-GCN cable. Although it focuses on multiplayer, the game also features a single-player campaign, in which using a Game Boy Advance is optional.

Four Swords Adventures is really two games in one: Hyrulean Adventure (with a storyline and action somewhat similar to a traditional Zelda adventure) and Shadow Battle (a free-for-all mêlée "battle mode", which pits Links against each other as the players struggle for dominance in Hyrulean arenas). The Japanese version includes a third segment, known as Navi Trackers (originally designed as the stand-alone game Tetra's Trackers), which is not included in any other incarnation of the title. Navi Trackers contains spoken dialog for most of the characters, a first for the Zelda series.

In November 2004 in Japan and Europe, and in January 2005 in America, Nintendo released a new game for the Game Boy Advance, The Minish Cap. The central concept of The Minish Cap is Link's ability to shrink in size with the aid of a mystical sentient hat named Ezlo. While tiny, Link can see previously-explored parts of a dungeon from a new perspective, and enter new areas through otherwise-impassable openings. Link is able to switch from big to small at special portals throughout the land, once again giving Link two "worlds" to play in.

In November 2006, Twilight Princess arrived as the first Zelda game on the Wii, and later, in December 2006, on the Nintendo GameCube, the system for which it was originally developed. The game once again strives for a realistic look, improved even beyond the aforementioned SpaceWorld demo. It chronicles the struggle of a more mature Link to rid Hyrule of the "Twilight Realm", a mysterious force plaguing the land. When he enters this realm, he is transformed into a wolf, and the gameplay shifts radically. Twilight Princess also relies heavily on horseback transportation and mounted battle scenarios, including boss battles.

"Zelda DS" was once rumored to be a new Four Swords game, but Nintendo later retracted those statements. Instead, at the 2006 Game Developers Conference, a trailer for Phantom Hourglass for the Nintendo DS was shown. The trailer revealed traditional top-down Zelda gameplay optimized for the DS' features, with a cel-shaded graphical style similar to The Wind Waker. At E3 2006, Nintendo confirmed its status as a direct sequel to The Wind Waker, and debuted an extensive playable demo, including a multiplayer mode reminiscent of Pac-Man Vs. with " capture the flag" elements. Phantom Hourglass was released on June 23, 2007 in Japan, October 1, 2007 in North America, and October 19, 2007 in Europe.

While not during Nintendo's keynote address, during E3 2008, Shigeru Miyamoto officially confirmed that a new Zelda title is being developed, though no other details or release date were mentioned.

Fictional universe

The Zelda series has developed a deep story and wide universe over its many releases. Much of the backstory of the creation of Hyrule was revealed in the games A Link to the Past, Ocarina of Time, Wind Waker, and Twilight Princess.

History

According to the in-game backstories, long ago, three goddesses descended and created the land of Hyrule. Din, the goddess of power, with her powerful, flaming arms, cultivated the empty space, and created the red earth. Nayru, the goddess of wisdom, bestowed her divine wisdom upon the land, and created the world's laws to give a sense of justice and order to the world, and to guide the people in the goddesses' absence. Farore, the goddess of courage, endowed Hyrule with her powers, creating life to follow this justice.

After their work was completed, the goddesses left a magical artifact called the Triforce, which could grant the wishes of the user. It consisted of three golden triangles (each also called a "Triforce" — one of Wisdom, one of Power, and one of Courage). However, because the Triforce was not divine, and could not judge between good and evil, the goddesses placed the Triforce in an alternate world called the "Sacred Realm" or the "Golden Land", hoping that a worthy person would one day seek it.

According to legend, if the discoverer of the Triforce has a balance of power, wisdom, and courage, the Sacred Realm will become a paradise, and they will receive the Triforce as a whole, along with the true force to govern all. If they are unbalanced, the Sacred Realm will become a world of evil, and they will receive the part of the Triforce that represents the characteristic they most demonstrate, with the remaining parts of the whole transferring into the people in Hyrule who most exemplify the other two traits. The Triforce was first distributed as such starting in Ocarina of Time, as the Triforces of Power, Wisdom and Courage were each held by Ganondorf, Princess Zelda, and Link, respectively. While the Triforce of Power and Wisdom have been part of the series since the original The Legend of Zelda, it was only in The Adventure of Link that the Triforce of Courage was first introduced, being obtained by Link at the end of his quest. A Link to the Past, released after The Adventure of Link, but before Ocarina of Time, featured the Triforce, but made no mention of where it came from. It did however possess the power to grant the holder's wish.

Eventually, dark interlopers, later to be called "Twili", attempted to steal the Triforce and establish dominion over the Sacred Realm. In response, the goddesses sent the light spirits Eldin, Lanayru, Ordona, and Faron to seal away their dark magic within the Fused Shadows. The interlopers themselves were banished to the shadowy world of the Twilight Realm (with only the Mirror of Twilight linking the two worlds), where they would become the Twili race. The Mirror was left in the protection of ancient sages.

Eventually, evil rose once again. A hero would not appear to repel the evil, and in response, the goddesses flooded Hyrule. The citizens were able to flee to the mountaintops, while Ganon and his army were trapped under the sea. The kingdom below was frozen in time to assure Ganon would not utilize his powers to escape, with the Master Sword as its key. The world above would be known as the Great Sea, and the memory of Hyrule was lost with time.

The fictional universe established by the Zelda games sets the stage for each adventure. Many games take place in lands with their own back-stories. Termina, for example, is a parallel world accidentally formed as a side effect of the goddesses' creation of Hyrule.

Games

The following is a list of the Nintendo-published games in order of their first release, with their release years (in parentheses), along with any additional information about their placement in the timeline.

• The Legend of Zelda ( FDS: 1986, NES: 1987, FC: 1994, GCN: 2002 ( AC), 2003 ( CE), GBA: 2004, VC: 2006)

This is the first game of the series. In this game, Ganon is in his pig-like beast form. According to the instruction manual, shortly before the beginning of the game, Ganon's army attacked Hyrule, stole the Triforce of Power, and captured the ruling Princess Zelda, but not before she had time to break apart and hide the Triforce of Wisdom.

• Zelda II: The Adventure of Link ( FDS: 1987, NES: 1988, GCN: 2003 ( CE), GBA: 2004, VC: 2007)

According to its instruction manual, it takes place "several seasons" after the first game, and features the same Link, but a different Zelda. Moreover, the story references Ganon's destruction by Link in the first game. The game's back-story also references an old legend of Hyrule. According to it, long ago, a prince of Hyrule should have inherited the Triforce after the king's death, but he only obtained part of it. Indeed, his sister, Princess Zelda, let him keep the Triforce of Power and the Triforce of Wisdom, but the late king hid the Triforce of Courage. The prince and a magician questioned Zelda, but she refused to reveal the location of the last piece of the Triforce. In anger, the magician cast an eternal sleeping spell on Zelda, before dying himself. In grief, the prince ordered that all future girls of the royal family be named Zelda. The previous historical Zelda who hid the Triforce of Courage is still asleep at the beginning of the game, and is awakened by Link after he retrieves the Triforce of Courage at the end of the story. This Princess Zelda is not the same one rescued by Link in the first The Legend of Zelda game. The events of this legend were never mentioned in any other games of the series.

• The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past ( SFC: 1991, SNES: 1992, BS: 1997, GBA: 2002 ( FS), VC: 2006)

This is the first of many Zelda games to have Hyrule's history told within the game, and the first in which Ganon's name in human form, Ganondorf, is revealed. During this game, Ganon is in his demonic form, and sealed in the "Golden Land" (more commonly known as the Sacred Realm) with the Triforce. The game's instruction manual tells how all three pieces of the Triforce were originally hidden in the Golden Land. One day long ago, it was found by Ganondorf the Thief, and it granted his evil wish for a monstrous army to attack Hyrule. While the Knights of Hyrule defended the land, the Seven Sages created a magic seal to close off the Golden Realm. The game itself revolves around Ganon's ultimately-successful attempt to break the Sages' seal. Princess Zelda alerts Link to this, and Link goes on a quest to find the Master Sword (its first named appearance in the series), then defeats Ganon to reclaim the Triforce, using various means to travel between Hyrule and the Golden Land (now called the Dark World) during his efforts.

• The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening/ DX ( GB: 1993, GBC: 1998 ( DX))

In this installment, Link shipwrecks on Koholint Island while on his journey. He finds he has lost his equipment, and the only way he can leave the island is to find and wake a creature of great power called the Wind Fish.

• The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time/ Master Quest ( N64: 1998, GCN: 2002 ( MQ), 2003 ( CE), iQue: 2003, VC: 2007)

After its release, this game was confirmed by Shigeru Miyamoto as the first in the series' continuity at the time. At the beginning of the game, Ganondorf, the king of the Gerudo tribe, has not yet gained the Triforce, though he does possess magical powers. As the game progresses, Ganondorf follows Link into the Sacred Realm and, as Link pulls the Master Sword from its pedestal, he appears, telling Link he will rule Hyrule as a result of Link giving him access to the Sacred Realm. Link is then promptly put into suspended animation for seven years, until he is "of age" to wield the Master Sword. In the meantime, Ganondorf finds the Triforce, but because his heart is not balanced, it divides into its three pieces: Power, Wisdom, and Courage. Ganondorf retains the Triforce of Power, and uses it to take over and rule Hyrule for seven years. When Link wakes seven years later, he eventually awakens the Seven Sages and defeats Ganondorf, the Sages then sealing him in the Sacred Realm.

• The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask ( N64: 2000, GCN: 2003 ( CE))

This game takes place after the events of Ocarina of Time, and stars the same Link, after returning to his youth. While traveling, he is attacked by a Skull Kid and accidentally enters a parallel world called Termina, which is going to be destroyed by a falling moon in three days. Link must relive the same three days repeatedly while trying to undo the events created by the Skull Kid through the power of Majora's Mask, and find a way to stop the impending apocalypse.

• The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons ( GBC: 2001) and The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages ( GBC: 2001)

These games are connected via a password system, and one takes place immediately after the other. They can be played and regarded in either order. The Twinrova sisters from Ocarina of Time appear in these games, and plot to resurrect Ganon.

• The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords ( GBA: 2002)

The versions of Link and Princess Zelda featured in this game are childhood friends. This is the first game in which Vaati and the Four Sword appear. According to an interview, Eiji Aonuma, a major designer and the director of many games in the Zelda series, considered this game to be the oldest in the timeline, implying that both this and The Minish Cap occur earlier than Ocarina of Time.

• The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker ( GCN: 2002)

This game takes place hundreds of years after Ocarina of Time. Hyrule has been lost for centuries, and now all that remains of its civilization are a few scattered islands on the Great Sea. Halfway through The Wind Waker, the Link and Zelda from this game discover they are the successors to their counterparts in the old kingdom of Hyrule (now drowned beneath the Great Sea). It is revealed in dialogue between survivors of Hyrule that the Link of The Wind Waker is not related to the Hero of Time, the Link of Ocarina of Time; however, later on in the game, he is referred to as the "Hero of Winds".

• The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures ( GCN: 2004)

This game tells the story of how Ganondorf obtains the power of an ancient trident and becomes the demon, Ganon.

• The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap ( GBA: 2004)

This game involves the origins of the Four Sword, as well as Vaati, the primary villain.

• The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Wii: 2006, GCN: 2006)

This game takes place at least a hundred years after Ocarina of Time. In an interview with Japan's Nintendo Dream Magazine, Aonuma stated that Twilight Princess occurs in a "parallel" world to The Wind Waker, following an alternate timeline in which Ganondorf does not take over Hyrule, and is instead sentenced to execution following the conclusion of Ocarina of Time.

• The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (DS: 2007)

This game has been released in Japan and North America, and was released in Australia on October 11, 2007, and Europe on October 19, 2007. It is set after The Wind Waker and in the same setting, where Link must rescue Tetra after she is captured by a ghost ship. While in The Temple of the Ocean King he meets Linebeck, who aids Link on his quest by letting him use his ship.

In April 2008, Miyamoto stated that "the Zelda team is forming again to work on new games". Miyamoto clarified in July that the Zelda team has been working on a new Zelda game for the Wii.

The creators maintain that the series has a set timeline, however due to debates over the available information the timeline continues to be disputed. Miyamoto stated in a 2003 interview that there is a master document detailing the timeline. Eiji Aonuma has also stated in a July 2007 video interview that there is such a document on his PC, and that this document is considered confidential. According to this interview, development of a Zelda title can commence without the team knowing in advance where exactly the title will fit into the timeline; but by the time the title is finished, its placement in the timeline will be determined.

Music

The Legend of Zelda series, like many of the Nintendo titles, has long been noted for its use of music. Koji Kondo, who has been described as the "greatest legend in the video game audio industry" due to his work for Nintendo,, has composed much of the music for the Zelda games, although the last game in which he was solely responsible for the composition of the soundtrack was The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

The games in the Legend of Zelda series have also tended to make strong use of musical instruments, in particular in the development of musical puzzles, which have been widespread. Often the instruments have served as triggers to game events: for example, triggering the recorder in the original Legend of Zelda will result in the revelation of "secret" areas. Application in these situations involved little more effort than selecting the instrument at the appropriate time. However, with the release of Ocarina of Time, mastering the instruments became a core part of the game, with the player required to learn to play the instrument through the use of the game controller in order to succeed. Ocarina of Time was "the [one of the] first contemporary nondance title[s] to feature music-making as part of its gameplay", employing music as a heuristic device and requiring the player to memorize songs in order to proceed through the game - a game mechanic that reappeared in Majora's Mask and, in different forms, The Wind Waker and Twilight Princess.

X-Play has given it the award for having the best musical soundtrack of any game series.

Nature of the protagonist

According to the official website, Link is described as humble but brave, attributes appropriate for the bearer of the Triforce of Courage. Sometimes Link will bear a special title, such as "Hero of Time", "Hero of the Winds", "Hero Chosen by the Gods", or "Waker of the Winds". A long-eared Hylian, he is portrayed as being anywhere from 7 to 19 years old, depending on the game. Link always wears a green tunic, an undershirt and a long, floppy green cap for at least part of each adventure. All incarnations of Link are left-handed, the only exception to date being the Wii version of Twilight Princess, in which Link is right-handed due to the "mirroring" used to accommodate the right-handed control scheme. This mirroring effect flips the entire game layout from its Nintendo GameCube counterpart, thus canonically Link is still left-handed.

Link does not usually speak, and only produces grunts, yells, and other such sounds. One exception to this is The Wind Waker. In the English-language game, the audible phrase "Come on!" is used in dungeons to call either special statues or other characters ( Medli or Makar) to follow Link. In prior games, such as A Link to the Past and Ocarina of Time, players can answer questions by choosing options from a list; no voice acting accompanies Link's answers. More typically, the character uses facial expressions to indicate mood; particular emphasis is placed on this in The Wind Waker and Twilight Princess.

Arguably, Link "speaks" two lines in The Adventure of Link. When he locates a mirror under a table, the text, "I found a mirror under the table" appears on screen. Later, if Link examines a fireplace that he can enter, "Looks like I can get in the fireplace" is displayed. Link also speaks in the cartoon series and the games produced by Philips, though these sources are considered to not be canonical. He also speaks in Link's Awakening to let the player know that he cannot pick up certain objects at the time.

Although the character's accepted name is Link, the player can name him before the start of most games, and characters will address him by that name in the text. The reason given for his silence is so that the player can envision themselves as the hero..

Other incarnations

There are a number of Zelda video games and other media creations that have been licensed by Nintendo, but not officially acknowledged as part of the series canon.

Cartoons

The Legend of Zelda was made into an animated series as a "show within a show" in the semi-live-action Super Mario Bros. Super Show TV series produced by DiC and distributed by Viacom. The animated Zelda shorts were aired each Friday, instead of the usual Super Mario Bros. cartoon that aired during the rest of the week. The series loosely followed the NES Zelda games, mixing settings and characters from those games with original creations. Thirteen animated Zelda shorts were featured within the show's 65-episode run. The show's incarnations of Link and Zelda also appeared in various episodes of Captain N: The Game Master during its second season.

Comics and manga

Valiant Comics released a short-lived series of comics featuring characters and settings from the Zelda cartoon as part of their Nintendo Comics System line. In addition, manga have been created based on the many of the series' games, including A Link to the Past, Link's Awakening, Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, the Oracle series, The Wind Waker, Four Swords Adventures and The Minish Cap. The comics and manga are not considered canonical.

CD-i games

A series of video games were developed and released for the Philips CD-i in the early 1990s as a product of a compromise between Philips and Nintendo, after the companies failed to develop a CD-based peripheral for the Super Nintendo. Created with no influence from Nintendo, the games are Link: The Faces of Evil, Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon, and Zelda's Adventure. The "trilogy" is a large departure from the rest of the series, and they are generally considered poor efforts by fans and reviewers alike. Nintendo has erased them from the Zelda canon, evidenced by their absence from any of Nintendo's websites and publications. The character designs and personalities used in the games appear to be based heavily on the cartoon series.

LCD games

Two Zelda-themed LCD games were created in the late 1980s. The "Zelda Game Watch" by Nelsonic was released first, and was an actual digital watch with primitive gameplay based on the original Legend of Zelda. The similarly titled "Zelda Game & Watch" was a dual-screen handheld electronic game similar in appearance to today's Nintendo DS and it featured a gameplay style similar to The Adventure of Link. It was re-released in 1998 as a Toymax, Inc. Mini Classic and later as an unlockable extra in Game & Watch Gallery 4, a 2002 compilation for the Game Boy Advance.

Unreleased games

There have been several titles in The Legend of Zelda series that have never been released for various reasons. One such title was The Legend of Zelda: Mystical Seed of Courage for Game Boy Colour. When Yoshiki Okamoto worked to develop Zelda titles for the Game Boy Colour, his Capcom team decided to create a series of three games. Referred to as the "Triforce Series", the games were known as The Legend of Zelda: The Mysterious Acorn: Chapter of Power, Chapter of Wisdom, and Chapter of Courage in Japan and The Legend of Zelda: Mystical Seed of Power, Mystical Seed of Wisdom, and Mystical Seed of Courage in the US. The games were to interact using a password system, but the limitations of this system and the difficulty of coordinating three games proved too complicated, so the team scaled back to two titles at Miyamoto's suggestion. Oracle of Seasons was adapted from Mystical Seed of Power, Oracle of Ages was adapted from Mystical Seed of Wisdom, and Mystical Seed of Courage was canceled. Another title is The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Ura, intended to be an upgraded remake of Ocarina of Time for the Nintendo 64DD. For a long time the game was not released as the N64DD was never sold outside of Japan due to poor sales. Prior to the release of The Wind Waker, a bonus disc called The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Master Quest was released, containing a port of Ocarina of Time and a GameCube-modified version of Ocarina of Time Ura. This modified version lacks many of the features that were said to have been in the cancelled N64DD version.

Spin-off games

There have been several titles released that are set within or star a minor character from the The Legend of Zelda universe but are not directly connected to The Legend of Zelda series. One such title is Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland for the Nintendo DS. Supporting character Tingle stars in this spin-off RPG, released in September of 2006 in Japan and in the summer of 2007 in the UK. Another title is Tingle's Balloon Fight DS for the Nintendo DS. Supporting character Tingle also stars in this spin-off arcade style platformer, released in April 2007 only in Japan and available solely to Platinum Club Nintendo members. The title BS Zelda no Densetsu Kodai no Sekiban (BS The Legend of Zelda: Ancient Stone Tablets) for the Satellaview is also a spin-off. It stars the "Hero of Light" (portrayed by either Broadcast Satellaview's male or female mascot) as the protagonist of Hyrule. Both map versions of the title BS Zelda no Densetsu (BS The Legend of Zelda) for the Satellaview could also be considered spin-offs. Despite being graphically enhanced remakes of The Legend of Zelda, both versions of this game star the "Hero of Light" (portrayed by the Broadcast Satellaview mascots as opposed to Link) as the protagonist of Hyrule. There is also the spin-off shooter title Link's Crossbow Training for the Wii, released on November 19, 2007. Bundled with the Wii Zapper, this game has players assume the identity of Link as he progresses through a series of tests to perfect his crossbow marksmanship. Currently this is the only spin-off that has been made available in the United States and Canada.

Zelda in other video games

Characters from and references to the The Legend of Zelda series have appeared in a variety of other video games that go beyond what is considered a typical cameo appearance. This may include major story elements, character development, and even effect major game features. Link appears as a fighter in Super Smash Bros. for the Nintendo 64. Link is also a fighter in Super Smash Bros. Melee for the GameCube, alongside Zelda newcomers Zelda (also able to transform into Sheik), Ganondorf and Young Link (the child version of Link from Ocarina of Time). In Super Smash Bros. Brawl for the Wii all Zelda characters make a return with the exception of Young Link, who was replaced by Toon Link ( Wind Waker's Link). Instead of their Ocarina of Time appearances that have been used in previous Super Smash Bros. games, all but Toon Link are depicted in the style of Twilight Princess. Link appears as a fighter in the GameCube version of Soul Calibur II, and is also featured in several mini-games from WarioWare: Smooth Moves and WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$!. The Game Boy Camera: Gold Version contains Ocarina of Time themed stamps of characters and items for editing photos that are not found in any other colour version of the Game Boy Camera.

Reception

The Legend of Zelda series has generated many extremely positive reviews within the gaming industry. Ocarina of Time and The Wind Waker have both received a perfect 40/40 score (10/10 by four reviewers) by Japanese Famitsu magazine, making Zelda the first and currently only series with multiple perfect scores. In addition, A Link to the Past and Phantom Hourglass received an almost-perfect score of 39/40, and Twilight Princess receiving 38/40. The website IGN also awarded Ocarina of Time, Oracle of Ages, Oracle of Seasons and Link's Awakening a score of 10/10. GameFAQs has also held a contest for the best video game series ever, with The Legend of Zelda claiming the top position. In Nintendo Power's Top 200 countdown in 2004, Ocarina of Time took first place, and seven other Zelda games placed in the top 40. Nintendo Power named Twilight Princess 2006 Game of the Year, as well as Best Story/Adventure, Best New Character, and Game of the Year for both the Nintendo GameCube and the Wii. The editors of review aggregator websites Game Rankings and Metacritic have both given Ocarina of Time their highest aggregate scores.

Ocarina of Time and its use of melodic themes to identify different game regions has been called a reverse of Richard Wagner's use of leitmotifs to identify characters and themes. Ocarina of Time was so well received that sales increased for real ocarinas. IGN praised the music of Majora's Mask for its brilliance despite its heavy use of MIDI.

Cultural influence

The worldwide success and popularity of The Legend of Zelda series has led to many influences within popular culture. The series has also been parodied, including an episode of The Powerpuff Girls which features the Mayor of Townsville playing a spoof of Ocarina of Time. and a season 3 episode of Robot Chicken in which there is a skit based on The Legend of Zelda which references many aspects of the series, including the existence of multiple Links, the Triforce, Rupees and rescuing Princess Zelda. Furthermore, Xandir from Drawn Together is an over-the-top homosexual parody of Link himself. Many references to the series also exist in other video games such as Final Fantasy, which contains a tombstone with the inscription: "Here lies Link". Link cameos in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars where he appears sleeping in a bed at the Rose Town Inn, and he remains in bed throughout the game. Attempting to speak to him triggers a sound effect from the original Legend of Zelda. The WarioWare series features micro-games throughout each of the games that are based on games throughout The Legend of Zelda series. Ōkami director Hideki Kamiya states that he has been influenced by The Legend of Zelda series in developing the title. The developers of the game Dark Sector have stated they have been heavily influenced by The Legend of Zelda series, and that the structure of the game is much like a Zelda game. Other games which reference the series are Donkey Kong Country 3, the Animal Crossing series and World of Warcraft.