The Legend of Zelda

Lore & Background

The series centers on 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. They fight to save the land of Hyrule from Ganon, an evil warlord turned demon king who wishes to use the Triforce, a sacred relic that can grant any wish its user desires when complete, to remake the world in his own dark image. Zelda's role has often been that of a damsel in distress or donor who assists Link. If someone with a heart that does not possess a balance 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. 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. Gameplay of The Legend of Zelda games features a mix of puzzles, action-adventure, and exploration. Later installments include stealth gameplay and racing elements. Depending on the game, players control Link or Princess Zelda from a fixed top-down perspective, or in a 3D game world with a free-roaming camera. Items such as bombs, boomerangs, keys, shields, bows and arrows, and the hookshot appear frequently. The motion controls of 2011's Skyward Sword simulate sword fighting, and Breath of the Wild introduced a physics engine and a chemistry engine. Echoes of Wisdom is a departure from other games' style of combat, as the playable Zelda is primarily unable to directly hit enemies on her own, instead using the Tri Rod to create echoes. Many mainline Zelda games consist of three key areas: an overworld, areas of interaction with other characters, and dungeons. Navigating a dungeon is usually aided by locating a map and a magic compass. Some games, like Four Swords, Four Swords Adventures, and Tri Force Heroes, have no broadly-connecting overworld, using randomly picked levels or a hub world. Sailing is a key traversal method in The Wind Waker and Phantom Hourglass.

Reader's Guide

The Legend of Zelda series has had a profound impact on the video game industry. The original Zelda was the first console game with a save function that enabled players to stop playing and then resume later. Ocarina of Time introduced a targeting system that let the player lock the camera on to enemy or friendly non-player characters, simplifying 3D combat. The games pioneered a number of features that were to become industry standards. Although the games contain role-playing elements, series co-creator Shigeru Miyamoto classified Zelda as 'a real-time adventure game,' expressing disinterest in systems where everything is decided by stats and numbers. This has led to debate over whether Zelda games should be classified as action RPGs, a genre on which the series has had a strong influence. Its entries are consistently recognized among the greatest video games of all time.

Did You Know?

• The Legend of Zelda was created by Japanese game designers Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka.
• The original Zelda was the first console game with a save function that enabled players to stop and resume later.
• Ocarina of Time introduced a targeting system that let the player lock the camera on to enemies or friendly NPCs.
• Echoes of Wisdom features a playable Zelda who primarily cannot directly hit enemies, instead using the Tri Rod to create echoes.