Is Legend of Zelda an RPG?
Action role-playing game
An important influence on the action RPG genre was the 1986 action-adventure, "The Legend of Zelda", which served as the template for many future action RPGs. In contrast to previous action RPGs, such as "Dragon Slayer" and "Hydlide," which required the player to bump into enemies in order to attack them, "The Legend of Zelda" featured an attack button that animates a sword swing or projectile attack on the screen. It was also an early example of open-world, nonlinear gameplay, and introduced new features such as battery backup saving. These elements have been used in many action RPGs since.
Princess Zelda
Princess Zelda is the titular character in Nintendo's "The Legend of Zelda" video game series. She was created by Shigeru Miyamoto and introduced in the original 1986 game "The Legend of Zelda". She appears in several incarnations throughout the series, generally as a member of Hyrule's royal family and an associate of the protagonist Link.
Action role-playing game
The 1988 Origin Systems title "Times of Lore" was an action RPG with an icon-based point-and-click interface. "Bad Blood", another Origin Systems game from 1990, would use the same interface. The designers were inspired by console titles, particularly "The Legend of Zelda", to make their interface more accessible.
Characters of The Legend of Zelda
The series centers on Link, the playable character and chief protagonist. Link is often given the task of rescuing Princess Zelda and the kingdom of Hyrule from Ganon, who is the series' principal antagonist; however, other settings and antagonists have appeared in several games. The plots commonly involve a relic known as the Triforce, a set of three omnipotent golden triangles.
The Legend of Zelda
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 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 (which were not official Nintendo 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 "") and Tetra (in "" and ")". In "Skyward Sword", it 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.
The Legend of Zelda
"The Legend of Zelda" series has crossed-over into a number of other Nintendo and third party video games. Most prominent of the collaborations would be in the "Super Smash Bros." series of fighting games published by Nintendo. Link appears as a fighter in "Super Smash Bros." for the Nintendo 64, the first entry in the series, and is part of the roster in all subsequent releases in the series as well. Zelda, (who is able to transform into Sheik as well), Ganondorf, and Young Link (the child version of Link from "Ocarina of Time") were added to the player roster for "Super Smash Bros. Melee", and appeared in all subsequent releases except for "Young Link", who is later replaced by "Toon Link" from "The Wind Waker", in subsequent releases "Super Smash Bros. Brawl" and "Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U" however, both Young Link and Toon Link appear in the fifth installment, "Super Smash Bros. Ultimate". Other elements from the series, such as locations and items, are also included throughout the "Smash Bros." series. Outside of the series, Nintendo allowed for the use of Link as a playable character exclusively in the GameCube release of Namco's fighting game "Soulcalibur II"."The Legend of Zelda" series has received outstanding levels of acclaim from critics and the public. "", "", "", and "" have each received a perfect 40/40 score (10/10 by four reviewers) by Japanese "Famitsu" magazine, making "Zelda" one of the few series with multiple perfect scores. "Ocarina of Time" was even listed by "Guinness World Records" as the highest-rated video game in history, citing its Metacritic score of 99 out of 100. "Computer and Video Games" awarded "The Wind Waker" and "" a score of 10/10. "" has won Gold Award from "Electronic Gaming Monthly". 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. "Twilight Princess" was named Game of the Year by "X-Play", "GameTrailers", "1UP", "Electronic Gaming Monthly", "Spacey Awards", "Game Informer", "GameSpy", "Nintendo Power", "IGN", and many other websites. The editors of review aggregator websites GameRankings, IGN and Metacritic have all given "Ocarina of Time" their highest aggregate scores. "Game Informer" has awarded "The Wind Waker", "Twilight Princess", "Skyward Sword", "A Link Between Worlds" and "Breath of the Wild" with scores of 10/10. "" was named DS Game of the Year by IGN and "GameSpy". Airing December 10, 2011, Spike TV's annual Video Game Awards gave the series the first ever "Hall of Fame Award", which Miyamoto accepted in person. "" 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. It has been ranked the seventh-greatest game by "Electronic Gaming Monthly", whereas "Ocarina of Time" was ranked eighth. The series won "GameFAQs Best Series Ever" competition.
The Legend of Zelda
A number of official books, novels, and gamebooks have been released based on the series as well. The earliest was "Moblin's Magic Spear", published in 1989 by Western Publishing under their Golden Books Family Entertainment division and written by Jack C. Harris. It took place sometime during the first game. Two gamebooks were published as part of the "Nintendo Adventure Books" series by Archway, both of which were written by Matt Wayne. The first was "The Crystal Trap" (which focuses more on Zelda) and the second was "The Shadow Prince". Both were released in 1992. A novel based on "Ocarina of Time" was released in 1999, written by Jason R. Rich and published by Sybex Inc. under their "Pathways to Adventure" series. Another two gamebooks were released as part of the "You Decide on the Adventure" series published by Scholastic. The first book was based on "Oracle of Seasons" and was released in 2001. The second, based on "Oracle of Ages", was released in 2002. Both were written by Craig Wessel. In 2006, Scholastic released a novel as part of their "Nintendo Heroes" series, "Link and the Portal of Doom". It was written by Tracey West and was set shortly after the events of "Ocarina of Time".
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
"Breath of the Wild" is an action-adventure game set in an open world environment where players are tasked with exploring the kingdom of Hyrule while controlling Link. In terms of structure, "Breath of the Wild" encourages nonlinear gameplay, which is illustrated by the game's lack of defined entrances or exits to areas, scant instruction given to the player, and encouragement to explore freely. "Breath of the Wild" introduces a consistent physics engine to the "Zelda" series, letting players approach problems in different ways rather than trying to find a single solution. The game also integrates a "chemistry engine" that defines the physical properties of most objects and governs how they interact with the player and one another. For example, players may take advantage of the game's dynamic weather by throwing metal objects at enemies during thunderstorms to attract a lightning strike. However, the level of realism offered in the "chemistry engine" also means that players will equally attract an unavoidable fatal lightning strike if wearing any metal during thunderstorms. These design approaches result in a generally unstructured and interactive world that rewards experimentation and allows for nonlinear completion of the story.
The Legend of Zelda (video game)
"The Legend of Zelda" was a bestseller for Nintendo, selling over 6.5 million copies. It is often featured in lists of games considered the greatest or most influential. A much different sequel for the same system, "", was first released in Japan less than a year after its predecessor. Eventually spawning many more successive titles and a number of spin-offs in over 30 years, the series has been established as among Nintendo's most popular and beloved.
The Legend of Zelda
In November 2006, "" was released as the first "Zelda" game on the Wii, and later, in December 2006, as the last official Nintendo game for the GameCube, the console for which it was originally developed. The Wii version features a reversed world where everything that is in the west on the GameCube is in the east on the Wii, and vice versa. The display is mirrored in order to make Link right-handed, to make use of the Wii remote feel more natural. The game chronicles the struggle of an older Link to clear the troubles of the interacting "Twilight Realm", a mysterious force that appears around Hyrule. When he enters this realm, he 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 and went for graphics featuring more detailed textures, giving the game a darker atmosphere, thus making it feel more adult than previous games.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and Four Swords
Since its release, "The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past & Four Swords" has been met with highly positive reception. It holds an aggregate score of 91.70% and 95 at GameRankings and Metacritic respectively. The game was a top seller in Japan following its release. It was the second highest title in number of sales the week of its release, and was number six the following week with 0.04 million units. It sold 1.63 million copies in North America , and 0.29 million in Japan . "GamePro"s Star Dingo called it a "masterpiece," as well as an "important part of the Grand Renaissance of the Second Dimension." He also praised the overworld for its secrets and "quirky random characters," adding that playing it required patience and exploring. G4TV praised it for being good for anyone anticipating "". IGN's Craig Harris praised the game, giving the gameplay and lasting appeal perfect scores. They praised both modes' puzzle designs, calling the Super NES game the best 2D video game ever, while praising the replay value for offering unlockables to keep players playing.
Neutopia
"Neutopia" is an action adventure game which features a top-down perspective and labyrinthine exploration similar to that of "The Legend of Zelda". The player controls Jazeta as he sets out to rescue Princess Aurora from Dirth. The game has four levels called spheres which Jazeta must explore and recover the two medallions from each. The medallions are hidden in crypts, where each medallion is guarded by a boss. After collecting all eight of them, Jazeta gains access to the North Pole, where Dirth resides. The player controls Jazeta by moving in any direction with the control pad. Jazeta can also attack with his weapons or use items, scroll through messages, or access the "status screen" with the controller. Jazeta's life meter, the weapons he is currently holding, and the amount of gold and bombs remaining are displayed during gameplay on the top of the screen. On the status screen, players can choose an item to use, see which direction they must travel as indicated by the charmed compass (which also sounds an alarm when Jazeta is near a crypt or a medallion), and view the map of the crypt Jazeta is in, provided they have collected the Crystal Ball inside.
Throughout the game, players can collect information from other non-player characters, many of whom are located in caves throughout the overworld, in which some can be uncovered only by burning objects with fire, blowing up walls with bombs, or by pushing certain rocks. While Jazeta's main weapon is a sword, he can also use other items scattered throughout the game. The "fire rod" unleashes fireballs whose strength and range depend on Jazeta's health level; Other items include the "moonbeam moss" which can illuminate dark rooms; the "rainbow drop" which allows Jazeta to cross small gaps; "falcon shoes" which give him extra speed; medicine which refills his life meter; magic rings which can transform tough enemies into weaker ones; hourglasses which temporarily stop enemies; and wings which can warp him back to the place where he last received a password. Jazeta can also obtain sword, shield, and armor upgrades throughout the game which can increase attack power, increase defense against projectiles, and decrease enemy damage, respectively; each type of sword, shield, and armor ranges from bronze to silver to "strongest". Enemies in the game include spear-throwing goblins, fireball-throwing fish, fake rocks, ghosts, and charging knights.
Zelda's Adventure
Unlike the previous two CD-i "Zelda" games, which take the side-scrolling view from "", "Zelda's Adventure" is played with the overhead view found in "The Legend of Zelda". Playing as Princess Zelda, the aim is to fight through the Seven Shrines of the Underworld to collect the celestial signs, and bring the land of Tolemac to an Age of Lightness.
The Legend of Zelda (video game)
"The Legend of Zelda" was directed and designed by Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka (credited as S. Miyahon and Ten Ten respectively in the closing credits). Miyamoto produced the game, and Tezuka wrote the story and script. Keiji Terui, a screenwriter who worked on anime shows such as "Dr. Slump" and "Dragon Ball", wrote the backstory for the manual, drawing inspiration from conflicts in medieval Europe. Development began in 1984, and the game was originally intended to be a launch title for the Famicom Disk System. The development team worked on "The Legend of Zelda" and "Super Mario Bros." concurrently, and tried to separate their ideas: "Super Mario Bros." was to be linear, where the action occurred in a strict sequence, whereas "The Legend of Zelda" would be the opposite. In "Mario", Miyamoto downplayed the importance of the high score in favor of simply completing the game. This concept was carried over to "The Legend of Zelda". Miyamoto was also in charge of deciding which concepts were ""Zelda" ideas" or ""Mario" ideas." Contrasting with "Mario", "Zelda" was made non-linear and forced the players to think about what they should do next. According to Miyamoto, those in Japan were confused and had trouble finding their way through the multi-path dungeons, and in initial game designs, the player would start with the sword already in their inventory. Rather than merely simplifying matters for players, Miyamoto forced the player to listen to the old man who gives his their sword, and encouraged interaction among people to with share their ideas with each other to find the various hidden secrets, a new form of gaming communication. Relatedly, this concept turned into the root of another series to be developed many years in the future: ""Zelda" became the inspiration for something very different: "Animal Crossing". This was a game based solely on communication."
Symphonic Legends – Music from Nintendo
The Symphonic Poem of the Legend of Zelda music is told through melody in 5 movements, titled Hyrulian Child, Dark Lord, Princess of Destiny, Battlefield, and Hero of Time. The total running time for the arrangement is 35 minutes, and was presented as the entire second act of the "Symphonic Legends" and subsequent "LEGENDS" concerts. The concept was conceived by concert producer Thomas Böcker, and arranged by Jonne Valtonen. The "Symphonic Poem" is one of the longest orchestrated video game piece performed by an orchestra, and contains over 100,000 notes in total. The inspiration for the arrangement was the "Symphonic Poem" Ein Heldenleben by Richard Strauss and also music composed by Tchaikovsky. The "Symphonic Poem" of "Legend of Zelda" tells the story of Link’s journey from a spirited adolescent to the hero of time, telling the story of romance, darkness, war and hope throughout the poem, maturing the character of Link from a child to becoming a hero. The arrangement features lyrics sung in Latin, written by Thomas Böcker and Susanna Pölt.
Universe of The Legend of Zelda
"The Legend of Zelda" is a video game franchise created by Japanese video game developer Shigeru Miyamoto.
Princess Zelda
Princess Zelda appears in most of "The Legend of Zelda" games, often as a central focus or as a supporting donor of Link's quests. , she has appeared directly in every game except "" (1993), in which a look-alike named Marin appears; "" (2000), in which she only appears in a flashback; and "" (2015), in which a doppelgänger named Styla appears.
Sacred Odyssey: Rise of Ayden
AppSafari said " I was surprised at the amount of detail that went into Sacred Odyssey. The game is free yet runs seamlessly and offers a variety of challenges that have been laced with entertaining story telling. " SlideToPlay wrote "Sacred Odyssey uses Zelda's formula as a starting point, but innovates with some exceptionally smart puzzles and level design. " Gamepro said "This is a full-scale RPG adventure, and at the moment there isn't anything on the App Store that can compare to it. Zelda is what they aimed for, and Zelda is what they did. " IGN wrote "This is essentially a 3D Zelda for your iPhone. It lacks some of the infectious personality of Zelda, but offers some great adventuring and set pieces. The combat is simple without being simplistic. " TouchArcade said " I had a ton of fun with Sacred Odyssey: Rise of Ayden, and highly recommend any Zelda fan give it a try. You'll have a great idea of whether or not you want to continue by the time you hit the pay wall, and hopefully you're somewhere with connectivity so you can proceed past it. " Modojo wrote " Gameloft didn't beat Zelda, not even close, but Sacred Odyssey has the necessary ingredients for a hit, including tons of action, a plethora of missions and some likeable characters, even if they sound like dopes. " Touch Arcade said " Gameloft state that this is the most ambitious action RPG yet to grace the AppStore. Ambition is one thing, but delivering on that ambition is quite another. Unfortunately, Sacred Odyssey is lacking in too many areas, many of which are paramount for this genre to succeed. "
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
Unlike most "The Legend of Zelda" titles, "Link's Awakening" is set outside the kingdom of Hyrule. It omits locations and characters from previous games, aside from protagonist Link and a passing mention of Princess Zelda. Instead, the game takes place entirely on Koholint Island, an isolated landmass cut off from the rest of the world. The island, though small, contains a large number of secrets and interconnected pathways.
Link (The Legend of Zelda)
Link is the main protagonist of Nintendo's video game series "The Legend of Zelda". He appears in several incarnations over the course of the games, and also features in other Nintendo media, including merchandising, comic books, and a cartoon series. He is one of Nintendo's main icons and one of the most well-known and popular characters in video game history.
The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
The game includes a one-on-one multiplayer battle mode. In an arena, one player controls Link, while the other player, on defense, controls three Phantom Guardians. Players of both sides are aided by power-up items that appear on the playing field. Link's goal is to grab a Force Gem and carry it to his base. The other player, controlling the three Phantom Guardians, must find and catch Link before he returns any Force Gems. When Link is caught, or if the round is over, players switch sides. Each multiplayer game consists of three rounds, and in each round, each player takes a turn at both sides. The maximum length of a multiplayer game is 12 minutes, assuming Link does not get caught. The game supports multiplayer both locally and online through the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, as well as Download Play. The game is the third "The Legend of Zelda" game to include multiplayer, following "" and "".
The Legend of Zelda
The next "Legend of Zelda" for the DS, "", 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 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 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 & Zelda work together on the quest.
The Legend of Zelda (video game)
With "The Legend of Zelda", Miyamoto wanted to flesh out the idea of a game "world" even further, giving players a "miniature garden that they can put inside their drawer." He drew his inspiration from his experiences as a boy around Kyoto, where he explored nearby fields, woods, and caves, always trying through "Zelda" titles to impart players some sense of that limitless wonder he felt through unknown exploration. "When I was a child," he said, "I went hiking and found a lake. It was quite a surprise for me to stumble upon it. When I traveled around the country without a map, trying to find my way, stumbling on amazing things as I went, I realized how it felt to go on an adventure like this." The memory of being lost amid the maze of sliding doors in his family's home in Sonobe was recreated in "Zelda"s labyrinthian dungeons.
The Legend of Zelda
Since the original "The Legend of Zelda" was released in 1986, the series has expanded to include 19 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 individual manga adaptations commissioned by Nintendo have been produced in Japan since 1997. "The Legend of Zelda" is one of Nintendo's most prominent and successful franchises; many of its games are considered by critics to be among the greatest video games of all time.
Zelda's Adventure
Zelda's Adventure is an action-adventure fantasy video game developed by Viridis Corporation and released for the Philips CD-i console system. Set in the land of Tolemac, the game follows a non-traditional Zelda-saves-Link storyline, in which Link has been captured by the evil lord Ganon, and Zelda must collect the seven celestial signs in order to rescue him.
The Legend of Zelda
As the franchise has grown in popularity, several games have been released that are set within or star a minor character from the universe of "The Legend of Zelda" but are not directly connected to the main "The Legend of Zelda" series. Both map versions of the game "BS Zelda no Densetsu" for the Satellaview (released in August and December 1995) could be considered spin-offs due to the fact that they star the "Hero of Light" (portrayed by either the Satellaview's male or female avatar) as opposed to Link as the protagonist of Hyrule. A third Satellaview game released in March 1997, "BS Zelda no Densetsu Inishie no Sekiban" ("BS The Legend of Zelda: Ancient Stone Tablets") could also be considered a spin-off for the same reason. Other spin-off games include "Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland" for the Nintendo DS – an RPG released in September 2006 in Japan (Summer of 2007 in the UK) to star supporting character Tingle. A second Tingle game is "Tingle's Balloon Fight DS" for the Nintendo DS. Here Tingle again stars in this spin-off arcade style platformer, released in April 2007 only in Japan and available solely to Platinum Club Nintendo members. In addition to games in which Link does not star as the protagonist, games such as the shooter game, "Link's Crossbow Training" (for the Wii), have been considered spin-offs due to the lack of a traditional "Save Hyrule" plot-line. Released in November 2007 as a bundle with the Wii Zapper, this game allows players to assume the identity of Link as he progresses through a series of tests to perfect his crossbow marksmanship. "Color Changing Tingle's Love Balloon Trip" was released in Japan in 2009 as a sequel to Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland. "Hyrule Warriors", a crossover game combining the setting of Nintendo's "The Legend of Zelda" series and the gameplay of Tecmo Koei's "Dynasty Warriors" series, was announced for the Wii U video game system in December 2013 and was released in North America in September 2014. "Hyrule Warriors Legends", a version for the Nintendo 3DS containing more content and gameplay modifications, was released in March 2016. To commemorate the launch of the My Nintendo loyalty program in March 2016, Nintendo released "My Nintendo Picross: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess", a Picross puzzle game developed by Jupiter for download to the Nintendo 3DS.
The Legend of Zelda
In the early 2000s, Nintendo of America released a timeline on the official website of the series, which interpreted all stories up to the "Oracle" games as the adventures of a single protagonist named Link. At one point, translator Dan Owsen and his coworkers at Nintendo of America had conceived another complete timeline and intended to make it available online. However, the Japanese series developers rejected the idea so the timeline would be kept open to the imagination of the players.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
Shikata proposed the idea of Link having the ability to enter and merge onto walls; this feature would eventually become one of the title's unique gameplay aspects. Within a day, Mouri had created an initial prototype to demonstrate the feature, and seeing it in action led to an influx of ideas. Link was able to transform from a 3D character to a 2D character by entering walls, and then move smoothly around corners to reach places he previously could not. This ability opened up possibilities for creating new puzzles and using new mechanics. At this stage in the project, they still considered the game an extension of the DS "Zelda" games and used the same viewpoint and design of Link from "Spirit Tracks". Around October 2010, the prototype was presented to Miyamoto, who approved of the new concept. However, within two weeks of entering production, core members of the development team were reassigned to work on launch games for Nintendo's Wii U console which was scheduled for release in 2012. With the team disbanded, development ceased.
The Legend of Zelda
Every game in the main "Zelda" series has consisted of three principal areas: an overworld 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; and dungeons, areas of labyrinthine layout, usually underground, comprising a wide range of difficult enemies, bosses, and items. Each dungeon usually has one major item inside, which is usually 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 the location of significant and smaller items such as keys and equipment. In later games, the series includes a special "big key" that will unlock the door to battle the dungeon's boss enemy and open the item chest.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and Four Swords
Nintendo World Report's Max Lake called the announcement of a multi-player mode "exciting." In IGN's Best of E3 awards for the Game Boy Advance, they named it the runner-up to Best of Show below "Metroid Fusion", calling it a "close one." They ultimately gave it to "Fusion" due to it not being a remake. They described the multi-player component as resembling "Diablo" or "Gauntlet". They also gave it the award for Biggest Surprise, citing its multi-player mode, calling it a "brilliant addition" and "well worth the price of four "Legend of Zelda" cartridges." IGN's Craig Harris, in his preview of the game, called the port of "A Link to the Past" "faithful," though he noted that the ability to control the game will be reduced, due to the lack of two buttons that were both used in the Super NES version. He found the fix to make this work to be adequate, however. He praised the visuals for holding up as well. IGN reported that based on their then new wishlist tool, "A Link to the Past & Four Swords" was consistently the second most anticipated Game Boy Advance game for the five weeks before its release.
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
On release, "Twilight Princess" was considered to be the greatest "Zelda" game ever made by many critics including writers for "1UP.com", "Computer and Video Games", "Electronic Gaming Monthly", "Game Informer", "GamesRadar", "IGN" and "The Washington Post". "Game Informer" called it "so creative that it rivals the best that Hollywood has to offer". "GamesRadar" praised "Twilight Princess" as "a game that deserves nothing but the absolute highest recommendation". "Cubed3" hailed "Twilight Princess" as "the single greatest videogame experience". "Twilight Princess" graphics were praised for the art style and animation, although the game was designed for the GameCube, which is technically lacking compared to the next generation consoles. Both "IGN" and "GameSpy" pointed out the existence of blurry textures and low-resolution characters. Despite these complaints, "Computer and Video Games" felt the game's atmosphere was superior to that of any previous "Zelda" game, and regarded "Twilight Princess" Hyrule as the best version ever created. "PALGN" praised the game's cinematics, noting that "the cutscenes are the best ever in "Zelda" games". Regarding the Wii version, "GameSpot"s Jeff Gerstmann said the Wii controls felt "tacked-on", although "1UP.com" said the remote-swinging sword attacks were "the most impressive in the entire series". "Gaming Nexus" considered "Twilight Princess" soundtrack to be the best of this generation, though "IGN" criticized its MIDI-formatted songs for lacking "the punch and crispness" of their orchestrated counterparts. "Hyper"s Javier Glickman commended the game for its "very long quests, superb Wii controls and being able to save anytime". However, he criticized it for "no voice acting, no orchestral score and slightly outdated graphics".
Video gaming in Japan
According to "Wizardry" developer Roe R. Adams, early action-adventure games "were basically arcade games done in a fantasy setting," citing "Castlevania" (1986) and "Trojan" (1986) as examples. IGN UK argues that "The Legend of Zelda" (1986) "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, a monetary system, and simplified RPG-style level building without the experience points. "The Legend of Zelda" was the most prolific action-adventure game series through to the 2000s.
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening is a 1993 action-adventure video game developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy. It is the fourth installment in "The Legend of Zelda" series, and the first for a handheld game console.
The Legend of Zelda (manga)
Comic and manga adaptations of "The Legend of Zelda" series of video games, especially in Japan, have been published under license from Nintendo.
Princess Zelda
A set of "The Legend of Zelda" cartoons aired on Fridays from 1989 to 1990 as a part of DiC's "The Super Mario Bros. Super Show". The series loosely followed the original NES "Zelda", mixing settings and characters from that game with original creations. Zelda is depicted as a woman warrior with a fiery temper who wears more comfortable and practical garb than the Zelda from the game. In addition to running the kingdom part-time for her father, King Harkinian, she often accompanies Link on his adventures and is quite skilled with a bow. The series exemplifies a romantic relationship between the two protagonists. Link is always begging Zelda for a kiss; however, even when she agrees to indulge him, it never occurs. They are interrupted by monsters, or Spryte (a fairy princess with a crush on Link), or any number of unfortunate circumstances such as something making Zelda so mad she no longer wants to kiss Link. It is directly revealed by Ganon that Zelda was indeed in love with Link in one episode, and there is no doubt of their romantic relationship in this series. Thirteen of these cartoon episodes were produced before the cancellation of "The Super Mario Bros. Super Show". Zelda was voiced by Cyndy Preston in the TV series. In the show, she was wearing a purple sweater, a light blue shirt, pink leggings, and brown thigh-length boots.
The Legend of Zelda (disambiguation)
The Legend of Zelda is a series of video games by Nintendo.
The Legend of Zelda (TV series)
The series is notable for its negative reception. IGN rated the DVD release of "The Legend of Zelda" a 3.0, or "Bad", citing poor writing, repeated plots, and over the top acting. Link's catchphrase, "Excuse me, Princess!" is a meme and commonly used in-joke used by video game players, and is spoken by Link on 29 occasions throughout the 13 episodes.
Edmund McMillen
The game was the result of a week-long game jam between McMillen and Himsl to develop a "The Legend of Zelda"-inspired roguelike that allowed McMillen to showcase his feelings about both positive and negative aspects of religion that he had come to discover from conflicts between his Catholic and born again Christian family members while growing up. McMillen had considered the title a risk but one he could take after the financial success of "Super Meat Boy", and released it without much fanfare to Steam in September 2011, not expecting many sales. The game soon gained popularity partially as a result of various Let's Play videos showcasing the title. McMillen and Himsl released an expansion "Wrath of the Lamb" in May 2012, but were limited from further expansion due to limitations with the Flash platform. They had started working with Nintendo in 2012 to release a 3DS version, but Nintendo later backed out of the deal, citing controversy over the game's religious themes.
The Legend of Zelda
A series of video games was 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-ROM peripheral for the Super NES. Created independently with no observation by or influence from Nintendo, the games are , together with "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 the series.
CD-i games from The Legend of Zelda series
Released nearly 8 months after the first two "Zelda" CD-i games, "Zelda's Adventure" was created by a different third-party developer, Viridis. The game again follows a nontraditional Zelda-saves-Link plotline, but it uses a different game engine than "Faces of Evil" and "Wand of Gamelon". Whereas the first two CD-i games were patterned on the side-scrolling "Zelda II: The Adventure of Link", "Zelda's Adventure" took the top-down "The Legend of Zelda" as its model. "Zelda's Adventure" featured FMV cutscenes, but rather than using drawn animation, the game used live-action scenes. Reception for the game was poor, and whereas some modern critics have given more nuanced reviews of the first two games, modern criticism for "Zelda's Adventure" is unanimously negative.
The Legend of Zelda (TV series)
The Legend of Zelda is an American animated series based on the Japanese video game series "The Legend of Zelda" by Nintendo. The plot follows the adventures of Link and Princess Zelda as they defend the kingdom of Hyrule from an evil wizard named Ganon. It is heavily based on the first game of the "Zelda" series, "The Legend of Zelda", but includes some references to the second, "". The show was produced by DIC Animation City and distributed by Viacom Enterprises in association with Nintendo of America, Inc. It comprises thirteen episodes which first aired in North America from September 8, 1989, to December 1, 1989.
LCD games from The Legend of Zelda series
LCD games are electronic games played on an LCD screen. Since the release of the "Zelda" Game & Watch game in August 1989, several LCD games based upon the theme of "The Legend of Zelda" have been licensed by Nintendo to be released for both Japanese and foreign markets. While "Zelda" (Game & Watch) was both developed and manufactured by Nintendo, later LCD games would only be licensed by Nintendo. "The Legend of Zelda" game watch (October 1989) is an LCD wristwatch game produced by Nelsonic as part of their Nelsonic Game Watch series, and is an LCD fighting video game licensed by Nintendo and produced by Epoch Co. for the platform, and released only in Japan.
Neutopia
GameSpot's Austin Shau reviewed "Neutopia" in November 2007 and said progression through the game was "quick and direct" but was also more linear, unlike with "Zelda". He praised the game for its variety of environments, which he said "helps to combat monotony", but he noted the lack of detail in the graphics itself. He also criticized the game's sound, in which he said the background music was a series of "grating instrumentations" while also pointing out the low-quality TurboGrafx-16 sound chip. IGN's Lucas Thomas called "Neutopia" "one of the most shameless "Legend of Zelda" clones ever created" in nearly every aspect. He praised one of the differences in the presence of the fire rod, which he said "is unlike any weapon the 8-bit Link ever wielded"; he also noted the clean, crisp graphics and a good quality soundtrack. However, he criticized another difference from "Zelda", that "Neutopia" had poor collision detection, saying that it can lead to additional damage to Jazeta, which causes the power of the fire rod to decrease and lead to the annoying "beeping sound" just as in "Zelda". In general, Thomas said that, despite its lack of originality, "Neutopia" is a good TurboGrafx-16 game which has deserved all the praise it has received.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
Many critics saw "A Link Between Worlds" as a worthy successor to "A Link to the Past", but also remarked that the game was outstanding in its own right. It was commended for making enhancements to core and traditional elements of the series. New additions and changes to the established formula were also welcomed. "Polygon" called it the best "Zelda" game in 20 years, and "GamesRadar" said it was an essential title for every 3DS owner. Reception towards the game's puzzles was positive; praise was directed towards how well the wall-merging mechanic had been incorporated into dungeon puzzles and integrated into every area of the game. "IGN" thought "A Link Between Worlds" was Nintendo's best puzzle game. "Game Informer" wrote some of the game's dungeons and boss encounters were among the best in the franchise's history. The level of difficulty present in the puzzles and dungeons was met with approval; the challenge was described as a perplexing experience rather than a frustrating one by "GameSpot".
The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures
The game takes Link on an adventure to restore peace to Hyrule after learning that an evil counterpart of himself, Shadow Link, has been created. "Four Swords Adventures" was considered the 48th-best game ever made for a Nintendo system by "Nintendo Power", and received an aggregated 86 out of 100 from Metacritic. It was the third best-selling game of June 2004 in North America, with 155,000 units, and has since sold 250,000 copies; it has also sold 127,000 units in Japan.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is an action-adventure video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System video game console. It is the third installment in "The Legend of Zelda" series and was released in 1991 in Japan and 1992 in North America and Europe.
The Legend of Zelda
"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 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.
Platform game
Many games fuse platform game fundamentals with elements of action-adventure games, such as "The Legend of Zelda", or with elements of RPGs. Typically these elements include the ability to explore an area freely, with access to new areas granted by either gaining new abilities or using inventory items. Many 2D games in the "Metroid" and "Castlevania" franchises are among the most popular games of this sort, and so games that take this type of approach are often labeled as "Metroidvania" games. "" popularized this approach in the "Castlevania" series. Other examples of such games include "", "Tails Adventure", "Cave Story", "Mega Man ZX", "Shadow Complex" and "".
Princess Zelda
Zelda is featured in the three CD-i games based on "The Legend of Zelda" series. In "" (1993), she is kidnapped by Ganon again and has to be rescued. In "" (1993) and "Zelda's Adventure" (1994), Princess Zelda is the protagonist (both games involve Link's kidnapping). Although the games are noteworthy as the first time Zelda has been a playable character, the series is generally immensely criticized by fans and not recognized by Nintendo as canon.
Satellaview games from The Legend of Zelda series
From the earliest days of the Satellaview, the intention was to provide an opportunity for players "from Kyūshū to Hokkaidō" to enjoy two-way communication and involvement with a communication system allowing multiplayer netplay. While the earliest broadcasts for the Satellaview included solo-play games and strictly time-linked SoundLink Magazines that gave a sense of the player's direct temporal connection to the broadcasting center, St.GIGA, Nintendo's goal of simultaneous involvement between and amongst players was thought to be lacking. For this reason Nintendo began sponsoring a series of student networking projects to develop a network game that would let home consumers interact with each other over the satellite broadcasting system. The result of this networking project was the world's first integrated radio-game (or SoundLink Game) - "BS Zelda".
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
According to "", Nintendo's official "Legend of Zelda" chronology, "The Wind Waker" takes place in the "New World" timeline, one of several parallel timelines in which "Zelda" games are set following the events of "Ocarina of Time". The game follows the "Adult Link" timeline, after Link, the "Hero of Time", defeats Ganon and time-travels back to his childhood. A crisis emerges when Ganon returns, but Link does not. Centuries later, the people live on islands in the Great Sea. They preserve Link's story as a legend, but his kingdom's fate is unknown. The main character, a young boy also named Link, lives on Outset Island, where boys dress in green like the Hero of Time when they come of age.
List of The Legend of Zelda media
"The Legend of Zelda" is a video game series created by game designers Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka. It is developed and published by Nintendo. The series debuted in Japan with "The Legend of Zelda" (known in Japan as "The Hyrule Fantasy: Zelda no Densetsu") on February 21, 1986, and was later released in North America (August 22, 1987) and Europe (November 27, 1987). "The Legend of Zelda" video games have been developed exclusively for Nintendo video game consoles and handhelds, dating from the Family Computer Disk System to the current generation of video game consoles. Spin-off titles, however, have been released on non-Nintendo systems. The franchise consists of 27 video games, including original titles, ports, and remakes. Over 52 million copies have been sold since the release of the first game. The franchise also includes a cartoon adaptation, multiple comic book adaptations, and soundtracks.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
GamesRadar included it in its lists of the greatest video game Easter eggs and the nine "video game secrets that were almost never found." GamesRadar's Jason Fanelli called it "one of the "Zelda" franchise's biggest mysteries." GamesRadar's Justin Towell included it in his list of the top seven secret rooms in video games at number two. He felt that the contest prize was exciting, and called it "one of the coolest and most exclusive secrets in the "Zelda" universe." 1UP.com featured it in its list of "25 things you didn't know about "The Legend of Zelda"." Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Good Game, "The Escapist", IGN, GameSpy, G4TV, PALGN, and Nintendo Life referenced it in articles which discuss video game Easter eggs and secrets.
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
"The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess" is an action-adventure game focused on combat, exploration, and puzzle-solving. It uses the basic control scheme introduced in "", including context-sensitive action buttons and L-targeting (Z-targeting on the Wii), a system that allows the player to keep Link's view focused on an enemy or important object while moving and attacking. Link can walk, run, and attack, and will automatically jump when running off of or reaching for a ledge. Link uses a sword and shield in combat, complemented with secondary weapons and items, including a bow and arrows, a boomerang, and bombs. While L-targeting, projectile-based weapons can be fired at a target without the need for manual aiming.
The Legend of Zelda
"The Legend of Zelda" games feature a mixture of puzzles, action, adventure/battle gameplay, and exploration. These elements have remained constant throughout the series, but with refinements and additions featured in each new game. Later games in the series also include stealth gameplay, where the player must avoid enemies while proceeding through a level, as well as racing elements. Although the games can be beaten with a minimal amount of exploration and side quests, the player is frequently rewarded with helpful items or increased abilities for solving puzzles or exploring hidden areas. Some items are consistent and appear many times throughout the series (such as bombs and bomb flowers, which can be used both as weapons and to open blocked or hidden doorways; boomerangs, which can kill or paralyze enemies; keys for locked doors; magic swords, shields, and bows and arrows), while others are unique to a single game. Though the games contain many role-playing elements ("" 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 games like "Final Fantasy". The game's role-playing elements, however, have led to much debate over whether or not the "Zelda" games should be classified as action role-playing games, a genre on which the series has had a strong influence.
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask is an action-adventure video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. It was released in 2000 as the sixth main installment in "The Legend of Zelda" series and was the second to use 3D graphics, following 1998's "". Designed by a creative team led by Eiji Auonuma, Yoshiaki Koizumi, and Shigeru Miyamoto, "Majora's Mask" was completed in less than two years. It featured enhanced graphics and several gameplay changes from its predecessor, though it reused a number of elements and character models, which the game's creators called a creative decision made necessary by time constraints.
Platform game
"Knight Lore", an isometric sequel to "Sabre Wulf", helped to establish the conventions of early isometric platformers. This formula would be repeated in later games like "Head Over Heels", and "Monster Max". These games were generally heavily focused on exploring indoor environments, usually a series of small rooms connected by doors, and have distinct adventure and puzzle elements. Japanese developers blended this gameplay style with that of Japanese action-adventure games like "The Legend of Zelda" to create games like "Land Stalker" and "Light Crusader". While these games are more generally classified as action adventures, they are also isometric platformers and an evolution of earlier conventions in the genre. This influence would later travel to Europe with Adeline Software's sprawling epic "Little Big Adventure", which blended RPG, adventure, and isometric platforming elements.
The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
Issues that were mentioned in reviews regarding the game included its more casual gameplay compared to previous "The Legend of Zelda" games, which was not well received by some. GameSpy felt that the game was both easy and approachable enough for casual gamers to play, but sufficiently rewarding and challenging to satisfy hardcore fans of "The Legend of Zelda" series. IGN believed the game to be "more casual than we'd like", but still found it captivating, entertaining, and "a true adventure worthy of the "Zelda" name", calling it "different, but it's still the real deal". GameTrailers stated that the short dungeon levels and hand-holding exploration are "outright disappointing", but when comparing "Phantom Hourglass" to other Nintendo DS games, they conceded that it was still an impressive game, but just a good game when compared to "The Legend of Zelda" standards. 1UP.com pointed out that the biggest problem with "Phantom Hourglass" is that it falls back on using innovations from previous "The Legend of Zelda" games, rather than including new and original ideas: "Innovation arrives in tiny steps, touch screen controls be damned."
Link (The Legend of Zelda)
Through "The Legend of Zelda" series, Link is depicted as a child, teenager, or young adult of the Hylian race, originating from the fictional land of Hyrule. Link often travels through Hyrule, defeating creatures, evil forces, and the series' primary antagonist, Ganon, while attempting to save Princess Zelda and Hyrule. To defeat Ganon, Link usually requires the mystic Master Sword and Light Arrows, or a similar legendary weapon, obtained after many trials and battles. In the course of his journey he will typically acquire various other magical objects or items, including musical instruments and weaponry.
Dragon Quest (video game)
Bill Johnson compared "Dragon Warrior" to modern RPGs and noted the game's complete lack of replay value, which is due as much to the requirement that almost everything in the game must be done to beat it as to its difficulty. Johnson noted the game's historical importance; he said: "[Playing "Dragon Warrior" is] a tough road to walk, but reaching its end will instill a new appreciation of what today's RPG's are all about." The 2009 book "Vintage Games" contrasted "Dragon Warrior" to the 1986 NES title "The Legend of Zelda"; it said, while both titles share common RPG elements, "Zelda" features a fantasy setting and magic but no level or turn-based combat system, and "Dragon Warrior" features both. "Nintendo Power" said the game's historical significance is its greatest aspect, and noted that "playing "Dragon Warrior" these days can be a bit of a chore". "GamePro" wrote that their favorite aspect of the game was the Elizabethan-English dialogue, and that they were disappointed by its removal in the GBC remake.
The Legend of Zelda
After a five-year hiatus, the series made the transition to 3D with "" 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. It is considered by many critics and gamers to be the best video game of all time, and ranks 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 Nintendo 64DD, but was ported to cartridge format when the 64DD hardware was delayed. A new gameplay mechanic, lock-on targeting (called "Z-targeting" as that is the controller button used), 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 game pad. Each action 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 'B' button was used only as an attack button. 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 the game received a gold-coloured 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.
Neutopia
"Neutopia" is widely regarded as a clone of the popular Nintendo game "The Legend of Zelda" in nearly every aspect. Many reviewers have praised the game for making noticeable improvements over "Zelda", but various shortcomings – which include long passwords, repetitive gameplay, and poor collision detection – prevent the game from being superior over the 1986 Nintendo title. But overall, reviewers have called "Neutopia" one of the better video games of its type and one of the better titles in the TurboGrafx-16 library. There would eventually be a sequel to the game "Neutopia II", in which Jazeta disappears and his son sets out to find him.
Open world
According to "Game Informer"s Kyle Hilliard, "Hydlide" (1984) and "The Legend of Zelda" (1986) were among the first open-world games, along with "Ultima". IGN traces the roots of open-world game design to "The Legend of Zelda", which it argues is "the first really good game based on exploration", while noting that it was anticipated by "Hydlide", which it argues is "the first RPG that rewarded exploration". According to GameSpot, never "had a game so open-ended, nonlinear, and liberating been released for the mainstream market" with "The Legend of Zelda". According to "The Escapist", "The Legend of Zelda" was an early example of open-world, nonlinear gameplay, with an expansive and cohesive world, inspiring many games to adopt a similar open-world design.
History of Western role-playing video games
"Times of Lore", designed by Chris Roberts and released by Origin Systems in 1988, introduced the action-adventure and action role-playing game formula of console titles such as "The Legend of Zelda" to the American computer RPG market. "Times of Lore" and "Dungeon Master" went on to directly inspire several later Origin Systems titles, including "Bad Blood" (1990), "" (1990) and "Ultima VII" (1992). "Ultima VI" made some major changes to the "Ultima" formula, including a constant-scale open world (replacing the unscaled overworld of earlier "Ultima" titles) and a point & click interface.
The Legend of Zelda (video game)
"Computer Gaming World" in 1988 named the game as the best adventure of the year for Nintendo, stating that "Zelda" had been a "sensational success" in translating a computer RPG to consoles. In 1990 the magazine stated that the game was a killer app, causing computer CRPG players who had dismissed consoles as "mere arcade toys" to buy the NES. "Zelda" was reviewed in 1992 by "Total!" #2 where it received a 78% rating due in great part to mediocre subscores for music and graphics. A 1993 review of the game was printed in "Dragon" #198 by Sandy Petersen in the "Eye of the Monitor" column. Petersen gave the game 4 out of 5 stars.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
In April 2013, during a Nintendo Direct presentation, a new "The Legend of Zelda" game was announced for the 3DS with a late 2013 release date. The game was described by Nintendo as a successor to "A Link to the Past", set within the same world but featuring new mechanics, new dungeons, and an original story. Shortly after the presentation, Nintendo released a gameplay video on the Nintendo eShop. Later in June, at the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2013, the English title for the game was revealed as "The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds". In Japan, the game was titled "The Legend of Zelda: Triforce of the Gods 2". At the Seattle showing of "" concert tour in 2013, "A Link Between Worlds" was playable along with "".
"A Link Between Worlds" released in Europe and North America on November 22, 2013, in Australia the following day, and later in Japan on December 26, 2013. The European version of the game contained a reversible cover sleeve; the inside cover featuring multicoloured art and the outside cover featuring the golden-hued version. Alongside the game's launch, Nintendo released a bundle including a copy of the game and a themed Nintendo 3DS XL with the Triforce logo. In 2015, "A Link Between Worlds" was rereleased under the Nintendo Selects label in Europe, along with five other Nintendo 3DS titles. In early 2015, Nintendo released the original soundtrack for "A Link Between Worlds" on CD in Europe via Club Nintendo. Music from the soundtrack was included in the 2015 concert tour "".
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons and The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages are two action-adventure games in "The Legend of Zelda" series, developed by Flagship (a subsidiary of Capcom). They were released in 2001 for Nintendo's Game Boy Color handheld console and re-released on the Virtual Console for the Nintendo 3DS in 2013.
The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia
The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia is a collector's book about Nintendo's "The Legend of Zelda" series, published in English by Dark Horse Comics and in German by Tokyopop. The 276-page book reveals the official timeline of the fictional events in the series, following years of speculation by fans. The book also includes artwork for the games, a short manga, and a foreword and afterword written by the series' producers.
The Legend of Zelda (video game)
"The Legend of Zelda" spawned a solitary , many prequels and spin-offs and is one of Nintendo's most popular series. It established important characters and environments of the "Zelda" universe, including Link, Princess Zelda, Ganon, Impa, and the Triforce as the power that binds Hyrule together. The overworld theme and distinctive "secret found" jingle have appeared in nearly every subsequent "Zelda" game. The theme has also appeared in various other games featuring references to the "Zelda" series.
The Legend of Zelda
The Legend of Zelda is an action-adventure video game franchise created by Japanese game designers Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka. It is primarily developed and published by Nintendo, although some portable installments and re-releases have been outsourced to Capcom, Vanpool, and Grezzo. The series' gameplay incorporates elements of action, adventure, and puzzle-solving games.
Link (The Legend of Zelda)
A serial comic was created for "Nintendo Power" magazine by acclaimed author Shotaro Ishinomori, and later collected in graphic novel form. This told an alternate version of the events from "A Link to the Past". Though Link starts out a hapless, bumbling boy, he displays great courage and proves himself a determined and competent adventurer. He has a fairy companion, Epheremelda, long before this concept was introduced to the video games. This telling portrays Link's parents as Knights of Hyrule, lost to the Dark World. It includes an original character, Roam, a descendant of the Knights of Hyrule who fought in the Imprisoning War. At the end of the story, Zelda has become Queen, and Link is head of the Royal Guard and the Knights of Hyrule. This success is bittersweet, as their duties keep them apart, even though they were once close, sharing an adventure and even coming together in dreams. There have been manga based on "The Legend of Zelda", "Ocarina of Time", "Majora's Mask", "Oracle of Ages", "Oracle of Seasons", "Four Swords Adventures", "A Link to the Past" and "The Minish Cap".
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Similarly to the original "Legend of Zelda" (1986), players are given little instruction and can explore the open world freely. Tasks include collecting multipurpose items to aid in objectives or solving puzzles and side quests for rewards. "Breath of the Wild" world is unstructured and designed to reward experimentation, and the story can be completed in a nonlinear fashion. Development of "Breath of the Wild" lasted five years. Wanting to reinvent the series, Nintendo introduced elements such as a detailed physics engine, high-definition visuals, and voice acting. Monolith Soft assisted in designing landscapes. The game was planned for release in 2015 as a Wii U exclusive, but was delayed twice due to problems with the physics engine. "Breath of the Wild" was a launch game for the Switch and the final Nintendo game for the Wii U. Two downloadable content packs were released later in 2017.
The Legend of Zelda (video game)
"GameSpot" featured "The Legend of Zelda" as one of the 15 most influential games of all time, for being an early example of open world, nonlinear gameplay, and for its introduction of battery backup saving, laying the foundations for later action-adventure games like "Metroid" and role-playing video games like "Final Fantasy", while influencing most modern games in general. In 2009, "Game Informer" called "The Legend of Zelda" "no less than the greatest game of all time" on their list of "The Top 200 Games of All Time", saying that it was "ahead of its time by years if not decades".
The Legend of Zelda
, "The Legend of Zelda" franchise has sold over 80 million copies, with the original "The Legend of Zelda" being the fourth best-selling NES game of all time. The series was ranked as the 64th top game (collectively) by "Next Generation" in 1996. According to British film magazine "Empire", with "the most vividly-realised world and the most varied game-play of any game on any console, "Zelda" is a solid bet for the best game series ever."
Overworld
While previous games have featured overworlds, one of the earliest console games to feature an overworld is the Nintendo Entertainment System game "The Legend of Zelda". Gameplay in "Zelda"s overworld was virtually identical to that of its nine underground dungeon levels, offering a top-down perspective and including access to caves, bridges, mazes, shops and waterfalls as well as lurking dangers that range from enemies to tumbling rocks. Much of the immediate gameplay takes place in the overworld, and the diversity of terrain (as well as the sheer size of the overworld itself) ensures that the player will spend as much time exploring and searching above ground as they will below (or in any of the areas listed above). The concept of an overworld also offered a nonlinear gameplay experience; some believed this would cause the player to become confused and not know where to go, a sentiment which has endured as overworlds have become larger and more complex.
LCD games from The Legend of Zelda series
"Zelda" is thought to have pushed the limits of what is possible on the Game & Watch LCD format, though the gameplay is far simpler than the NES original. The game was noted in particular by "Famitsu" as having achieved the excitement and role-playing game-feel of the original series, however the game was criticized for being too easy if the player attained too many power-ups during play. "Retro Gamer" rated it Number 5 in their "Perfect Ten Games" for Game & Watch, noting that "it did capture the feel of the world it was played in."
Satellaview games from The Legend of Zelda series
Since the last broadcasts of "BS Zelda" (in January 1997) and "BS Zelda: MAP2" (in March 1996), restoration-minded fans have created numerous patches that have been applied to the original ROM dumps to alter the game by removing the game's download pauses and time limits, stringing together all four episodes into one, and providing a title screen and file selection screen, among others. Some patches have also replaced the game's protagonist with Link, the hero of the original "The Legend of Zelda" in order to more closely mimic this game. Further altering the game, some emulation-based restoration projects have removed the "Listen closely" sign to replace it with a display showing the text of the narration that originally accompanied the "Listen closely" sign, and more recent MSU-1 emulation projects have introduced fan-made voice acting of the original script. The game has been translated by fans into English, French, Spanish, and German. The cumulative effects of all of these alterations has led to a great deal of confusion among fans as to the character of the original broadcasts and as modern hacked versions are often missing plot details initially present in missing vocal files, this has contributed to the misconception that the games were little more than 16-bit remakes of the original.
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
"The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker" is an open world action-adventure game with role-playing elements. The control scheme is comparable to its predecessors: the player moves the protagonist Link in three dimensions from a third-person perspective. Link fights with a sword and shield, and can use a variety of other items and weapons. He interacts with non-player characters and objects via the action button. Like the previous games, "The Wind Waker" features a targeting system allowing Link to "lock on" and constantly face an enemy or target. A new feature is the ability to move the camera system around Link. Onscreen meters track Link's health and magic; Link can expand his health meter by finding "heart containers" and container pieces in the game.
Ys I: Ancient Ys Vanished
"The Games Machine" compared the game to "The Legend of Zelda", stating that "in many respects, the character detail and all-round presentation make it the better game visually," and concludes that "Ys" is "one of the top-rank RPGs around," giving it a score of 90%. "Computer Gaming World"s Scorpia in 1993 called the computer version of "Ys" "a fairly simple entry with a few puzzles to solve ... interesting mainly for seeing what the Japanese do in terms of lightweight CRPGs".
The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
"The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass" is an action-adventure game with gameplay similar to other games in "The Legend of Zelda" series. The player controls Link, the protagonist, and explores the world to find new items, information, and allies to help him save his friend Tetra and defeat the antagonist Bellum. The game is divided into two gameplay types: sailing between islands, and exploring the islands and their dungeons on foot. While on land, Link discovers and utilizes many items, including the classic boomerang, bow, and bombs. When sailing, the game shows a map of the area on the Nintendo DS's top screen, and a 3D top-down view of Link and his nearby surroundings on the lower touchscreen. The player can bring down the map from the top screen to the lower screen to make notes. During certain events, including most boss battles, a 3D view is shown on both screens, allowing the player to have a wider view of their surroundings. The player controls Link with the stylus, moves him by pointing to the sides of the screen, and uses the stylus to interact with objects and people or attack foes by pointing at them. To travel between islands on the Great Sea, the player controls a paddle steamer called the S.S. "Linebeck". The player can plot a course by drawing on a sea chart, redraw the course to make any necessary alterations, shoot at enemies that attack the ship using a cannon, and jump to avoid obstacles.
CD-i games from The Legend of Zelda series
Link: The Faces of Evil, Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon and Zelda's Adventure are action-adventure games produced by Philips for the CD-i as part of Nintendo's "The Legend of Zelda" video game series. Not designed for Nintendo platforms, the games owe their existence to negotiations related to Nintendo's decision not to have Philips create a CD add-on to the Super NES. During these negotiations, Philips secured the rights to use Nintendo characters in CD-i third-party developer games. "The Faces of Evil" and "The Wand of Gamelon" were developed by Animation Magic and were both released in North America on October 10, 1993, and "Zelda's Adventure" was developed by Viridis and was released in North America on June 5, 1994. The games were given little funding or development time, and Nintendo provided only cursory input. None of the games are canonical to the "Zelda" franchise.
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is an action-adventure game for the Wii home console, developed and published by Nintendo. The sixteenth mainline entry in "The Legend of Zelda" series, it was released worldwide in November 2011. The game was made available worldwide on the Wii U eShop in September 2016. Taking the role of series protagonist Link, players navigate the floating island of Skyloft and the land below it, completing quests that advance the story and solving environmental and dungeon-based puzzles. Gameplay mechanics and combat, the latter focusing on attacking and blocking with sword and shield, are reliant on the Wii MotionPlus expansion device.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and Four Swords
Developed by Grezzo, this enhanced port of the once multiplayer-only game includes a new single-player mode where players have the ability to control two Links and switch between them to progress through the levels. There are also two new areas that can be unlocked: the "Realm of Memories", which features levels resembling those in "The Legend of Zelda", "", and "", and the Hero's Trial, which features harder difficulty.
Satellaview games from The Legend of Zelda series
BS Zelda no Densetsu is an action-adventure game first broadcast to Satellaview owners in August 1995. It is the fifth game developed by Nintendo belonging to "The Legend of Zelda" series, but it does not feature Link, the protagonist of the prior four games. Instead it features the same main character that the player selects in the Satellaview game, "BS-X", and indeed the games are linked functionally and roughly through plot. As such "BS Zelda no Densetsu", together with "BS Zelda no Densetsu: MAP2" and "BS Zelda no Densetsu: Inishie no Sekiban", is generally considered to be a spin-off title from the main "Zelda" series. Stylistically similar to the original top-down "The Legend of Zelda" for the NES, but utilizing the 16-bit graphical capabilities of the SNES, "BS Zelda no Densetsu" is also occasionally regarded as an enhanced remake of the original game. This conception most likely arises from the superficial stylistic similarities of the games and the fact that the game is no longer playable in its original form and thus the differing plot of the game is more or less unknown to the general gaming public.
The Legend of Zelda
At the 2006 Game Developers Conference, a trailer for "" for the Nintendo DS was shown. It revealed traditional top-down "Zelda" gameplay optimised for the DS' features, with a cel-shaded 3d graphical style similar to "The Wind Waker". At E3 2006, Nintendo confirmed the game's status as a direct sequel to "The Wind Waker", and released an extensive playable demo, including a multiplayer mode 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.
Action-adventure game
Although noting some similarity to "Adventure", IGN UK argues that "The Legend of Zelda" (1986) "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, a monetary system, and simplified RPG-style level building without the experience points. "The Legend of Zelda" was the most prolific action-adventure game series through to the 2000s.
The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
Game Revolution appreciated the game's graphics, and noted that it uses the Nintendo DS's features better than any other game for the console. Praising its "innovative" and "fun" control scheme, GameSpot felt that "Phantom Hourglass" "gives new life to several of the series' age-old concepts". "X-Play" wrote that "Phantom Hourglass" definitely felt like a "The Legend of Zelda" game, calling it another successful video game for the franchise and a "must-have" for anyone that owns a Nintendo DS. "The Onion"s entertainment newspaper "The A.V. Club" remarked that "Phantom Hourglass" exploits the Nintendo DS's touchscreen to the fullest extent in an "imaginative and genuinely fun way". In a perfect 5-star review, "Empire" stated that ""Phantom Hourglass" is one of Nintendo's greatest achievements and a contender for the best handheld adventure in console history."
The Legend of Zelda
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", 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 "" for its Barcode Battler II console. The game employed card-scanning technology similar to the later-released Nintendo e-Reader.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and Four Swords
The gameplay of "A Link to the Past" has changed very little from the original 1991 release; only slight modifications have been made. The game is an overhead adventure game, with the primary means of fighting and defending being a sword and shield. The sword can do a variety of things, including a sword spin, an energy projectile, and a secret technique introduced in the Game Boy Advance version called the Hurricane Spin. Link collects a variety of different equipment throughout his adventure, featuring series mainstay items such as bombs, a bow, the boomerang, and a lamp. It also introduces the Hookshot, the Magic Mirror, and the Pegasus Boots. Link's health is measured in heart containers, which can be replenished by collecting smaller hearts from enemies and bushes. Link also has a magic meter from which some of his items derive power; for example, the Lamp uses some magic meter to light torches. There are two kinds of area – the overworld and the dungeons. The overworld has varying locations, including buildings that house these several dungeons. These dungeons have a set of objectives and items. Dungeons feature a number of keys, one single big key, a dungeon item, a compass, and a dungeon map. The overworld changes drastically when players enter the Dark World, a distorted alternate version of the original overworld. Players may go back and forth using both the Magic Mirror, which allows access to the Light World from the Dark World, and portals scattered across both worlds.
Times of Lore
"Times of Lore", developed by Chris Roberts, was originally titled "Ultra Realm". According to Roberts, it was inspired by console action-adventures, particularly "The Legend of Zelda". Roberts stated that "interfaces and design are being affected" by the video game console market and that what "the Japanese market originally demanded were certain constraints which did not affect the depth and quality of a game."
The Legend of Zelda (video game)
The first game of "The Legend of Zelda" series, it was originally released in Japan as a launch title for the Family Computer Disk System peripheral in 1986. More than a year later, North America and Europe received releases on the Nintendo Entertainment System in cartridge format, being the first home console title to include an internal battery for saving data. This version was later released in Japan in 1994 under the title The Hyrule Fantasy: The Legend of Zelda 1. The game was ported to the GameCube and Game Boy Advance, and is available via the Virtual Console on the Wii, Nintendo 3DS and Wii U. It was also as one of 30 games included within the NES Classic system, and is featured debuting among NES Switch Online’s library of titles.
The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
"USA Today"s Jinny Gudmundsen called it an excellent game for kids who "enjoy 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".
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages
The gameplay of "Oracle of Seasons" and "Ages" is similar to that of "", copying basic controls, graphics, and sounds from the Game Boy title. Like most "The Legend of Zelda" titles, exploration and combat take place from an overhead perspective. Link uses a sword for his primary attack, complemented by secondary weapons and items. Basic items, such as bombs and a boomerang, are common to both games. Some new items are exclusive to one game, usually with a counterpart in the other, with similar uses (e.g. the slingshot in "Seasons" and the seed shooter in "Ages" both shoot seeds, while the magnetic gloves in "Seasons" and the switch hook in "Ages" are used to access otherwise unreachable areas via special targets). Unlike most "Zelda" titles, a sword and shield is not always equipped when the player possesses them; they can be assigned like any other item into either of two available slots. Most of each of the games is spent finding the eight Essences (Essences of Nature in "Seasons" and Essences of Time in "Ages"), each hidden in a dungeon—a large, usually underground, area containing enemies and puzzles. Each dungeon culminates with a boss that guards the Essence.
CD-i games from The Legend of Zelda series
"Faces of Evil" and "Wand of Gamelon" are played using the side-scrolling view introduced in "", while "Zelda's Adventure" has a top-down view reminiscent of the original "The Legend of Zelda". All the CD-i "Zelda" games begin with animated FMVs to illustrate the capabilities of the CD-ROM format, save "Zelda's Adventure", which begins with a live-action video.
Satellaview games from The Legend of Zelda series
Due to the great successes of the game Nintendo undertook the development of a remixed version of "BS Zelda no Densetsu" that would be entitled "BS Zelda no Densetsu: MAP2". Featuring all-new dungeon layouts and altered positions of items and locations in the overworld, "BS Zelda: MAP2" represented the functional equivalent of the "Second Quest" portion of the original "The Legend of Zelda". This sequel broadcast was in turn rerun once during March, 1996.
Faria: A World of Mystery and Danger!
Faria is an action role-playing game in which the player controls a sword-wielding hero, with a number of similarities to The Legend of Zelda. As with many RPGs, the game is broken into towns, an overworld, and dungeons. Activities in town include talking to non-player characters to gather information and items, traversing the overworld involves combat that takes place on a separate battle screen, while dungeons consist of combat in the same window used to navigate and puzzling through increasingly complex mazes. Combat consists of moving the player character's sprite around the screen while swinging its equipped sword or using a handful of items including bombs and a bow & arrows.
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
"The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword" is an action-adventure video game in which players take on the role of series protagonist Link through a series of monster-populated overworlds and navigating dungeons featuring puzzles and bosses. Link is controlled using the Wii Remote and Nunchuk, and the Wii MotionPlus expansion device is required to play. The greater majority of gameplay mechanics revolve around use of motion controls: these include camera control with the Nunchuk and general hotkey actions and movement linked to the Wii Remote. Jumping across gaps and scaling ledges happen automatically within context. The Nunchuk is also used to make Link perform a forward roll. Link can sprint for short distances, but sprinting and other actions such as climbing and carrying heavy objects is limited by a stamina meter, which recharges after a few seconds when not performing actions that drain it. When depleted entirely, Link's movement speed is reduced and he is left vulnerable until the meter refills. Standard navigation takes place from a third-person perspective, while the Dowsing search function switches to a first-person view: Dowsing scans an area for a selected object, with new Dowsing objectives appearing depending on game context.
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
Like most games in "The Legend of Zelda" series, "Link's Awakening" is an action-adventure game focused on exploration and combat. The majority of the game takes place from an overhead perspective. The player traverses the overworld of Koholint Island while fighting monsters and exploring underground dungeons. Dungeons steadily become larger and more difficult, and feature "Nightmare" boss characters that the player must defeat, taking different forms in each dungeon, and getting harder to defeat each time. Success earns the player heart containers, which increase the amount of damage the player character can survive; when all of the player's heart containers have been emptied, the game restarts at the last doorway entered by the character. Defeating a Nightmare also earns the player one of the eight instruments necessary to complete the game.
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
In addition to the main quest, "Link's Awakening" contains side-missions and diversions. Collectible "secret seashells" are hidden throughout the game; when twenty of these are found, the player can receive a powerful sword that fires energy beams when the player character is at full health, similar to the sword in the original "The Legend of Zelda". "Link's Awakening" is the first "Zelda" game to include a trading sequence minigame: the player may give a certain item to a character, who in turn gives the player another item to trade with someone else. It is also the first game in the "Zelda" series in which the A and B buttons may be assigned to different items, which enables more varied puzzles and item combinations. Other series elements originating in "Link's Awakening" include fishing, and learning special songs on an ocarina; the latter mechanic is central to the next "Zelda" game released, "".
The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks is an action-adventure game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS handheld game console. An installment in "The Legend of Zelda" series, it was released worldwide in December 2009. The game was re released for the Wii U Virtual Console in October 2016.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and Four Swords
"Four Swords" is the multiplayer portion of the cartridge. "Four Swords" features gameplay similar to "A Link to the Past", with a focus on multi-player; in it, two to four players must cooperatively work through a series of puzzle-laden dungeons, while competing to collect rupees. The player with the most rupees at the end of a level wins a special prize, though all rupees are shared together in the long run. All players are given respective colors – player one is green, player two is red, player three is blue, and player four is purple. Once all players are connected, player one chooses one of the four stages available to play on. All dungeons are randomized before play. The dungeons have three levels to them, with a portal at the end of each level; the first to reach it will be rewarded with a Heart Container, an item that increases the player's health meter. The third level is not a traditional dungeon, but rather a boss battle. Once defeated, they will return to the hub area.