Universe of The Legend of Zelda
Encyclopedia
The fictional universe depicted in The Legend of Zelda series
of video games consists of a variety of lands, the most commonly appearing of these being , and was created by Japanese video game developer
Shigeru Miyamoto
.
, set on Koholint Island; Majora's Mask
, set in Termina; Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages
, set in Holodrum and Labrynna, respectively; The Wind Waker
; Phantom Hourglass
, both set on the Great Sea, a flooded Hyrule (although a large portion of Phantom Hourglass takes place in the World of the Ocean King, which is in another dimension); and Skyward Sword
, set on Skyloft, a group of islands floating above the clouds.
Hyrule was formed by , , and . According to Hylian legend as depicted in Ocarina of Time
, Din created the physical geography
of the realm, Nayru created the law
s to govern the land, and Farore created the races to uphold the law and the flora and fauna that inhabit the world. Once the goddesses had completed their tasks, they departed for the heavens, and left behind three golden triangles. In these, they put their power to govern all things; this relic became known as the Triforce. The realm itself was eventually named after its dominant race, the Hylia.
Hylian is a constructed language
that first appears in A Link to the Past
, where it is identified as "the ancient language of the Hylians". In A Link to the Past, its written form is composed of symbols that have to be translated by Link to progress in the game. In The Wind Waker, three spirits, the angler fish-like Jabun, the dragon Valoo, and the Deku Tree, as well as the King of Red Lions, can speak it. In Japan, an explanation on the Hylian alphabet was printed on the back of the instruction manual, showing the language written with a phonographic writing system, or syllabary
, like Japanese. Since then two more Hylian scripts have been developed and/or deciphered for the public: the Old Hylian Syllabary used in Ocarina of Time, the Modern Hylian Syllabary used in The Wind Waker, and the Hylian Alphabet used in Twilight Princess. The first two are used for transcribing Japanese, while the last is used to transcribe English.
The currency
of the Hyrule and other areas is called the , which resemble hexagonal crystal
s or gem
s, and come in various colors which determine value. In Oracle of Seasons, the Subrosian race accepts only Ore
Chunks as currency, and in Four Swords Adventures, Force Gems are used rather than Rupees. Rupees are also absent in The Adventure of Link, which has no apparent in-game currency system. The original The Legend of Zelda only has flashing Rupees, worth one, and blue Rupees, worth five. In the original, they were called "Rupies", this was later changed. Subsequent games introduced more colors and sizes for Rupees, each denoting a specific value. Generally, green Rupees have the least value, while huge gold or silver Rupees have the most. In Phantom Hourglass, there were black Rupees called "Rupoor" that would steal a certain amount of Rupees depending on its size.
. Spectacle Rock, two large rock formations next to each other, is another recurring trait.
has acted as the final dungeon and battleground between Link and Ganon
in several games.
is the home and seat of the royal family of Hyrule. The castle
's first appearance was in A Link to the Past
, the third game in the series. It is often a central area that Link must enter during his quest.
is a village that first appears in A Link to the Past and has since reappeared in Ocarina of Time, Four Swords Adventures
and Twilight Princess
. Kakariko is often portrayed as a prosperous small town. However, in Twilight Princess, almost all of the villagers have been kidnapped by Shadow Beasts, and the village appears similar to a ghost town.
is a large lake
located in Hyrule. In most games, it is fed by the Zoras who live in "Zora's Domain". In Ocarina of Time it is also a shortcut to Zora's domain
The temple that houses the Master Sword in the game Ocarina of Time. It is one of the dungeons in Twilight Princess. To gain access to some areas such as the temple itself, the Master Sword is used as a key frequently throughout the dungeon.
that often acts as the ultimate weapon for Link as the chosen hero to defeat Ganon
and doubles as a key to the Sacred Realm. First introduced in A Link To The Past, It has the power to "repel evil", which enables it to overcome powerful dark magic and evil beings and keep them from using the sword. It was forged at the direction of the godessess in order to prevent the Triforce from falling into evil hands. The sword traditionally rests in sacrosanct locations indigenous to Hyrule, such as the Temple of Time or the Lost Woods. Similar to Arthurian legend, the Master Sword is often first obtained by pulling it from a stone.
The sword is often not at full power, leading it to need to be "recharged" in some way, or have its power increased beyond its standard level to fight Ganon. There are some situations when the blade, already at full power, can be further improved; in A Link to the Past, it was tempered
to the Tempered Sword. It can later be upgraded to the Golden Sword. Similarly, in Twilight Princess, the sword is powered by two Sols in the Palace of Twilight. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
establishes that the sword needs the power of two sages praying to the gods in order to keep its powers, or else it will no longer be able to prevent an evil person from gaining the Triforce. In The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
, Link wields a weapon called the Goddess Sword which has a sentient female personality named Fi. The Goddess Sword will transform into the Master Sword later in the game.
The Master Sword is a double-edged one-handed sword
. The blade cross-section is hexagonal with no fuller
. On the flats of the blade near the hilt
is a Triforce symbol, etched into the steel or emblazoned in gold. It has a blue or purple curved crossguard in the shape of a pair of wings with a small yellow jewel where it meets the hilt. The hilt is often padded red with a non-ornate blue pommel. Since The Wind Waker, the Master Sword's blade glows white when it is revived by the sages
in the mid-game.
Nintendo Power
listed the Master Sword as one of the best weapons, stating that it is more than just a powerful sword, but also important to Link's adventures.
that represents the essences of the Golden Goddesses. It is made up of three smaller triangles known as the , and . Each of these embody the essence of their respective goddess, and bestow certain boons on their bearers. In most of its appearances, the Triforce or its pieces, manifest as a marking on the hands of their bearers. These markings resonate when near each other, and the Triforce pieces can emerge from their bearers.
When united, the Triforce allows one who touches it to make a wish that lasts until he dies or the wish is fulfilled. However, if the one who finds it does not possess a balance of the three virtues it represents, the pieces split into its three components and the finder is left with the one which represents the characteristic he values most; the other two pieces do likewise with two other characters "chosen by destiny." Ganon makes it his goal to obtain the Triforce in various games, often having a single piece himself that he uses to further his goals.
The Triforce of Power holds the presence of Din, the goddess of Power, and radiates the physical, and magical power of its bearer. It is usually associated with Ganon
, who is power-hungry. The Triforce of Wisdom embodies the essence of Nayru, the goddess of Wisdom, and amplifies the wisdom and mystical powers of its bearer. It is usually associated with Princess Zelda
, whose great wisdom brings peace and prosperity to Hyrule. The Triforce of Courage embodies the essence of Farore, the goddess of Courage, and seems to amplify the courage and adventuring skills of its bearer. It is usually associated with Link, the main protagonist of the series, who bravely defends Hyrule from Ganon.
This ancient relic in A Link To The Past was sealed away and protected in the sacred realm by the seven wise men.
, the Anouki are the only race in the snow realm.
.
The are a race of plant-like creatures which are introduced in Ocarina of Time
. They appear mostly in the overworld
and dungeons. Deku are generally short and have leaves sprouting out from their heads. They often have red, glowing eyes, and their mouths are short, hollow tubes that can shoot "Deku Nuts." Their bodies consist entirely of wood and leaves, and they perish quickly if set on fire. They can fly by using large leaves to glide, and some can use the leaves on their head to fly for indefinite periods after taking off from a "Deku Flower."
There are four types of Deku depicted in the series: Deku Scrubs, Mad Scrubs, Business Scrubs and Royal Scrubs. Deku Scrubs are the most common type, which have green leaves. They often give information when caught. Mad Scrubs are violent, have red and yellow leaves, and do not talk. Business Scrubs are traders who offer to sell their wares and services. Royal Scrubs have larger heads, bigger eyes, smaller mouths, and they also have extra leaves covering their body.
In The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, Link can inhabit the body of an unknown Deku Scrub (who is rumored to be the son of the Deku King's butler) and can fly for a limited time with use of a Deku Flower and can shoot bubbles from its mouth (once he receives the magic meter from the Great Fairy).
s, who are often obscured by emitted light. They can be found in many places, but usually reside in a Fairy Fountain or Fairy Spring, sometimes under the protection of a , which are the size of humans. These Fairies from the fountains will heal Link when he approaches, and if he traps one in a bottle, Link can release the fairy to have it heal him, or it will resurrect him if he dies. In Ocarina of Time, Guardian Fairies travel with the Kokiri and give them advice. One of these is Navi, who serves as Link's guardian fairy, or Tatl in Majora's Mask. In some of the games, such as The Minish Cap, players will be tested of their honesty and if they are, fairies give them gifts and upgrades.
who mainly are desert-dwellers. Distinguishing physical traits of Gerudo typically include bronzed skin, scarlet hair, aquiline noses, gold eyes and, unlike the Hylians, round ears. Apart from a single male born to the Gerudo every hundred years, the race consists entirely of women. By Gerudo law, this man must become king of the tribe. Ganon
dorf, the main antagonist of the series, is one such man and is king of the Gerudo in Ocarina of Time. It is suggested that the Gerudo sometimes seek men from outside the tribe as partners. Although nothing is ever really confirmed, it is also thought that the Gerudo kidnap men when they need to reproduce. Gerudos appear as pirates in Majora's Mask, where they live in the ocean at Great Bay, are ruled by a woman instead of a man, and are enemies with the Zoras. They search for treasures in the sea (usually ending in trouble and failure, as seen when they steal the Zora Eggs laid by Lulu following a hint given by Skull Kid to invade Great Bay Temple) and assault unaware Zoras and fishermen, although they do not approach Clock Town.
The are a race of strong but peaceful mountain-dwelling rock monsters who first appear in Ocarina of Time
as friendly characters, also appearing in The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
as nomadic traders. Goron culture revolves around brotherhood and strength, usually referring to each other and those they deem strong as "Brother." Gorons show high regard for individuals who display great strength, and particularly enjoy matching their strength with others in sumo wrestling matches. While not all the games which feature Gorons include full tribes, those that do depict Goron policy as headed by a single patriarch
, sometimes aided by one or more Goron Elders, who assume leadership of the tribe when the patriarch cannot. was the patriarch in the game Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. The Goron elders in Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess were: , and
For leisure, Gorons enjoy music and dance, rolling/racing, games, sumo wrestling, and bathing in hot springs. Gorons have taken on occupations such as crafting, blacksmithing, sculpting, demolition, and merchantry (usually explosives, which they are experts in producing). Gorons maintain a diet of rocks and iron. They also eat rock sirloin, amber
, and metal shields as delicacies. Gorons enter the fetal position
, similar to an armadillo
, for several purposes, such as resting, crushing obstacles, assaulting enemies, and transportation by rolling to great speeds. Gorons endowed with fairy magic can grow metal spikes while rolling.
Gorons make their return in Skyward Sword, but it is still not known what region they live in; it has been speculated that they are a nomadic people.
Gorons are universally male humanoids with generally beige skin, long arms, short legs, hulking shoulders, and virtually unnoticeable necks. Gorons seen in the games have round, purple eyes as well as prominent, rotund bellies. Unlike humans, Gorons lack external hearing organs; like reptile
s, Gorons' ears are simply holes at the sides of their heads. By adulthood, Gorons appear to gain rock-like protrusions on their backs as well as in places where human hair would be on their faces. Most are the size of an average human, though some such as can grow as large as a mountain. Due to their great density, Gorons sink to the bottom of bodies of water and are thus helpless in such an environment. However, they do not require respiration to survive, as a Goron child proves by resting underwater, mentioning that he never feels the need to take a breath. Also, in Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, a Goron becomes permanently submerged in the main pool in Zora's Domain, but rather enjoys the cold water rather than drowning. Gorons are exceptionally resistant to heat, to the point of being able to walk through shallow lava
.
In The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, Link can inhabit the body of the deceased Goron hero Darmani and use the ability to roll and punch as hard as the Megaton Hammer from Ocarina of Time.
In Skyward Sword Hylians live on a floating island known as Skyloft and are accompinied by bird like species called Loftwings
, which was in turn based on the Japanese mythological kitsune
. Their faces also resemble that of the Pokemon
Pikachu
.
fairy
race in Ocarina of Time who inhabit the Kokiri Forest. They are ageless, child-like elves created by the Great Deku Tree, and each has a guardian fairy that plays the role of friend, parent, guardian, and teacher. Cautious and secretive, these elven creatures believe that they will die if they leave the forest. It is also suggested that if they wander too deep into the forest and remain there for too long, they will become a skull kid. Interestingly, they bear a slight resemblance to Peter Pan
, as they are both children, elf-like, wear similar clothing, live in a forest, are accompanied by a Fairy and most importantly, never grow up.
The of Wind Waker are said to have been transformed from the Kokiri. They are small creatures with bodies that look like wood and masks made from leaves. They are very light, which allows them to travel by using sprouts as propellers over wind currents. They leave their home, the "Forest Haven", in order to plant seeds from the Great Deku Tree all over the world, and only return once a year to hold a ceremony to obtain more seeds.
. All but one of the encountered Lokomo are sages who reside in the five realms of New Hyrule, as well as the Tower of Spirits. They are distinguishable by their pointed ears (similar to Hylians) and their short legs, forcing them to use motorized carts for transportation. However, a Lokomo named Byrne [Staven in the European version] is capable of walking on his legs and is exceptionally strong.
in the Twilight Princess. An Oocca woman named is found in the game's dungeons, and can warp the player back to the entrance to the dungeon. Ooccoo's son, , warps the player back to where Ooccoo was used to warp out. They bear a striking resemblance to the statue in M.C. Escher painting, Another World.
In Twilight Princess, these creatures are mentioned to be closer to the gods than the hylians. They were the race who created hylians, and at the same time created a new capital in the skies for them to live in. In Twilight Princess, Link reaches this city by launching himself out of an enormous reconstructed ancient cannon.
Rito are viewed upon by outsiders somewhat dubiously. Some have an inexplicable bigotry directed towards them, perhaps out of jealousy. Still, Rito are widely accepted as mail carriers, as only they can traverse the seas without cumbersome ships. Rito are capable of flying quickly, and full-grown members can carry humans for a short time.
The Rito may be inspired by the Watarara race in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time manga, generally considered not to be canon. These people were more like giant birds than humans, but had a similar gaining of wings past a certain age and the same chieftain leadership structure. Rito resemble condors, and seem to have some relation with the Andean culture: males have dark skin and the main theme of the Dragon Roost Island contains some Andean instruments such as zampoña (or pan pipes) and charango.
Rito are humanoid, bird-like creatures. They have a mix of human and animal biological characteristics, with very distinctive traits. The Rito appear to be covered by dark shaded skin or feathers. Most Rito have red colored eyes, although the Rito Chieftain has yellow eyes. They, like many other races in the series, have pointed ears. The Rito have bird-like feet as well, though oddly without talons. Rito also have some sort of beak where a human's nose would be found, though the shape and size of this beak varies through different Rito. Unlike normal birds this beak appears to be only used for smelling, and cannot be used as a mouth, the Rito have a more human-like mouth below this beak.
Throughout a young Rito's childhood, he or she is called a Fledgling and is flightless without any wings. After a child reaches a certain age they can only receive their wings after they retrieve a scale from the dragon, Valoo. Their wings are unique in that they protrude from their forearms, similar to where a Zora's fins would be. These have an appearance similar to the sleeves of a cloak when the Rito is not in flight. While not in use wings of a Rito are mostly white with black colored plumage located along the ends. When in flight the top of a Rito's wings are colored brown with black along the edges while the bottoms of the wings contain white colored plumage along the wings interior. However Medli has pure white colored wings, possibly suggesting that female Rito have white wings or that her wings are not fully grown yet.
Most Rito are able to fly over a great distance and can hover in place, but some like Medli have trouble flying for long periods of time. This is likely due to inexperience at flying, however. Like humans, Rito's heads are covered by hair that are of different colors and lengths for each person. Most males, however, seem to have white colored hair, even at a young age.
It is revealed in The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker that the Rito are descended from the Zora; when Hyrule was flooded, they evolved into bird-like creatures to better suit their surroundings. This is supported by Medli when she gives Link the Grappling Hook, stating that it was used by the Rito before they evolved wings. This hints that they used it when they were Zoras or when they were changing from Zoras to Rito.
-like warriors, often referred to as the "shadows" of the Hylians, sworn to protect the Hylian Royal Family. Eventually Impa during Ocarina of Time and Impaz during Twilight Princess are the last surviving members of the tribe. The Sheikah's symbol of a crying eye is commonly seen in the series, even in games where the Sheikah are not present. In the Ocarina of Time manga, it is explained by Sheik that the symbol of the Sheikah used to only consist of a normal eye but was changed when a betrayal occurred, context suggests the Royal Family somehow betrayed the Sheikah and the teardrop was added to represent the sorrow of their tribe. In Ocarina of Time they are referred to as an extinct race, with Impa being the only surviving member (even though Princess Zelda poses as one while hiding from Ganondorf), and builders of the Shadow Temple. The reason for constructing this eerie mysterious structure is not fully known. It is said that the Sheikah people were fascinated by a search for truth. They were also the creators of the mask of truth (sold by the happy mask salesmen of castle town in Ocarina of Time). In Skyward Sword, Ocarina of Time, and Majoras Mask, Sheikah Stones or Gossip Stones created by the Sheikah give Link information on where to go and what to do.
The first light spirit is , best described as an Ordon Goat. Ordona has a spiraling circular orb in between her antlers and first appears at Ordon Spring. She appears once Link has defeated the first Twilit Messenger.
The second light spirit, , is described as a monkey/ape. He is holding his golden orb with his tail eclipsed over his head. He appears in Faron Spring, and will fully appear when Link has completed the first collection of twilight bugs.
The third light spirit, , is described as an eagle, with his orb between his feet. He appears in the lake near the shaman's house in Kakariko Villiage, and will fully appear once Link has completed the second collection of twilight bugs.
The fourth and last light spirit, , is described as a serpent, with his orb inside his mouth. He appears in the cave at Lake Hylia. He fully appears when Link has completed the third and final collection of twilight bugs. But once Link is back to his human form, and after Lanayru tells him the story of the three goddesses and the three Fused Shadows, Zant appears. Zant will then embed the Shadow Crystal in Link's skull that will allow Link to transform into his human and wolf form.
. was also part of this race. He was granted the power to overthrow Midna by Ganon and then served Ganon in taking over Hyrule. It is possible that the Interlopers were either the Sheikah since there is a symbol on Zant's throne and they were allies of The Royal Family, or they were the Gerudo since that the Twili were a tribe of thieves and the entrance of the Twilight Realm in the Gerudo Desert. Is is also known that the recurring villain, Dark Link, might be a Interloper or possibly a relative to them, for which it is unknown.
The skin tone of the Twili is mostly black while their faces, necks, and chest tend to have gray and patterns in a marked contrast to the rest of their bodies. The Twili have a stretched, elongated appearance, with long limbs, necks, and heads, and great variances in overall height and girth (although the shorter Twili could just be children, which would also explain their girth). It also appears that common Twili are incapable of speaking the Hylian Language, and appear to only be able to utter a moan when Link draws near, which may be their own language. If this is the case, those moans may possibly be speeches that sound like moans because Link does not understand the language.
only they have large, beaver tails, have saddles for hats and speak with poor grammar. The females, however, are smaller than the males and wear an armless sweater, showing no arms or tail.
Most Zoras do not wear clothing
, and they are generally covered in silver scale
s, which give them a pale blue sheen from a distance. Where humans sometimes have long hair, average Zoras have rear-hanging caudal extensions that resemble tails. These tails undulate periodically, which gives a Zora's head the unique semblance of a fish. They are sometimes depicted as having webbed feet (except for Queen Rutela from Twilight Princess who appears to have two flat mermaid-like fins that fall down like a skirt) and hands. They lack ears in the traditional sense, but do have pronounced noses and gills on their abdomen. Their fins can be used to fight by extending out to serve as sharp-edged weapons. Zoras lay egg
s to reproduce. Zora eggs need to be kept in cold, clean water to develop healthily, and every egg from the same clutch
must be kept together for them to hatch. Newborn Zoras are tadpole
-like with a circular body and a long, skinny tail ending in a fluke.
Zora government is apparently monarchical
, either ruled by a king, , or queen, such as Queen from the game Twilight Princess. Two different tribes exist, "river Zora" are more violent and are able to shoot fire, while "sea Zora" make up the friendly Zoras. The Zora Royal Family is responsible for maintaining order among their people, overseeing care for , whom they worship as a guardian god, and assuring that the waters upon which he and all creatures rely are clean and pure.
The Zora appear to be an extinct race in the Wind Waker game; a sage named is encountered in spirit. They may be linked to the race of bird people, along with the Princess .
In The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
, there are monsters known as Zora Warriors who often emerge from bodies of water. However, it is unknown if and how they are related to the Zoras mentioned in earlier games.
In The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, Link is able to inhabit the body of the Zora Mikau, who was killed by Gerudo pirates, and can use his fins as boomerangs.
listed Hyrule as one of the greatest Nintendo locations, citing the vast number of areas to explore, as well as referencing players' first experiences with the Lost Woods and Death Mountain as highlights of the players' adventures.
The Legend of Zelda
The Legend of Zelda, originally released as in Japan, is a video game developed and published by Nintendo, and designed by Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka. Set in the fantasy land of Hyrule, the plot centers on a boy named Link, the playable protagonist, who aims to collect the eight fragments...
of video games consists of a variety of lands, the most commonly appearing of these being , and was created by Japanese video game developer
Video game developer
A video game developer is a software developer that creates video games. A developer may specialize in a certain video game console, such as Nintendo's Wii, Microsoft's Xbox 360, Sony's PlayStation 3, or may develop for a variety of systems, including personal computers.Most developers also...
Shigeru Miyamoto
Shigeru Miyamoto
is a Japanese video game designer and producer. Miyamoto was born and raised in Kyoto Prefecture; the natural surroundings of Kyoto inspired much of Miyamoto's later work....
.
Hyrule
The land of , first depicted in The Legend of Zelda, is the main setting of the series. Many designated areas of Hyrule appear throughout the series, such as the Lost Woods, Kakariko Village, Death Mountain and Lake Hylia. Several games in the series are set in lands other than Hyrule, including Link's AwakeningThe Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, known as in Japan, is a 1993 action-adventure video game developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy...
, set on Koholint Island; Majora's Mask
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
is an action-adventure video game developed by Nintendo's Entertainment Analysis and Development division for the Nintendo 64. It was released in Japan on April 27, 2000, North America on October 26, 2000, and Europe on November 17, 2000. The game sold approximately 314,000 copies during its first...
, set in Termina; Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages are two action-adventure games in The Legend of Zelda series, co-developed by Capcom and Nintendo. They were released on February 27, 2001 in Japan, May 14, 2001 in North America, and October 5, 2001 in Europe for Nintendo's Game Boy Color...
, set in Holodrum and Labrynna, respectively; The Wind Waker
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, released as in Japan, is an action-adventure game and the tenth installment in The Legend of Zelda series. It was released for the Nintendo GameCube in Japan on December 13, 2002, in North America on March 24, 2003, in Europe on May 2, 2003, and in Australia on...
; Phantom Hourglass
The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
is the fourteenth game in Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda series. It was released after The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess for the Wii and before The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks for the Nintendo DS...
, both set on the Great Sea, a flooded Hyrule (although a large portion of Phantom Hourglass takes place in the World of the Ocean King, which is in another dimension); and Skyward Sword
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
is an action-adventure game for the Wii console and the sixteenth entry in the Legend of Zelda series. Developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development, it was released in Europe on November 18, 2011 in North America on November 20, 2011, in Japan on November 23, 2011, and on November...
, set on Skyloft, a group of islands floating above the clouds.
Hyrule was formed by , , and . According to Hylian legend as depicted in Ocarina of Time
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
is an action-adventure video game developed by Nintendo's Entertainment Analysis and Development division for the Nintendo 64 video game console. It was released in Japan on November 21, 1998; in North America on November 23, 1998; and in Europe on December 11, 1998...
, Din created the physical geography
Geography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
of the realm, Nayru created the law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
s to govern the land, and Farore created the races to uphold the law and the flora and fauna that inhabit the world. Once the goddesses had completed their tasks, they departed for the heavens, and left behind three golden triangles. In these, they put their power to govern all things; this relic became known as the Triforce. The realm itself was eventually named after its dominant race, the Hylia.
Hylian is a constructed language
Constructed language
A planned or constructed language—known colloquially as a conlang—is a language whose phonology, grammar, and/or vocabulary has been consciously devised by an individual or group, instead of having evolved naturally...
that first appears in A Link to the Past
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, known as in Japan, is an action-adventure video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System video game console, and the third installment in The Legend of Zelda series. It was first released in Japan in 1991, and was...
, where it is identified as "the ancient language of the Hylians". In A Link to the Past, its written form is composed of symbols that have to be translated by Link to progress in the game. In The Wind Waker, three spirits, the angler fish-like Jabun, the dragon Valoo, and the Deku Tree, as well as the King of Red Lions, can speak it. In Japan, an explanation on the Hylian alphabet was printed on the back of the instruction manual, showing the language written with a phonographic writing system, or syllabary
Syllabary
A syllabary is a set of written symbols that represent syllables, which make up words. In a syllabary, there is no systematic similarity between the symbols which represent syllables with the same consonant or vowel...
, like Japanese. Since then two more Hylian scripts have been developed and/or deciphered for the public: the Old Hylian Syllabary used in Ocarina of Time, the Modern Hylian Syllabary used in The Wind Waker, and the Hylian Alphabet used in Twilight Princess. The first two are used for transcribing Japanese, while the last is used to transcribe English.
The currency
Currency
In economics, currency refers to a generally accepted medium of exchange. These are usually the coins and banknotes of a particular government, which comprise the physical aspects of a nation's money supply...
of the Hyrule and other areas is called the , which resemble hexagonal crystal
Crystal
A crystal or crystalline solid is a solid material whose constituent atoms, molecules, or ions are arranged in an orderly repeating pattern extending in all three spatial dimensions. The scientific study of crystals and crystal formation is known as crystallography...
s or gem
Gemstone
A gemstone or gem is a piece of mineral, which, in cut and polished form, is used to make jewelry or other adornments...
s, and come in various colors which determine value. In Oracle of Seasons, the Subrosian race accepts only Ore
Ore
An ore is a type of rock that contains minerals with important elements including metals. The ores are extracted through mining; these are then refined to extract the valuable element....
Chunks as currency, and in Four Swords Adventures, Force Gems are used rather than Rupees. Rupees are also absent in The Adventure of Link, which has no apparent in-game currency system. The original The Legend of Zelda only has flashing Rupees, worth one, and blue Rupees, worth five. In the original, they were called "Rupies", this was later changed. Subsequent games introduced more colors and sizes for Rupees, each denoting a specific value. Generally, green Rupees have the least value, while huge gold or silver Rupees have the most. In Phantom Hourglass, there were black Rupees called "Rupoor" that would steal a certain amount of Rupees depending on its size.
Hylian geography
is a recurring area which first appeared in the original The Legend of Zelda. It is often simply a mountain, though other times it is a volcano. In all its appearances, Death Mountain has many caves and dungeons, such as Ganon's lair in The Legend of Zelda, and Goron City, the Fire Temple and in Ocarina of TimeThe Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
is an action-adventure video game developed by Nintendo's Entertainment Analysis and Development division for the Nintendo 64 video game console. It was released in Japan on November 21, 1998; in North America on November 23, 1998; and in Europe on December 11, 1998...
. Spectacle Rock, two large rock formations next to each other, is another recurring trait.
has acted as the final dungeon and battleground between Link and Ganon
Ganon
, anglicized Gannon in early Japanese materials, and also known as , is a fictional character who is the main antagonist of Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda series of video games. He is the final boss of most games in the series. He was first given a back-story in A Link to the Past...
in several games.
- The is formed in The Wind WakerThe Legend of Zelda: The Wind WakerThe Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, released as in Japan, is an action-adventure game and the tenth installment in The Legend of Zelda series. It was released for the Nintendo GameCube in Japan on December 13, 2002, in North America on March 24, 2003, in Europe on May 2, 2003, and in Australia on...
and Phantom HourglassThe Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglassis the fourteenth game in Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda series. It was released after The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess for the Wii and before The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks for the Nintendo DS...
after Hyrule has been flooded by a deluge. Only a collection of mountaintops are still visible above the water, and these form the 65 islands and archipelagoArchipelagoAn archipelago , sometimes called an island group, is a chain or cluster of islands. The word archipelago is derived from the Greek ἄρχι- – arkhi- and πέλαγος – pélagos through the Italian arcipelago...
s of the Great Sea. Due to the relatively small size of many of the islands, there are large expanses of ocean between each island. Due to the vast nature of the sea, most navigation requires the use of charts. On the islands of the Great Sea, local commerceCommerceWhile business refers to the value-creating activities of an organization for profit, commerce means the whole system of an economy that constitutes an environment for business. The system includes legal, economic, political, social, cultural, and technological systems that are in operation in any...
is quite advanced. Most of the food is gathered from fishing and small farms, though there are also active merchant, salvage, and shipbuilding businesses. One huge continent resides out in the ocean named New Hyrule which is where Spirit TracksThe Legend of Zelda: Spirit TracksThe Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks, released as in Japan, is the fifteenth installment of Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda series. Developed by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS handheld game console, it was released worldwide throughout December 2009 after Nintendo president Satoru Iwata announced the...
is set.
is the home and seat of the royal family of Hyrule. The castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
's first appearance was in A Link to the Past
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, known as in Japan, is an action-adventure video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System video game console, and the third installment in The Legend of Zelda series. It was first released in Japan in 1991, and was...
, the third game in the series. It is often a central area that Link must enter during his quest.
is a village that first appears in A Link to the Past and has since reappeared in Ocarina of Time, Four Swords Adventures
The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures
The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures, released as in Japan, is the eleventh installment of Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda series. It was released for the Nintendo GameCube in Japan on March 18, 2004; in North America on June 7, 2004; in Europe on January 7, 2005; and in Australia on April...
and Twilight Princess
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
is an action-adventure game developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development, and published by Nintendo for the GameCube and Wii video game consoles. It is the thirteenth installment in The Legend of Zelda series...
. Kakariko is often portrayed as a prosperous small town. However, in Twilight Princess, almost all of the villagers have been kidnapped by Shadow Beasts, and the village appears similar to a ghost town.
is a large lake
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
located in Hyrule. In most games, it is fed by the Zoras who live in "Zora's Domain". In Ocarina of Time it is also a shortcut to Zora's domain
- The is a large, maze-like forest that appears in various titles. It is the resting place of the Master Sword in A Link to the Past and Twilight Princess, and it is the location of the Sacred Forest Meadow and Forest Temple in Ocarina of Time. In Spirit Tracks it is the location of the Forest Sanctuary. In many games, the Lost Woods is a maze that leads Link in circles, with the correct path indicated by a recurring melody.
The temple that houses the Master Sword in the game Ocarina of Time. It is one of the dungeons in Twilight Princess. To gain access to some areas such as the temple itself, the Master Sword is used as a key frequently throughout the dungeon.
Master Sword
The , also known as "The Blade of Evil's Bane", is a magic swordMagic sword
The term magic sword refers to any kind of mythological or fictional sword imbued with magical power to increase its strength or grant it other supernatural qualities. The archetype originated in myth and legend, and occurs regularly in fantasy fiction....
that often acts as the ultimate weapon for Link as the chosen hero to defeat Ganon
Ganon
, anglicized Gannon in early Japanese materials, and also known as , is a fictional character who is the main antagonist of Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda series of video games. He is the final boss of most games in the series. He was first given a back-story in A Link to the Past...
and doubles as a key to the Sacred Realm. First introduced in A Link To The Past, It has the power to "repel evil", which enables it to overcome powerful dark magic and evil beings and keep them from using the sword. It was forged at the direction of the godessess in order to prevent the Triforce from falling into evil hands. The sword traditionally rests in sacrosanct locations indigenous to Hyrule, such as the Temple of Time or the Lost Woods. Similar to Arthurian legend, the Master Sword is often first obtained by pulling it from a stone.
The sword is often not at full power, leading it to need to be "recharged" in some way, or have its power increased beyond its standard level to fight Ganon. There are some situations when the blade, already at full power, can be further improved; in A Link to the Past, it was tempered
Tempering
Tempering is a heat treatment technique for metals, alloys and glass. In steels, tempering is done to "toughen" the metal by transforming brittle martensite or bainite into a combination of ferrite and cementite or sometimes Tempered martensite...
to the Tempered Sword. It can later be upgraded to the Golden Sword. Similarly, in Twilight Princess, the sword is powered by two Sols in the Palace of Twilight. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, released as in Japan, is an action-adventure game and the tenth installment in The Legend of Zelda series. It was released for the Nintendo GameCube in Japan on December 13, 2002, in North America on March 24, 2003, in Europe on May 2, 2003, and in Australia on...
establishes that the sword needs the power of two sages praying to the gods in order to keep its powers, or else it will no longer be able to prevent an evil person from gaining the Triforce. In The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
is an action-adventure game for the Wii console and the sixteenth entry in the Legend of Zelda series. Developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development, it was released in Europe on November 18, 2011 in North America on November 20, 2011, in Japan on November 23, 2011, and on November...
, Link wields a weapon called the Goddess Sword which has a sentient female personality named Fi. The Goddess Sword will transform into the Master Sword later in the game.
The Master Sword is a double-edged one-handed sword
Arming sword
The arming sword is the single handed cruciform sword of the High Middle Ages, in common use between ca. 1000 and 1500, possibly remaining in rare use into the 16th century...
. The blade cross-section is hexagonal with no fuller
Fuller (weapon)
A fuller is a rounded or beveled groove or slot in the flat side of a blade . A fuller is often used to lighten the blade, much in the way that an I-beam shape allows a given amount of strength to be achieved with less material...
. On the flats of the blade near the hilt
Hilt
The hilt of a sword is its handle, consisting of a guard,grip and pommel. The guard may contain a crossguard or quillons. A ricasso may also be present, but this is rarely the case...
is a Triforce symbol, etched into the steel or emblazoned in gold. It has a blue or purple curved crossguard in the shape of a pair of wings with a small yellow jewel where it meets the hilt. The hilt is often padded red with a non-ornate blue pommel. Since The Wind Waker, the Master Sword's blade glows white when it is revived by the sages
Wise old man
The wise old man is an archetype as described by Carl Jung, as well as a classic literary figure, and may be seen as a stock character...
in the mid-game.
Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power magazine is a monthly news and strategy magazine formerly published in-house by Nintendo of America, but now run independently. As of issue #222 , Nintendo contracted publishing duties to Future US, the U.S. subsidiary of British publisher Future.The first issue published was...
listed the Master Sword as one of the best weapons, stating that it is more than just a powerful sword, but also important to Link's adventures.
Triforce
The , also called and the in the game Twilight Princess, is a triangular sacred relicRelic
In religion, a relic is a part of the body of a saint or a venerated person, or else another type of ancient religious object, carefully preserved for purposes of veneration or as a tangible memorial...
that represents the essences of the Golden Goddesses. It is made up of three smaller triangles known as the , and . Each of these embody the essence of their respective goddess, and bestow certain boons on their bearers. In most of its appearances, the Triforce or its pieces, manifest as a marking on the hands of their bearers. These markings resonate when near each other, and the Triforce pieces can emerge from their bearers.
When united, the Triforce allows one who touches it to make a wish that lasts until he dies or the wish is fulfilled. However, if the one who finds it does not possess a balance of the three virtues it represents, the pieces split into its three components and the finder is left with the one which represents the characteristic he values most; the other two pieces do likewise with two other characters "chosen by destiny." Ganon makes it his goal to obtain the Triforce in various games, often having a single piece himself that he uses to further his goals.
The Triforce of Power holds the presence of Din, the goddess of Power, and radiates the physical, and magical power of its bearer. It is usually associated with Ganon
Ganon
, anglicized Gannon in early Japanese materials, and also known as , is a fictional character who is the main antagonist of Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda series of video games. He is the final boss of most games in the series. He was first given a back-story in A Link to the Past...
, who is power-hungry. The Triforce of Wisdom embodies the essence of Nayru, the goddess of Wisdom, and amplifies the wisdom and mystical powers of its bearer. It is usually associated with Princess Zelda
Princess Zelda
is the name of a fictional character in The Legend of Zelda series of video games. The name has applied to every female member of Hyrule's royal family, which includes several distinct characters in Hyrule legend. Though she is the eponymous character, the player controls the main protagonist, Link...
, whose great wisdom brings peace and prosperity to Hyrule. The Triforce of Courage embodies the essence of Farore, the goddess of Courage, and seems to amplify the courage and adventuring skills of its bearer. It is usually associated with Link, the main protagonist of the series, who bravely defends Hyrule from Ganon.
This ancient relic in A Link To The Past was sealed away and protected in the sacred realm by the seven wise men.
Anouki
are an Inuit-like race which appear to be a cross between reindeer and penguins. There are different variations of them with purple, red, (which is found in a store at the winter realm sanctuary) blue, and yellow shirts and have either facial hair or small or big antlers. They are found on the Isle of Frost in the World of Ocean King and in Anouki Village in New Hyrule. In The Legend of Zelda: Spirit TracksThe Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks, released as in Japan, is the fifteenth installment of Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda series. Developed by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS handheld game console, it was released worldwide throughout December 2009 after Nintendo president Satoru Iwata announced the...
, the Anouki are the only race in the snow realm.
Bulblin
are a green, horned race, resembling the orcs of classic fantasy. They are cowardly and always fight for the stronger side. They are led by , who unlike the rest has the ability to talk. Bulbins usually fight with heavy clubs or flaming arrows, and commonly ride on boars. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight PrincessThe Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
is an action-adventure game developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development, and published by Nintendo for the GameCube and Wii video game consoles. It is the thirteenth installment in The Legend of Zelda series...
.
Cobble
The Cobble are a race that appear in Phantom Hourglass. The Cobble once inhabited a prosperous land called the Cobble Kingdom. By the time the game takes place, the only Cobble that remain are ghosts of the soldiers and King Mutoh, all of whom dress similar to the Ancient Egyptians and reside within their respective temples, all of which are shaped like pyramids. The Isle of Ruins in the Northeastern Sea is all that remains of the once-mighty kingdom, and Link must visit there to retrieve the Aquanine, a pure metal entrusted to the Cobble by the Ocean King. There, he delves beneath Mutoh's Temple and destroys a corrupt Cobble war machine that has been disrupting the king's eternal rest. Also, Astrid, the fortune-teller living on the Isle of Ember, tells Link that she and her deceased assistant, Kayo, are part of the Cobble race.Deku
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
is an action-adventure video game developed by Nintendo's Entertainment Analysis and Development division for the Nintendo 64 video game console. It was released in Japan on November 21, 1998; in North America on November 23, 1998; and in Europe on December 11, 1998...
. They appear mostly in the overworld
Overworld
An overworld is, in a broad sense, an area within a video game that interconnects all its levels or locations. They are mostly common in role-playing games, though this does not exclude other video game genres....
and dungeons. Deku are generally short and have leaves sprouting out from their heads. They often have red, glowing eyes, and their mouths are short, hollow tubes that can shoot "Deku Nuts." Their bodies consist entirely of wood and leaves, and they perish quickly if set on fire. They can fly by using large leaves to glide, and some can use the leaves on their head to fly for indefinite periods after taking off from a "Deku Flower."
There are four types of Deku depicted in the series: Deku Scrubs, Mad Scrubs, Business Scrubs and Royal Scrubs. Deku Scrubs are the most common type, which have green leaves. They often give information when caught. Mad Scrubs are violent, have red and yellow leaves, and do not talk. Business Scrubs are traders who offer to sell their wares and services. Royal Scrubs have larger heads, bigger eyes, smaller mouths, and they also have extra leaves covering their body.
In The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, Link can inhabit the body of an unknown Deku Scrub (who is rumored to be the son of the Deku King's butler) and can fly for a limited time with use of a Deku Flower and can shoot bubbles from its mouth (once he receives the magic meter from the Great Fairy).
Fairy
are a magical and benevolent race that aid Link during his quest in most games in the series. Fairies appear as small, winged humanoidHumanoid
A humanoid is something that has an appearance resembling a human being. The term first appeared in 1912 to refer to fossils which were morphologically similar to, but not identical with, those of the human skeleton. Although this usage was common in the sciences for much of the 20th century, it...
s, who are often obscured by emitted light. They can be found in many places, but usually reside in a Fairy Fountain or Fairy Spring, sometimes under the protection of a , which are the size of humans. These Fairies from the fountains will heal Link when he approaches, and if he traps one in a bottle, Link can release the fairy to have it heal him, or it will resurrect him if he dies. In Ocarina of Time, Guardian Fairies travel with the Kokiri and give them advice. One of these is Navi, who serves as Link's guardian fairy, or Tatl in Majora's Mask. In some of the games, such as The Minish Cap, players will be tested of their honesty and if they are, fairies give them gifts and upgrades.
Gerudo
The are a tribe of thievesTheft
In common usage, theft is the illegal taking of another person's property without that person's permission or consent. The word is also used as an informal shorthand term for some crimes against property, such as burglary, embezzlement, larceny, looting, robbery, shoplifting and fraud...
who mainly are desert-dwellers. Distinguishing physical traits of Gerudo typically include bronzed skin, scarlet hair, aquiline noses, gold eyes and, unlike the Hylians, round ears. Apart from a single male born to the Gerudo every hundred years, the race consists entirely of women. By Gerudo law, this man must become king of the tribe. Ganon
Ganon
, anglicized Gannon in early Japanese materials, and also known as , is a fictional character who is the main antagonist of Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda series of video games. He is the final boss of most games in the series. He was first given a back-story in A Link to the Past...
dorf, the main antagonist of the series, is one such man and is king of the Gerudo in Ocarina of Time. It is suggested that the Gerudo sometimes seek men from outside the tribe as partners. Although nothing is ever really confirmed, it is also thought that the Gerudo kidnap men when they need to reproduce. Gerudos appear as pirates in Majora's Mask, where they live in the ocean at Great Bay, are ruled by a woman instead of a man, and are enemies with the Zoras. They search for treasures in the sea (usually ending in trouble and failure, as seen when they steal the Zora Eggs laid by Lulu following a hint given by Skull Kid to invade Great Bay Temple) and assault unaware Zoras and fishermen, although they do not approach Clock Town.
Goron
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
is an action-adventure video game developed by Nintendo's Entertainment Analysis and Development division for the Nintendo 64 video game console. It was released in Japan on November 21, 1998; in North America on November 23, 1998; and in Europe on December 11, 1998...
as friendly characters, also appearing in The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, released as in Japan, is an action-adventure game and the tenth installment in The Legend of Zelda series. It was released for the Nintendo GameCube in Japan on December 13, 2002, in North America on March 24, 2003, in Europe on May 2, 2003, and in Australia on...
as nomadic traders. Goron culture revolves around brotherhood and strength, usually referring to each other and those they deem strong as "Brother." Gorons show high regard for individuals who display great strength, and particularly enjoy matching their strength with others in sumo wrestling matches. While not all the games which feature Gorons include full tribes, those that do depict Goron policy as headed by a single patriarch
Patriarch
Originally a patriarch was a man who exercised autocratic authority as a pater familias over an extended family. The system of such rule of families by senior males is called patriarchy. This is a Greek word, a compound of πατριά , "lineage, descent", esp...
, sometimes aided by one or more Goron Elders, who assume leadership of the tribe when the patriarch cannot. was the patriarch in the game Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. The Goron elders in Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess were: , and
For leisure, Gorons enjoy music and dance, rolling/racing, games, sumo wrestling, and bathing in hot springs. Gorons have taken on occupations such as crafting, blacksmithing, sculpting, demolition, and merchantry (usually explosives, which they are experts in producing). Gorons maintain a diet of rocks and iron. They also eat rock sirloin, amber
Amber
Amber is fossilized tree resin , which has been appreciated for its color and natural beauty since Neolithic times. Amber is used as an ingredient in perfumes, as a healing agent in folk medicine, and as jewelry. There are five classes of amber, defined on the basis of their chemical constituents...
, and metal shields as delicacies. Gorons enter the fetal position
Fetal position
Fetal position is a medical term used to describe the positioning of the body of a prenatal fetus as it develops...
, similar to an armadillo
Armadillo
Armadillos are New World placental mammals, known for having a leathery armor shell. Dasypodidae is the only surviving family in the order Cingulata, part of the superorder Xenarthra along with the anteaters and sloths. The word armadillo is Spanish for "little armored one"...
, for several purposes, such as resting, crushing obstacles, assaulting enemies, and transportation by rolling to great speeds. Gorons endowed with fairy magic can grow metal spikes while rolling.
Gorons make their return in Skyward Sword, but it is still not known what region they live in; it has been speculated that they are a nomadic people.
Gorons are universally male humanoids with generally beige skin, long arms, short legs, hulking shoulders, and virtually unnoticeable necks. Gorons seen in the games have round, purple eyes as well as prominent, rotund bellies. Unlike humans, Gorons lack external hearing organs; like reptile
Reptile
Reptiles are members of a class of air-breathing, ectothermic vertebrates which are characterized by laying shelled eggs , and having skin covered in scales and/or scutes. They are tetrapods, either having four limbs or being descended from four-limbed ancestors...
s, Gorons' ears are simply holes at the sides of their heads. By adulthood, Gorons appear to gain rock-like protrusions on their backs as well as in places where human hair would be on their faces. Most are the size of an average human, though some such as can grow as large as a mountain. Due to their great density, Gorons sink to the bottom of bodies of water and are thus helpless in such an environment. However, they do not require respiration to survive, as a Goron child proves by resting underwater, mentioning that he never feels the need to take a breath. Also, in Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, a Goron becomes permanently submerged in the main pool in Zora's Domain, but rather enjoys the cold water rather than drowning. Gorons are exceptionally resistant to heat, to the point of being able to walk through shallow lava
Lava
Lava refers both to molten rock expelled by a volcano during an eruption and the resulting rock after solidification and cooling. This molten rock is formed in the interior of some planets, including Earth, and some of their satellites. When first erupted from a volcanic vent, lava is a liquid at...
.
In The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, Link can inhabit the body of the deceased Goron hero Darmani and use the ability to roll and punch as hard as the Megaton Hammer from Ocarina of Time.
Human
Humans are a common race similar to Hylians although can be told apart with the structure of their ears. A community of humans live in Ordon Village in Hyrule as well as other countries of the Light World such as Holodrum, Labrynna and islands of the Great Sea. In Ocarina of Time you can find humans in Kakariko Village and In the Marketplace just outside of Hyrule castleHylian
are an elf-like race that make up the main population of Hyrule. They were the first race to establish organized civilization in ancient Hyrule and are born with magic-infused blood, said to be a gift from the gods, endowing them with psychic powers and skill in wizardry. Their long, pointed ears allow them to hear messages from the gods. Link and Princess Zelda belong to this race in most games in the series. In some games, such as Twilight Princess, Hylians are referred to as "humans", possibly because the only difference between the Hylians and Humans are their ears, making it simpler to refer to both races as "Humans".In Skyward Sword Hylians live on a floating island known as Skyloft and are accompinied by bird like species called Loftwings
Keaton
are a generally-benevolent, three-tailed fox-like race, mostly found in Termina. They normally stay hidden from sight, although they reveal themselves to Link and challenge him with a quiz if he wears a Keaton Mask. No known Keaton exist in Hyrule at the time of Ocarina of Time, although at least one of them is a well-known fictional character in Hyrule Castle Town. By the time of The Minish Cap, however, some rather thuggish Keaton roam the Hyrule countryside, now walking on their hindpaws and with only one tail instead of three; if they injure Link, he loses a few Rupees. They bear a striking resemblance to NinetailsNine-tailed fox
The Nine-tailed fox is a mythological creature that has the appearance of a fox but with nine tails. This mythological creature was first created in Asia .-Mythology:...
, which was in turn based on the Japanese mythological kitsune
Kitsune
is the Japanese word for fox. Foxes are a common subject of Japanese folklore; in English, kitsune refers to them in this context. Stories depict them as intelligent beings and as possessing magical abilities that increase with their age and wisdom. Foremost among these is the ability to assume...
. Their faces also resemble that of the Pokemon
Pokémon
is a media franchise published and owned by the video game company Nintendo and created by Satoshi Tajiri in 1996. Originally released as a pair of interlinkable Game Boy role-playing video games developed by Game Freak, Pokémon has since become the second most successful and lucrative video...
Pikachu
Pikachu
is one of the species of Pokémon creatures from the Pokémon media franchise—a collection of video games, anime, manga, books, trading cards, and other media created by Satoshi Tajiri. As do all Pokémon, Pikachu fight other Pokémon in battles central to the anime, manga, and games of the series...
.
Kikwi
The Kikwi are a race in Skyward Sword who inhabit the Faron Forest region. They have the appearance of a black-and-white wingless bird wearing a mask. Their name is a reference to both the kiwi bird and fruit - both of which they resemble. They have the ability to partially bury themselves underground and cause a plant to blossom from their backs for camouflage, though some are better at it then others. They are rumored to be related to the Kokiri/Koroks, being a forest-dwelling race led by a guardian figure with large facial hair.Kokiri and Koroks
The are a humanoidHumanoid
A humanoid is something that has an appearance resembling a human being. The term first appeared in 1912 to refer to fossils which were morphologically similar to, but not identical with, those of the human skeleton. Although this usage was common in the sciences for much of the 20th century, it...
fairy
Fairy
A fairy is a type of mythical being or legendary creature, a form of spirit, often described as metaphysical, supernatural or preternatural.Fairies resemble various beings of other mythologies, though even folklore that uses the term...
race in Ocarina of Time who inhabit the Kokiri Forest. They are ageless, child-like elves created by the Great Deku Tree, and each has a guardian fairy that plays the role of friend, parent, guardian, and teacher. Cautious and secretive, these elven creatures believe that they will die if they leave the forest. It is also suggested that if they wander too deep into the forest and remain there for too long, they will become a skull kid. Interestingly, they bear a slight resemblance to Peter Pan
Peter Pan
Peter Pan is a character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie . A mischievous boy who can fly and magically refuses to grow up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood adventuring on the small island of Neverland as the leader of his gang the Lost Boys, interacting with...
, as they are both children, elf-like, wear similar clothing, live in a forest, are accompanied by a Fairy and most importantly, never grow up.
The of Wind Waker are said to have been transformed from the Kokiri. They are small creatures with bodies that look like wood and masks made from leaves. They are very light, which allows them to travel by using sprouts as propellers over wind currents. They leave their home, the "Forest Haven", in order to plant seeds from the Great Deku Tree all over the world, and only return once a year to hold a ceremony to obtain more seeds.
Lokomo
are a humanoid race first appearing in The Legend of Zelda: Spirit TracksThe Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks, released as in Japan, is the fifteenth installment of Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda series. Developed by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS handheld game console, it was released worldwide throughout December 2009 after Nintendo president Satoru Iwata announced the...
. All but one of the encountered Lokomo are sages who reside in the five realms of New Hyrule, as well as the Tower of Spirits. They are distinguishable by their pointed ears (similar to Hylians) and their short legs, forcing them to use motorized carts for transportation. However, a Lokomo named Byrne [Staven in the European version] is capable of walking on his legs and is exceptionally strong.
Oocca
The are a race of birds with long necks and human-like faces that appear in The Twilight Princess. They live in the "", an airborne city that acts as the seventh dungeonDungeon
A dungeon is a room or cell in which prisoners are held, especially underground. Dungeons are generally associated with medieval castles, though their association with torture probably belongs more to the Renaissance period...
in the Twilight Princess. An Oocca woman named is found in the game's dungeons, and can warp the player back to the entrance to the dungeon. Ooccoo's son, , warps the player back to where Ooccoo was used to warp out. They bear a striking resemblance to the statue in M.C. Escher painting, Another World.
In Twilight Princess, these creatures are mentioned to be closer to the gods than the hylians. They were the race who created hylians, and at the same time created a new capital in the skies for them to live in. In Twilight Princess, Link reaches this city by launching himself out of an enormous reconstructed ancient cannon.
Minish
Minish, also referred to as , are small humanoid creatures similar in size of bugs that tend to be helpful, although was an example of an evil Picori. They're only visible to children and tend to live in forests, but also appear inside of buildings and holes in and around various spots of Hyrule. Three variations of the Minish which can be distinguished by their attire: Forest Minish, Town Minish and Mountain Minish. They first appear in The Minish Cap.Mogma
The Mogma are a mole-like race from Skyward Sword who live in the Eldin Volcano region. They appear to be anthropmorphic rodentine creatures with elongated arms, and each has their own distinctive hairstyle. The Mogma hide underground by burrowing with their claws. They are demolition experts known to never go anywhere without their bomb bag.Parella
The Parella are an aquatic race from Skyward Sword who live in the underwater spiraling caverns of Lake Floria. They are a squid-like race, and look almost like the aquatic Octoroks from Ocarina of Time. Interestingly, conical spirals seem to be a major part of their design, appearing as both their central body and the shape of their dwellings. Red coral grows from their heads.Rito
The , also known as the Bird-people, are a race of bird-like humanoids in The Wind Waker. Their main habitat is on Dragon Roost Island, an island on the Great Sea. They have a tribal elder, with numerous followers and elaborately dressed guards. No Rito is born with wings, and instead, must visit the tribes' guardian, the great Sky Spirit, Valoo, to receive one of his scales which enables them to grow wings. It is a coming of age ceremony of the Rito, to journey to the great Valoo to receive their scale. Children without wings are called Fledglings.Rito are viewed upon by outsiders somewhat dubiously. Some have an inexplicable bigotry directed towards them, perhaps out of jealousy. Still, Rito are widely accepted as mail carriers, as only they can traverse the seas without cumbersome ships. Rito are capable of flying quickly, and full-grown members can carry humans for a short time.
The Rito may be inspired by the Watarara race in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time manga, generally considered not to be canon. These people were more like giant birds than humans, but had a similar gaining of wings past a certain age and the same chieftain leadership structure. Rito resemble condors, and seem to have some relation with the Andean culture: males have dark skin and the main theme of the Dragon Roost Island contains some Andean instruments such as zampoña (or pan pipes) and charango.
Rito are humanoid, bird-like creatures. They have a mix of human and animal biological characteristics, with very distinctive traits. The Rito appear to be covered by dark shaded skin or feathers. Most Rito have red colored eyes, although the Rito Chieftain has yellow eyes. They, like many other races in the series, have pointed ears. The Rito have bird-like feet as well, though oddly without talons. Rito also have some sort of beak where a human's nose would be found, though the shape and size of this beak varies through different Rito. Unlike normal birds this beak appears to be only used for smelling, and cannot be used as a mouth, the Rito have a more human-like mouth below this beak.
Throughout a young Rito's childhood, he or she is called a Fledgling and is flightless without any wings. After a child reaches a certain age they can only receive their wings after they retrieve a scale from the dragon, Valoo. Their wings are unique in that they protrude from their forearms, similar to where a Zora's fins would be. These have an appearance similar to the sleeves of a cloak when the Rito is not in flight. While not in use wings of a Rito are mostly white with black colored plumage located along the ends. When in flight the top of a Rito's wings are colored brown with black along the edges while the bottoms of the wings contain white colored plumage along the wings interior. However Medli has pure white colored wings, possibly suggesting that female Rito have white wings or that her wings are not fully grown yet.
Most Rito are able to fly over a great distance and can hover in place, but some like Medli have trouble flying for long periods of time. This is likely due to inexperience at flying, however. Like humans, Rito's heads are covered by hair that are of different colors and lengths for each person. Most males, however, seem to have white colored hair, even at a young age.
It is revealed in The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker that the Rito are descended from the Zora; when Hyrule was flooded, they evolved into bird-like creatures to better suit their surroundings. This is supported by Medli when she gives Link the Grappling Hook, stating that it was used by the Rito before they evolved wings. This hints that they used it when they were Zoras or when they were changing from Zoras to Rito.
Ancient Robots
The Ancient Robots are a mechanical race from Skyward Sword. They were created by an unknown ancient civilization and seemed to outlive their creators, though the land they lived in eventually succumed to time and became a barren desert while they rusted away. By using a Timeshift Stone they can be brought back to life and are shown to serve three purposes. Some of them mine for Timeshift Stones, one group was banded together to serve as protectors of one of the Sacred Flames, and a small number act as servants of the Thunder Dragon. In addition there is a band of Ancient Robot Pirates, though only one of them is seen throughout the entire game.Sheikah
The are an ancient clan of mysterious ninjaNinja
A or was a covert agent or mercenary of feudal Japan specializing in unorthodox arts of war. The functions of the ninja included espionage, sabotage, infiltration, and assassination, as well as open combat in certain situations...
-like warriors, often referred to as the "shadows" of the Hylians, sworn to protect the Hylian Royal Family. Eventually Impa during Ocarina of Time and Impaz during Twilight Princess are the last surviving members of the tribe. The Sheikah's symbol of a crying eye is commonly seen in the series, even in games where the Sheikah are not present. In the Ocarina of Time manga, it is explained by Sheik that the symbol of the Sheikah used to only consist of a normal eye but was changed when a betrayal occurred, context suggests the Royal Family somehow betrayed the Sheikah and the teardrop was added to represent the sorrow of their tribe. In Ocarina of Time they are referred to as an extinct race, with Impa being the only surviving member (even though Princess Zelda poses as one while hiding from Ganondorf), and builders of the Shadow Temple. The reason for constructing this eerie mysterious structure is not fully known. It is said that the Sheikah people were fascinated by a search for truth. They were also the creators of the mask of truth (sold by the happy mask salesmen of castle town in Ocarina of Time). In Skyward Sword, Ocarina of Time, and Majoras Mask, Sheikah Stones or Gossip Stones created by the Sheikah give Link information on where to go and what to do.
Light Spirits
There are four throughout Hyrule, with all the light spirits being a light gold. All of the light spirits are located in the Legend of Zelda:Twilight Princess.The first light spirit is , best described as an Ordon Goat. Ordona has a spiraling circular orb in between her antlers and first appears at Ordon Spring. She appears once Link has defeated the first Twilit Messenger.
The second light spirit, , is described as a monkey/ape. He is holding his golden orb with his tail eclipsed over his head. He appears in Faron Spring, and will fully appear when Link has completed the first collection of twilight bugs.
The third light spirit, , is described as an eagle, with his orb between his feet. He appears in the lake near the shaman's house in Kakariko Villiage, and will fully appear once Link has completed the second collection of twilight bugs.
The fourth and last light spirit, , is described as a serpent, with his orb inside his mouth. He appears in the cave at Lake Hylia. He fully appears when Link has completed the third and final collection of twilight bugs. But once Link is back to his human form, and after Lanayru tells him the story of the three goddesses and the three Fused Shadows, Zant appears. Zant will then embed the Shadow Crystal in Link's skull that will allow Link to transform into his human and wolf form.
Subrosian
are a mysterious race which live in the subterranean world of Subrosia. They have large glowing eyes and are always seen wearing either green, blue or red hooded cloaks, (though one Subrosian wears a yellow cloak with a ribbon). They are shy when around people of other races and prefer to be rarely seen. They can survive in lava and tend to relax in pools of lava, and use a currency made of metal rocks found in the ground called Ore Chunks. They first appear in Oracle of Seasons.Tokay
are a race of reptilian lizards with green scales and tails who reside on Crescent Island in Labrynna. They are known to search for valuable items that they can find and are known to be deceitful. They are also expert gardeners which are able to grow scent seeds from seedlings over a course of four hundred years. They have never seen anyone from other races so when they see Link, they think he's a Tokay without a tail and call him "Strange Tokay". They first appear in Oracle of Ages.Twili
are a race which come from the Twilight Realm. They are the descendants of the Dark Interlopers which were sent to the Twilight Realm by the after trying to seize control of the Sacred Realm and later evolved to what they are now. Eventually, they abandoned their plans to rule the Sacred Realm and Hyrule and became peacefully adapted to their new lifestyle in the Twilight Realm. One member of their race is . They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight PrincessThe Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
is an action-adventure game developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development, and published by Nintendo for the GameCube and Wii video game consoles. It is the thirteenth installment in The Legend of Zelda series...
. was also part of this race. He was granted the power to overthrow Midna by Ganon and then served Ganon in taking over Hyrule. It is possible that the Interlopers were either the Sheikah since there is a symbol on Zant's throne and they were allies of The Royal Family, or they were the Gerudo since that the Twili were a tribe of thieves and the entrance of the Twilight Realm in the Gerudo Desert. Is is also known that the recurring villain, Dark Link, might be a Interloper or possibly a relative to them, for which it is unknown.
The skin tone of the Twili is mostly black while their faces, necks, and chest tend to have gray and patterns in a marked contrast to the rest of their bodies. The Twili have a stretched, elongated appearance, with long limbs, necks, and heads, and great variances in overall height and girth (although the shorter Twili could just be children, which would also explain their girth). It also appears that common Twili are incapable of speaking the Hylian Language, and appear to only be able to utter a moan when Link draws near, which may be their own language. If this is the case, those moans may possibly be speeches that sound like moans because Link does not understand the language.
Yeti
and in Snowpeak Ruins in the game Twilight Princess were . Yeto helps Link by giving him soup that heal up to eight hearts of his health. Male yetis look like the real-life YetiYeti
The Yeti or Abominable Snowman is an ape-like cryptid said to inhabit the Himalayan region of Nepal, and Tibet. The names Yeti and Meh-Teh are commonly used by the people indigenous to the region, and are part of their history and mythology...
only they have large, beaver tails, have saddles for hats and speak with poor grammar. The females, however, are smaller than the males and wear an armless sweater, showing no arms or tail.
Zora
The are a race of piscine humanoids which appear in nearly every game of the series. Zoras rely heavily on water, in fact they can only live on "land for limited time periods," and reflect this dependency in their culture. Zoras are mostly seen gracefully swimming about and frolicking in water. Besides routine swimming and sports, Zoras also enjoy music.Most Zoras do not wear clothing
Clothing
Clothing refers to any covering for the human body that is worn. The wearing of clothing is exclusively a human characteristic and is a feature of nearly all human societies...
, and they are generally covered in silver scale
Scale (zoology)
In most biological nomenclature, a scale is a small rigid plate that grows out of an animal's skin to provide protection. In lepidopteran species, scales are plates on the surface of the insect wing, and provide coloration...
s, which give them a pale blue sheen from a distance. Where humans sometimes have long hair, average Zoras have rear-hanging caudal extensions that resemble tails. These tails undulate periodically, which gives a Zora's head the unique semblance of a fish. They are sometimes depicted as having webbed feet (except for Queen Rutela from Twilight Princess who appears to have two flat mermaid-like fins that fall down like a skirt) and hands. They lack ears in the traditional sense, but do have pronounced noses and gills on their abdomen. Their fins can be used to fight by extending out to serve as sharp-edged weapons. Zoras lay egg
Egg (biology)
An egg is an organic vessel in which an embryo first begins to develop. In most birds, reptiles, insects, molluscs, fish, and monotremes, an egg is the zygote, resulting from fertilization of the ovum, which is expelled from the body and permitted to develop outside the body until the developing...
s to reproduce. Zora eggs need to be kept in cold, clean water to develop healthily, and every egg from the same clutch
Clutch (eggs)
A clutch of eggs refers to all the eggs produced by birds or reptiles, often at a single time, particularly those laid in a nest.In birds, destruction of a clutch by predators, , results in double-clutching...
must be kept together for them to hatch. Newborn Zoras are tadpole
Tadpole
A tadpole or polliwog is the wholly aquatic larval stage in the life cycle of an amphibian, particularly that of a frog or toad.- Appellation :...
-like with a circular body and a long, skinny tail ending in a fluke.
Zora government is apparently monarchical
Monarchy
A monarchy is a form of government in which the office of head of state is usually held until death or abdication and is often hereditary and includes a royal house. In some cases, the monarch is elected...
, either ruled by a king, , or queen, such as Queen from the game Twilight Princess. Two different tribes exist, "river Zora" are more violent and are able to shoot fire, while "sea Zora" make up the friendly Zoras. The Zora Royal Family is responsible for maintaining order among their people, overseeing care for , whom they worship as a guardian god, and assuring that the waters upon which he and all creatures rely are clean and pure.
The Zora appear to be an extinct race in the Wind Waker game; a sage named is encountered in spirit. They may be linked to the race of bird people, along with the Princess .
In The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
is the fourteenth game in Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda series. It was released after The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess for the Wii and before The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks for the Nintendo DS...
, there are monsters known as Zora Warriors who often emerge from bodies of water. However, it is unknown if and how they are related to the Zoras mentioned in earlier games.
In The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, Link is able to inhabit the body of the Zora Mikau, who was killed by Gerudo pirates, and can use his fins as boomerangs.
Creatures
are living statues or suits of armor that come to life and attack enemies when touched. The Minish Cap features them as guards created by the Wind Tribe. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda. are pillar-mounted mechanical eyes that rotate 360 degrees in search of intruders. They fire beams at the intruders while they are in sight, and they often keep tracking them as they move about. They first appeared in A Link to the Past. are electrified jellyfish that can live in or out of water. They often split into smaller duplicates after being attacked.- Blade Traps are actually not enemies, but indestructible metallic devices armed with spikes. Some sense intruders and fly towards them, while others move in a set pattern. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda., also known as Anti-Fairies or Wisps, are flaming skull enemies able to sprout wings. Their flames come in many colors, but the most common are red and blue. Link is temporarily unable to use his sword after touching them. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda.
- Buzzblobs are mobile creatures made of goo. They are passive, but generate large amounts of static electricity when hit. Buzzblobs cannot be defeated outright by swords, with the exception of the Golden Sword, requiring the use of various ranged weapons, which can either defeat them instantly or stun them, leaving them vulnerable to sword strikes. They are skinny down near the ground and widen at the top. are jelly-like creatures with squat, translucent bodies, stalk-eyes, and a permanently smiling mouth that have a variety of colors. In The Wind Waker their appearance was change to upright, opaque bodies and vibrantly colored faces. They come in Green, Red (the two most common colors), Yellow, Blue and dark Purple. They aggressively attack anything that invades their territory by tackling it, but will hide in puddles on the ground if no one is close. They mostly move by bouncing around, though the Green, Yellow and Blue ChuChus will occasionally melt and turn into small invincible puddles, and proceed to move around in their puddle forms until they can get close to Link, or until Link uses an item such as his Boomerang to stun and coax them out of their puddles. In Twilight Princess, after one is killed, Link can use their puddles as potions or lantern fuel, depending on the type of ChuChu. They first appeared in Majora's Mask. are essentially chickens. They mostly come in white, although Twilight Princess had black, brown, and grey variants as well. In Ocarina of Time there was a single blue cucco that was used in a trading sequence. Cuccos are not aggressive on their own, but if repeatedly attacked, they will crow, causing a swarm of cuccos to fly in and attack the violator until he or she dies or leaves the area. Cuccos first appeared in A Link to the Past. However, in Twilight Princess after a certain number of hits you get to control the cucco for several seconds. In Twilight Princess, there is a golden cucco that you must use to fly across gaps in order to enter to the Sacred Grove. are large armored knights armed with swords and shields. In The Wind Waker when their helmets are removed they are revealed to have jackal-like heads. Some Darknuts also have capes, which must be destroyed before they can be hurt. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda. They reappear in groups at Hyrule Castle. They appear also in Twilight Princess for the first time in The Temple of Time, and in several other dungeons thereafter. are carnivorous plantCarnivorous plantCarnivorous plants are plants that derive some or most of their nutrients from trapping and consuming animals or protozoans, typically insects and other arthropods. Carnivorous plants appear adapted to grow in places where the soil is thin or poor in nutrients, especially nitrogen, such as acidic...
s, with a venus fly trap-like mouth, and sprout from the ground whenever their rootRootIn vascular plants, the root is the organ of a plant that typically lies below the surface of the soil. This is not always the case, however, since a root can also be aerial or aerating . Furthermore, a stem normally occurring below ground is not exceptional either...
s detect any potential prey. They first appeared in Ocarina of Time. are carnivorous dinosaurs that resemble gigantic iguanas, move slowly, and can breathe powerful blasts of flame. Other types of Dodongos include Baby Dodongos, which are infant, worm-like creatures which explode when attacked, and Big Dodongos, which are larger versions of normal Dodongos. A King Dodongo appears as a boss in Ocarina of Time. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda. and Wallmasters are ghostly or zombified manifestations of giant hands that drag adventurers back to the entrance of a dungeon. Floormasters roam around the room and are visible at all times, while Wallmasters hide on the ceiling out of sight. Also, Floormasters split up into smaller versions when the original is attacked, whereas Wallmasters do not. Floormasters first appeared in Ocarina of Time; Wallmasters first appeared in The Legend of Zelda. are undead creatures wrapped like mummiesMummyA mummy is a body, human or animal, whose skin and organs have been preserved by either intentional or incidental exposure to chemicals, extreme coldness , very low humidity, or lack of air when bodies are submerged in bogs, so that the recovered body will not decay further if kept in cool and dry...
. They resemble ReDeads in regard to their slow and zombie-like movement; in some games, setting a Gibdo's bandages alight will reveal a Stalfos or a ReDead underneath. In Majora's Mask Link can use a Gibdo Mask to communicate with them. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda. - Iron Knuckles are heavily armored knights with axes. While they are even slower than the Darknuts they are the most powerful enemies in their games as they can take four hearts from Link with just one hit and because of that they are often used to guard treasures. They first appeared in The Adventure of Link. are batBatBats are mammals of the order Chiroptera "hand" and pteron "wing") whose forelimbs form webbed wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight. By contrast, other mammals said to fly, such as flying squirrels, gliding possums, and colugos, glide rather than fly,...
-like monsters that often lurk in caves and dungeons, where they will fly around erratically, and occasionally stop to rest. There are fire and ice variants, which can respectively use fire and ice to attack enemies. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda. are cactus-like monsters that primarily live in sandy areas, such as deserts and beaches, and they live beneath the sand, burrowing to the top to attack in ambush. Leevers generally have a conical shape that tapers towards the top, and sharp leaves on top. They attack by spinning rapidly and slamming into whatever they are attacking. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda. are yellowish cylindrical monsters that can suck in creatures as large as humans and consume items they carry. They are known for swallowing the shields and tunics that Link uses. Like Likes dissolve into a puddle when killed, leaving the stolen items. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda. are humanoid monsters that usually reside in forests. In the original Legend of Zelda and The Adventure of Link, Moblins resembled bulldogs, but are pig-like in more recent games. They are sometimes accompanied by Pig Warriors, monsters with the same basic form but more porcine characteristics. Both types commonly wield spears, swords, bows, or occasionally massive clubs. They are one of the most common enemies within the games they appear, and are considered "mighty", but also "dumb". They are described as greedy, self-possessed creatures, and the major antagonist will commonly use them as mercenaries or summoned monsters. Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons feature a larger, senior Moblin known as the Great Moblin, who terrorizes Holodrum and Labrynna. Wind Waker introduces two variations: Miniblins, rodent-like beasts that carry pitchforks, and Bokoblins, impish creatures. In Spirit Tracks Miniblins were pirates usually led by a "Big Blin," a larger, muscled variation that wields a spiked club. are humanoidHumanoidA humanoid is something that has an appearance resembling a human being. The term first appeared in 1912 to refer to fossils which were morphologically similar to, but not identical with, those of the human skeleton. Although this usage was common in the sciences for much of the 20th century, it...
lizardLizardLizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with nearly 3800 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica as well as most oceanic island chains...
s that stand upright and wield a shield and either a spear or hammer. Lizalfos in later games are rapid-moving monsters that often attack in pairs or small groups. They first appeared in The Adventure of Link. are land-dwelling, octopusOctopusThe octopus is a cephalopod mollusc of the order Octopoda. Octopuses have two eyes and four pairs of arms, and like other cephalopods they are bilaterally symmetric. An octopus has a hard beak, with its mouth at the center point of the arms...
-like enemies that attack by shooting rocks from their mouth. There are also aquatic and sea variations that shoot bombs. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda. are helicopter-like enemies that take the appearances of plants. In Twilight Princes they are not enemies and can be used as a transportation method via the Clawshot. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda. are lantern-carrying ghosts formed from concentrated hatred toward the world that freely roams graveyards and other haunted locales. They always carry their signature lanterns. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda. are creatures with large rabbit-like ears that hop around rooms in erratic patterns. They hate loud noises. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda. are undead creatures resembling zombies with a dark brown skin and flat mask-like faces that can paralyze enemies with a scream, and cling to them to drain health away. They first appeared in Ocarina of Time. are giant spiders, named for the white, bony plate in the shape of a human skull that forms its carapace. Skulltulas and giant Skulltulas hang upside down in an upright position, suspended by a strand of silk thread from a ceiling surface. In Ocarina of Time, there is also a smaller variant called the Skullwalltula which are also encountered first before the Skulltulas. - Stalchild are smaller forms of the Stalfos. They only appear in dark places and at night. Unlike Stalfos, they do not carry any weapons, usually swiping at their target with their arms. In Ocarina of Time, after a certain number is defeated, a larger one appears, supposedly their leader. They make their debut in Ocarina of Time. are animated skeletons mostly from the remains of dead warriors who still have a strong will to fight, and serve evil powers such as GanonGanon, anglicized Gannon in early Japanese materials, and also known as , is a fictional character who is the main antagonist of Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda series of video games. He is the final boss of most games in the series. He was first given a back-story in A Link to the Past...
or Vaati. In Ocarina of Time, by using the Mask of Truth, the player learns from a Gossip Stone that any adult that enters Lost Woods without the protection of a Guardian Fairy will become a monster (although it's only revealed that such monster is a Stalfos during the Biggoron Sword quest, when link trades in the Odd Potion for the Poacher's Saw). They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda. are human-sized four-legged insectInsectInsects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
oid creatures who use their powerful legs to leap upon and attack prey. The Blue ones are able to walk on water. And both Blue and Red can jump up cliffs. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda. are bat-like creatures that when hit with a weapon weaker than the Master Sword or equivalent, split into two Keese. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda. are magicMagic (gaming)Some role-playing games or game systems can include a set of rules that are used to portray magic in the paranormal sense. These rules simulate the effects that magic would have within the game context, according to how the game designer intended the magic to be portrayed...
-using enemies that wear wizard's robes (hence their name) and often use fire and ice magic before disappearing and reappearing somewhere else. In The Wind Waker they can also summon other enemies and resemble robed, anthropomorphic toucanToucanToucans are members of the family Ramphastidae of near passerine birds from the Neotropics. The family is most closely related to the American barbets. They are brightly marked and have large, often colorful bills. The family includes five genera and about forty different species...
s. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda. are wolf like creatures that appear in most Zelda games. They are usually found in grassy or snowy terrains, where their fur changes according to each. White Wolfos, usually found in snowy terrains, hit harder than the normal Wolfos, but its back is as fragile as a normal one's. They first appeared in Ocarina of Time. are simple blob-like enemies with two eyes. They often hide between the tiles of dungeon floors, waiting to pop out and jump. Zols are much larger than Gels, and in many games, weaker attacks will cause a Zol to split into two Gels. Both Zols and Gels first appeared in The Legend of Zelda.
Reception
In their January 2010 issue, Nintendo PowerNintendo Power
Nintendo Power magazine is a monthly news and strategy magazine formerly published in-house by Nintendo of America, but now run independently. As of issue #222 , Nintendo contracted publishing duties to Future US, the U.S. subsidiary of British publisher Future.The first issue published was...
listed Hyrule as one of the greatest Nintendo locations, citing the vast number of areas to explore, as well as referencing players' first experiences with the Lost Woods and Death Mountain as highlights of the players' adventures.