The Legend of Zelda

The Legend of Zelda is a video game series from Japanese designers Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka. Nintendo handles most development and publishing, though some games and re-releases have been handled by Flagship, Grezzo, and Tantalus Media. The story follows different versions of Link, a brave young man from the elf-like Hylian race, and Princess Zelda, a princess descended from the goddess Hylia. Together, they protect the land of Hyrule from Ganon, an evil warlord who becomes a demon king and wants to use the Triforce—a sacred relic that grants any wish when complete—to reshape the world in his dark image. Zelda often appears as a damsel in distress or a helper who aids Link. If someone with an unbalanced heart—lacking Power, Courage, and Wisdom—touches the Triforce, it splits into three triangles and bonds with three people who each embody one virtue. While Ganon is the main antagonist across the series, some games feature other settings and foes, with Link traveling or being sent to those lands in their time of need. Since the first game in 1986, the series has grown to 21 main entries on all major Nintendo consoles, plus spin-offs. An American animated TV series aired in 1989, and manga adaptations commissioned by Nintendo have been produced in Japan since 1997. The Legend of Zelda is one of Nintendo’s most successful franchises, and many of its games are considered among the best ever made.

Gameplay mixes puzzles, action-adventure, and exploration. These elements were consistent early on, with small refinements in each new game. Later installments add stealth, where players avoid enemies while moving through a level, and racing elements. Depending on the game, players control Link or Zelda from a fixed top-down view or in a 3D world with a free-roaming camera. Games can be finished with little exploration or side quests, but solving puzzles or finding hidden areas often rewards players with helpful items or stronger abilities. Some items appear repeatedly across the series, while others are unique to one game. Common staples include bombs (used as weapons or to open blocked or hidden doors), boomerangs (which kill or paralyze enemies), keys for locked doors, shields, bows and arrows, light sources, magical rods, hammers, musical instruments, digging tools, and a grappling hook-like device called the hookshot. Items can be bought, rented, or found as puzzle rewards, depending on the game. In 2017’s Breath of the Wild and its 2023 sequel, Tears of the Kingdom, swords and other weapons once found in dungeons or shops are now found in the world or taken from defeated enemies. These are swapped out via a menu, while the sword is usually fixed. In Echoes of Wisdom, echoes copied by Zelda can attack or clear paths with bombs. Early in some Zelda games, swords are given to Link or found in a secluded area. More powerful swords or special abilities can be discovered or taught to him. Existing weapons can also be upgraded. The motion controls of 2011’s Skyward Sword, using the Wii’s Wii MotionPlus or the Switch’s Joy-Con, simulate sword fighting by swinging the controller in specific directions to attack or counter blocks. Breath of the Wild introduced a physics engine, allowing solutions like crushing an enemy with a boulder, and a chemistry engine—a rule-based system where elements like fire, water, and wind interact with objects and each other. Echoes of Wisdom also changes combat, as the playable Zelda cannot directly hit enemies. Instead, she uses the Tri Rod to create echoes by copying objects and enemies, then recreating them to solve puzzles and defeat foes, even if those objects or enemies aren’t in the area. Newer Zelda titles also include physics-based techniques that let Link or Zelda remotely move or drop objects on enemies, drop enemies down holes, or propel themselves across gaps. Though the games have role-playing elements—Zelda II: The Adventure of Link is the only one with an experience system—they focus on straightforward hack-and-slash combat. This has sparked debate over whether Zelda games are action RPGs, a genre the series strongly influenced. In 1992, co-creator Shigeru Miyamoto disagreed with that label, calling Zelda “a real-time adventure game.” He said he wasn’t interested in systems where everything is decided by stats and numbers, but wanted to preserve a “live” feeling, and felt action games convey that better. In 2012, Dark Souls director Hidetaka Miyazaki listed A Link to the Past as one of his top RPGs, alongside Dragon Quest III, Wizardry, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, and the card game Magic: The Gathering. The games pioneered features that became industry standards. The original Zelda was the first console game with a save function that let players stop and resume later. Ocarina of Time introduced a targeting system that let the player lock onto enemies.