Light World

A medieval-inspired fantasy realm where Hylians and heroes battle Ganon across thousands of years of history.

The Legend of Zelda franchise centers on a fantasy world reminiscent of medieval Europe, with Hyrule serving as its most predominant land. Created by designers Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka, this universe features recurring locations, races like the pointed-eared Hylians, and creatures drawn from a rich creation myth. The setting was partially inspired by the Kyoto countryside explored by Miyamoto in his childhood. While Link is usually the main player character battling monsters to defeat Ganon, players primarily play as Princess Zelda in 2024's Echoes of Wisdom. Nintendo has developed a lore timeline spanning thousands of years across this expansive world.

Quick Facts

Primary inhabitants: Hylians
Key location: Hyrule
Antagonistic force: Ganon; Demise

Lore & Background

Hyrule was established as the original setting for The Legend of Zelda in 1986, conceived by Miyamoto as a 'miniature garden that you can put into a drawer.' Initially designed with a top-down perspective inspired by dungeon crawlers like The Black Onyx and Ultima, the world featured a nonlinear grid map comprising 128 areas. In 1998, Ocarina of Time transitioned Hyrule into a 3D environment on the Nintendo 64, later evolving into the seamless open world of Breath of the Wild in 2017. The series' lore includes Skyward Sword as the chronological beginning, where the antagonist Demise cursed the first incarnations of Link and Zelda to an endless cycle of reincarnation to protect Hyrule from evil. This recurring plot often involves Ganon attempting to obtain the Triforce for ultimate power.

Reader's Guide

To explore this world, players must navigate a seamless open world or grid-based map filled with puzzles and monsters. The original design required up to several hours to navigate, with maps included in North American releases sealed with the message: 'You should only use the map and strategic tips as a last resort.' Development began alongside Super Mario Bros., shifting from a focus on user-created dungeons to a single-player experience after Miyamoto felt players needed to explore above ground. The world is populated by Hylians, identifiable by their long, pointed ears, and uses a fictional currency known as the rupee. While Link typically guides the journey, Echoes of Wisdom shifts the perspective to Zelda. The setting draws inspiration from the Kyoto countryside and the American television series Twin Peaks for character depth.

Did You Know?

The name 'Hyrule' was chosen by Shigeru Miyamoto during a discussion to find a name for a high-fantasy region.
In Japan, the original game was released as The Hyrule Fantasy, a title almost chosen for the entire franchise but dropped due to similarity with Final Fantasy.
The first map of Hyrule was created on long paper by Tezuka and Miyamoto sitting side by side and drawing together.
Nintendo originally aimed to develop a launch title for the Famicom Disk System that allowed players to create their own dungeons.
Princess Zelda appears in every game in the series except for Link's Awakening and Tri Force Heroes.