148 Fun Facts About Legend of Zelda

What set the original Legend of Zelda's North American cartridge apart on store shelves?

It was gold-colored, and the box had a small window cut into it so the metallic cartridge showed through.

The original Legend of Zelda was developed alongside which other Nintendo game by the same team?

Super Mario Bros. shared the team and the timeframe; they deliberately gave Zelda the non-linear structure and Mario the linear one.

Which recurring character, first seen as an old woman in the 1986 original, is Princess Zelda's nursemaid and guardian?

Impa sets the whole series in motion: in the first game she flees with Zelda's plea for help, and Link earns her trust by driving off the henchmen who have cornered her.

In Skyward Sword, what are the giant birds that the sky islanders ride called?

Loftwings include Link's own crimson one, which a jealous rival hides on the morning of a ceremonial race to stop him competing.

In the original Legend of Zelda, who hands Link his first sword, warning that it's dangerous to go alone?

An old man waits in the very first cave with the sword; Link otherwise starts the game with nothing but a small shield, so anyone who walks past the cave sets off unarmed.

Link's horse, his ride across Hyrule, goes by what name?

Epona becomes Link's in Ocarina of Time only after he beats the ranch's new boss in a race; the sore loser locks the gates, so she leaps the wall to escape.

The very first Legend of Zelda was released in Japan in 1986 on which platform?

Famicom Disk System disks could be rewritten, which let the Japanese original save progress; the cartridge sold abroad needed a built-in battery to do the same, one of the first games to have one.

What is the main currency that Link collects across Hyrule called?

Rupees share their name with a real currency by accident: Miyamoto has said he had ruby gems in mind, not India, and the first game's English manual even called them rubies.

In Ocarina of Time, the Triforce rests in which hidden realm that Ganondorf breaks into?

The Sacred Realm is where the departing goddesses left the Triforce; by opening its door to get there first, Link and Zelda unwittingly let Ganondorf walk in and seize it.

Link's pointed ears mark him as a member of which elf-like race?

Hylians include Hyrule's royal family, which carries the bloodline of the goddess Hylia herself: that is why its princesses are so strong in magic.

Which company's Flagship studio developed the two linked 2001 Zelda games for the Game Boy Color?

Capcom's Flagship team first set out to remake the original 1986 game for Game Boy Color, then planned a trilogy of linked adventures before trimming it to two.

In A Link Between Worlds, the sorcerer Yuga escapes with Princess Zelda into which parallel world?

Lorule is a decayed mirror of Hyrule whose own Triforce was destroyed, and its princess Hilda is Zelda's counterpart.

Majora's Mask takes place mostly in which parallel world?

Termina is a parallel world Link stumbles into while searching the woods for a lost friend, only to find its moon days away from crashing down.

In Twilight Princess, the Twilight turns Link into what animal?

Wolf Link cannot swing a sword or raise a shield, but he can dig, follow scent trails and see the spirits of people trapped in the Twilight.

Which weapon, the strongest in Ocarina of Time, is the reward at the end of a long trading sequence?

The Biggoron Sword, forged by the giant Goron Biggoron once Link returns the Claim Check, outdamages the Master Sword but is two-handed, so Link cannot raise a shield while wielding it.

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword on the Wii was built around which control scheme, later made optional in its HD remaster?

Motion controls were nearly dropped from Skyward Sword because the swordplay was not working, until Wii Sports Resort showed the team how to make it click.

In Ocarina of Time's creation myth, which goddess cultivated the red earth with her flaming arms?

Din, the goddess of power, shaped the land itself; Nayru then gave the world its laws and Farore filled it with life, and the three left the Triforce behind as they departed.

In Majora's Mask, which guardian deities must Link call upon to stop the falling moon?

The Four Giants each lie trapped in a cursed temple; once Link has freed them all, they answer his call and halt the moon's fall just above the town.

In Twilight Princess, what does Link use to call his horse?

A blade of grass does the job: Link whistles through a horseshoe-shaped reed to play his horse's tune, and a charm he is given much later lets him call her without finding a patch.

In Skyward Sword, the Master Sword starts out as which weaker blade?

The Goddess Sword, left by the goddess Hylia with a spirit living inside it, becomes the Master Sword only after Link tempers it in three sacred flames.

In A Link to the Past, who hands Link a sword and shield with his dying breath?

His uncle sets out alone to rescue Princess Zelda and orders Link to stay at home; Link follows anyway and finds him mortally wounded inside the castle.

Which enemy, found in almost every Zelda game since the 1986 original, attacks by spitting projectiles from its snout?

Octoroks are octopus-like monsters that spit rocks; raise a shield at the right moment and the rock bounces straight back to finish them off.

Which pirate captain, dropped into Outset Island's forest by a giant bird, is an incarnation of Princess Zelda?

Tetra has no idea she is royalty: the necklace her mother left her turns out to be a piece of the Triforce, and the sight of it tells Ganondorf who she really is.

In Ocarina of Time, which region is home to the Goron tribe?

Death Mountain's Gorons eat rocks, and when Link first climbs it they are cut off from their food: the cavern they quarry it from has been sealed, and stays shut until he reopens it.

Which Hyrule race is known for its fish-like appearance and life underwater?

The Zora are ruled by royalty: Princess Mipha was one of the four Champions in Breath of the Wild, and her brother Sidon helps Link win back the machine she once piloted.

In The Legend of Zelda, the villain Ganondorf is the king of which desert tribe?

The Gerudo are the desert tribe Ganondorf led: by series lore a single male is born to them every hundred years and becomes their king.

In Majora's Mask, what curse does Skull Kid put on Link in the opening scene?

Turns him into a Deku Scrub: Link stays trapped in that small wooden body until he wins back his stolen ocarina and the curse is sealed inside a mask he can wear at will.

In Breath of the Wild, what does the green wheel that appears beside Link measure?

His stamina drains whenever he sprints, climbs, swims or glides; every four Spirit Orbs can be traded to enlarge the wheel, or spent on an extra heart instead.

In Spirit Tracks, Princess Zelda fights beside Link by taking over which armoured enemy?

A Phantom, one of the armoured guardians of the Tower of Spirits, becomes her borrowed body after villains part her spirit from her own; the player steers it by drawing a path.

Who is the imp-like member of the Twili who joins forces with Link in Twilight Princess?

Midna, the Twilight Princess of the title, was cursed into imp form by the usurper who seized her throne; her true humanoid form appears only in the ending.

What are the chicken-like birds that swarm Link if he keeps attacking one?

Cuccos are Hyrule's chickens: hit one too many times and a furious flock swoops in for revenge, yet hold one overhead and it becomes a glider for crossing gaps.

In Ocarina of Time, which shield does Link win in the Spirit Temple, a dungeon he enters as both child and adult?

The Mirror Shield's polished face turns the fire and ice magic of the twin witches Twinrova back on each other, the only way to hurt them, and bounces sunlight onto the temple's switches.

In Majora's Mask, what does Link use to track Clock Town residents' daily schedules?

The Bombers' Notebook, given by the Bombers gang in Clock Town, logs 20 characters' needs across the three-day cycle, from an invisible soldier needing medicine to a separated engaged couple.

What is the floating town Link calls home in Skyward Sword?

Skyloft is the island town above the clouds where Link and Zelda attend the Knight Academy; Zelda's fall to the surface is what sends Link down after her.

Which console was Ocarina of Time originally released on?

Nintendo 64 owners got it on a cartridge after a change of plan: Ocarina of Time was designed for the 64DD disk drive, and the move to a cartridge delayed it into 1998.

In Ocarina of Time, which fairy is sent to guide Link, the only forest child without one?

Navi nags Link through the whole quest, then flies off without a word once it ends; Majora's Mask opens with him riding into the woods in search of her.

In Skyward Sword, what is the name of the humanoid spirit that inhabits Link's sword?

Fi speaks in cold percentages for the whole journey, then says at their parting that what she feels may be what humans call happiness, and sleeps on inside the blade.

In A Link Between Worlds, what item gives Link the ability to merge into walls as a painting?

A magic bracelet, given to Link in place of rent, soaks up the curse when the sorcerer Yuga turns him into a painting, so he can flatten into walls and step out again at will.

Which mysterious travelling collector pressures Link into recovering the item Skull Kid stole from him?

The Happy Mask Salesman strikes a bargain: get his mask back and he will lift the curse on Link; in Ocarina of Time he merely ran a shop lending masks in the castle town.

Which Ocarina of Time director later became the producer in charge of the whole Zelda series?

Eiji Aonuma was invited onto Ocarina of Time after Miyamoto played a 16-bit adventure he had made; he designed its dungeons and later rose to producer of the whole series.

In Breath of the Wild, what are the four giant machines Link must win back from Ganon called?

The Divine Beasts were built to help defeat Ganon, but a century ago he seized control of them and turned them on their own pilots, the four Champions.

Of the two linked Zelda games released for Game Boy Color in 2001, which favours puzzles over action?

Oracle of Ages leans on puzzles and time travel while Oracle of Seasons favours action; finish either one and a password carries your hero into the other for the true finale.

In Tears of the Kingdom, which new ability lets Link attach materials to his weapons, shields and arrows?

Fuse bonds materials and objects to a weapon or shield, and items to arrows: strap a rocket to a shield, for instance, and it carries Link into the air.

In Majora's Mask, which fairy does Skull Kid accidentally leave behind, forcing her to guide Link?

Tatl gets cut off from her brother Tael while holding Link back, so she guides the hero only to catch up with him, and ends up helping to save the whole world.

Which game pairs Link with Ezlo, a grumpy talking companion cursed into a new shape by his own apprentice?

The Minish Cap is Ezlo himself: a sage his own apprentice turned into a talking hat, he rides on Link's head and can shrink him to the size of the tiny folk of the title.

In Link's Awakening, Koholint Island exists only in the dream of which sleeping deity?

The Wind Fish sleeps in a giant egg on the island's highest peak; waking it with eight instruments ends the dream, so the island and everyone on it vanish.

Which game reveals that the lost kingdom of Hyrule lies drowned beneath the Great Sea?

The Wind Waker's Great Sea is a flood sent by the goddesses to trap Ganondorf; the survivors fled to the mountaintops, which became the islands Link sails between.

What name did Nintendo's early design documents give to The Legend of Zelda's pig-like arch-villain?

Hakkai is the Japanese name of the pig demon from the Chinese classic Journey to the West, the model for the boar-like Ganon of the 1986 game.

In Breath of the Wild, which ancient tribe built the Guardians and the Shrines?

The Sheikah built them 10,000 years ago, but their technology later came to be feared as a threat to the kingdom, and the tribe was driven into exile.

Princess Zelda was named after a real American novelist, socialite and painter with which surname?

Fitzgerald: Zelda, wife of the Great Gatsby author F. Scott Fitzgerald, was famous in her own right, and Miyamoto borrowed her name simply because he liked the sound of it.

Shigeru Miyamoto has said Link's look was inspired by which Disney character?

Peter Pan was the model because, as Miyamoto put it, a character with pointed ears meant Peter Pan in those days, and the team wanted a hero players would recognise at a glance.

Which orchestral piece did Koji Kondo first plan to use as the original Legend of Zelda's title theme?

Ravel's Boléro was Kondo's intended title theme until, late in development, it proved to be under copyright; he wrote the overworld theme that replaced it in a single day.

In French versions of A Link to the Past, the Master Sword was renamed after which legendary blade?

Excalibur is what French players drew from the pedestal: the translation swapped the Master Sword's name for King Arthur's blade, another sword only its destined hero can claim.

Link's steed shares its name with a fertility goddess from which mythology?

Celtic: the Gauls' goddess was the guardian of horses, mares and foals, which is why her name suits a mare who comes when Link calls.

The Legend of Zelda grew out of its creator's boyhood cave explorations in the countryside near which Japanese city?

Kyoto Prefecture's hills were Miyamoto's playground: as a boy in the town of Sonobe he found a cave, hesitated for days, then went in, a thrill the games try to recreate.

Which RPG feature did Zelda II: The Adventure of Link use that no later main-series Zelda game brought back?

Experience points let Zelda II's Link level up attack, magic and life, a system no later canonical Zelda reused; the magic meter it introduced did stick around.

What is the tougher replay mode unlocked after finishing the original Legend of Zelda called?

The Second Quest begins after the ending, or straight away if you name your save file ZELDA; it hides its secrets in new places and swaps in entirely different dungeons.

Tezuka wanted Link's Awakening's island to feel like which American TV series?

Twin Peaks was all the rage, so Tezuka asked for an island full of suspicious types, which gave Koholint its cast of oddball villagers.

In Link's Awakening, which girl finds the shipwrecked Link and takes him to her father?

Marin dreams of becoming a seagull and flying away to sing for the world; finish the game without a single death and she appears in the sky after the credits.

In A Link to the Past, which wizard seizes Hyrule after the king is murdered?

Agahnim turns out to be no mere usurper: he is the alter ego of Ganon, sent out from the Dark World to break the seal that keeps his true self imprisoned there.

Which village has appeared in Zelda games from A Link to the Past through Tears of the Kingdom?

Kakariko Village debuted in A Link to the Past, where the Dark World holds its warped mirror image, the Village of Outcasts; it has been rebuilt in game after game since.

In Ocarina of Time, the long-winded guide Kaepora Gaebora, who keeps turning up with advice, is what kind of creature?

An owl: Kaepora Gaebora perches along Link's route to lecture him, and a Gossip Stone passes on the rumour that he is an ancient sage reborn.

In Ocarina of Time, which ranch girl teaches young Link the song her mother wrote?

Malon grows up to find the ranch seized by a bullying farmhand who has thrown her father out; her mother's song is what lets Link win the trust of his future mare.

Princess Zelda's mysterious alter ego in Ocarina of Time goes by what name?

Sheik appears whenever adult Link needs a new warp song, vanishes again, and only drops the disguise near the end, moments before Ganondorf captures the princess.

In Majora's Mask, which mask turns Link into a heavyweight who can curl into a ball and roll at high speed?

The Goron Mask lets Link roll at speed, punch like a hammer and walk through lava; such masks are the heart of a game whose predecessor kept them to one optional sidequest.

Majora's Mask and which other game are the only two that require the N64 Expansion Pak?

Donkey Kong 64 shipped with the Expansion Pak in the box; Majora's Mask leaned on the extra memory for its repeating three-day clock and its busier, more crowded scenes.

Under what working title was Majora's Mask developed?

Zelda Gaiden means 'side story' in Japanese: the team was challenged to build a new game in about a year by reusing Ocarina of Time's engine and graphics.

On the Great Sea, which giant bird carries Link's sister Aryll to the Forsaken Fortress?

The Helmaroc King hunts girls with pointed ears on Ganondorf's orders in his search for Princess Zelda, and grabs Aryll by mistake after dropping the pirate it had caught.

In Phantom Hourglass, which captain ferries Link around in search of his pirate friend?

Linebeck is a cowardly treasure hunter who signs on only for rumoured riches, yet when the Ocean King offers him any wish at the end, he asks just to have his sunken ship back.

In Spirit Tracks, which Demon King lies sealed beneath the Tower of Spirits?

Malladus, the Demon King, was bound by the Spirits of Good beneath the Tower of Spirits; the Spirit Tracks themselves are the seal's chains, so their vanishing is the first sign of trouble.

Which usurper king of the Twili invades Hyrule Castle in Twilight Princess?

Zant was passed over for the Twili throne, so he seized it with power lent by Ganondorf, whom he worships as a god, and cursed the rightful ruler into the body of an imp.

Why was the Wii version of Twilight Princess mirrored compared with the GameCube one?

To make Link right-handed: players swing the Wii Remote with their right hand, and with no time to rebuild the left-handed hero the team flipped the whole world instead.

Majora's Mask's signature wedding sidequest pairs the innkeeper Anju with which character?

Kafei, Anju's fiancé, was turned into a child by Skull Kid and had his Sun's Mask stolen; reuniting the couple before the moon falls takes almost the entire final three-day cycle.

Which self-proclaimed Demon Lord hounds Link throughout Skyward Sword?

Ghirahim, a flamboyant sword spirit who styles himself Demon Lord, works to free his sealed master and, after the Triforce destroys it in the present, drags Zelda into the past to resurrect it.

In Skyward Sword, what is the name of the Demon King that the goddess Hylia sealed away?

Demise, the Demon King, was sealed by Hylia; his dying curse, that his hatred will be reborn to plague the hero and the goddess's bloodline, is widely taken as the origin of Ganon.

Which festival sword champion shatters the Picori Blade, releasing monsters across Hyrule?

Vaati, a sorcerer who wins the festival's sword contest in disguise, shatters the Picori Blade to open the chest of monsters it sealed; the tale is a prequel explaining the Four Sword's origin.

Four Swords Adventures on GameCube lets each player use which handheld as a controller with its own screen?

Game Boy Advance systems plug into the console by cable; when a player's Link ducks into a cave or house, the action hops from the television to that player's own small screen.

Tri Force Heroes is set in which fashion-obsessed kingdom?

Hytopia is the fashion-mad kingdom whose Princess Styla was cursed into an unremovable brown jumpsuit; the outfits Link collects there grant real gameplay abilities.

Which merchant rents Link his items in A Link Between Worlds?

Ravio, a rabbit-hooded merchant who moves into Link's house, rents out items like the bow and hookshot; die and every rented item flies straight back to him.

In Oracle of Seasons, which villain kidnaps the oracle and throws the seasons into chaos?

Onox, the self-styled General of Darkness, seals the oracle in crystal and sinks the Temple of Seasons; beaten in his castle, he reveals his true form, a dark dragon.

Which Breath of the Wild Champion is the archer of the bird-like Rito?

Revali, the Rito Champion who piloted Vah Medoh, taught himself to whip up an updraft and soar; his spirit passes the trick to Link as Revali's Gale.

In Breath of the Wild, who has watched over the Master Sword during Link's hundred-year sleep?

The Great Deku Tree guards the blade in Korok Forest, where Zelda hid it, and warns that drawing it drains Link's life: with fewer than 13 hearts the attempt kills him.

Breath of the Wild launched alongside the Switch, but which older console was it first announced for?

Wii U owners were promised the game in 2013; after repeated delays it arrived in 2017 as Nintendo's last game for that console and, on the same day, a launch game for its successor.

In Tears of the Kingdom, which first queen of Hyrule does Zelda meet in the distant past?

Sonia, a former priestess with power over time, takes in the stranded Zelda; Ganondorf later kills her for the secret stone she wears and uses it to become the Demon King.

What is the vast underground region introduced in Tears of the Kingdom called?

The Depths sprawl beneath all of Hyrule in total darkness, laced with gloom that cuts Link's maximum hearts until he reaches the glow of a lightroot or the surface.

In Echoes of Wisdom, which fairy accompanies Zelda and provides her magic rod?

Tri creates the Tri Rod and lends it to Zelda; the rod copies objects and monsters as 'echoes' that do the fighting and the bridge-building for her.

In Echoes of Wisdom, the fake demon king Zelda defeats was created by which primal evil?

Null, the primal evil behind the rifts, created the impostor Ganon; it lived in the void before the world was made and devoured any life that appeared so it could remain alone.

In Hyrule Warriors, which sorceress loves the hero's spirit and is corrupted by Ganondorf?

Cia, guardian of the Triforce's balance, let Ganondorf's spirit twist her love for the hero; her purged light became Lana, a separate sorceress who fights for Link.

Cadence of Hyrule is an official crossover between Zelda and which indie roguelike?

Crypt of the NecroDancer's makers only asked to borrow a few Zelda characters as bonus content; Nintendo liked the idea so much it grew into a full game.

In the 1989 cartoon, Link's 'Excuse me, Princess' line came from which comedian's routine?

Steve Martin's drawn-out 'Well, excuuuse me!' inspired the line, and the cartoon's head writer, needling the executive who suggested it, used it far more often than any script needed.

The infamous CD-i Zelda games grew out of a failed CD-ROM add-on for which console?

Super NES was meant to get a CD-ROM drive built with Sony; when Nintendo walked away, Sony turned its work into the PlayStation and another partner won the right to make Zelda games.

The 1990s 'BS Zelda' games could be played only at set hours through which Super Famicom add-on?

Satellaview was a satellite modem: each weekly BS Zelda episode could be downloaded and played only during a one-hour slot, with live voice narration streamed alongside.

Who was announced in 2023 as director of the live-action Legend of Zelda film?

Wes Ball, of the Maze Runner films, was named in November 2023 to direct a film Nintendo is financing by more than half itself, with Sony paying the rest and handling distribution.

What surname did Ganondorf get in an English manual, reconfirmed by Nintendo in 2017?

Dragmire existed only in the 1992 English manual of A Link to the Past, never in the Japanese one, and lay unused for 25 years until Nintendo's own website revived it in 2017.

In which chamber on the Great Plateau does Link wake at the start of Breath of the Wild?

The Shrine of Resurrection healed the dying Link for a full century after Zelda had him carried there, and the cure cost him his memories of her and of his fallen comrades.

Link was a playable guest exclusively in the GameCube version of which fighting game?

Soulcalibur II (2003) gave each console its own guest: Link on GameCube, Spawn on Xbox and Tekken's Heihachi on PlayStation 2.

Which Nintendo-owned Texas developer pitched Heroes of Hyrule, a Zelda tactics game for the DS that was never made?

Retro Studios, the Metroid Prime team, wrote a detailed design for it in 2004, blending Zelda's puzzles with grid-based battles, but Nintendo turned the pitch down at once.

In Tears of the Kingdom, which ancient sky-dwelling people left behind the devices Link builds vehicles from?

Zonai devices such as fans, rockets and sleds snap together into working vehicles; Rauru, the Zonai whose arm Link now wears, was also Hyrule's first king.

Which banana-loving Breath of the Wild assassins left the royal family's guards to serve Ganon?

The Yiga Clan formed after the kingdom of Hyrule shunned their tribe, and its members ambush Link while disguised as ordinary travellers.

Which nap-loving boss of Breath of the Wild's masked assassins falls into a pit to end his fight?

Master Kohga somehow survives the fall and returns in Tears of the Kingdom, plotting revenge on Link from deep underground.

The crest of the tribe that guards Hyrule's royal family sets three triangles above which symbol?

An eye with a single teardrop below it marks the red-eyed, white-haired tribe, and Princess Zelda's bodyguard wears it on her forehead or clothing.

Which Breath of the Wild researcher made herself a six-year-old by testing an anti-aging rune?

Purah is well over a century old and runs the Hateno Ancient Tech Lab; tired of being treated like a child, she ages herself back up before Tears of the Kingdom.

Which shy woman named after a fruit-shaped birthmark is a village chief in Tears of the Kingdom?

Paya owes her name to a papaya-shaped birthmark, and her diary in Breath of the Wild records how flustered she feels around Link.

In Ocarina of Time, which relic from the Bottom of the Well reveals fake walls and hidden paths?

Lens of Truth use drains Link's magic for as long as he peers through it, so players save it for the invisible traps and enemies ahead.

In Ocarina of Time, which dungeon behind the village graveyard holds the drumming boss Bongo Bongo?

Shadow Temple walls are stained with blood because the place was once used to interrogate enemies of Hyrule's royal family.

Which Breath of the Wild researcher builds weapons with Cherry, a machine named for his first love?

Robbie directs the Akkala Ancient Tech Lab, where his wife Jerrin so resents the name Cherry that she insists the machine be called the Ancient Oven.

In Breath of the Wild, which reward does the mummified monk at the end of every shrine hand to Link?

Spirit Orb by Spirit Orb, Link grows tougher: the 120 shrines hold one each, and he trades them four at a time at goddess statues for upgrades.

Breath of the Wild's ancient shrines and towers were styled after which period of Japanese history?

Jōmon Japan, a prehistoric culture known for its cord-marked pottery, was chosen by art director Satoru Takizawa because so much about the period remains a mystery.

Which giant maraca-shaking Korok expands Link's inventory in return for seeds hidden across Hyrule?

Hestu rewards anyone who finds every last seed with Hestu's Gift, a golden prize that turns out to be a lump of poop.

Which talking sailboat, carrying Link across the Great Sea, is secretly the last ruler of Hyrule?

King of Red Lions is the disguise of Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule, who ends the adventure by asking the goddesses to wash his sunken kingdom away.

In Tears of the Kingdom, which founding king of Hyrule is the source of Link's glowing new arm?

Rauru sacrificed himself in the distant past to seal Ganondorf away, and his spirit greets Link on the sky island where the adventure begins.

In Ocarina of Time, which princess swallowed by Lord Jabu-Jabu decides she and Link are engaged?

Ruto seals the betrothal by handing Link her people's sapphire, then puts the wedding on hold years later to become the Sage of Water.

Which rock-eating Ocarina of Time chieftain calls Link his sworn brother and names a son after him?

Darunia makes the pledge after Link reopens Dodongo's Cavern, his people's supply of rocks to eat, and he later awakens as the Sage of Fire.

Which Skyward Sword bully and rival for Zelda's affection builds a bomb catapult to help Link?

Groose names the catapult the Groosenator after himself, and uses it to knock the monstrous Imprisoned out of the air.

Which travelling merchant has sold from a boat, a pedal-powered flying shack and a giant backpack?

Beedle adores bugs, beetles most of all, and he turns up at stables all over Hyrule in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom.

Which Zelda II villager became an early internet meme just by telling Link his name?

Error was probably a programmer's in-joke: a lookalike villager is called Bagu, Japanese for bug, but only one of the two names was translated.

Which healer among Breath of the Wild's Champions made armour for the man she hoped to marry?

Mipha keeps helping after her death: her spirit grants Mipha's Grace, which brings Link back to life when his health runs out.

Which pen name is shared by the two women behind most Zelda manga, including Twilight Princess?

Akira Himekawa is really A. Honda and S. Nagano, who have drawn together since 1991 and have never revealed their real names.

Which publisher began releasing Zelda manga in English in 2008, starting with Ocarina of Time?

Viz Media numbered its first ten volumes straight through as a single series, while rival Tokyopop handled the German editions.

Shotaro Ishinomori's A Link to the Past comic ran as a 1992 serial in which American magazine?

Nintendo Power ran the comic across all twelve of its 1992 issues, drawn by the manga great who had created Cyborg 009 and Kamen Rider.

A 32-page Skyward Sword prequel manga was printed inside which official Zelda companion book?

Hyrule Historia also settled years of fan arguments by revealing the official timeline that links the games together.

In Shotaro Ishinomori's A Link to the Past comic, Link's knightly parents were lost to which realm?

The Dark World claimed both of them, portrayed here as Knights of Hyrule, and their son starts out a bumbling kid who must grow into a hero.

A Link to the Past and its manga share an original Japanese subtitle that translates as what?

Triforce of the Gods was dropped abroad because Nintendo of America's content rules removed religious references from its games.

Which gaming webcomic's creators made a five-part Skyward Sword comic narrated by Zelda's father?

Penny Arcade creators Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik released it weekly on Nintendo's own website; the pair also founded the PAX gaming conventions.

Which American publisher's 1990 Zelda comic followed the TV cartoon and gave Link red hair?

Valiant Comics kept the series going for only five issues, yet found room to invent parents for Link named Arn and Medilia.

Which Oracle-game sorceress possesses the blue-haired singer Nayru to throw time into chaos?

Veran arrives hidden inside another woman's body, and when Link finally drives her out of Nayru she simply possesses Labrynna's queen instead.

The Triforce whisks Link away to which troubled land at the start of Oracle of Seasons?

Holodrum loses its natural order when the Temple of Seasons is sunk beneath the earth, so spring, summer, autumn and winter begin changing at random.

Which hidden world in Oracle of Seasons is home to a hooded, dwarf-like people?

Subrosia is where the Temple of Seasons ends up after the villain sinks it, so Link has to slip between the surface and the hidden world below.

In Oracle of Seasons, Link must stand on what to change the season with the Rod of Seasons?

A tree stump is the only place the rod works: winter freezes water so Link can walk across, while summer grows vines he can climb.

In the Oracle games, Link's rideable animal friend Ricky is what kind of creature?

A kangaroo, Ricky carries Link in his pouch and punches enemies; in Oracle of Seasons he joins only after Link wins his gloves back from a boxer named Blaino.

In a linked game of the Oracle titles, which villain captures Princess Zelda to revive Ganon?

Twinrova had been pulling the strings all along, feeding three magic Flames with the havoc and sorrow that the other villains spread.

Besides a Game Link Cable, what lets players carry progress from one Oracle game into the other?

A password links the pair, and finishing either game unlocks a sequel version of the other; the team had first considered using a mobile phone adapter.

The Oracle games grew out of a plan to remake which earlier title in the series for Game Boy Color?

The Legend of Zelda proved too hard for a new generation of players, and the fixes piled up until the remake had an entirely different world map.

In both Oracle games, which giant guardian of the land tells Link to collect the eight Essences?

The Maku Tree of Oracle of Seasons dozes off so often that Link has to pop the bubble on his nose with a sword to wake him.

Which Oracle-game ruler is manipulated into forcing every able man to build the Black Tower?

Queen Ambi gets a happier epilogue in a linked game, where the pirate captain from Oracle of Seasons is revealed as her long-lost love.

Which Breath of the Wild move, timed just before impact, sends a Guardian's laser beam straight back?

Perfect Guard timing also makes ordinary enemies stumble and can knock the weapons out of their hands, leaving them open to a counterattack.

In Breath of the Wild, a last-instant dodge slows time and opens which rapid counterattack?

Flurry Rush is explained in the story as pure concentration: Link focuses so intensely that time only seems to slow down around him.

The original Ocarina of Time let players lock onto an enemy by pressing what on the controller?

The Z button gave Z-targeting its name, and the idea came from a stunt show in which a ring of ninja circled a lone samurai.

Which item, usually left behind by a defeated dungeon boss, permanently lengthens Link's life meter?

Heart Container hunting is a series tradition: Link usually starts with just three, and smaller pieces hidden around the world combine to make more.

In Breath of the Wild, which item must Link earn before he can safely leave the Great Plateau?

Paraglider in hand, Link can drift down from the cliffs that cut the plateau off, but he has to clear its four shrines to earn one.

In Breath of the Wild, which midnight event brings every monster Link has killed back to life?

Blood Moon nights come when Ganon's power peaks and spills out of Hyrule Castle, and they put fresh weapons back around the world as well.

In Breath of the Wild, a botched recipe produces which meal, described as too gross to look at?

Dubious Food still restores a few hearts, and it turns up whenever Link cooks monster parts or critters without the right partner ingredients.

In Majora's Mask, which melody saves progress and returns Link to the dawn of the first day?

Song of Time lets Link relive the same three days again and again, and playing its notes backwards slows the clock to buy him more time.

In the original Legend of Zelda, Link's sword fires a beam only when he is in what condition?

At full health the blade throws a beam across the screen, a reward for careful play that returned in several later games.

Which chain-firing item, first seen in A Link to the Past, pulls Link across wide gaps?

Hookshot chains latch onto pots, skulls and treasure chests, and the tool doubles as a weapon that stuns some enemies and kills others outright.

In Twilight Princess, which lone resident of the Hidden Village hands Link the Ancient Sky Book?

Impaz says she was named after the founder of her village, and she waits there with only her cats for company until the chosen hero arrives.

Which Breath of the Wild prince, designed around a hammerhead shark, has an in-game fan club?

Sidon started out with grey skin, but his colour was changed to match his sister's and to stop him blending into the scenery.

Which Japanese publisher released the Ocarina of Time manga and the Zelda series that followed?

Shogakukan also founded Shueisha, another giant of Japanese comics, and it publishes the long-running children's magazine CoroCoro Comic.