The Legend of Zelda is a video game series created by Japanese game designers Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka. Nintendo primarily develops and publishes the series, though some versions and re-releases have been made by other companies, including Flagship, Grezzo, and Tantalus Media.
The series follows the story of Link, a brave young hero from the Hylian race, and Princess Zelda, a princess who is a descendant of the goddess Hylia. Together, they fight to protect the land of Hyrule from Ganon, a powerful evil ruler who wants to use the Triforce, a holy relic that can grant any wish when all its parts are united, to take over the world. Zelda often helps Link or is in need of rescue during their adventures. If someone who lacks balance between Power, Courage, and Wisdom tries to touch the Triforce, it will break into three pieces and connect with three people who each represent one of these virtues. While the battle against Ganon is a central theme, some games in the series take place in different worlds with other villains, and Link travels to these places to help.
Since its first release in 1986, the series has grown to include 21 main games across Nintendo’s major consoles, along with many spin-off games. An animated TV show based on the games aired in 1989, and manga versions of the stories have been made in Japan since 1997. The Legend of Zelda is one of Nintendo’s most popular franchises, and several of its games are regarded as some of the best video games ever made.
Gameplay
The gameplay of The Legend of Zelda games includes puzzles, action-adventure, and exploration. These elements have remained consistent throughout the series, with small changes and additions in each new game. Later games added stealth gameplay, where players must avoid enemies, and racing elements. Depending on the game, players control Link or Princess Zelda from a fixed top-down view or in a 3D world with a free-moving camera.
Zelda games can be completed with basic exploration and side quests, but players often earn helpful items or abilities by solving puzzles or discovering hidden areas. Some items appear in many games, while others are unique to one game. Common items include bombs, which can destroy obstacles or defeat enemies; boomerangs, which can harm 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 purchased, rented, or found as rewards for solving puzzles. In Breath of the Wild (2017) and its sequel Tears of the Kingdom (2023), swords and weapons are now found in the game world or taken from defeated enemies. These weapons are usually selected through a menu, while the sword is typically fixed. In Echoes of Wisdom, Zelda uses an item called the Tri Rod to create copies of objects or enemies to solve puzzles or defeat opponents.
In Skyward Sword (2011), motion controls using the Wii MotionPlus or Nintendo Switch Joy-Con let players simulate sword fighting by swinging the controller to attack or block. Breath of the Wild introduced a physics engine, allowing players to solve puzzles using physics, such as rolling boulders onto enemies. It also included a chemistry engine, which lets elements like fire, water, or wind interact with objects in different ways. Echoes of Wisdom differs from other games because Zelda cannot directly attack enemies. Instead, she uses the Tri Rod to copy objects or enemies to solve puzzles or defeat opponents. Other physics-based techniques in newer games allow Link or Zelda to move objects onto enemies, drop enemies into holes, or glide across gaps.
While some Zelda games include role-playing elements (such as Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, which has an experience system), most focus on direct combat. This has led to debates about whether Zelda games should be classified as action RPGs, a genre the series has influenced. In 1992, series co-creator Shigeru Miyamoto said Zelda was a "real-time adventure game," not an action RPG, because he wanted to keep the "live" feeling of gameplay rather than rely on numbers or stats. In 2012, Dark Souls director Hidetaka Miyazaki listed A Link to the Past as one of his favorite RPGs, along with games like Dragon Quest III and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.
The Zelda series introduced many features that became industry standards. The original Zelda was the first console game with a save function, letting players pause and resume later. Ocarina of Time added a targeting system that let players lock onto enemies or allies, making 3D combat easier.
Most mainline Zelda games have three key areas: an overworld that connects all other areas and allows free movement; interaction areas, such as towns or caves, where players can buy items, get advice, or complete side quests; and dungeons, which are maze-like areas with enemies, bosses, and items. Each dungeon usually contains a key item needed to solve puzzles or defeat its boss. In A Link Between Worlds (2013), players could rent items to access the last seven dungeons. In Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, players can access dungeons in any order before facing the final boss. These games do not hide items inside dungeons for progression, but Tears of the Kingdom uses companions to solve tasks in its Temples.
Dungeons are usually explored with a map, which shows their layout, and a magic compass, which marks the location of important items like keys. After the NES era, dungeons often included a "big key" to unlock the boss door. In Breath of the Wild, Link uses his Sheikah Slate to activate control terminals in dungeons before facing the boss. In Tears of the Kingdom, companions interact with locks in Temples to open boss doors. The original Zelda on the NES called its dungeons "the underworld," while later games had underground areas connected to the overworld, such as Subrosia in Oracle of Seasons or the Depths in Tears of the Kingdom. Some games, like Four Swords or Tri Force Heroes, do not have a connected overworld and instead use random levels or a hub world.
Rafts first appeared in the first Zelda game but had limited use. In The Wind Waker (2002) and Phantom Hourglass (2007), sailing was the only way to travel across island-filled overworlds. In Breath of the Wild, rafts can be propelled by wind using the chemistry engine, and logs can be used as makeshift boats. Tears of the Kingdom added tools like Ultrahand and Zonai parts, letting players build rafts or flying machines. Gliding, previously used for puzzles or minigames, became more central in these games. Players can climb walls and glide off them using a paraglider to explore multiple routes. This is different from how players "glitched" up mountains in other games like The Witcher or The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.
Conception and production
The Legend of Zelda was mainly inspired by Shigeru Miyamoto's childhood experiences in the hills and forests near his home in Sonobe, Japan. Miyamoto recalled finding a cave entrance in the woods as one of his most memorable moments. After some hesitation, he entered the cave and explored it with a lantern. Miyamoto described creating the Zelda games as an effort to design a "miniature garden" for players to explore in each game.
The story and setting were developed by Takashi Tezuka. Tezuka aimed to create a fantasy adventure game and drew ideas from books like J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. Keiji Terui, who wrote the backstory for the first game, noted that the location called Death Mountain was originally a working title for the Triforce legend, inspired by battles from medieval Europe. The Master Sword was named Excalibur in the French version of A Link to the Past, a name linked to the legend of King Arthur. Link's horse was named Epona, after a Celtic goddess of fertility.
Princess Zelda was named after Zelda Fitzgerald, an American writer and artist, because Miyamoto found the name "pleasant and significant." Tezuka based Link's appearance on the character from Walt Disney's Peter Pan (1953). When the series moved to 3D, the combat system in Ocarina of Time was modeled after the chanbara (samurai) style of Japanese sword fighting.
Games in The Legend of Zelda series often include in-game musical instruments, especially in puzzles. These instruments can trigger events, such as revealing secret areas or transporting Link to dungeon entrances. This feature appeared in The Legend of Zelda, A Link to the Past, and Link's Awakening. In Ocarina of Time, playing instruments is essential to progress, as players use the game controller to play them. Ocarina of Time was one of the first non-dance games to include music-making as a core gameplay element, a mechanic also used in Majora's Mask.
"The Legend of Zelda Theme" was created for the first game. Koji Kondo, the series' composer and sound director, initially planned to use Maurice Ravel's Boléro as the title theme. However, he had to change it because Boléro was not yet in the public domain. Kondo composed a new version of the overworld theme in one day.
Until Breath of the Wild, the Legend of Zelda series did not use voice acting for speaking roles. Instead, it relied on written dialogue. Series producer Eiji Aonuma explained that having other characters speak while Link remains silent might confuse players.
Plot
The Legend of Zelda takes place mainly in a fantasy world called Hyrule, which is inspired by medieval Western Europe. This world has a rich history and many different areas that have been explored in the many games of the series. The main people who live in Hyrule are called Hylians. They look like elves and include the main characters, Link and Zelda.
The games in the Zelda series create a world where each adventure happens. Some games take place in different lands with their own stories. For example, Labrynna (from Oracle of Ages), Holodrum (from Oracle of Seasons), and Hytopia (from Tri Force Heroes) are separate countries. Other places, like Termina (from Majora's Mask), the World of the Ocean King (from Phantom Hourglass), and Lorule (from A Link Between Worlds), are parallel worlds. Koholint is an island far from Hyrule that seems to be part of a dream.
Hyrule was created by three goddesses named Din, Farore, and Nayru. They made the world to trap a being called Null, which had absorbed all life from an endless void. Before leaving, the goddesses left behind the Triforce, a powerful artifact that can grant any wish. The Triforce appears as three golden triangles, each representing one of the goddesses' virtues: Power, Courage, and Wisdom. However, the Triforce cannot decide between good and evil, so it grants wishes without judgment. Because of this, it was placed in a special place called the "Sacred Realm" until someone with balanced virtues could unite all parts of the Triforce. If someone tries to use the Triforce without balance, it splits into three parts. The part that matches the user's belief stays with them, while the other two parts search for others. To control the Triforce fully, the user must find the other parts and bring them together. The Sacred Realm changes based on the hearts of those who enter it: a pure heart makes it a paradise, while evil turns it into a dark place.
In Skyward Sword, the Triforce was sought by a demon king named Demise, who had conquered time. After fighting the goddess Hylia, who protected the Triforce, Demise was sealed in her temple. Hylia placed the Hylians on a floating island called Skyloft to keep them safe. She created the Goddess Sword (later known as the Master Sword) for her chosen hero and gave up her divinity to live among the people of Skyloft. Over time, Zelda and Link (the reborn Hylia and her chosen warrior) completed her plan, destroying Demise. However, Demise promised to return and cause trouble for those descended from Link and Zelda. Later, in Ocarina of Time, Ganondorf tried to take the Triforce, which split into three parts. The Triforce of Power went to Ganondorf, the Triforce of Wisdom was passed to Hylian princesses descended from Zelda, and the Triforce of Courage was given to a boy named Link, who inherited it through generations. The Triforce of Courage was first introduced in Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, where Link obtained it at the end of his quest. In The Wind Waker, Link must find pieces of the Triforce of Courage before returning to Hyrule. In the original The Legend of Zelda, Zelda breaks her Triforce of Wisdom into eight pieces for Link to find before being captured by Ganon.
The order of events in the Legend of Zelda series was unclear until an official timeline was released in the Hyrule Historia collector's book in December 2011. Before this, in a 2003 interview, the series creator, Shigeru Miyamoto, mentioned an internal document that connected all the games. Later, in 2010, series producer Eiji Aonuma said this document was kept secret and only known to Miyamoto and each game's director.
Earlier, in-game details, marketing materials, and developer statements helped create a rough timeline. For example, the original The Legend of Zelda was followed by Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, which happened years later. A Link to the Past was a story before these games and was followed by Link's Awakening. The events of Ocarina of Time took place centuries before A Link to the Past, as explained by character designer Satoru Takizawa. It was followed by Majora's Mask. Four Swords happened before Ocarina of Time. The Wind Waker takes place in a timeline that began after Ocarina of Time, more than a century later. Four Swords Adventures was considered a direct sequel to Four Swords. The Minish Cap is a story before Four Swords, explaining the origins of the villain Vaati and the Four Sword. Twilight Princess happens after Majora's Mask. Phantom Hourglass is a sequel to The Wind Waker and is followed by Spirit Tracks, which takes place about a century later in a distant land. Skyward Sword happens before The Minish Cap, telling the story of the Master Sword's creation.
In the early 2000s, Nintendo of America released a timeline on its official website, showing one possible order of events up to that point. This timeline included the "Hero of Time" from Ocarina of Time, followed by Majora's Mask, A Link to the Past, Oracle of Seasons, Oracle of Ages, the original The Legend of Zelda, Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, and Link's Awakening. In 2011, series translator Daniel Owsen shared that Nintendo of America had once planned to release another timeline online, but Japanese developers rejected the idea to keep the order of games open to players' imagination.
On December 21, 2011, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the series, the Hyrule Historia art book was published by Shogakukan. It included an official timeline of the series' fictional events up to that point. This timeline showed that after Ocarina of Time, the story splits into three paths. One path leads to Link being defeated by Ganon, resulting in the Imprisoning War and games like A Link to the Past, Oracle of Seasons, Oracle of Ages, Link's Awakening, The Legend of Zelda, and The Adventure of Link. The other two paths show Link defeating Ganon, leading to a split timeline: one where young Zelda sends Link back in time to warn her younger self, and another where adult Zelda works to rebuild her kingdom. The childhood timeline continues with Majora's Mask, followed by Twilight Princess and Four Swords Adventures. The adult timeline continues with The Wind Waker, Phantom Hourglass, and Spirit Tracks.
Released in 2013, A Link Between Worlds takes place six generations after A Link to the Past and features the Triforce being reunited and Ganon being brought back. In 2015, Tri Force Heroes was released as a direct sequel to A Link Between Worlds.
Main series
The Legend of Zelda, the first game in the series, was first released in Japan in February 1986 for the Famicom Disk System. A cartridge version for the Nintendo Entertainment System, which used battery-backed memory, was released in the United States on August 22, 1987, and in Europe on November 27, 1987. The game includes a "Second Quest" that players can access either by completing the game or by entering the name "ZELDA" when starting a new game. The "Second Quest" has different dungeons, item placements, and more challenging enemies.
The second game, Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, was released for the Famicom Disk System in Japan in January 1987. It was later released for the Nintendo Entertainment System in Europe in September 1988 and in North America in December 1988. This game changed the perspective from top-down to side-scrolling, though the top-down view was still used for overworld areas. It also introduced elements from role-playing games, such as experience points, which were not used in other games in the series.
A Link to the Past returned to the top-down view and added the concept of an alternate dimension called the Dark World. It was released for the Super NES in November 1991. The game was later re-released for the Game Boy Advance in 2002, the Wii Virtual Console in 2007, the Wii U Virtual Console, and Nintendo Classics.
The next game, Link's Awakening, was released for Nintendo's Game Boy and was the first Zelda game for a handheld system. It was also the first game not set in Hyrule and did not feature Princess Zelda. Link's Awakening was re-released in full color as Link's Awakening DX for the Game Boy Color in 1998. This version included new features, such as an extra dungeon based on colors and a photo shop that worked with the Game Boy Printer. It was later released on the Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console in 2011. An HD remake of Link's Awakening was released for the Nintendo Switch in 2019.
The series transitioned to 3D with Ocarina of Time for the Nintendo 64, released in November 1998. Originally called Zelda 64, the game was developed for the 64DD system before switching to a cartridge format. It kept the core gameplay of earlier 2D games but introduced new mechanics, such as lock-on targeting, which helped players aim more precisely in 3D environments. The game used context-sensitive controls, where pressing a single button could perform different actions depending on the situation. For example, pressing a button near a block made Link grab it, while pressing it while moving into a block made him climb. Ocarina of Time also introduced Epona, Link's horse, which allowed faster travel and horseback archery. The game was widely praised and achieved great commercial success. It received perfect scores and top rankings from publications like IGN and Electronic Gaming Monthly. In 2006, it was named the best Nintendo console game by Nintendo Power. A re-release of the canceled 64DD expansion, called Ocarina of Time Master Quest, was included with The Wind Waker for the GameCube in 2002. Europe received this "Two-Game Bonus Disc" with every copy of The Wind Waker, except for the Player's Choice version. Ocarina of Time was later available on the Wii, Wii U, and Nintendo Switch through Virtual Console and Nintendo Classics. A 3D version, Ocarina of Time 3D, was released for the Nintendo 3DS in 2011.
Ocarina of Time was followed by Majora's Mask, released in April 2000. It used the same 3D engine but added a time-based system, allowing players to repeat three days to complete the game. Originally called Zelda Gaiden, the game introduced masks that gave Link new abilities. Unlike earlier games, Majora's Mask had a darker tone, focusing on themes of death and tragedy. A large moon slowly descended over the land of Termina, creating a sense of urgency. The game was available on the Wii and Wii U Virtual Console. A 3D version, Majora's Mask 3D, was released for the Nintendo 3DS in 2015. The original Nintendo 64 version was later added to Nintendo Classics in 2022.
Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages were released together for the Game Boy Color in 2001. Players could use passwords or a Game Link Cable to connect the two games. After completing one game, a password allowed access to the other as a sequel. Developed by Flagship with supervision from Miyamoto, the games were part of a planned "Triforce Series." When the password system proved too complicated, the series was reduced to two games: Oracle of Ages, which focused on puzzles, and Oracle of Seasons, which emphasized action. Both games were later released on the 3DS Virtual Console and Nintendo Classics.
The Game Boy Advance version of A Link to the Past in 2002 included a new game, Four Swords, the first multiplayer Zelda title. This game introduced Toon Link, a name later used in Super Smash Bros. Brawl to describe Link's cartoon-style design. A remastered version, Four Swords Anniversary Edition, was released as free DSiWare in 2011.
The Wind Waker, a 3D cel-shaded game featuring Toon Link, was released in Japan in December 2002 and in the United States and Europe in 2003. Players controlled a small boat using a baton called the Wind Waker, sailing across an ocean filled with islands
Spin-off games
As the video game series has grown in popularity, several games have been created that are set within or feature a minor character from the universe of The Legend of Zelda, but are not directly connected to the main series or its main timeline.
Three Zelda-themed LCD games were made between 1989 and 1992. The Game & Watch game Zelda was released first in August 1989 as a dual-screen handheld electronic game. It was re-released in 1998 as a Toymax, Inc. Mini Classic and later included as an unlockable extra in Game & Watch Gallery 4, a 2002 compilation for the Game Boy Advance. While Game & Watch Zelda was developed by Nintendo, the next two LCD games were created by third-party companies under license from Nintendo. In October 1989, The Legend of Zelda was developed by Nelsonic as part of its Game Watch line. This game was a digital watch with simple gameplay based on the original Legend of Zelda. In 1992, Epoch Co. developed Zelda no Densetsu: Kamigami no Triforce for its Barcode Battler II console. The game used card-scanning technology similar to the later Nintendo e-Reader.
Three video games were developed for CD-i in the early 1990s. These games were created as a result of a deal between Philips and Nintendo after the companies failed to make a CD-ROM peripheral for the Super NES. Developed independently without input or influence from Nintendo, the games are Link: The Faces of Evil, Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon, and later Zelda's Adventure. Nintendo did not include these games in the Zelda timeline, and they are considered part of a separate, self-contained story. These games are often described as the weakest in the series, though they have gained a small fan following through internet culture.
The Satellaview games from The Legend of Zelda series (1995–1997) are spin-offs and are not listed on the main timeline of the franchise.
Other spin-off games include RPG Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland, its sequel Ripened Tingle's Balloon Trip of Love, and the Balloon Fight rerelease Tingle's Balloon Fight for the Nintendo DS. All of these games feature the character Tingle.
Although it is set in the world of Twilight Princess, The Legend of Zelda Encyclopedia considers the rail shooter game Link's Crossbow Training for the Wii a spin-off.
Hyrule Warriors is a spin-off and crossover game developed by Omega Force and Team Ninja. It combines the setting of The Legend of Zelda series with the gameplay of Koei Tecmo’s Dynasty Warriors series. It was released in North America in September 2014 for the Wii U. Hyrule Warriors Legends, a version for the Nintendo 3DS with more content and gameplay changes, was released in March 2016. The Nintendo Switch game Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition was released in 2018 and included content from both the Wii U and 3DS versions.
To celebrate the launch of the My Nintendo loyalty program in March 2016, Nintendo released My Nintendo Picross: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, a nonogram puzzle game in the Picross series. It was developed by Jupiter for download to the Nintendo 3DS.
Cadence of Hyrule, developed by Brace Yourself Games, is an officially licensed crossover of Zelda with Crypt of the NecroDancer. It was released in June 2019 for the Nintendo Switch.
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, developed by Omega Force, shares the hack-and-slash style of the spin-off game Hyrule Warriors. Age of Calamity was released in November 2020.
A Zelda-themed version of Vermin was included on the limited edition Game & Watch: The Legend of Zelda unit, released in 2021. This special edition of the Game & Watch also included The Legend of Zelda, The Adventure of Link, and Link's Awakening.
A third Hyrule Warriors game, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, takes place during the events of Tears of the Kingdom. In this game, Zelda is sent back in time to when Hyrule was founded and fights in the Imprisoning War. Age of Imprisonment was released in November 2025.
Cancelled games
In 2001, Nintendo worked with a company owned by Capcom called Flagship to release two games, The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons and The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages, for the Game Boy Color at the same time. Originally, Nintendo planned to release three games together, but one game, The Legend of Zelda: Mystical Seed of Courage, was canceled because of technical problems caused by how the games connected to each other.
A close partner of Nintendo, Retro Studios, created early plans for two Zelda games. One idea was a Nintendo DS game called Heroes of Hyrule, which would mix the usual gameplay of the Zelda series with strategy games like Final Fantasy Tactics. Another idea was an action game for the Wii featuring Sheik, which would tell the story of how the Master Sword was created. Both ideas were stopped by Nintendo after they were not approved.
Reception
The Legend of Zelda series has received high praise from critics and players. Games like Ocarina of Time, Skyward Sword, Breath of the Wild, and Tears of the Kingdom each earned a perfect 10/10 score from Edge magazine. These four games, along with The Wind Waker, received a 40/40 score (10/10 from four reviewers) from Famitsu magazine, making Zelda one of the few series with multiple perfect scores. Ocarina of Time was listed by Guinness World Records as the highest-rated video game in history, based on its Metacritic score of 99 out of 100. Individual Zelda games were recognized as the most critically acclaimed titles on the Nintendo 64, Game Boy Advance, and 3DS, as well as in the open-world genre. As of June 2025, Link, the main character, appears in nine of the 100 highest-rated games on Metacritic, earning him a Guinness World Records title as the "most critically acclaimed video game character." The Wind Waker and Twilight Princess received 10/10 scores from Computer and Video Games magazine. A Link to the Past won a Gold Award from Electronic Gaming Monthly. In Nintendo Power’s Top 200 countdown in 2004, Ocarina of Time ranked first, with seven other Zelda games in the top 40. Twilight Princess was named Game of the Year by multiple websites, including X-Play, GameTrailers, and IGN. GameRankings editors gave Ocarina of Time its highest overall score. Game Informer awarded 10/10 scores to The Wind Waker, Twilight Princess, Skyward Sword, A Link Between Worlds, and Breath of the Wild. Phantom Hourglass was named DS Game of the Year by IGN and GameSpy. In 2011, Spike TV’s Video Game Awards honored the Zelda series with the first-ever "Hall of Fame Award," which Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto accepted in person. Ocarina of Time used musical themes to represent different game areas, a technique compared to Richard Wagner’s use of musical motifs for characters and themes. The game’s popularity increased sales of real ocarinas. IGN praised the music of Majora’s Mask for its brilliance, despite its use of MIDI technology. Majora’s Mask was ranked seventh-greatest by Electronic Gaming Monthly, while Ocarina of Time was ranked eighth. The series won the GameFAQs Best Series Ever competition.
As of March 2025, the Legend of Zelda franchise has sold 156.28 million copies. The original Legend of Zelda is the fourth best-selling game on the NES. In 1996, the series was ranked 64th among top games by Next Generation. In 1999, Next Generation listed Zelda as number one on their "Top 50 Games of All Time," noting its innovation and gameplay. Empire magazine described the series as having "the most vividly-realised world and the most varied gameplay of any game on any console," calling it a top contender for the best game series ever.
The Legend of Zelda franchise has received the most Game of the Year nominations in the history of the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences’ D.I.C.E. Awards, with eight games (Ocarina of Time, Majora’s Mask, The Wind Waker, Twilight Princess, Skyward Sword, A Link Between Worlds, Breath of the Wild, and Tears of the Kingdom). Two of these, Ocarina of Time and Breath of the Wild, won the top honor at their respective award ceremonies.
Legacy
Many people in the video game industry have shared how The Legend of Zelda games have influenced their work. Dan Houser, founder of Rockstar Games and director of Grand Theft Auto, said that Zelda and Mario games on the Nintendo 64 helped him create the Grand Theft Auto series and other 3D games. Sam Houser, also a founder of Rockstar Games and director of Grand Theft Auto, said Zelda had an influence on Grand Theft Auto III, calling it "Zelda meets Goodfellas." Hideki Kamiya, founder of PlatinumGames and director of Ōkami, said The Legend of Zelda series influenced his work, and he said A Link to the Past is his favorite game of all time. Amy Hennig, director of Soul Reaver and Uncharted, said Zelda inspired the Legacy of Kain series. She noted that A Link to the Past influenced Blood Omen, and Ocarina of Time influenced Soul Reaver. Richard Lemarchand, creator of Soul Reaver and Uncharted, said A Link to the Past's way of combining gameplay with storytelling inspired Soul Reaver. Chris Roberts, director of Wing Commander and Star Citizen, said Zelda influenced his action role-playing game, Times of Lore.
Hidetaka Miyazaki, creator of the Dark Souls series, said A Link to the Past is one of his favorite role-playing games. Fumito Ueda, director of Ico, said Zelda influenced Shadow of the Colossus. Miyazaki also said The Legend of Zelda serves as a guide for making 3D action games. Peter Molyneux, founder of Lionhead Studios, said Twilight Princess is one of his favorite games and influenced the Fable series. David Adams, director of Darksiders, said Zelda influenced his work. Raphael Lacoste, director of Prince of Persia and Assassin's Creed, said The Wind Waker influenced Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag. CD Projekt Red said the Zelda series influenced The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Majora's Mask inspired Alex Hall's web series, Ben Drowned. Hajime Tabata, director of Final Fantasy and The 3rd Birthday, said Ocarina of Time inspired the open world of Final Fantasy XV.
Crossovers
The Legend of Zelda series has appeared in other Nintendo and third-party video games, especially in the Super Smash Bros. series of fighting games made by Nintendo. Link is a playable character in Super Smash Bros. for the Nintendo 64, the first game in the series, and has been part of the character list in all later Super Smash Bros. games. Zelda (who can change into Sheik), Ganondorf, and Young Link (a younger version of Link from Ocarina of Time) were added to the character list in Super Smash Bros. Melee and appeared in all later games except for Young Link, who was later replaced by Toon Link from The Wind Waker in Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U. Sheik became a separate character starting with Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U. Both Young Link and Toon Link appear in the fifth game, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Other parts of the Zelda series, such as locations and items, are included in the Smash Bros. games, like Assist Trophies, where computer-controlled versions of Zelda characters, including Tingle, Skull Kid, Midna, and Ghirahim from Skyward Sword, can fight as allies. Outside of Smash Bros., Nintendo allowed Link to be a playable character only in the GameCube version of Namco’s fighting game Soulcalibur II.
Link, designed based on Skyward Sword, is a playable character in Mario Kart 8 through downloadable content (DLC), along with a racetrack called Hyrule Circuit inspired by The Legend of Zelda series. The first DLC pack is named after the series. In a post-launch update for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Link and his vehicle received alternate styles based on Breath of the Wild.
In the Wii U version of Sonic Lost World, a DLC stage inspired by The Legend of Zelda series was released in March 2014 and called "The Legend of Zelda Zone." It used the core gameplay of Sonic Lost World but included elements from Zelda, such as a heart-based health system, collecting rupees, and a small dungeon to explore.
In other media
A 13-episode American animated TV series, created by DiC and shared by Viacom Enterprises, aired in 1989. The animated Zelda shorts were shown each Friday, instead of the usual Super Mario Bros. cartoon, which aired during other days of the week. The series loosely follows the two NES Zelda games (the original The Legend of Zelda and The Adventure of Link), blending settings and characters from those games with new ideas. Older versions of Link and Zelda from the show appeared in some episodes of Captain N: The Game Master during its second season.
A live-action TV series was being planned around 2015, as reported by an anonymous Netflix employee to The Wall Street Journal. The project was a partnership between Netflix and Nintendo, and it was described as a family-friendly version of Game of Thrones. Details about the series were limited until 2021, when Adam Conover mentioned during an interview that the College Humor team had planned a skit combining Star Fox and Fantastic Mr. Fox, and had spoken with Miyamoto about the project. Conover said Nintendo asked them to stop the project after a leak about the live-action Zelda show; Nintendo, which protects its intellectual property, had canceled many outside projects, including this one.
Valiant Comics released a short series of comics featuring characters and settings from the Zelda cartoon as part of their Nintendo Comics System line. Manga adaptations of several Zelda games, including A Link to the Past, Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, Oracle of Seasons, Oracle of Ages, Four Swords Adventures, The Minish Cap, Phantom Hourglass, and Twilight Princess, have been made under a license from Nintendo. These comics are mostly written and drawn by Japanese artist Akira Himekawa. The stories in these adaptations are not exactly the same as the games and may include new plot elements.
Several official books, novels, and gamebooks have been published based on the Zelda series. The earliest was Moblin's Magic Spear, published in 1989 by Western Publishing and written by Jack C. Harris. It takes place during the first game. Two gamebooks were published as part of the Nintendo Adventure Books series by Archway, both written by Matt Wayne. The first, The Crystal Trap, focuses more on Zelda, and the second, The Shadow Prince, were released in 1992. A novel based on Ocarina of Time was published in 1999 by Sybex Inc. under their Pathways to Adventure series, written by Jason R. Rich. Two more gamebooks were published by Scholastic as part of the You Decide on the Adventure series. The first, based on Oracle of Seasons, was released in 2001, and the second, based on Oracle of Ages, was released in 2002. Both were written by Craig Wessel. In 2006, Scholastic released a novel titled Link and the Portal of Doom as part of their Nintendo Heroes series. It was written by Tracey West and set shortly after the events of Ocarina of Time.
In 2011, to mark the 25th anniversary of the series, an art book titled Hyrule Historia was published in Japan by Shogakukan. It was later released internationally by Dark Horse Books in 2013. The book includes concept art from the series’s beginning to the release of Skyward Sword in 2011, essays about the games’ production, and a timeline of the series. It also includes a prequel manga to Skyward Sword by Akira Himekawa. The English version of the book became the top-selling item on Amazon, surpassing 50 Shades of Grey. Dark Horse later released The Legend of Zelda: Art & Artifacts, a follow-up art book with more artwork and interviews, in North America and Europe in February 2017.
A video game music concert called Symphonic Legends took place in Cologne, Germany, on September 23, 2010. The event focused on music from Nintendo games, including The Legend of Zelda. After a break, the second half of the concert was entirely dedicated to a 35-minute symphonic piece about Link’s journey from a child to a hero.
To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the series in 2011, Nintendo commissioned a symphony titled The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses. It was first performed in Los Angeles in the fall of 2011 and has since been shown in 18 locations across the United States and Canada. Nintendo released a CD titled The Legend of Zelda 25th Anniversary Special Orchestra CD, which includes eight tracks from the live performance of the symphony. The CD came with the special edition of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword for the Wii. Nintendo later celebrated the 30th anniversary of the series with an album released in Japan in February 2017.
As of June 2025, the Nintendo Music streaming service included soundtracks from eight Zelda games for subscribers of Nintendo Switch Online. These games include The Legend of Zelda, A Link to the Past, Ocarina of Time, The Wind Waker, Ocarina of Time 3D, Skyward Sword, Breath of the Wild, and Tears of the Kingdom.
A Monopoly board game themed around The Legend of Zelda was released in the United States in September 2014. A Clue board game inspired by the Zelda series was released in June 2017. A UNO-style game based on Zelda was released in February 2018, available only at GameStop in North America. A limited edition Zelda 25th anniversary 3DS was released in Australia in December 2011.
In 2007, Imagi Animation Studios, known for animating TMNT and Astro Boy, created a pitch reel for a computer-animated Legend of Zelda movie. Nintendo did not accept the offer because of the failure of the 1993 live-action Super Mario Bros. film. In 2013, Aonuma said that if a movie were made, Nintendo would want to involve audiences in some way. In June 2023, reports suggested Nintendo was close to making a deal with Illumination and Universal Pictures to create a Zelda movie after the success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie. However, Illumination’s CEO denied these claims.
By November 2023, Nintendo was working on a live-action Legend of Zelda film with Sony Pictures, which would help fund and share the movie globally. Wes Ball was chosen to