Legend of Zelda Retrospective Gametrailers COMPLETE

[Music] [Applause] boomerangs bombs dungeons magic swords puzzles and green tunics Welcome to The Legend of Zelda with 20 years of hit titles under its belt The Legend of Zelda franchise has earned its right to be one of the most popular influential and critically acclaimed entities in all of video games selling over 47 million units its familiar characters have become some of Nintendo's biggest icons created by shago mamoto and inspired by his childhood wandering the nearby forests of his hometown Kyoto The Legend of Zelda made its debut in 1987 on the Nintendo Entertainment System 8bit Gamers were introduced to the young Link a quiet boy in a green tunic who set out on what would become a never-ending quest to rescue a princess named Zelda unlike other games of its day The Legend of Zelda dropped you in the middle of a gigantic world that was open to explore from an overhead view you venture through the Fantastical realm of Hyrule with no direction or guide this unconventional structure made the Legend of Zelda one of the first free roaming games ever created it was up to you to decide where you wanted to go and what you wanted to do you could journey into dungeons out of order some could only be reached with certain items like the raft or would be extremely difficult to navigate with only three hearts and no bow but it was up to you to make those choices luckily the Nintendo fun club newsletter released a map of the Overworld while it outlined the land of Hyrule screen by screen giving the players a sense of direction it didn't take away from the sheer size of the game or its difficulty the legend of of Zelda pioneered an advanced inventory system and introduced the ability to store dozens of different items used to solve puzzles or battle creatures in Real Time Zelda was also the first console game to give players the ability to save their progress via battery-backed memory this feature alone was a clear sign that the game could not be beaten in a couple of hours it was one of the largest Adventures to date and held that title for some time [Music] afterwards after you explored all of Hyrule found the magic sword beat all the dungeons collected the pieces of the Triforce defeated the evil Ganon and rescued Princess Zelda you had basically beaten the game but the artist behind Nintendo's first RPG went above and beyond adding a second Quest instead of requiring you to play the same game twice it slightly altered the Overworld and dungeons to make them even more challenging not only did Zelda's gameplay set new standards for the genre genre but its music was unlike anything anyone had heard before on the NES two decades later it's still one of the most recognizable music cues in all of video games even other Nintendo titles like Mario and Metroid have lost their inaugural themes over time but every Zelda Adventure ever made has featured this trademark Anthem all of these polished elements came together in a Divine synthesis that can only be rivaled by the joining of the almighty Triforce the original Legend of Zelda has been copied and imitated time and time again but few have succeeded in making a game of its caliber or spawning a franchise as emotionally revered the following year Nintendo released Zelda 2 The Adventure of Link it's still the only game in the series to drop the Legend of Zelda title and the only numeric sequel Zelda 2 was a vastly different experience it introduced more role-playing elements like exper experience points and swapped the overhead view for a sidescrolling perspective there were no Rupees to collect either which makes it unlike any Zelda game other than four Swords Adventures Zelda 2 was extremely difficult largely due to the fact that you only had three lives and once those were gone you had to start all the way back at the Tomb of the Sleeping Princess the action-based platformer was not what a lot of fans were expecting but then again no Zelda game ever is while considered the black sheep of the franchise due to its fundamental differences Zelda 2 still introduced many groundbreaking elements that have stayed in the series The Adventure of Link was the first time our young hero used magic if his brand new magic meter was full that is the 8-Bit sequel introduced The Hammer which would remain a necessary tool for link to use against seemingly immovable objects Zelda 2 also featured a highly Advanced combat system which created more Dynamic battles with armed enemies you had to outmaneuver their Shields to land each strike while trying to block their high and low attacks even the non-playable characters were presented in a different fashion instead of standing still hiding in a secret cave waiting to be found they roam the streets of their individual towns wandered in and out of their houses and played a much more important role in Link's Adventure Grand Theft Auto might have shocked the masses when it replenished your health for sleeping with strangers but link was apparently getting lucky 13 years earlier The Legend of Zelda and Zelda 2 The Adventure of Link were two of the most popular games on Nintendo's Entertainment System they solidified link as one of Nintendo's go-to Heroes and Spawn toys breakfast cereals and even a televised cartoon well excuse me princess be sure to catch part two of our Legend of Zelda retrospective as we take a look at Zelda on the nextg console the Super Nintendo and go handheld on the Game Boy for Link's Awakening [Applause] [Music] boomerangs bombs dungeons magic swords puzzles and green tunics Welcome to The Legend of Zelda [Music] after Nintendo had players around the world placing the Japanese 8-bit home entertainment system next to their VHS and cassette players in the mid to late 1980s a new decade began and with it a new era in video games Nintendo's nextg contribution to the American Market was the Super Nintendo in 1991 the system launched Nintendo 's Legacy of Reinventing their franchises for a new generation a technological leap that still captivates our imaginations today the advanced system meant a new free Roman Kingdom of possibilities and an updated continuation of Link's Adventure was at the Forefront of every Nintendo fans's mind one year later in 1992 the Gallant Sprite set out to destroy all 16 bits of evil in The Legend of Zelda A Link to the Past [Music] four years after the sidescrolling Zelda 2 Nintendo returned the series to an overhead perspective one that added Exquisite detail and a bright polish to The Original Adventure the gameplay also seemed gleefully familiar as you explored the Overworld of Hyrule slashing your way through each grid lock environment your health meter was once again a row of hearts that could now be expanded by finding quarter pieces across the world map combining four of these would give you another vessel of Life enticing players to explore every nook and cranny in every area to raise their defense the sequel once again pitted our trusted hero link against the evil ganet just when you thought you had caught up to him and Zelda was within your grasp you learned that your Eternal Nemesis had been sealed away in an alternate Dimension known as the sacred realm this parallel universe mirrored Hyrule but ganon's evil Powers had turned it into a horrible Place link had to travel back and forth between these two worlds making the game twice as big as expected and introducing numerous realm Crossing brain teasers this Mission structure was so successful it became a major part in several Zelda sequels and other Nintendo franchise releases to follow link apparently used his time away from consoles to work out a little bit because he was much more flexible in the third installment he could move diagonally which doubled the directional possibilities and he could pick up items for moving and throwing when he was on his guard he now had the how did I ever survive without that ability to attack sideways instead of only thrusting his sword forward link could stand up against multiple enemies with a move that evolved into a Mainstay for future games A Link to the Past also introduced new items as fans had come to expect these included the hook shot for grappling Pegasus boots for dashing and the master sword the Beloved blade of power that would become the little green Warriors Excalibur one Innovation that added a new level to dungeon exploring literally was the addition of an upstairs or downstairs to most of the castles and underground Interiors link could travel up and down each floor often finding himself on the same screen twice as he took the higher low road back and forth he would even fall through floors unexpectedly this feature not only returned in numerous overhead sequels but it was an interesting development that would one day become a full 3d experience on the N64 after scaring a few loyal followers with Zelda 2 A Link to the Past was everything they Dreamed a true Zelda sequel could be and more the bird's eye view returned letting you view each room Town Forest and enemy battle in its entirety the combat was smoother the environments were bigger the graphics were prettier and an arsenal of new items made finding each weapon a triumphant achievement needless to say the game was a Smash Hit adored by fans and critics A Link to the Past held Nintendo Powers number one spot on the top games list for over five consecutive years before Nintendo set to outdo themselves again they moved the series to their first handheld device the black and white Game Boy it was not the first RPG to appear on the pocket system but it did give the developers license to move the series into unexpected directions in The Legend of Zelda Link's [Music] [Laughter] [Music] Awakening while sailing back to Hyrule after training abroad link was caught in a storm and Shipwrecked on coent island the only way our hero could return home was by snapping the wind fish out of his never-ending Slumber Link's Awakening was the first Zelda game to be set outside of Hyrule and the main Triforce story line Princess Zelda was only mentioned at the beginning and subsequently stepped out of the spotlight as your primary objective the on the-go adventure was the first of the top view games to feature jumping a talent links cousin Mario had been perfecting for 12 years this tossed platforming elements into the growing gameplay modes and added another ability that would become vital when the camera eventually dropped down into the third dimension 5 years later Link's Awakening was also the first in the franchise that allowed you to assign both buttons to different items and neither had to be your sword this opened up new puzzle possibilities like having to Dash with the Pegasus boots and jump with Rock's feather side quests weren't something that link hadn't seen before as there was always much more to do in each Zelda game than you were required to but the Game Boy exclusive introduced the first trading [Music] sequence this involved meeting several NPCs and traveling to multiple scattered locations to unlock a bonus item and it continued to beckon true adventurers itching to find all there was to find on each map in the years and games to follow Link's Awakening also had an unexpected comedic Ed Edge by being surprisingly self-aware characters would inform you how to save your game and then explain that they had no idea what that meant one character you met introduced himself and then told you he'd be lost in the forest later on and asked you to keep an eye out for him to go along with its goofball humor the Game Boy release featured an uncanny amount of Mario character cameos from Goombas to chain Chomps to a Yoshi doll or a picture of Princess Peach the fourth Zelda title was littered with famous Nintendo faces and while some fans were shaken by the absence of color in the Zelda Universe the monochrome original returned in a DX version for the Game Boy Color in 1998 like the console Quest before it Link's Awakening not only introduced new traveling tools that would become indispensable it inspired future handheld Ventures like the Dual cartridge Oracle of Seasons and ages and the Minish Cap for the Game Boy Advance it was also the first time Nintendo goers could take link on the road thanks to the game boy's remarkable battery life considering how much there was to collect and Conquer in each Zelda title it made it that much more tempting to play When the device was tucked away in your backpack front pocket or custom carrying [Music] case we're nearing our halfway point in our journey through the history of Hyrule keep your battle camera locked onto part three of our Legend of Zelda retrospective as we explore Link's track and to the third dimension on the Nintendo 64 it was there that he starred in what many consider to be the best in the series and one of the finest video games ever made the oakarina of time as well as its controversial time-traveling followup Majora's [Music] Mask boomerangs bombs dungeons magic swords puzzles and green tunics Welcome to The Legend of [Music] Zelda while the late 8s and early '90s were quite good to link the mid90s were like ganon's sacred realm for Zelda fans empty and miserable Nintendo was busy developing a CD ROM add-on for the Super Nintendo with Sony but soon broke the contract to join with Phillips Sony went on to create the PlayStation and Nintendo eventually dropped the add-on project altogether however while partnering with Phillips Nintendo let them borrow the rights to the characters link Zelda and Ganon Phillips went on to create its own CDI console and used its ticket to Hyrule to make three Zelda games link the faces of evil Zelda the wand of gamalon and Zelda's Adventures released throughout 1993 and 1994 these games were an absolute joke Nintendo took no part in developing them and most fans wish they had never been made time slowly crept by for Nintendo fans as they crossed their fingers for Link's true return it was clear that the industry would have to move into 3D and everyone's favorite franchise friends would be forced to go with it this was exciting but given the unpredictable nature of the Zelda franchise no one knew what to expect when the Nintendo 64 was released in 1996 Mario's first appearance in 3D gave Gamers a taste of the incredible adventure to come 2 years later that Quest was dubbed the oakarina of time pre-ordering the fifth installment in the series guaranteed you a gold colored cartridge and a chance to experience the future of action role playing the moment Gamers stepped out onto the main field and saw the sun slowly rise over Hyrule Castle they knew Link's world would never be the same while it felt like a completely new gameplay experience at first longtime fans soon realized it was essentially the same game but from a thrilling New Perspective all of the 2D elements were there Hyrule was a massive open world each town was full of NPCs for shopping and questing and each dungeon was packed with hidden treasures and dangerous enemies it was a formula Nintendo had been perfecting for over a decade and it was an Indescribable joy to see play out in third and first person players had to ReDiscover and relearn the boomerang the bow and hook shot as well as wield the master sword with unprecedented Precision okarina of time introduced a revolutionary lock- on targeting system that meant no more aimless bowc casting or sword swinging your faithful fairy Navi guided you through this new mode of combat by telling you where to look and describing things once you selected them this new way to play became essential when your adventure introduced you to shielded and sword wielding enemies as well as several Larger than Life bosses with hidden sweet spots your updated Arsenal was not complete without a few new entries like the hidden passage finding lens of truth and the ability to enchant your arrows with fire ice or light having already made a fashion statement with his signature green get up link could now try on a red tunic for fire protection and a blue tunic for breathing underwater his Ensemble could be further customized with boots for sinking into the abyss or gliding on air a shield for reflecting light sources and a giant sword that could not be broken all of these were hidden somewhere in the game one of the biggest additions was revealed the moment you booted up Ocarina of Time in the middle of the world map was llan Ranch and trapped within its Gates was a trusty companion that would become Link's Inseparable pal after a couple of trips around the track and a triumphant leap over the wall the horse aona was yours to ride she would come when called leap when able and free link up to use his bow and arrow while racing across the open [Music] Countryside the most significant enhancement and one that was pivotal to the core of the storyline was the okarina itself legendary composer Koji condo returned to the Zelda series for the fourth time to score the N64 Adventure composing 10 unique themes that could be manually played by the players themselves as link encountered pivotal Story characters they passed down their knowledge in the form of a Quick tune you could tap out using the yellow directional buttons these infectious didy served as the backbone for the game's brilliant musical score while these Tunes helped link open doors turn day into night and even transport himself across the world map uncovering the master sword led to the game's biggest surprise after pulling the blade from its resting place link was trapped in a dimension that catapulted him right through puberty into adulthood this plot shift changed everything from the weapons he could use to the moves he could perform to the places he could go but no location he rediscovered in this apocalyptic future was the way he left it and the time link was gone Ganon had cast his evil Shadow over the land and tainted all who lived there similar to his nefarious deeds in A Link to the Past while link could eventually travel back to the time he remembered he would have to face off against an oversized future Ganon to stop him once and for all while many expected the next Zelda title from Nintendo to exceed everyone's expectations oakarina of time was truly a masterpiece the graphics might not have been on a PlayStation performance level and the water temple was absolute torture but the balance in between all the quests the game had to offer was eternally gratifying it remains one of the finest achievements in gaming so how do you top that following the endless critical success of the oak Arena of time including numerous perfect scores and Game of the Year nods from major gaming Publications Nintendo decided to guide the Zelda series through another sharp turn one that a lot of fans found unsettling 2 years later Nintendo one again took link out of Hyrule on another doomed vacation and charged him with saving the time trapped town of termina in Majora's Mask from the very beginning fans were stripped of everything they had grown to love Navi was missing aona was stolen even the oakarina itself was ripped from Link's hands to make matters worse the evil skull kid turned link into a deu scrub forcing players to get used to the game's biggest development the sequel was all about masks and the hidden power some of them possessed to transform link into one of three different creatures the aformentioned pedal piloting deu a boulder rolling Goron and a wave riding Zora all of these races appeared in okarina of time and other previous Zelda titles but this was the first time link could see through their eyes and use their unique abilities some of the dungeons required you to switch back and forth between them on the Fly creating puzzle opportunities even the Zelda Elite had never seen before okarina also featured masks but you could only carry a few at a time where Majora had an inventory of 24 slots you filled in as you ventured [Music] on these Transformations seem to replace Link's ability to become his older self a detail some fans sorely missed while there was no way for link to travel into the future he could eventually drop 3 days into the past again and again a cycle that became a jora's unique method of Storytelling playing by the clock meant you had a little extra pressure to complete your objectives because if the cycle was left to finish clock town and the world around it would be destroyed by the evil Moon looming over the land those that were patient enough to relive the same 3 days over and over began to notice the subtle differences between Majora and okarina while the Hyrule map in okarina was larger than the termina map in Majora termina was much more detailed NPCs weren't glued to the ground or aimlessly running around they had a schedule a purpose and a story to tell if you dug deep enough after you learned one character secret it added a twinge of familiarity when you saw them walking the same path again and [Music] again this also replaced the dimension swapping gameplay that permeated the other Zelda titles a link to the past and okarina of time both featured dueling Dimensions that you had to travel between several times termina was one big map and one huge world to save you just had so many days to see it all while termina was not high ruled by any means it did share certain similarities it was this Fish Out of Water feeling that made some fans uncomfortable lots of loyal Zelda followers were disappointed the sequel straight so far from the formula especially after okarina of time had almost perfected it this is easy to think if you consider Majora's MTH a standalone sequel as far as the story is concerned it branches off into very bizarre and dark territory while the subject matter suggested a more somber tone the game seemed to be primarily about healing all of your massed compatriots had their own custom Healing Song and your objectives involved curing the land from the conditions that poisoned it but from a gameplay perspective the two Nintendo 64 titles complement each other beautifully one brought the humongous land of Hyrule to life in two eras for the price of one and the other sought to look closer at the world and the intricate characters living in it essentially each one has what the other one doesn't and many consider the sequel to be as exceptional as the [Music] original as we travel onward through our tour of Zelda's lineage we come upon Nintendo's most financially successful console of all time the Game Boy which allowed link to redefine how handheld RPGs were made with his color Adventure too big to fit into one cartridge the Oracle of Seasons and ages and the GameCube and Game Boy Advance multiplayer crossover for Swords [Music] [Music] Adventures boomerangs bombs dungeons magic swords puzzles and green tunics Welcome to The Legend of [Music] Zelda while Nintendo has helped Pioneer dozens of gaming conventions that still influence the industry today one of their trademark tactics is to cross their properties across multiple platforms and peripherals sometimes this can lead to some Superfluous purchases but it can also introduce Revolutionary Ways to make an old formula feel like a completely new experience after link made his daring jump into the third dimension with two successful games for the Nintendo 64 Nintendo joined forces with Capcom to continue the fantasy franchise just months before they ship their next Home console the GameCube Nintendo added a True Green to Lyn's tunic on the newly RGB upgraded Game Boy Color under the supervision of mamoto Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons were released on the same day in May of 2001 these dual handheld titles were originally going to be a part of the Triforce Trilogy Where the two original NES games were to be revamped and included with one completely new game to finish off the acutely symmetrical package this concept gradually evolved into an all-new Trilogy based project where each game would represent present a third of the Triforce unfortunately it became extremely Troublesome to link all three titles using a brand new password system thus this adventure set was paired down to only two games each would be able to stand on its own but they could also be joined together by using passwords to transfer your progress from a gameplay perspective the two games also split the infamous Zelda formula right down the center Oracle of Ages was primarily puzzle-based for the brain teasing Labyrinth exploring crowd while Oracle of seasons was more action oriented for those who favored adventuring with the sword and bow these quests were unique but incomplete without the other if you wanted a true Zelda experience and of course the true ending to both games both the Oracle Adventures started the same on one of Link's frequent visits to the dimension shifting glistening gold Relic in the temple of the Triforce presumably to make sure no one had stolen it again he was voluntarily pulled into a portal that spit him out in either the world of laena or holodrum there he met the oracles the singer neou or the dancer Den just as they introduced themselves to their unexpected guest the general of Darkness onox or the Sorceress of Shadows Veron kidnapped one of these Newfound friends and threw their respective worlds off balance Le brena's flow of time was disrupted and Link would have to find the eight Essences of time to set it right again to do this he could travel a hundred years into the past and then back to the present changing events and rewriting history as he made each trip back and forth Ham's passage of seasons was adversely affected and Link was required to wave a magic wand to alter the world between them allowing him to access different areas hrm's map was bigger than Leena but the ages world was doubled up due to the alternate time periods fans could either choose the play style they preferred from two technically similar but thematically different Journeys to Hyrule and Beyond or combine them for one of the most elaborate quests Lynx ever quested while they may be the two least played games in the franchise they shared all the elements from their predecessors that make the series continuously [Music] impressive one year later Nintendo ported A Link to the Past to the Game Boy Advance with a few cosmetic changes along with the SNES classic the cartridge also featured for the first time ever a multiplayer Zelda game entitled four Swords while the game might have been thought of as just a bonus feature it was a solid Zelda game however finding three friends with GBA to GBA adapters and copies of the game was another story luckily in 2004 Nintendo released the four Swords Adventures for the GameCube the new version allowed one lone gamer to control all four little links by snapping them into one of four battle formations the game was much more linear than any Zelda title before it with no connecting Overworld it was clearly built as a party game or cooperative Quest similar to how the Oracle twins did a cartridge crossover four Swords was designed to transfer data this time between consoles via a GameCube to GBA cable a single player could complete the adventure with just a GameCube controller but once another player jumped in everyone needed their own Game Boy Advance to come along your perspective would shift from the TV to the handheld in dungeons caves houses and other Interiors four Swords also Mark the return of Dark Link a doppelganger the good link faced in Zelda 2 and okarina had adorable cartoon animation several heads scratching Zone swapping puzzles and a top down perspective with polished lighting characters backgrounds and special effects technically it was the closest thing to a true Link to the Past sequel fans had seen since 1992 while these games might not have been as commercially successful as their goldplated predecessors they showcase Nintendo's willingness to try new things and experiment with their technology [Music] stay tuned as we follow Link's Journey back to consoles with the brand new unexpected look in the Wind Waker and the penultimate example of Link's handheld prowess the Minish capap boomerangs bombs dungeons magic swords puzzles and green tunics Welcome to The Legend of Zelda in August of 2000 at the space World Expo Nintendo unveiled the GameCube for the first time one of the demonstrations being shown was a battle between Ganon and Link similar in appearance to the Old Link and Ganondorf from okarina of time the brief technical tease lasted barely a minute but its impact lingered for a full year fans could only speculate at what mamoto might have in store for the fourth generation of Zelda their Wildest Dreams were way [Laughter] off the following year Nintendo introduced Gamers to a link they definitely didn't recognize it was quite a shock in a move some longtime Dennis of pyrule felt was entirely in the wrong direction making his 10th Video Game appearance the new link was perhaps the youngest version of the Adolescent hero that had ever been created mamoto defended the decision to make a Zelda game for all ages and redesigned the land of Hyrule to look like an interactive cartoon from the sequel's first impressions a lot of critics and Gamers expressed serious doubts especially since Sony was about to release the PlayStation 2 and Microsoft was well on their way to creating their first Home console most of those reservations were put to rest when the wind waker was released in March of 2003 the ironic thing about the new art design was that it was initially criticized as failing to give the Zelda series the nextg detail and expression they felt it deserved when the link in Wind Waker is arguably one of the most expressive Video Game Heroes ever conceived from his subtle eye movements to his jubilent exultations he's also one of the cutest characters as well to this day few games have achieved this caliber of cell-shaded Animation the story took place hundreds of years after the oakarina of time Hyrule now lay at the bottom of a deep ocean called the Great Sea Legends of a boy in a green tunic a buried gold Relic and an unnamed evil were passed down across the ages vaguely explaining how the ancient land had been covered in water to help instill the courage of the hero of time and their children and continue their dream of his inevitable return parents dressed their kids in green gar when they were old enough to begin their own Adventures once link got his Emerald cloak and cap he spotted his first Damsel in Distress a pirate Captain named Tetra after the hel morok King dropped her into the forest link discovered Tetra and her salty crew but Upon returning to the Village the giant bird reappeared and kidnapped Link's sister arrol with no choice but to travel to the Forsaken Fortress and rescue her link boarded Tetra ship set sail on the open ocean and said goodbye to his home the following breaking an entering sequence was the first time link was forced to use stealth you were always free to evade or avoid certain enemies but this Stony search light smothered stronghold turned link into solid snake with tights he could pick up barrels and wear them as he tiptoed around a strategy that was available to you throughout the rest of the game after the rescue attempt went arai link was tossed out to sea and left for dead thankfully he was saved by the king of Red Lions a one-man sailing ship that gave plenty of wisdom and encouragement to the aspiring Adventurer once you ran into town and picked up a saale you could set out to ReDiscover Hyrule once again even if most of it was hidden beneath the surface on the way to Dragon Roost Island players soon realized the unexpected power of producing environments so boldly beautiful but technically simplified it meant that unless you were visiting a major Island for the first time or entering a cave or dungeon there were no loading times to break up the exploration and draw distances that had to be seen to be believed cruising from one Island to another was an astonishingly seamless experience and the vast ocean was not only the biggest Hyrule ever produced but one of the largest open game worlds players have had the privilege to explore unfortunately the Red Lion was not a motorboat with no self-propulsion link was completely reliant on the way of the Winds he had to go where they were going and to swing the directional draft in his favor he had to learn a brand new instrument with the titular Wind Waker link could command the skies like he was conducting a symphony orchestra the sheet music layout was similar to the okarina playlist but you could now change the tempo the first leg of the seafaring Quest charged link with recovering three pearls he then transported them to the triangle Islands revived the Tower of the Gods and defeated the boss godan to prove his worth this revealed the beam of light that warped link and the Red Lion King miles beneath sea level to the Frozen ruins of Hyrule Trapped In Time the castle was the final resting place of the Master Sword and the palace along with all the enemies within it sprang to life once link took the blade into his hands with his familiar weapon link could now perfect wind waker additions to the tried andrue 3D combat system you could still lock on and strafe around targets with ease but the larger shielded characters would give off a signal when they were preparing to launch a heavy attack when this happened players could Parry that Advance dashing around the enemy and attacking from behind this gave you one more way to save your skin and was necessary to free some of the larger characters of their Armor after fighting his way back to the surface link soon realized that Ganon still lived Tetra was actually Princess Zelda and the king of Red Lions was really the king of Hyrule who hadn't appeared in a Zelda title since A Link to the Past he helped Zelda form her golden wisdom piece and formed link of ganon's villainous but predictable plan to steal the Triforce and tasked the young lad from outset Island to restore power to the depleted Master Sword unravel eight nautical charts slowly revealing the location of the Triforce of courage and face Ganon once again upon giving Ganon another splitting headache Hyrule finally succumbed to the pressure of the great sea as Link and Zelda ascended to the surface the king Ganon and the kingdom players had explored for almost 20 years disappeared beneath a torrential tidal wave these events lead directly into the upcoming Phantom Hourglass for the Nintendo DS those who assisted through Link's first Gamecube Adventure had to stop at least once and Marvel at its magnificence despite its relatively tame difficulty level the sheer size of the world and the quest was enough to make the most dedicated fan sigh with exhaustion the Wind Waker proved that each Zelda Adventure will be far from what you expect while showcasing hours of careful design and years of technical [Music] experience after the Wind Waker the Nintendo faithful knew they would have to wait a while for the next epic console journey through Hyrule or wherever link would find himself next this time of Darkness created another opportunity to release a handheld Excursion into Uncharted Territory handheld technology is usually a generation or two behind the consoles so the Game Boy Advance was able to generate environments similar to the Super Nintendo adding several layers of depth to the detailed right design from a link to the past the Minish Cap was released in the beginning of 2005 every hundred years the pickery or the Minish as they like to call themselves return to Hyrule and Grant humans with magical gifts to commemorate the time when they saved the Kingdom from imminent destruction a piery festival is held to celebrate their arrival along with the sword fighting competition but when the Victor V receives his prize the pickory sword he destroys it and turns Princess Zelda into stone the king and his Royal counselor turn to link son of the local blacksmith to bring her back to life like all the other portable Zelda Journeys the Minish Cap showed Gamers aside of Link's home town they had never seen before your perspective allowed you to look underneath the surface of Hyrule and discover each Minish environment this Minature race was widely thought to be a fairy tale but link could witness the proof of their existence firsthand by shrinking himself at one of several Minish alars The Crafty Little Critters Lov to hide things under objects which explained why Link's been known to find random Treasures underneath rocks or patches of green grass in each game near the beginning of the quest link was introduced to eslo a bird-like creature closely resembling Link's green cap eslo helped reduce Link's stature so that he could head out on his mission of microscopic proportions the trials ahead included collecting and assembling multicolored Kinston and discovering the four quarters of the broken Pier sword to restore it to full four sword strength eslo eventually revealed that he was vod's mentor and they were both once Minish V stole one of eo's wish granting caps transforming himself into a mighty sorcerer he then morphed eslo into his current state and became drunk with power Link's fight to save the light Force led him through the tiniest cracks and biggest dungeons in Hyrule through an allice and Wonderland tale that only the action RPG Wizards at Nintendo could realize F was eventually destroyed Hyrule was saved and the doorway to the Minish world was closed this ended the last link Adventure ever created no Zelda title has been released in almost 2 [Music] years join us next week for a complete tour through the lineage of The Legend of Zelda and the conclusion to our six-part retrospective Ive in the final installment we'll follow each game chronologically through the history of Hyrule shedding light on the hidden connections between each title and taking in one of the most successful video game series of all time from start to [Music] finish [Music] [Applause] boomerangs bombs dungeons magic swords puzzles and green tunics Welcome to The Legend of Zelda warning when discussing the history of Hyrule very little can be considered absolute Nintendo has yet to release an actual timeline of the events that take place within each Zelda title and how they connect the following segment is our theory of how each game fits into Nintendo's grand scheme if there even is one we're not saying that this is the absolute answer but our findings will hopefully open up a few ideas about hyrule's past you may have never thought of [Music] before Hyrule was created by three goddesses din Neu and foror once they created the fantasy world they left it all that remained in their wake was the Triforce and the void that was created in the spot where they cross Dimensions this became known as the sacred realm or golden land to the inhabitants of Hyrule all of this is told during a cut scene that plays partway through the okarina of time several sages emerged out of the hilan people they constructed numerous temples including the Temple of Time and the Master Sword to protect the Triforce and the sacred realm before long a War Began amongst the races of Hyrule to find the Triforce and it lasted for several ages eventually the Minish grew sick of the never-ending conflict and created the pickery sword this weapon was given to Gustaf a soldier garbed in green who used it to stop the long War Gustaf was dubbed king of Hyrule and the piery sword or for sword was placed in a pedestal every 100 years a swordsmanship tournament would be held and the winner would be permitted to touch the Legendary Blade most of this information was first revealed in the Minish Cap for the Game Boy Advance a number of theories including our own consider Minish Cap to be the earliest game in the timeline a couple of Notions from the game itself support this the opening speaks of the piery giving their sword to the hero of men not the hero of time this turns out to be Gustaf who wore a green tunic but no hat our Link at the beginning of the story wears is green but is hatless as well eslo the malformed Mage who catches a ride on Link's head throughout the adventure crowns the lad with his own green cap once the wizard returns to his original form eslo says it suits link and the emerald cap would go on to become a staple of the heroes of Hyrule the second game which is similarly placed throughout multiple fan created backstories is the oakarina of time it seems to feature the first appearance of Ganondorf as the king of Hyrule doesn't seem to know about his evil intentions Ganondorf was busy searching for the entrance to the sacred realm so that he could wield the power of the Triforce and Rule Hyrule but after years of finding nothing he decided to trick the king into helping him every other Zelda title except for Minish Cap and Majora's Mask has mentioned Ganon in some way shape or form if these Adventures are chronological okarina would have to be second in line in 1998 mamoto also stated that the oakarina of time is the first story this was about 6 years before the Minish Cap was released after okarina however things get a little foggy Majora's Mask obviously follows it but after that we've seen a surprising amount of variation some ideas end with the Wind Waker and some with the original 8bit games the one we found to be the most compelling and confusing is the split timeline Theory it begins to drastically shift the legend directly after okarina of time the theory argues that two different High rules were created at the end of that game you defeat ganet as Adult Link and speak with adult Zelda afterwards she wishes for link to have a childhood so she uses the okarina to send him back to before they met this becomes Hyrule a with Link and Zelda as children before Ganon took over Hyrule B is the world he left behind where adult Zelda remained after Ganon had been defeated and Link had been deleted meanwhile in the past young Link and young Zelda informed the King of ganon's Evil plans link then leaves Hyrule before the war breaks out in search of Navi who left him in the Temple of Time this brings link to Majora's Mask after he saves termina link attempts to return to Hyrule via the sea but is Shipwrecked and Begins the Game Boy Adventure Link's Awakening Link's Awakening is rumored to be a dream as it comes to a close link regains Consciousness in the ocean and the island has mysteriously disappeared at the end he battles a nightmare creature that takes the shape of Ganon this reveals to him his deepest fear inevitable future or both link made his way back to Hyrule to discover that Ganon had won the war stripped of his equipment after being Shipwrecked link had to collect his armor and weapons and stop Ganon a second time this began the original Legend of Zelda for the NES in Link's absence the citizens of Hyrule moved North which explains why the early Overworld map didn't have any towns or castles Ganon had eventually uncovered the Triforce of power and Zelda received the Triforce of wisdom fearing Ganon would take her piece of the ancient Relic Zelda broke it into eight pieces link eventually picked them all back up destroyed Ganon and became a hero once again according to its manual Zelda 2 takes place several seasons after Zelda 1 the sequel introduces link to the actual Legend of Zelda A Tale many gamers have never heard before a long time ago the king of hyrule's son learned about the Triforce and desired it greatly an evil wizard informed the prince that his younger sister Zelda knew of its whereabouts the two confronted Zelda when the princess refused to talk the wizard forced her into a deep sleep overcome with power the wizard died in the process leaving the prince guilt stricken over betraying his own blood he had his sister move to the north Castle altar and declared that every daughter born into the royal family shall be named Zelda this event predates the Minish Cap but occurs after the events of King Gustaf this clears up a bit of the confusion Gamers feel when they keep encountering characters with the same name link learned all of this when he headed north to ReDiscover Hyrule in Zelda 2 the princess trapped in a deep sleep was none other than the original Zelda placed there by her brother years before l hunted for the Triforce of Courage prevented the return of Ganon and pulled this original Princess Zelda from her Eternal Slumber soon after Zelda 2 is the four Swords adventure with either a new Link and Zelda or the same Duo that first met during the oakarina of time it's clear the multiplayer Journey takes place after the Minish Cap because it begins with the villainous V trapped within the pickery sword but it definitely took place before A Link to the Past because once he's revealed his V's Puppet Master Ganon acquires the Trident of power which he then uses on a Super Nintendo A Link to the Past speaks of an evil that had been sealed Away by the sages which would lead one to assume that the Super Nintendo Quest takes place during Hyrule B the timeline that began once the sages had sealed the evil and Zelda had been left behind in a world with a sealed gon and no link but one could also assume that young Link told the king of his Adventure after he traveled back in time this tale would have ended with Ganon being destroyed and could have been passed down as a legend and not a historical account despite Ganon eventually winning the war in issue 165 of Nintendo Power a onuma who is the assistant director on okarina and directed Majora's Mask Wind Waker Twilight Princess and Phantom Hourglass said if you think back to the end of Oak Arena of time there were two endings in that game in different time periods first link defeated Ganon as an adult and then he actually went back to being a child you could say that the Wind Waker takes place a 100 years after the ending in which link was an adult so the story that's retold at the beginning of Wind Waker explains what happened to Zelda and Hyrule after link disappeared in time Ganon found a way to escape his prison and still possess the Triforce of power Zelda's descendant Tetra still carried the Triforce of wisdom but the new link was forced to ReDiscover the tri force of Courage let's take a broad look at the picture we're attempting to paint Minish capap first okarina second then the timeline splits there's High rule a with Link and Zelda as kids warning the King of ganon's Evil plans and parallel to that Hyrule B with a sealed away Ganon adult Zelda and no Link Hyrule a leads to Majora's Mask Link's Awakening Zelda 1 Zelda 2 four Swords and then A Link to the Past Hyrule B leads to Wind Waker but we're missing two games Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons these titles lend themselves to this split timeline Theory best of all they were released on the same day and begin pretty much the same way link goes to check on the Triforce via different routes however the theory speculates that these games are taking place at the exact same time just in two different High rules both games begin with a Triforce in its resting place the previous games for both timelines have presumably reset the Triforce both ages and Seasons deal with someone trying to resurrect Ganon does this solidify the split timeline Theory we're going to leave that up to you to decide we're not sure which Game Boy Color adventure takes place in which timeline but we've speculated that both games occur at the end of each or at least the end of the story that's been told so far that was fun but we also have two brand new Zelda games coming out that could totally shatter this and all other theories what we do know is that the Phantom Hourglass takes place after Wind Waker as long as the game doesn't resurrect Ganon or disturb the Triforce it fits in this timeline with no problem and we can't wait to get our hands on it the real question is where does Twilight Princess fit and will it connect any of these [Music] [Applause] dots apparently it takes place between okarina of time and Wind Waker which would set it in Hyrule B we have yet to play through the Entre ire game so plenty of questions still remain it seems that a strange darkness is trying to consume Hyrule and Zelda could this Darkness be trying to destroy the princess due to the split she caused by returning link to his childhood or is it just Ganon trying to make his evil return will Hyrule ultimately be flooded in the end giving birth to Wind Waker Great Sea the ending of Twilight Princess could dramatically disprove all of these ideas but we were eager to collect them and assemble our theory of how Hyrule happened especially after looking back at this groundbreaking franchise thanks for joining us on our six-part retrospective on the Legend of Zelda we look forward to discussing and debating multiple timelines and dimensions as Nintendo continues one of the greatest fantasy Adventures of all time as long as there's a Triforce there will be a Zelda as long as there's a prosperous kingdom there will be an evil bent on destroying it and as long as there's an oppressive Force threatening Hyrule there will be a boy in a green tunic Silver Shield and Magic blade to stand against [Music] it

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Length: 54min 59sec (3299 seconds)

Published: Mon Feb 15 2016