Universe of The Legend of Zelda
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Hyrule (ハイラル, Hairaru) is a fictional land portrayed in The Legend of Zelda video game series created by Nintendo and industry legend Shigeru Miyamoto. It is often used to refer to the Kingdom of Hyrule where the Royal Family of Hyrule resides. Less commonly, it may refer to the surrounding lands and world not governed by the Kingdom.
The Kingdom of Hyrule is the setting in which most Zelda games take place. The landscape changes dramatically between games.
Hyrule in the series
The land of Hyrule, first depicted in The Legend of Zelda, released in February of 1986 for the Famicom Disk System, was the mythical backdrop for the adventures of a boy-to-hero character, Link. Link battles his way through different areas and terrains of Hyrule and through nine dungeons. The player's quest in Hyrule was to reassemble the "Triforce of Wisdom" and rescue Princess Zelda who was being held captive by the evil Ganon.
In later editions of the Zelda series of games (for all Nintendo consoles to date, minus the Virtual Boy) more characters and mysteries of the land of Hyrule were unveiled and explained.
The name Hyrule may be based off of the Japanese word "hairu", or "enter". It is thought that the name is a pun welcoming people to the land.
Many of the designated areas of Hyrule have appeared through the series, notably The Lost Woods, Death Mountain, and Lake Hylia. Several games in the series take place away from Hyrule: Link's Awakening (Koholint Island), Majora's Mask (Termina), Oracle of Seasons/Oracle of Ages (Holodrum and Labrynna respectively) and The Wind Waker/Phantom Hourglass, both set on the The Great Sea (which technically is still Hyrule).
Formation of Hyrule
Hyrule was formed by the three goddesses Din, Nayru, and Farore. According to Hylian legend seen in Ocarina of Time, Din created the physical geography of the realm, Farore the flora and fauna, and Nayru gave the laws of physics and magic. Once the goddesses had completed their tasks, they departed for the heavens, and left behind them three golden triangles. Into these, they gave their power to govern all things; this became known as the Triforce. The Triforce resided in the Sacred Realm, away from Hyrule.
Currency
The currency of the Zelda series is called the Rupee (which shares its name with the real world currency in India), and is used in the lands of Hyrule, Koholint Island, Termina, Labrynna, and Holodrum. Rupees resemble hexagonical crystals or gems, and come in various colors which determine value. Rupees are acquired primarily by defeating enemies, cutting tall grasses or bushes, or by opening treasure chests, and used primarily to purchase items in shops. It is revealed in The Minish Cap that the reason why Rupees are usually hidden in grass is because the tiny Minish race hide them in bushes as gifts for humans to find; however, this race has never appeared in any other game to date, and so may not be applicable to other games in the series. Link cannot hold more Rupees than his current maximum wallet size, and Rupees collected after this point are not obtained. Link's wallet size varies between games, and generally starts off small to be later upgraded to a larger size.
Although Rupees are used most often to buy items in shops, occasionally they have other uses. In the original Legend of Zelda, one Rupee is used up every time Link shoots an arrow. In A Link to the Past, if a set amount (100) of Rupees were thrown into a certain fairy fountain, a fairy would appear and increase Link's carrying capacity for bombs or arrows, at the player's choice. In Ocarina of Time, collecting all the Silver Rupees in a particular room is a form of puzzle. Rupees are also central to the gameplay in the multiplayer Four Swords. Here, there exist Black Rupees, which cause the player to drop rupees across the ground; and Rupee Shards, which, when eight are collected, become a Rupee of great value. In Twilight Princess, the optional Magic Armor is powered by Rupees, and when Link is hit, he loses Rupees instead of hearts. If Link runs out of Rupees while wearing the armor, his mobility is greatly reduced, and he loses hearts when hit.
The only titles to feature monetary systems other than Rupees are Oracle of Seasons, where the Subrosians would accept Ore Chunks as currency, as well as Rupees, and Four Swords Adventures, where the player(s) collects Force Gems rather than Rupees. Rupees are also absent in The Adventure of Link, which has no currency system.
Colors and value
The original The Legend of Zelda only had yellow Rupees, worth 1, and blue Rupees, worth 5. Subsequent games introduced more colors and values for Rupees.
- Green Rupee - 1
- Blue Rupee - 5
- Yellow Rupee - 10 (The Wind Waker and Twilight Princess)
- Red Rupee - 20
- Purple Rupee - 50 (Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, The Wind Waker, and Twilight Princess)
- Orange Rupee - 100 (The Wind Waker and Twilight Princess)
- Silver Rupee - 100 (Majora's Mask)
- Huge Rupee (Red) - 100 (Oracle of Ages, Oracle of Seasons)
- Silver Rupee - 200 (The Wind Waker and Twilight Princess. Silver Rupees were also part of puzzles in Ocarina of Time, and were only worth 5.)
- Huge Rupee (Orange/Gold) - 200 (Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask and The Wind Waker)
Also in Ocarina of Time, an orange Rupee worth 500 was made available by destroying the Skull Kid in the Lost Woods.
Demographics and government
Hylian geography
Recurring locations
Death Mountain
Death Mountain (デスマウンテン, Desu-Maunten) is a large mountain (occasionally a volcano, as well) that made its appearance in the original The Legend of Zelda video game for the Famicom Disk System, and has subsequently appeared in several games in the series.
Death Mountain, in all of its appearances, is riddled with caves and dungeons, from Ganon's lair in The Legend of Zelda, to Goron City and Dodongo's Cavern in Ocarina of Time. When viewed from afar (as seen in Ocarina of Time), Death Mountain appears as an ominous volcano, with a ring of smoke surrounding its peak. It is said that the ring of smoke reflects the state of affairs at the mount: when all is peaceful, the ring is white and calm, but when things go awry, it turns violently ashen, and seemingly aflame. Climbing the mountain, one is certain to encounter a large number of Tektites, as well as Lynels. To make matters worse, boulders constantly fall from the mountain onto any potential climbers. A notable part of Death Mountain is the Spectacle Rock, two large rock formations next to each other that appear in most games along with the mountain itself.
In The Legend of Zelda, Spectacle Rock was the entrance to Ganon's lair, and was heavily guarded. In A Link to the Past, it blocks the way to the Tower of Hera. Spectacle Rock was also accessible in Ocarina of Time, inside the crater of Death Mountain. However, it could only be reached using a magic bean-plant as Adult Link. It is evident by its structure that the Fire Temple — which was built into the bedrock of the mountain, and which is accessible within the crater — extends in its fourth and fifth levels into each of the two peaks of Spectacle Rock. One of the rocks has a heart piece on top, but other than that, they hold little importance in the game. In The Wind Waker, In quadrant B-3 of the Great Sea, there is a Spectacle Island that bears some similar geography to the recurring spectacle rock. The island is composed of two circular regions placed closely enough together to form one island. There is also a strange rock formation in Twilight Princess, within North Hyrule Field. This highly resembles the original Spectacle Rock, and may be a reference to it.
In The Legend of Zelda, Death Mountain is an area in the first game occupying much of the northwestern part of the map. It contains some of the most difficult enemies in the game, and is also where the player will discover Levels 6 and 9. Level 9 — Ganon's lair, and the final level in the game — is discovered by bombing a portion of Spectacle Rock, and even then is only accessible when completing all other levels, and assembling the Triforce. Death Mountain is inhabited by Tektites, Lynels, and falling rocks. There is a lake on the east end which flows into a waterfall, which in turn flows into a river flowing into Lake Hylia. The Lost Hills are located directly east of the Death Mountain area.
In The Adventure of Link, Death Mountain is in the southwest portion of the map. This area consists of a maze of caves. The proper exit of the maze leads the player to an area which is revealed to be the overworld of The Legend of Zelda. Here, Spectacle Rock makes its second appearance in the series. Using the Hammer on the eastern rock reveals a secret cave, in which a magic container lies.
In A Link to the Past, Death Mountain is the area which occupies much of the upper area of the map in this game. It is location of the Tower of Hera in the Light World, and Ganon's Tower and Turtle Rock in the Dark World. It is again inhabited by Tektites, Lynels, and falling rocks. When first visiting the mountain, Link encounters a lost old man in the cave-system leading to the area. After guiding him through the paths, the old man will heal Link when he visits. Spectacle Rock only exists in the Light World, where it blocks the route to the Tower of Hera, forcing the player to temporarily enter the Dark World to bypass it. Between the rocks is a cave route that leads down and out of the mountain. The Japanese game refers only to the Dark World mountain as Death Mountain, calling the ones in the Light World "Hebra Mountain" instead. This has never happened in any later Zelda games, so it is assumed the change during translation was deliberate and intended by the creators.
In Ocarina of Time, Death Mountain is a volcano located in the far northeast reaches of the country, and can only be reached by going through Kakariko Village. The Fire Temple is located inside the Death Mountain Crater, where Link must kill Volvagia, an ancient dragon. Two rocks resembling Spectacle Rock also appear inside Death Mountain Crater, in front of the entrance to the Fire Temple. Their appearance is more conic and heaped, and a Piece of Heart rests on top of one of the rocks. Volcanic smoke billows out of the tips of each rock, though there are no natural chimney stacks visible at the peaks. It is evident from its structure and that of the Fire Temple that the upper floors of the Fire Temple may extend into the interior of these two mounds.
Ocarina of Time also introduced Death Mountain as the place where Gorons live. The Gorons live inside a cave network with four levels called Goron City. Their stable supply of rock (for nourishment) comes from Dodongo's Cavern, which, in the time just before Ganondorf's invasion, had been overrun by the extinct race of Dodongos and the mighty King Dodongo. Beyond Goron City, Death Mountain can be climbed, although Tektites and falling rocks will impede Link's path. Along with an entrance to Death Mountain Crater, a Great Fairy's Fountain is hidden at the summit; the Great Fairy there grants Link his magic power. Inside the crater is a second Great Fairy's Fountain, where Link's magic meter can be doubled.
In The Wind Waker, Death Mountain does not exist; however, a similar location, Dragon Roost Island, exists in the north-east area of the map, and contains a cavern not dissimilar to Ocarina of Time's Death Mountain Crater.
In Twilight Princess, Death Mountain is a volcano once again, located close to Kakariko Village. Below the enormous mountain lies Spectacle Rock (as north as the player can get in the Death Mountain area). Spectacle Rock is the home of the Goron race, and also houses their Goron Mines. Lava flows inside the mines, and there is a hot spring located behind Spectacle Rock itself. Subsequently, Link is not able to enter the mine at first, but as the story progresses, Gor Coron, a Goron elder temporarily ruling in the patriarch's stead, will allow Link to enter after defeating him at sumo wrestling, to search for their possessed leader Darbus. The entrance to Ocarina of Time's Dodongo's Cavern can be seen in the distance, if the camera is faced northwest.
Gerudo Valley
Gerudo Valley is a desert that appears in Ocarina of Time and Twilight Princess. In the first game, it is the location of the Gerudo Fortress, and the land of the Gerudo, a race of Amazon-like female thieves.
In Ocarina of Time, Gerudo Valley separates the arid lands of the desert from the rest of Hyrule. It is located to the west of Hyrule Field. A single wooden bridge crosses the abyssal ravine, at the base of which Zora's River flows from Hyrule Castle to Lake Hylia in a series of cataracts. Beyond Gerudo Valley exists a large expanse of desert, known as the Haunted Wasteland. The Desert Colossus, a huge rock formation, lies far out into this desert, and contains the Spirit Temple. This temple is built into the rock, and bears a large carving of a female Gerudo figure.
The Gerudo Fortress is the main feature of the region. Within the adobe buildings piled on the face of the cliff is the housing for the tribe, prison cells, and a training center. Atop the hill behind the fortress is a horseback archery training center. At the western end of the fortress is a gate, which leads to the desert. Link must infiltrate the fortress and defeat several guards before he is able to access any of these features freely with a Gerudo Membership Card. If caught before this, Link is thrown into a special prison hole beneath an observation balcony in the adjacent cliffside.
Though not near the valley in proximity, the Desert Colossus is often associated with it. It refers to an immense idol statue of a nage-like female carved into a butte, or the area around the idol, including an oasis and a hidden Great Fairy's Fountain. The idol is about ten or more stories high, featuring the woman in an Indian-style seated position with both palms open and raised upwards, as if offering gifts. A cobra has wrapped itself around her body and cloaked her head with its hood, its own head resting atop hers, as if to shade her from the sun. Within the rock structure is the Spirit Temple, which contains its own replica of the Gerudo heroine in the same pose in the main chamber. The structure of the temple suggests that one progresses through the idol, from her feet to her head, as they traverse it from the entrance.
In the game, it is necessary to explore roughly one-half of the temple as a child, and the second half as an adult. The two treasures of the temple, the Silver Gauntlets and the Mirror Shield, are each found in an outstretched hand of the larger, rock-hewn idol, and where one must be accessed only as a child, the other can be only as an adult. The temple is home to a pair of evil witches, Koume and Kotake, who are said to be Ganondorf's surrogate mothers. As a child, the Spirit Temple is used as a base for Ganon's evil operations, but as an adult, he has moved on to destroy Hyrule Castle, and build a castle of his own there.
In Twilight Princess, which takes place quite some time after Ocarina of Time, only the Gerudo Desert remains. It is mainly a barren wasteland, with practically nothing in it except for the Cave of Ordeals, a chunk of the Eldin Bridge (which has been teleported there), a Bulblin encampment, and the Arbiter's Grounds dungeon, which is a prison built by the goddesses, and is home to the Sages and the Mirror of Twilight. The race that became the Twili was sent here to be transported to the Twilight Realm, and the entrance to the desert became impassable. Due to the Gerudos' earlier endangerment (Ganondorf being the only Gerudo left), the passage was never reopened. Ganondorf was transported to the Twilight Realm after a botched execution in the prison a few years after the events of Ocarina, but his Triforce of Power allowed him to return to life and kill one of the Sages. The other Sages quickly overpowered him, however, and banished him to the Twilight Realm. The only notable geographical feature in the Twilight Princess version of the Gerudo Valley is the Gerudo Mesa, a small mesa in which lies both the Cave of Ordeals and the broken piece of the Bridge of Eldin.
Hyrule Castle
Hyrule Castle (ハイラル城, Hairaru-jō) is the home and seat of the royal family of Hyrule. The castle's first appearance was in A Link to the Past, the third game in the series. Each game that contains a Hyrule Castle either features a different layout, or denies the player access to parts that are available in other games. There are grounds for speculation that the castle is actually a different castle in each game, or that it is the same castle but was changed in each game for aesthetic or gameplay purposes.
Though the appearance and architecture of Hyrule Castle vary somewhat, several aspects have remained consistent throughout multiple Zelda titles. It generally appears as a cross between a motte-and-bailey and concentric castle, with an outer wall surrounding the inner residence, and is usually surrounded by a moat. Especially in the more recent The Legend of Zelda titles, it is a primarily white castle with tall, angular spires covered in bluish rooftops.
Hyrule Castle first appeared in A Link to the Past, where it is situated in the middle of Hyrule, and appears to be the seat of power of the government, as well as the home of Princess Zelda. During the course of the game, Link must break into the castle. He manages to gain entrance via a secret passage on the eastern side of the castle. It has a total of six floors, and features a courtyard and moat. There is also a secret passage within that leads to a sanctuary north of the castle. The castle's counterpart in the Dark World, is the "Pyramid of Power," where Ganon received the Triforce.
In Ocarina of Time, the castle is first seen during the opening credits. The castle is situated west of Death Mountain and just directly north of Hyrule Castle Market. The entrance to Hyrule Castle Market alone is protected by a moat and a drawbridge, which lowers only during the day. Beyond Hyrule Castle Market is a path which leads eventually to Hyrule Castle, but features a gate and several guards along the way. In order to infiltrate the castle, Link must sneak past each guard until he gets to the castle itself, which is surrounded by a moat. Link never directly enters any "important" parts of the castle, but he does manage to enter the courtyard (where he meets Zelda) using a secret entrance on the east side (similar to his infiltration in A Link to the Past). Sometime during the seven years that pass, Ganon destroys Hyrule Castle, and replaces it with Ganon's Castle.
The castle is a monarchical castle lying north of Hyrule Field, and is the center of most of the game's events. It appears as a cross between a motte-and-bailey and concentric castle, with the moat and outer walls surrounding Hyrule Castle Market, the Temple of Time, and the royalty's inner castle, which stands on a meadowed plateau. The inner castle itself is surrounded by a small moat, and contains extensive gardens. Both the outer and inner castle's use drawbridges at their gates. The castle exhibits its poor design and weak guard when a young child (in this case, Link) manages to sneak into the inner castle's courtyard and surprise the Princess.
In The Wind Waker, Hyrule Castle is at first frozen in time, under the Great Sea and accessible at the site of the Tower of the Gods. Only the large main hall and a small courtyard may be visited. The main hall contains a statue of the Hero of Time, Link, from Ocarina of Time, that hides the entrance to a basement room housing the Master Sword. Nine stained-glass windows depict the Triforce, Ganon, and the six sages from Ocarina of Time. When Link takes the Master Sword, the castle and the land around it unfreezes. Enemies who were assaulting the castle at the time it was frozen reawaken, and attempt to stop Link from escaping.
Hyrule Castle next appears in Four Swords Adventures, where it lies just south of Death Mountain, near the center of Hyrule. The interior is very similar to its A Link to the Past incarnation, while the exterior, as shown on the world map, is based on that in The Wind Waker.
Hyrule Castle also has a fairly large presence in The Minish Cap. To restore power in the magic sword broken by Vaati, Link must find four elemental artifacts, and imbue the blade with their essence at an Elemental Sanctuary, which can be found in the courtyard of Hyrule Castle. As the story progresses, Vaati disguises himself as the King of Hyrule, possessing control of its guards, and making it harder for Link to enter the castle. Toward the game's end, Vaati transforms the entire castle into Dark Hyrule Castle, which is much larger than normal Hyrule Castle, and filled with many traps and enemies.
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Hyrule Castle plays a central role in Twilight Princess, both geographically and within the storyline. Many of the game's more dramatic moments and plot twists take place within its walls. The structure itself is visible from almost any point in Hyrule, and its grounds and interior are far larger than in any previous Zelda game. The castle also serves as the game's final dungeon, and is possibly the largest dungeon of the game in terms of sheer floor space. Link first explores the outer sections, jumping from roof to roof as a Wolf, then in his normal form, as the final dungeon. The castle appears to have been sieged by Ganondorf, Zant or both in succession; there are large amounts of structural damage to the walls. The castle appears largely concentric, with an outer wall with towers at six points, and a large, strong keep. The castle has four main wings on its ground level; the eastern wing is used by the Bublins in Ganondorf's army as a base camp, with many poorly constructed towers and walls, which can be torn down by using a large boar to smash them. The western wing and southern wings appear largely intact, the player entering through the southern wing adorned with three towers of the Triforce. The western wing is the place where the player has a final duel with the Bublin leader, who reveals that he can speak, and gives Link the key to the keep after recognizing him as "the strongest" and riding out of the castle. The castle also has a throne room with chandeliers, and a platform for the throne, which has been moved for the purpose of the player. The upper levels have modest hallways accessible by balcony. The causeway to two of the major six towers can be walked upon, but the towers cannot be explored. Finally, the keep is a long, winding tower, with a second, massive throne room at the top of the tower. The castle also has a hidden graveyard.
The castle does not appear in the The Legend of Zelda, but it is notable that the fourth dungeon is placed in the same location that the castle appears in A Link to the Past. This could suggest that the dungeon is, in fact, the remains of the old castle years after the events of the other games, which mostly seem to take place earlier chronologically. This is a minor plot twist, however, as the creators of the Zelda series have stated that The Legend of Zelda and The Adventure of Link are after A Link to the Past.
Kakariko Village
Kakariko Village (カカリコ村, Kakariko-mura) is a small peaceful village that first appeared in A Link to the Past, but it has since reappeared in Ocarina of Time, Four Swords Adventures, and Twilight Princess. Kakariko Village's geographical and historical situation seems to change in each game, but it retains some signature characteristics throughout all of its appearances. Its background music shares a basic motif (A Link to the Past and Ocarina of Time feature similar arrangements, while Twilight Princess only employs brief quotes of the opening melody, the rest being a remix of the Dark World music), all the roofs of the houses are familiarly colored red, the town features a characteristic graveyard, and Cuccos roam the town.
In A Link to the Past, the protagonist Link first visits Kakariko Village, which is west of Hyrule Castle, north of the Desert of Mystery, south of the Lost Woods, and southwest of Death Mountain Foothills, on the advice of the monk working at the Sanctuary. Hoping to meet with reputed sage Sahasrahla, Link can inquire about the local celebrity throughout the village, though guards are stationed all around (or in the vicinity) to capture Link, accused of abducting Princess Zelda. Sahasrahla's presumed wife, however, informs Link that the wise elder has left for the region around Eastern Palace. Exploring the village anyway is still profitable; many side quests are tied into the village. Later in the game, Link takes the Book of Mudora from the library to the south, though Link is not required to return to the village after clearing the Desert Palace until much later in the game, namely before Misery Mire. This is because Link must awaken the bird trapped within the weather vane in the village by playing the Flute (which is given to him by the son of a villager in the Haunted Grove section of the Dark World). Once this bird is awakened, Link can use the Flute to warp about the Light World. Kakariko Village is the third of the eight warp sites.
A thief named Blind used to have a permanent residence in the village, but by the time Link sees it, it has been abandoned, though treasures can still be found within. Blind turns out to be boss of the fourth Dark World dungeon, Blind's Hideout. Blind's Hideout is called "Thieves' Town" in the GBA remake. The Dark World equivalent of Kakariko Village is the "Village of Outcasts", overrun with thieves, gambling establishments, and Moblins. The weather vane has been replaced by a demon statue, and several trees now talk. One shop begins selling Good Bees (called Golden Bees in the remake) if Link shows the merchant there one from the ice cave in northeastern Lake Hylia (Light World). The Good/Golden Bee could be unleashed to attack enemies on the screen.
The Kakariko Village of Ocarina of Time is radically different from the village of A Link to the Past. Now located directly at the foot of the Death Mountain, quite distant from the Lost Woods and the Haunted Wasteland (the Ocarina of Time equivalent of the Desert of Mystery), this Kakariko Village seems to have been founded recently. Villagers there recall that Impa, Zelda's nursemaid, opened the formerly Sheikah-exclusive village to the poor commoners of Hyrule (presumably not rich enough to live in the Market outside Hyrule Castle). The villagers also claim that long ago, Impa drove out the Gerudos from the Kakariko area. Dominating the landscape is a windmill, which is used to draw water up from the Well of Three Features ("Dark! Narrow! Scary!"), the source of water for the villagers. Sheikah legend tells that Impa sealed a great evil in the bottom of the Well. Later, when Link learns the Song of Storms as an adult, playing it can overwork the windmill, making it draw up all the water, and, in effect, dry up the well. Another legend tells that a wise man with an eye that could see the truth lived where the well is located now; thus, playing the Song of Storms opens up the well for exploration as a child to find this Lens of Truth.
In Link's adulthood, the great evil imprisoned in the Well of Three Features escapes, setting fire to the village, and beating Link and Sheik considerably before retreating into the Shadow Temple, the entrance to which is found in the graveyard adjacent to the village. Impa then goes off to imprison the great evil again by going into the Shadow Temple (also known as the "House of the Dead"), but seemingly fails. Link must rescue her by defeating this great evil, which turns out to be an invisible "Phantom Shadow Beast," Bongo Bongo. Link uses the Lens of Truth to see the monster and slash its vulnerable eye. In defeating the monster, Link rescues and awakens Impa as the Sage of the Shadow Temple.
During the seven-year period of turmoil in Hyrule between Link's drawing of the Master Sword and his awakening, many residents of the Market fled to the village to escape persecution. Although not in the game itself, the ReDead trophy in Super Smash Bros. Melee states that no residents of the Market died. Talon, the previous proprietor of Lon Lon Ranch, also runs off to Kakariko Village when Ingo kicks him out. Before Link pulls the Master Sword, it is revealed that Impa wanted the village to be constructed into a "true city," and hired carpenters to do so — however, when Link returns seven long years later, the carpenters are gone, and only one building has been made, which becomes the new Hyrule Shooting Gallery.
Kakariko Village is the setting of a level in Four Swords Adventures. The village is overrun by thieves, and covered in fire. The four Links are required to capture them in order to advance north of the city, to a place where they can summon rain and thus quell the fire started by the antagonist Shadow Link. Here Kakariko Village has no prominent features and is simply a collection of houses with a few residents. A stream outside the city leads the Links to fight a Stalfos, and in so doing recover the Green Royal Jewel. The numerous thieves present could relate to the Village of Outcasts in A Link to the Past, and the vast Cucco population may also relate to the amount of Cuccos present in Kakariko Village in Ocarina of Time. The fact that Kakariko Village is nearer to The Lost Woods may also account for the presence of thieves in the village.
In Twilight Princess, Kakariko Village has greatly changed since its last appearance. Instead of having green grass and a surplus of people, it has changed to a barren wasteland inside a canyon, though in the original Gamecube version, still in the exact location found in Ocarina of Time. By the time Link reaches the village, its inhabitants have all been killed or turned into Twilight creatures, with the exceptions of Renado, the village shaman, his daughter Luda, and Barnes, the owner of a bomb shop. The houses that line the path to Death Mountain are uninhabited and in severe disrepair, perhaps due to the attack of the Twilight monsters. After Link saves the possessed leader of the Goron tribe, Darbus, Gorons will come down to the village and help Link reach higher areas of the valley by launching him into the air from their backs. It is also revealed through the Zora queen, Rutela, that the graveyard of the village is sacred to the Zora, because it is a place of peace for them. The graveyard is also where most Zoras of royal blood go to be buried, and in the GCN version, is identical to the Ocarina of Time cemetery in location and shape. It is worth noting that the Hidden Village may actually be the Kakariko Village from Ocarina of Time; the signpost, when translated into English, reads "Old Kakariko", and Impaz, the only resident there, was named after Impa, and is from the same tribe as her, the Sheikah. Kakariko Village was originally founded by the Sheika, lending ground to this.
It is entirely possible that the Kakariko Village as seen in A Link to the Past is a distinctly different one from the one visited in Ocarina of Time and later games, due to its location within Hyrule. The precedent exists in the Zelda series for such a re-establishment — most notably, the abandonment of Old Kasuto Town in Zelda II: The Adventure of Link and the later establishment of New Kasuto elsewhere in the kingdom, due to constant monster attacks. Given the vast physical differences between the various towns — the decaying Kakariko Village seen in Twilight Princess, and the lush and sylvan Kakariko in the chronologically-later A Link to the Past on the opposite side of Hyrule — such an occurrence is not without antecedent, though the series game designers have yet to officially address this situation.
Lake Hylia
Lake Hylia is a large lake located in Hyrule. In most games, the lake is fed by a river which flows from a waterfall which flows from a mountain (usually Death Mountain).
In A Link to the Past, Lake Hylia is located in southeast Hyrule, and has a network of small caves coming off it. In the center of the lake is an island featuring a fairy pond, that is inhabited by Venus, Queen of the Fairies. She will upgrade the player's ability to carry bombs or arrows if given enough money. Outside the pond is a warp tile that grants access to the Ice Palace in the Dark World. In addition, the Ice Rod item is found in a cave in the northeast, as is the Good/Golden Bee, a bottled insect that can be unleashed to attack foes. The lake itself is fed from Zora's River, which in turn flows from Death Mountain.
In Ocarina of Time, Lake Hylia is a lake in the south of Hyrule, towards the west. It is closed off by a gate, but can be entered by jumping over the gate with Epona, or by climbing a ladder next to the gate. There is also portal from Zora's Domain that leads to the lake, and it is possible to float downriver from Gerudo Valley. Lake Hylia is fed by water from Zora's River. There are numerous small islands in the lake linked by bridges. The largest island is the warp-point for the Serenade of Water, and below it lies the Water Temple. During the seven years of Link's sleep, Lake Hylia loses most of its water, due to the presence of the boss of the Water Temple, Morpha. On the coast of the lake, there is a laboratory and a fishing pond.
Lake Hylia is the first level in Four Swords Adventures. It is located in the east of Hyrule. Unlike in the previous games, where Lake Hylia is one massive lake, Lake Hylia in Four Swords Adventures is a series of small lakes connected by rivers.
In The Minish Cap, Lake Hylia is located in the east of Hyrule. The water enters the Lake by river from Veil Falls to the north. To the south is the Minish Woods, and to the west Lon Lon Ranch. Stockwell, the shop-owner from Hyrule Town, owns property here, and his dog Fifi lives there. Librari, the Minish elder of the library, The Lake's most important feature is the Temple of Droplets, the fourth dungeon (a Minish-sized one).
Lake Hylia returns in Twilight Princess, being one of the three major focus points of Lanayru Province. Lake Hylia is fed by Zora's River, flowing out of the waterfalls in Zora's Domain. Beneath the surface of the lake lies the Lakebed Temple. When Link first encounters Lake Hylia in the Twilight Realm, it is almost completely drained of water, due to Zora's Domain being frozen over. On the edge of the lake lies the spring of the Light Spirit Lanayru, which was once the entrance to Ocarina of Time's Water Temple. The Great Bridge of Hylia is the only way to cross Lake Hylia from Hyrule Field. The bridge connects with a rock islet, which has remained from Ocarina of Time. The tree is still visible atop, where it has grown over the years. The lake itself, however, is noticeably deeper and larger than Ocarina of Time's, almost as large as Hyrule Field in Ocarina of Time.
Lon Lon Ranch
Lon Lon Ranch is a ranch that appears in several games of the series.
In Ocarina of Time, Lon Lon Ranch is located in the center of Hyrule Field. The four main buildings are the house, the stables, the Cucco coop, and the storage shed. The ranch raises Cuccos, dairy cattle (or Lon Lons), and horses, including Epona. The interior of the ranch, which is the largest space, boasts a corral for training and raising the horses, where they also graze. The entire ranch is situated on a rocky plateau, and is protected by a high, wooden fence crowned by metal spires. The fence keeps out trespassers and intruders, while maintaining and protecting the livestock within.
When Link is a child, the ranch is owned by Talon and operated by him, his daughter Malon, and their hard-working ranch hand, Ingo. Seven years later, Link learns that Ganondorf kicked Talon out, then transferred ownership of the ranch to Ingo. "The Fabulous Ingo's 'Ingo Ranch'" has actually prospered, but Malon was forced to work under Ingo, or else he would "treat the horses very badly." During Ganon's reign, Talon was forced to live elsewhere. Taking up residence in Kakariko Village, Talon hides his depression over losing his daughter and ranch to Ingo by constantly sleeping.
When Link frees Epona and Malon from Ingo's holding, Talon returns home and promises to turn over a new leaf, and to "work hard from now on." Within days, Ingo mysteriously transforms into a nice person, and returns to work as a ranch hand. He and Talon befriend each other, and Malon's relationship with her father is restored and improved.
In Majora's Mask, Link finds Epona in a place called Romani Ranch, which is owned by two young women. One looks like how Malon did as a child in Ocarina of Time, and the other looks like the grown-up Malon. The music in the ranch is the same as the music in Lon Lon Ranch in Ocarina of Time, but without Malon's singing.
In The Minish Cap, Lon Lon Ranch remains much the same, but it is much smaller and only farms dairy cows. It is located to the east of Hyrule Town, instead of the center of Hyrule Field.
Lost Woods
The Lost Woods is a large, maze-like forest.
In The Legend of Zelda, the Lost Woods is a single-screen, repeating area filled with trees. The path forms a cross. It requires a certain pattern of directions (north, west, south, west) in order for the player to pass through successfully. If the player does not know the correct pattern, they are unable to reach western Hyrule without crossing the river north of the large lake.
In A Link to the Past, the Lost Woods is located in the northwestern section of Hyrule, directly north of Kakariko Village. The Master Sword is placed in a large hidden shrine, though numerous fakes are also present. The dark shadows of the trees are also good growing conditions for the Sleepy Mushroom, which can be turned into Magic Powder. The Lost Woods is also inhabited by several thieves, who won't hesitate to rob passersby of their rupees, should they come too close.
In Link's Awakening, the "Mysterious Forest" is found just north of the village of Mabe. Link's Awakening is set on Koholint Island rather than Hyrule, so these are not the same Lost Woods as are seen in other Zelda games, hence the name change. However, it is likely the forest was inspired by, and intended to remind players of, the Lost Woods.
In Ocarina of Time, the Lost Woods lies directly to the west and north of Kokiri Forest, and is inhabited by Skull Kids. It is a maze of trees that can be navigated by following the sound of Saria's Song. Taking a wrong path leads the player back to the entrance in Kokiri Forest. Portals to Goron City and Zora's River are hidden within the Lost Woods. Within the woods, there is a shooting challenge, where players can upgrade the amount of Deku Seeds (ammunition for the Fairy Slingshot) they can carry. Adjacent to this challenge, there are two friendly Skull Kids who play flutes. There are a few Business Scrubs located in three major places in the woods. Located in the northern portion of the woods is the Sacred Forest Meadow.
This is the favorite haunt of Saria, Link's friend and the Forest Sage. It is also where the Forest Temple is hidden. According to local lore, whoever enters the forest will turn into a Stalfos (if Hylian) or a Skull Kid (if Kokiri). A Gossip Stone reveals that only Kokiri who have fairy partners may enter the forest and not become lost. In the Ocarina of Time manga, it tells of how the forest tricks human hearts into wandering the same paths over and over, and if the poor soul loses the sight of the exit, he or she will never return again.
In Majora's Mask, the game begins in the Lost Woods, where Link is ambushed by the Skull Kid. The Terminan equivalent of the Lost Woods is the "Woods of Mystery", located in the Southern Swamp. As with Ocarina of Time, the player must take the correct path through the woods. If they go the wrong way, they are returned to the entrance of the woods. The Woods of Mystery featured a different path on each of the three days in the game's cycle. However, it was possible for a monkey to guide Link through the woods, should he ever need to reach the end. Unlike the Lost Woods from Ocarina of Time, the Woods of Mystery had a minor role in the story, as Link only had to explore the Woods of Mystery to help Koume and, optionally, look for mushrooms with the Mask of Scents.
In Oracle of Seasons, an area called the Lost Woods is the location of the Noble Sword, though it is obviously a different Lost Woods, seeing as the game is set in the land of Holodrum, not Hyrule.
The Lost Woods do not appear in The Wind Waker, as the forest was submerged when the gods flooded Hyrule. Instead, the "Forbidden Woods" appear, however it is a dungeon rather than a labyrinth-like overworld area. Early in the game, a Korok also mentions that his race had lived there in the past, until it became overrun by monsters, and they were forced to leave. The boss creature of the dungeon is a plant-monster named Kalle Demos. Also, as mentioned in the Death Mountain section, the map loosely resembles that of Ocarina of Time; the Forbidden Woods are in the southeastern area, much like the map in Ocarina of Time.
The Lost Woods do not appear in The Minish Cap, since this is, apparently, the first of the timeline. Instead, a place called "Minish Woods" exists adjacent to Lake Hylia.
The Lost Woods do not appear in Twilight Princess either, but the "Sacred Grove" shares its convoluted design and lack of a minimap that makes it easy to confuse players, and the music similar to Ocarina of Time's Lost Woods. It is also the residence of a Skull Kid, along with the ruins of the Temple of Time from Ocarina of Time, although the Lost Woods of Ocarina of Time were nowhere near the Temple. The player also finds the Master Sword inside the Temple, which is similar to how the sword was found in the Lost Woods in A Link to the Past.
The Legend of Zelda
Physical geography
By the time of The Legend of Zelda, the features of Hyrule have been significantly rearranged. Death Mountain is located in the north, as before, but the major body of water (possibly Lake Hylia) is now in the center of the land, the Lost Woods are in the southwest, a graveyard is in the far west, and some desert regions are in the northeast. A large portion of the map in the southeast is forested, and there are no obvious plains. The large anthropomorphic tree near the center of the map (the entrance to the first dungeon) may be a deceased Deku Tree (or rather, the Deku Tree may have been based on it). The reason there are no towns is because Ganon's creatures have swept the land. In the actual "Legend of Zelda" (not the game, respectively), it is said that once Ganon's army invaded, all the settlements and people moved north, beyond Death Mountain, as seen in The Adventure of Link. In that sequel, the Link from the previous game traveled north, journeying to different towns and a whole new area of Hyrule. Hence, the map at the top of the page.
Human geography
The reason for the little sign of human habitation in the Southern Hyrule of this age is due to Ganon winning the war, and thus the citizens have moved north. There is no Hyrule Castle, and all the people Link encounters are elderly, and live in caves or dungeons. In The Adventure of Link, which occurs immediately afterward chronologically, towns were introduced to the series for the first time.
Races and governments
The only friendly creatures encountered in The Legend of Zelda are humans, in the form of old men, old women, and shopkeepers. There is a race known as the Zola, which are claimed to be a splinter group of Zoras, but they are only portrayed as enemies in this game.
The Adventure of Link
In The Adventure of Link, the geographic features of the first game (and most subsequent games) are found in a relatively small area in the southwest corner of a far more expansive Hyrule. Notably, Death Mountain, Spectacle Rock, the western graveyard, and Lake Hylia are apparent, and do not seem to be inhabited. The expanded Hyrule is divided by sea into two main continents (called the Eastern and Western Continents), and supports at least eight towns. Five of the towns bear the same names of sages from Ocarina of Time (Rauru, Ruto, Saria, Nabooru, and Darunia). Another town, Mido, shares the name of a bossy character in Ocarina of Time's Kokiri Forest.
A Link to the Past
In A Link to the Past, Hyrule's geography has changed once again. Death Mountain is still in the north, but the Lost Woods have moved to the northwest corner of the map. This was the first Zelda game to feature Hyrule Castle in its entirety, and it is the central point of Southern Hyrule. Lake Hylia is located in the southeast of the kingdom, and there is a large desert in the southwest. Kakariko Village is located to the west, between the Lost Woods and the desert. Zora's River is located in the northeast of Hyrule. Finally, the ruins of another palace lie in the east of the land. Some have said that if the map is turned 45 degrees clockwise, it bears a striking resemblance to the map of Ocarina of Time.[citation needed]
Ocarina of Time
Physical Geography
The land of Hyrule in the time of Ocarina of Time is very diverse. The landscape is dominated by a large volcanic mountain range and its principal volcano, Death Mountain, in the northeast of the country.
To the far west is a large area of desert, known as the Haunted Wasteland, bordered by a canyon, named Gerudo Valley that is a feeder river for a large lake, Lake Hylia in the southwest.
Immediately east of Lake Hylia is a large woodland area, known as the Lost Woods. The major water source in Hyrule is the Zora's River, which flows in almost a circle, starting at at Zora's Fountain, forking into Hyrule Castle Town, and into the Lost Woods, where part of the river can be seen in Kokiri Forest. It then flows from Hyrule Castle Town, through Gerudo Valley and into Lake Hylia, seemingly ending at the Fishing Pond.
The center region of the country is occupied by Hyrule Field, with a large hill at its center, on which Lon Lon Ranch is located.
Political geography
Human activity in Hyrule has been somewhat limited. There is evidence of farming, by the Magic Beans of Ocarina of Time, though the bean salesman says they aren't selling very well. The Hyrulean economy, judging from the state of Hyrule Castle, seems fairly strong, but dependent on fisheries and trade.
Several settlements have sprung up around Hyrule, the capital generally being based around Hyrule Castle, with other major settlements such as Kakariko Village and various settlements created by races such as the Gorons, Zoras, Gerudo, Kokiri and others. The Gorons are known to be secluded, and separated from the rest of Hyrule, being high atop Death Mountain, and unreachable by many citizens; the Gerudo people of Ocarina of Time also bar access to their settlement, the only entrance to them being a single rope bridge spanning a deep valley. Some major buildings in Hyrule include Hyrule Castle and the Temple of Time.
The Wind Waker
In the time of The Wind Waker (set parallel to Twilight Princess and centuries after Ocarina of Time), Hyrule has long since been flooded, and now lies beneath the ocean, with only a collection of mountaintops remaining above the water. These form an archipelago that later became known as the Great Sea, in a manner similar to Atlantis.
Twilight Princess
In the latest Zelda game, Twilight Princess, many locations are carried over from Ocarina of Time and other games, although they have been completely redone. Hyrule Castle and Hyrule Castle Town now sit in the middle of the map, surrounded by Hyrule Field, which has been broken up into multiple locations. In addition, the kingdom has now been divided into six political provinces, four of which have been named after their respective light spirits (these provinces having names that bear a striking resemblance to those of the goddesses of Ocarina of Time). Other locations include Kakariko Village and Death Mountain, in the Eldin Province, to the east, Ordon Village and Faron Woods, in the Ordona and Faron Provinces respectively, to the south, Zora's Domain to the north, and Lake Hylia, Gerudo Desert and Snowpeak to the west (all locations are mirrored on the Wii version).
Zora's River (which is only accessible during minigames) runs from Zora's Domain to Lake Hylia through a very deep gorge that partially surrounds the eastern section of Hyrule Field. Lake Hylia itself lies far below the western section of Hyrule Field. Notably, Lon Lon Ranch is absent from this game, and the Temple of Time, which, in Ocarina of Time, was located in Hyrule Castle Market to the north, is now found in ruins in the Faron Woods to the south of the map.
It should be noted that for control reasons, the east and west directions in the GameCube and Wii versions of the game were inverted, as the Wii version of the game was mirrored from the original GameCube version, since Link was originally left-handed. It has yet to be officially established which version of the game is the "canonical" one, though the GameCube build matches the design of Hyrule from the Ocarina of Time (this game of which itself inverted the position of a number of locations, such as Kakariko Village moving from west to east and Lake Hylia from south east to south west) far more accurately.