It is difficult to be a fan of gaming and have never touched a Legend of Zelda game. One of the most beloved series in Nintendo’s history, the Legend of Zelda has so many games that track all the way from the beginning of Nintendo’s home console history. Let’s grab a handful of trivia, because there’s SO much!
1. The instrument called an ocarina was actually first seen in A Link to the Past, but was just merely called a ‘flute’.
2. The Triforce is actually a symbol used by the Hojo clan back in the 13th Century and can be seen on their shields, banners and weapon hilts.
3. Those sharp-eared Studio Ghibli fans will recognize the tune in Kakariko Village as being the same as a song from the movie Kiki’s Delivery Service! Gosh, I love that movie.
This.. was an abomination and I promise you, Nintendo wasn’t involved. (Philips CD-I)
4. The first Legend of Zelda title on NES was the first game that allowed you to save your progress other than the popular password compiling of the time. No more passwords!
5. If you peek through the windows in the Castle courtyard in Ocarina of Time, you can see portraits of beloved Nintendo characters. Miyamoto loves making sure people get those darling easter eggs. I mean, check out Malon’s pin which is the head of Bowser from Super Mario. Pretty neat, yeah?
6. Speaking of Ocarina of Time, Epona the Horse is actually named after a Celtic goddess. Consider Epona the Mother of Foals, my friends.
(Nintendo)
7. There were three games that came out that are not directly connected to the canon and they were part of the Phillips-CDI and Nintendo minor collaboration. However, they were so terrible that Nintendo shut down any possible connection between the three games and the rest of the Zelda franchise.
8. If you compile the numbers from the sale of the first Legend of Zelda game and its subsequent re-releases, the game has sold more than 36 million copies worldwide.
9. Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask ran on a modified version of the same engine that was built for Mario 64. This was part of how they kept costs down during the beginning of the Nintendo 64’s development cycle in-house.
(Nintendo)
10. In Breath of the Wild, it is actually explained why Link doesn’t speak. It’s stated in Zelda’s journal that is said that he is purposely silent because he’s got the weight of saving their world on his shoulders and it keeps him solemn and quiet. Talk about a lot, right?
