The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, often shortened to Twilight Princess is the 13th installment of the main The Legend of Zelda series. It was released for the Nintendo GameCube and Wii in late 2006. It is the first game of the series to feature realistic HD graphics, as opposed to the cel-shaded style of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. The Wii version was the first time that a The Legend of Zelda game was released as a launch title.

The story focuses on Link, who goes on an adventure to save Hyrule from being engulfed by a corrupted parallel dimension known as the Twilight Realm. In order to do so, he takes the form of both a Hylian and a wolf, and he is assisted in this task by a mysterious character named Midna. The game takes place hundreds of years after The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask.

Twilight Princess was critically acclaimed upon release, being praised for its world design, art direction and change in tone from other games in the franchise. However, the Wii version received criticism for its motion controls, with many calling them "forced" and "tacked-on". By 2015, it had sold 8.85 million copies worldwide, and was the best-selling Zelda game until being overtaken by The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild in April of 2018. In 2011, the Wii version was re-released under the Nintendo Selects label. A high-definition remaster for the Wii U, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD, was released in March of 2016. On December 5, 2017, the game was re-released for the Nvidia Shield in China.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess was first revealed in the form of a trailer at E3 2004. Playable demos were featured at E3 2005 and E3 2006, the former of which had a The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Preview Trailer, which participants could watch on their Nintendo DS from either a cartridge or via DS Download Play.

Plot
The game starts with Link, who lives in Ordon Village and works as a ranch hand. He is asked by Rusl, the village's blacksmith and swordsman, to deliver the Ordon Sword and Ordon Shield to the Royal Family of Hyrule. Before Link could start his journey, Ilia and Colin were kidnapped by a group of King Bulblins. Link goes on a journey to rescue them, although he gets knocked unconscious along the way.

When Link woke up, he continued pursuing the monsters, only to be sucked into the Twilight Realm, where he is transformed into a wolf and imprisoned in a dungeon of Hyrule Castle. There, link meets Midna, the princess of the Twili race. They join forces and work their way out of the Underground Waterway. They ascend up the castle's towers and meet Princess Zelda. She explains that Zant, a member of the Twili race, is trying to merge the Twilight Realm and Hyrule into a single land of darkness for him to rule over.

Midna is searching for a sacred weapon called the Fused Shadows, which she wants to use to defeat Zant and save the Twilight Realm. Midna is uninterested in the fate of Hyrule. During Link and Midna's quest for the Fused Shadows, it is discovered that the Twili's ancestors, the interlopers, tried to conquer the Sacred Realm, causing a war to break out in Hyrule. After they became too powerful, the goddesses sent three Spirits of Lights to seal the interlopers away into the Twilight Realm.

Link and Midna eventually reassemble the Fused Shadow. Zant then appears curses Link, trapping him in his wolf form. Midna is exposed to Lanayru's light and is mortally wounded. Zant leaves, and Link hurries Midna back to Hyrule Castle to seek aid from Princess Zelda.

At Hyrule Castle, Princess Zelda, reveals that Link can only return to normal if he has the Master Sword. As Midna's life fades away, Zelda sacrifices herself to save Midna. Link and Midna travel far into the Sacred Grove and obtain the Master Sword. Midna kept the Shadow Crystal that transformed Link into a wolf, so with both the Master Sword and Power Crystal, Link is able to change his form willingly.

Midna tells Link that they must search for the Mirror of Twilight and use it to confront Zant with the Master Sword. When they reach the mirror, they discover that Zant had already broken it into four fragments. Only one fragment of the Mirror of Twilight is present. The Ancient Sages, who are the mirror's guardians, appear and reveal that Ganondorf has the Triforce of Power, which prevents him from being killed. At one point they impaled Ganondorf, and the sages thought he was executed, but he instantly rose, killed the Water Sage and was sealed into the Twilight Realm. The Ancient Sages reveal that only the Twili ruler could destroy the Mirror of Twilight, which means that Zant was only powerful enough to break it in four.

After finding the four fragments, Link and Midna reconstruct the Mirror of Twilight and use it to enter the Twilight Realm. There, Link and Midna confront Zant and learn that he was passed over in the choice of being a ruler. Zant went into a crazed rage and was approached by the spirit of Ganondorf, who selected him to be a servant that would help him rise to power. Midna is revealed to be the Twilight Princess and that she overthrown by Zant and turned into an imp using Ganondorf's power. Sfter a long battle, Link manages to defeat Zant. He reveals to Link and Midna that he can be resurrected with Ganondorf's power. Midna then uses the Fused Shadows to kill Zant.

Link and Midna go to Hyrule Castle and enter the throne room on the highest floor. There, they find Ganondorf sitting on a throne and Zelda's lifeless body suspended above him. Ganondorf possesses Zelda's body, turning her into Puppet Zelda, and fights Link, who manages to win the battle. Midna uses the Fused Shadow to purge Zelda of Ganondorf, who then transforms into a beast, Ganon, and attacks Link manages to slay Ganon during battle, and Midna unwittingly returns Zelda's soul to her body. Before they can assume victory, Ganondorf's soul appears. Midna warps Link and Zelda to safety in Hyrule Field and then tries to destroy Ganon using the Fused Shadow. Link and Zelda turn to Hyrule Castle and see a giant explosion emanating from it. They then see Ganondorf on horseback, holding Midna's helmet, indicating that he defeated her. He crushes it and charges with his phantom riders.

Ganondorf is about to slay Link, and Zelda when the Princess uses her divine power to summon the Spirits of Light. They bestow the Light Arrows to Zelda. The next part of the battle involves Link and Zelda riding Epona and battling Ganondorf as he rides his horse. After this, Ganondorf challenges Link to a sword duel. The battle ends with Link performing an Ending Blow with his Master Sword, impaling Ganondorf and defeating him entirely.

With Ganondorf defeated, Zant's curse on Midna is lifted, and Midna regains her true form. They travel back to the Mirror of Twilight, and Midna returns home. With her tear, she permanently destroys the Mirror of Twilight, thus permanently closing the Twilight Realm's portal.

Gameplay
Link is controlled similarly as in previous 3D The Legend of Zelda installments. A key difference with The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess's gameplay is that Link can alternate between his human and wolf form. As a human, Link can use his sword, shield, and various other equipment that he cannot use as a wolf. He acquires some armory along the way, such as the Zora Armor, which allows him to breathe underwater.

Whenever Link is in the Twilight Realm, he transforms into a wolf. In this form, Link can use his senses to detect ghosts, people from the Light World that are stuck in the twilight, and digging patches with hidden items. When Midna is Wolf Link's back, he can use dark energy that forms a large circle and defeats any enemies that get caught within. There are some areas where Wolf Link can perform long distance jumps with the help of Midna. Wolf Link learns certain howls along the way, which are akin to the songs played on the Ocarina of Time and the Wind Waker from their respective games.

The Wii version takes advantage of the Wii Remote's motion controls. Link's movement is controlled from using the Nunchuk's control stick, while the Wii Remote is used to swing the sword. Combining button and motion techniques performs special attacks. To aim while using certain items, point using the Wii remote, and attack by pressing the B button. When Link is not using any items, the player can use a fairy as a cursor while pointing the Wii Remote to the screen.

The Nintendo GameCube version has similar controls to The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. It has free camera movement, unlike the Wii version, and it is controlled using the C-stick. In the GameCube version, Link holds the sword in his left hand, and in the Wii version, he holds the sword in his right hand (as most players are right-handed). Furthermore, the maps in the Wii version are mirrored from those in the GameCube version.

Main

 * Link/Wolf Link
 * Midna
 * Princess Zelda
 * Ilia
 * Epona
 * King Bulblin
 * Zant
 * Ganondorf

Supporting

 * Agitha
 * Barnes
 * Colin
 * Coro
 * Darbus
 * Doctor Borville
 * Fyer
 * Gor Coron
 * Hawk
 * Jovani
 * Malo
 * Mayor Bo
 * Ooccoo
 * Ooccoo Jr.
 * Postman
 * Prince Rhalis
 * The Resistance
 * Ashei
 * Auru
 * Chad
 * Rusl
 * Telma
 * Louise
 * Renado
 * Rutella
 * Spirits of Light
 * Ordona
 * Faron
 * Eldin
 * Lanayru
 * Talo
 * Yeta
 * Yeto

Races

 * Human
 * Hylian
 * Goron
 * Zora
 * Oocca
 * Twili

Other

 * Bullbo
 * Cat
 * Cucco
 * Dog
 * Duck
 * Frog
 * Fish
 * Hyrule Bass
 * Hylian Loach
 * Reekfish
 * Horse
 * Monkey
 * Ordon Goat
 * Peahat
 * Squirrel
 * Worm

Hyrule

 * Aeralfos
 * Armos
 * Baba Serpent
 * Baby Gohma
 * Bari
 * Beamos (brown and white)
 * Bee
 * Big Baba
 * Bokoblin (purple and pink)
 * Bombfish
 * Bombling
 * Bombskit
 * Bubble
 * Bulblin
 * Bullbo
 * Chilfos
 * Chu (purple, yellow, red, blue, and green (Wii release only))
 * Chu Worm
 * Darknut
 * Deku Baba
 * Deku Like
 * Dodongo
 * Dynalfos
 * Fire Bubble
 * Fire Keese
 * Fire Toadpoli
 * Freezard
 * Ghoul Rat
 * Goron
 * Guay
 * Helmasaur
 * Helmaraurus
 * Ice Bubble
 * Ice Keese
 * Imp Poe
 * Kargarok
 * Keese
 * Leever
 * Lizalfos (normal and skull helmet)
 * Mini Freezard
 * Moldorm
 * Phantom Ganon
 * Poe
 * Poison Mite
 * Puppet
 * Rare Chu
 * Rat
 * Redead Knight
 * Shell Blade
 * Skulltula (white and orange)
 * Stalfos
 * Stalhound
 * Stalkin
 * Staltroop
 * Tektite (red and blue)
 * Tile Worm
 * Toado
 * Toadpoli
 * Torch Slug
 * Twilit Messenger
 * Walltula
 * White Wolfos
 * Young Gohma

Twilight Realm

 * Shadow Baba
 * Shadow Bulblin
 * Shadow Insect
 * Shadow Kargarok
 * Shadow Keese
 * Shadow Vermin
 * Twilit Messenger
 * Zant Mask
 * Zant's Hand

Obstacles

 * Fog
 * Spiketrap
 * Trap

Minibosses

 * Ook
 * King Bulblin and Lord Bullbo
 * Dangoro
 * Twilit Bloat
 * King Bulblin and Lord Bullbo
 * Deku Toad
 * Skull Kid
 * King Bulblin
 * Death Sword
 * Darkhammer
 * Skull Kid
 * Darknut
 * Aeralfos
 * Phantom Zant (twice)
 * King Bulblin

Bosses

 * Diababa
 * Fyrus
 * Morpheel
 * Stallord
 * Blizzeta
 * Armogohma
 * Argorok
 * Zant
 * Possessed Zelda
 * Ganon
 * Ganondorf on his horse
 * Ganondorf

Trivia

 * The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is the only The Legend of Zelda main series title that was given a T rating from the ESRB.