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The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

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The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
TP box art.jpg
Developer(s) Nintendo EAD
Publisher(s) Nintendo
Release date Wii:
USA November 19, 2006
Japan December 2, 2006
Australia December 7, 2006
Europe December 8, 2006
Nintendo GameCube:
Japan December 2, 2006
USA December 11, 2006
Europe December 15, 2006
Australia December 19, 2006
Genre(s) Action-adventure
Rating(s)
ESRB:ESRB T.svg - Teen
PEGI:PEGI 12.svg - Twelve years and older
ACB:OFLC Australia Rating - M15+.png - Fifteen years and older
Console(s) Wii, Nintendo GameCube
Mode(s) Single player

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is the 13th installment of the main The Legend of Zelda series. It was released for the Wii and Nintendo GameCube 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 Light 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 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 Sage of Water and was sealed into the Twilight Realm. The 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.

Characters

Main

Supporting

Species

Races

Other

Enemies

Hyrule

Twilight Realm

Obstacles

Minibosses

Bosses

Items

Name Description
Bottle These are used to store various items, such as Lantern Oil, soups, potions, Chu Jelly, and fairies. Link can obtain up to four bottles in his adventure.
Clawshot An extendable claw that can latch on to walls, ceilings, and grids, allowing Link to quickly reach higher areas. The Clawshot can be used to stun enemies. The first Clawshot is found in Lakebed Temple, and a second one can be obtained at the City in the Sky. The pair are collectively known as the Double Clawshot, which Link can use to cling from one area to the next.
Coral Earring A type of fishing hook that allows Link to capture the Reekfish in Zora's Domain. Link can obtain it from Prince Ralis in Kakariko Village.
Dominion Rod Found in the Temple of Time, the Dominion Rod allows Link to control certain statues to replicate his movements. This is necessary in order to progress in the temple and later parts of the game.
Fishing Rod This allows Link to go fishing at various bodies of water around Hyrule. He can catch fish and record them in his journal. Link receives it as a gift from Uli if he returns the cradle to her.
Gale Boomerang A boomerang that has the power of wind. Link obtains the Gale Boomerang in the Forest Temple, and he target up to five things with it at once. The Gale Boomerang can stun faraway enemies, collect faraway items, and stir up leaves scattered on the ground.
Hawkeye An optional item, the Hawkeye is a mask that functions like binoculars, as it allows Link to see things at a faraway distance. It can be bought at Malo Mart.
Ilia's Charm A charm that Link can use anywhere on the overworld to summon Epona.
Iron Boots These boots weigh down on Link, allowing him to walk on magnetic walls and ceilings, and even force him onto the underwater floor. Link receives the Iron Boots from Mayor Bo after winning a sumo match against him.
Lantern Fueled by Lantern Oil, the Lantern works as a light source for Link in dark areas, especially caves, and allows him to view his surroundings. If the Lantern runs out of oil, it becomes useless. Link receives the Lantern in Faron Woods, as a gift from Coro.
Spinner A large spinning top that can cling onto railings within walls and rapidly travel across them. Sometimes Link must jump with his Spinner between two railings to dodge obstacles. The Spinner is the main item of Arbiter's Grounds.

Pick-up items

There are a few items that are found around the overworld or within dungeons. They appear in almost every The Legend of Zelda game:

Weapons

Besides equipping himself with a sword, there are a couple of other weapons that Link can use on his journey.

Name Description
Ball and Chain Link can swing around the chain and throw the large ball at tough ice barriers and certain boulders to break them. It can also be used as a weapon against enemies. The Ball and Chain is the main dungeon item for Snowpeak Ruins.
Hero's Bow Found in Goron Mines, the Hero's Bow allows Link to shoot arrows at targets and enemies. It is obtained with a quiver, which is where the arrows are stored.
Slingshot Link can use the Slingshot to fire seed projectiles at enemies. He can buy the Slingshot at Sera's Sundries early in his adventure.

There are a few types of bombs that Link can use in his adventure.

Name Description
Bomb Round, explosive weapons that Link can use to destroy obstructions in his path, including boulders, walls, and floor sections. They can be combined with an arrow to create Bomb Arrows, which can blast distant targets. Bombs are stored in a Bomb Bag, which Link can buy from Barnes Bomb Shop in Kakariko Village.
Bombling These are insect-shaped bombs that can move slightly before detonating. They can be bought at Barnes Bomb Shop.
Water Bomb These are bombs that are specifically intended for underwater use. Link must wear Iron Boots in order to use Water Bombs. Like other bombs, they can be bought at Barnes Bomb Shop.

Equipment

Equipment consists of clothing, weapons, and other essential that Link can directly equip during his adventure.

Name Description
Swords
Wooden Sword This is the sword that Link starts off with. Rusl dropped it off at Link's house.
Ordon Sword The second sword obtained by Link. He obtains it inside of Rusl's house while in his wolf form.
Master Sword Also known as the Blade of Evil's Bane, the Master Sword is a powerful sword that rests in the Sacred Grove. It removes Zant's curse that traps Link in his wolf form.
Light Sword The Light Sword is an upgrade of the Master Sword when it is imbued with the power of the Sols in the Palace of Twilight.
Shields
Ordon Shield Link can obtain the Ordon Shield from Jaggle's house during his first visit to Ordon Village as a wolf.
Wooden Shield Flammable shields that are similar to the Ordon Shield. Link can buy a Wooden Shield from either the Malo Mart in Kakariko Village or the Hot Spring Shop in Death Mountain.
Hylian Shield Often paired with the Master Sword, the Hylian Shield is a metallic shield that is resistant to fire and can deflect projectiles more effectively than the Wooden Shield.
Armor
Hero's Clothes The standard green clothing worn by Link. He obtains it after collecting the first set of Tears of Light.
Zora Armor An armor that allows Link to breathe underwater. Queen Rutela gives it to Link after he safely guides the carriages from Castle Town to Kakariko Village.
Magic Armor An expensive suit of armor that grants Link temporary invincibility, although at the cost of losing two Rupees every second.

There are a few equipment that Link can upgrade during a later part of his adventure.

Name Description
Wallets
Wallet It can hold up to 300 Rupees.
Big Wallet The first wallet upgrade, capable of holding up to 600 Rupees. Link can obtain it from Agitha after he gives her a Golden Bug
Giant Wallet The second wallet upgrade, capable of holding up to 1,000 Rupees. Link can obtain it from Agitha once he gives all 24 golden bugs to her.
Quivers
Quiver Can store up to 30 arrows. It is obtained with the Hero Bow.
Big Quiver Can store up to 60 arrows. Link can obtain it by completing the STAR Game the first time.
Giant Quiver Can store up to 100 arrows. Link can obtain it by completing the STAR Game a second time.

Quest items

Name Description
Ashei's Sketch A sketch of Yeto and a Reekfish given to Link. He can show it to Prince Ralis to receive the Coral Earring.
Auru's Memo A memo where Auru gives instruction for Link to access the Gerudo Desert.
Doctor's Invoice Telma gives this to Link to convince Borville to tell reveal the location of the Wooden Statue, which helps in restoring Ilia's memory.
Ordon Goat Cheese A block of cheese which is an ingredient for Yeto's soup in Snowpeak Ruins.
Ordon Pumpkin Another ingredient which is added into Yeto's soup.
Reekfish A unique fish that is native to a certain area of Upper Zora's River. Once obtained, Link (as a wolf) can learn the Reekfish scent and follow Yeto's trail in Peak Province.
Renado's Letter A letter that Renado gives for Link to deliver to Telma, starting the quest of restoring Ilia's memory. In return, Telma gives the Doctor's Invoice to Link.
Shadow Crystal A dark, cursed object that Zant implanted into Link, forcing him to stay in his wolf form. Once Link obtains the Master Sword, he turns back to a human, and Midna holds on to the Shadow Crystal for whenever he wants to transform back into a wolf.
Wooden Figure A statue that was stolen from Borville by Stalhounds, who are located south of Castle Town. Link must defeat them to recover the Wooden Figure and then show it to Ilia to recover part of her memory.

Locations

Dungeons

Name Main item Mini-boss Boss Description
Forest Temple Gale Boomerang Ook Twilit Parasite: Diababa A forest-themed dungeon where Link must rescue several monkeys who help him progress.
Goron Mines Hero's Bow Dangoro Twilit Igniter: Fyrus A subterranean, fiery dungeon belonging the Gorons.
Lakebed Temple Clawshot Deku Toad Twilit Aquatic: Morpheel A water-themed temple that requires Link to constantly alter the water level and rotate staircases to progress.
Arbiter's Grounds Spinner Death Sword Twilit Fossil: Stallord An infamous prison located in the Gerudo Desert. There is a lot of sand in the dungeon, and in later parts, Link can progress by using the Spinner.
Snowpeak Ruins Ball and Chain Darkhammer Twilit Ice Mass: Blizzeta The dungeon is located in the snow mountains and takes place in a mansion where a yeti couple live.
Temple of Time Dominion Rod Darknut Twilit Arachnid: Armogohma A hollow temple that is themed after the concept of time. Several traps and metal-armored enemies are encountered here.
City in the Sky Double Clawshot Aeralfos Twilit Dragon: Argorok A mythical city located in the clouds and the home of the Oocca. Link must save the city from a dragon named Argorok.
Palace of Twilight Light Sword Phantom Zant Usurper King: Zant A dark castle in the Twilight Realm that is owned by Zant. This is where Link fights Zant.
Hyrule Castle None King Bulblin
Darknut
Ganondorf (Ganon) Hyrule Castle is the home of the Royal Family of Hyrule's home. During the game, Ganondorf took over the castle, which is where the final battle takes place.

Gallery

For this subject's image gallery, see Gallery:The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.

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.

External links

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