The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Developer(s)	Nintendo EAD
Publisher(s)	Nintendo
Release date	Super Nintendo: November 21, 1991 April 13, 1992 September 24, 1992 Virtual Console (Wii): December 2, 2006 January 22, 2007 March 23, 2007 March 23, 2007 June 10, 2008 Virtual Console (Wii U): December 12, 2013 December 12, 2013 January 30, 2014 February 12, 2014 Virtual Console (New 3DS): March 4, 2016 March 10, 2016 March 10, 2016 April 14, 2016 Super NES Classic Edition: September 29, 2017 September 29, 2017 September 30, 2017 October 5, 2017 Super Nintendo Entertainment System - Nintendo Switch Online: September 5, 2019 September 6, 2019 September 6, 2019 September 6, 2019
Genre(s)	Action-adventure
Console(s)	Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Virtual Console (Wii, Wii U, 3DS)
Mode(s)	Single player

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is the third installment of The Legend of Zelda series. It was first released on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, starting with Japan in late 1991 (on the Super Famicom) and then overseas the folowing year, 1992. The story is about Link, who goes on a journey through two realms, the Light World and the Dark World, to save Hyrule and the kidnapped maidens from Ganon.

The game returns to a top-down perspective like the first The Legend of Zelda game, thereby abandoning the side-scrolling gameplay of Zelda II: The Adventure of Link. Several series staples such as parallel worlds and the Master Sword were introduced in The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is widely considered to be one of the greatest video games of all time and a landmark title for Nintendo. In 2002, the game received a Game Boy Advance port for the compilation title The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past/Four Swords, which also includes an exclusive multiplayer game, The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past was later re-released for the Virtual Console of the Wii (at a price of 800 Wii Points), then the Wii U, and the New Nintendo 3DS. The game is included on the Super NES Classic Edition and for Nintendo Switch Online. In 2013, the game received a direct sequel for Nintendo 3DS, The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds.

Story

It has been requested that this section be rewritten.

Prelude

The introduction chronicles the Imprisoning War, which occurred many years before the events of the game. It describes Hyrule as a beautiful kingdom surrounded by forests and mountains, and tells of an omnipotent golden power that lies hidden in the Sacred Realm, a place which cannot normally be entered by mortals. However, a dark portal to the Sacred Realm opened, causing many people to quarrel and fight each other. While many men entered the Sacred Realm, none returned. Instead, an evil power began to issue forth from the dark portal. During the main story, it is discovered that the source of the evil power is a lowly thief named Ganondorf, who got his hands on a golden power named the Triforce, turning the Sacred Realm into the Dark World. The king commanded the Seven Sages to seal the gate to the Sacred Realm. Many knights had perished in the battle to protect the sages from the evil, but eventually, the seal was cast on the portal. The evil ceased to flow, and the portal was sealed.

Many years later, a mysterious wizard known as Agahnim appeared as if from nowhere, using his magic to vanquish the King of Hyrule and take over Hyrule Castle. In doing so, he cast a spell on the knights of Hyrule, forcing them to obey him and kidnap seven maidens, whom he intended on using to break the seal by making each of them disappear into the Dark World. Agahnim manages to send six of the maidens into the Dark World, leaving only the final descendant, Princess Zelda. Agahnim has also captured Zelda, but plans to send her into the Dark World to complete the destruction of the seal.

Light World

Link finds his uncle in the basement of Hyrule Castle, and is given a sword and a shield.

At the beginning of the game, a young boy named Link is awakened by a telepathic message from Princess Zelda, who says that she is locked in the basement of Hyrule Castle. As the message closes, Link's uncle goes to rescue her, telling Link to remain in bed. However, Link ignores his uncle's command, and goes to Hyrule Castle as well. He goes to Hyrule Castle and finds an underground passage in the courtyard. Link travels down it, and he finds his uncle in the hallway, severely wounded. Before passing out, Link's uncle tells gives link a sword and a shield, instructing him to rescue Zelda, and teaches him the Spin Attack technique. Link navigates the castle and rescues Zelda from her cell. Zelda guides Link to the throne room, where they take a secret passage through a sewer that leads to a sanctuary.

Link is told by a sage that Agahnim is planning to break the seal by sacrificing the seven maidens; the only thing that can defeat him is the Master Sword. He tells Link to visit the house of Sahasrahla, a wise man known to reside in Kakariko Village, marking the location on his map. By the time Link leaves the Sanctuary, the storm and rain clouds have vanished, yielding to clear skies. It also becomes evident that Link is wanted for kidnapping Princess Zelda. Once Link arrives at the wise man's house, he finds only the wise man's wife present, and she tells Link that her husband left the village when Agahnim took control of Hyrule Castle. Link talks to a boy, who tells Link that Sahasrahla is hiding near the East Palace, and marks the exact spot on his map. Link heads east, and arrives at a house where Sahasrahla is staying. Sahasrahla tells Link about the Master Sword, and instructs him to return with the Pendant of Courage from the East Palace.

Link makes his way to the East Palace. There, he solves a variety of puzzles, and eventually finds a Big Key, which unlocks not only the chest containing the Bow, but also the door leading to the lair of the palace's boss. Once he reaches the boss' room, he finds six large, blue statues called Armos Knights, which, sensing the presence of someone in the room, become animate and proceed to engage in battle with Link. After he defeats the Knights, Link takes the Pendant of Courage and exits the palace. He shows the pendant to Sahasrahla, who tells him that retrieving the Pendants of Virtue—Courage, Power, and Wisdom—and taking them to the Lost Woods allows Link to draw the Master Sword from its pedestal therein. Before Link leaves, Sahasrahla gives him the Pegasus Boots and tells Link of a helpful item to the east of Lake Hylia. He marks the locations of the other two pendants—one in the Desert Palace, and the other in the Tower of Hera at the top of Death Mountain—and the Master Sword on Link's map.

After acquiring the three pendants, Link returns them to the resting place of the Master Sword in the Lost Woods. Unfortunately, just as Link draws the sword from its pedestal, Zelda contacts him telepathically to call him urgently to Sanctuary because the Hyrule Castle soldiers have just arrived there. Link arrives at Sanctuary moments after the Soldiers have vacated it, where he learns from the dying sage that Zelda has been removed to Hyrule Castle. Link goes to rescue her, but arrives too late; Agahnim sends Zelda to the Dark World. Link defeats Agahnim in battle, but is also sent to the Dark World.

Dark World

The Dark World is where Ganon has been imprisoned by the elders of the light world and, once he has managed to capture the maidens in crystals (thanks to Agahnim's work), he is also able to harness their power to "break a path through to the light world" where, with the power of the Triforce, he will be able to rule both worlds.

Once in the Dark World, Link finds himself standing atop the Pyramid of Power where Hyrule Castle stands in the Light World (as the two worlds are essentially parallel dimensions). To restore the Sacred Realm (now the Dark World) and save the once-peaceful Hyrule (a.k.a. the Light World), Link must rescue the seven maidens from dungeons scattered across the Dark World, defeat Ganon, and reclaim the Triforce.

Once the maidens have been freed, they use their power to break the barrier around Ganon's Tower, where Link faces reincarnations of the first three bosses: The six Armos Knights, the three Lanmolas (sand worms), and the Moldorm (a giant Worm), and of course, meets Agahnim again. After Link defeats Agahnim the second time, a bat rises up from Agahnim's clothes and flies off, crashing into the Pyramid of Power. As Link arrives at the Pyramid (using the bird he can eventually summon after he obtains the flute), he drops down into the hole made by the bat to find that the bat is none other than the evil Ganon, who can only be defeated using Silver Arrows. After Ganon's demise at Link's hands, Link touches the Triforce and is granted the most noble wishes of his heart, among them, the Dark World to return its former glory as the Sacred Realm, peace to return to the Light World, his uncle to be healed, and all to be restored as it was. His quest completed, Link returns the Master Sword to its resting place.

Gameplay

It has been requested that this section be rewritten and expanded to include more information.

A gameplay screenshot of Link in the Light World and the Dark World

Instead of using the side-scrolling perspective in Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past reverts to an overhead perspective similar to that of The Legend of Zelda. The game reuses mechanics and concepts from The Legend of Zelda while introducing several of its own. For instance, arrows have been made into their own item, so Rupees are no longer used as arrows.

The game introduces items and equipment that would become common throughout The Legend of Zelda series, most notably the Master Sword. The game also introduces Link's Spin Attack technique. Heart Containers make a returning appearance, but many are split into Pieces of Heart, and Link can collect four of them to make a Heart Container, adding a heart to his life bar. All dungeons are multi-level, requiring Link to walk between floors and sometimes fall through holes to land on lower levels. Control of Link was made more flexible than in previous games, as he can walk diagonally and can run with the aid of the Pegasus Boots. Link's sword attack was improved to swing sideways instead of merely stabbing forward; this gives his sword a broader range and makes combat easier.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is the first The Legend of Zelda game to feature the existence of two parallel worlds between which Link travels. The first, called the Light World, is the ordinary Hyrule. The second is the Dark World that was created when Ganon corrupted the Sacred Realm. The Dark World is a decaying version of Hyrule. Each location in the Light World corresponds to a similar location in the Dark World, usually with a similar physical structure but an opposite nature (e.g. a desert in the Light World corresponds to a swamp in the Dark World, a peaceful village in the Light World corresponds to a dilapidated town of thieves in the Dark World).

Link can travel from the Dark World to the Light World at almost any outside location by using the Magic Mirror, and can travel back to the Dark World again from the same location using a temporary portal left behind on the map at the point where he reappears in the Light World. Otherwise, Link must use hidden warp locations throughout the Light World to travel from the Light World to the Dark World. Travel between worlds allows for puzzles in A Link to the Past that exploit structural differences between the Light and Dark Worlds, as Link may travel to otherwise inaccessible areas in one world by warping from parallel but accessible locations in the other world.

Characters

Playable character

Sprite	Name	Description
	Link	Link is the main protagonist. He goes on a journey to rescue the Maidens and defeat Ganon to save Hyrule once more.
	Bunny Link	This is a cursed form Link takes whenever he is in the Dark World before collecting the Moon Pearl or temporarily when hit by an Usagi Beam. While in it, he cannot attack in any manner and as such must avoid enemies.

Supporting characters

Sprite	Name	Description
	Aginah	Sahasrahla's brother, he is taking refuge in the Desert of Mystery and tells Link about the Book of Mudora.
	Duck	A bird found sealed in the weathercock. It is released by playing the flute to it and can henceforth be used to travel quickly to certain parts of the Light World by playing it again.
	Dwarven swordsmiths	Two craftsman brothers who work near Kakariko Village. One ended up in the Dark World and was cursed into a frog; reuniting them in the Light World allows them to improve Link's sword.
	Faerie	Small spirits that restore health. With the Bug-Catching Net, they can be caught and put into bottles.
	Faerie Queen	Large faeries that restore all of Link's health when visited at their fountains.
	King of Hyrule	Hyrule's monarch, he was duped and killed by Agahnim. At the end of the game, he is revived by the Triforce.
	Link's uncle	A middle-aged warrior who goes to fight Agahnim in the beginning of the game, but is killed and passes his weapons to Link. At the end of the game, he is revived by the Triforce.
	Lost Old Man	The father of one of the maidens, he is escorted through the caves leading to Death Mountain and gives the Magic Mirror to Link.
	Loyal Sage	The keeper of the Sanctuary who protects Zelda for the first half of the game.
	Maidens	Seven (counting Zelda) girls who are descended from the Wise Men who sealed Ganon in the Dark World. Sending them to the Dark World is what breaks the seal.
	Princess Zelda	The final of the maidens, Link prevents Zelda from being sent to the Dark World for the first section of the game. She is the final one to be sent there and the final one rescued. Throughout the Dark World, she contacts Link through Telepathy Tiles.
	Sahasrahla	A wise old man from Kakariko Village, he is on the run from Agahnim at the Eastern Palace. He provides exposition to Link in person and through Telepathy Tiles in the Light World, as well as giving him the Pegasus Shoes.

Minor characters

Sprite	Name	Description
	15-Second Game Operators	A pair that run a minigame south of Kakariko, where Link must go through a maze between them in fifteen seconds or less.
	Assistant	A particular Hooded Shopkeeper that sells the witch's potions and provides a free sample of the Medicine of Life.
	Average Middle-Aged Man	A retired thief who spends his time loitering near a sign at the entrance to the Desert of Mystery. He is the only one who can open the locked chest.
	Bird	Simple fauna found in lightly forested areas.
	Bomb Boy	A small creature who runs the Bomb Shop in the Dark World counterpart to Link's House.
	Bottle Merchant	A carpet-based street vendor in Kakariko Village who sells Link a bottle and will buy certain items.
	Bug-catching kid	An insect-loving boy who has become ill due to the evil power leaking from the Dark World.
	Bully	A thuggish character angry about being banished to the Dark World.
	Bully's friend	A person turned into a bouncy ball-like creature in the Dark World, he is the bully's go-to punching-bag.
	Catfish	A large fish living in the Lake of Ill Omen, he gives the Quake Medallion if disturbed.
	Chicken	Ordinary farm fowl that summon a flock of invincible angry chickens if attacked too much. In the Dark World, they are skeletal, but act the same.
	Chris Houlihan	The keeper of a room only accessible through a glitch.
	Dark World Shopkeeper	Small imps that sell wares throughout the Dark World.
	Digging Game Operator	A mushroom-headed person who operates a shovel minigame south of the Village of Outcasts.
	Fat Faerie	A Faerie Queen living in the Pyramid cursed by Ganon's power into an obese form. She grants Link the Golden Sword and Silver Arrows.
	Fish	Small aquatic creatures that can be found flopping in drained ponds. They can be picked up and thrown back into deep water or sold to the Bottle Merchant, both for a Rupee reward. In the Dark World, they are skeletal.
	Flute Boy	A young boy who enjoyed playing his flute for animals in a grove until he ended up in the Dark World, though an echo of him remains in the Light World. In the Dark World, he gives Link a shovel and asks him to recover the flute with it.
	Flute Boy's father	An old man in Kakariko Inn who tells Link of his son's plight.
	Fortune teller	Hooded figures that tell Link where to go next. In the Dark World, they are short.
	Game of Chance Operator	Characters who operate a gambling minigame. Three appear in total, with different designs each.
	Ghostly Proprietor	A zombie who runs a Dark World Shooting Gallery.
	Hooded Shopkeeper	Cloaked girls who run most Light World shops.
	Human Cucco	A chicken found in a Kakariko house under a pot, turned into a human by Magic Powder.
	Informants	Two women in Kakariko who call a Spear Soldier if they see Link.
	Kakariko Inn Patron	A man who tells Link about the Water Faerie.
	Kakariko Storyteller	A man who lives in the house with the overgrown lawn in Kakariko Village.
	KiKi	A monkey living in the hedge maze of the Dark Palace. He accompanies Link for a fee, though he will run away if they are separated. He opens the palace games if successfully taken there.
	Lazy Guy	A sleepy man found camping under a bridge. He gives a Magic Bottle if spoken to.
	Mad Batter	A sleepy, confused demon who "curses" Link by doubling his total magic power.
	Man in Blind's Hideout	A man found in Blind the Thief's former lair, which he explains.
	Ostrich	A large bird that is one of the animals the Flute Boy played to.
	Pick	Thieves that run businesses in the Village of Outcasts.
	Rabbit	A common meadow creature.
	Quarreling Brothers	Two tall brothers found in a house south of Kakariko. Due to a fight, they have sealed the door between their rooms into a wall.
	Running Man	A skittish resident of Kakariko that can be caught with the Pegasus Shoes and tells Link how he can get things from trees with them.
	Sahasrahla's grandson	A young boy in Kakariko who tells Link where to find Sahasrahla.
	Sahasrahla's wife	An elderly woman found in Sahasrahla's house.
	Soldier	Non-brainwashed soldiers, yellow ones can be spoken to at the beginning of the game, and face-uncovered ones can be seen in the ending.
	Squirrel	Common forest rodents.
	Storytelling Bird	One of the five Dark World storytellers, it is found near the Dark Palace and tells Link about the Lake of Ill Omen.
	Storytelling Hand	One of the five Dark World storytellers, it is found near the Ice Lake and tells Link about the Average Middle-Aged Man.
	Storytelling Insect	One of the five Dark World storytellers, it is found near the Swamp of Evil and tells Link the storm there is being caused by a monster's curse.
	Storytelling Octopus	One of the five Dark World storytellers, it is found near the Ghostly Garden and tells Link about the Fat Faerie.
	Storytelling Tree	One of the five Dark World storytellers, it is found near the Dark Palace and tells Link about Ganon's influence on the Golden Land.
	Sweeping Lady	An elderly lady found in Kakariko, sprinking Magic Powder on her turns her into a Faerie.
	Talking Timber	Certain trees in the Dark World have pupiled eyes, signifying they can be spoken to. They have a variety of things to say, but some do not want to be bothered.
	Thief	A passive red thief found in a cave in the Lost Woods.
	Twin Lumberjacks	A pair of tree-cutters living near the Lost Woods, their latest tree proves to be very tough to saw. Once they leave, hitting it with the Pegasus Boots exposes an underground cave.
	Venus	A great queen of the faeries, Venus is found in the Pond of Happiness on an island in Lake Hylia and provides upgrades to Link's arrow and bomb capacity if he throws Rupees into her fountain.
	Water Faerie	A fairy queen found in the Waterfall of Wishing, she provides the Magical Boomerang and Red Shield.
	Witch	An old sorceress who brews potions and can make the Mushroom into Magic Powder.
	Zora	A giant Zora living at the headwaters of Zora's River, he sells Link Zora's Flippers for a high price.

Locations

The game's overworld takes place in both the Light World and the Dark World. From a birds-eye view, they have a similar layout, though the locations, namely the dungeons, are different. Some overworld regions are treated as the outer portion of nearby dungeons.

• Light World
  • Death Mountain
  • Desert of Mystery
  • East Palace
  • Graveyard
  • Great Swamp
  • Haunted Grove
  • Hyrule Castle
  • Kakariko Village
  • Lake Hylia
  • Link's House
  • Lost Woods
  • Sacred Grove
  • Sanctuary
  • Zora's River
• Dark World
  • Bomb Shop
  • Dark Palace
  • Death Mountain
  • Ghostly Garden
  • Ice Lake
  • Lake of Ill Omen
  • Plains of Ruin
  • Pyramid
  • Skeleton Forest
  • Swamp of Evil
  • Village of Outcasts

Dungeons

Name	Description	World	Item	Reward	Boss
Hyrule Castle (1)	Link must infiltrate Hyrule Castle at the game's outset in order to rescue Princess Zelda from the dungeons. Prior to going in, he obtains the Sword and Shield, and optionally the Lamp and Boomerang.	Light	None
Sewer Passage	After Link frees Zelda, he must escort her through a connected series of dark, watery rooms full of Rats, Keese, and Ropes leading into the Sanctuary.	Light	None
East Palace	The first "proper" dungeon is tasked to Link by Sahasrahla to see if he is capable of enduring the quest, promising more help if he completes it.	Light	Bow	Pendant of Courage	Armos Knights
Desert Palace	A sandy palace found in two sections in the Desert of Mystery, it requires the Book of Mudora to access.	Light	Power Glove	Pendant of Power	Lanmolas
Mountain Tower	A tall tower atop Death Mountain's summit, it requires a trip to the Dark World to reach.	Light	Moon Pearl	Pendant of Wisdom	Barinade
Hyrule Castle (2)	Hyrule Castle is returned to once Link gets the Master Sword, allowing him to break the Lightning Lock. Agahnim has recaptured Zelda, so Link must climb the central tower. Once it is completed, the warp to the Dark World permeates the entire castle.	Light	None		Agahnim
Dark Palace	The first Dark World dungeon is found in the corresponding location to the East Palace. True to its name, it is very dark inside.	Dark	Magic Hammer	Maiden Crystal #1	Helmasaur King
Swamp Palace	A large sewer network that requires various levers be activated to change the water flow.	Dark	Hook Shot	Maiden Crystal #2	Arrghus
Skull Woods	A forest cave with many entrances and exits that must be traveled between, and the constant threat of Clutch.	Dark	Fire Rod	Maiden Crystal #3	Mothula
Thieves' Town	The underside of the Village of Outcasts where the master thief boss Blind runs his empire from.	Dark	Titan's Mitt	Maiden Crystal #4	Blind the Thief
Ice Palace	A confusing underground tower entered from the iceberg in the Ice Lake.	Dark	Blue Mail	Maiden Crystal #5	Kholdstare
Misery Mire	A slimy, open temple found under the Swamp of Evil.	Dark	Cane of Somaria	Maiden Crystal #6	Vitreous
Turtle Rock	A volcanic cavern requiring extensive use of magic, it has an escape route and shortcut back in near the end in case Link runs out.	Dark	Mirror Shield	Maiden Crystal #7	Trinexx
Ganon's Tower	Ganon's hideout, found at the corresponding location to the Mountain Tower. The barrier surrounding it can only be dissipated when all the Maidens come together.	Dark	Red Mail	None	Aghanim
Pyramid	This centerpiece of the Dark World is broken into by Ganon after he is flushed out from his tower.	Dark	Golden Sword Silver Arrows	None	Ganon

Enemies

Sprite	Name	Description
Multi-world enemies
	Bee	A common insect that can be found in grass and trees and can be caught in a Magic Bottle.
	Slime	A weak creature that results from sprinkling certain enemies with Magic Powder.
General Light World enemies
	Soldier	Basic soldiers brainwashed by Agahnim which simply wander around, speeding up if they see Link.
	Spear Soldier	Strong soldiers that either aggressively pursue Link or throw their weapons as endless javelins, sometimes hiding in grass.
	Sword Soldier	Soldiers that charge after Link to hit him with their weapons.
Light World overworld enemies
	Armos	Statues that come alive when Link approaches and hop after him.
	Bomb Soldier	A soldier that throws bombs from high atop battlements.
	Buzzblob	A creature that will painfully zap Link if hit with a sword.
	Crow	An aggressive bird that swoops down upon passerby.
	Deadrock	Quickly moving creatures that temporarily turn to stone if attacked.
	Geldman	Large-but-weak sand-based monsters that pop up from desert ground.
	Hoarder	A small creature that hides under bushes and rocks and may drop Rupees if its cover is removed.
	Knight Archer	Soldiers that prefer to attack from a distance using their bows, sometimes hiding in grass.
	Land Crab	Small crabs found near Lake Hylia.
	Octoballoon	An inflatable Octorok that pops into several small versions of itself.
	Octorok	A quick but weak rock-spitting octopus.
	Poe	Ghosts that swoop after Link.
	Potatohead	Singing creatures that are the result of sprinkling a Buzzblob with Magic Powder.
	Tektite	Jumping one-eyed spiders in the mountains.
	Thief	Ambushing bandits that try to force Link to drop his items.
	Toppo	Small hares found in the grass that give Link rewards if caught.
	Vulture	Large desert birds that circle potential prey.
	Zora	Fish monsters who can spit fireballs or follow Link on foot through shallows.
Dark World overworld enemies
	Dark Zora	Water monsters in the Dark World that spit fireballs.
	Flyceratops	An aggressive and hard-hitting pterosaur that swoops at passerby, just like Crows.
	Hinox	Giant brutes who throw bombs, which they are also weak against.
	Hyu	Swooping ghosts found in the Dark World, which act essentially as strong Poes.
	Lynel	Strong lion centaurs that breath fire.
	Moblin	Spear-throwing pig men who are common in the dark world.
	Moblin Pikeman	Minotaur creatures who charge after Link with different weapons.
	Pick	Fox-like bandits in the Dark World.
	Pikit	Long-tongued hopping plants that try to eat Link's items.
	Rock Frog	A fast slug-like creature that spits rocks.
	Skull Rock	A monster that disguises itself as one of the Dark World's many skull-shaped stones.
	Snap Dragon	An aggressive plant monster with big jaws.
	Swamola	A swamp-dwelling centipede that leaps from its murky depths.
	Talking Timber	Some of the talking trees drop bombs from their mouths if Link touches them.
	Worm Basket	Jumping sea anemones that are common in the Dark World.
	Zirro	Flying mushroom creatures, of which the green type can drop bombs.
General cave and dungeon enemies
	Biri	A small jellyfish split from a red Onoff, which acts exactly the same.
	Bubble	A magic-draining spirit that turns into a faerie if sprinkled with Magic Powder.
	Eyeball Bat	A large-eyed flying creature that flies erratically.
	Goriya	Monsters that mirror Link's movement, with the red ones also shooting fire at him.
	Hardhat Beetle	Creatures that try to bump Link into pits with their high recoil.
	Mini-Dodongo	Small dinosaurs that breath fire.
	Mini Moldorm	Fast, erratic caterpillars common in caves.
	Onoff	A flying jellyfish capable of generating electricity. Red ones split into two Biris when attacked.
	Rocklops	Giant statue-like creatures that chase Link while showing their weak spot, that being the one large eye.
	Snake Bushel	A tangled mass that slowly wanders some dungeons.
	Stalfos	Skeletons adept at jumping and capable of other behaviors.
Light World cave and dungeon enemies
	Ball and Chain Trooper	Rare but mighty soldiers that wield a far-reaching flail.
	Good Bee	A rare bee that will stay by Link's side a long time if caught, and fetches a high price.
	Keese	Small, weak bats that fly around if disturbed.
	Leever	Spinning, sand-dwelling flowers that burrow.
	Rat	Small animals that scurry around dark areas.
	Rope	Aggressive snakes that charge at Link if they see him.
	Sand Worm	Giant antlions that pop up from the sand, with red ones also shooting at him.
	Shūdan Bubble	A clump of four Bubbles that breaks up if the room's other enemies are defeated.
Dark World cave and dungeon enemies
	Arrgi	Small spheres that cover Arrghus. They can only be destroyed if pulled off him first.
	Black Shade	Shadowy ghost-like entities that charge out of dark holes in the wall.
	Black Spider	Tiny creatures that move in droves from certain opened bombable walls.
	Bomb Slug	A quick-moving creature that occasionally lays down green bombs.
	Bouncer	A tall, segmented creature that hops around erratically.
	Chain Chomp	An aggressive creature held back by a chain.
	Clutch	A giant hand that falls from the ceiling at Link, and deposits him at where he entered the dungeon if it catches him.
	Cricket	A small yet strong and fast insect that inhabits bright but little used areas.
	Dragonman	Reptilian humanoids that wander aimlessly, with the red ones shooting fire at intruders.
	Firebat	A creation of Ganon's evil magic that can drop flames behind it.
	Freezor	An icy golem that disguises itself as a wall relief, emerging if approached.
	Gibdos	Strong mummies with a crippling weakness to fire.
	Green Glob	Large blobs of water that float up and bounce around diagonally at high speeds.
	Helmasaur	Mask-wearing reptiles that constantly charge around.
	Masked Snake	Green snakes with skull-like heads that appear after a trapped lever in Thieves' Town is pulled.
	Pengator	Toothy creatures that slide on their bellies, jaws wide open.
	Red Ghost	A giant floating cell-like entity that can only be damaged when the nucleus is outside the membrane.
	Skeleton Knight	A giant skeleton that must be destroyed with a bomb once it crumbles.
	Torpedo Fish	Rat-like fish that swim around in underground shallows.
	Turtle	Tortoises with impenetrable shells, but soft underbellies.
	Water Tektite	Large insects that skim along the surface of water.
	Wizzrobe	Cloaked spellcasters who can make themselves disappear and reappear.
	Zol	Slimes that pop up from behind Link and hop after him.

Traps and obstacles

Sprite	Name	Description
	Ball	Iron balls that roll in straight lines along the ground.
	Bomb	Explosives dropped from various sources.
	Boulder	Large rocks that bounce down the Light World's Death Mountain on the west side.
	Bumper	Round obstacles that bounce Link and enemies away on contact.
	Cactus	Spiny desert plants.
	Cannon	Wall turrets that slowly move between two locations while shooting.
	Fire bar	Rotating chains of fireballs.
	Fire Snake	Chains of fireballs that slither around walls, sometimes continuing off corners.
	Floor Spikes	Pointy floor that can only be safely walked on using the Magic Cape.
	Flying Tile	Floor tiles that gradually rise and spin at Link.
	Giant Ball	Extra-large rolling iron balls.
	Landmine	Explosives sometimes found under bushes.
	Laser Eye	Large eyes that shoot lasers at Link, sometimes only when he faces a particular way.
	Lightning Lock	A barrier of evil magic. The one at Hyrule Castle can be destroyed by the Master Sword, but the one covering Ganon's Tower requires the maidens' power.
	Medusa	Fiendish face reliefs that shoot energy balls at Link every few moments.
	Mole	Large, laughing Whac-a-Moles that act just like posts.
	Rolling Pin	Long, spiked cylinders that roll between two points.
	Rotating Green Laser Statue	Revolving security machines that shoot a laser at Link on sight.
	Spark	Electrical fires that travel along walls.
	Trap	Spiked tiles that either stay in place or slide along the floor. Moving ones come in two sizes.
	Usagi Beam	Homing curses that turn Link into Bunny Link for a short period.
	Yomo Medusa	Special Medusas that shoot a fireball at whichever cardinal direction points closest to Link whenever he swings his sword.

Bosses

Sprite	Name	Location	Description
	Armos Knights	East Palace Ganon's Tower	A group of six colossal, armored statues that hop around in formation. Repeated hits damage them, but they are especially weak to arrows. Once all but one are defeated, the remaining one becomes red and starts following Link to crush him.
	Lanmolas	Desert Palace Ganon's Tower	Three sand-dwelling centipedes that leap from the ground, spraying rocks in different directions.
	Moldorm	Mountain Tower Ganon's Tower	A giant caterpillar that tries to knock Link to a below floor to restart the battle. The tail end is the weak point, but hitting it elsewhere causes substantial recoil.
	Agahnim (1)	Hyrule Castle	An evil wizard who is the main antagonist for the first section of the game, sending the maidens to the Dark World to reopen the portal between. He uses various spells to attack; the round white ones can be knocked back with the Master Sword or the Bug-Catching Net to damage and defeat him.
	Helmasaur King	Dark Palace	A huge masked dinosaur that attacks with its spiked tail and fiery breath. The mask can be destroyed with repeated hits from bombs or the Magic Hammer, after which its forehead gem can be attacked to defeat it.
	Arrghus	Swamp Palace	A large, one-eyed jellyfish surrounded by protecting lumps called Arrgi. These can be removed with the Hook Shot, but once they are all gone, Arrghus starts moving erratically.
	Mothula	Skull Woods	A giant moth that attacks by shooting energy rings as it flies over its hazardous arena. It is very weak to the Fire Rod, but sword strikes damage it too.
	Blind the Thief	Thieves' Town	A thief boss who attempts to trick Link by disguising as the captured maiden. When exposed, he attacks with fireballs and his own floating head.
	Kholdstare	Ice Palace	A spirit within an icy mass that must be melted with magic, after which it divides into three to confuse Link. It attacks by dropping ice from the ceiling.
	Vitreous	Misery Mire	An amoebic cluster of giant eyeballs that throw themselves at Link. The largest one shoots lightning.
	Trinexx	Turtle Rock	A giant, rocky turtle with fire and ice heads weak to the opposing element. Once the extra heads are destroyed, the remaining head becomes a quick snake whose middle segment is the weak point.
	Agahnim (2)	Ganon's Tower	Agahnim is fought again alongside two duplicates atop Ganon's Castle. Once he is defeated again, Ganon emerges from his body.
	Ganon	Pyramid	The evil king of the Dark World, a former thief who has the Triforce. He attacks with his trident both directly and to use magic in various ways. Enough hits petrify him for a brief period, but he can only be killed by hitting him with Silver Arrows in this state.

Items

Pickups

These are common items dropped by defeated enemies and destroyed objects.

Sprite	Name	Description
	Apple	Fruit that can be knocked down from certain trees and pillars to restore health.
	Heart	A common health-restoring item dropped by destroyed objects and defeated enemies.
	Magic Decanter	Two-sized magic-restoring items. The small ones can be dropped by many things, but the big ones are rarer.
	Rupee	Colorful gemstones that are worth differing amounts, with green being worth one, blue five, and red twenty. Ones worth more are rare and exclusive to chests.

Item - Y

These are the game's equippable items. Most are only obtained once.

Sprite		Name	Description
		Book of Mudora	A book that allows ancient Hylian script to be deciphered. It is found in the library south of Kakariko Village by knocking it off a shelf with the Pegasus Shoes.
		Boomerang	A projectile item that can stun enemies and bring items closer. It is obtained from either a chest in the secret passage into Hyrule Castle or inside the Sweeping Lady's house in Kakariko.
		Bow	A powerful projectile weapon, it does not come with any ammunition. It is obtained from the East Palace.
		Bow and Arrows	The Bow made usable with collected Arrows, it is useful when battling armored enemies.
		Bow and Silver Arrows	With this, Link can deal extra damage and deal the finishing blow to Ganon. It is obtained by dropping the Bow into the Fat Faerie's fountain.
		Bug-Catching Net	A net useful for catching bees and faeries, as well as repelling evil magic. It is gotten from the bedridden Bug-Catching Kid in Kakariko.
		Flute	An ocarina belonging to the Flute Boy, it is used to summon the Duck to travel across the Light World. It is found buried in the Haunted Grove using the Shovel.
		Hook Shot	A spring-loaded grappling hook used to pull Link towards objects and vice-versa, making him invincible while he does so. It is found in the Swamp Palace.
		Magic Hammer	A powerful mallet that can flatten posts and flip Turtles. It is found in the Dark Palace.
		Magic Mirror	An item that automatically returns Link from the corresponding spot in the Dark World, as long as there is ground to stand on, and is also able to warp to dungeons' entrances. It is given by the Lost Old Man in the passage to Death Mountain.
		Magical Boomerang	A Boomerang with enhanced speed and range. It is gained by dropping the Boomerang into the Water Faerie's pool, or from a chest in the Village of Outcasts.
		Mushroom	A fungus the witch can use to make Magic Powder. It is plucked from the Lost Woods.
		Shovel	A spade Link can use to dig up items. It is given by the Flute Boy in the Dark World to find his Flute in the Light World, which replaces it when found. Another is used in the Digging Game in the Dark World.

Replenishable items

Some usable items are replenishable. Venus can expand the weapons' holding capacity.

Sprite		Name	Description
		Arrow	Ammunition for the Bow, these are useful against armored enemies especially. They are upgraded into Silver Arrows later.
		Bomb	Explosives that are used to cause heavy damage to enemies and expose passageways.

Magic items

These items consume magic to use.

Sprite		Name	Description
		Bombos Medallion	A medallion that unleashes a fiery attack across the screen. It is found by using the Book of Mudora on a plinth overlooking the Desert of Mystery.
		Cane of Byrna	A magic rod that creates a barrier around Link. It is obtained from a cave in the Dark World's Death Mountain at the end of an obstacle course.
		Cane of Somaria	A magic rod that can create and destroy orange blocks Link can push and throw, as well as make platforms in Turtle Rock. It is found in Misery Mire.
		Ether Medallion	A medallion that unleashes an electrical attack across the screen, affecting mostly flying enemies and paralyzing most enemies that are not immediately defeated, and is used to enter Misery Mire. It is found by using the Book of Mudora on a plinth in the Light World's Death Mountain.
		Fire Rod	A magic rod that shoots a quick fireball forward. It is found in Skull Woods.
		Ice Rod	A magic rod that shoots an icy gust forward. It is found in an icy cave near Lake Hylia.
		Lamp	A simple lantern used to light dark rooms and ignite torches. It is found in Link's House at the beginning, or in the passage to Hyrule Castle if he misses the first one.
		Magic Cape	A mantle that renders Link invisible and intangible to enemies and obstacles, including Floor Spikes and Bumpers. It is found in the Light World Graveyard, under a grave that can only be reached with the Titan's Mitt.
		Magic Powder	Magical dust that turns Buzzblobs into Potatoheads, Bubbles (and the Sweeping Lady) into Faeries, a particular Cucco into a human, and many remaining enemies into Slimes. It is obtained from the Witch after giving her a Mushroom.
		Quake Medallion	A medallion that unleashes an earthquake across all ground-based enemies on screen, turning those not defeated into Slimes, and is used to enter Turtle Rock. It is received from the Catfish in the Lake of Ill Omen.

Bottles

There are four Magic Bottles Link can collect.

Sprite		Name	Description
		Magic Bottle	Found in the back of Kakariko Inn.
		Magic Bottle	Bought from the Bottle Merchant in exchange for 100 Rupees.
		Magic Bottle	Given by the Lazy Guy found under a bridge near the East Palace and Lake Hylia.
		Magic Bottle	Found inside the locked chest by leading it from the ruined house east of the Village of Outcasts to the Average Middle-Aged Man near the Desert of Mystery.

Bottled items

There are some items that Link can store inside a Magic Bottle.

Sprite			Name	Description
			Bee	Wild bees found in certain trees or randomly from grass. If caught and released, they instead fight by Link's side for a brief period. They can also be sold to the Bottle Merchant by releasing them near him.
			Faerie	Small sprites found in certain fountains and trees. If caught, they will revive Link automatically if he runs out of health, and can restore his health once at any point by being released.
			Good Bee	A rare bee found only in the icy cave near Lake Hylia by charging into a particular statue. It stays by Link's side longer if released, and can be sold for a higher price.
			Medicine of Life	A potion that fills Link's life energy if drunk. It can be bought at various shops.
			Medicine of Life and Magic	A potion that fills Link's life and magic when drank. It can be bought from the Potion Shop.
			Medicine of Magic	A potion that fills Link's magic energy when taken. It can be bought from the Potion Shop or gained by throwing a Magic Bottle into the Water Faerie's fountain.

Do - A

These are interactive items Link obtains on his journey.

Sprite		Name	Description
		Moon Pearl	Prevents Link from being turned into Bunny Link when he enters the Dark World. It is found in the Mountain Tower.
		Pegasus Shoes	Boots that allow Link to perform a charging dash, which can knock items from trees and throws Link back a few tiles when he hits a wall. They are given by Sahasrahla after the East Palace is complete.
		Power Glove	A special gauntlet that lets Link lift and carry light-colored rocks. It is found in the Desert Palace.
		Titan's Mitt	A special gauntlet that lets Link pick up light and dark rocks. It is found in Thieves' Town.
		Zora's Flippers	Flippers that allow Link to swim. They are bought from Zora at the source of Zora's River.

Equipment

Link is permanently equipped with these items once he obtains them. If Link obtains a new sword or shield, it replaces the one that he was previously equipped with.

Sprite		Name	Description
Swords
		Sword	A simple sword that can be slashed and spun. It is obtained from Link's uncle at the outset of the game.
		Master Sword	A legendary sword that can repel evil magic and shoot sword beams. It is pulled from the Sacred Grove once the three Pendants of Virtue are gathered.
		Tempered Sword	An improved version of the Master Sword after being worked on by the Dwarven Swordsmiths once they are reunited.
		Golden Sword	The best version of the Master Sword, obtained by throwing it into the Fat Faerie's pool in the Pyramid.
Shields
		Shield	A basic shield that can block simple projectiles like rocks, arrows, and spears. It is obtained from Link's uncle at the outset of the game.
		Red Shield	A larger shield that can block fiery projectiles. It can be gotten by throwing the Shield into the Water Faerie's pool or by purchasing it from the Dark World.
		Mirror Shield	A special shield that can reflect beams and is inedible to Pikits. It is obtained from Turtle Rock.
Tunics
		Green Jerkin	The basic tunic Link starts out with.
		Blue Mail	Armor with more defensive power found in the Ice Palace.
		Red Mail	Special armor with even more defense found in Ganon's Castle.
Health
		Heart Container	Large hearts dropped by defeated bosses which add an extra heart to Link's total life energy.
		Piece of Heart	Heart Container fragments found scattered throughout both lands. Four of them equal a full Heart Container.
Dungeon
		Small Key	Interchangeable keys that only work once each and are only usable in their specific dungeon.
		Dungeon Map	An item that shows the dungeon layout, including rooms Link has not yet visited.
		Compass	Shows the position of Link, the boss, and the treasure.
		Big Key	A giant key that opens large locks on doors and the main treasure's giant chest. They are generally used multiple times.
		Treasure	The unique usable item found in the big chest in most dungeons.

Other upgrade

Sprite	Name	Description
	Magic upgrade	A Magic Meter enhancement granted by the Mad Batter after it is awoken.

Plot items

Aside from a heart, another special item is rewarded at the end of each dungeon. The Light World dungeons reward a Pendant while the Dark World ones reward a crystal.

Sprite		Name	Description
		Pendant of Courage	The first of the Pendants of Virtue, obtained from the East Palace at the request of Sahasrahla.
		Pendant of Power	The second pendant, held in the Desert Palace.
		Pendant of Wisdom	The third pendant, held in the Mountain Tower.
		Crystal	Seven Crystals exist throughout the Dark World, each containing one of the Maidens.

Trailing items

These items simply follow Link on the overworld.

Sprite	Name	Description
	Locked chest	A peculiar indigo chest found in the ruins of a building east of the Village of Outcasts after the Dwarven Swordsmiths have been reuinited. It can be led to the Average Middle-Aged Man to open it, revealing a Magic Bottle.
	Super Bomb	A special bomb sold by the Bomb Shop after six Crystals are obtained. It is used to blow a hole in the side of the Pyramid, leading to the Fat Faerie's fountain.

Gallery

For this game's image gallery, see Gallery:The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.

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  Logo

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  Japan box art

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  Link

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning
Japanese	ゼルダの伝説 神々のトライフォース Zeruda no Densetsu: Kamigami no Toraifōsu	The Legend of Zelda: Triforce of the Gods

Trivia

• At the time, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past was the only home console installment of The Legend of Zelda series that was not included on The Legend of Zelda: Collector's Edition (not including the demo of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker). This decision is likely because of the Game Boy Advance port, which is compatible with the GameCube via the Game Boy Player. Another possible reason is because the GameCube face button layout is different than the Super Nintendo's.