Helmasaurs, also known as Iron Masks[1] and Hiploops, are a recurring mask- or helmet-wearing species of squat animals. Usually, they resemble quadrupedal dinosaurs, hence their usual English name, but have also been depicted as beetles and birds. In many games, the armor can be removed, allowing them to be hit anywhere on the body.
History[edit]
The Legend of Zelda series[edit]
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past[edit]
In The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Helmasaurs, also known as Green Beetles,[2] first appear in the Dark Palace. They are small orange dinosaurs with a large green mask covering their heads. Unlike later games, the mask cannot be removed. When Link approaches, they scurry quickly after him, and will do so from a great distance. At the heart of the palace is their leader, the Helmasaur King.
In The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past/Four Swords, indigo-masked Helmasaurs are spit out by an alternate version of the Helmasaur King in the Palace of the Four Sword.
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening[edit]
In The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, Iron Masks appear in Angler's Tunnel and Catfish's Maw. They are small and spherical with two stubby legs and large, pointed masks. The masks can be removed with the Hook Shot, which becomes a recurring element in the series. Once it is removed, it is shown that the Iron Masks are otherwise featureless, and they will helplessly walk around with a surprised look on their faces. In Link's Awakening DX, They are colored red, while in the Nintendo Switch remake, they resemble their A Link Between Worlds design with a blue mask and glowing yellow eyes while unmasked. Additionally, a mini-boss in both Angler's Tunnel and Turtle Rock, called Cue Ball (later Hydrosoar), is seemingly a combination of an Iron Mask and a Water Tektite.
In the remake, Helmasaurs instead use their appearance from The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds with a blue-tinted mask, despite not looking at all like the sprites in the original game.
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask[edit]
In The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, Hiploops appear as large yellow and green beetles with three wing plates and red faces. They walk along narrow bridges, and charge at Link when they see him, but can be blocked with a shield. If they successfully damage him or run into a wall, they will rear up on their hind legs while making a snorting noise. They are initially found in Woodfall, where they lack masks and as such are defenseless, but in Stone Tower Temple they have metallic masks shaped like the heads of rhinoceros beetles, which can be removed with the Hookshot. They are not fooled by the Stone Mask.
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons[edit]
In The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons, Iron Masks appear in Unicorn's Cave. Here, their masks can be removed with the Magnetic Gloves.
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages[edit]
In The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages, Iron Masks appear in Moonlit Grotto and Jabu-Jabu's Belly. Their masks can be removed with the Switch Hook or Long Hook, but if they are hit anywhere other than the mask, Link will just switch places with the creature.
The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords[edit]
In The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords, Hiproops[3] resemble an expansion on the design used in previous Game Boy line games. Their feet now resemble bird feet, and their now have parrot-like faces if their masks are removed with the Hookshot. Their bird-like design may be to tie in to how the Helmasaur King was redesigned as a bird called the Helmaroc King in The Wind Waker. They now charge around in large straight lines.
The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap[edit]
In The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap, Helmasaurs look and act the same as in Four Swords. They are first found in a cave at Mount Crenel's Base, and their masks can be removed with the Gust Jar.
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess[edit]
In The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Helmasaurs are small green dinosaurs that wear hole-covered gray armor across their backs. It can be removed with the Clawshot, at which point Link can carry around the armor and throw it like a rock. They appear in the Lakebed Temple, northern Hyrule Field following the "Midna's Lament" sequence, and the City in the Sky. The last of these locations also features a larger version with irremovable armor, the Helmasaurus.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds[edit]
In The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, Helmasaurs have the same design as in A Link to the Past, but are somewhat less aggressive as they do not chase from as far. Their masks can now be removed with the Hookshot, showing them to have blank white eyes. They again first appear in the Dark Palace, which is now led by another giant Helmasaur called the Gemesaur King.
The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes[edit]
In The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes, Helmasaurs are found in the Sky Realm, and resemble their appearance in A Link Between Worlds. However, they are much more aggressive than before, running after Links almost as fast as they can run away, and thus not giving a lot of time for the pursued Link to remove their masks. However, another Link can remove their masks with the Gripshot.
Gallery[edit]
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language
|
Name
|
Meaning
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| Japanese |
ヒップループ
Hippurūpu |
Hiploop; likely in reference to their vulnerable backside
|
References[edit]
- ^ M. Arakawa. The Legend of Zelda – Link's Awakening Player's Guide. Page 100.
- ^ Stratton, Bryan, and Stephen Stratton. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past/Four Swords Prima's Official Strategy Guide. Page 16.
- ^ Stratton, Bryan, and Stephen Stratton. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past/Four Swords Prima's Official Strategy Guide. Page 176.
| The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (DX) (Nintendo Switch)
|
| Characters
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| Main and supporting
|
Link • Marin • Tarin • BowWow • Owl • Flying Rooster • Wind Fish
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| Other
|
Bear Cub • Chef Bear • Christine • CiaoCiao • Crazy Tracy • Dampé*** • Fairy Queen* • Fisherman • Gar and Dion* • Ghost • Grandma Yahoo • Goriya • Great Fairies • Henhouse Keeper • Hippo Model • Kiki the Monkey • Li'l Devil • Madam MeowMeow • Mamasha • Mamu • Manbo • Mermaid • Mr. Write • Old Man Ulrira • Papahl • Photographer** • Quadruplets • Raccoon • Richard • Sale • Schule Donavitch • Shopkeeper • Toucan • Trendy Gamester • Walrus • Witch
|
| Species
|
Bee • Bird • Chicken • Fairy • Fish • Fox • Frog • Mini Bow-Wow • Monkey • Mouse • Rabbit • Seagull
|
| Enemies
|
| Normal enemies
|
Armos • Ball and Chain Trooper • Ballereen • Beetle • Birky • Blooper • Boarblin • Bomb Trooper • Bombite • Bonewing* • Boo • Buzz Blob • Cheep Cheep • Crow • Cukeman • Dacto • Darknut • Firebat • Ghini • Giant Ghini • Gibdo • Giant Goponga Flower • Goo Specter • Goomba • Goponga Flower • Hardhat Beetle • Helmasaur • Hollow Mimic • Hue Ball* • K.K. Sniper • Keese • Leever • Like Like • Mini Angler • Mini-Moldorm • Mini Zol • Moblin • Octorok • Pairodd • Peahat • Pincer • Piranha • Piranha Plant • Pokey • Pols Voice • Rope • Sand Crab • Sea Urchin • Shrouded Stalfos • Shy Guy • Spark • Spiny • Spiny Beetle • Stalfos • Sword Moblin • Sword Stalfos • Tektite • Three-of-a-Kind • Vire • Voidmaster • Water Tektite • Winged Octorok • Wizzrobe • Zirro • Zol • Zombie • Zora
|
| Traps and obstacles
|
Anti-Faery • Blade Trap • Boulder • Eye Guard • Face Lamp • Flame Fountain • Flying Tile • Giant Bubble • Laser • Lava • Mega Thwomp • Podoboo • Quick Sand • Shadow Link*** • Spiked Thwomp • Stone Elevator • Thwomp • Wallmaster***
|
| Minibosses
|
Armos Knight • Avalaunch* • Blaino • Dodongo Snake • Giant Buzz Blob* • Gohma • Grim Creeper and Creeps • Hinox • Hydrosoar • Lanmola • Master Stalfos • Moblin Chief • Rover • Spike Roller • Turtle Rock
|
| Bosses
|
Moldorm • Genie • Slime Eye • Angler Fish • Slime Eel • Facade • Evil Eagle • Hot Head • Shadow Nightmares (Giant Zol Shadow • Agahnim Shadow • Moldorm Shadow • Ganon Shadow • Lanmola Shadow • Death Shadow) • Hardhit Beetle*
|
| Equipment
|
| Weapons
|
Bomb • Boomerang • Bow and Arrows • Hookshot • Magic Rod • Pegasus Boots • Power Bracelet (Powerful Bracelet) • Shield (Mirror Shield) • Sword (Koholint Sword)
|
| Items
|
Blue Clothes* • Compass • Dungeon Map • Fairy • Flippers • Golden Leaf • Guardian Acorn • Heart • Heart Container • Magnifying Lens • Nightmare Key • Piece of Heart • Piece of Power • Red Clothes* • Rupee • Secret medicine • Secret Seashell • Small Key • Stone beak • Toadstool • Trading sequence items (Yoshi Doll, Ribbon, Canned food, Bananas, Stick, Honeycomb, Pineapple, Hibiscus, Goat's letter, Broom, Fishing hook, Necklace/Bra, Mermaid's Scale)
|
| Dungeon Keys
|
Tail Key • Slime Key • Angler Key • Face Key • Bird Key
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| Instruments of the Sirens
|
Full Moon Cello • Conch Horn • Sea Lily's Bell • Surf Harp • Wind Marimba • Coral Triangle • Organ of Evening Calm • Thunder Drum
|
| Locations
|
| Koholint Island
|
Animal Village • Cemetery • East of the Bay • Goponga Swamp • Koholint Prairie • Mabe Village • Martha's Bay • Mt. Tamaranch • Mysterious Forest • Pothole Field • Rapids Ride • Shrine Waterfall • Signpost Maze • South of the Village • Tabahl Wasteland • Tal Tal Heights • Tal Tal Mountain Range • Toronbo Shores • Ukuku Prairie • Yarna Desert
|
| Dungeons
|
Level 1 - Tail Cave • Level 2 - Bottle Grotto • Level 3 - Key Cavern • Level 4 - Angler's Tunnel • Level 5 - Catfish's Maw • Level 6 - Face Shrine • Level 7 - Eagle's Tower • Level 8 - Turtle Rock • Wind Fish's Egg • Color Dungeon*
|
| Buildings
|
Crazy Tracy's Health Spa • Henhouse • House by the Bay • Manbo's Pond • Madam MeowMeow's House • Marin and Tarin's House • Old Man Ulrira's House • Quadruplets House • Raft Shop • Richard's Villa • Sale's House o' Bananas • Seashell Mansion • Telephone Booth • Town Tool Shop • Trendy Game • Under the bridge • Village Library • Weird Mr. Write • Witch's Hut
|
| Other
|
Ancient Ruins • Camera Shop** • Chamber Dungeon*** • Dampé's Shack*** • Dream Shrine • Faerie Spring • Fishing Pond • Kanalet Castle • Mermaid Statue • Moblin Cave • Warp point • Weathervane • Well
|
| * Not in the original version ** Exclusive to Link's Awakening DX *** Exclusive to the Nintendo Switch remake
|
| The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
|
| Characters
|
| Protagonists
|
Link • Princess Zelda • Ravio
|
| Sages
|
Gulley • Oren • Seres • Osfala • Rosso • Irene • Impa
|
| Supporting
|
Blacksmith • Dampé • Fairy • Ganon • Great Fairy • Mother Maiamai • Princess Hilda • Sahasrahla • Sheerow • Thief Girl
|
| Other
|
Bag Guy • Bard • Bee Guy • Bird Lover • Bird-Masked Man • Blacksmith's Wife • Bomb-Shop Man • Bouldering Guy • Boy • Captain • Craftsman • Cucco Girl • Customer • Dampé? • Derby Boy • Derby Girl • Devilish Girl • Dungeon Bros • Flute Boy • Fortune's Choice Guy • Fortune-Teller • Girl • Gramps • Great Rupee Fairy • Hinox • Hint Ghost • Housekeeper • Hyrule Soldier • Item Seller • Lakeside Item Seller • Mama Turtle • Masked Elder • Masked Followers • Masked Granny • Milk Bar Owner (Talon • Ingo) • Mysterious Man • Octo • Official • Papa • Philosopher • Priest • Racing Bros • Rumor Guy • Runaway Item Seller • Rupee Rush Gal • Rupee Rush Guy • Shady Guy • Spear Boy • Street Merchant • Stylish Woman • Swimmer • Treasure Hunter • Veteran Thief • Witch • Woman • Young Woman • Zora Underling
|
| Bosses
|
Yuga • Margomill • Moldorm • Gemesaur King • Arrghus • Knucklemaster • Stalblind • Dharkstare • Zaganaga • Grinexx • Yuga Ganon • Shadow Link (optional) • Gramps (optional)
|
| Species
|
Fairy • Human • Maiamai • Turtle • Zora
|
| Enemies and minibosses
|
Armos • Arrghus • Arrgi • Ball and Chain Soldier • Bari • Bawb • Bee • Biri • Big Ice Gimos • Big Pengator • Blob • Bomb Soldier • Bow Soldier • Buzz Blob • Chasupa • Crow • Dacto • Dark Rat • Deadrock • Devalant • Eyegore • Fire Bubble • Fire Gimos • Fire Wizzrobe • Firebat • Flamola • Freezor • Geldman • Ghini • Gibdo • Gibo • Gigabari • Gimos • Golden Bee • Goriya • Gyorm • Hardhat Beetle • Heedle • Helmasaur • Hinox • Hokkubokku • Hyu • Ice Bubble • Ice Gimos • Ice Wizzrobe • Karat Crab • Keeleon • Keese • Kodongo • Ku • Kyameron • Leever • Like Like • Lorule Soldier • Lorule Soldier (ball and chain) • Lorule Soldier (spear) • Lorule Soldier (sword) • Lynel • Mini Moldorm • Moblin • Moldorm • Octorok • Peahat • Pengator • Poe • Popo • Rat • Ropa • Rope • Rupee Like • Sand Crab • Skullrope • Slarok • Sluggula • Snap Dragon • Soldier • Spear Soldier • Spear Throwing Soldier • Stal • Stalfos • Swamola • Sword Soldier • Taros • Tektite • Terrorpin • Vulture • Wallmaster • Water Tektite • Zazak • Zirro • Zora
|
| Traps and obstacles
|
Arrow Trap • Ball • Beamos • Boulder • Bumper • Fire bar • Flying Tile • Giant Ball • Lightning Lock • Magma bomb • Medusa • Moldola • Mole • Rolling Pin • Spiked Iron Ball • Trap
|
| Items
|
Apple • Arrow • Big Key • Bell • Blue Potion • Bombs (Rented, Nice) • Bomb Flower • Boomerang (Rented, Nice) • Bottle • Bow (Rented, Nice) • Bow of Light • Compass • Dungeon Map • Fire Rod (Rented, Nice) • Foul Fruit • Hammer (Rented, Nice) • Heart • Heart Container • Hint Glasses • Hookshot (Rented, Nice) • Ice Rod (Rented, Nice) • Lamp (Super) • Letter in a Bottle • Milk • Monster Guts • Monster Horn • Monster Tail • Net (Super) • Pendants of Virtue (Courage, Power, Wisdom) • Piece of Heart • Premium Milk • Purple Potion • Red Potion • Rupee • Sand Rod (Rented, Nice) • Scoot Fruit • Small Key • Smooth Gem • Tornado Rod (Rented, Nice) • Yellow Potion
|
| Equipment
|
Bee Badge • Blue Mail • Forgotten Sword • Green Tunic • Hylian Shield • Master Ore • Master Sword • Master Sword Lv2 • Master Sword Lv3 • Pegasus Shoes • Pouch • Power Glove • Red Mail • Ravio's Bracelet • Shield • Stamina Scroll • Sword • Titan's Mitt • Zora's Flippers
|
| Locations
|
| Hyrule
|
Blacksmith's Forge • Death Mountain • Desert of Mystery • Eastern Ruins • Graveyard • Hyrule Castle • Inn • Kakariko Village • Lake Hylia • Lake Hylia Shop • Link's House • Lost Woods • Miner's House • Mountain Cave • Ravio's Shop • Rosso's Ore Mine • Sacred Grove • Sahasrahla's House • Sanctuary • Southern Ruins • Spectacle Rock • StreetPass Meadow • Swamp Ruins • Waterfall of Wishing • Witch's House • Zora's Domain
|
| Lorule
|
Blacksmith's Forge • Bomb Flower Store • Dark Ruins • Death Mountain • Graveyard • Lake of Ill Omen • Misery Mire • Skull Woods • Southern Ruins • Thieves' Town • Vacant House
|
| Other
|
Fairy Fountain • Great Fairy Fountain • Item Shop • Sacred Realm
|
| Dungeons
|
| Hyrule
|
Secret Passage • Eastern Palace • House of Gales • Tower of Hera • Inside Hyrule Castle • Desert Palace
|
| Lorule
|
Dark Palace • Swamp Palace • Skull Woods • Thieves' Hideout • Ice Ruins • Turtle Rock • Lorule Castle (Throne Room) • Treacherous Tower (optional)
|
| Miscellaneous
|
Gallery • Pre-release and unused content
|
