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| + | {{Event |
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| − | {{GameNav}}<br> |
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| + | |name = Dark Plague |
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| − | {{Game |
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| + | |image = [[File:Dark Plague.png|300px]] |
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| − | |title = The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past |
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| + | |caption = Dark clouds cover Hyrule as Ganondorf secretly causes the Dark Plague to spread across the land. |
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| − | |image= [[File:ALttP logo.png|125px]][[File:Zelda_SNES.jpg|300px]] |
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| + | |game = ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Four Sword Adventures|Four Sword Adventures]]'' |
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| − | |caption= |
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| − | | |
+ | |location = [[Hyrule]] |
| + | |occurrence = Ganondorf steals the Trident of Power from its resting place and uses it to spread darkness across Hyrule, releasing Vaati in the process. |
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| − | |publisher= [[Nintendo]] |
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| + | |resolution = Vaati is destroyed; Ganon is sealed within the Four Sword. |
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| − | |designer= [[Shigeru Miyamoto]] (producer)<br />[[Takashi Tezuka]] (director)<br>[[Koji Kondo]] (sound composer) |
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| − | |released= '''SNES release'''<br>{{release|jp=November 21, 1991|na= April 13, 1992|eu= November 24, 1992}}<br>'''GBA release'''<br>{{release|na= December 2, 2002|jp= March 14, 2003|eu= March 28, 2003}}<br>'''Wii Virtual Console release'''<br>{{release|na= January 22, 2007|jp= December 2, 2006|eu= March 23, 2007}} |
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| − | |esrb= E |
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| − | |pegi= 7 |
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| − | |elspa= 3+ |
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| − | |cero= All{{exp|GBA}} / A{{exp|Wii Virtual Console}} |
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| − | |cb= G8+{{exp|GBA}} / PG{{exp|Wii Virtual Console}} |
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| − | |usk= 6 |
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| − | |platforms= [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|SNES]], [[BS-X Broadcasting System|Satellaview]], [[Game Boy Advance|GBA]], [[Wii|Wii (Virtual Console)]] |
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| − | |predecessor= [[Zelda II: The Adventure of Link]] |
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| − | |successor= [[The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening]] |
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| − | '''''The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past''''' is the third game in the [[The Legend of Zelda (Series)|''The Legend of Zelda'' series]], and the first and only one for the [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]]. After the side-scrolling and more RPG-like gameplay of ''[[Zelda II: The Adventure of Link|The Adventure of Link]]'', ''A Link to the Past'' was a return to the overhead view and gameplay style of [[The Legend of Zelda (Game)|the original]]. It introduced the concept of two different worlds (one dark, one light), which was revisited to an extent in its console successor ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time|Ocarina of Time]]'' with two time periods rather than dark and light worlds. ''A Link to the Past'' was re-released in 2002, on the [[Game Boy Advance]] system, sharing a cartridge with ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords|Four Swords]].'' |
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| + | {{quote|Swiftly and suddenly, dark clouds covered all of Hyrule. Ominous clouds that filled all those who saw them with fear... A sense of dread swept across the land.|Narrator|FSA}} |
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| − | ==Story== |
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| − | ===The Imprisoning War=== |
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| − | {{Main|Imprisoning War}} |
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| − | One day, a band of evil thieves managed to open the gateway to the [[Sacred Realm]], where the mystical [[Triforce]] was hidden. Upon finding the sacred golden relic, the leader of the thieves, [[Ganon|Ganondorf]], slew his followers and claimed it as his own.<ref>{{cite manual|quote=In a long running battle, the leader of the thieves fought his way past his followers in a lust for the Golden Power. After vanquishing his own followers, the leader stood triumphant over the Triforce and grasped it with his blood- stained hands.|game=ALttP|page=5}}</ref> Before long, dark power began to flow forth from the Sacred Realm. People were drawn into this darkness, and never heard from again. As a result, the [[King of Hyrule]] ordered the seven [[sage]]s to seal the entrance to the Sacred Realm. A great battle ensued--monsters poured into the [[Light World]] from the sacred land and attacked the castle. The [[Knights of Hyrule]] defended the sages during the great battle against evil, and, though most of them perished in the struggle, the sages were able to cast their seal, stopping the flow of darkness and trapping the evil king Ganon within.<ref>{{cite manual|quote=The Knights took the full brunt of the fierce attack, and although they fought courageously many a brave soul was lost that day, However, their lives were not lost in vain, for they bought precious time for the Seven Wise Men to magically seal Ganon in the Golden land.|game=ALttP|page=6}}</ref> This battle became known as the [[Imprisoning War]]. |
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| + | The '''Dark Plague''' refers to a major event that befell the land of [[Hyrule]] several hundred years following the events of ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess|Twilight Princess]]'' and during the events of ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Four Sword Adventures|Four Sword Adventures]]''. It occurred when the newly-reincarnated [[Ganon]]dorf stole the [[Trident of Power]] from its resting place deep within the [[Pyramid (Dungeon)|Pyramid]] of the [[Desert of Doubt]] and used it to spread darkness across the kingdom, transforming himself into Ganon, the King of Darkness, in the process. This event would result in the final destruction of [[Vaati]] in the "Child" branch of the [[Zelda Timeline|timeline]] and the sealing away of Ganon within the blade of the [[Four Sword]]. |
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| − | ===The Wizard=== |
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| − | [[File:LTTP Title Screen.png|left|200px|thumb|The title screen for the game]] |
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| − | Once the conflicts against Ganon had ceased, Hyrule entered a time of peace which lasted for centuries, until one year, when unexplained catastrophes began to occur. Pestilence and drought ravaged the land. Thinking the recent disasters plaguing Hyrule were somehow linked to the sages' seal, the king investigated it, but found it to be intact. Desperate for answers, he offered rewards for anyone who could find the source of Hyrule's troubles. |
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| + | ==Overview== |
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| − | In response, a stranger named [[Agahnim]] appeared as if from nowhere and stayed the catastrophes with mighty magic. As a reward, the king gave him a new position as chief adviser to the throne, and the common folk proclaimed him their hero. Once more, peace appeared to have returned to Hyrule. Yet all was not well. Agahnim began to govern Hyrule in place of the king and abuse his political power as he saw fit. Rumors spread saying that Agahnim planned to remove the king and take the crown for himself, and that strange magical experiments were taking place in the castle tower at night. He cast spells on the soldiers and kidnapped the young [[Maiden|maidens]] descended from the seven sages, using their powers in an attempt to break the seal placed on the Sacred Realm.<ref>{{cite|Link, listen carefully. The wizard is magically controlling all the soldiers in the castle.|Princess Zelda|ALttP}}</ref><ref>{{cite|A mysterious wizard known as Agahnim came to Hyrule to release the seal. He eliminated the good King of Hyrule... Through evil magic, he began to make descendants of the seven wise men vanish, one after another.|Introduction|ALttP}}</ref> |
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| + | ===Reincarnation of the Dark Lord=== |
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| − | {{Clear}} |
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| + | Some time following the events of ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess|Twilight Princess]]'', the [[Royal Family of Hyrule|Hyrulean monarchy]] made peace with the [[Gerudo]], the tribe to which the Dark Lord [[Ganon]]dorf (who had more than once attempted to overthrow the Royal Family at different points throughout Hyrule's history) had belonged.<ref>{{cite book|quote=Several hundred years after Ganondorf's defeat, relations between Gerudo Village and Hyrule had become friendly once more, and peace had been restored to the land.|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|publisher=Dark Horse Books|page=119}}</ref> This resulted in friendly relations being restored between the Gerudo and the rest of Hyrule, with the Gerudo going on to settle in a village at the southern border of the [[Desert of Doubt]], located in the southwestern corner of Hyrule. Several hundred years following the events of ''Twilight Princess'', however, Ganondorf was reincarnated amongst the Gerudo tribe once again as its sole male member,<ref name=Quote1>{{Cite|A kid like you may not know this, but the Gerudo race consists only of women. Only one man is born every hundred years...|Nabooru|OoT}}</ref><ref name=guardian>{{Cite|Once every 100 years, a special child is born unto my people. That child is destined to be the mighty guardian of the Gerudo and the [[Desert of Doubt|desert]]. But this child, its heart grew twisted with every passing year. The child became a man who hungered for power at any price.|A Gerudo|FSA}}</ref> in fulfillment of the curse that the Demon King [[Demise]] had cast moments before his death ages before.<ref>{{cite|Though this is not the end. My hate... never perishes. It is born anew in a cycle with no end! I will rise again. Those like you... Those who share the blood of the goddess and the spirit of the hero... They are eternally bound to this curse. An incarnation of my hatred shall ever follow your kind, dooming them to wander a blood-soaked sea of darkness for all time!|Demise|SS}}</ref> Ganondorf's heart grew twisted and evil with the passing of time, and he longed for the power to dominate the entire world,<ref name=guardian/> just as his previous incarnation had before him.<ref>{{cite|They say that Ganondorf is not satisfied with ruling only the Gerudo and aims to conquer all of Hyrule!|Gossip Stone|OoT}}</ref> |
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| + | ===The Trident of Power and The Dark Mirror=== |
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| − | ===Link's Quest=== |
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| + | Eventually, Ganondorf learned of a [[Trident|dark power]] that lay deep within the ancient [[Pyramid (Dungeon)|Pyramid]] that is sacred to the Gerudo tribe. One day, he flouted Gerudo law stipulating that nobody was to enter the Pyramid and left the Gerudo Village for the Pyramid, infuriating the other members of his tribe. He was sighted by a member of the [[Zuna]] tribe as he made his way to the [[Desert Temple]], where he passed through its trials and reached the Pyramid. Inside, Ganondorf discovered the [[Trident of Power]] and a message beside its stand, revealing the Trident possessed the power to ruin the world. The evil Gerudo stole the Trident and was subsequently transformed into Ganon, the demonic King of Darkness. When he did not return to his village, the rest of the Gerudo simply assumed Ganondorf died in the attempt to reach the Pyramid. |
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| − | [[File:ALttP Artwork.jpg|thumb|right|Link hears Zelda's telepathic plea]] |
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| − | The game starts with [[Link]] being awakened in the middle of the night by a telepathic plea from [[Princess Zelda]], who tells him that she is being held prisoner in the dungeon of the [[Hyrule Castle|castle]]. Now wide awake, Link finds his [[Link's Uncle|uncle]] with sword and shield in hand. He tells Link not to leave the house, then sets off for the castle. Link ignores his uncle's warning and follows him, only to arrive at the castle to find him gravely wounded. He gives Link his sword and shield and entrusts him with the fate of Princess Zelda. Link proceeds to rescue Zelda, and the two escape the castle through its sewer system to the sanctuary just north of the castle. |
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| + | Ganon's next act was to obtain the [[Dark Mirror]], an ancient artifact capable of bringing the evil within a person to life. It was said to have been used to seal away a [[Dark Tribe]] that attempted to invade Hyrule in the past and was hidden within a [[Temple of Darkness|temple]] deep within the [[Forest of Light]] to sever its connection to the world. Ganon traveled to this temple and stole the Dark Mirror from its resting place to use it in his plan to conquer the kingdom. To ensure they could not oppose him, Ganon preemptively defeated the four [[Knights of Hyrule]] in battle, transforming them into monsters and the four [[Element|Royal Jewels]] they guarded into portals to the [[Dark World]]. |
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| − | There, the priest tells Link that the only weapon powerful enough to defeat Agahnim was the legendary [[Master Sword]].<ref>{{cite|I sense that a mighty evil force guides the wizard's actions and augments his magical power. The only weapon potent enough to defeat the wizard is the legendary Master Sword.|Loyal Sage|ALttP}}</ref> He then sends him to find the elder, [[Sahasrahla]], who explains that not just anyone could wield the Master Sword, and that a hero must appear from the descendants of the [[Knights of Hyrule]]. To prove himself worthy of wielding the sacred blade, Link would need to acquire the three [[Pendants of Virtue]].<ref>{{cite|Link, I am surprised a young man like you is searching for the sword of evil's bane. Not just anyone can use that weapon. Legends say only the Hero who has won the three Pendants can wield the sword.|Sahasrahla|ALttP}}</ref> |
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| + | ===The Coming Darkness=== |
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| − | After successfully obtaining the pendants and withdrawing the blade from its pedestal in the [[Lost Woods]], Zelda calls out to Link yet again, this time warning that soldiers have invaded the sanctuary. Link hurries off to the sanctuary only to find that he was a moment too late, and that the soldiers had already taken Zelda off to Hyrule Castle.<ref>{{cite|Link! You are a second too late. I have failed... Zelda... The soldiers have abducted her. They have taken her to the castle. You must find her before the wizard works his magic.|Loyal Sage|ALttP}}</ref> Once again, Link hurries to her rescue, and once again arrives too late, as Agahnim was already in the process of sending Princess Zelda to the [[Dark World]]. Upon completing this ritual, little time was needed before the sages' seal was completely broken.<ref>{{cite|Only a short time remains until the gate at the castle linking the worlds opens completely.|Maiden in Ice Palace|A Link to the Past}}</ref> Link goes on to defeat Agahnim, who then draws him into the Dark World. |
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| + | The King of Darkness decided to use the Dark Mirror to create an agent of chaos in [[Shadow Link]], to bring misery to Hyrule's people while also tainting the hero's name. He also decided to use Shadow Link to abduct [[Princess Zelda]] and the [[Shrine Maidens]] who protect Hyrule and to trick [[Link]] into releasing [[Vaati]], the ancient wind demon said to be sealed within the [[Four Sword]]. Ganon intended to use Vaati as a distraction so he could then drain the power of Hyrule's people from them. |
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| + | Using the Trident's power, Ganon cast dark storm clouds over all of Hyrule, in an attempt to make Princess Zelda and the Shrine Maidens suspect that the seal on Vaati was weakening. This attempt would prove successful, as Princess Zelda summoned the six other Shrine Maidens from across Hyrule as well as Link to [[Hyrule Castle]] to discuss the darkness. The Princess decided to open the portal to the [[Four Sword Sanctuary]] with the Shrine Maidens and inspect Vaati's seal. However, as soon as the portal was open, Shadow Link emerged to capture the Shrine Maidens and Zelda, sealing them into crystals and spiriting them away to locations all across Hyrule before vanishing back through the open portal. Link gave chase and arrived at the Four Sword Sanctuary, where the impostor goaded the hero into lifting the [[Four Sword]] from its pedestal, causing the hero to split into four colored versions of himself. This action allowed [[Vaati]] to escape his prison, as Ganon had planned, while Shadow Link fled the scene and the four Links were sent flying by Vaati's winds. |
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| − | There, Link is contacted telepathically by Sahasrahla, whom tells him that he is standing in what was once the Sacred Realm, but was transformed by Ganon's evil wish to conquer the world.<ref>{{cite|Link, it is I, Sahasrahla. I am communicating to you across the void through telepathy... The place where you now stand was the Golden Land, but evil power turned it into the Dark World.|Sahasrahla|ALttP}}</ref><ref>{{cite|Ganon's wish was to conquer the world. That wish changed the Golden Land to the Dark World.|Essence of the Triforce|ALttP}}</ref> He then commissions Link with the task of rescuing the imprisoned maidens from the dungeons scattered across the Dark World.<ref>{{cite|In order to save this half of the world, the Light World, you must win back the Golden Power. You must also rescue the seven maidens who Agahnim sent to the Dark World. As members of the blood-line of the seven wise men, they have power that will surely help you.|Sahasrahla|ALttP}}</ref> Upon freeing them all, Link travels to [[Ganon's Tower]], where the seven maidens use their combined power to dispel the barrier sealing off the entrance. Link proceeds to traverse the tower and defeat Agahnim a second time. Upon his defeat, the shadow of Ganon rises from the body, turns into a bat, and flies off to the [[Pyramid of Power]], where Link and Ganon face off. With the power of the [[Silver Arrow]]s and the Master Sword, Link vanquishes Ganon, recovers the Triforce, and by making a wish, reverts the effects of Ganon's evil reign over Hyrule and restores the land to its former glory. |
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| + | ===Rescuing the Maidens=== |
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| − | ==Gameplay== |
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| + | The four Links learned from the wise owl [[Kaepora Gaebora]] that the Shrine Maidens and Princess Zelda had been captured by dark forces and had been whisked away to locations all across Hyrule. The Links were also made aware that Vaati had seemingly erected dark barriers across the land that were slowly draining the land of its power. Armed with this information, the four Links set out across Hyrule to rescue the maidens and the princess from their captivity and to defeat the wind demon once and for all. |
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| − | ===Commonplace Mechanics=== |
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| − | ''A Link to the Past'' retains various gameplay elements from the original [[The Legend of Zelda (Game)|NES game]], among them the top-view perspective; Link can collect rupees once more and use items by assigning them to a button, as well as recovering his life energy with hearts. Returning from ''[[Zelda II: The Adventure of Link|The Adventure of Link]]'' is the ability to use magic to perform spells and to make special items functional, as well as a major interaction with non-playable characters to obtain vital information regarding the quest. |
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| + | The Blue Maiden, they learned, was being held near the top of Hyrule Castle. Fighting their way through [[Lake Hylia]] and the [[Cave of No Return]], the four heroes arrived at the castle and battled [[Phantom Ganon]] to free the Blue Maiden. With the first maiden now freed, she guided the four heroes to Eastern Hyrule, where the heroes had to work their way through the [[The Coast|Coast]] and the [[Village of the Blue Maiden]] to reach the location of the Yellow Maiden, the [[Eastern Temple]]. There, they battled the [[Arrghus|Stone Arrghus]] to free the Yellow Maiden, who then transported them to her realm: [[Death Mountain]]. Having traversed the [[Death Mountain Foothills|foothills]] and the [[Mountain Path]], they eventually arrived at the [[Tower of Flames]], where they battled a trio of [[Dodongo]]s to free the Green Maiden before learning that darkness had overtaken Hyrule Castle once again. The Green Maiden guided the heroes to her section of the land: the [[Field]]s south of Hyrule Castle. Working their way through the [[Field]] and the [[Swamp]], the heroes were forced to [[Infiltration of Hyrule Castle|infiltrate]] Hyrule Castle and defeat a [[Big Poe]] to rescue the White Maiden. |
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| − | A returning mechanic from both games is the availability of dungeons, which must be conquered in order to archive success in the adventure. Each dungeon has a map and a compass, the former shows the layout of the dungeon in particular and the latter locates the boss's whereabouts; keys must be collected in order to open locked doors, puzzles must be solved to progress, and enemies must be defeated if they are interrupting the exploration. The dungeons are multi-leveled, ranging in number from [[Desert Palace (A Link to the Past)|two]] to [[Ice Palace|ten]], and [[Big Key|Big Keys]] are needed both to open major chests (containing items that increase Link's inventory and help him progress through his adventure) and to open boss rooms. |
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| + | With the White Maiden freed, the heroes set out for her section of Hyrule: the [[Forest of Light]]. Tasked with recovering the Dark Mirror said to be kept within the temple inside the forest, the heroes found that not only had the forest been engulfed in darkness, but that it had also spilled into the [[Lost Woods]] and [[Kakariko Village]] as well. Clearing these latter two areas, the heroes made their way to the [[Temple of Darkness]] and faced off once again with Phantom Ganon to rescue the Red Maiden, only to discover the Dark Mirror missing. |
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| − | Similar to the [[bomb]]s in the first NES game and [[Magic|the magic meter]] in the second game, various items in ''A Link to the Past'' can be upgraded either in capacity or by being turned into more advanced versions. This can be done through completing sidequests or entering certain special places. Optional weapons and items are hidden through [[Hyrule]] as well. |
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| − | ===Light and Dark World dichotomy=== |
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| − | [[File:Light and Dark World.png|thumb|The same location in both the Light World and the [[Dark World]].]] |
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| − | This game introduces a very important mechanic: The Light World/Dark World dichotomy. The game has actually two maps of Hyrule, which are related to each other in several ways; for example, by switching from the Dark World to the Light World while standing in an apparently empty dead end, Link can find in the latter world a secret cave or a passage that was otherwise inaccessible, leading to secret prizes. By doing the opposite (switching from the Light World to the Dark World), Link can gain access to new dungeons, which is important to the success of the quest. ''A Link to the Past'' is praised for cleverly using this gameplay device, which in some ways has been reused in subsequent Zelda games. |
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| − | ''A Link to the Past'' is also the first title to have a more developed storyline, which reflects for the first time the dungeon's different purposes. The first three house the sacred pendants that give Link access to the [[Master Sword]], the fourth has to do with a failed attempt to rescue [[Princess Zelda]], the next seven dungeons house the imprisoned maidens, who (once freed) help Link break the seal of the final dungeon's entrance. This style of story progression was used in various subsequent ''Zelda'' games, among them ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time|Ocarina of Time]]'' and ''[[The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker|The Wind Waker]]'', although the latter added various twists and subversions to the concept (by adding the [[Triforce]] sub-quest, lacking a dungeon for the third pearl, etc.). |
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| + | {{Ref}} |
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| − | ==Game Information== |
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| − | ===Japanese Version=== |
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| − | The Japanese version of the game is titled ''The Legend of Zelda: Triforce of the Gods'', which is the English translation of the original Japanese name, ''Zelda no Densetsu: Kamigami no Triforce''. It is said that [[Nintendo of America]] changed the name of the game to "''A Link to the Past''" because they wanted to avoid any references that could be considered religious in the title of the game. For the same reason, parts of the background story were modified as well, for example [[Agahnim]] is a priest in the original version, but only a wizard in the English version. The [[Great Fairy#Fat Fairy|Fat Fairy]] of the English game is known as a Megami (Goddess) in the Japanese original. Certain locations were renamed as well; the Church in the Japanese version becomes the [[Sanctuary (A Link to the Past)|Sanctuary]], and, in a similar change to Agahnim's title, the Priest there becomes a Sage. Likewise, in the Japanese version the text symbols seen in scripts that are translated by the [[Book of Mudora]] are based on Egyptian symbols, in the English version they were replaced by random, meaningless figures. |
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| − | ===Graphics and Audio=== |
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| − | [[File:LttP bigcannonball.png|thumb|right|Link inside the [[Eastern Palace (A Link to the Past)|Eastern Palace]]]] |
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| − | The game made use of the SNES capabilities to offer more realistic graphics, not only in regards of the areas' textures and colors, but also to add new visual effects, such as the mist and the upper leaves' shadows in [[Lost Woods]], the thunders in the [[Dark World]] equivalent of [[Death Mountain]], and so on. |
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| − | The game's audio retains the overworld tune that debuted in the first Zelda game, although it's only heard while Link stands on the Light World; Kakariko Village's theme is heard here for the first time, and so is Hyrule Castle's background tune. The Dark World's themes are different in all regards (overworld, dungeons, etc.), meaning that the overall soundtrack of the game is far more diverse than that of the first two titles in the series. |
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| − | ===Setting=== |
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| − | Like its predecessors (and, for that matter, most ''Zelda'' games), ''A Link to the Past'' is set in the fictional land of [[Hyrule]]; notably, the territory of the land is bigger than in the first game, but smaller than in ''[[Zelda II: The Adventure of Link|The Adventure of Link]]''. |
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| − | However, its [[Dark World]] counterpart is now included and explorable. In the Light World, familiar zones like [[Lost Woods]] and [[Death Mountain]] are present, while [[Kakariko Village]] and [[Lake Hylia]] are introduced here. In the Dark World, every location is different in name and presentation; for example, the Lost Woods is replaced by the [[Skeleton Forest]], Kakariko Village is the [[Village of Outcasts]], and the southwestern desert is the [[Swamp of Evil]]. The replacements also affect the dungeons which, instead of housing the [[Pendants of Virtue]], hold captive the maidens who were supposed to break the seal protecting [[Ganon's Tower]]. |
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| − | ===Timeline Placement=== |
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| − | In the [[Zelda Timeline|chronology of the ''Legend of Zelda'' series]], ''A Link to the Past'' is the first title placed in the "Downfall" split [[Zelda Timeline|timeline]]. This timeline branch starts with Ganondorf successfully defeating Link in ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time|Ocarina of Time]]'' and obtaining the complete Triforce. The seven [[Sage]]s seal him immediately within the [[Sacred Realm]]. Years later, greedy people enter the [[Dark World]] seeking the Triforce, turning into monsters and becoming part of Ganon's army. In the war that ensues, the [[Knights of Hyrule]] protect the Sages from Ganon's minions, while they cast a seal to close off the entrance to the Dark World. Ages later, when [[Ganon]] attempts to escape from the [[Dark World]] in order to conquer [[Hyrule]], the events of <i>A Link to the Past</i> take place. |
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| − | Also confirmed in ''[[Hyrule Historia]]'', the game's immediate sequels are the ''[[Oracle Series|Oracle]]'' games followed by ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening|Link's Awakening]]'', all of which feature the same Link. Some time after defeating Ganon at the end of ''A Link to the Past'', Link is transported by the Triforce to [[Holodrum]] where ''Oracle of Seasons'' takes place. After defeating Onox, Link travels to [[Labrynna]] and ''Oracle of Ages'' takes place. Link then defeats Ganon in the linked ending of the ''Oracle'' games and leaves Labrynna by boat to continue his training in new lands. After completing his training, Link travels back towards Hyrule by boat when he is shipwrecked on [[Koholint Island]] and ''Link's Awakening'' takes place. |
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| − | [[Zelda.com]], an official ''The Legend of Zelda'' site, originally stated that ''A Link to the Past'' was a sequel to ''Majora's Mask'', taking place hundreds of years after the game, though the Link in both games was the same, having returned from Termina and finding that time passed differently between the two worlds.{{fact}} This information however, is non-canon. |
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| − | === Completion Records === |
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| − | {{Main|Speed Run}} |
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| − | <!-- NOTICE: To update completion records, please edit the Speed Run article (http://zeldawiki.org/Speed_Run). This table will automatically be updated with the records on that page. --> |
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| − | {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; width:600px;" |
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| − | |- |
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| − | ! Time |
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| − | ! Performer |
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| − | ! Date |
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| − | ! Notes |
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| − | |- |
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| − | {{#section:Speed Run|ALTTP}} |
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| − | |} |
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| − | ==Listings== |
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| − | <!-- Do not add text here. --> |
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| − | ===[[Characters in A Link to the Past|Characters]]=== |
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| − | ===[[Bosses in A Link to the Past|Bosses]]=== |
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| − | ===[[Enemies in A Link to the Past|Enemies]]=== |
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| − | ===[[Places in A Link to the Past|Places]]=== |
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| − | ===[[Dungeons in A Link to the Past|Dungeons]]=== |
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| − | ===[[The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past/Credits|Credits]]=== |
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| − | ===[[Items in A Link to the Past|Items and Equipment]]=== |
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| − | ===[[Glitches in A Link to the Past|Glitches]]=== |
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| − | ===[[Hacks in A Link to the Past|Hacks]]=== |
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| − | ===[[A Link to the Past Translations|Translations]]=== |
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| − | ==Reception== |
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| − | ===Sales=== |
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| − | ''A Link to the Past'' was commercially successful, selling 4.61 million copies worldwide, making it the third best selling game in the series (before the release of ''Twilight Princess'').<ref>[http://www.rpgamer.com/news/japan/rp033104.html RPGamer - Japandemonium - Xenogears vs. Tetris]</ref> |
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| − | ===Reviews=== |
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| − | ''A Link to the Past'' received a near-perfect score of 39/40 from Japanese magazine Famitsu,<ref>[http://firsthour.net/editorial/the-famitsu-40-40-list-a-review The famitsu 40/40 - A Review]</ref> and sold 4.61 million copies worldwide.<ref>[http://www.rpgamer.com/news/japan/rp033104.html Xenogears vs. Tetris]</ref> |
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| − | |||
| − | Both the [[Game Boy Advance]] and the [[Wii#Virtual Console|Virtual Console]] versions of the game gained IGN's and Gamespot's recommendation, with praises in matter of presentation, graphics, sound, gameplay and lasting appeal.<ref>[http://www.gamespot.com/gba/rpg/legendofzeldaalinkttp/review.html The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past Review for Gamespot (GBA)]</ref><ref>[http://www.gamespot.com/wii/rpg/legendofzeldaalinkttpsnes/review.html The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past Review for Gamespot (VC)]</ref><ref>[http://gameboy.ign.com/articles/379/379258p2.html The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past w/ the Four Swords Game Boy Advance Review at IGN]</ref><ref name="IGN">[http://wii.ign.com/articles/757/757573p1.html The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past Wii review at IGN]</ref> Criticism on the GBA version focused on the possibility that ''Zelda'' fans, at that time, would complain for the lack of [[The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap|a new game for the handheld console]], while the Virtual Console version was recommended only for those who didn't play the game in any of the past versions already. |
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| − | Even today, ''A Link to the Past'' remains as a piece of collection for ''Zelda'' for fans,<ref>[http://top100.ign.com/2005/011-020.html IGN's Top 100 Games (20-10)]</ref> as well as one of the highest-ranked games for the [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|SNES]], and frequently rivals games like ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time|Ocarina of Time]]'' and ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess|Twilight Princess]]'' for being the best in the series.<ref name="IGN"/> Nintendo Power ranked it ''second'' in their list of best ''The Legend of Zelda'' games, citing the game's improvements over its NES predecessors.<ref>Nintendo power Issue #248 (December 2009), p. 73</ref> |
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| − | |||
| − | ===Fan Reception=== |
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| − | ''A Link to the Past'' received critical acclaim from fans of the series, currently holding an average user score of 9.5 on GameSpot,<ref>[http://www.gamespot.com/snes/rpg/legendofzeldaalinkttp/players.html?tag=scoresummary%3Buser-score The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past User Reviews for SNES - GameSpot]</ref> as well as a current reader average score of 9.8 at IGN.<ref>[http://cheats.ign.com/objects/006/006857.html IGN: The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past]</ref> |
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| − | |||
| − | ==Ports and Remakes== |
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| − | [[File:Four Swords Box.png|thumb|right|Box art for the Game Boy Advance version]] |
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| − | ===Game Boy Advance=== |
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| − | {{Main|The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past & Four Swords}} |
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| − | ''A Link to the Past'' was remade for the [[Game Boy Advance]] in 2002 as ''[[The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past & Four Swords]]'', introducing ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords|Four Swords]]'' into the same GBA cartridge. There were numerous alterations to the game, including a more accurate translation, additional shops and enemies and the addition of a new [[Palace of the Four Sword|dungeon]] and new [[Riddle Quest|quest]] and [[Hurricane Spin|attack]] unlocked only by playing through ''Four Swords''. |
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| − | |||
| − | ===Virtual Console=== |
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| − | The original SNES version was also ported to the [[Wii]]'s Virtual Console on January 22, 2007. The game was largely unchanged from the original, however, a full screen flashing effect that is used on the title screen, when [[Agahnim]] or [[Vitreous]] attacks with lightening or when Link uses the [[Magic Medallions#Ether Medallion|Ether Medallion]] was toned down significantly, potentially to limit the effect of [[wikipedia:Epilepsy|epilepsy]]. As a result, it is no longer possible to view invisible walkways when using the Ether magic in the Virtual Console version of the game. |
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| − | |||
| − | [[File:Kamigami no Triforce BS-X.png|thumb|right|Title screen of the BS-X ''A Link to the Past'' port.]] |
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| − | ===BS-X Broadcasting System=== |
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| − | {{Main list|BS-X Broadcasting System|BS The Legend of Zelda: Ancient Stone Tablets}} |
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| − | {{sources}} |
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| − | The game's engine and features were used in the later released service, the [[BS-X Broadcasting System]]. In 1997, ''[[BS The Legend of Zelda: Ancient Stone Tablets]]'' was released in Japan via the BS-X. It was presented as a sequel, much like a unique [[Second Quest]] for ''A Link to the Past''. |
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| − | |||
| − | ''A Link to the Past'' itself was also released through the BS-X, largely unchanged from the original game with a few minor exceptions, such as the save system. Unlike the other ''Zelda'' games broadcast over the Satellaview service, it could be downloaded and played at the player's convenience. Officially, the BS-X re-release does not have a differentiating title. However, fans often refer to the game as ''BS The Legend of Zelda: Triforce of the Gods''. |
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| − | The games were released exclusively in Japan. However, they were later translated to English and compiled fully playable, in a resurrection project done with the [http://bszelda.zeldalegends.net/ BS Zelda Homepage] as headquarters. |
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| − | |||
| − | ==Legacy== |
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| − | Like its predecessors, ''A Link to the Past'' introduced elements that became mainstream for the ''Zelda'' franchise, including: |
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| − | |||
| − | *The [[Master Sword]]. Games like {{OOT}} and {{TP}} featured it with a similar function and purpose as in the SNES game. |
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| − | *The dungeons became more thematically distinctive, reflecting different architectures and purposes. Dungeons based on forest, water and ice, for instance, are played for the first time here. |
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| − | *This is the first game where [[Heart Container#Piece of Heart|Pieces of Heart]] are shown, leading to more sidequests (assuming they existed at all in the NES titles). |
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| − | *''A Link to the Past'' was the first game in the series to use the now standardized ''Zelda'' logo in American releases. Japan would later use this standardized logo by the release of ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time|Ocarina of Time]]''. |
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| − | *This game introduces the Cucco Revenge Squad, where a flock of [[Cucco]]s will attack Link if he attacks one continuously. |
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| − | *[[Kakariko Village]] and [[Lake Hylia]] debut in this title. |
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| − | *This is the first ''Zelda'' game where a member of Link's family is shown. The only other games that do this are {{TWW}} and {{TMC}}. |
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| − | *The notion of Link freeing maidens from [[crystal]] prisons was reused with Princess Zelda in ''Ocarina of Time'' and {{SS}}, and with [[Din (Oracle)|Din]] in {{OOS}}. |
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| − | |||
| − | ==Trivia== |
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| − | *With a total of twelve dungeons, ''A Link to the Past'' had more dungeons than any other official ''Zelda'' game until the release of ''A Link Between Worlds'', which also has twelve dungeons. This excludes a [[Linked Game]] of the [[Oracle Series]], which has seventeen dungeons. |
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| − | *The bronze plates on the walls of inside the houses in [[Kakariko Village]], which occasionally dispense Rupees when pulled by Link, strongly resemble [[smw:Mario|Mario]]. |
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| − | |||
| − | ==Gallery== |
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| − | ===Illustrations=== |
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| − | <gallery> |
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| − | File:Goddesses.png|A depiction of the [[Golden Goddesses]] and the [[Triforce]] |
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| − | File:GoldenLand.png|The Triforce in the [[Sacred Realm|Golden Land]] |
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| − | File:SevenWiseMen.png|The [[Sage#A Link to the Past|Seven Sages]] seal [[Ganon]] away |
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| − | File:ALTTP-Master Sword.jpg|The [[Master Sword]] resting in [[Pedestal of Time|its pedestal]] in the [[Lost Woods]] |
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| − | File:ALttP Artwork.jpg|Link receiving [[Princess Zelda]]'s cry for help |
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| − | File:LinkZeldaSewer.png|Link leading Princess Zelda through the [[Sewer Passageway]] |
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| − | File:LinkGeldman.png|Link fighting a [[Geldman]] |
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| − | File:LinkTowerofHera.png|Link on [[Death Mountain]] looking at the [[Tower of Hera (A Link to the Past)|Tower of Hera]] in the distance |
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| − | File:ALTTP Crystal Art.png|Link rescuing a [[Maiden]], imprisoned in a [[Crystal]] |
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| − | File:1 link-resting.jpg|[[Link]] resting against a tree |
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| − | File:Link Zelda ALttP-FS.jpg|Link receiving [[Princess Zelda]]'s cry for help in the remake of ''A Link to the Past'' |
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| − | File:Sewer passageway remake.png|Link leading Princess Zelda through the [[Sewer Passageway]] in the remake of ''A Link to the Past'' |
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| − | File:Link vs. Geldman.png|Link fighting a [[Geldman]] in the remake of ''A Link to the Past'' |
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| − | File:Link resting.jpg|[[Link]] resting under a tree in the remake of ''A Link to the Past'' |
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| − | </gallery> |
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| − | |||
| − | ===[[Gallery:Box Art|Box Art]]=== |
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| − | <gallery> |
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| − | File:Zelda SNES.jpg|North American box art |
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| − | File:ALttP US PC Box.jpg|North American Player's Choice box art |
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| − | File:ALttP EU Box.jpg|European box art |
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| − | File:ALttP JP Box.jpg|Japanese box art |
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| − | File:Four Swords Box.png|North American ''Four Swords'' box art |
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| − | File:ALttPFS PC US Box.jpg|North American Player's Choice ''Four Swords'' box art |
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| − | File:ALttPFS EU Box.jpg|European ''Four Swords'' box art |
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| − | File:ALttPFS JP Box.jpg|Japanese ''Four Swords'' box art |
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| − | </gallery> |
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| − | {{Clear}} |
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| − | |||
| − | ==Advertisement== |
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| − | {{Youtube|BaFBbdpc8b0|200|left|American Ad}} |
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| − | {{Youtube|cjpHzLYHkwA|200|left|Japanese Ad}} |
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| − | {{Clear}} |
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| − | |||
| − | ==Related Articles== |
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| − | *{{AST}} |
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| − | *[[Chris Houlihan Room]] |
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| − | *[[The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (Comic)]] |
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| − | ==External Links== |
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| − | *[http://www.zelda.com/gba/link_light_legend.html Official North American site (GBA Edition)] |
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| − | *[http://www.nintendo.co.jp/n02/shvc/zl/ Official Japanese site] |
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| − | *[http://www.nintendo.co.jp/n08/azlj/ Official Japanese site (GBA Edition)] |
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| − | *[http://zelda.com/universe/game/past/ ''A Link to the Past'' page on Zelda.com] |
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| − | |jaM= The Legend of Zelda: Triforce of the Gods |
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| − | |ko= 젤다의 전설 신들의 트라이포스 |
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| − | |chT= 眾神的三角力量 |
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Revision as of 03:21, 2 May 2016
Template:Event
|
Swiftly and suddenly, dark clouds covered all of Hyrule. Ominous clouds that filled all those who saw them with fear... A sense of dread swept across the land. | 
|
| — Narrator | ||
The Dark Plague refers to a major event that befell the land of Hyrule several hundred years following the events of Twilight Princess and during the events of Four Sword Adventures. It occurred when the newly-reincarnated Ganondorf stole the Trident of Power from its resting place deep within the Pyramid of the Desert of Doubt and used it to spread darkness across the kingdom, transforming himself into Ganon, the King of Darkness, in the process. This event would result in the final destruction of Vaati in the "Child" branch of the timeline and the sealing away of Ganon within the blade of the Four Sword.
Overview
Reincarnation of the Dark Lord
Some time following the events of Twilight Princess, the Hyrulean monarchy made peace with the Gerudo, the tribe to which the Dark Lord Ganondorf (who had more than once attempted to overthrow the Royal Family at different points throughout Hyrule's history) had belonged.[1] This resulted in friendly relations being restored between the Gerudo and the rest of Hyrule, with the Gerudo going on to settle in a village at the southern border of the Desert of Doubt, located in the southwestern corner of Hyrule. Several hundred years following the events of Twilight Princess, however, Ganondorf was reincarnated amongst the Gerudo tribe once again as its sole male member,[2][3] in fulfillment of the curse that the Demon King Demise had cast moments before his death ages before.[4] Ganondorf's heart grew twisted and evil with the passing of time, and he longed for the power to dominate the entire world,[3] just as his previous incarnation had before him.[5]
The Trident of Power and The Dark Mirror
Eventually, Ganondorf learned of a dark power that lay deep within the ancient Pyramid that is sacred to the Gerudo tribe. One day, he flouted Gerudo law stipulating that nobody was to enter the Pyramid and left the Gerudo Village for the Pyramid, infuriating the other members of his tribe. He was sighted by a member of the Zuna tribe as he made his way to the Desert Temple, where he passed through its trials and reached the Pyramid. Inside, Ganondorf discovered the Trident of Power and a message beside its stand, revealing the Trident possessed the power to ruin the world. The evil Gerudo stole the Trident and was subsequently transformed into Ganon, the demonic King of Darkness. When he did not return to his village, the rest of the Gerudo simply assumed Ganondorf died in the attempt to reach the Pyramid.
Ganon's next act was to obtain the Dark Mirror, an ancient artifact capable of bringing the evil within a person to life. It was said to have been used to seal away a Dark Tribe that attempted to invade Hyrule in the past and was hidden within a temple deep within the Forest of Light to sever its connection to the world. Ganon traveled to this temple and stole the Dark Mirror from its resting place to use it in his plan to conquer the kingdom. To ensure they could not oppose him, Ganon preemptively defeated the four Knights of Hyrule in battle, transforming them into monsters and the four Royal Jewels they guarded into portals to the Dark World.
The Coming Darkness
The King of Darkness decided to use the Dark Mirror to create an agent of chaos in Shadow Link, to bring misery to Hyrule's people while also tainting the hero's name. He also decided to use Shadow Link to abduct Princess Zelda and the Shrine Maidens who protect Hyrule and to trick Link into releasing Vaati, the ancient wind demon said to be sealed within the Four Sword. Ganon intended to use Vaati as a distraction so he could then drain the power of Hyrule's people from them.
Using the Trident's power, Ganon cast dark storm clouds over all of Hyrule, in an attempt to make Princess Zelda and the Shrine Maidens suspect that the seal on Vaati was weakening. This attempt would prove successful, as Princess Zelda summoned the six other Shrine Maidens from across Hyrule as well as Link to Hyrule Castle to discuss the darkness. The Princess decided to open the portal to the Four Sword Sanctuary with the Shrine Maidens and inspect Vaati's seal. However, as soon as the portal was open, Shadow Link emerged to capture the Shrine Maidens and Zelda, sealing them into crystals and spiriting them away to locations all across Hyrule before vanishing back through the open portal. Link gave chase and arrived at the Four Sword Sanctuary, where the impostor goaded the hero into lifting the Four Sword from its pedestal, causing the hero to split into four colored versions of himself. This action allowed Vaati to escape his prison, as Ganon had planned, while Shadow Link fled the scene and the four Links were sent flying by Vaati's winds.
Rescuing the Maidens
The four Links learned from the wise owl Kaepora Gaebora that the Shrine Maidens and Princess Zelda had been captured by dark forces and had been whisked away to locations all across Hyrule. The Links were also made aware that Vaati had seemingly erected dark barriers across the land that were slowly draining the land of its power. Armed with this information, the four Links set out across Hyrule to rescue the maidens and the princess from their captivity and to defeat the wind demon once and for all.
The Blue Maiden, they learned, was being held near the top of Hyrule Castle. Fighting their way through Lake Hylia and the Cave of No Return, the four heroes arrived at the castle and battled Phantom Ganon to free the Blue Maiden. With the first maiden now freed, she guided the four heroes to Eastern Hyrule, where the heroes had to work their way through the Coast and the Village of the Blue Maiden to reach the location of the Yellow Maiden, the Eastern Temple. There, they battled the Stone Arrghus to free the Yellow Maiden, who then transported them to her realm: Death Mountain. Having traversed the foothills and the Mountain Path, they eventually arrived at the Tower of Flames, where they battled a trio of Dodongos to free the Green Maiden before learning that darkness had overtaken Hyrule Castle once again. The Green Maiden guided the heroes to her section of the land: the Fields south of Hyrule Castle. Working their way through the Field and the Swamp, the heroes were forced to infiltrate Hyrule Castle and defeat a Big Poe to rescue the White Maiden.
With the White Maiden freed, the heroes set out for her section of Hyrule: the Forest of Light. Tasked with recovering the Dark Mirror said to be kept within the temple inside the forest, the heroes found that not only had the forest been engulfed in darkness, but that it had also spilled into the Lost Woods and Kakariko Village as well. Clearing these latter two areas, the heroes made their way to the Temple of Darkness and faced off once again with Phantom Ganon to rescue the Red Maiden, only to discover the Dark Mirror missing.
References
- ↑ Template:Cite book
- ↑ "A kid like you may not know this, but the Gerudo race consists only of women. Only one man is born every hundred years..." — Nabooru (Ocarina of Time)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Once every 100 years, a special child is born unto my people. That child is destined to be the mighty guardian of the Gerudo and the desert. But this child, its heart grew twisted with every passing year. The child became a man who hungered for power at any price." — A Gerudo (Four Swords Adventures)
- ↑ "Though this is not the end. My hate... never perishes. It is born anew in a cycle with no end! I will rise again. Those like you... Those who share the blood of the goddess and the spirit of the hero... They are eternally bound to this curse. An incarnation of my hatred shall ever follow your kind, dooming them to wander a blood-soaked sea of darkness for all time!" — Demise (Skyward Sword)
- ↑ "They say that Ganondorf is not satisfied with ruling only the Gerudo and aims to conquer all of Hyrule!" — Gossip Stone (Ocarina of Time)