Universe of The Legend of Zelda

Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto conceived the land of Hyrule as the setting for the original 1986 video game The Legend of Zelda. He described Hyrule as, "a miniature garden that you can put into a drawer and revisit anytime you like".[3] He drew his inspiration from the Kyoto countryside that he had explored in his childhood and wanted to recreate the experience of adventure and discovery. Alongside writer Takashi Tezuka, Miyamoto created a fantasy world in the style of fantasy authors like Tolkien, which was viewed from a top-down perspective. It was populated with colourful characters, monsters and dungeons for the player to explore.[4]

Miyamoto and Tezuka started working on The Legend of Zelda during the development of Super Mario Bros.[5] Initially, the game did not feature an overworld. In Hyrule Historia, Miyamoto said that Nintendo aimed to develop a launch title for the Famicon Disk System. An early game was initially designed to make use of the Disk System's ability to rewrite data, allowing players to create dungeons and explore other players' creations. He explained, "We made a one-player game with dungeons under mountains that surrounded Death Mountain, but we couldn't shake that, "I want to play above ground, too!" feeling, so we added forests and lakes, and eventually Hyrule Field."[6]

The first specifications were drawn up on a whiteboard by Miyamoto and then copied onto a document on 1 February 1985. The document detailed early concepts for items and enemies that would later feature in the game, such as a compass, bows and arrows and a boomerang, and "Hakkai" an early name given to Ganon. This was developed into rough sketches for various items and enemies within the following two weeks. The name for the game had not yet been decided, so the title was simply labelled "Adventure". Long paper was used to create the first land map of Hyrule, which was developed by Tezuka and Miyamoto sitting side by side and drawing together.[7][8] Miyamoto said that the name "Hyrule" seemed like the perfect choice during a discussion to find a name for a high-fantasy region. In Japan, The Legend of Zelda game was released as The Hyrule Fantasy, which was almost chosen as the name for the entire franchise, but was dropped after the first game. Miyamoto said this could have been due to the name being too similar to Final Fantasy, which was released soon afterwards.[9][10] A hand-drawn map of Hyrule created by Takako Toshima was published in June 1986 in the Japanese publication Newtype.[11]

The concept of a role-playing game was a new experience for players in the 1980s. The gameplay diverged from the fast-paced games typically found in arcades like Super Mario Bros, by offering players an open world to explore, puzzles to solve and a fantasy story that centres on a protagonist embarking on an adventure to save a princess from an evil villain and bring peace to Hyrule. The new game concept caused concern with Nintendo's management. In 2003, Miyamoto stated in an interview for Superplay magazine, "I remember that we were very nervous, because The Legend Of Zelda was our first game that forced the players to think about what they should do next." He continued, "We were afraid that gamers would become bored and stressed by the new concept." During the testing phase, players complained about getting lost inside the game's dungeons, but rather than making the game more simplistic, Miyamoto decided to make it more challenging by removing Link's sword at the beginning of the game and forcing players to locate it. He wanted to encourage players to communicate with each other while solving the game's puzzles.[5]

Director Hidemaro Fujibayashi stated that the Hyrule in Breath of the Wild was inspired in part by his hometown of Kyoto. He commented, "I took a map of Kyoto and overlaid it on the game world, and I tried to imagine going to places that I know in Kyoto. I'd think 'It takes this much time to get from point A to point B, so how does that translate to the game?' And that's how we started mapping out the world in Breath of the Wild." Fujibayashi also explained that the development team used landmarks in Kyoto as a way of comparing the distance between landmarks on the map in the game world, which helped staff during the development of the game.[12]

For the untitled sequel to Breath of the Wild, producer Eiji Aonuma confirmed that the game would revisit the same map of Hyrule as the one players experienced in Breath of the Wild. He commented, "One of the reasons we wanted to create a continuation was because I wanted to revisit that Hyrule again and use that world again, while incorporating new gameplay and new story".[13]

Flags of Hyrule from Breath of the Wild

The Kingdom of Hyrule,[lower-alpha 2] a medieval-based fantasy land,[1][14] is the main setting of the series, which first appeared in The Legend of Zelda. Many of its areas have recurring appearances throughout the series, like Hyrule Castle, the Lost Woods, Kakariko Village, Death Mountain and Lake Hylia.

Hyrule was formed by three goddesses Din,[lower-alpha 3] Farore,[lower-alpha 4] and Nayru[lower-alpha 5]. It is established in Ocarina of Time that Din created the physical geography of the realm, Nayru created the physical laws to govern the land, and Farore created the races to uphold the law and the flora and fauna that inhabit the world.[15] Once the goddesses had completed their tasks, they departed for the heavens, and left behind three golden triangles. In these, they put their power to govern all things; this relic became known as the Triforce.[16] The realm itself was eventually named Hyrule after its dominant race, the Hylians, who established a kingdom across the land.[17] The Hyrulean monarchy is ruled by the Royal Family, into which the various incarnations of Princess Zelda are often born.

Hylian is a constructed language that first appears in A Link to the Past, where it is identified as "the ancient language of the Hylians" and is composed of symbols that Link must translate to progress.[18] In Japan, an explanation of the Hylian alphabet was written on the back of the instruction manual for The Wind Waker with a phonographic writing system, or syllabary, like the Japanese language.[19] Since its first appearance, five more Hylian scripts have been developed and deciphered: the Old Hylian Syllabary used in Ocarina of Time,[20] the Modern Hylian Syllabary used in The Wind Waker,[21] the Hylian Alphabet used in Skyward Sword,[22] the Hylian Alphabet used in A Link Between Worlds,[22] and the Hylian Alphabet used in Twilight Princess.[23] The first three are used for transcribing Japanese, while the latter three are used to transcribe English,[24] totalling six variations of written Hylian. Additional languages have subsequently appeared in the series. The language of the Gerudo was introduced in Ocarina of Time, a written and spoken language that is similar to Hylian and is written in elongated, wispy letters.[25] The Sheikah language was introduced in Breath of the Wild and consists of a complete alphabet of square-shaped symbols.[26] Players have deciphered these languages to translate numerous signs and inscriptions commonly found around Hyrule.[27]

The universal currency of Hyrule is the rupee. Although it shares its name with the real-world currency, Miyamoto said in an interview that this was not intentional and that he chose the word because it seemed cute and sounded like "rubies". Rupees resemble hexagonal crystals or gems and come in various colors that determine their value.[28] In the manual for the original game, the currency was called rubies[29] but this was changed to rupees in later games.[30] Subsequent games introduced more colors and sizes for rupees, each denoting a specific value. Generally, green rupees have the least value, while gold and silver rupees have the most.[31]

A map of Hyrule depicted in The Legend of Zelda Collector's Puzzle

Hyrulean topography has been revamped with each game in The Legend of Zelda series, resulting in recurring geographical landmarks appearing in locations that vary in relation to each other.[32]

• Death Mountain[lower-alpha 6] is a large volcanic mountain located in northern Hyrule. In Twilight Princess it is revealed to be part of a mountain range in the Eldin Province called the Eldin Mountains. The main inhabitants of Death Mountain are the Gorons, a race of rock-eating golems that mine the mountains in search of food and the mountains are littered with caves as a result of the Goron's mining activities.
• Spectacle Rock[lower-alpha 7] is a location consisting of two large rock formations next to each other that resemble a pair of eyeglasses. It housed the final dungeon in the original game. It is usually associated with Death Mountain, but is located in the Gerudo Highlands in Breath of the Wild. Spectacle Rock also appears in Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, A Link to the Past, and A Link Between Worlds.
• Ganon's Castle[lower-alpha 8] is usually shown to be Ganon's headquarters, and has acted as the battleground between him and Link in several games.
• The Great Sea[lower-alpha 9] is the setting of The Wind Waker and Phantom Hourglass, formed after a deluge flooded Hyrule. Only a few mountaintops are still visible above the water, and these form the islands and archipelagos of the Great Sea. Due to the relatively small size of the many islands, the large expanses of ocean between each island require the player to use charts to navigate from island to island. On the islands of the Great Sea, local commerce is shown to be quite advanced. Most food is gathered from fishing and small farms, though there are also active merchant, salvage, and shipbuilding businesses.
• Hyrule Castle[lower-alpha 10] is the home of Hyrule's royal family. The castle's first appearance was in A Link to the Past, the third game in the series. It is often a central area that Link must enter during his quest.
• Kakariko Village[lower-alpha 11] is a village that first appears in A Link to the Past and has since reappeared in Ocarina of Time, Four Swords Adventures, Twilight Princess, A Link Between Worlds, and Breath of the Wild. Kakariko Village is often portrayed as a small, prosperous town that was originally founded by the Sheikah.[33] In Twilight Princess, Shadow Beasts have kidnapped most of the villagers, making the town resemble a ghost town. The Hidden Village, another location in Twilight Princess, has signs that say "Welcome to Old Kakarico" in the Anglian language.
• Lake Hylia[lower-alpha 12] is the largest freshwater lake in Hyrule. It is fed by a river coming from Zora's Domain, the home of the Zora race.
• The Lost Woods[lower-alpha 13] is a large enchanted forest that appears in various titles, starting with The Legend of Zelda. Home to the Kokiri, Koroks and Fairies, its maze-like structure leads travels in circles unless they take the correct path through the forest. Rumors in the game state that those who become lost are turned into Stalfos.[34] In several games, the Great Deku Tree and/or the Master Sword can be found in a shrine there.
• Temple of Time[lower-alpha 14] is the temple that houses the Master Sword in several games.[35] The temple is also used to traverse time (most notably in Ocarina of Time), allowing the player to travel between the past and future.[35] In some games, it serves as a dungeon level as well.
• Skyloft[lower-alpha 15] is a collection of large floating islands in Skyward Sword, created when the Goddess Hylia used the last of her power to raise what was left of the surviving Hylians along with a plot of land that was still free during the Great War with Demise. Below the clouds lies "the Surface". Found on the Surface are several locations visited in games that take place after the events of Skyward Sword: "Faron Woods" (shown in Twilight Princess and Breath of the Wild), "Lake Floria" (Breath of the Wild), "Eldin" (Twilight Princess and Breath of the Wild), "Eldin Volcano" (implied to be Death Mountain), and the arid "Lanayru Desert", which is seen as a fecund region in Twilight Princess and Breath of the Wild. The "Lanayru Mining Facility" has blue Time-Shift Stones that the Hyrule Historia ties to the titular blue ocarina from Ocarina of Time.

The Master Sword,[lower-alpha 16] also known as "The Blade of Evil's Bane", the "Sword of Resurrection",[36] or the "sword that seals the darkness" is a divine, magic sword that often acts as the ultimate weapon for the various Links in their quest to save Hyrule. It is one of the few weapons capable of harming Ganon and a key to the Sacred Realm. First introduced in A Link To The Past, it has the power to "repel evil", which enables it to overcome powerful dark magic and slay evil and demonic beings that otherwise cannot be harmed by conventional weaponry. In The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, the blade is revealed to have originally began as the Goddess Sword, which had a sentient female avatar named Fi integrated into it. Near the end of the game, the Goddess Sword transforms into its current state after being infused with the Three Sacred Flames, with Fi's spirit form ceasing to be once the Master Sword absorbs the Demon King Demise's remains.[37]

The sword traditionally rests in a stone pedestal hidden in sacrosanct locations indigenous to Hyrule, such as the Temple of Time or the Lost Woods. Similar to Arthurian legend, the Master Sword can only be removed by someone who is worthy of wielding it. For example, In The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Link must have thirteen hearts to obtain the Master Sword. The sword is often not at full power, resulting in it needing to be "recharged" in some way, or have its power increased beyond its standard level to fight Ganon. There are some situations when the blade, already at full power, can be further improved; in A Link to the Past and A Link Between Worlds, it becomes a red, and later golden blade after it was tempered. Similarly, in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, the sword's power is increased by the two Sols in the Palace of Twilight. The Wind Waker establishes that the sword needs the power of two sages praying to the gods to keep its powers, or else it will no longer be able to prevent an evil person from gaining the Triforce.[38] In Breath of the Wild, the Master Sword is the only unbreakable weapon in the game, though if it is used too often the sword's power needs to be recharged, becoming temporarily unusable. The sword is located in the Korok Forest, which Link can only access by going through the Lost Woods.

The Master Sword is a double-edged one-handed sword. The blade cross-section is hexagonal with no fuller. On the flats of the blade near the hilt is a Triforce symbol, etched into the steel or emblazoned in gold. It has a purple or blue curved crossguard in the shape of a pair of wings with a small yellow jewel where it meets the hilt. The hilt is often padded red with a non-ornate blue pommel. Since The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, the Master Sword's blade glows white when it is revived by the sages in the mid-game. In Breath of the Wild, this glow represents the Master Sword's true power. Breath of the Wild is the first game to depict the blade showing signs of wear and rust, when Zelda places it in its pedestal in Korok Forest, though 100 years later the Master Sword is shown to have been restored to its undamaged state.

Nintendo Power listed the Master Sword as one of the best weapons in gaming, citing that it is more than just a powerful sword, but also integral to Link's adventures and development as a character.[39]

The Triforce is represented as three conjoined golden triangles

The Triforce,[lower-alpha 17] also called the "Power of the Gods" and the "Golden Triangle", is a triangular sacred relic left behind by the three Golden Goddesses when they created Hyrule. It is made up of three smaller triangles known as the Triforce of Power, the Triforce of Wisdom, and the Triforce of Courage. These embody the essences of their respective goddesses, and bestow certain boons on their bearers. In most of its appearances, the Triforce or its pieces manifest as a marking on the hands of their bearers. These markings resonate when near each other, and the Triforce pieces can emerge from their bearers as a result.

When united, the Triforce allows one who touches it to make a wish that usually lasts until they die or the wish is fulfilled. If the one who finds it does not possess a balance of the three virtues it represents, however, the pieces split into its three components and the finder is left with the one that represents the characteristic they value most; the other two pieces do likewise with two other characters "chosen by destiny". Ganon makes it his goal to obtain the Triforce in various games, often having a single piece himself (the Triforce of Power) that he uses to further his goals.

The Triforce of Power, which is positioned as the topmost of the three, holds the presence of Din, the goddess of Power, and radiates the physical and magical power of its bearer. It is associated with Ganon, who is power-hungry. The Triforce of Wisdom, positioned on the lower left, embodies the essence of Nayru, the goddess of Wisdom, and amplifies the wisdom and mystical powers of its bearer. It is associated with Princess Zelda, whose great wisdom brings peace and prosperity to Hyrule. The Triforce of Courage, positioned on the lower right, embodies the essence of Farore, the goddess of Courage, and seems to amplify the courage and adventuring skills of its bearer. It is associated with Link, who bravely defends Hyrule from Ganon and other malevolent forces.

Labrynna[lower-alpha 18] is a country, once ruled by Queen Ambi, that first appeared in Oracle of Ages. The capital of Labrynna is Lynna City where Ambi's Palace used to stand. Notable landmarks include the Black Tower, the Forest of Time, Fairy's Woods, Talus Peaks, Rolling Ridge, Crescent Island, and Yoll Graveyard. Residents of Labryinna are predominantly humans, but also include Zora, Gorons, and Tokay.

New Hyrule is a different land where a new kingdom was established after Hyrule was flooded in The Wind Waker. First appearing in Spirit Tracks, New Hyrule is composed of Forest, Snow, Sand, Fire, and Ocean realms. This place also home to the Tower of Spirits and the demons Malladus and Chancellor Cole.

Lorule[lower-alpha 19] is a parallel world to Hyrule in A Link Between Worlds. It is similar to Hyrule in geography, features Lorulean counterparts of many people found in Hyrule, and is ruled by Princess Zelda's Lorulean counterpart, Princess Hilda. Like Hyrule, Lorule originally had its own Triforce and was the source of various conflicts. However, the Royal Family of Lorule decided to destroy the Triforce in an attempt to put an end to conflict, only to bring calamity to their world as a result. Desperate to save the kingdom and her people, Princess Hilda conspired with her servant Yuga to steal Hyrule's Triforce, unaware that Yuga wanted the Triforce for himself. Eventually Yuga is defeated by Link, and Hilda's former servant Ravio manages to show her the error of her ways. Ultimately Link and Zelda decide to forgive Hilda for her misguided actions and use the Triforce to restore the Lorulean Triforce, which in turn restores the land of Lorule.

Termina[lower-alpha 20] is a parallel world to Hyrule that serves as the main setting of Majora's Mask. Link falls into this world from a portal deep within the Lost Woods. The land has very similar geography to that of Hyrule, and many of its citizens have identical names and appearances to (although different personalities from) people in Hyrule. The land itself is split into four distinct regions, one for every compass direction, and each guarded by four giant deities: The swampy Woodfall, home of the Deku Scrubs, to the south; The icy Snowhead Mountains of the Gorons to the north; Great Bay, home of the Zora to the west; and the undead wastelands of Ikana Canyon to the east. Its capital, Clock Town, lies in the center.

Several other parallel worlds to Hyrule exist, such as the Twilight Realm, the World of the Ocean King, and the Dark World from Twilight Princess, Phantom Hourglass, and A Link to the Past, respectively. Several other lands also exist beyond the kingdom. Triforce Heroes is set in Hytopia, a kingdom connected to Hyrule. Holodrum is the land in Oracle of Seasons [40]

The Ancient Robots[lower-alpha 21] are a prehistoric mechanical race that appear in Skyward Sword. Link encounters them in the second area of the game, which is a desert region. They were created by the Thunder Dragon Lanayru, but their land eventually became a barren desert while they rusted away. By using a Timeshift Stone to change the present to the past, they can be revived. The robots were designed to resemble ancient clay figures from Japanese history. Although the designers expressed concern about including advanced technology in Skyward Sword, they decided that they did not look out of place within the game world.[41]

Dragons are a recurring race that usually appear as benevolent guardians or powerful enemies. In Ocarina of Time, after becoming the King of Evil, Ganondorf resurrects the evil Goron-eating dragon Volvagia, who had terrorized the Goron people in the distant past before being defeated by Darunia's ancestor, who wielded the Megaton Hammer. When Ganondorf orders his minions to capture and feed the Gorons to Volvagia as a warning to his enemies, Darunia journeys to the Fire Temple to rescue his people and defeat Volvagia, but he is defeated because he could not locate the Megaton Hammer. However, Link manages to free the Gorons, slay Volvagia, and awaken Darunia as the Sage of Fire. In The Wind Waker, the Sky Spirit Valoo acts as the godlike dragon and the patron deity of the Rito tribe, providing them with his scales that allow them to grow wings. When Link arrives on Dragon Roost Island, he discovers that Gohma was tormenting Valoo, and defeats Gohma to obtain Din's Pearl. Valoo and the Rito later repay their debt to Link by rescuing him and Tetra from Ganondorf during their encounter with him in Forsaken Fortress. In Twilight Princess, Link encounters a species of malevolent draconic warriors called Aeralfos and the Twilit dragon Argorok, who is the boss of the City in the Sky. In Skyward Sword, Link is aided by the Three Dragons that guard the three regions of the Surface. Faron the Water Dragon rules over the Parella and protector of Faron Woods, Lake Floria, and the Ancient Cistern that holds Farore's Flame. Eldin the Fire Dragon guards Eldin Volcano. Lanayru the Thunder Dragon created the Ancient Robots and protects Lanayru Desert. Each dragon was entrusted with part of the Song of the Hero, which provides clues on the location of the Triforce. In Breath of the Wild, the three dragons Dinraal,[lower-alpha 22] Naydra,[lower-alpha 23] and Farosh[lower-alpha 24] can be found located around Hyrule, and the scales they drop can be used to access the three Shrines at the Spring of Wisdom, the Spring of Power, and the Spring of Courage.

Fairies are magical creatures associated with nature and the Goddess Farore that appear as small, winged humanoids often obscured by light. Fairies tend to shy away from human settlements and are most often associated with the Lost Woods, but can be found hiding in many places throughout Hyrule. Fairy Fountains or Fairy Springs are special places that contain sparkling magical water and attract Fairies in large numbers. In most games in the series, fairies will heal Link if he manages to catch one and he can also put them in empty bottles to have them heal him later. If Link dies while he has a bottled fairy in his possession, the fairy will automatically resurrect him instead of receiving a Game Over.

Great Fairies are powerful, high ranking fairies that often watch over their smaller brethren. They use their magic to enchant Link's items into more powerful versions and in some games they can also teach Link various magic spells. In Ocarina of Time, the Kokiri form a symbiotic relationship with their Guardian Fairies, who act as constant companions and mentors. One of these is Navi, who serves as Link's sidekick and aids Link in learning about the world outside Kokiri Forest. Another Guardian Fairy is Tatl from Majora's Mask who was a friend of the Skull Kid until he betrayed her and her brother Tael. In Phantom Hourglass, Link's guardian fairy is Ciela, who is eventually joined by two more fairies, Leaf and Neri. In some of the games, such as The Minish Cap, players will be tested of their honesty and if they are, fairies give them gifts and upgrades.

In Breath of the Wild, Fairies can be found around the Springs of the four Great Fairies when Link has no more than three currently in his inventory (Fairies being held are excluded from the count). Though rare, Link can also find fairies drifting around any random area in Hyrule. There is also a small chance to find a fairy by cutting grass in any field in Hyrule.

The Gerudo[lower-alpha 25] are a race of human warrior-thieves that are prominently featured in the history and lore of Hyrule. The Gerudo tribe is indigenous to the harsh Gerudo Desert that bears their name,[42] and they live in the Gerudo Valley and within the Gerudo Fortress. Physical Gerudo traits typically include scarlet hair, aquiline noses,[43] gold or green eyes, round or pointed ears, and tanned or bronzed skin. Like the Amazons, the race consists entirely of women, apart from a single Gerudo male who is born every century. The male is lawfully crowned king of the tribe,[44] and is even worshipped like a God king.[45] When there is no male present to be king, leadership is entrusted to female chiefs.[46] Ganondorf, the main antagonist of the series, is king of the Gerudo. He has been referred to as The Demon King,[47] the King of Thieves, and the King of Darkness.[48] In The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time he is the surrogate son of the twin Gerudo witch sisters Kotake and Koume. The Gerudo appear as pirates in The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, where they live in the ocean at Great Bay. In The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, they are traders and merchants. As men are not permitted in Gerudo Town, Link has to crossdress as a female to enter.[49]

The Goron[lower-alpha 26] are a race of mountain-dwelling rock people who first appeared in Ocarina of Time. They have the ability to roll along the ground and have a round rock-like physical appearance. Goron culture revolves around brotherhood and strength, usually referring to each other and those they deem strong as "Brother" or "Big Brother". Gorons show high regard for individuals who display great strength and bravery and enjoy matching their strength with others in competition such as sumo wrestling and racing. They live in tribes headed by a patriarch, such as Darunia[lower-alpha 27] in Ocarina of Time. Mainly inhabiting mountainous areas, such as Death Mountain, Gorons are resistant to intense heat and lava and they also consume rocks and minerals, which they mine from the earth.[50]

Hylians[lower-alpha 28] are an elf-like race of humans that make up the predominant population of Hyrule, in which they established an organized civilization resembling that of medieval Europe.[51][14] They were created as the first race of Hyrule by the goddess Hylia, the main fictional deity of the series, who is subsequently reincarnated as Princess Zelda in mortal form. They are born with magic-infused blood said to be a gift from the goddesses that grants them psychic powers and magical skill. Their long pointed ears are said to allow them to hear messages sent by the gods. The main characters, Link and Princess Zelda are prominent characters of this race in all games of the series. In Skyward Sword, Hylians live on a floating island known as Skyloft and are accompanied by bird-like creatures called Loftwings. Hylians are a fairly diverse species, having variations in skin, hair and eye colour. Due to repeated attacks from enemies, such as Ganon, large Hylian armies exist to protect the kingdom of Hyrule. In Skyward Sword, Link trains as a knight in the Knight Academy and appears again as a knight for the Kingdom of Hyrule in Breath of the Wild.[52]

The Kokiri[lower-alpha 29] are a pixie-like race who inhabit the Kokiri Forest. They are one of two races who branched from the Hylians, with the other being the Wind Tribe. This was because they wanted to live a more natural life as Hyrule continued to industrialize. They are shielded by the Great Deku Tree who considers them to be his children, and each receives a small fairy that is their lifelong friend, guardian, and teacher. They do not age once they grow up into kids thanks to the Deku Tree's power. Cautious and secretive, the Kokiri believe, with reason, that they will die if they leave the forest.[53] It is also said that if they wander too deep into the forest, they will turn into a Skull Kid.

A Kokiri named Saria is the Sage of the Forest. Another Kokiri, Fado, is the first Sage of Wind in The Wind Waker, but he is killed prior to the events of the game, leaving the player to interact with his spirit and locate his successor, the Korok Makar. Link was raised as a Kokiri in Ocarina of Time, but was not born to them, as his Hylian mother entrusted him to the Great Deku Tree when he was an infant.

The Koroks[lower-alpha 30] are plant-like beings that first appeared in The Wind Waker. They are said to have been transformed from the Kokiri after the Great Flood.[54] They are small creatures with wood-like bodies and masks made from leaves. They are very light, which allows them to travel by using sprouts as propellers. They leave their home, the "Forest Haven", to plant seeds from the Great Deku Tree all over the world, and return once a year to hold a ceremony and obtain more seeds. In Breath of the Wild, Koroks can be found all over Hyrule. The player must solve puzzles to get Korok Seeds from them. Once players retrieve Korok Seeds from Koroks, they can trade them with Hestu, a large Korok, for more inventory slots for weapons, shields, and bows. Koroks are difficult to find, despite being so numerous and are best protected in Korok Forest, a hidden location in the Lost Woods.[55]

The Oocca[lower-alpha 31] are a race of birds with long necks and human-like faces that appear in Twilight Princess. They live in the "City in the Sky"[lower-alpha 32],[56] an airborne city that acts as the seventh dungeon in Twilight Princess. A female Oocca named Ooccoo[lower-alpha 33] can warp the player back to the entrance of the game's dungeons. Ooccoo's son, Ooccoo Jr,[lower-alpha 34] warps the player to Ooccoo's location. In Twilight Princess, these creatures are mentioned to be closer to the gods than the Hylians. Some in Hyrule theorise that the Oocca actually evolved into the Hylians. It is supposed that they created Hylians and created a city in the sky for them to live in. In Twilight Princess, Link reaches this city by launching himself out of an enormous cannon. Ooccoo has also appeared in other Nintendo games, such as Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Hyrule Warriors.[57]

Minish, referred to in their native language as Picori[lower-alpha 35], are small humanoid sprites no bigger than a human thumb that live in secret. They are only visible to children and tend to live in forests, but also appear inside of buildings and holes in and around various spots of Hyrule. There are three variations of the Minish, which can be distinguished by their attire: Forest Minish, Town Minish and Mountain Minish. They first appear in The Minish Cap. Most Minish are helpful, and like to hide valuable objects for others to find, although one Picori, Vaati[lower-alpha 36] became evil after becoming obsessed with human nature.

The Rito[lower-alpha 37] are a race of raptor-like humanoids who debuted in The Wind Waker. They evolved from the Zora species. In that game, they lived on Dragon Roost Island, an island on the Great Sea. They have a tribal elder and elaborately dressed guards. In The Wind Waker, Rito are born without wings, and instead, must visit their guardian, the Sky Spirit, Valoo, in a coming-of-age ceremony to receive one of his scales, which enables them to grow wings. Throughout a young Rito's childhood, he or she is called a Fledgling and is flightless without any wings. After a child reaches a certain age they can receive their wings after they retrieve a scale from the dragon Valoo. Most Rito can fly over a great distance and hover in place, but some have trouble flying for long periods of time. In Breath of the Wild, the Rito reside in the Hebra region in northwest Hyrule and tolerate cold climates. These Rito feature a much more prominent avian design that includes wings and are able to fly using updrafts. Prominent Rito characters include Revali, the Rito Champion, and Kass, a wandering minstrel who displays the Rito's appreciation of music through song.[58]

The Sheikah[lower-alpha 38] are ancient and mysterious ninja-like warriors who are commonly distinguished by their red eyes and white hair. The most prominent recurring representative of the Sheikah is Zelda's nursemaid and bodyguard Impa. They bear a physical resemblance to Hylians, but are a completely different race, having great technological prowess. Physically they are extremely capable, able to run and jump better than other Hyruleans. They are also some of the most potent magic-wielders in Hyrule. The Sheikah have a divinely ordained role to protect the Hyrule Royal Family. Their symbol, the Eye of the Sheikah, which is depicted as a single eye with three triangles above and a teardrop beneath, is commonly seen in the series, even in games where the Sheikah are not present. In Breath of the Wild, examples of the advanced technology created by the Sheikah can be found in the hidden structures around Hyrule and in the form of Link's Sheikah Slate.[59]

Twili[lower-alpha 39] are a race that exist in the Twilight Realm and appear in Twilight Princess. The Twili come from a group referred to as the Interlopers, who used extraordinary magic to dominate a war between Hylians for the Triforce and the Sacred Realm. Seeing this, the Golden Goddesses ordered the Light Spirits to seal their magic in the Fused Shadow; the Interlopers were then banished to the Twilight Realm, a dark mirror world of Hyrule, where they adapted and evolved into the Twili. The most prominent members of their race is Midna[lower-alpha 40] the Twilight Princess and Zant[lower-alpha 41]. He overthrew Midna with Ganondorf's help in order to become king of the Twilight.[60]

The Zora[lower-alpha 42] are a race of aquatic piscine humanoids that appear in nearly every game of the series. They are an aquatic race that inhabit Zora's Domain or Lake Hylia. In the original game and Link to the Past, Zora were enemies that attacked Link from the water with projectiles, though the giant Zora King sells Link a pair of flippers in A Link to the Past, allowing him to swim and to use the network of whirlpools that link far corners of Hyrule. By Ocarina of Time, their role in most stories had changed to a neutral or friendly race. Zora government is monarchical, either ruled by a king, with examples being King Dorephan or King Zora De Bon XVI, or queen, such as Queen Oren or Queen Rutela[lower-alpha 43]. Two different branches exist: "River Zora" are more violent and can shoot fire, while "Sea Zora" are generally passive. Zora have extraordinarily long lifespans and lay eggs to reproduce. Zora eggs need to be kept in cold, clean water to develop healthily, and every egg from the same clutch must be kept together for them to hatch. Newborn Zora have the appearance of a tadpole.[61]