Gameplay Elements of The Legend of Zelda Series

The major gameplay elements of all games in The Legend of Zelda series are exploration of the in-game world, utilization of various items, and the fulfillment of quests.

Exploration

Exploration in The Legend of Zelda series consists of the Overworld and Dungeons.

Overworld

The Overworld is most vast area that Link must explore in each game of the series. It is through the overworld that he can access other areas of the game. Usually, at the start of Link's adventure, the range of places he can explore is very isolated. By advancing the story, he can explore more areas. The only way to advance the story is to explore the available region. Link can do this by finding his next destination and traveling to it.

Of course, Link must know where to go to advance the story, and knowing how to find where to go next can come in handy. The most obvious solution is to view the surrounding areas. If Link only has one path to follow, he should take it. It would also be wise to use the Map if Link is in the possession of one. This especially useful if there is a destination marked upon the Map. It's also helpful to listen to the words of people that Link may be on his adventure. Their speech may contain vague hints and keywords related what he should do; since Ocarina of Time, keyword have regularly been emphasized with red text. Not only should Link speak with common people, but he should also listen to his partners. Companions like Navi and Ezlo often give good advice when called upon.

Then, there is the matter of getting from place to place. Link can usually walk, but it is not always necessary or possible. Conveniently, he may have a form of transportation, like his horse, Epona. In games like The Wind Waker and Spirit Tracks, transportation is crucial for traversing the land. He may do this with the aid of the King of Red Lions or the Spirit Train, respectively. Transportation may even come in the unique form of Warping. Using items or magical shortcuts like the Recorder or Twilight Portals, Link can get to where he needs to be in an instant. In some cases, there are times when he must use items to access new areas.

Dungeons

Dungeons, or Temples, are like the underworld of The Legend of Zelda. There many of these locations scattered throughout the Overworld, and delving into the deepest corners of these labyrinths is important for Link to complete his quest. Similarly to the Overworld, most the explorable areas are initially closed off. Link must solve puzzles and find items before conquering the boss of each Dungeon.

Exploring Dungeons can be difficult, and getting anywhere may require Link to solve puzzles. While puzzles also exist in the Overworld, they are most prevalent in Dungeons. There are often locked doors and other obstacles which will hinder Link's path to an exit or a Treasure Chest, but solving certain puzzles will grant access to them by opening or making a chest appear, among other things. Sometimes, Link's companion will give him hints on how to solve them. There are many puzzles that demand Link's natural abilities. For a common example, he could push a block to hold down a switch, which will activate something, or he can move the block to give himself a platform he can climb to reach higher ground. More complex puzzles can only be solved with the use of specific items. Link can gather a number of items with unique abilities, and therefore, there are unique puzzles to solve with them.

Certain items can only be found in Dungeons, and some of them only correspond with the Dungeon they are found in. The Dungeon Map shows Link where he has been and where he has yet to go within a Dungeon, so it is especially useful for exploration. This item is attained automatically in Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks and can be drawn on. Another common Dungeon item is the Compass. Originally, it would only show the location of the Dungeon Boss on the Map, but it was later given the additional feature of marking unopened Chests on the Map. In the first three Game Boy titles, having the compass would cause a chime when there was a Key present in an area. Keys are the most important Dungeon items. They can open locked doors. Small keys are found in quantities in most Dungeons and can be dropped by enemies or found under pots and inside Chests. They will open normal door locks. Only one Boss Key is found in a Dungeon, on the other hand, and will open the door to a Dungeon boss' lair. One other special item can be found in Dungeons, and that is the special Inventory Item that a Dungeon will hold. The item can likely be used to to solve puzzles in the Dungeon.

At the end of most Dungeons is a boss. Most bosses themselves are like puzzles: Link should never attack them head-on without first devising a strategy. A boss has one or many weakness that Link should figure out. He should carefully observe his environment and watch for patterns in the boss' movement. He should also the boss' appearance closely. An opening for Link to attack could be discovered in this manner. Commonly, the Inventory Item Link finds in a Dungeon can be used in a strategy to fight the boss of that Dungeon. Usually, after a boss is defeated, it will leave behind a Quest Item and a Heart Container. With that, Link can leave the Dungeon and continue adventuring.

Items

Types of items

1. Equipped (Sword, Shield, Tunic) 2. Inventory (Some with upgrades) 3. Key items (Quest items, trade items) 4. Pick-ups (Heart pieces, bombs, keys)

Combat

1. Sword and shield a. Offense b. Defense 2. Inventory items for attacking

Utilizing items for their purposes

(Bombs destroy walls, boomerangs hits and picks up faraway objects)

Quests

Main quest

1. Collect quest items (Triforce Shards, Pendants, Spiritual Gems) 2. Defeat evil force (Ganon, Vaati, Malladus) 3. Save princess, world, etc.

Side-quests

1. Mini-games 2. Trading sequences 3. Secret areas