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 the 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. Typically, at the start of Link's adventure, the range of places he can explore is very limited, but by advancing the story via completing the necessary objectives, the world begins to open up to him.

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, especially if there is a destination marked upon it. It's also helpful to listen to the words of people that Link encounters on his adventure. Their speech may contain vague hints and keywords related to what he should do; since Ocarina of Time, these keywords have regularly been emphasized with text of a different color than the standard 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, a means of transportation is crucial to get around, but Link can manage 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.

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 or his ability to reach items of value, but conquering these puzzles will unlock the way forward or make a Treasure 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 may have to 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, watch for patterns in the boss' movement, and examine 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