I think A Link to the Past deserves more credit for shaping the Zelda franchise

Many players like The Legend of Zelda: a link with the pastbut I think many of us don't give it the credit it deserves for shaping the entire series. Similar to how a modern viewer might watch John Carpenter's film Halloween and I think it's cliché, players who come back to check A link to the past You can see this as just another Zelda game because they don't understand This is where many of the series' tropes began.

Even though he is someone whose first Zelda the game was A link to the pastI didn't fully realize the game's impact on the series until I looked into it more deeply. When things that A link to the past servant appeared later Zelda games like Ocarina of TimeI assumed they must have been the pillars from the beginning. However, there are many elements that A link to the past I invented something that wasn't in the two originals Zelda games, but have since become major recognizable elements of the franchise.

A Link to the Past Introduced Link's Iconic Weapon

The master sword first appeared in Link to the Past

While not present in every game, Link's Master Sword is easily one of his most iconic weapons. I initially assumed it had always been a part of the franchise, so I was surprised to learn it first appeared in A link to the past. This was not only the first appearance of the Master Sword, but the game as well established all the main details of the sword.

A link to the past established the iconic look of the Master Swordfrom its large curved purple fist to the Triforce engraved on its blade. It also established some of the requirements needed to wield the Master Sword. To extract the Master Sword from its stone, the potential wielder must collect three spiritual objects. In A link to the past and its sequence A connection between worlds, these are the Pendants of Virtue, but there are analogous objects in Ocarina of Time, Wind Alarm Clockand Phantom Hourglass.

Ironically, at the end of A link to the pastthe game states that the Master Sword “sleeps again… forever!” This is not the case, as the sword appeared in 10 games after its initial appearance. While there are variations on how the Master Sword can be retrieved and its location in each game, the sword itself and its appearance have remained a consistent part of the series.

A Link to the Past Gave Us Proto-Ganondorf

Agahnim created the design for Ganondorf

Ganon's alter ego, Ganondorf, is another consistent part of the Zelda franchise. Although he is not present in all games, the sorcerer Gerudo is still seen as one of the franchise's greatest villains. Although Ganondorf did not appear until The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time, A link to the past gave players a very similar character that was essentially the first version of him.

At the beginning of the game, A link to the pastThe main villain is Agahnim, an evil wizard who sends Zelda to the Dark World and breaks the Seal of the Seven Sages. Initially, it appears that Agahnim is just a servant of Ganon, but it is later revealed that he is simply Ganon's alter ego. Additionally, when fighting Agahnim, players reflect his magical attacks back at him with the Master Sword.

If this all sounds familiar, it's because Agahnim plays almost exactly the same role that Ganondorf plays in Ocarina of Time. Ganondorf is a better form of Ganon, which is why he stuck around longer than Agahnim. However, A link to the past he even created the project for what would become Ganondorf.

A Link to the Past Introduced Alternate Realities

Later, Zelda Games incorporated the idea of ​​multiple parallel worlds

A link to the past takes place in two parallel worlds: the World of Light and the World of Darkness. Each has essentially the same layout, but there are some notable differences between the two, with the Dark World being more dangerous. Players travel between them, sometimes having to go back and forth to solve puzzles.

This idea of ​​multiple worlds is something that would return in the series later. Ocarina of TimeTime travel is very similarwith the future being similar to the Dark World and the game's present being more similar to the Light World, a little safer. A similar dynamic was present in The Legend of Zelda Twilight Princesswhere players switched between Hyrule and the encroaching Twilight Realm.

Although the majority Zelda games don't use these types of mechanics as much, the idea of ​​different realities or time periods within a single game comes up every now and then. For example, players travel to the past in Wind Alarm Clock to retrieve the Master Sword. Interestingly, although the idea of ​​multiple worlds sometimes manifests itself as time travel, and the word “past” is in the title, A link to the past Doesn't actually deal with time travel.

A link to the past created iconic pieces of equipment

The hook, swimming gear and new tunics emerged in a connection with the past

In addition to the Master Sword, A link to the past It is also the first time that several of Link's well-known items have appeared in the franchise. For example, this is the first game where Link can upgrade his tunicgoing from green to blue to red. Ocarina of Time used the same colors, giving their blue and red tunics some unique abilities instead of upgrading them into armor. Twilight Princess also includes several tunic updates, again using the green, blue, and red color schemes, although this time with more detail.

A link to the past it also introduced several items that helped Link traverse the overworld and would appear in some form in later games. The hook is a good example of an item that appeared a few times since its introduction and is considered an iconic part of Link's arsenal for entering the Smash Bros. games. This game also introduced Zora's flippers, which allowed Link to swim. Although Link can normally swim from the start in 3D Zelda games, he usually receives a similar upgrade that allows him to breathe underwater.

From items to characters to plot devices, A link to the past could quite possibly be the most influential game in The Legend of Zelda series. That's not to say that other games haven't made significant contributions to the game's world and fictional history since then, but virtually every game since A link to the past is heavily influenced by him. I think the game deserves a lot of credit for featuring so many of the series' most iconic elements.