Filter by Platforms
Select all
Amazon Luna
Android
Arcade
CD-i
Famicom Disk System
Game Boy
Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Color
GameCube
Google Stadia
iPad
iPhone
Linux
Mac
New Nintendo 3DS
Nintendo 3DS
Nintendo 3DS eShop
Nintendo 64
Nintendo DS
Nintendo Entertainment System
Nintendo Switch
Ouya
PC
PlayStation
PlayStation 2
PlayStation 3
PlayStation 4
PlayStation 5
PlayStation Network (PS3)
PlayStation Network (PSP)
PlayStation Network (Vita)
PlayStation Portable
PlayStation Vita
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Wii
Wii Shop
Wii U
Xbox
Xbox 360
Xbox 360 Games Store
Xbox One
Xbox Series X
Xbox Series X/S
Xbox Series X|S
Filter by Developers
Select all
1-UP Studio
343 Industries
4J Studios
8-4--Ltd.
Abstraction Games
Activision Shanghai
AlphaDream Corporation--Ltd.
Amazon Game Studios
Animation Magic Inc.
Applibot
Arc System Works Co.--Ltd.
Arika Co.--Ltd.
Arkane Studios SA
ArtPlay
Atlus Co.--Ltd.
Balan Company
Bandai Namco Entertainment
Beenox Studios
Bend Game Studio
Bethesda Game Studios
Bethesda Softworks
BioWare
Blind Squirrel Games
Bloober Team
Bluehole Ginno Games
Bluehole Studio
Brace Yourself Games
Buzz Monkey Software--LLC
Camouflaj
Capcom
cavia inc.
CD Projekt Red
Cerny Games--Inc.
Chewy Software--LLC
Chime
Clay Tech Works
Compulsion Games
Counterplay Games Inc.
Criterion Games
Crystal Dynamics--Inc.
Deck Nine Games
DICE
DICO
Digital Hearts Co.--Ltd.
Digixart
Dingo Inc
DONTNOD Entertainment
Double Fine Productions--Inc.
DrinkBox Studios
EA Bright Light
EA Gothenburg
Edmund McMillen
Eidos-Montréal
Epic Games
Experiment 101 AB
Feral Interactive
First Strike Games
Flagship Co.--Ltd.
Four Quarters
Frima Studio
FromSoftware--Inc.
Fullbright
Genius Sonority--Inc.
Good Feel
Grasshopper Manufacture inc.
Grezzo
h.a.n.d. Inc.
Hardsuit Labs
Hazelight
Hello Games
Hexa Drive
High Impact Games
Housemarque
id Software
Image & Form
Imagica Digitalscape Co.--Ltd.
Industrial Toys
Insomniac Games
Inti Creates Co.--Ltd.
IO Interactive
Iron Galaxy Studios
James Interactive
Jupiter Corp.
Kinetic Games
Koei Tecmo
Kojima Productions
Lancarse
Live Wire and Adglobe
Lucid Games
Luis Antonio
Marvelous
Massive Entertainment
Matt Dabrowski
miHoYo
Mobius Games
Monolith Software--Inc.
Moonlight Kids
Motive Studios
Nadeo
Naughty Dog--Inc.
Neon Giant
Neowiz Games
Nicalis--Inc.
Nintendo EAD
Nintendo EAD Tokyo Group No.1
Nintendo EPD
Nintendo SPD Division
Nintendo SPD Group No.3
Nixxes Software BV
No Matter
nWay
Oddworld Inhabitants
Omega Force
P Studio
Panic Button
Pentavision Entertainment
People Can Fly
Pillow Castle Games
Pixel Mine Productions
PlatinumGames
Playground Games
PlayStation Studios
Pocket Trap
Pure Sound Inc.
Radical Fish Games
Red Storm Entertainment--Inc.
Remedy Entertainment Ltd.
Respawn Entertainment
Ridiculon
Ripple Effect
Robi Studios
Ryu ga Gotoku Studio
Sabotage
SadSquare Studio
San Diego Studio
Sanzaru Games
Satelight Inc.
Sledgehammer Games
Sonic Team
Spike Chunsoft
Spike Co.--Ltd.
Square Enix
Squaresoft
SRD Co. Ltd.
Studio FOW Interactive
Studio Thunderhorse
Studio Zero
Sucker Punch
Sumo Digital Ltd.
Supergiant Games
Tactical Adventures
Tantalus Media
Team Ladybug
Team Meat
Team Ninja
Team WIBY
The Game Bakers
The Men Who Wear Many Hats
The Tetris Company
tobyfox
TOSE Co.--Ltd.
Toylogic
Toys for Bob
Tuque Games
Turtle Rock Studios--Inc.
Ubisoft Annecy Studios
Ubisoft Bucharest
Ubisoft Montreal Studios
Ubisoft Reflections
Ubisoft Shanghai Studios
Ubisoft Sofia
Ubisoft Toronto Studios
Unknown Worlds
Vanpool
Velan Studios
Vicarious Visions
Viridis
Visual Impact
Wales Interactive
WayForward Technologies
Why So Serious?
Wideload Games--Inc.
Young Horses
ZA/UM Studio
Zenimax Media Inc
ZeniMax Online Studios
Filter by Publishers
Select all
2K Games
505 Games
8-4--Ltd.
Acclaim Entertainment--Inc.
Activision
AGM Playism
Amazon Game Studios
Annapurna Interactive
Arc System Works Co.--Ltd.
Aspyr Media--Inc.
Atlus Co.--Ltd.
Atlus U.S.A.--Inc.
Bandai Namco Entertainment
Bethesda Softworks
Binary Haze Interactive
Bloober Team
Bluehole Ginno Games
Capcom
CD Projekt SA
Curve Digital Entertainment
CyberFront Corporation
Dangen Entertainment
Deck13 Interactive GmbH
Deep Silver
Devolver Digital
Digixart
DrinkBox Studios
Edmund McMillen
Electronic Arts
Epic Games
Feral Interactive
Focus Home Interactive
Fullbright
Gearbox Publishing
Gearbox Software LLC
Ghostlight Ltd.
Gradiente
Graffiti Games
GungHo Online Entertainment
Headup Games
Hello Games
Humble Games
iam8bit
Inti Creates Co.--Ltd.
IO Interactive
Kinetic Games
Koei Tecmo
Konami
Limited Run Games
Marvelous
Mayflower
Merge Games
Microïds
Midnight City
miHoYo
MLB Advanced Media
Neowiz Games
Nicalis--Inc.
Nighthawk Interactive
Nintendo
NIS America--Inc.
No Matter
nWay
Oddworld Inhabitants
Pentavision Entertainment
Pentavision Global--Inc.
Philips Interactive Media--Inc.
PM Studios
SadSquare Studio
Sega
Sony Interactive Entertainment
Sony Interactive Entertainment America
Sony Interactive Entertainment Australia
Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe
Sony Interactive Entertainment Korea
Spike Chunsoft
Spike Co.--Ltd.
Square Enix
Square Enix Ltd.
Squaresoft
Studio FOW Interactive
Supergiant Games
Tactical Adventures
Team Meat
Tencent Games
The Game Bakers
The Label
The Pokémon Company
THQ Nordic
Thunderful
tinyBuild
tobyfox
Ubisoft Entertainment
Unknown Worlds
Wales Interactive
WB Games
WhisperGames
Why So Serious?
Wizards of the Coast--Inc.
Xbox Game Studios
XSEED Games
Yacht Club Games
Young Horses
ZA/UM Studio
Zenimax Media Inc
Filter by Franchises
Select all
99
Alan Wake
Animal Crossing
Assassin's Creed
Avengers
Azure Striker Gunvolt
Balloon Fight
Battlefield
Bloodstained
Bravely Default
Breath of the Wild
Burnout
Call of Duty
Catherine
Compilation of Final Fantasy VII
Crash Bandicoot
Crypt of the Necrodancer
Cyberpunk
Danganronpa
DJMAX
Doom
Drakengard
Dungeons & Dragons
Dynasty Warriors
Far Cry
Final Fantasy
Forza
Forza Horizon
Gal Gun
Ghosts 'n Goblins
Gunvolt Chronicles
Halo
Harvest Moon
Hitman
Hyrule Warriors
Iron Man
Life Is Strange
Mario & Luigi
Marvel
Marvel's Spider-Man
Mass Effect
Meat Boy
Megami Tensei
Mighty Gunvolt
Mighty No. 9
MLB
MLB The Show
Monster Hunter
Musou
Nier
Oddworld
Pac-Man
Persona
Persona 2
Persona 3
Persona 4
Persona 5
Persona Q
Persona: Dancing Night
Pokémon
Pokémon Snap
Power Rangers
Psychonauts
Puyo Puyo
Puyo Puyo Tetris
Ratchet & Clank
Ratchet & Clank Future
Record of Lodoss War
Resident Evil
SaGa
Shin Megami Tensei
Silent Hill
Spider-Man
Star Wars
Story of Seasons
Subnautica
Tales
Tetris
The Binding of Isaac
The Division
The Elder Scrolls
The Last of Us
The Legend of Zelda
The World Ends With You
Tingle
Titanfall
Tom Clancy
Tony Hawk
TrackMania
Undertale
Watch Dogs
Yakuza
Filter by Themes
Select all
Abstract
Adult
Alternate Historical
Anime
Aquatic
Comedy
Comic Book
Crime
Cyberpunk
Dating
Espionage
Fantasy
Game Show
Horror
Martial Arts
Mayan
Medieval
Modern Military
Motorsports
Post-Apocalyptic
Sci-Fi
Steampunk
Superhero
World War II
Filter by Genres
Select all
Action
Action-Adventure
Adventure
Baseball
Brawler
Card Game
Compilation
Driving/Racing
Dual-Joystick Shooter
Fighting
First-Person Shooter
Flight Simulator
Light-Gun Shooter
Minigame Collection
MMORPG
MOBA
Music/Rhythm
Platformer
Puzzle
Role-Playing
Shooter
Simulation
Skateboarding
Sports
Strategy
Vehicular Combat

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

Follow

Overview

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, developed by Nintendo EAD Group 3, was planned to be the GameCube’s last big title but late in development, it was ported to the then upcoming Wii console as a launch title. Ultimately, the GameCube version was strategically delayed a few weeks, all advertising directly referenced the Wii version, and far fewer copies of the GameCube version were produced. The game was eventually released in North America on November 19, 2006 for the Wii and December 11, 2006 on the GameCube. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD, an enhanced HD remaster with new content and some gameplay changes was released in March 2016 for Wii U.

During its initial development, it was intended to be a direct sequel to the previous GameCube Zelda title, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. This went as far as internally referring to the game as “Wind Waker 2,” but this was changed later in its development; the original storyline, which picked up shortly after The Wind Waker ended, was later used for the Nintendo DS title The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess sold very well, with the Wii version moving 4.52 million copies and the GameCube version selling 1.32 million.

Story

Link must once again save Hyrule.
Link must once again save Hyrule.

The game begins with the latest incarnation of Link living in a small town called Ordon Village. After a few introductory escapades, including rescuing a lost child from a nearby dungeon, the adventure really begins when mysterious creatures come out of the darkness and kidnap the town’s children. As Link tries to save them, he is pulled into a wall of black energy, where he is magically transformed into a wolf and locked in prison. Luckily, a strange imp named Midna — who lives in the strange shadow world the dark creatures come from — frees him and tells him that her people are called the Twili, and they are being unwillingly led by their evil king, Zant, who wants to merge Link’s world of Hyrule with their alternate dimension, called the Twilight Realm, into one land that only he would control. Link and Midna must work together, both in the Twilight Realm and in Hyrule, in order to save the land from eternal darkness.

Gameplay

Wolf Link and Midna fight Shadow Beasts in an early screenshot.
Wolf Link and Midna fight Shadow Beasts in an early screenshot.

The gameplay in Twilight Princess is essentially identical to that in other recent 3D Zelda games, as the player navigates a series of complex, puzzle-oriented dungeons to acquire new weapons and abilities, and track down the ultimate source of evil threatening Hyrule. Many of the traditional Zelda items are present, such as bombs and the bow and arrow, as well as new items, such as a rod which controls statues and a bizarre spinning top-like weapon. The Wii version allows the player to use the console’s signature gimmick, motion controls, to control Link in both of his forms. Swing the Wii Rmote to make Link slash, shake the nunchuk to slam Link’s shield forward and stun enemies, and aim the bow and arrow with the Wii Remote’s pointer function. The player can also transform into a wolf who offers his own unique moves, such as digging to uncover items and passages, speaking with animals, picking up the scents of objects and enemies, and moving more swiftly than Link’s human form.

Link’s Collection

This menu is brought up by hitting the button on the Wii Remote, allowing the player to view and equip swords, shields, and armor. The player can also view Wallet and Quiver upgrades, Golden Bugs, Poe’s Souls, Hidden Skills, letters and fishing records, as well as the scent fresh in Wolf Link’s memory. The Game Options and Save feature are also accessed through this menu.

Swords, Shields, and Armor

  • Wooden Sword
  • Ordon Sword
  • Master Sword
  • Ordon Shield
  • Wooden Shield
  • Hylian Shield
  • Hero’s Clothes
  • Zora Armor
  • Magic Armor

Link’s Items

This menu can be brought up by hitting the Minus (-) button on the Wii Remote, allowing the player to swap item assignments on the D-pad and B button. Some items (not listed here) are only held temporarily.

  • Clawshot (upgrades to Double Clawshots)
  • Dominion Rod
  • Ball and Chain
  • Spinner
  • Hero’s Bow
  • Iron Boots
  • Gale Boomerang
  • Lantern
  • Slingshot
  • Fishing Rod (upgrades to Fishing Rod w/ Earring)
  • Hawkeye (combines with Hero’s Bow)
  • Bomb Bag x3 (hold Bombs, Water Bombs, and “Bomblings”)
  • Bottle x4
  • Horse Call

Wolf Link

Near the beginning of the game, the children of Ordon Village are kidnapped by Shadow Beasts. As Link is searching for them, he encounters a wall of darkness separating him from the land of Hyrule. As he passes through the wall, he is transformed into a wolf, instead of a spirit-being like the other inhabitants of Hyrule.

Link, transformed into a wolf by the power of the Twilight Realm
Link, transformed into a wolf by the power of the Twilight Realm

As the wolf, the user has the ability to use Link’s ‘senses’ and search for hidden areas and items. Doing this can solve some of the game’s puzzles and

is a good source for acquiring some extra rupees. Another of Wolf Link’s abilities is ‘digging’. This is how hidden items discovered by using the ‘senses’ are recovered. In combat, by holding down B, Midna allows Wolf Link to create a circle that encloses around nearby enemies, making it so that Link will attack all of those enemies at the same time when the B button is released. This is the only way to defeat some of the enemies in the game, because when in groups they can revive one another by screeching. Another ability that only Wolf Link can execute is walking along thin platforms such as ropes. This allows Link to access new areas. Wolf Link can also interact with other animals in the game. Animals often know secrets about their environments and are willing to share all the information they know with fellow animals. The final new ability gained by Wolf Link after his transformation is ‘howling’. This is similar to the ocarina concept in The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask. Link uses howling to interact with certain objects and characters in the game.

Later in the game, Link becomes able to transform into a Wolf at any time. This is very useful because the Wolf also has the ability to use the Twilight warp portals to travel around Hyrule without having to walk or ride for miles.

The Two Versions

Previously, all the various incarnations of Link were left-handed. Since most players of the Wii version would be more comfortable with the Wii Remote (representing Link’s sword) in their right hands and the nunchuk (representing Link’s shield) in their left hands, Nintendo made the Wii version’s Link right-handed. In one of the more exaggerated reactions ever seen in video games, under the premise of preventing any conflict between the environments (which had been designed for a left-handed Link) and the right-handed character, Nintendo also reversed the entire world of the Wii version. As the GameCube version is played with a traditional controller, Link retains his left-handedness.

Soundtrack

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Nintendo Power Soundtrack
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Nintendo Power Soundtrack

The soundtrack of the game was composed by Asuka Ohta, Toru Minegishi and Kōji Kondō. Minegishi designed the overworld and dungeon music under the supervision of Kondo. The official soundtrack was published by Nintendo Power in 2006 and it contains seven tracks:

  1. The Legend of Zelda: Orchestra Piece #2
  2. Hyrule Field Main Theme
  3. Ordon Village
  4. Kakariko Village
  5. Death Mountain
  6. Midna’s Theme
  7. Ilia’s Theme

HD Version

No Caption Provided

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD was announced in a Nintendo Direct on November 11, 2015. The enhanced remaster of the hugely successful original is mostly based on the GameCube version of Twilight Princess and developed by Australian developer Tantalus Media, who had already proved themselves capable with the Wii U versions of Mass Effect 3: Special Edition and Deus Ex: Human Revolution – Director’s Cut under their Straight Right label.

Differences

Important to note is the fact that this remaster is based on the GameCube original, not the Wii version which mirrored the entire game world and featured a right-handed Link to compensate for the intended setup where players hold the Wiimote in their right hand. Twilight Princess HD thus features the traditional left-handed Link and reflects the world of Hyrule oriented the original GameCube way. The right-handed world layout, reflecting the Wii version, can be accessed by playing in Hero Mode.

Visuals

No Caption Provided

Most notably, the game comes with fully redrawn high-resolution textures, some of them completely new and slightly different looking from their originals. Some objects in the game have also received higher quality 3D models such as certain pillars or the exit door frame to Malo Mart in Castle Town. The strong bloom lighting from the original has been toned down in some areas, along with minor lighting changes and new graphical effects such as floor reflections, for example. However, a new dynamic lighting system as found in The Wind Waker HD was not implemented. The same upgrade to a native 1080p rendering resolution (while keeping the 30 frames per second refresh rate from the original) as found in The Wind Waker HD is in effect in this game, too.

User Interface & GamePad Support

No Caption Provided

Similar to The Wind Waker HD, the Wii U GamePad shows the inventory and allows for touch-manipulation such as assigning items via drag and drop along with quick access to some shortcuts. The HUD has also been adapted to resemble that of the previous console remaster with a cleaner style, smaller icons and +Control Pad shortcuts. Items can be equipped to four slots (X, Y, and R with ZL being saved for a specific yet to be revealed function) while the L button summons Midna. The touch-screen also features a dedicated shortcut icon that instantly triggers the wolf/Link transformation without having to summon and talk to Midna.

No Caption Provided

The Wii U GamePad’s gyroscope can also again be (optionally) used for motion control-enhanced aiming of projectile weapons. When aiming projectiles, players can switch between first-person aiming and third-person aiming (like in the Wii version) in the settings menu. While it initially appeared that third-person aiming was exclusive to the mirrored Hero Mode, it turned out both view styles are available in both game modes.

New Item: Ghost Lantern

The Ghost Lantern is a new item available in this version of the game. It resembles the lantern that Poes carry around with them and it functions as a more convenient detection method for Poes which can be used by Link in human form. The lamp starts glowing if a Poe is detected in the area.

Tears of Light Collection

The number of Tears of Light that players have to collect to revive the Spirits of Light and dispel the twilight has been reduced from 16 down to 12. Additionally, the spawn animation has been sped up and the tears now appear closer to the player.

Hero Mode

No Caption Provided

A harder difficulty is available again as well. Hero Mode can be activated right from the start, without having to finish the game first (like in Skyward Sword or A Link Between Worlds). Hero Mode has Link take twice the amount of damage from enemies and eliminates heart drops. Additionally, Hero Mode presents the game world in its mirrored form as it appeared in the Wii version of the original with Link even holding the sword in his right hand.

It can be further enhanced by tapping a Ganondorf amiibo to increase the damage intake from enemies to four times the usual amount. In fact, the Ganondorf amiibo effectively allows for three types of “Hero Mode” while only one of them is officially called that.

  1. Hero Mode: receive 2x damage + right-handed Link mirrored Wii-version layout + no health-replenishing heart drops.
  2. Hero Mode + Ganondorf amiibo: receive 4x damage + right-handed Link mirrored Wii-version layout + no health-replenishing heart drops.
  3. Normal Mode + Ganondorf amiibo: receive 2x damage + left-handed Link original layout + health-replenishing heart drops.

amiibo Support

No Caption Provided

All Zelda-series amiibo are supported. The most involved features naturally comes with the Wolf Link amiibo which was specifically made for and released alongside this game.

This Wolf Link amiibo grants players access to the Cave of Shadows, a new combat dungeon centered around Wolf Link which rewards those who master all of its 40 levels with the new Bottomless Wallet (given they do so while possessing a full Giant Wallet) which can store a maximum of 9999 rupees. The Cave of Shadows can be accessed from certain places across Hyrule and players can save their remaining heart count to the Wolf Link amiibo to try and beat their own record later but also use those stored hearts to replenish some life during the regular game.The Cave of Shadows is unlocked as players progress through the game with the first section becoming accessible upon completion of the first Tears of Light collection.

Additionally, the saved progress on the Wolf Link amiibo lets players skip the save file selection screen and jump directly to the associated game file from the title screen after scanning it in.

As a bonus, the Wolf Link amiibo is compatible with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and the data stored on it from Twilight Princess HD can be imported to that game.

Additional amiibo features:

  • Link / Toon Link – Fully replenish arrows (can be used once per day)
  • Zelda / Sheik – Fully replenish hearts (can be used once per day)
  • Ganondorf – Receive 2x damage from enemies, can also be combined with Hero Mode for a maximum of 4x damage taken. Active until the player dies or restarts the game.

Miiverse Integration

No Caption Provided

The game features 50 Miiverse Stamps hidden throughout Hyrule and the various dungeons, replacing some of the chests that previously only contained trivial amounts of rupees. Players can also post to Miiverse directly from within the game. The stamps include the full Hylian alphabet so players can write out messages in the game world’s language.

Miscellaneous Changes

  • Certain animations have been speed up such as Link’s sideways climbing animation.
  • Rupee chests now remain open if the player encounters them with a full wallet.
  • Mobility while swimming has been improved.
  • Epona’s handling has been improved.
  • The Giant Wallet now holds a maximum of 2000 rupees instead of 1000.
  • During the opening section, Link only has to catch one fish for the cat instead of two.

Special Editions

European special edition packaging.
European special edition packaging.

In North America, the game is only sold physically in a special edition bundled with the Wolf Link amiibo. Ordering at select retailers also nets customers a Twilight Princess HD Sound Selection CD in a cardboard sleeve.

In Japan and PAL regions, the game is also available without a bundle as a standalone release and the amiibo bundle option in those regions comes bundled with the Sound Selection CD in a standard plastic case for all copies. The Sound Selection CD features 20 tracks from the game and two orchestrated pieces from early trailers.

Latest On The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

No items found.
No items found.

All game data on this page is sourced via Giant Bomb.

Close Popup

We use cookies to give you the best online experience. By agreeing you accept the use of cookies in accordance with our cookie policy.

Close Popup