Boomerang

The Boomerang is a projectile weapon that has appeared in every Zelda game to date in some form (only once as an item link cannot use). It can be used to stun enemies, but a single hit will kill weaker enemies. However, it is more commonly used to retrieve items that are out of your reach or to solve puzzles. The boomerang first appeared in The Legend of Zelda and has gone through several design changes since then. Recently, even the way it is used has been changed.

The Legend of Zelda
The boomerang is one of the first items acquired in The Legend of Zelda. It is received by defeating a room full of Goriya in the Eagle Labyrinth (the first level of the game). In this game, it is used mainly for acquiring out of reach items, but it can stun or kill enemies as well.

An upgraded version of the boomerang, called the Magical Boomerang, was made available later in the game. It is found in the Moon Labyrinth. The only difference between the boomerang and magical boomerang is the distance they can be thrown. The magical boomerang will travel twice as far before returning to Link.

Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link is one of the few Zelda games where Link does not acquire the boomerang. Even so, it does make an appearance. The Goriya return and still use the boomerang as their weapon of choice.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
The boomerang returns in The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and works the exact same way as it is does in The Legend of Zelda. It is again found early in the game, this time in Hyrule Castle.

Later, the Boomerang can be upgraded to the Magical Boomerang by visiting the Waterfall of Wishing. The Great Fairy there will upgrade it if the player tells her the truth.

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
In The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, the boomerang is a very useful, but optional, weapon. In order to acquire it, Link must first complete a long trading sequence in order to receive the magnifying lens. Link must then visit Toronbo Shores and find a hidden cave on the eastern side. Inside, he will meet a tiny creature (who cannot be seen without the magnifying lens) who will offer to trade Link a boomerang for a weapon of his choice.

The boomerang can again be used in the traditional way, but it now has a few more uses. Though minor, it can be used to cut bushes. It's simply a faster way to get the job done. Its usefulness as a weapon has also been greatly improved. In this game, few weapons will get the job done faster than the boomerang.

The boomerang is perhaps most useful in defeating the final form of the Final Nightmare, Dethl. Dethl is a large eye with two huge club-like arms that rotate around the eye. In order to defeat him, Link must avoid the arms and wait for the eye to open. When it does, he must shoot it with arrows, and he will need a lot of them. It can be a very difficult fight, but if the player has the boomerang, it is much easier. A single hit to the eye with the boomerang will send Dethl to his grave.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time was the first time the boomerang was placed in a 3D space. It is found Inside Jabu-Jabu's Belly and is used mainly for that dungeon only. Outside of the dungeon, it can be used to retrieve some items, but is more commonly used as a weak weapon against enemies. The boomerang's usefulness is limited because it is found in the last dungeon played through as young Link and cannot be used as adult Link.

The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages
The boomerang returns as a useful weapon in The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages. It is found in Rolling Ridge and can again be used to retrieve out-of-reach items and to attack enemies.

The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons includes a boomerang identical to the one in The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages, but this time it is found in Subrosia.

The game also has a second boomerang that is not found in the other Oracle game, the magic boomerang. Rather than being simply a distance upgrade, like the magical boomerang, the magic boomerang is completely under the player's control. Link can guide its path around obstacles in order to solve more complicated puzzles.

The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords
The traditional boomerang makes another appearance in The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords. Because Four Swords is a competitive game, it is most useful for collecting rupees before opponents, but can still be used as a weapon as well.

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker adds another new feature to the boomerang. The boomerang, found in the Forbidden Woods, can now lock on to up to five different targets. This feature is often used for solving puzzles involving switches or for collecting multiple items at the same time. It is relatively weak as a weapon, but can be used to briefly stun some enemies.

The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures
The second cooperative competitive Zelda title, The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures, has the players searching for force gems rather than rupees, but the boomerang is still very useful for getting to the force gems before opponents. Unlike the original multiplayer game, the boomerang can now be held in place before returning to Link. This can be useful for retrieving moving force gems or attacking some enemies and is a great weapon at sea.

The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
In The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap the boomerang can be bought in the shop at Hyrule town.

The Magical Boomerang also appears in this game and is acquired by fusing Kinstones with Tingle and his brothers to reveal a hidden chest underground.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess reinvents the boomerang. The Gale Boomerang is a special boomerang inhabited by the Fairy of the Winds, which allows it to summon small gales in order to attack or retrieve objects. It was originally held by the possessed Ook, the leader of the Faron Woods monkeys. It is found in the Forest Temple after fighting Ook, and can be used to transport objects from one area to another, solve puzzles, and put out torches.

The Gale Boomerang is the key item needed to defeat the Forest Temple's boss, Diababa.

The biggest difference is the mini-tornado that is produced when the boomerang is launched. It works similarly to the boomerang in The Wind Waker, giving Link the option to lock onto up to five targets. It is used for many purposes throughout the game, such as spinning fans, turning the direction of bridges, and catching Golden Bugs located across Hyrule.

The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass again reinvents the boomerang, allowing the player to draw a specific path for it to follow using the stylus.

Gameplay video on YouTube