Maps

Maps play a major part in the Zelda series. Without one some games would be almost unplayable.

World Maps
World Map, Overworld Map, and Field Maps all are names used to refer to the basic map of the gameland. In general it displays Link's location in the world. Later the series added Warp destinations to appear on the map when activated.  Link's Awakening added a function that would recall speeches by the owl while browsing the map, in addition to the location names. Seldom times, important places will be marked on the map by other game characters.

''The Legend of Zelda (Game) displayed a plain gray square on screen, which represented Hyrule. A flashing red rectangle indicated Link's location. This overworld map could be considered nearly useless.

Zelda II: The Adventure of Link has a much different setup. An accurate description of gameplay would be that Link travels on the Overworld map, as much of the landscape is visible while walking. Other actions, such as battles, take place in zoomed in, sidescrolling screens. Towns, Caves, and Palaces are represented by an icon, walking onto them triggers the side-scrolling screen.

A Link to the Past featured a full Hyrule map immediately into the quest. This map has the ability to zoom in and scroll across the landscape. Warp destination points are numbered on the map. Also when Link travels using the Magic Mirror, a sparkling patch will appear in that spot on the map as well as the ground itself.

Beginning with Link's Awakening, the overworld map is obscured until 'unlocked' by visiting the areas, exactly as Dungeon Maps had been. The Oracles Series used this same format.

Ocarina of Time employed a unique feature on it's overworld map. When an area was cleared of Gold Skulltulas, an icon of a Gold Skulltula appeared beside the area's title.

Majora's Mask was the first game in which portions of the map were purchasable. Tingle appears in certain areas peddling his cartographic works.

The Wind Waker uses a 7x7 square grid, which does not automatically fill in from a visit. Link must bait the Fishman by dropping All-Purpose Bait into the sea. After eating it, the Fishman will give Link a comment usually about the island nearby and offer to fill in his Sea Chart.

Phantom Hourglass featured the first truly interactive World Map. Upon obtaining the Sea Charts, it's possible to write on each, useful when notating warping symbols and directions through the Enchanted Areas.

Dungeon Maps
Dungeon maps are very common, but very useful items that can be found in nearly every dungeon in the Zelda series. They are found in large chests, or lying on the ground. Once obtained, a dungeon map will allow Link to see every room of every floor in the dungeon it was found in, with the illuminated rooms showing where he has already visited. Most often the mapscreen will automatically fill in rooms visited even before obtaining the dungeon map.