Saving

One of the most unique features from The Legend of Zelda was the built in battery capable of saving a game in progress. A save function has since been in every Legend of Zelda title. In most cases, the save function can be accessed at anytime during gameplay from the start menu. In addition to retaining the game data, the save function allowed for the player to name the protagonist of the story.

The Legend of Zelda
The option to save from The Legend of Zelda appears after losing all Life energy. This same menu can also be accessed by pressing the A, B, Select, and Start buttons.

Link's Awakening
Link's Awakening included a save system similar to that of the first Legend of Zelda title. There were three save files, in which a player could enter their choice of name. The player could access the save menu by pressing A, B, Start, and Select buttons once again, or by death in-game.

Majora's Mask
Majora's Mask deviated from the standard Saving system immensely. The ability to save from anywhere and anytime during gameplay had been removed. The saving system used requires the player to return to the First Day or make use of Save points at Owl Statues in order to save progress. The differing methods had distinct advantages and disadvantages. Saving using the Song of Time reset the clock, and most of Link's items would be lost in the time travel process. Saving using an owl statue was temporary, and the save would be erased once the game was re-loaded.

Four Swords Adventures
Four Sword Adventures's saving system departed from the typical manner of the Zelda series. Saving was automatically done upon the completion of a level throughout the game.

Skyward Sword
Saving in Skyward Sword works similarly to Majora's Mask, using Bird Statues scattered throughout the map; however, these saves are permanent, rather than the temporary save states of the owl statues. Because this is the one and only way to save in Skyward Sword, the bird statues are much more numerous than Majora's Mask's' owl statues, with some even found in dungeons.

Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland
In Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland, the game can be saved by accessing a Tingle Tuner-like device found within Tingle's house. There are three save files which can be selected at the start of the game, with Tingle holding up the respective number of fingers for the file icon.

Color-Changing Tingle's Love Balloon Trip
In Color Changing Tingle's Love Balloon Trip, Tingle has the ability to save his game in one of three files by accessing a save point, and tapping on a three-dimensional spinning pig. Unlike the previous Tingle Series installment, the player can choose to save the game to any of the three files while playing. Once the game is completed, the file image icons will replace the three images of Tingle with the likes of Kakashi, Buriki, and Lion, respectively.