Boomerang

The Boomerang is a projectile weapon that has appeared in every Zelda game to date.

Uses
In general terms, the Boomerang can be used for both combat and puzzle solving. It is useful to stun enemies, but a single hit will kill weaker enemies. However, it is more commonly used to retrieve items that are out of Link's 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 altered: in Spirit Tracks and Phantom Hourglass, the player can draw the path that the boomerang will take, allowing a more direct control of the boomerang. Moreover, this item can also be used to turn Sparks and Anti-Fairies into Fairies in specific Zelda games.

Typical Boomerangs
These Boomerangs function only to stun and retrieve out-of-reach items. Note that some of these incarnations of the item can be upgraded as well, but that will be covered in another section below.

The Legend of Zelda and A Link to the Past
The Boomerang is one of the first items that can be acquired in The Legend of Zelda. In both the First and Second Quests, it can be obtained by defeating a large number of Goriya in a room of the first dungeon in the game, the Eagle Labyrinth. Interestingly, it's the only dungeon item that isn't guarded in a basement floor.

In A link to the Past, the boomerang is again found early in the game, this time in Hyrule Castle. Its exact location is a few rooms before the prison where the Ball and Chain Trooper holds Princess Zelda captive.

Ocarina of Time
Ocarina of Time marks the first time the Boomerang is placed in a tridimensional space. It is found inside Lord Jabu-Jabu's belly, in a room infested by enemies, and becomes Young Link's most powerful ranged weapon. It provides Young Link's counterpart to Adult Link's hookshot, allowing Young Link to finally capture those out-of-reach Gold Skulltula Tokens. Although Jabu-Jabu's Belly is the last dungeon Young Link goes through before entering the Temple of Time, the Boomerang still proves invaluable when Link returns to the past to go through the Bottom of Kakariko Well and the Spirit Temple.

Oracle of Ages
The boomerang returns as a useful weapon in Oracle of Ages, and is found in Rolling Ridge. Oracle of Seasons includes a boomerang identical to the one in Oracle of Ages, but this time, it is found in Subrosia.

Four Swords
The traditional Boomerang makes another appearance in 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. In The Minish Cap, the Boomerang can be bought in the shop at Hyrule Town for 300 Rupees.

Boomerangs with Added Characteristics
The Boomerangs listed below have other characteristics besides and along with those of stunning and item retrieval.

Link's Awakening
In Link's Awakening, the Boomerang is a very useful but optional weapon. It is one of the most powerful weapons in the game. 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. It is one of the two weapons able to kill an Anti-Fairy, the other being the Magic Powder and the only weapon able to kill a Spark. It can also defeat certain enemies in one hit that no other weapons can, such as Ghinis. In other cases, it is surpassed slightly by weapons such as the Bow and Magic Rod. The Boomerang is perhaps most useful in defeating the final form of the Final Nightmare, Dethl. It can be a very difficult fight, but if Link has the boomerang, it is much easier. A single hit to the eye with the boomerang will defeat Dethl.

The Wind Waker and Phantom Hourglass
The Wind Waker adds another new feature to the Boomerang. The item, found in the Forbidden Woods and guarded by a winged Mothula, 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.

Phantom Hourglass, while showing the Boomerang with a mildly similar look as in The Wind Waker, once again reinvents its use, allowing the player to draw a specific path for it to follow using the stylus; the Boomerang in this game is found in the Temple of Fire. In Spirit Tracks, the Boomerang can be found inside the Snow Temple. It functions in the same way that it did in Phantom Hourglass with one exception: when the boomerang flies through a flame or ice flame, it will become the fire or ice boomerang.

Four Swords Adventures
The second cooperative competitive Zelda title, Four Swords Adventures, has the Links 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.

Special Variants
The following incarnations of the item have even more extra features, including a change in name.

Magic Boomerang
In The Legend of Zelda, an upgraded version of the Boomerang, the blue Magical Boomerang, could also be obtained later in the game. In the first quest, it could be found in the second dungeon, the Moon Labyrinth. However in the second quest, its location was moved to the third dungeon. The only main difference between the Boomerang and the Magical Boomerang is the distance they can be thrown. The Magical Boomerang will fly twice as far when thrown before returning to Link. A Link to the Past incorporates a Boomerang that can be upgraded to the Magical Boomerang by visiting the Waterfall of Wishing. The Great Fairy there will upgrade it if Link tells her the truth.

Oracle of Seasons also has a second Boomerang that is not found in the other Oracle game, the Magic Boomerang. Rather than being simply a distance upgrade, the Magic Boomerang is completely under Link's control. Link can guide its path around obstacles in order to solve more complicated puzzles. When the Boomerang is upgraded to a Level 2 Boomerang in Four Swords Adventures, it will have a longer reach and speed out of Link's hand faster. The Magical Boomerang also appears The Minish Cap and is acquired by fusing Kinstones with Tingle and his brothers to reveal a hidden chest underground. This Boomerang has a longer range, can change direction mid-flight, and will destroy some enemies the regular Boomerang only stuns.

Zora Boomerang
In Majora's Mask, the boomerang does not appear as an item but as an ability of Link in his Zora form. The fins in the forearms of Zora Link become boomerangs when the "B" button is charged. At this point, the actions of Link are the same as if he were holding the boomerang button in Ocarina of Time with the exception of this version being two boomerangs. The attributes of these weapons are basically the same as their previous incarnation. In the Zora Fight Song, Mikau calls these boomerangs his "double cutters".

Gale Boomerang
Twilight Princess further reinvents the Boomerang. The Gale Boomerang is a special boomerang inhabited by the Fairy of Winds who 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. This is also the first boomerang to house the spirit of a fairy, this case being the Fairy of Winds.

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

Animated series
The boomerang is one of the most used items in the animated series, and one hit from this weapon is capable of defeating most of Ganon's minions. It is mostly used by Princess Zelda, although Link, Moblins and Goriyas wield it as well. The boomerang first appears in "Cold Spells", where Zelda defeats various magically-possessed cleaning supplies with it. Later, in "Sing for the Unicorn", Zelda once again uses it to defeat an Armos Knight and Ganon, rescuing Link and her father in the process. The boomerang shown in "That Sinking Feeling" is given to Zelda by Link so that the two of them can fight off several Tektites that have ambushed them. Link is not shown wielding this item until the "Stinging a Stinger" episode, which he uses it to defeat a Gohma with the help of Zelda's Magic Rope.

Although the series mostly exemplifies the use of the boomerang for fighting enemies, the "Doppelganger" episode demonstrates how Zelda uses the boomerang to break free from the ropes that Ganon had tied around her hands.

Super Smash Bros. and Super Smash Bros. Melee
The Boomerang from Ocarina of Time appears in Super Smash Bros. and Super Smash Bros. Melee as Link's Standard Special and Side Special Move, respectively, being ousted as the Standard Special move in Melee by Link's new Bow move. Link and Young Link both use this as their Side Special move in Melee, even though Link could not use it as an adult in Ocarina of Time.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl
The Gale Boomerang appears in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, replacing Link's standard Boomerang from Melee. Other than hitting and damaging the opponent, the Gale Boomerang has a "wind" effect that pushes or pulls players who get caught in the whirlwind it creates. The Wind Waker ' s design of the Boomerang is used by Toon Link, and, more or less, functions identically to how it did in previous games.

Trivia

 * 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.
 * In the Super Smash Bros. fighting series and in Soulcalibur II, one of Link's Special Attacks hurls a boomerang at the opponent.
 * The boomerang of Ocarina of Time appears in Super Smash Bros. and Super Smash Bros. Melee as a trophy.