Piece of Heart

Pieces of Heart are recurring items in. They are collected to form a full Heart Container, extending Link's maximum health by one Heart.

Location and Uses
In many games, a Heart Container can form by collecting four Pieces of Heart. They were introduced in, and have since appeared in almost every other title following it. Pieces of Heart are scattered throughout the world, and can be found in Treasure Chests, won in mini-games, purchased from a shop or someone, or given as thanks for helping someone. Obtaining a Piece of Heart will immediately refill all of Link's health, regardless of whether or not that Piece of Heart is completing a Heart Container. The amount of Pieces of Heart depends primarily on how many Heart Containers are in the game; the Pieces of Heart, combined with the Heart Containers, typically add up to a total of 20 Hearts by the end of a game. The number of Heart Pieces in a game is inversely proportional to how many dungeons (therefore, bosses with Heart Containers) are available in that adventure. Because of this, holds currently the record for having the highest number in the series (52, this for featuring only four Heart Containers).

Although now a series staple, a number of games do not feature Pieces of Heart. , and  do not have collectible Pieces of Heart, as Heart Containers are not permanent upgrades in those games. and, despite having permanent Heart Containers, also do not have Pieces of Heart.

breaks the tradition by requiring five Pieces of Heart in order to form a Heart Container as opposed to the usual four. In spite of this, Link's smallest unit of current health is still in fourths.

and Twilight Princess are the only games in the series to have in-game guides showing where the Pieces of Heart are. The Wind Waker has the Sea and Island Hearts Charts that reveal their location in both the sea and on islands. Twilight Princess has the fortune teller Madame Fanadi who can guide Link to them by paying a fee.

It is unknown if any character other than Link understands the use and purpose of the Pieces of Heart, or if any character other than Link can use the Pieces of Heart, as very few characters ever have anything to say about them, even when handing them out as rewards. In Twilight Princess, if Link catches the Piece of Heart while fishing in the Fishing Hole, Hena will remark "Whose heart did you catch? You big sweetheart!" In Skyward Sword, Beedle will eventually sell Link a Piece of Heart starting at 1600 Rupees. If Link asks Beedle about the item so that he can buy it, Beedle will tell him that he does not actually know what it is, and that he found it somewhere nearby. Fortune tellers who give hints leading to the location of Pieces of Heart refer to them as something having to do with love.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl
In, a Piece of Heart appear as a Sticker.