Map

Maps play a major part in the Zelda series. Without one some games would be almost unplayable. There are roughly two different maps: World Maps and Dungeon Maps.

World Map
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 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.

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 Oracle series used this same format.

Ocarina of Time employed a unique feature on its overworld map. When an area was cleared of Gold Skulltulas, an icon of a Gold Skulltula appeared beside the area's title. It also introduced the concept of having a smaller map of the current area in the bottom corner of the screen.

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.

The Minish Cap is the only game in the series where the world map is given to him as an item. Link receives the map, from his grandfather, Smith, at the beginning of his adventures.

Phantom Hourglass featured the first truly interactive World Map. Upon obtaining the Sea Charts it is possible to write on each, which is useful when notating warping symbols and directions. This map system carries on in Spirit Tracks, as Link obtains Rail Maps that will allow him to navigate the realms of Hyrule.

Dungeon Map
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. Before it is obtained, the map of the dungeon is only completed as new rooms are entered. Most often the mapscreen will automatically fill in rooms visited even before obtaining the dungeon map. On the map screen, rooms which have already been visited are shown in a different color from rooms which have not yet been entered.

Maps prove useful in finding hidden rooms of a dungeon. But with the map alone, Treasure Chests and the Dungeon Boss location are not shown. In order to make this information apparent, Link must first find the Compass.

Trivia
In Ocarina of Time, the dungeon map artwork when it is grabbed out of a treasure chest always shows a map of Dodongo's Cavern.