The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess: Difference between revisions

{{Nav Icon|File:TPHD Ancient Sky Book Icon.png|Twilight Princess Translations|Translations}}

{{Hatnote|This article is about the game. For other uses, see [[Twilight Princess (Disambiguation)]].}}

{{Infobox Game

|image= [[File:TP English Logo.png|250px]][[File:Twilight Princess GCN US boxart.jpg|250px]]

|designer= {{List|

[[Eiji Aonuma]] (director),

[[Shigeru Miyamoto]] (producer),

[[Takashi Tezuka]] (supervisor),

Toshihiko Nakago (supervisor),

[[Koji Kondo]] (sound composer),

[[Toru Minegishi]] (sound composer),

{{nw|Asuka Ohta}} (sound composer),

[[Mahito Yokota]] (sound composer),

{{wp|Michiru Oshima}} (sound composer),

|released= '''Wii'''

{{Release

|US= November 19, 2006<ref name="E 7">{{Cite Book|quote= |book= E |publisher= |page= 7}}</ref>

|JP= December 2, 2006<ref name="E 7"/>|UK= December 8, 2006<ref>{{Cite Web|retrieved=July 12, 2013 |url=http://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Wii/The-Legend-of-Zelda-Twilight-Princess-283542.html |title=<nowiki>The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess | Wii | Games | Nintendo</nowiki> |site=Nintendo}}</ref>

|AU= December 7, 2006<ref>{{Cite Web|retrieved=July 12, 2013 |url=http://web.archive.org/web/20061206103122/http://games.nintendo.com.au/index.php |title=Game Library |site=Nintendo Australia |type=archive}}</ref>

|KR= August 27, 2009<ref>{{Cite Web|retrieved=July 12, 2013 |url=http://nintendo.co.kr/Wii/software/zelda_tp/main.php |title=젤다의 전설 황혼의 공주 |site=Nintendo of Korea}}</ref>}}

'''Nintendo GameCube'''

{{Release

|US= December 11, 2006<ref name="E 7"/>

|JP= December 2, 2006<ref name="E 7"/>

|UK= December 15, 2006<ref>{{Cite Web|retrieved=July 12, 2013 |url=http://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Nintendo-GameCube/The-Legend-of-Zelda-Twilight-Princess-269050.html |title=<nowiki>The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess | Nintendo GameCube | Games | Nintendo</nowiki> |site=Nintendo}}</ref>

|AU= December 14, 2006}}

 

'''NVIDIA Shield TV'''

 

{{Release

|CN= December 5, 2017<ref>{{Cite Web|quote= |author= NVIDIA |published= December 5, 2017|retrieved= December 6, 2017|url= https://www.nvidia.com/zh-cn/shield/read-more/ |title= NVIDIA SHIELD 正式登陆中国|site= NVIDIA|type= }}</ref>}}

|ratings= {{List|

{{Game Rating|ESRB|T}},

{{Game Rating|PEGI|12+}},

{{Game Rating|CERO|B}},

{{Game Rating|ACB|M}},

{{Game Rating|USK|12}},

{{Game Rating|ClassInd|10}},

{{Game Rating|GRAC|12}},

|platform= {{List|[[Nintendo GameCube]], [[Wii]], ''{{Wp|NVIDIA Shield}}'' {{Small|(China)}}}}

'''''The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess''''' is the thirteenth main installment of {{TLoZ|Series}}, released for both the [[Nintendo GameCube]] and [[Wii]]. It was highly anticipated by many members of the gaming community and was regarded as finally fulfilling the dreams of those who wanted a much more realistic and mature ''Zelda'' game, as seen in the [[SpaceWorld 2000 GameCube Tech Demo]]. It is the first, and so far only, ''Zelda'' game to be rated T by ESRB, and the first to be rated 12+ by PEGI, with rating descriptors including "animated blood" and "fantasy violence". The game is also notable for being the first console ''Zelda'' title released in the United States before Japan, as the Wii version was released in America on November 19, 2006, whereas the Japanese versions were released on December 2. Because of this, {{TP|-}} was one of the launch titles for the [[Wii]] alongside ''Wii Sports'' in the United States.

During a [[Nintendo Direct]] on November 12, 2015, a remaster of the game for [[Wii U]] called {{TPHD}} was announced, and was later released in March 2016. On December 5, 2017, {{TP|-}} was released on the NVIDIA Shield TV exclusively in China.

[[File:TP Artwork.png|left|thumb|300px| Official illustration presenting the epic and dramatic style of {{TP|-}}]]

[[Link]], a young adult, is a ranch worker in [[Ordon Village]] in the [[Ordona Province]] of [[Hyrule]].<ref>{{Cite|Are you going to close down the ranch for the day?|Sera|TP}}</ref><ref>{{Cite|What's the matter? Aren't you going to help out at the ranch?|Ilia|TP}}</ref> His mentor [[Rusl]] asks him to present a gift to the [[Royal Family of Hyrule]] in his stead.<ref>{{Cite|But enough talk of sadness... I have a favor to ask of you, Link. I was supposed to deliver something to the royal family of Hyrule the day after tomorrow... Yes, it was a task set to me by the mayor, but... would you go in my stead?|Rusl|TP}}</ref> The following day, Link teaches the Village children {{Term|TPHD|Beth|link}}, [[Malo]], and [[Talo]] how to use a [[Slingshot]] and a [[Sword]]. Talo spots a [[Monkey]] and proceeds to chase it into [[Faron Woods]]. Link and the rest of the children give chase.<ref>{{Cite|Link, did you find Talo? Sounds like the monkeys caught him, not the other way around!|Beth|TP}}</ref> Link ventures deep into the Woods and finds Talo and the Monkey trapped in a cage surrounded by [[Bokoblin]]s.<ref>{{Cite|She's actually a pretty nice gal, that monkey... She tried to protect me, so we got captured together.|Talo|TP}}</ref> He defeats the creatures and frees the pair.<ref>{{Cite|If you hadn't come, Link... Gee, me and that monkey would've gotten eaten, probably!|Talo|TP}}</ref> They head back to the Village, and Rusl tells Link that he will depart for Hyrule the following day.<ref>{{Cite|Tell me, have you noticed how strange this wood seems lately? I feel... uneasy about what may lie in wait... Anyway, Link... Tomorrow is finally the day. You will be departing for Hyrule.|Rusl|TP}}</ref> The next day, Link finishes his Goat-herding duties with his [[Horse]], [[Epona]] before he prepares to leave. However, his childhood friend [[Ilia]] discovers that Epona's leg is injured, and scolds Link for hurting her.<ref>{{Cite|Link! How could you! You were pushing Epona too hard again! I bet you hurt her leg jumping fences, didn't you!|Ilia|TP}}</ref> She proceeds to take Epona to the [[Ordon Spring]] to heal her leg. Link follows her, and [[Colin]] tells her how Link saved Talo the day before. Ilia tells Link not to worry about his Horse and asks him to promise her to come home safely.<ref>{{Cite|So you still prefer your master over me, huh, Epona? Don't worry about your horse, Link. Fortunately, it looks like the injury isn't too serious. You two can go on together. But, Link... Can you at least promise me this? No matter what happens on your journey, don't try to do anything... out of your league. Please. Just come home safely.|Ilia|TP}}</ref>

Midna returns Link to the World of Light. She tells Link that he cannot revert to his Human form yet,<ref>{{Cite|Oh, that's right. I forgot to mention one thing... Though you may have left the darkened realm, you haven't transformed back to your former self... and you won't anytime soon!|Midna|TP}}</ref> and that he needs her cooperation to save his friends.<ref>{{Cite|Listen, there's another thing I forgot to tell you... Don't think you can just run off and save your friends, because you can't. Just beyond that bridge, the land is covered in twilight. Last time, a shadow beast pulled you through the curtain of twilight... But if you want to go that way this time, you'll need the cooperation of someone FROM the twilight...like me! So you really have no choice but to do what I say.|Midna|TP}}</ref> In his Wolf form, Link returns to Ordon Village to find it infested with Bulblins. He acquires the [[Ordon Sword|Sword]] intended for the Royal Family,<ref>{{Cite|I'll be fine. The sword we were goin' to present to the royal family should still be at Rusl's house.|Mayor Bo|TP}}</ref> along with a [[Ordon Shield|Shield]] from the Village. Before Link returns to the wall of Twilight, he is summoned by [[Ordona (Spirit)|Ordona]], the Spirit of Ordon Spring and one of the four [[Spirits of Light]] who preside over Hyrule. Ordona explains to Link that its fellow Light Spirits were slain and robbed of their light by Shadow Beasts, turning Hyrule into a Twilight-covered netherworld.<ref>{{Cite|My brethren in Hyrule have already had their light stolen by these fell beasts. The entire kingdom has been reduced to a netherworld ruled by the cursed powers of darkness.|Ordona (Spirit)|TP}}</ref> Ordona tells Link that he must restore the light to Hyrule to regain his original form and abolish the Twilight from the land.<ref>{{Cite|To save this land from the king of twilight, the lost light must be recovered. The three light spirits who have lost their light must be revived. There is but one who can revive them and redeem this land... You.|Ordona (Spirit)|TP}}</ref> Link returns to the Twilight-covered Faron Woods and finds [[Faron (Spirit)|Faron]], another one of the four Light Spirits. Faron tells Link that he must recover its [[Tears of Light]] from the [[Shadow Insect|Insects of Darkness]] that stole them to rid the Woods of the Twilight.<ref>{{Cite|Blue-eyed beast... Look... for my light... Retrieve the light stolen by the dark beasts...and keep it...in this vessel. ...Find...the insects of darkness... The dark insects... They are the form taken by evil... once it has latched on to...our scattered light...|Faron (Spirit)|TP}}</ref> Link does so, and is restored to his Human form. Link finds himself wearing the [[Hero's Clothes]], the same tunic that belonged to the chosen hero of the gods in years past.<ref>{{Cite|Look at your awakened form... The green tunic that is your garb once belonged to the ancient hero chosen by the gods... His power is yours. His is the true power that slept within you. Your name is Link. You are the hero chosen by the gods.|Faron (Spirit)|TP}}</ref> Faron tells Link that his transformation into a Wolf was a sign that he is the chosen hero of the gods.<ref>{{Cite|In the land covered in twilight, where people roam as spirits, you were transformed into a blue-eyed beast... That was a sign... It was a sign that the powers of the chosen one rest within you... and that they are awakening.|Faron (Spirit)|TP}}</ref> He explains that a [[Fused Shadow|dark power]] lies in the [[Forest Temple]] deep in Faron Woods, and that Link must obtain it to match the power of the [[Zant|King of Shadows]].<ref>{{Cite|A dark power rests in the temple deep within these woods. It is a forbidden power. Long, long ago, I and the other spirits of light locked it away. Because of its nature, it is a power that should never be touched by any who dwell in the light. But this world weeps beneath a mantle of shadows, and so there is no choice... You must match the power of the king of shadows.|Faron (Spirit)|TP}}</ref> Link makes his way through the Forest Temple, defeats the monstrous [[Diababa]], and acquires the dark power Faron spoke of, the [[Fused Shadow]]. Midna tells Link that there are two other Fused Shadows in Hyrule, and urges him to find them.<ref>{{Cite|Eee hee hee! Well done! That's...what I was looking for. That's a Fused Shadow. It's what the light spirit called dark power... Do you remember what that spirit said? About how you had to match the power of the king of shadows? Could it really be so easy? Is this all there is to it? Eee hee hee! There's a total of three Fused Shadows. I think the other light spirits have the rest... If you want to know exactly what Fused Shadows are... Well, maybe I'll tell you if you find the other two. I guess you'd better do your best to find them, huh? Eee hee hee!|Midna|TP}}</ref>  

Link travels east to [[Eldin Province]], which has been smothered in Twilight. He ventures to Kakariko Village, where he finds the Light Spirit, [[Eldin (Spirit)|Eldin]]. Once again, Link must collect the Tears of Light around the Village to restore the light to Eldin Province.<ref>{{Cite|...The insects of darkness... They are the form taken... by the evil that attached itself... to my scattered light... In this shadowy twilight... the shadow insects are invisible, much as the people from your light world are... With the last of my power... let me mark your map... with the locations... of the tears that have turned into... shadow insects...|Eldin (Spirit)|TP}}</ref> He does so, and reunites with the children of Ordon Village, who had been taken to Kakariko. Link also meets the Village Shaman, [[Renado]], who tells him that they are having trouble with the [[Gorons]] of [[Death Mountain]]. For some reason, the Gorons have become hostile towards the humans and refuse to grant them entry into their [[Goron Mines|Mines]].<ref>{{Cite|The dark beasts attacked, but even worse was the sudden and inexplicable change in the mountain-dwelling Goron tribe. They had long been our friends, but suddenly treated us as foes. Even now they refuse to permit us entry into their mines.|Renado|TP}}</ref> Renado mentions that [[Mayor Bo]], the Mayor of Ordon Village and Ilia's father, should know how to best the Gorons.<ref>{{Cite|But... I do know one person who was able to best them and earn their trust... His name is Bo. You may know him as the mayor of your hometown, Ordon.|Renado|TP}}</ref> Suddenly, Epona rushes into the Village, but she has become wild and nearly tramples Link. Link manages to calm her,<ref>{{Cite|Hmm... You're not too shabby a wrangler after all! Won't this make getting back to your town a lot easier? Now go finish your errand so we can get back! Get a move on!|Midna|TP}}</ref> and rides her back to Ordon Village to meet with Bo. Bo reveals that he earned the Gorons' trust by defeating them in a [[Sumo Wrestlin']] match using his [[Iron Boots]],<ref>{{Cite|Well, it's true... I did defeat the Gorons in a contest of strength and earned their trust. ...With the help of a little secret.|Mayor Bo|TP}}</ref> which he gives to Link.<ref>{{Cite|You can probably tell, those boots are made of iron, lad. Whoever wears 'em won't easily be pushed around... even by a Goron. If you're fixin' to fight a Goron, be sure to wear those boots. ...Let's be square, though, lad: You can't ever tell ANYONE about those boots! 'Specially Renado!|Mayor Bo|TP}}</ref> Link returns to Kakariko Village, only to find that Colin has been kidnapped by the Bulblins' leader, [[King Bulblin]]. Link and Epona chase the monster and his minions into [[Hyrule Field]], and a horseback battle ensues. The chase continues onto the [[Bridge of Eldin]], and Link knocks King Bulblin off the Bridge and rescues Colin. The hero scales Death Mountain and bests the Goron elder, [[Gor Coron]] in a Sumo match using his Iron Boots. The elder proceeds to tell him that the Goron patriarch, [[Darbus]], has fallen victim to the dark power of another Fused Shadow. It turned him into a monster, and the elders were forced to seal him inside the mountain.<ref>{{Cite|But the moment Darbus reached out and touched the treasure... everything went wrong. He collapsed... and before our eyes transformed into an unspeakable monster! He began to rage through the mines, trailing ruin behind him... and the eruptions grew more frequent and more severe. We used all of our strength to seal him deep inside the mountain... It... grieved us to do this to our patriarch... but we had no other course of action.|Gor Coron|TP}}</ref> He requests that Link enter the Goron Mines and aid Darbus.<ref>{{Cite|I ask this favor of you, young warrior... Go to the aid of Darbus! Make no mistake, the spirits have guided you here. I, Gor Coron, need your help... On behalf of our entire clan, I ask you for your aid!|Gor Coron|TP}}</ref> Link ventures deep into the Mines and finds Darbus, who has transformed into a [[Fyrus|monster engulfed in flames]]. Link defeats him and acquires the Fused Shadow that possessed him. After this, Midna tells Link that the King of Twilight's name is [[Zant]],<ref>{{Cite|Hmm... You know, you've been very helpful so far, so as a reward, I'll tell you an interesting story. Zant. That's the name of the King of Darkness who cast this pall of shadows over your world.|Midna|TP}}</ref> and declares that she opposes his power.<ref>{{Cite|But Zant will never be my king! I have nothing but scorn for his supposed strength.|Midna|TP}}</ref> The relationship between the Gorons and humans of Kakariko Village is mended, and they are on friendly terms again.

Link travels north to the Twilight-covered [[Lanayru Province]]. He heads to [[Hyrule Castle Town]], where he finds Ilia in [[Telma's Bar]] with a sick [[Zora]] child named [[Ralis]]. Link learns that [[Lake Hylia]] is facing a severe drought because no water is flowing from its source, [[Zora's Domain]]. He heads up [[Zora's River]] with the help of the [[Twilit Carrier Kargarok]], and finds Zora's Domain frozen. He and Midna ascend to the throne room and discover a large number of Zoras trapped beneath the ice.<ref>{{Cite|Those... Those are the Zoras! Wow... This is really strange... What in the world happened?|Midna|TP}}</ref> They warp back to Death Mountain and transport a giant volcanic rock to Zora's Domain to thaw out the Zoras and restore the water flow to Lake Hylia. Before they leave, the spirit of the Zora Queen [[Rutela]] thanks them for saving the Zoras.<ref>{{Cite|Please, you must allow me to thank you for revitalizing both my people and this spring, which is the water source for all the lands of Hyrule.|Rutela|TP}}</ref> She reveals that Shadow Beasts attacked Zora's Domain and executed her.<ref>{{Cite|The dark ones... They raided this village and, as a message to my people, executed me before them.|Rutela|TP}}</ref> She sent her son, Prince Ralis, to Hyrule Castle to inform Princess Zelda of their tribe's fate, but fears that something terrible happened to him.<ref>{{Cite|When the dark ones descended upon our village, I sent my young one, Ralis, to Hyrule Castle to inform Princess Zelda of our fate. But... I fear danger followed him from this doomed place. I feel it. His presence grows fainter to me over time...|Rutela|TP}}</ref> Rutela requests Link to save Ralis and promises to grant him the [[Zora Armor|power to swim and respire in very deep water]] in return.<ref>{{Cite|Please... Would you save my dearest, Prince Ralis? If you do this thing, I will bestow upon you the protection of water. This power will grant you the ability to swim and respire in very deep water as if you were a Zora. Please... Save my son...|Rutela|TP}}</ref> Link and Midna ride the flow of Zora's River down to Lake Hylia and meet the final Spirit of Light, [[Lanayru (Spirit)|Lanayru]]. Link collects the Spirit's Tears of Light to restore the light to Lanayru Province, eliminating the last of the Twilight from Hyrule. Lanayru informs Link that the final Fused Shadow rests beneath Lake Hylia and proceeds to tell Link a story about [[Interlopers]] who attempted to rule the [[Sacred Realm]]. These individuals had mastered powerful magic and tried to control the Sacred Realm with it, but the Goddesses ordered the Spirits of Light to intervene.<ref>{{Cite|Among those living in the light, interlopers who excelled at magic appeared. Wielding powerful sorcery, they tried to establish dominion over the Sacred Realm. It was then that the goddesses ordered us Light Spirits to intervene.|Lanayru (Spirit)|TP}}</ref> The Spirits sealed away the Interlopers' powerful magic into the Fused Shadow and banished them to the [[Twilight Realm]].<ref>{{Cite|We sealed away the great magic those individuals had mastered. You know this magic... It is the dark power you seek... The Fused Shadow.|Lanayru (Spirit)|TP}}</ref> Lanayru warns Link not to be ruled by power and reiterates that the final Fused Shadow lies in the [[Lakebed Temple]] at the bed of Lake Hylia.<ref>{{Cite|O hero chosen by the goddesses... Beware... Those who do not know the danger of wielding power will, before long, be ruled by it. Never forget that... The dark power that you seek is within the sleeping Lakebed Temple in Lake Hylia...|Lanayru (Spirit)|TP}}</ref>

Link returns to Telma's Bar in Castle Town to reunite with Ilia, but finds that she has lost her memory and is distraught over Ralis' illness. [[Telma]], the owner of the Bar, tells Ilia that she has heard of a [[Renado|Shaman]] in Kakariko Village who treats Gorons and Zoras.<ref>{{Cite|That old coot reminded me, though... I've heard of a shaman in Kakariko Village, in the Eldin lands, who's tended Gorons and Zoras.|Telma|TP}}</ref> Link agrees to escort the trio to Kakariko Village. King Bulblin is revealed to have survived his fall off of the Bridge of Eldin, and Link once again battles him on the way to Kakariko, knocking him off the [[Great Hylian Bridge]]. After crossing Hyrule Field and [[Kakariko Gorge]] and evading scores of monsters along the way, the group reaches Kakariko Village. Ralis is left in the care of Renado and the children, and Telma states that she will stay in Kakariko Village for the time being.<ref>{{Cite|I may just stay here a bit longer. I'm still worried about Ilia, and... Well, never mind about the rest.|Telma|TP}}</ref> After Telma leaves, Rutela's spirit appears to Link again and motions for him to follow her to Kakariko Village's Graveyard. She thanks Link for bringing her son to Kakariko Village and fulfills her promise to him by revealing the Zora Armor beneath her husband [[King Zora]]'s grave.<ref>{{Cite|That which I have promised you is within this grave. During his lifetime, my husband created garments specifically for the chosen hero, garments that house the abilities of the Zora.|Rutela|TP}}</ref> Rutela asks Link to tell Ralis that she wants him to not grieve her death and live on as king of the Zoras, and that she loves him unconditionally.<ref>{{Cite|Now, at last, I can join the king in slumber. And yet... my son... He still knows nothing of my death. If you see him again, please pass on this message... Tell him he must not grieve his mother's passing. Tell him she wanted him to be brave and live on as the king of our people. And... Tell him his mother... loves him without end. Tell him...|Rutela|TP}}</ref> After this final request, Rutela joins her husband in the afterlife. Link heads to Lake Hylia with the Zora Armor and descends to the Lakebed Temple. After solving many puzzles in the dungeon, he defeats the aquatic creature [[Morpheel]] and acquires the final Fused Shadow.

With all of the Fused Shadows in their possession, Link and Midna warp back to [[Lanayru Spring]], where [[Zant]] ambushes the duo. He takes the Fused Shadows,<ref>{{Cite|Did you honestly mean to take an ancient and withered power like this and turn it against me? You are a foolish traitor, Midna. Why do you defy your king?|Zant|TP}}</ref> critically injures Midna and casts a curse on Link with a [[Shadow Crystal]] that traps him in his Wolf form. Lanayru warps the duo to Hyrule Field to save them, and tells Link to head to Hyrule Castle to meet with Princess Zelda, who should know how to break the curse that Zant placed on him.<ref>{{Cite|Link, hero chosen by the goddesses... Go to the princess locked away in the castle. That princess holds the key that can unlock you from your shadow form...|Lanayru (Spirit)|TP}}</ref> Trapped in Wolf form, Link carries a dying Midna on his back and brings her inside the Castle to Zelda. Midna weakly tells Zelda that she needs Link to save Hyrule and asks her how his curse can be broken.<ref>{{Cite|Please... Please tell me... How do we break... the curse on this one? This... is the one... You need him... to save your world!|Midna|TP}}</ref> Zelda tries to break his curse with the power of her [[Triforce of Wisdom]], but to no avail. She concludes that Link is bound by an evil power that prevents him from transforming back into his Human form.<ref>{{Cite|What binds him is a different magic than what transformed him when he first passed the curtain of twilight. It is an evil power.|Princess Zelda|TP}}</ref> The Princess tells Link to head for the [[Sacred Grove]] to find the [[Master Sword]], the only thing that can break his curse.<ref>{{Cite|Head for the sacred grove that lies deep within the lands guarded by the spirit Faron. There you will find the blade of evil's bane that was crafted by the wisdom of the ancient sages... the Master Sword. The Master Sword is a sacred blade that evil can never touch. Evil cloaks you like a dark veil, and that blade is the only thing that can cleave it.|Princess Zelda|TP}}</ref> Midna is brought back from the brink of death when Zelda transfers her spirit to Midna's body.<ref>{{Cite|Despite your mortal injuries, you act in our stead... These dark times are the result of our deeds, yet it is you who have reaped the penalty. Accept this now, Midna. I pass it to you...|Princess Zelda|TP}}</ref><ref>{{Cite Book|quote=Once Princess Zelda's spirit, which remained inside Midna, was returned to her body, she defended Link using the Light Arrows.|book={{HH}}|page=117|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref> Zelda does this at her own expense, and her body disappears as a result. As the duo leave Hyrule Castle, a giant magical barrier is erected around it, preventing access to the Castle. Link and Midna travel to the Sacred Grove to retrieve the Master Sword,<ref>{{Cite|The sword accepted you as its master...|Midna|TP}}</ref> breaking Zant's curse and allowing Link to transform between his Hylian and Wolf forms at will.<ref>{{Cite|But on the other hand...if we kept it, you'd be able to transform into a beast anytime you wanted... Yes, since Zant was kind enough to give this to us, we should be thankful and use it all we can! If you need it, just call me. I want to keep a low profile, so I'll hide in your shadow when you're human, but I can change you whenever. You can be a wolf anytime you like! Also, thanks to this thing, you can warp whenever you want by switching into wolf form...|Midna|TP}}</ref>

After acquiring the Master Sword, Link and Midna venture to [[Gerudo Desert]] in search of the [[Mirror of Twilight]], an item required to travel to the Twilight Realm where Zant resides.<ref>{{Cite|Would you mind coming with me to find something called the Mirror of Twilight? It's hidden somewhere in Hyrule... Yes, the Mirror of Twilight... Our last potential link to Zant!|Midna|TP}}</ref> Along the way, Midna tells Link that she is a member of the [[Twili]], a tribe descended from the [[Dark Interlopers]] who were banished to the Twilight Realm.<ref>{{Cite|This is the history of the Twili as it has been passed down from our ancestors... Do you now understand what I am? I'm a descendant of the tribe that was banished to the Twilight Realm!|Midna|TP}}</ref> She tells him that Zant's evil power is foreign to the Twili and that he must have received it from an external source.<ref>{{Cite|It was a peaceful place... until Zant took control of the Twilight Realm and transformed all of the Twili into shadow beasts. It's clear to me now that he somehow gained a great evil power previously unknown to our tribe...|Midna|TP}}</ref> She urges Link to find the Mirror of Twilight, as it is their only path to Zant and the Twilight Realm.<ref>{{Cite|...But there's another tale told by my people. Though the goddesses forbade us to return to the world of light, they left one link between the light and the darkness. Something called the Mirror of Twilight was passed to the protectors of Hyrule... It's our only path to the Twilight Realm...and we must get there!|Midna|TP}}</ref> After fighting through [[Arbiter's Grounds (Dungeon)|Arbiter's Grounds]], Link and Midna discover the Mirror. However, they find that Zant had broken it into four Shards, with only one Shard currently in the Mirror's stand. The [[Sage]]s in the [[Mirror Chamber]] reveal that Zant received his power from [[Ganondorf]], a ruthless sorcerer who tried to establish control of the Sacred Realm during the [[Era of the Hero of Time]].<ref>{{Cite|You seek it... but the Mirror of Twilight has been fragmented by mighty magic. That magic is a dark power that only he possesses... His name is... Ganondorf.|Sage|TP}}</ref> The Sages reveal that they had sentenced Ganondorf to death for his evil deeds, impaling him through the chest with the [[Sword of the Sages]].<ref>{{Cite|In all of his fury and might, he was blind to any danger, and thus was he exposed, subdued, and brought to justice.|Sage|TP}}</ref> However, he had previously received the [[Triforce of Power]], which allowed him to survive the execution.<ref>{{Cite|Yet...By some divine prank, he, too, had been blessed with the chosen power of the gods.|Sage|TP}}</ref> He then used the power of the Triforce to break free from his chains, kill the [[Sage|Sage of Water]], and pull the Sword of the Sages from his chest, leaving behind a glowing wound that he still possesses. With the last of their power, the Sages activated the Mirror of Twilight and banished Ganondorf to the Twilight Realm. The Sages task Link and Midna with the duty of repairing the Mirror of Twilight and defeating Ganondorf.<ref>{{Cite|Only the true leader of the Twili can utterly destroy the Mirror of Twilight...so Zant could merely break it into pieces. Once broken by magic, the Mirror of Twilight became fragments, which even now lie hidden across the land of Hyrule. One is in the snowy mountain heights... One is in an ancient grove... And one is in the heavens... You who have been sent by the goddesses... You should be able to gather the three pieces... But you must be prepared, for a dangerous power resides in those fragments...|Sage|TP}}</ref>

Link consults Yeta, who tries to remember the location of the Key to the master bedroom. She gets the location wrong several times due to her illness, sending Link on numerous misadventures through the Ruins. Eventually, she finally gets it right and sends Link to the room where the {{Term|TPHD|Bedroom Key|link}} is located. Link collects the key, and Yeta greets him as he exits the room, having recovered from her illness by drinking Yeto’s soup. She offers to take him to the master bedroom where the Mirror Shard is located.<ref>{{Cite|Bedroom right above us. I take you there, uh.|Yeta|TP}}</ref> When the two approach the Mirror Shard, Yeta stares into it, commenting on the Mirror's beauty.<ref>{{Cite|Here...mirror. You look at it, uh... Uh... So pretty... Pretty... Uh... So pretty...|Yeta|TP}}</ref> The Shard corrupts Yeta and transforms her into the gigantic [[Blizzeta]],<ref>{{Cite|Pretty... Pretty...mirror... Lovely... NOT TAKE MIRROR!|Yeta|TP}}</ref> forcing Link to battle her. Eventually, Link defeats her, releasing her from the Mirror's influence. Link and Midna depart with the Mirror Shard as Yeto and Yeta share a warm embrace.

Ilia says that Impaz was awaiting the [[Heavenly Messenger]] who carries the [[Rod of the Heavens]], and that she has been guarding something for this Messenger, prompting Link to return to the Hidden Village. Link shows Impaz the Dominion Rod, and she gives Link the [[Ancient Sky Book]],<ref>{{Cite|From generation to generation, my ancestors have guarded the book that, by royal decree, was to be given to the messenger to the heavens. This is that book. Please, take it.|Impaz|TP}}</ref> realizing that he is the Messenger to the Heavens spoken of in legend.<ref>{{Cite|Ahh... Could it really be? Are you the messenger to the heavens?!|Impaz|TP}}</ref> Link returns to Renado's {{Term|TPHD|Sanctuary}} and shows the Ancient Sky Book to Telma's friend [[Shad]], who is investigating a mysterious statue in the cellar. Shad reads the word written in the Book, but it does nothing to the statue. Shad leaves in disappointment, but the Dominion Rod's power is restored, revealing the word to be a spell that imbues the Rod with magic.<ref>{{Cite|The writing in the book was a spell that imbued the staff with magic! Now you can do to the other statues what you did before...|Midna|TP}}</ref> Link sets out to recover Sky Writing characters from the [[Owl Statues]] across Hyrule.

Link and Midna return to the Mirror Chamber and restore the Mirror of Twilight with the Shards they collected. The Sages reveal that Midna is the original ruler of the Twili,<ref>{{Cite|I hope you can find it in yourself to forgive our carelessness... O Twilight Princess.|Sage|TP}}</ref> and that she had her power suppressed by Zant, who transformed her into her current imp form. As a result, Midna was forced to flee her people.<ref>{{Cite|As a ruler who fled her people, I'm hardly qualified to forgive you.|Midna|TP}}</ref> The Twili believed that the hero would appear in the Twilight Realm in the form of a divine beast,<ref>{{Cite|In our world, we've long believed that the Hero would appear as a divine beast.|Midna|TP}}</ref> and Midna thought that she could use Link to save the Twilight Realm from Zant, while remaining apathetic about the World of Light.<ref>{{Cite|That's why when I found you, I thought I could use you, Link. And I only cared about returning our world to normal... I didn't care what happened to the world of light, not at all.|Midna|TP}}</ref> However, after witnessing the immense courage and sacrifices of Link and Zelda, Midna developed a change of heart. She tells Link that they are now fighting to save both worlds, and the two use the Mirror of Twilight to enter the Twilight Realm.<ref>{{Cite|But after witnessing the selfless lengths that Princess Zelda and you have gone to... Your sacrifices... I now know, in the bottom of my heart, that I must save this world, too. There is no other way.|Midna|TP}}</ref> They make their way through the [[Palace of Twilight]] and encounter Zant. Zant tells the duo about how he was denied the Twili's monarchy,<ref>{{Cite|But would they acknowledge me as their king? No! And as such, I was denied the magic powers befitting our ruler.|Zant|TP}}</ref> and turned to a "[[Ganon|God]]," who gave him the power he needed to usurp Midna and take over as King of the Twili.<ref>{{Cite|It was then, in the thrall of hatred and despair, that I turned my eyes to the heavens...and found a god.|Zant|TP}}</ref> After announcing his master's wish to create darkness by merging shadow and light,<ref>{{Cite|My god had only one wish... To merge shadow and light...and make darkness!|Zant|TP}}</ref> Zant proceeds to battle Link. Link defeats him, and Midna regains the Fused Shadows. However, the curse that Zant placed on Midna does not break, since it was Ganondorf's magic that enabled him to curse her.<ref>{{Cite|Midna... Foolish Twilight Princess... The curse on you cannot be broken... It was placed on you by the magic of my god! The power you held as leader of the Twili will never return!|Zant|TP}}</ref> Zant reveals that Ganondorf has been reborn and claims that his master will resurrect him.<ref>{{Cite|Already he has descended and been reborn in this world... As long as my master, Ganon, survives, he will resurrect me without cease!|Zant|TP}}</ref> Midna uses the Fused Shadows to destroy Zant, and realizes that Ganondorf is responsible for the magical barrier over Hyrule Castle and is there now.<ref>{{Cite|So Ganondorf was just using Zant to help him return to the world of light... I guess now we know the true nature of that barrier over Hyrule Castle... He's in Hyrule Castle, I'm sure of it... Princess Zelda is in grave danger! We must return to the world of light and hurry to the castle!|Midna|TP}}</ref> They return to Hyrule and Midna uses the regained Fused Shadows to break the seal surrounding the Castle.

Link, Zelda and Midna return to the Mirror Chamber to say their farewells to each other. As she departs, Midna sheds a tear which shatters the Mirror of Twilight, breaking the only known gateway between Hyrule and the Twilight Realm, so that a tragedy like this doesn't happen again.<ref>{{Cite|Link... I... See you later...|Midna|TP}}</ref><ref>{{Cite Book|quote= |book=E|publisher= |page=274}}</ref> Link returns the Master Sword to the [[Pedestal of Time]] in the Sacred Grove, and the children of [[Ordon Village]] return home to their families. Link rides away with Epona to places unknown, equipped with only his Shield, while Ilia witnesses him leaving Ordon. At the very end, the throne room of Hyrule Castle is seen, revealing that the Castle was rebuilt.

The Wii version of the game is a mirror image of the GameCube version, meaning that East is West (and vice-versa) in the former version; this is to accommodate most Wii players being right-handed, while Link is often left-handed. Naming schemes for example for the East Street and West Street of Hyrule Castle Town are not adjusted.  

The Wii version uses the "point-and-click" feature of the Wii Remote as a "[[Fairy]]" cursor (an on-screen pointer modeled to look like a fairy), for accessing menus, and for using various tools such as the [[Hero's Bow]], [[Clawshot]], and [[Fishing#Fishing Rods|Fishing Rod]] (see Weapons, items and abilities); it uses the Nunchuk attachment analog stick for movement. In order to swing the sword which Link uses as a weapon, the player makes a slashing motion with the Wii Remote. A jab with the tilt-sensitive Nunchuk will cause Link to perform one of his secret moves, the shield attack. To use Link’s “spin attack” (a powerful attack where Link swings his sword circularly around himself), the player shakes the Nunchuk side to side horizontally.

As Link progresses on his quest, he can learn various {{Plural|TPHD|Hidden Skill|link}}, which improve his repertoire of sword attacks, and even expose new weaknesses on strong enemies. In addition, he also makes use of various items that appear for the first time in the game, as well as classic tools and weapons that, in one or another way, have been revamped to have secondary uses.

{{Lacking Sources}}

During development, {{TP|-}} was referred to as "{{TWW|-}} ''2''".<ref>{{Cite Web|quote= At the Game Developers Conference in March, Nintendo producer Eiji Aonuma met with select members of the press to talk about the next console installment in the Zelda franchise. At the time, the title now known simply as Legend of Zelda was still being referred to as "Wind Waker 2" and very few details about the adventure had been released.|author= IGN Staff|published= May 19, 2004|retrieved= November 11, 2018|url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100224055215/uk.cube.ign.com/articles/517/517033p1.html|title= The Legend of Zelda producer talks about the game, the franchise, the past and the future.|site= IGN|type= Archive}}</ref> Seeing fan demand for a realistic aesthetic, the developers took that direction and started "{{TP|-}}".<ref name="lotr2"/>

 

 

The game was first revealed at [[E3 Media & Business Summit|E3]] 2004 when [[Nintendo]] showed a teaser trailer of their new ''Zelda'' game to a small group, resulting in outrageous uproars from the viewers. When the ''Zelda'' community found out, many fans were extremely excited. Many were happy to see ''Zelda'' taking a mature turn, which, as opposed to the cartoony, cel-shaded art style of 2003's {{TWW|-}}, received a much warmer welcome. After ten months of silence from [[Nintendo]], a new trailer was finally revealed at the {{Wp|Game Developers Conference}} on March 10, 2005 to an eager audience.  

On September 13, 2006, it was revealed that {{TP|-}} would be a launch title for the Wii and would be released on November 19, 2006; the GameCube version would be delayed until December of that year, and would be the final Nintendo-published game on GameCube. In Japan, the Wii and GameCube versions had a simultaneous release in early December, although the latter was only available for purchase online.<ref>{{Cite Book|quote=(GameCube version sold online for a limited time.)|book={{HH}}|page=236|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref>

Music itself once again plays a role in {{TP|-}}, as in previous ''The Legend of Zelda'' games. While Link does not carry a musical instrument of any type until a late point into the game, he can pick grass from certain patches and whistle with it to call an animal, either a [[Hawk Grass|Hawk]] or [[Epona]], Link's horse (later on, an instrument shaped similarly to the grass used to summon Epona is given to Link and has the same effect as the aforementioned grass). Also, while as a Wolf, Link can howl near the same patches, to the same effect. When Link is in his Wolf form, there are seven [[Howling Stone]]s (including one with a Triforce symbol at the entrance to the [[Sacred Grove]]) located around the world where, after Link howls a certain melody shown on screen a few times, a White Wolf appears and jumps somewhere else in the world. Link must then change back to his Hylian form and find the Wolf to learn a hidden sword technique. The songs howled by Wolf Link are taken from {{MM|-}}, {{OoT|-}}, and {{TWW|-}}, with the exception of the final howling stone, which is the "bass" of the game's [[Hyrule Field Main Theme]].

Like previous ''Zelda'' titles, {{TP|-}} has a synthetic soundtrack. This allows the background music to be more dynamic, but the sound quality suffers. The fact that [[Nintendo]] had decided not to use an orchestrated soundtrack has been a point of criticism for the game. Koji Kondo, the lead composer for the game's soundtrack, originally stated that he "would really like to push for" the music to be orchestrated. Part of the full soundtrack (featuring the songs "[[The Legend of Zelda: Orchestra Piece #2]]", "Hyrule Field Main Theme", "[[Ordon Village]]", "[[Kakariko Village]]", "[[Death Mountain]]", "[[Midna's Theme]]", and "[[Ilia's Theme]]") is received when a Nintendo Power subscription is purchased (the subscription also comes with a game guide for {{TP|-}}). A soundtrack also is packaged with the Twilight Princess Collector Box, an exclusive item sold at Target stores. The soundtrack also features two bonus tracks. The first bonus track, known as "D.S. Trailer Pack", was the theme that was to be used instead of the present Hyrule Field Main Theme.

North from both Faron and Eldin is the [[Lanayru Province]], which houses the sources of water in Hyrule (namely [[Lake Hylia]], [[Zora's River]] and [[Zora's Domain]], the latter one inhabited by the proud [[Zora]] tribe), as well as [[Hyrule Castle Town]] (where most of the Hylians live, and where [[Hyrule Castle]] can be found); southwest from Lanayru (west from Faron) is the [[Desert Province]], entirely uninhabited except by monsters that overran [[Gerudo Desert]] and [[Gerudo's Fortress]], and where the long-fabled [[Mirror of Twilight]] lies a the top of [[Arbiter's Grounds (Dungeon)|an ancient dungeon]]; Northwest from Lanayru (north from the desert) is the [[Peak Province]], also entirely uninhabited except by monsters and the gentle [[Yeti]] race, and seen as the coldest region in Hyrule.

{{TP|-}} occurs some centuries after {{OoT|-}} and {{MM|-}}, due to a number of events which occurred in the days of the Hero of Time ({{OoT|-}}/{{MM|-}} [[Link]]), during what is known as the "Child Timeline". After defeating Ganon in {{OoT|-}}<nowiki>'</nowiki>s "adult ending", Link was sent back through time by Princess Zelda to relive his sacrificed childhood and divert the past Hyrule away from its terrible future. In the past, Link's knowledge of Ganon's plans led to his capture, following an unsuccessful invasion of Hyrule. Ganon was taken then by the [[Sage]]s to the [[Arbiter's Grounds (Dungeon)|Arbiter's Grounds]] to be executed.<ref>{{Cite|He was the leader of a band of thieves who invaded Hyrule in the hopes of establishing dominion over the Sacred Realm. He was known as a demon thief, an evil-magic wielder renowned for his ruthlessness... But he was blind... In all of his fury and might, he was blind to any danger, and thus was exposed, subdued, and brought to justice.|Sage|TP}}</ref> This event took place several years after {{OoT|-}}<nowiki>'</nowiki>s "child ending" and the events of {{MM|-}}.

===Speedrun Records===

<!-- NOTICE: To update completion records, please edit the Speedrun Records article (https://zeldawiki.wiki/wiki/Speedrun_Records). This table will automatically be updated with the records on that page. -->

===[[Locations in Twilight Princess|Locations]]===

The game was commercially successful and became a best-seller, with 5.82 million copies (Wii) as of 2011,<ref>{{Cite Web|quote= 5.82<br/>million pcs.<br/>sold|author= Nintendo |published= August 4, 2011|retrieved= September 2, 2017|url= https://web.archive.org/web/20111017182453/https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2011/annual1103e.pdf |title= Nintendo Annual Report 2011 |site= Nintendo Co., Ltd.: Investor Relations Information|type= Archive}}</ref> plus 1.32 million copies (GCN) as of March 31, 2007,<ref>{{Cite Web|quote= {{Exp|Life-to-Date Total, units in ten thousands|132}}|author= Nintendo |published= April 25, 2007|retrieved= January 27, 2012|url= http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2007/070427e.pdf|title= Supplementary Information about Earnings Release, Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2007|site= Nintendo Co., Ltd.: Investor Relations Information|type= }}</ref> sold worldwide. Considering only sales of the Wii version, it is the third best-selling ''Zelda'' game to date, after {{OoT|-}} and the original {{TLoZ}}. When the sales of both the Gamecube and Wii versions are combined, {{TP|-}} was the best-selling ''The Legend of Zelda'' game as of September 30, 2015 with cumulative sales of 8.85 million.<ref>{{Cite Web|quote= {{Romanize|『ゼルダの伝説』シリーズ最多の、世界累計販売本数885万本（※）を誇る『ゼルダの伝説 トワイライトプリンセス』が、フルHDとなってWii Uで甦ります。<br/><br/>※2015年9月30日時点のWii版とゲームキューブ版の合算値。自社調べ。|“Zeruda no Densetsu” shirīzu saita no, sekai ruikei hanbai hon sū 885 man-pon ( ※ ) o hokoru “Zeruda no Densetsu Towairaito Purinsesu” ga, furueichidī to natte Wii U de yomigaerimasu. ※ 2015-Nen 9 tsuki 30-nichi jiten no Wii-ban to GēmuKyūbu-ban no gassan-chi. Jisha shirabe.||3}} |author= Nintendo |published= n.d. |retrieved= September 2, 2017 |url= https://www.nintendo.co.jp/titles/20010000019307 |title= ゼルダの伝説 トワイライトプリンセス HD {{!}} Wii U {{!}} 任天堂 |site= Nintendo.co.jp |type=}}</ref> It was later surpassed by {{BotW}} with sales of the Switch version reaching 8.48 million copies sold as of March 31, 2018 and the Wii U version reaching 1.08 million copies sold as of March 31, 2017,<ref>{{Cite Web|quote= 8.48 million pcs.|author= Nintendo|published= April 26, 2018|retrieved= April 26, 2018|url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180426193642/https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/finance/software/index.html|title= Top Selling Software Sales Units|site= Nintendo IR Information|type= Archive}}</ref><ref>{{Cite Web|quote= For Wii U, while ''The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild'' was released worldwide in March and reached sales of 1.08 million units, the Wii U software sales volume during this period was 14.8 million units (46% decrease on a year-on-year  basis)  and  hardware  sales  were  in  alignment with  our  expectations  at  the  start  of  the  fiscal  year, decreasing to a sales volume of 0.76 million units (77% decrease on a year-on-year basis).|author= Nintendo|published= July 14,2017|retrieved= December 11,2017|url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180224185843/https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2017/annual1703e.pdf|title= Annual Report 2017 <small>for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2017</small>|site= Nintendo IR Information|type= Archive}}</ref> giving a cumulative total of 9.56 million copies sold. It is currently the second Best-Selling Zelda game, right behind ''Breath of the Wild''.

*Many properties of {{TP|-}} appeared in {{SSBB}}, including the models of Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf, the [[Bridge of Eldin]] stage, music, trophies, and stickers. This happens similarly with {{SSB4}}, counting again the models of Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf and having [[Midna]] as an Assist Trophy so far.

* {{TP|-}} is the first of four ''Zelda'' games to date where Japan uses the same literal subtitle as the rest of the world, the others being {{SS|-}}, {{BotW|-}}, and {{TotK}}. {{TLoZ}}, {{TAoL|-}}, {{FS}}, {{OoT|-}}, and {{MM|-}} all use the same title in English and Japanese, only not directly romanized.

*This is the first, and currently only, game where the [[Octorok]] enemies are absent.     

*This is the first game in which Link appears in Hylian form shirtless. This happens only when Link learns how to Sumo wrestle. He appears shirtless in {{MM|-}}, but in [[Deku Scrub]], [[Goron]], and [[Zora]] forms. The only other instance of this is in {{BotW}}, where Link can remove his clothing at any time.

*This is the first game that, when released, was available on two Nintendo consoles, with the second one being {{BotW|-}}.

*Like in {{TWW|-}}, but not {{OoT|-}}, the [[Iron Boots]] are treated as an item rather than an upgrade, and thus can be applied quickly rather than by pausing the game. However, {{OoT3D}} rearranged this by also turning the boots into an item.

*In his Wolf form, Link can talk to animals. Some of them even manage to recognize Link from his {{Term|TP|Hylian}} form, including Epona.

*If one has a save from the Wii version of {{TP|-}}, the {{Term|TP|Royal Crest|link}} is unlocked as a bumper sticker for Samus' ship in ''Metroid Prime 3: Corruption''.

{{Nomenclature}}

[[Category:3D Games]]

 

[[de:The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess]]