The Legend of Zelda holds a wealth of fascinating and hidden trivia that even the most completionist fans need to work to find. In the thirty-five years since the first game was released, Link has gone from two dimensions to three, from cartoon to dark fantasy style, and recently has ventured into open-world gaming. Each new iteration of Legend of Zelda from Wind Waker to the very first game brings something new and exciting to the table.
Despite the lack of consistency in the series in of plot or timeline, many Zelda audiences don't outright care so long as a good game is made for them to enjoy. Despite this, however, some eagle-eyed, die-hard players have dug up interesting tidbits over the years from aliens to secret rooms.
UFOs In Majora's Mask
Among the many strange occurrences in Majora's Mask, the UFOs that Link can find are far from what casual fans might expect from Zelda. When traveling to Romani Ranch on the first day, Link is told of cows being abducted at night by creatures known simply as 'Them'. He can offer to help defend the cows when they next appear, and if successful in repelling Them, can run Them out of the ranch.
These UFOs are surprising not just for their eerie and unique design, but also because they don't seem to belong to the same genre. It makes them distinctly sci-fi creatures in an ancient fantasy world.
There Are Multiple Timelines
One of the more confusing aspects of the Zelda series to unfamiliar players is the complex timeline in which the games awkwardly fit into. Zelda games often play on familiar elements; the Triforce, Ganondorf, Death Mountain, Kakariko village, but these characters and places are often reworked to varying degrees.
Many explanations of the Zelda canon will show a web of lines that sprawl out of Breath of the Wild is a sequel to all of them, essentially assuming that all different timelines are canon.
Cucco's Revenge Squad
Link may struggle against the main bosses of the series, including Demise, Ganondorf, and Twinrova. One of the toughest enemies in the entire series is impossible to defeat, albeit optional. When idly playing through some games, players may discover something when attacking a Cucco. While Cuccos can't be killed, if Link strikes them enough times it triggers a swarm of Cuccos that arrive to attack him.
This was first implemented in A Link to the Past, where a player would have to hit a Cucco thirty times before it would trigger the swarm. However, in Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask Link only needs to strike a Cucco three times, and when he does they won't stop attacking until he leaves the area or dies.
The Poe Collector Origins
Among the many great NPCs that Link can meet throughout the Zelda series, the Poe Collector in Ocarina of Time is one of the most mysterious. Adult Link meets him in the second half of the game, finding a figure with no distinguishable face, but instead a glowing red eye shining beneath his hood.
In addition to an already mysterious character design, what creates further intrigue about the Poe Collector is the soldier Link can find in the same room as a child. When talking to the bored soldier, he will reveal that "I'm really interested in ghosts! Studying them is a hobby of mine" which has led some to assume that he later becomes the Poe Collector.
Breath Of The Wild Ruins
Breath of the Wild contains several secrets and references to previous Zelda games, with many species, characters, and locations reappearing. Recycling iconography is a common feature in Zelda games, and so the return of some locations is to be expected.
While some locations are referential, like 'Kakariko Village', 'Zora's Domain', and 'Hyrule Castle', others are more subtle in their references. The Temple of Time is one location that appears as a ruined structure in the game's tutorial area. Another hidden location is Lon Lon Ranch, appearing on the map as 'Ranch Ruins'. The ruins have barely remained, with only a few pieces of wooden structure remaining, completely unrecognizable from the Ocarina of Time location.
The First Game In The Timeline
Before it was announced as canon that Skyward Sword was chronologically the first game in the Zelda series, there was much debate over whether it or The Minish Cap was the first title in the series.
The Minish Cap is indeed the first adventure Link has in Hyrule, and also it explains the origin of his green hat. Link's companion Ezlo closely resembles the iconic cap. Until 2011, this was the clearest candidate for the first game chronologically, however, Skyward Sword's narrative placed itself as the beginning of the Zelda mythos.
Mario Cameos In N64 Zelda
While the Super Mario and Zelda series are often quite separate entities, both in genre and story, there are a few Easter Eggs shared between the two games. Two of the more subtle Easter Eggs appear in Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask, where appearances from Mario characters can be spotted in Hyrule and Termina.
In Majora's Mask Mario's appearance is more obvious, with a mask of his face hanging off the back of the Mask Salesman. One Ocarina of Time easter egg appears in Hyrule Castle, were looking through one of the glass windows one can find portraits of Mario, Luigi, Bowser, Yoshi, and Peach. Even more subtle than this however is a brooch worn by the adult version of Malon that resembles the face of Bowser.
The 2007 Movie Pitch
While rumors and plans for a Legend of Zelda movie are constantly in circulation, whether computer-generated or live-action, Link and Zelda have still never made it onto the big screen. An animated TV series aired in 1989, but since then one of the closest things fans will see to a Zelda movie is the 2007 Pitch.
Imagi Studios, who provided animation for the CGI AstroBoy, produced a short pitch for what a Zelda movie would look like, running under two minutes. While seeing Link and Zelda outside of a game setting is certainly exciting, the 2007 Pitch is practically unheard of outside of fan circles and ultimately was never produced.
The Castle Graveyard
While the Castle Graveyard in Twilight Princess is already off the beaten path and is one area that many players won't discover, there remains a secret within this secret area.
One grave in this area can be inspected to read 'The cursed swordsman... sleeps before... the sacred tree', and while this provides a mechanical clue for the area's puzzle, many have theorized its relation to the wider narrative. The theory is that the "cursed swordsman" is the Hero of Time, with the "sacred tree" being about the Great Deku Tree which Link grew up near.
The Chris Houlihan Room
One of the most hidden rooms in A Link to the Past is a failsafe designed to hold Link whenever the game detects an error with the Y-axis. There are five different ways to access the room, mostly involving special items.
The player will find a room full of blue rupees and a telepathy stone that when interacted with will read: "My name is Chris Houlihan. This is my secret room. Keep it between us, ok?" Many have speculated who Chris Houlihan is, including one Reddit theory that speculates that he is the winner of a contest held in Nintendo Power magazine in 1990, where the winner would be programmed into an NES game. This is, of course, unconfirmed.
