Has Zelda Ever Been A Playable Character

Few playable characters in gaming are as iconic as Link. The Legend of Zelda 's perpetual hero, Link was the franchise'due south sole playable grapheme for years. Even to this day, Nintendo holds firm that Link will remain the lead in mainline Zelda titles– fifty-fifty if he has to share the spotlight every now & again.

Commencement with Majora's Mask , The Legend of Zelda started to feature playable characters alongside Link– calculation some much needed multifariousness to the gameplay. Non all of Link's partners are created every bit, merely they each add something novel to their games.

x Kafei (Majora's Mask)

Information technology'south only fitting that the most eclectic & unique game in the franchise is also the first to introduce a playable graphic symbol parallel to Link. Kafei is the closest thing the Hero of Time has to a Terminan counterpart. A man transformed into a boy by the Skull Kid, Kafei's fare is eerily similar to that of Link's.

At the finish of his side quest, players will suddenly take control of Kafei alongside Link in order to solve Sakon's Hideout. Kafei's sections amount exclusively to timed block puzzles, but he sets an of import precedent for the rest of the series.

9 Seagull (The Wind Waker)

Following in Majora's Mask' due south footsteps, The Wind Waker makes sure to capitalize on multiple playable characters independent of Link– featuring the series' largest playable roster outside of Hyrule Warriors . Seagulls can exist controlled past using a Hyoi Pear, purchasable from Beedle.

Players never actually need to command a Seagull at any signal in the game, only they're tied to a few optional islands. Seagulls can likewise be used to fully scope out an isle from above, but this requires keeping Hyoi Pears on-paw over Bait which isn't exactly ideal.

8 Tower Servants (The Wind Waker)

Playing music is a staple of 3D Zelda with Ocarina of Time , Majora's Mask , and The Current of air Waker making particular employ of the mechanic. The Current of air Waker 'south Link ends up learning the Command Melody in the Belfry of Gods, a song which allows him to possess other beings– whether they exist divine AI statues or his ain friends.

The Command Melody is directly used to solve the Tower'due south many puzzles, Link moving the Tower Servants with his baton. Tower Servants are dull and locked to the basis, their progression requiring Link to clear a path beforehand so they tin can traverse with ease.

seven Medli (The Wind Waker)

Although The Wind Waker gives players the impression that the Earth and Wind Temples can be done in any order, Makar won't fifty-fifty spawn until Link has already escorted Medli through the Globe Temple and awakened her as a Sage. Like the Temple Servants, Link must play the Command Melody to command Medli, just she's actually quite fun to command.

Not but does Medli have her own personal Mirror Shield through her harp– calculation a brand new layer to Mirror Shield puzzles– she can really wing & glide, capitalizing on 3D Zelda 's verticality in a mode no other dungeon had before.

half dozen Makar (The Wind Waker)

It's fitting that The Current of air Waker 'due south final formal dungeon is the Air current Temple, but it'due south a set piece that's rather hit or miss. On one hand, it's the most in-depth and puzzling dungeon in the game. On the other paw, Makar is a fleck frustrating to control & he lacks Medli'due south charisma.

Not only is Makar pitifully tiresome and clunky, his weightless trunk means he'll easily get swept by current of air currents inside the dungeon. Players are meant to utilise these gusts of air current to their reward to move Makar around, merely he's by far the worst put-together character in the game.

5 Midna (Twilight Princess)

Navi and Tatl blur a line when it comes to control every bit Z-Targeting is framed through their models, but control stays firmly on Link when it comes to moving & fighting (both actions players can brand while targeting.) Midna in Twilight Princess takes this one stride farther by attacking in conjunction with Link.

Unlike Navi and Tatl whose actions are more than metaphysical, Midna is capable of techniques and attacks Link outright can't do when she's briefly incapacitated at the game's mid-bespeak. Midna'due south presence is as a part of Link's natural tool kit and non as a designated alternative playable character, only it's worth noting considering Twilight Princess uses its partner graphic symbol in a subtly mechanical style no other Zelda has.

four Gongoron (Phantom Hourglass)

As far every bit Zelda games go, Phantom Hourglass probably has the nearly gameplay gimmicks concentrated into one title. Betwixt touch controls, sailing, puzzles designed around the DS' literal architecture, and the Temple of the Ocean King, Phantom Hourglass is a daunting experience that at times but feels like Zelda superficially.

For what information technology'south worth, the game does accept compelling dungeon pattern. One of the last dungeons in the game, Goron Temple, features players controlling a young Goron– Gongoron– aslope Link to solve some low-cal puzzles. Interestingly, Gongoron set the foundation for Zelda'south inclusion in Spirit Tracks.

iii Princess Zelda (Spirit Tracks)

Along with bringing dorsum many of Phantom Hourglass ' main gimmicks, Spirit Tracks ' main selling point is the fact that Princess Zelda accompanies Link on his entire journey. While Zelda spends virtually of the game as a Phantom (more on that in just a bit,) she's a proper living existence at the start of the game.

It'southward non much gameplay, but Spirit Tracks features an early joint stealth section for both Link and Zelda while the latter is all the same alive. Not just do players get an opportunity to control Zelda before things to plow southward, it's a clever introduction to the dual graphic symbol mechanic that defines the game.

ii Phantom Zelda (Spirit Tracks)

Life doesn't cease at expiry for Princess Zelda, becoming a Phantom soon after the events of Spirit Tracks begin. Zelda spends the bulk of the game as a Phantom and it'south through this ways where Zelda gets to show off her usefulness & Spirit Tracks its most creative blueprint decisions.

Zelda's Phantom can possess different armored knights, allowing her not only to solve puzzles aslope Link just actually concur her ain in gainsay (to an extent.) Phantom Zelda isn't just Link'southward partner, she's Spirit Tracks ' full on co-pb.

one Groose (Skyward Sword)

For all of Skyward Sword 's faults, the game does exercise a very good job in balancing its main cast. Link is arguably at his most vibrant, his relationship with Zelda is the plot's driving forcefulness, and characters similar Fi & Groose develop considerably for non-leads. In the case of Groose, he's even briefly playable when confronting The Imprisoned.

During the 2nd and third Imprisoned fights, players volition be tasked with using the Groosenator to either attack the Imprisoned from afar or launch Link onto the beast. During these sections, players briefly take command of Groose as he repositions the Groosenator on Link's behalf.

NEXT: 10 All-time Legend of Zelda Games, According To Metacritic

Skyrim Player Points Out Weird Detail About the Game's Beggars