The Legend of Zelda series in popular culture

The Legend of Zelda series has had a large impact on popular culture. Thus, mentions of the Legend of Zelda series and characters are abundant in television shows, movies, and literature.

Captain N: The Game Master
This show is based on many Nintendo related games and features several episodes revolving around Link and Hyrule that features many locations, enemies and bosses from the earlier Zelda games including Moblins, Horsehead and Helmethead.

Robot Chicken
In season 3, there is an episode titled "Shoe" with a scene based on The Legend of Zelda. It references many aspects of the series, including the existence of multiple Links, the Triforce, Rupees, and rescuing Princess Zelda.

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
The movie opens with the intro music from The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, and the "fanfare" theme can be heard when Scott opens the door and Knives appears. Also, the Fairy Fountain theme is heard on a dream sequence and Gideon's company logo is an inverted Triforce.

South Park
Both Link and Ganondorf appear briefly in third and final episode of a three-part story arc known as "Imaginationland". Neither have any dialogue and only appear in the final battle between the good and evil imaginary characters. In the DVD commentary for the episode "Go, God, Go", creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone expressed their obsession over the release of the Nintendo Wii console (which serves as the catalyst for the two-part story arc) noting one reason being the release of Twilight Princess.

Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
In episode 26 when all the main characters are trapped in illusions showing their ideal realities the character Viral is shown wanting a wife and children. His wife heavily resembles Princess Zelda. This could be a reference to the fact the Viral's Japanese voice actor also voiced Adult Link in Ocarina of Time.

The Big Bang Theory
The Legend of Zelda, Ocarina of Time and Twilight Princess are among the many games stolen from the main characters in the episode The Bozeman Reaction.

The Powerpuff Girls
In one episode of The Powerpuff Girls, the Mayor of Townsville can be seen playing a Zelda game (presumably Ocarina of Time) on a Nintendo 64. The scene features Link and a fairy who are killed repeatedly by boulders and other dungeon-related traps from the series.

The X Files
Link had an appearance in The X Files as a beggar who wore green clothing and a green hat just like Link's.

World Wrestling Entertainment
In 2008, WWE superstar Cody Rhodes had a Triforce symbol on his wrestling boots as a tribute to the series.

Google
For a time, special versions of the logo for the Internet search engine, Google, created for holidays and events featured hidden Triforce symbols. These images of the Triforce were purposely integrated by Susie Sahim, the designer of the artwork who is also a fan of the series. For unknown reasons, the Triforce symbol no longer appears in recent artwork.

Metroid 1986 Manga
The 1986 Metroid Manga featured the main protagonist, Samus playing the original The Legend of Zelda on a Famicom. The Manga depicts her playing the game while in her spaceship traveling to the planet Zebes. She dies several times while playing the game and states she is not very good but vows to complete it before reaching her destination. When she does reach the planet Zebes she is angered that she must stop since she just finished Level 4.

Monopoly
The Nintendo Monopoly board game uses several characters from the Zelda series along with many other Nintendo characters to represent streets in the game. Link, Princess Zelda and Ganondorf are represented on Pennsylvania Avenue, North Carolina Avenue, Pacific Avenue. Images from various Zelda games can also be seen on the background of the board.

[[Wikipedia:The Awakening (novel)|The Awakening by Kelly Armstrong
The book The Awakening briefly mentions The Legend of Zelda series in chapter five. As Chloe walks into the room, she finds one of her friends from the Lyle House playing Zelda, as they call it.

[[Wikipedia:Everlost (novel)|Everlost by Neal Shusterman
One of the main characters, Lief, is playing a Game Boy, and as Allie walks in, he mentions that the game he is playing is stupid, and questions who this "Zelda" person is.