The Legend of Zelda series in popular culture

The Legend of Zelda series has had a large impact on popular culture. As a result, references to The Legend of Zelda series are abundant in film, television, literature, and other aspects of popular culture.

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

Robot Chicken
The Season 3 episode "Shoe" features a sketch based on the Zelda series. 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 film 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. Additionally, the "Fairy's Theme" is present during a dream sequence and Gideon's company logo is an inverted Triforce.

South Park
Both Link and Ganondorf appear briefly in the third and final episode of a three-part story arc known as "Imaginationland". Neither character has 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 The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.

Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
In the episode "Let's Go, Buddy", 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 that Viral's Japanese voice actor also voiced adult Link in The Legend of Zelda: 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 the episode "Child Fearing", the Mayor of Townsville can be seen playing a Zelda game (presumably Ocarina of Time, judging by the design of the heads-up display) on a Nintendo 64. The Mayor finds himself unable to navigate his way through a dungeon, and repeatedly damages Link by crashing into walls, and is unable to dodge a damaging trap. Eventually, the Mayor has Link inadvertently kill his own fairy, causing a Game Over.

The X Files
In The X Files, a beggar wearing green clothes and a hat identical to Link's appears. This is most likely a reference to the character.

World Wrestling Entertainment
In 2008, WWE superstar Cody Rhodes had a Triforce symbol on his wrestling boots as a tribute to the series. He discusses his fandom briefly in an issue of 'WWE Magazine.

The Awakening
This book by Kelly Armstrong 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.

Everlost
In this book 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.

Google
For a time, special versions of the Google logo 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 manga
The 1986 manga adaptation of Metroid 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 gets a Game Over several times while playing the game, and although she self-admittedly lacks skill, she vows to complete it before reaching her destination. She is unable to do so before she arrives at Zebes, however, and is frustrated she has to stop just as she has completed Level 4.