The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (ゼルダの伝説 トワイライトプリンセス) is the fourteenth installment in the Legend of Zelda series, published by Nintendo for the Wii and Nintendo GameCube video game consoles.

Originally planned for release in November 2005, it was delayed by Nintendo so that the EAD staff could add more content and refine the game. The Wii version was released on the dates of the Wii launch in November and December of 2006. This makes Twilight Princess the first Zelda game to debut at the launch of a Nintendo console. The GameCube version was released in December 2006. Twilight Princess was called The Wind Waker 2 during its early internal development, but was changed to Twilight Princess as development progressed.

Twilight Princess is the first game in The Legend of Zelda series to be rated T by the ESRB, for fantasy violence and animated blood, though there were less graphic bloody situations in older 3D Zelda games. The game's story focuses on Link as he tries to prevent the Twilight Realm from engulfing Hyrule as both a human and a wolf with the help of a mysterious imp-creature named Midna. It is set after the events of The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, following the timeline created after the events of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and occurs parallel to The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, as confirmed by the director himself.

Plot
Set many years after the events of Ocarina of Time, Twilight Princess starts out in Ordon Village. Here, a young boy named Link lives a simple life, working as a ranch hand. One day, he is asked by Mayor Bo to deliver the Ordon Sword as a gift to Hyrule's Royal Family. However, on the very day he is supposed to make the delivery, due to circumstances beyond his control, enemies appear in the Spirit's Spring as Ilia is with Epona, and the rest of the children, and kidnap the children of the village; Ilia, Colin, Malo, Talo and Beth. These monsters also scare away his horse Epona. Link passes out and the entire world of Hyrule is covered in Twilight. He then regained consciousness and runs to the bridge, there he finds a large, dark wall. A Shadow Beast's arm becomes visible and pulls him through the wall. However, the Triforce symbol on Link's hands made him drop Link and run after Link was pulled through. Link turns into a wolf, and is taken to the dungeons of Hyrule Castle by another monster. Inside the dungeons of Hyrule Castle, he meets the strange imp-like Midna of the Twili race. After helping him out of captivity, the two team up to make their way out of the castle. After a dangerous ascent up the castle's towers, they meet Hyrule's Princess Zelda. She tells Link that, unbeknown to the rest of the world, the monarchy of Hyrule has been overthrown by Zant, a powerful Twili who calls himself the "King of Twilight". His plan is to cover the whole expanse of Hyrule in Twilight, merging Hyrule and his "kingdom", the Twilight Realm, into one land under his rule. Link and Midna are then transported back to the Ordon Province. Here, a strange voice from the Spirit's Spring beckons them to it. The spirit of Ordona, one of the Light Spirits, tells him that Zant has covered the provinces of Hyrule in Twilight and cursed the other light spirits. In order for Link to disband the Twilight, he must retrieve the Tears of Light to restore all of the Light Spirits of Hyrule. Midna also tells Link that in order to stop Zant, the Fused Shadows, ancient artifacts of great power, must be recovered.

Link enters the Twilight where strange monsters appear and the humans of the Light World appear as spirits, unable to see Link. After restoring Faron, the Light Spirit of the Faron Province, Link enters and defeats the enemies inside the Forest Temple, recovering the first Fused Shadow. He travels out of the Faron Province into the Eldin Province and enters the Twilight. He then finds the kidnapped children of Ordon Village in Kakariko Village. However, due to the fact that he is in the Twilight Realm, they cannot see him. After restoring the Light Spirit Eldin, Link reunites with the lost children. However, he discovers that Ilia is not among the children in the village. From out of nowhere, Link's horse Epona, scared and wild, dashes into the village, and after taming the distraught horse, she under Link's command once more. Renado, the shaman of Kakariko Village, tells Link that the Gorons of Death Mountain have recently been warding off outsiders. Link investigates this, and after winning the respect of the proud Goron people, the elder Gor Coron tells Link that the reason for the Goron's sudden distrust of people outside their race stems from an incident involving their patriarch, Darbus. Darbus and other Goron Elders had entered the Goron Mines to investigate the sudden change in the otherwise calm volcanic mountain. However, Darbus had touched the treasure the Goron had vowed to keep safe, the Fused Shadow, and had become a shadow monster. Link enters the Goron Mines, breaks the curse on their patriarch, and retrieves the second Fused Shadow.

Link and Midna enter the Lanayru Province, the last of the provinces covered in Twilight. With the help of Wolf Link's keen senses, they track Ilia's smell to Hyrule Castle Town. Here, they find Ilia in the care of Telma, a barmaid. The two have found the young prince of the Zora, who has fallen ill. Link eventually learns of troubles in Zora's Domain, and finds that Lake Hylia is nearly empty, and the cave where the Light Spirit Lanayru dwells is inaccessible. He travels north, to the source of Hyrule's rivers, and he discovers that the source has been frozen solid. Midna uses her powers to summon a huge fiery stone from the base of Death Mountain to the frozen water, effectively melting the ice. When this happens, the spirit of the executed Zora Queen, Rutela appears and tells Link of a treasure of the Zora that will allow him to enter the Lakebed Temple at the bottom of Lake Hylia. However, first, she requires that Link heal her son. Link approaches the Light Spirit and gathers all of the Tears of Light, disbanding the last of the Twilight.

The Light Spirit Lanayru tells Link about the Dark Interlopers, ancestors of the Twili. They had, with their powerful magic, tried to conquer the Sacred Realm and establish dominance over it. A war broke out, and, fearing their destructive power, the gods commanded three of the Light Spirits to seal away the Interlopers. They also created the Mirror of Twilight, an instrument with which to banish the wicked to the Twilight Realm, this mirror could be used as an entrance to the Twilight Realm as well. The two travel back to Hyrule Castle Town, but find that Ilia has lost her memory. Telma tells the pair that in order for the Zora prince to be healed, he must be taken to Renado, the shaman of Kakariko Village. They decide to transport him on a carriage through the dangerous route of Lake Hylia through southern Hyrule Field to Kakariko Village. Link, on his faithful mare, defends them and makes sure they make it safely back to Kakariko Village. After the prince is brought safely to the closed-down hotel, Rutela appears before Link once more and thanks him for his heroic deed. She shows Link a secret tomb in Kakariko Graveyard where the Zora Armor, which allows Link to breathe underwater, is stored. She gives him this and passes on. Link travels to the Lakebed Temple and retrieves the final Fused Shadow. However, when they are transported back to Lanayru's cave, Zant, the usurper King, appears and mocks their pathetic attempts at foiling his plans. After taking the Fused Shadows, he curses Link to remain in his wolf form and exposes Midna to Lanayru's light, mortally injuring the Twili. Link, carrying the dying Midna on his back, desperately makes his way back to Hyrule Castle to meet Princess Zelda, who is the only one with the healing powers to save Midna. Princess Zelda tells them that the only way to break the curse on Link is to travel to the Sacred Grove deep within Faron Woods and cleave the curse with the legendary Blade of Evil's Bane, the Master Sword, which lays sleeping there. Then, out of knowledge that Midna has the power to save Hyrule, she essentially sacrifices her own life to save Midna, bestowing her spirit upon the dying Twili, healing her in the process. They journey back to Faron Woods and after withstanding the trials of the woods, they finally discover the Sacred Grove. Link touches the sword and is restored to his human form. Midna explains that the only way to defeat Zant is with the Master Sword and the fabled Mirror of Twilight. They travel to the distant Gerudo Desert and ascend the Arbiter's Grounds. At the top of the desert structure, they discover the Mirror of Twilight; however, it has been broken into four pieces by Zant. The Ancient Sages, guardians of the Mirror, appear and show Link what had happened in the past. After committing some horrible crime, Ganondorf had been captured and brought to the Arbiter's Grounds to be tried. He was put on trial and found guilty, and was to be executed. However, due to the powers he received from being a chosen one of the gods, he survived the executioner's blade, rose to his feet, and killed the Water Sage. The remaining sages then sealed Ganondorf inside the Twilight Realm. The sages then tell Link that Zant had failed to destroy the mirror, which could only be destroyed by the true ruler of the Twilight. Distressed, Zant sent the three missing mirror shards to different corners of Hyrule, to be protected by his evil followers.

After retrieving the three mirror shards from the Temple of Time, Snowpeak Ruins and the City in the Sky, Link and Midna travel back to the Arbiter's Grounds and reassemble the mirror. They travel to the Twilight Realm and infuse the Master Sword with Sols, the Twilight Realm's equivalent of the sun. Armed with this new power, they invade Zant's Palace of Twilight. Here, it is revealed that Midna is the Twilight Princess; the destined ruler of the Twili. This only strengthens their resolve, and they confront the wicked usurper King, Zant. Zant reveals that he was next in line to become the true Twilight King, but Midna was chosen in his stead. This decision made Zant go into a crazed rage, and it was then that he met Ganondorf -- he told Zant that he was a god and could give Zant all the power he could ever want. However, this was a ploy of Ganondorf to help him regain his power. With his newfound power, Zant transformed Midna into an imp form and overthrew the banner of King of Twilight. After this revelation, a fierce battle between Link and Zant ensues. After a long and hard battle, Zant is defeated. However, he reveals to the pair that as long as his apparent god, Ganondorf, exists, Zant can be resurrected. Midna then uses her own power to kill him.

Now, with the power of the Fused Shadow restored, Link and Midna undo the barrier around Hyrule Castle and enter the castle. After battling through a horde of enemies, they find Ganondorf, in the flesh, sitting on the throne of Hyrule Castle with the lifeless body of Princess Zelda suspended in mid-air above him. The ever-confident Dark Lord possesses Zelda's body and attacks Link. Link eventually defeats the possessed Princess Zelda and Midna uses the power of the Fused Shadow to purge the Princess out of Ganondorf, at the same time restoring Zelda's life. Enraged, Ganondorf turns into the beast form of Ganon. Midna decides to fight him, and teleports Link and Zelda to the safety of Hyrule Field. From the field, Link and Zelda witness a huge explosion from the direction of Hyrule Castle. Suddenly, Ganondorf appears on his dark horse, holding Midna's helmet - indicating her defeat. He crushes the helmet and charges at Link and Zelda together with his phantom riders. However, before Ganondorf manages to slay them, Zelda uses her divine power to summon the Light Spirits. The spirits bestow upon her the holy Arrows of Light. Link and Ganondorf then battle each other on horseback. Ultimately, Ganondorf falls in battle, only to rise once more and challenge Link to a battle of swordplay. At the end of their duel, Link pierces Ganondorf with the Master Sword, but before he dies, Ganondorf has a vision of Zant's neck snapping, symbolizing that with his death, Zant is now forever dead as well.

With Zant's death, his curse on Midna, through Ganondorf's power, is broken, and she regains her true form. After their reunion, Link, Zelda and Midna travel to the Arbiter's Grounds in order for Midna to return to her own Twilight Realm by way of the Mirror of Twilight. She promises that they will meet again. However, with a tear, she shatters the Mirror of Twilight, forever sealing the only known entrance to the Twilight Realm. Its purpose in the war against Zant fulfilled, Link returns the Master Sword to the Pedestal of Time, and rides away to his home.

Animals
Animals play a big part in the game, giving information and hints to Link. In his wolf form, Link can speak to most animals in the game, including cats, dogs, and chickens, as well as his horse. In addition, some dungeons are animal-themed. Some of the animals that play a role are as followed:


 * Wolf Form: Link is also able to enter the Twilight Realm and transform into a wolf, much like his transformation into an anthropomorphic pink bunny rabbit when entering the Dark World in The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. Link is unable to use any weapons or items in this form, but will team up with Midna, who can provide him the ability to destroy several objects or enemies around him. As the Twilight gets pushed back, Link will regain his human form, altering Link and Midna’s partnership. However, once Link obtains the Master Sword, he can change his form at will, enabling him to make direct contact with Midna as well as warp.

New mechanics for riding include Link doing battle with his sword or bow while on horseback, and the possibility of being thrown from the saddle. Link can also throw bombs, throw the boomerang and use the Clawshot from horseback. If Wolf Link talks to Epona, she requests that he return to Hylian form.
 * Horses: In this game, the player can choose their own name for Link's steed, whose default name is Epona. Before obtaining a Horse Call item later in the game, Link summons Epona through means of blowing reeds called "Horse Grass".


 * Goats: In Ordon Village, Link made a living by herding blue goats, called Ordon Goats, into their pens for a rancher named Fado. If Wolf Link comes close to them, they scatter and if he gets close to Fado, they attack Wolf Link.


 * Boars: Similar to Epona's role, Link can use a Boar for transportation. Boars are also used to break through barricades with their "charge". However, they do not talk to Link while in his wolf form.


 * Birds: By blowing another form of reed called a "Hawk Reed", or by howling a melody in Wolf Form, Link can call a hawk. The hawk can be used much like the Gale Boomerang; Link can target objects, and send the hawk out to hit and retrieve (depending on the item) things from a distance. If Wolf Link howls on the grass in Ordon, the hawk that formerly attacked him apologizes and will tell Link if it sees hidden items nearby if you call it around Hyrule.


 * Fowl: As in the past games, Link can grab hold of Cuccos to hover for short distances. This enables him to access secret or hard-to-reach places he could not normally get to. Unlike previous games in which they were always white, some of the Cuccos are brown, and some are even grey. Additionally, while smacking Cuccos repeatedly once caused an army of Cuccos to swarm all over you in an attempt to kill you, in this game, doing so enables you to temporarily control the Cucco. There is a Cucco in the Hidden Village who leads a band of cats.


 * Felines: Cats in this game can be picked up and deposited for sheer amusement, or to keep them out of your way to complete the Hidden Village sidequest with less difficulty. In order to get the Slingshot, Link must return a cat to the shop lady in Ordon. A cat owned by the bar woman in Hyrule Castle Town, Telma, also plays a somewhat large role by helping you succeed in helping Midna when in bad condition, and by assisting you in gaining entrance to the City in the Sky. As with most animals, you can speak to them via Wolf Form to receive small hints and secrets.


 * Canines: Dogs seem to be in the game only to create a balance to the feline feature; they have no relevance in completing the game and only offer casual conversation.


 * Amphibians: There are several frogs and toads hopping and swimming throughout Ordon, although they offer nearly nothing but conversation, similar to the dogs.


 * Fish: Link must catch a fish for the Ordon shop owner's cat, sending her back home. Also, Link must catch a reekfish to recognize their scent and ultimately get to Snowpeak Ruins. There is a fish journal in the start menu which allows you to view which fish you caught and their size. You can't talk to fish.


 * Primates: Before entering and in the Forest Temple, Link must save monkeys to defeat a bewitched baboon named Ook, to receive the Gale Boomerang and defeat the boss, Diababa. The monkeys do so by holding hands and allowing you to swing with them across gaps. If you speak to the female monkey before going to get the Master Sword, she claims that you smell like the "green-clad prince" that saved her before.


 * Squirrels: There is only one squirrel you may talk to in the game, and you may only speak once. The squirrel merely informs you that you can talk to other animals.

Enemies
While some enemies from previous Zelda games return, there are also many new creatures. Enemy AI has also been improved since The Wind Waker. Some staple enemies return with a new appearance. Keese fly around to attack Link and are easily defeated, taking only one hit to subdue. They are seen in several dungeons, especially Arbiter's Grounds and the Forest Temple.

Another classic enemy in the Zelda series, Stalfos once again appear in Twilight Princess. A Stalfos is a walking skeleton, usually equipped with a shield and sword, and in most games they can be defeated by blocking their attacks and counter-attacking quickly before they can defend themselves. In Twilight Princess, it can only be defeated by destroying it's re-animating bones with an explosive or the Ball and Chain. Like the Keese, they have been given a new, darker and more detailed look. Related to the Stalfos are the Stalkin, which are about a foot tall and can effortlessly be beaten. They appear from the sand in Arbiter's Grounds and can be considered a weaker version of the Stalchildren in Ocarina of Time.

The classic Darknuts, who are in most Legend of Zelda games, can be found in the Temple of Time dungeon, Hyrule Castle and in the Cave of Ordeals.

Green skinned marauders, Bulblins, attack Link in various locations including (a new addition to the series) from the backs of Bullbos (giant boars) while he’s on horseback, in what is a new rendition of Hyrule Field. Link can ride the boars when their original riders are gone.

What appears to be a Skull Kid (from Ocarina of Time, one of which played a major role in Majora’s Mask) is present, seemingly in control of a group of lanky mannequins called Puppets Link battles in the Lost Woods. Link fights them twice- Once as a wolf while obtaining the Master Sword, and again while attempting to get to the Temple of Time. Afterwords, the fog in the Lost Woods clears and the Skullkid is not seen again.

The reptilian creatures Lizalfos and Dinolfos return from Ocarina of Time. These foes make appearances in a number of different places, particularly the Lakebed Temple and the City in the Sky. They fight with swords and shields, and some wear a sort of skull helm. These are called Skull Face Lizalfos. The other is an axe-tail Lizalfos (named for obvious reasons) and the armored Dinolfos.

In addition, the Dodongos make a return in the Goron Mines. While still reptilian, they appear somewhat different to their Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask counterparts. They now resemble lizards like geckos more than dinosaurs, and now have all four legs. They can be killed in the classic Dodongo fashion (slashing of the tail) or, for a quicker victory, and arrow can be shot into their mouths while they are readying their fire breath. In several places around Hyrule, Link is attacked by huge spiders. They are the new large Skulltulas. Their appearance is reminiscent of a Skulltula, although the skull is only a pattern on the abdomen, whereas the Skulltulas in the N64 games were smaller, could not walk on the ground, and had a skull-shaped armored carapace.

These spider-creatures are seen in the dungeon in the new gameplay footage. They hang from webs much like Skulltulas, and they may also leave their webs and attack Link from the ground. If the Skulltula is attacked with a projectile while dangling from its string, it will drop to the ground. Smaller Skulltulas are also found in the Forest Temple clinging to vines. They are instantly killed when attacked by a projectile weapon.

A new kind of foe, Twilight Beasts, which bear a disturbing resemblance to something out of Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos (or the Xel'lotath Guardians from the Nintendo classic they inspired, Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem), also play a major role in the game. Henchmen of Zant, they are seen falling from an odd portal in the sky. The last one alive will shriek, reviving its fallen comrades. Therefore, the last two must be killed simultaneously. After being defeated, their portals turn green and can be used as Warp Portals.

Seemingly new additions to the game are dragon-like birds seen flying in both normal Hyrule and the Twilight Realm. These are, in fact, a rather drastic visual update of The Wind Waker's Kargorocs. They are found fairly regularly, patrolling the skies of Hyrule Field and swooping in to attack Link whether he is on foot or horseback. Those found in the Twilight Realm are known, unimaginatively, as Twilit Kargorocs, and are shown to have just as much a disliking for wolves as they do Ordonians. When in the Twilight Realm, Kargorocs appear significantly more ragged-looking and have an odd face which resembles one of the Twilight Portals. They also have an odd, horn-like cry.

Bosses
There are many bosses in Twilight Princess, along with a mini-boss in each temple.

The mini-bosses are: the possessed Ook who is the leader of a group of monkeys, a large Goron, Dangoro, who is protecting the Hero's Bow; a large Deku Toad; an evil spirit, named Death Sword, that wields a giant sword, which Link himself released; a reptilian Ball and Chain knight named Darkhammer; an animated suit of armor known as a Darknut, and a dragon-like warrior, Aeralfos, a specter of Zant named Phantom Zant, and King Bulblin.

The bosses are: Diababa, the Twilit Parasite that infects the Forest Temple; Fyrus, the Twilit Igniter of the Goron Mines that is really the Goron's possessed patriarch Darbus; Morpheel, the Twilit Aquatic that can shape its body from water and the master of the Lakebed Temple; Stallord, the Twilit Fossil haunting the Arbiter's Grounds; Blizzeta, the Twilit Ice Mass that takes control of Yeta the Yeti in the Snowpeak Ruins; Armogohma, the Twilit Arachnid of the Temple of Time; Argorok the massive Twilit Dragon that controls the City in the Sky; Zant, the Usurper Twilight King; the possessed Zelda, Ganon's Puppet; Ganon, the Dark Beast; Ganondorf as a Dark rider and finally Ganondorf the Dark Lord.

Weapons and Items
The game features new weapons/items, and many classic Zelda armaments - some with new twists, such as the Gale Boomerang. This novel version of the series staple can create a small whirlwind capable of picking up items, including lit bombs, and delivering them to other locations, such as to an enemy or back to Link. It is also used to relocate manipulative bridges and to activate wind-powered switches. Link receives it not by opening a chest guarded by the miniboss, Ook, in the Forest Temple, but by picking it up after Ook leaves it behind.

The fishing rod also makes an appearance early in the game, it is acquired after retrieving a cradle for Colin's mother, she then gives to Link as a reward, the rod can be used mainly for fishing but can be used to get several bonuses.

A Lantern and Lantern Oil are also in the game, which is a first for a 3D Zelda game. The Lantern and an empty bottle were given by Coro free of charge, in hopes that Link would return to buy pricey Lantern Oil from him. Oil, however, is fairly common to find free, by means of both oil-filled buckets and yellow ChuChus who are composed of it. That and the sluggish amount of time it takes to completely drain the Lantern, makes buying oil from Coro nearly unnecessary.

Several more Bottles can be collected throughout the game, so many recurring elixirs and fairies can be stored at one time.

Iron Boots make their third debut in Twilight Princess. They are given to Link by Ordon Mayor, Bo, in order to win a Sumo match against Gor Coron, a highly respected Goron elder, as they make Link weigh more that normal. The boots also provide assistance by allowing Link to attach to magnetic surfaces and to activate strong switches.

The Hero's Bow once again makes its appearance in the Goron Mines. It is by received by defeating Dangoro, a heavily armored Goron unaware of Link's presence in the Mines. Unlike Wind Wakers tricky maneuvering with the Bow, Twilight Princess offers significantly easier control, especially with attachments like the Hawkeye, which can be bought from Malo in his Kakariko shop. Other Bow attachments include Bombs, which are sold to you by Barnes and are completely necessary for progress in the game.

To gain access to the Lakebed Temple, Link needs to buy Water Bombs, which are also sold by Barnes or a Zora near the Lakebed Temple. These bombs appear to be modeled after fish who dwell in the temple, who explode once provoked. Bomblings, who are crawling bombs (somewhat like Bombchus), can once again be purchased from Barnes. These bombs have no real purpose in the game, but can make killing enemies a much less strenuous task. However, at one point up the cliffs of the Zora domain, there is a boulder which is in front of a slant, making regular bombs difficult to use, as they just roll down. A Bombling is useful for this situation, but a Bomb arrow will work just as well.

In the Lakebed Temple, Link must kill a large frog, called a Deku Frog, and it's immature spawn to obtain a Clawshot, an item reminiscent of the Hookshot and Grappling Hook. It can be used to reach specially marked pads and to grab overhead switches. In the City in the Sky, a second Clawshot is rewarded by killing Aeralfos. This Clawshot in conjunction with the previous one allows Link to swing from pad to pad or from switch to switch.

Once Link downs Death Sword, a large spirit resembling a Poe, he can equip himself with the Spinner, a discus with stubs protruding out from it's sides to grip onto railings within walls. By spinning violently, Link can damage or kill enemies who threaten him.

In the Snowpeak Ruins, Link must kill a multi-eyed creature blocking an entrance, which possibly contains assistance in reaching a Mirror Shard. He does so via cannon, and encounters Darkhammer, a large armored beast clumsily swinging around a Ball and Chain. Link must use his Clawshot to latch onto the ceiling and disorient him, making him vulnerable to Link's blows. After defeating him, his Ball and Chain still remain, and Link can acquire it. The Ball and Chain can be used to smash large ice formations, creatures and replace bombs. However, Bombs are still important due to their fusion with arrows.

After defeating a Darknut in the Temple of Time, Link obtains a blue, glowing pole called the Dominion Rod. It's function is entirely unique in the respect that it can be used to manipulate specialized statues. It isn't used too frequently outside the Temple of Time, although you can only get access to the City in the Sky by using it in Hyrule Field.

Environment
Twilight Princess features a large and varying environment, including woods, deserts, and snowy mountains. However, early in the game, most of the environment is covered in Twilight. As Link clears the Twilight, he may explore new places, such as Hyrule Field, Kakariko village, and lake Hylia. Also in Twilight Princess, the land is divided into 6 different Provinces, Ordon, Faron, Lanayru, Eldin, The Gerudo Desert, and Peak, each with a unique geography.

In the Ordon province you can find Ordon village, where Link lives. You can also find the Ordon Woods, along with the Ordon Spring, where the light spirit Ordona dwells. In the Faron province are the deep Faron woods, which hide the Forest Temple. The Lanayru province, being the largest, is where you can find Lake Hylia, Hyrule Castle, and Zora's Domain. In the Eldin province, which is second largest, you find Kakariko village and Death Mountain, home of the Gorons. In the Desert province lies the Gerudo Desert, along with the mystical Arbiter's Grounds. And last but not least, the Peak province, where you can find the friendly yeti couple, Yeto and Yeta, who live in the ruins atop Snowpeak Mountain.

The Temple of Time also returns as an actual dungeon; returning to Faron Province reveals it's true location. As well as all this, there is also the City in the Sky, home of the Oocca, although it could also be considered a temple.

The Hylian language has also been used in the game to add a sense of culture and information which cannot be uncovered without the translation key. Such examples are the "Welcome to Old Kakariko" sign in the hidden village, and the repeating of the words "Stone Statue, Sanctuary, Master Sword, Copy Rod" at the entrance of the Master Sword Room in the temple of time (the complete temple, not the ruins).

Dungeons
The game has 9 dungeons:
 * Forest Temple
 * Goron Mines
 * Lakebed Temple
 * Arbiter's Grounds
 * Snowpeak Ruins
 * Temple of Time
 * City in the Sky
 * Palace of Twilight
 * Hyrule Castle

The dungeons all follow a regular pattern: There is one central puzzle which must be solved to reach the Miniboss. Defeating the Miniboss reveals the dungeon Item. This item is used to retrieve the Big Key, which allows access to the Boss. The dungeon is completed when the Boss is destroyed.

Races
The rock-eating Goron race makes its return, with a more fierce and tribal appearance from the friendly nature of the Gorons from Ocarina of Time. The Gorons are ruled by a group of elders who settle disputes by sumo wrestling, a skill Link is able to learn. Their patriarch has been transformed into a Twilit Beast, causing the Gorons to become angry and violent towards the residents of Kakariko Village. Later in the game, when the dispute is settled, Gorons can frequently be seen as merchants, selling their wares and services all over the land, much like the Island scouring Gorons in The Wind Waker. Funnily enough, it is still unknown how they reproduce, since there are no clear females in the game, as in Majora's Mask and Ocarina of Time.

The fish-like Zora people also return. Their domain has been frozen by the Twilight, and Link must find a way to free them. Their queen and prince have also gone missing, and they hold the key to this race's many secrets. Several members of the Zora are now wearing masks, making them appear more like their monstrous counterparts in earlier games (although they do not attack you here), and unlike Majora's Mask and Ocarina of Time, the Zora's are more prominently females, with only two clear males in the game.

A new race, the Oocca, are chicken-like in appearance, but with human faces. Initially you encounter just one of the Oocca in the dungeons, named Ooccoo, who will help you escape and return to them at any point should you need to restock. You also meet Ooccoo Jr. if you take advantage of this service. Later in the game you will travel to the technologically advanced home of the entire Oocca race, the City in the Sky (which doubles as a temple). Here you can use them to cross gaps just as you would with a Cucco. While in the city, you may encounter a few of the Oocca walking along the walls, which can be obtained via Clawshot.

The Twili are first met as Shadow Beasts. A few can be restored to their original forms if Link recovers 2 Sols from Zant's hands in the Palace of Twilight. When you approach 1 of them, they make a small moan.

Differences from Previous Games
A few recurring themes or objects from the Zelda series are missing from Twilight Princess. There is no musical instrument that the player carries with them, if you ignore the Horse Call and Hawk Grass. Although music plays a small part in the game (with wolf howling and the different musical grasses) it is the first of the contemporary console Zelda games to lack a musical instrument as a distinguishing feature. Unlike Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, and Wind Waker, the player cannot control time by advancing 12 hours like they could in said titles. This is also the first 3D Zelda game to not feature the mirror shield or magic meter.

Prelaunch information
Original trailer 9giUi0AzOxI Footage from the game was originally shown at E³ 2004 in the form of a short trailer, and a second trailer was later shown at the 2005 Game Developers Conference. It features a realistic art style (similar to but more advanced than that found in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time), rather than the cel-shading that The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker exhibited, although it will still make use of the cel-shading lighting effects and a modified version of The Wind Waker’s engine. In a further departure from The Wind Waker, Link is once again a young man, as in the latter part of Ocarina of Time. It is also believed that the game takes on a much darker tone than its predecessor, judging from the trailers.

A number of rumors about the game were confirmed at E³ 2005. The official title, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess was announced. (The title was actually first revealed in a scan from Game Informer.) It was explained that Link would transform into a wolf when entering the Twilight Realm, a mysterious void that has ensnared Hyrule.

It was confirmed that it falls chronologically "decades after Ocarina of Time", but before The Wind Waker, and that "the hero in the adventure is an all-new Link". Interviews and a playable demo exposed many new details, such as Link beginning the game as a sort of shepherd or cowboy/ranch hand, Link battling on horseback, changes in the horse controls from Ocarina of Time, thematic differences between dungeons, and so on. Live feeds of this demo have also been published.

Project history
Speculation regarding a realistic Zelda game on the Nintendo GameCube went back as far as Summer 2000. During its 2000 Spaceworld convention, Nintendo unveiled the GameCube along with demos for Luigi's Mansion, an unnamed Metroid game, Super Mario 128, an unnamed Pokémon game, and a Zelda demo where characters Link and Ganondorf fight. While Nintendo mentioned that the demos did not necessarily represent upcoming Nintendo projects accurately, the Zelda demo left a permanent impression on many fans.

When Nintendo unveiled a trailer for what would become The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker during the 2001 Electronic Entertainment Expo, fans were shocked by the change in direction the Zelda series was taking on consoles. After the game was released in 2003, most criticism of the new style disappeared, as both reviews and word-of-mouth ratings for the game were generally positive. Many thought this acceptance (and the news that a “sequel”, tentatively dubbed Wind Waker 2, was being built on the same engine) signaled that the next Zelda console game, which ended up being The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, (not counting The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures) would continue in that style.

At E³ 2004, this misconception ended, when a surprise announcement was made near the end of a Nintendo press conference. In an explanation for the stylistic departure from Wind Waker, game director Eiji Aonuma described the title as being more specifically targeted to the franchise’s North American audience.

The game was believed to be scheduled for release in November 2005, until August 16th, 2005, when Nintendo announced it would be released some time after March 31st 2006, because the development team needed more time to work on the game.

This delay of Twilight Princess caused a large number of fans to speculate that Nintendo was actually planning to release the game for the company’s next-gen console, the Nintendo Wii. However, Perrin Kaplan, Nintendo’s Vice President for Corporate Affairs, stated that it would indeed be released on the GameCube: “...we feel a commitment to the GameCube owners who've been patiently awaiting this new Zelda title, and don’t want to force them to wait and buy a brand new system in order to play the game."

The high anticipation and delay of the game earned Twilight Princess the #6 spot on Wired News’ 2005 Vaporware Awards.

British publication NGC Magazine claimed that when the game was played on the Nintendo Wii, the player would be given the option of using Wii’s unique controller, but Reggie Fils-Aime denied these claims, stating that across the board, Gamecube games played on the Wii would not be compatible with the Wii controller. His French colleague Mathieu Minel stated in a subsequent interview with Jeux-France that Twilight Princess would include Wii controller functionality one way or another, but Nintendo quickly requested that this be removed from the interview. Finally, however, Shigeru Miyamoto confirmed the Wii controller functionality in an interview with Nintendo of Europe. Finally, at E³ 2006, Nintendo announced that there will be two versions of Twilight Princess released the same day: one for GameCube, and one for Wii. It was not clear what the differences between the two will be, but as demonstrated in the playable demos at E³, the Wii version uses the Wii Remote with the Nunchuk attachment. The analog stick on the Nunchuk is for movement, and the “point-and-click” capabilities of the Wii Remote control a fairy on the screen, which serves as a cursor for accessing menus. The Wii Remote will also be used to aim and fire distance weapons like the bow, select boomerang targets, and even fish. Despite speculation about fully motion-sensitive sword control, it seemed that basic sword swinging would be controlled with the B button. However, certain advanced swordfighting techniques would make use of the motion sensitivity. A jab with the remote will cause Link to shove the enemy with his shield, and to use Link’s “spin attack”, the player rotates the tilt-sensitive Nunchuk. The Nunchuk is also used to throw items via a jabbing motion, and perform a “downthrust” finishing move with a downwards stab. The built-in speaker on the remote is used for sounds like the bowstring being drawn and released, as well as the classic “Zelda chime”. In late August Nintendo said that the remote would in fact be used for sword slashes as previously predicted.

Fils-Aime’s statement has caused confusion concerning whether or not a GameCube version will also be available in the other regions. It is not yet known whether there will be two separate versions in the rest of the world. Nintendo of Europe has confirmed, however, that Twilight Princess will be available on GameCube worldwide.

Shigeru Miyamoto confirmed in an interview that the only differences between the GameCube and Wii versions of the Twilight Princess would be technical (as described above). Also, because of the fact that in the Wii version, Link is right-handed to align with the Wii Remote being held in the right hand, the Wii version would be a mirror of the Gamecube version where Link is left-handed, as he is in all other games. The Wii version will also display in a 16:9 (widescreen) format in 480p, where the GameCube version plays only in 4:3.

Critical reception
Twilight Princess has received universally positive reviews focusing on its art direction and gameplay. Many critics, such as IGN's Matt Casamassina, proclaimed it as the "best Zelda game ever." At Game Rankings, a web site that compiles game reviews and averages reviewers' scores, the Wii version of Twilight Princess has achieved an average of 95%. The GameCube version has an average of 96%, making it the highest rated game of 2006. At Metacritic, another review aggregate site, Twilight Princess has received an overall average of 96 out of 100.

Some reviews have mentioned drawbacks about the game, however. The most commonly mentioned is that the game, having been designed for the GameCube, is not up to scratch with the cutting-edge graphics of its competitors, and that much of the game feels familiar to devoted Zelda fans, as though it is a compilation of Zelda ' s "greatest hits". Some aspects of the game's design have been more firmly criticized by a number of reviewers, such as the director of Ōkami speaking of his disappointment in the feel of the game's visuals. Reviewing the Wii version, GameSpot's reviewer criticized the feeling of "tacked-on" Wii controls and out-dated graphics, a consequence of the game being designed primarily for the older GameCube platform.

The game received Spike TV's Critic's Choice Video Game Awards and also won X-Play ' s "Best Action Adventure Game" and "Game of the Year" awards. It was the game of the year of 2006 according to Game Trailers and also won the awards of Best Adventure Game, and Game of the year 2006 according to 1UP. Electronic Gaming Monthly awarded Best Level Design, Best Battle System and Game of the Year 2006. At the 2007 Interactive Entertainment Association of Australia Awards, Twilight Princess won two awards: "IEAA Nintendo Game of the Year" and "Best Selling Role Playing Game". It won the "Best Writing" award at the 2007 Game Developers Choice Awards, and was nominated for "Best Game," and was named Best Game of 2006 in the Spacey Awards.