The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
North American Wii box art, featuring Link in Hylian and wolf forms
Developer(s)	Nintendo EAD
Publisher(s)	Nintendo
Director(s)	Eiji Aonuma
Producer(s)	Shigeru Miyamoto
Artist(s)	Yusuke Nakano Satoru Takizawa
Writer(s)	Aya Kyogoku Takayuki Ikkaku Mitsuhiro Takano[1] Eiji Aonuma[2]
Composer(s)	Toru Minegishi Asuka Ohta
Series	The Legend of Zelda
Platform(s)	Wii, GameCube
Release date(s)	Wii ^NA November 19, 2006 ^JP December 2, 2006 ^AUS December 7, 2006 ^EU December 8, 2006 GameCube ^JP December 2, 2006 ^NA December 11, 2006 ^EU December 15, 2006 ^AUS December 19, 2006
Genre(s)	Action-adventure
Mode(s)	Single-player

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Japanese: ゼルダの伝説 トワイライトプリンセス Hepburn: Zeruda no Densetsu: Towairaito Purinsesu) is an action-adventure game developed and published by Nintendo for the GameCube and Wii home video game consoles. It is the thirteenth installment in the The Legend of Zelda series. Originally planned for release on the GameCube in November 2005, Twilight Princess was delayed by Nintendo to allow its developers to refine the game, add more content, and port it to the Wii.^[3] The Wii version was released alongside the console in North America in November 2006, and in Japan, Europe, and Australia the following month. The GameCube version was released worldwide in December 2006.^{[4][lower-alpha 1]}

The story focuses on series protagonist Link, who tries to prevent Hyrule from being engulfed by a corrupted parallel dimension known as the Twilight Realm. To do so, he takes the form of both a Hylian and a wolf, and is assisted by a mysterious creature named Midna. The game takes place hundreds of years after Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask, in an alternate timeline from The Wind Waker.^[5]

At the time of its release, Twilight Princess was considered the greatest entry in the Zelda series by many critics, including writers for 1UP.com,^[6] Computer and Video Games,^[7] Electronic Gaming Monthly,^[8] Game Informer,^[9] GamesRadar,^[10] IGN,^[11] and The Washington Post.^[12] It received several Game of the Year awards, and was the most critically acclaimed game of 2006. As of September 2015, 8.85 million copies of the game have been sold worldwide, making it the best-selling title in the series.^[13] In 2011, the Wii version was rereleased under the Nintendo Selects label. A high-definition remaster for the Wii U, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD, was released in March 2016.^[14]

Gameplay

An arrow points at an enemy whom Link is targeting as he prepares to swing his sword (GameCube version).

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is an action-adventure game focused on combat, exploration, and item collection. It uses the basic control scheme introduced in Ocarina of Time, including context-sensitive action buttons and L-targeting (Z-targeting on the Wii),^[15] a system that allows the player to keep Link's view focused on an enemy or important object while moving and attacking. Link can walk, run, and attack, and will automatically jump when running off of or reaching for a ledge.^{[lower-alpha 2]} Link uses a sword and shield in combat, complemented with secondary weapons and items, including a bow and arrows, a boomerang, and bombs.^{[lower-alpha 3]} While L-targeting, projectile-based weapons can be fired at a target without the need for manual aiming.^{[lower-alpha 2]}

The context-sensitive button mechanic allows one button to serve a variety of functions, such as talking, opening doors, and pushing, pulling, and throwing objects.^{[lower-alpha 4]} The on-screen display shows what action, if any, the button will trigger, determined by the situation. For example, if Link is holding a rock, the context-sensitive button will cause Link to throw the rock if he is moving or targeting an object or enemy, or place the rock on the ground if he is standing still.^{[lower-alpha 5]}

The GameCube and Wii versions feature several minor differences in their controls. The Wii version of the game makes use of the motion sensors and built-in speaker of the Wii Remote. The speaker emits the sounds of a bowstring when shooting an arrow, Midna's laugh when she gives advice to Link, and the series' trademark "chime" when discovering secrets. The player controls Link's sword by swinging the Wii Remote. Other attacks are triggered using similar gestures with the Nunchuk. Unique to the GameCube version is the ability for the player to control the camera freely, without entering a special "lookaround" mode required by the Wii; however, in the GameCube version, only two of Link's secondary weapons can be equipped at a time, as opposed to four in the Wii version.^{[lower-alpha 6]}

The game features nine dungeons—large, contained areas where Link battles enemies, collects items, and solves puzzles. Link navigates these dungeons and fights a boss at the end in order to obtain an item or otherwise advance the plot. The dungeons are connected by a large overworld, across which Link can travel on foot; on his horse, Epona; or by teleporting with Midna's assistance.

When Link enters the Twilight Realm, the void that corrupts parts of Hyrule, he transforms into a wolf.^{[lower-alpha 7]} He is eventually able to transform between his Hylian and wolf forms at will. As a wolf, Link loses the ability to use his sword, shield, or any secondary items; he instead attacks by biting and defends primarily by dodging attacks. However, "Wolf Link" gains several key advantages in return—he moves faster than he does as a human (though riding Epona is still faster) and digs holes to create new passages and uncover buried items, and has improved senses, including the ability to follow scent trails.^{[lower-alpha 8]} He also carries Midna, a small imp-like creature who gives him hints, uses an energy field to attack enemies, helps him jump long distances, and eventually allows him to "warp" to any of several preset locations throughout the overworld.^{[lower-alpha 9]} Using Link's wolf senses, the player can see and listen to the wandering spirits of those affected by the Twilight, as well as hunt for enemy ghosts named Poes.^{[lower-alpha 10]}

The artificial intelligence (AI) of enemies in Twilight Princess is more advanced than that of enemies in The Wind Waker. Enemies react to defeated companions and to arrows or slingshot pellets that pass by, and can detect Link from a greater distance than was possible in previous games.^[16]

There is very little voice acting in the game, as is the case in most The Legend of Zelda titles to date. Link remains silent in conversation, but grunts when attacking or injured and gasps when surprised. His emotions and responses are largely indicated visually by nods and facial expressions. Other characters have similar language-independent verbalizations, including laughter, surprised or fearful exclamations, and screams. Midna has the most voice acting—her on-screen dialogue is often accompanied by a babble of pseudo-speech, which was produced by scrambling English phrases sampled by Japanese voice actress Akiko Kōmoto.^[17]

Plot

Twilight Princess takes place several centuries after Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask.^[5] The game begins with a youth named Link, who is working as a ranch hand in Ordon Village. One day, the village is attacked by Bulblins, who carry off the village's children with Link in pursuit before he encounters a wall of Twilight. A Shadow Beast pulls him beyond the wall into the Twilight-shrouded forest, where he is transformed into a wolf and imprisoned. Link is soon freed by an imp-like Twilight creature named Midna, who offers to help him if he obeys her unconditionally. She guides him to Princess Zelda, who explains that Zant, the King of the Twilight, infiltrated Hyrule Castle and forced her to surrender. The conquered kingdom was enveloped in Twilight, rendering all its inhabitants besides Link and Zelda spirits.^[18] In order to save Hyrule, Link must first revive the Light Spirits by entering the Twilight-covered regions and, as a wolf, recovering the Spirits' light from the Twilight beings that stole it. Once revitalized, each Spirit returns Link to his Hylian form.

During this time, Link also helps Midna acquire the Fused Shadows, fragments of a relic containing powerful dark magic. In return, she aids Link in rescuing Ordon Village's children and assisting the monkeys of Faron, the Gorons of Eldin, and the Zoras of Lanayru. After restoring the Light Spirits and obtaining the Fused Shadows, Link and Midna are ambushed by Zant, who relieves Midna of the fragments. She ridicules him for abusing his tribe's magic, but Zant reveals that his power comes from another source as he uses it to revert Link to his wolf state. Failing to seduce Midna into joining forces with him, Zant leaves her to die from the world's light. Upon bringing a dying Midna to Zelda, Link learns he needs the Master Sword to lift Zant's curse. Zelda sacrifices herself to heal Midna with her power before vanishing mysteriously. Moved by Zelda's selflessness, Midna begins to care more about Link and the fate of the light world.^[19]

After gaining the Master Sword, Link is cleansed of the curse that kept him in wolf form. Deep within the Gerudo Desert, Link and Midna locate the Mirror of Twilight, the only known gateway between Hyrule and the Twilight Realm, but discover it is broken.^[20] The Sages there explain that Zant tried to destroy it, but merely managed to shatter it into fragments; only the true ruler of the Twili can completely destroy the Mirror of Twilight.^[21] They also relate that they once used it to banish Ganondorf, the Gerudo tribe leader who attempted to steal the Triforce, to the Twilight Realm when executing him failed. Link and Midna set out to retrieve the missing shards of the Mirror. Once the portal has been restored, the Sages reveal to Link that Midna is the true ruler of the Twilight Realm, usurped by Zant when he cursed her into her current form.^[22] Confronting Zant, Link and Midna learn that Zant's coup was made possible when he forged a pact with Ganondorf, who asked for Zant's assistance in subjugating Hyrule. After Link defeats Zant, Midna recovers the Fused Shadows and destroys Zant after learning that only Ganondorf's death can release her from her curse.

Returning to Hyrule, Link and Midna find Ganondorf in Hyrule Castle, with a lifeless Zelda suspended above his head. Ganondorf fights Link by possessing Zelda's body and by transforming into a massive boar-like beast, but Link defeats him and Midna is able to resuscitate Zelda. Ganondorf then revives, and Midna teleports Link and Zelda outside the castle so she can hold him off with the Fused Shadows. However, as Hyrule Castle collapses, it is revealed that Ganondorf was victorious as he crushes Midna's helmet. Ganondorf engages Link on horseback; assisted by Zelda and the Light Spirits, Link eventually knocks Ganondorf off his horse and they duel on foot before Link strikes down Ganondorf and plunges the Master Sword into his chest. With Ganondorf dead, the Light Spirits revivify Midna and restore her to her true form. After bidding farewell to Link and Zelda, Midna returns home and destroys the Mirror of Twilight with a tear to maintain balance between Hyrule and the Twilight Realm.^[23] As Hyrule Castle is rebuilt, Link leaves Ordon Village, heading to parts unknown.

Development

Creation

Eiji Aonuma, the director of Twilight Princess, at the 2007 Game Developers Conference

In 2003, Nintendo announced that a new The Legend of Zelda game was in the works for the GameCube^[24] by the same team that had created the cel-shaded The Wind Waker.^[25] At the following year's Game Developers Conference, director Eiji Aonuma unintentionally revealed that the game's sequel was in development under the working title The Wind Waker 2;^[26] it was set to use a similar graphical style to that of its predecessor.^[27] Nintendo of America told Aonuma that North American sales of The Wind Waker were sluggish because its cartoon appearance created the impression that the game was designed for a young audience. Concerned that the sequel would have the same problem, Aonuma expressed to producer Shigeru Miyamoto that he wanted to create a realistic Zelda game that would appeal to the North American market. Miyamoto, hesitant about solely changing the game's presentation, suggested the team's focus should instead be on coming up with gameplay innovations. He advised that Aonuma should start by doing what could not be done in Ocarina of Time, particularly horseback combat.^{[lower-alpha 11]}

In four months, Aonuma's team managed to present realistic horseback riding,^{[lower-alpha 11]} which Nintendo later revealed to the public with a trailer at Electronic Entertainment Expo 2004. The game was scheduled to be released the next year, and was no longer a follow-up to The Wind Waker;^[28] a true sequel to it was released for the Nintendo DS in 2007, in the form of Phantom Hourglass. Miyamoto explained in interviews that the graphical style was chosen to satisfy demand, and that it better fit the theme of an older incarnation of Link.^[29] The game runs on a modified The Wind Waker engine.^[30]

Prior Zelda games have employed a theme of two separate, yet connected, worlds. In A Link to the Past, Link travels between a "Light World" and a "Dark World"; in Ocarina of Time, as well as in Oracle of Ages, Link travels between two different time periods. The Zelda team sought to reuse this motif in the series' latest installment. It was suggested that Link transform into a wolf, much like he metamorphoses into a rabbit in the Dark World of A Link to the Past.^{[lower-alpha 12]} The story of the game was created by Aonuma, and later underwent several changes by scenario writers Mitsuhiro Takano and Aya Kyogoku.^[1][2] Takano created the script for the story scenes,^[1] while Kyogoku and Takayuki Ikkaku handled the actual in-game script.^[31] Aonuma left his team working on the new idea while he directed The Minish Cap for the Game Boy Advance. When he returned, he found the Twilight Princess team struggling. Emphasis on the parallel worlds and the wolf transformation had made Link's character unbelievable. Aonuma also felt the gameplay lacked the caliber of innovation found in Phantom Hourglass, which was being developed with touch controls for the Nintendo DS. At the same time, the Wii was under development with the code name "Revolution". Miyamoto thought that the Revolution's pointing device, the Wii Remote, was well suited for aiming arrows in Zelda, and suggested that Aonuma consider using it.^{[lower-alpha 13]}

Wii transition

Aonuma had anticipated creating a Zelda game for what would later be called the Wii, but had assumed that he would need to complete Twilight Princess first. His team began work developing a pointing-based interface for the bow and arrow, and Aonuma found that aiming directly at the screen gave the game a new feel, just like the DS control scheme for Phantom Hourglass. Aonuma felt confident this was the only way to proceed, but worried about consumers who had been anticipating a GameCube release. Developing two versions would mean delaying the previously announced 2005 release, still disappointing the consumer. Satoru Iwata felt that having both versions would satisfy users in the end, even though they would have to wait for the finished product. Aonuma then started working on both versions in parallel.^{[lower-alpha 14]}

Transferring GameCube development to the Wii was relatively simple, since the Wii was being created to be compatible with the GameCube.^{[lower-alpha 14]} At E3 2005, Nintendo released a small number of Nintendo DS game cards containing a preview trailer for Twilight Princess.^[32] They also announced that Zelda would appear on the Wii (then codenamed "Revolution"),^[33] but it was not clear to the media if this meant Twilight Princess or a different game.^[34]

The team worked on a Wii control scheme, adapting camera control and the fighting mechanics to the new interface. A prototype was created that used a swinging gesture to control the sword from a first-person viewpoint, but was unable to show the variety of Link's movements. When the third-person view was restored, Aonuma thought it felt strange to swing the Wii Remote with the right hand to control the sword in Link's left hand, so the entire Wii version map was mirrored.^{[lower-alpha 15]} Details about Wii controls began to surface in December 2005 when British publication NGC Magazine claimed that when a GameCube copy of Twilight Princess was played on the Revolution, it would give the player the option of using the Revolution controller.^[35] Miyamoto confirmed the Revolution controller-functionality in an interview with Nintendo of Europe^[36] and Time reported this soon after.^[37][38] However, support for the Wii controller did not make it into the GameCube release. At E3 2006, Nintendo announced that both versions would be available at the Wii launch,^[39] and had a playable version of Twilight Princess for the Wii.^{[lower-alpha 15]} Later, the GameCube release was pushed back to a month after the launch of the Wii.^[40]

Nintendo staff members reported that demo users complained about the difficulty of the control scheme. Aonuma realized that his team had implemented Wii controls under the mindset of "forcing" users to adapt, instead of making the system intuitive and easy to use. He began rethinking the controls with Miyamoto to focus on comfort and ease.^{[lower-alpha 16]} The camera movement was reworked and item controls were changed to avoid accidental button presses.^{[lower-alpha 17]} In addition, the new item system required use of the button that had previously been used for the sword. To solve this, sword controls were transferred back to gestures—something E3 attendees had commented they would like to see. This reintroduced the problem of using a right-handed swing to control a left-handed sword attack. The team did not have enough time before release to rework Link's character model, so they instead flipped the entire game—everything was made a mirror image.^{[lower-alpha 18]} Link was now right-handed, and references to "east" and "west" were switched around. The GameCube version, however, was left with the original orientation. The Twilight Princess player's guide focuses on the Wii version, but has a section in the back with mirror-image maps for GameCube users.^{[lower-alpha 19]}

Music

The game's score was composed by Toru Minegishi and Asuka Ohta, with series regular Koji Kondo serving as the sound supervisor.^[41] Minegishi took charge of composition and sound design in Twilight Princess, providing all field and dungeon music.^[42] For the trailers, three pieces were written by different composers,^[43] two of which were created by Mahito Yokota and Kondo.^[44] Michiru Ōshima created orchestral arrangements for the three compositions, later to be performed by an ensemble conducted by Yasuzo Takemoto.^[43] Kondo's piece was later chosen as music for the E3 2005 trailer and for the demo movie after the game's title screen.^[44]

Media requests at the trade show prompted Kondo to consider using orchestral music for the other tracks in the game as well, a notion reinforced by his preference for live instruments.^[43] He originally envisioned a full 50-person orchestra for action sequences and a string quartet for more "lyrical moments",^[43] though the final product used sequenced music instead.^[11] Kondo later cited the lack of interactivity that comes with orchestral music as one of the main reasons for the decision.^[44] Both six- and seven-track versions of the game's soundtrack were released on November 19, 2006, as part of a Nintendo Power promotion and bundled with replicas of the Master Sword and the Hylian Shield.^[45]

Technical issues

Following the discovery of a buffer overflow vulnerability in the Wii version of Twilight Princess, an exploit known as the "Twilight Hack" was developed, allowing the execution of custom code from a Secure Digital (SD) card on the console. A specifically designed save file would cause the game to load unsigned code, which could include Executable and Linkable Format (ELF) programs and homebrew Wii applications.^[46] Versions 3.3 and 3.4 of the Wii Menu prevented copying exploited save files onto the console until circumvention methods were discovered,^[47][48] and version 4.0 of the Wii Menu patched the vulnerability.^[49]

Wii U version

A high-definition remaster of the game, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD, was developed by Tantalus Media for the Wii U. Announced during a Nintendo Direct presentation on November 12, 2015, it features enhanced graphics and Amiibo functionality.^[14] The game was released in North America and Europe on March 4, 2016; in Australia on March 5, 2016;^[50] and in Japan on March 10, 2016.^[51]

Certain bundles of the game contain a Wolf Link Amiibo figurine, which unlocks a Wii U-exclusive dungeon called the "Cave of Shadows"^[52] and can carry data over to the upcoming 2017 Zelda game.^[53] Other Zelda-related Amiibo figurines have distinct functions: Link and Toon Link replenish arrows, Zelda and Sheik restore Link's health, and Ganondorf causes Link to take twice as much damage.^[52] A CD containing 20 musical selections from the game was available as a GameStop preorder bonus in North America; it is included with the limited-edition bundle in other regions.^[54]

Reception

Reviews

Reception

Aggregate score Aggregator Score Metacritic (Wii) 95/100[55] (GCN) 96/100[56] Review scores Publication Score 1UP.com (Wii) A+[6] AllGame (GCN) [57] CVG 10/10[7] Edge 9/10[58] EGM (Wii) 30/30[8] Famitsu (Wii) 38/40[59] Game Informer 10/10[9] GamePro [60] GameSpot (Wii) 8.8/10[61] (GCN) 8.9/10[62] GameSpy [63] GamesRadar 10/10[10] IGN (Wii) 9.5/10[11] (GCN) 9.5/10[64] Nintendo Power (Wii) 9.5/10[65] (GCN) 9.5/10[66] Nintendo World Report 10/10[67] X-Play (Wii) [68]

Twilight Princess was released to universal critical acclaim and commercial success. It received perfect scores from major publications such as 1UP.com,^[6] Computer and Video Games,^[7] Electronic Gaming Monthly,^[8] Game Informer,^[9] GamesRadar,^[10] and GameSpy.^[63] On the review aggregator Metacritic, Twilight Princess holds scores of 95/100 for the Wii version and 96/100 for the GameCube version, indicating "universal acclaim".^[55][56] GameTrailers in their review called it one of the greatest games ever created.^[69]

On release, Twilight Princess was considered to be the greatest Zelda game ever made by many critics including writers for 1UP.com,^[6] Computer and Video Games,^[7] Electronic Gaming Monthly,^[8] Game Informer,^[9] GamesRadar,^[10] IGN^[11] and The Washington Post.^[12] Game Informer called it "so creative that it rivals the best that Hollywood has to offer".^[9] GamesRadar praised Twilight Princess as "a game that deserves nothing but the absolute highest recommendation".^[10] Cubed3 hailed Twilight Princess as "the single greatest videogame experience".^[70] Twilight Princess's graphics were praised for the art style and animation, although the game was designed for the GameCube, which is technically lacking compared to the next generation consoles. Both IGN and GameSpy pointed out the existence of blurry textures and low-resolution characters.^[11][63] Despite these complaints, Computer and Video Games felt the game's atmosphere was superior to that of any previous Zelda game, and regarded Twilight Princess's Hyrule as the best version ever created.^[7] PALGN praised the game's cinematics, noting that "the cutscenes are the best ever in Zelda games".^[71] Regarding the Wii version, GameSpot's Jeff Gerstmann said the Wii controls felt "tacked-on",^[61] although 1UP.com said the remote-swinging sword attacks were "the most impressive in the entire series".^[6] Gaming Nexus considered Twilight Princess's soundtrack to be the best of this generation,^[72] though IGN criticized its MIDI-formatted songs for lacking "the punch and crispness" of their orchestrated counterparts.^[11] Hyper's Javier Glickman commended the game for its "very long quests, superb Wii controls and being able to save anytime". However, he criticised it for "no voice acting, no orchestral score and slightly outdated graphics".^[73]

Awards

Twilight Princess received the awards for Best Artistic Design,^[74] Best Original Score,^[75] and Best Use of Sound^[76] from IGN for its GameCube version. Both IGN and Nintendo Power gave Twilight Princess the awards for Best Graphics^[77][78][79] and Best Story.^[79][80][81] Twilight Princess received Game of the Year awards from GameTrailers,^[82] 1UP.com,^[83] Electronic Gaming Monthly,^[84] Game Informer,^[85] Games Radar,^[86] GameSpy,^[87] Spacey Awards,^[88] X-Play^[89] and Nintendo Power.^[79] It was also given awards for Best Adventure Game from the Game Critics Awards,^[90] X-Play,^[89] IGN,^[91][92] GameTrailers,^[93] 1UP.com,^[83] and Nintendo Power.^[79] The game was considered the Best Console Game by the Game Critics Awards^[90] and GameSpy.^[87] The game placed 16th in Official Nintendo Magazine's list of the 100 Greatest Nintendo Games of All Time.^[94] IGN ranked the game as the 4th-best Wii game.^[95] Nintendo Power ranked the game as the third-best game to be released on a Nintendo system in the 2000s decade.^[96]

Sales and legacy

During its first week, the game was sold with three of every four Wii purchases.^[97] The game had sold 5.82 million copies on the Wii as of March 31, 2011,^[98] and 1.32 million on the GameCube as of March 31, 2007.^[99] As of September 30, 2015, the game has sold 8.85 million copies worldwide on both platforms, making it the best-selling installment in the series.^[13]

A Japan-exclusive manga series based on Twilight Princess, penned and illustrated by Akira Himekawa, was first released on February 8, 2016. The series is available solely via publisher Shogakukan's MangaOne mobile application. While the manga adaptation began almost ten years after the initial release of the game on which it is based, it launched only a month before the release of the high-definition remake.^[100]

To commemorate the launch of the My Nintendo loyalty program in March 2016, Nintendo released My Nintendo Picross: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, a Picross puzzle game developed by Jupiter for download to the Nintendo 3DS.^[101][102]

See also

• Link's Crossbow Training, a 2007 shooting video game created for the Wii Zapper, using the world and assets of Twilight Princess

Notes

1. Aonuma 2007, Eiji Aonuma's GDC 2007 Presentation
2. Pelland 2006, p. 20
3. Pelland 2006, pp. 22–23
4. Pelland 2006, p. 22
5. Pelland 2006, p. 12
6. Pelland 2006, p. 168
7. Pelland 2006, p. 35
8. Pelland 2006, pp. 17–20
9. Pelland 2006, p. 21
10. Pelland 2006, p. 153
11. Aonuma 2007, The fate of Wind Waker 2
12. Aonuma 2007, A lupine direction and Minish Cap
13. Aonuma 2007, E3 2005 and 120% Zelda
14. Aonuma 2007, A Revolutionary idea
15. Aonuma 2007, The first attempt at Wii control
16. Aonuma 2007, E3 2006 lesson
17. Aonuma 2007, Camera and item controls
18. Aonuma 2007, Sword controls
19. Pelland 2006, pp. 170–191

References

1. "Iwata Asks : The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess : Like Trying to Mold Clay". Iwata Asks. Nintendo. November 2006. Retrieved April 6, 2015. Mitsuhiro Takano: My name is Takano. I was basically in charge of the story scripting for Twilight Princess, but I was also involved in the development of the cut-scenes and a few of the events in the game.
2. 勝田哲也 (March 7, 2007). "Game Developers Choice Awards、BEST GAMEは「Gears of War」". GAME Watch (in Japanese). Impress Watch Corporation. Retrieved June 27, 2010. Eiji Aonuma: 僕が書いたストーリーをものすごく良いものに変えてくれたシナリオ担当の高野充浩さんと京極あやさん / Those responsible for the scenario, Mr. Mitsuhiro Takano and Mrs. Aya Kyogoku, made some really great changes to the story I wrote [...]
3. Casamassina, Matt (August 16, 2005). "Zelda Delayed to Next Year". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved May 28, 2006.
4. "GamePro Q&A: Nintendo's Harrison on Zelda". GamePro. IDG Entertainment. November 5, 2006. Archived from the original on November 26, 2006. Retrieved December 3, 2006.
5. "Long interview with Eiji Aonuma". Nintendo Dream (in Japanese). February 2007. Archived from the original on February 2, 2007. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
6. Parish, Jeremy (November 16, 2006). "1up's Wii Review: Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess". 1UP.com. IGN. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2007.
7. Robinson, Andy (November 19, 2006). "Wii Review: Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess". Computer and Video Games. Future plc. Archived from the original on May 17, 2007. Retrieved March 25, 2013.
8. Parish, Jeremy (January 2007). "The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess review". Electronic Gaming Monthly 211: 56–58.
9. Reiner, Andrew. "The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess". Game Informer. GameStop. Archived from the original on November 29, 2006. Retrieved December 5, 2006.
10. Elston, Brett (November 21, 2006). "The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess review". GamesRadar. Future plc. Retrieved April 6, 2015.
11. Casamassina, Matt (November 17, 2007). "The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Review". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved March 19, 2007.
12. McDougal, Gregory (March 16, 2007). "Zelda Brightens GameCube's Twilight Years". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 17, 2008.
13. "ゼルダの伝説 トワイライトプリンセス HD" (in Japanese). Nintendo. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved March 5, 2016.
14. Otero, Jose (November 12, 2015). "The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD Announced for Wii U". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on November 15, 2015. Retrieved November 14, 2015.
15. Kaluszka, Aaron (January 11, 2007). "GC Review: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess". Nintendo World Report. Retrieved January 23, 2009.
16. "Inside Zelda part 10: The Monsters in his Head". Nintendo Power (Nintendo) 201: 46–48. March 2006. Retrieved September 10, 2008.
17. Hillier, Brenna (July 30, 2014). "Midna speaks English, and other secrets of The Legend of Zelda". VG247. Archived from the original on August 2, 2014. Retrieved April 30, 2016.
18. Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development (November 19, 2006). The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. GameCube/Wii. Nintendo. Midna: Poor thing, he has no idea where this is or what's happened... So, don't you think you should explain to him what you've managed to do? You owe him that much... ...Twilight Princess! Eee hee! [...] / Zelda: Listen carefully... This was once the land where the power of the gods was said to slumber. This was once the kingdom of Hyrule. But that blessed kingdom has been transformed by the king that rules the twilight... It has been turned into a world of shadows, ruled by creatures who shun the light. [...] Twilight covered Hyrule like a shroud, and without light, the people became as spirits. Within the twilight, they live on, unaware that they have passed into spirit forms... All the people know now is fear... Fear of a nameless evil... The kingdom succumbed to twilight, but I remain its princess... I am Zelda.
19. Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development (November 19, 2006). The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. GameCube/Wii. Nintendo. Midna: Princess... I have one last request... Can you tell him...where to find the Mirror of Twilight? [Zelda gasps] [...] / Zelda: Midna... I believe I understand now just who and what you are... Despite your mortal injuries, you act in our stead... These dark times are the result of our deeds, yet it is you who have reaped the penalty. Accept this now, Midna. I pass it to you... [...] / Midna: No! Link! STOP HER! [...] We go back, Link! Back to the Faron Woods! [...] [to herself] Zelda...I've taken all that you had to give...though I did not want it.
20. Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development (November 19, 2006). The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. GameCube/Wii. Nintendo. Midna: Hey, but listen, Link... I've got a little favor to ask... Would you mind coming with me to find something called the Mirror of Twilight? It's hidden somewhere in Hyrule... Yes, the Mirror of Twilight... Our last potential link to Zant!
21. Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development (November 19, 2006). The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. GameCube/Wii. Nintendo. Sages: Only the true leader of the Twili can utterly destroy the Mirror of Twilight...so Zant could merely break it into pieces.
22. Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development (November 19, 2006). The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. GameCube/Wii. Nintendo. Sages: [to Midna] I hope you can find it in yourself to forgive our carelessness... O Twilight Princess.
23. Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development (November 19, 2006). The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. GameCube/Wii. Nintendo. Midna: Thank you... Well, the princess spoke truly: as long as that mirror's around, we could meet again... Link... I... See you later...
24. "New GCN Wario Ware, Zelda". IGN. Ziff Davis. August 7, 2003. Retrieved September 12, 2008.
25. "Interview: Eiji Aonuma". IGN. Ziff Davis. May 19, 2004. Retrieved September 12, 2008.
26. "GDC 2004: Wind Waker 2 Official". IGN. Ziff Davis. March 24, 2004. Retrieved September 12, 2008.
27. "Fact or Fiction: The 10 Biggest Rumors on GameCube". IGN. Ziff Davis. August 6, 2003. Retrieved September 12, 2008.
28. Gerstmann, Jeff (May 12, 2004). "The Legend of Zelda details". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on March 27, 2009. Retrieved September 12, 2008.
29. "E3 2004: Miyamoto and Aonuma on Zelda". IGN. Ziff Davis. May 12, 2004. Retrieved September 12, 2008.
30. "E3 2004: New Legend of Zelda Details". IGN. Ziff Davis. May 12, 2004. Retrieved December 5, 2006.
31. "Iwata Asks : The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess : Ideas Born Out of Functionality". Iwata Asks. Nintendo. November 2006. Retrieved April 6, 2015.
32. "The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Preview Trailer". IGN. Ziff Davis. December 13, 2008.
33. Casamassina, Matt (May 17, 2005). "E3 2005: Mario and Zelda Go Next-Gen". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved September 12, 2008.
34. Casamassina, Matt (February 28, 2006). "Every Revolution Game We Know About". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved September 12, 2008.
35. Chou, Che (December 22, 2005). "Play Zelda: Twilight Princess with the Revolution Controller". 1UP.com. IGN. Retrieved May 28, 2006.
36. "EGM Presents: The 2006 1UP Network Awards". Electronic Gaming Monthly. 2006.
37. Grossman, Lev (May 15, 2006). "A Game For All Ages". Time. Retrieved March 12, 2015.
38. Thorsen, Tor (May 7, 2006). "E3 06: Zelda Wii sword fighting, next-gen WarioWare confirmed". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Retrieved May 28, 2006.
39. Hatfield, Daemon (May 9, 2006). "E3 2006: Wii, Gamecube Zelda Available Simultaneously". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved September 12, 2008.
40. Seff, Micah (September 14, 2006). "Twilight Princess Slips". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved September 12, 2008.
41. Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development (November 19, 2006). The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. GameCube/Wii. Nintendo. Scene: Credits sequence. MUSIC / Toru Minegishi / Asuka Ohta / Koji Kondo
42. "Inside Zelda: Part 13". Nintendo Power (Nintendo) 204: 76–78. June 2006. Retrieved October 17, 2007.
43. "Inside Zelda part 4: Natural Rhythms of Hyrule". Nintendo Power (Nintendo) 195: 56–58. September 2005. Retrieved October 10, 2008.
44. Kohler, Chris (March 11, 2007). "VGL: Koji Kondo Interview". Wired. Condé Nast. Retrieved April 6, 2015.
45. "The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Official Soundtrack". VGMdb. Retrieved August 3, 2009.
46. Fletcher, JC (February 11, 2008). "'Twilight Hack' teases homebrew". Joystiq. AOL. Archived from the original on January 31, 2009. Retrieved April 19, 2015.
47. Miller, Ross (June 16, 2008). "New Wii menu update 3.3 nullifies Twilight Princess hack". Joystiq. AOL. Archived from the original on June 17, 2008. Retrieved April 19, 2015.
48. Greenhough, Chris (November 24, 2008). "It lives! The Twilight Hack returns". Joystiq. AOL. Archived from the original on March 10, 2011. Retrieved April 19, 2015.
49. Fitzpatrick, Jason (August 21, 2009). "Hack Your Wii for Homebrew without Twilight Princess". Lifehacker. Gawker Media. Archived from the original on August 23, 2009. Retrieved April 19, 2015.
50. "The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD, Hyrule Warriors: Legends, and New Nintendo 3DS XL Hyrule edition provide a Triforce of releases to start 2016". Nintendo. January 22, 2016. Archived from the original on January 23, 2016. Retrieved February 6, 2016.
51. Romano, Sal (January 29, 2016). "The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD story trailer". Gematsu. Archived from the original on January 30, 2016. Retrieved February 6, 2016.
52. Otero, Jose (February 4, 2016). "The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD Looks (and Plays) Better Than You Think". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on February 4, 2016. Retrieved February 6, 2016.
53. Phillips, Tom (January 14, 2016). "Zelda: Twilight Princess HD has a new dungeon". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on January 15, 2016. Retrieved January 20, 2016.
54. Jenni (February 19, 2016). "The Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD’s Sound Selection CD Features 20 Remastered Tracks". Siliconera. Curse, Inc. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved March 3, 2016.
55. "The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess for Wii Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
56. "The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess for GameCube Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
57. Reges, Julia (October 3, 2010). "The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess—Review". AllGame. All Media Network. Retrieved September 25, 2013.
58. "The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Review". Edge. Future plc. Retrieved March 25, 2013.
59. ゼルダの伝説 トワイライトプリンセス (9 / 10 / 9 / 10). Famitsu (in Japanese) (Enterbrain). November 24, 2006.
60. Moses, Tenacious (September 5, 2010). "The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Review from GamePro". GamePro. IDG Entertainment. Archived from the original on September 5, 2010. Retrieved March 25, 2013.
61. Gerstmann, Jeff (November 17, 2006). "The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Review". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Retrieved December 5, 2006.
62. Gerstmann, Jeff (December 14, 2006). "The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Review". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Retrieved June 18, 2007.
63. Williams, Bryn (November 13, 2006). "The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Review". GameSpy. IGN. Retrieved December 5, 2006.
64. Casamassina, Matt (December 15, 2006). "The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Review". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved December 16, 2006.
65. Hoffman, Chris (January 2007). "The Strongest Link". Nintendo Power (Nintendo) 211: 98–99.
66. Sinfield, George (February 2007). "The Best for Last". Nintendo Power (Nintendo) 212: 95.
67. "The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Review—Review". Nintendo World Report. November 18, 2006. Retrieved March 25, 2013.
68. Leffler, Michael (2006). "Reviews—The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess". G4. Archived from the original on December 6, 2006. Retrieved March 19, 2007.
69. "The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Review". GameTrailers. Defy Media. November 21, 2006. Retrieved April 6, 2015.
70. Temperton, James (December 8, 2006). "C3 Reviews :: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess". Cubed3. Retrieved October 29, 2008.
71. Sell, Chris (December 12, 2006). "The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Review". PALGN. Archived from the original on June 16, 2007. Retrieved May 22, 2008.
72. Colleli, Sean (February 28, 2007). "The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Review". Gaming Nexus. Archived from the original on August 3, 2007. Retrieved May 22, 2008.
73. Glickman, Javier (January 2007). "The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess". Hyper (Next Media) (159): 48, 49, 50. ISSN 1320-7458.
74. "IGN.com presents The Best of 2006: Gamecube: Best Artistic Design". IGN. Ziff Davis. December 21, 2006. Archived from the original on January 10, 2007. Retrieved October 26, 2008.
75. "IGN.com presents The Best of 2006: Gamecube: Best Original Score". IGN. Ziff Davis. December 21, 2006. Archived from the original on January 10, 2007. Retrieved October 26, 2008.
76. "IGN.com presents The Best of 2006: Gamecube: Best Use of Sound". IGN. Ziff Davis. December 21, 2006. Archived from the original on January 10, 2007. Retrieved October 26, 2008.
77. "IGN.com presents The Best of 2006: Gamecube: Best Graphics Technology". IGN. Ziff Davis. December 21, 2006. Archived from the original on January 10, 2007. Retrieved October 26, 2008.
78. "IGN.com presents The Best of 2006: Wii: Best Graphics Technology". IGN. Ziff Davis. December 21, 2006. Archived from the original on January 10, 2007. Retrieved October 26, 2008.
79. "2006 Nintendo Power Awards". Nintendo Power (Nintendo) 215: 50–56. May 2007.
80. "IGN.com presents The Best of 2006: Gamecube: Best Story". IGN. Ziff Davis. December 21, 2006. Archived from the original on January 10, 2007. Retrieved October 26, 2008.
81. "IGN.com presents The Best of 2006: Wii: Best Story". IGN. Ziff Davis. December 21, 2006. Archived from the original on January 10, 2007. Retrieved October 26, 2008.
82. "2006 GameTrailers Awards: Game of the Year". GameTrailers. Defy Media. January 11, 2007. Archived from the original on June 19, 2007. Retrieved September 12, 2008.
83. "The 2006 1UP Awards Winners". 1UP.com. IGN. January 31, 2007. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved December 29, 2008.
84. "The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess review". Electronic Gaming Monthly 213: 77–81. March 2007.
85. "The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess review". Game Informer (GameStop) 165: 88, 102. January 2007.
86. "GamesRadar's potentially annual Platinum Chalice awards 2006". GamesRadar. Future plc. December 22, 2006.
87. "GameSpy's Game of the Year 2006". GameSpy. IGN. Archived from the original on December 31, 2006. Retrieved August 26, 2008.
88. "Favorite Video Game of 2007". Spaceys. 2007. Space.
89. "BEST OF '06: Action/Adventure". G4. Archived from the original on January 19, 2007. Retrieved March 19, 2007.
90. "2005 Winners". Game Critics Awards. 2005. Retrieved December 29, 2008.
91. "IGN.com presents The Best of 2006: Gamecube: Best Adventure Game". IGN. Ziff Davis. December 21, 2006. Archived from the original on January 14, 2007. Retrieved October 26, 2008.
92. "IGN.com presents The Best of 2006: Wii: Best Adventure Game". IGN. Ziff Davis. December 21, 2006. Archived from the original on January 10, 2007. Retrieved October 26, 2008.
93. "2006 GameTrailers Awards: Best Action/Adventure Game". GameTrailers. Defy Media. January 9, 2007. Archived from the original on September 12, 2007. Retrieved September 12, 2008.
94. "20–11 Official Nintendo Magazine". Official Nintendo Magazine. Future plc. Archived from the original on February 28, 2009. Retrieved February 25, 2009.
95. "The Top 25 Wii Games—Wii Feature at IGN". IGN. Ziff Davis. November 26, 2009. Archived from the original on December 2, 2009. Retrieved February 8, 2010.
96. "The Best of the Decade". Nintendo Power (Future US) (252): 68–77. March 2010.
97. Sinclair, Brendan (November 27, 2006). "Over 600,000 Wiis served". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on September 26, 2007. Retrieved January 7, 2007.
98. "Nintendo Annual Report 2011" (PDF). Nintendo. August 1, 2011. p. 13. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 17, 2011. Retrieved January 27, 2012.
99. "Supplementary Information about Earnings Release" (PDF). Nintendo. April 25, 2007. p. 6. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved September 17, 2007.
100. Frank, Allegra (February 3, 2016). "The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is getting a manga, starting next week". Polygon. Vox Media. Archived from the original on February 16, 2016. Retrieved February 16, 2016.
101. Makuch, Eddie (March 7, 2016). "Legend of Zelda Picross Revealed As "My Nintendo" Bonus - Report". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on April 4, 2016. Retrieved April 4, 2016.
102. "My Nintendo Picross: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess". My Nintendo. 2016. Archived from the original on April 16, 2016. Retrieved April 16, 2016.

• Aonuma, Eiji (March 2007). The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Reflections in the Hourglass (Speech). Game Developers Conference. Nintendo World Report. Archived from the original on April 20, 2014. Retrieved September 12, 2008.
• Pelland, Scott, ed. (November 19, 2006). Official Nintendo Power The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Player's Guide. Nintendo. ISBN 1-59812-004-2.

External links

• Official website