10 Things Even Fans Didn’t Know About Princess Zelda

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Princess Zelda is among the oldest characters in the gaming world, having made her debut in “The Legend of Zelda” for NES back in the day and continuously appearing in numerous Nintendo games since then. Although she is a well-known character from a famous video game series, many fans might not know much about her due to her frequent role as a non-playable character often in need of rescue. Frequently, this role doesn’t provide much insight into her character. To shed some light on Princess Zelda and help fans learn more about her, here are ten lesser-known facts about the iconic video game character.

1. She’s in all but two games

In the popular series, The Legend of Zelda, Princess Zelda serves as the central character, leading to humor and misunderstandings about Link being the primary hero. Contrary to her presence in every main title, she doesn’t appear in all games, with two instances where she is conspicuously absent.

Initially, she’s missing from the game called “Link’s Awakening”, set in a dream realm instead of Hyrule. Although she is mentioned within the game, she is not present. Subsequently, she is completely omitted from “Tri Force Heroes”. Only her dress makes an appearance, but no reference to the princess herself can be located.

2. Zelda had no voice acting until 2017

Historically, Nintendo has been sparing in its use of voice actors; instead, many of its characters have been limited to making sounds or grunts. This was the case with Princess Zelda for quite some time. However, it wasn’t until 2017 that she was given voice lines for the first time.

In the game “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” and its subsequent release “Tears of the Kingdom,” Princess Zelda, voiced by Patricia Summerset, was one of the select few voice actors to contribute to these games. Interestingly, Link did not have a voice actor assigned, but Zelda had extensive dialogue in the flashbacks and cutscenes due to her significant role. This pattern persisted in both games.

3. Zelda sometimes has romantic undertones with Link

Nintendo has confirmed that Mario and Princess Peach have a friendly bond, where they help each other. On the other hand, while it’s not common, some games suggest a romantic undertone between Link and Princess Zelda in their relationship.

In the game Skyward Sword, it’s evident that a unique connection exists between the two young protagonists, with Link, at a school age, showing great determination and disregarding all obstacles to protect Zelda. In Tears of the Kingdom, Link has the option to sleep in Zelda’s bed, suggesting they share living quarters. When the Oracle games are played together, their bond deepens as Zelda initiates a tender kiss with Link during the ending sequence, and even at the end of Spirit Tracks, they can be seen holding hands.

4. She screams in Ocarina of Time’s boss battle

During a boss fight, it can be challenging to catch all the details because players are mainly focused on staying alive, often overlooking any hidden fun elements or references. Interestingly, in the game Ocarina of Time, there’s an especially poignant Easter egg that many miss while Link is battling Ganondorf for the last time.

In most intense battles against different forms of Ganon, when Link receives damage (which occurs quite frequently), he lets out a terrified scream. This reaction holds true even if he’s hit by fire, and it also applies during the 3DS remake version of the game.

5. The princess has just one mainline protagonist role

Over three decades, the legendary Zelda series has seen nearly thirty core games bear her name. I’ve played most of them, and Zelda graces their screens more often than not. However, despite this rich history, she’s only had one definitive leading role that truly shines, which took place in the year 2024.

In “Echoes of Wisdom,” Zelda stepped into the limelight as the main character, and it was a truly captivating game. Prior to “Echoes,” Zelda played supporting roles, often depicted as a damsel in distress in games like “Breath of the Wild” and “Tears of the Kingdom.” However, in these games she was an NPC (Non-Player Character), but that changed with “Echoes.

6. Her theme has time travel abilities

In a more conversational and accessible manner, you could say: The melodious tune known as Zelda’s Lullaby, featured in almost every game, is widely considered the franchise’s finest piece of music, which is quite impressive. Interestingly, within the game’s narrative, this soothing lullaby holds a distinctive power to transport players through time.

In “Majora’s Mask”, Link moves between time periods with the help of the Song of Time. Conversely, when someone is sent through time in “Ocarina of Time”, Zelda uses the same ocarina but plays her unique melody instead. Interestingly, this tune not only serves to travel through time in “Ocarina of Time”, but it also possesses other magical properties, as seen by its ability to open certain things.

7. She hasn’t biologically aged beyond 20

In video games, Zelda has never been older than 20 years old, and for the majority of her appearances, she stays quite young. However, in terms of chronological age, she is over 100 in Breath of the Wild and more than 10,000 by the end of Tears of the Kingdom due to some intricate time travel plotlines. Despite these advanced ages, Zelda remains a character that appears to be a young adult throughout those games thanks to certain timeline quirks.

8. Tears of the Kingdom dramatically changed Zelda’s appearance

In various games, Zelda has undergone multiple transformations since her first appearance in 3D in “Ocarina of Time.” Although it’s unmistakably her due to her royal status, she seldom maintains the same physical appearance across different titles, with one consistent trait: her long hair.

In the game titled “Tears of the Kingdom,” the princess was seen with a new hairstyle for the first time. It was shorter compared to her previous appearances in the game, but she went back to her original style in the following game, “Echoes of Wisdom,” which came out the next year.

9. She is named after Zelda Fitzgerald

Shigeru Miyamoto, one of the creators behind The Legend of Zelda series, revealed that the character’s name was inspired by Zelda Fitzgerald – a renowned American writer, dancer, and wife of famous author F. Scott Fitzgerald. With X representing an unchosen title, Miyamoto struggled to think of another suitable name and ultimately chose Zelda due to its appeal.

10. She inspired Robin Williams’ daughter’s name

Robin Williams, who passed away, had a deep affection for the game The Legend of Zelda. It’s said that Nintendo subtly incorporated an NPC in Breath of the Wild that bore a slight resemblance to him. Additionally, he named his daughter, now a successful film director, after the princess from the game. While she was pregnant with their daughter, Robin Williams and his wife often played some of these games together.

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2025-08-23 00:14