The Little Legends

Four Swords (2002) was released by Nintendo & Capcom for Game Boy Advance as part of a re-release of Link to the Past. This re-release was when (and why) the Palace of the Four Sword was added to that game! An Anniversary Edition was briefly released in 2011 but removed from the EShop in 2012, only returning for a month around the release of A Link Between Worlds for download. At present, emulation appears to be the best way to get and play the game yourself if you do not already own it. Here is the best text game guide I could find, and here is a four-player Let's Play from 2014.

ETA: Nintendo wanted to make a fool of me a week after the Four Swords post here, clearly! We have updated the infographic with the latest news -- Four Swords is on Nintendo Switch Online!

A note on disambiguation: Four Swords (2002) is being notated with its release year due to the confusion of this game, Four Swords Adventures (posted separately), and Four Swords (Manga). A post explaining the differences in more detail is here.

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This post is for discussion of the Four Swords (2002) game only!

If you wish to discuss the Manga, please do so on the Four Swords Adventures post instead!

Four Swords, in my mind, kinda accidently tied into that theme through Vaati in a pretty interesting way. (I do very much think it was unintentional). Vaati, in this game, is obsessed with the idea of marrying Zelda. On it's own, fairly standard fairy tale stuff. But, when you add in the characterization from Minish Cap--a young minish who yearned for power--there seems to be a theme of warped ideas of adulthood. The young minish is jealous of his master's power, so he steals it. Later, once he has lost himself, he still grasps for a semblance of the power and life he lost. Marriage is seen as a rite of passage when it comes to growing up (though I am not saying it is actually necessary). He still sees this power and "love" as something he has to selfishly claim. I just think there is something to be said when it comes to Vaati and wanting to grow up too soon in the wrong ways.

There is also, of course, the Links. Any growing on their part is difficult to decipher just by the nature of the game. There is some dialogue from the Great Faries that seem to point to something?

In FS, you have the options to repeat the three main dungeons at three difficulty levels. When you beat each dungeon at the first difficulty, the Great Fairy at the end will say "I dub you...little eggs, waiting to hatch into heroes. I grant you each a Silver Key." For the second difficulty, it is "I dub you...brave heroes and grant you each a Golden Key." Finally, "There is nothing left to be said. I dub you...the greatest of heroes and grant you each a Hero's Key."

The non-linear nature of this and the bonus levels make it difficult to determine the story. But the Great Fairies seem to see some changes. (The Vaati fight also has 3 levels of difficulty. And while ALTTP got the Palace of the Four Sword, Four Swords also got the Hero's Trial and the Realm of Memories which can be accessed after a certain point. Rewards are the Hurricane Spin and the Master Sword. One is certainly much more confusing than the other).

Side Note: I love the Great Fairy designs! The Great Fairy of Forest, Flame, and Ice are so cool! They are so pretty. Flame's design probably could have been edited a bit, but the butterfly wings are gorgeous. Post-game they transform into OOT-inspired designs, but I think I prefer these for the most part.

For our final title, we present A Link Between Worlds!

A "soft" remake of A Link to the Past, it reused the map and the overall setup presented by that game (Link moves between an "overworld" and "underworld," and after a certain point the game dungeons can be visited in any order) while also introducing enough of its own story, items, and unique game mechanics to be something new. The bracelet that turns Link into a living, moving painting is iconic of the game.

It also introduced the curious character of Ravio! Tying back to Alttp with his rabbit themed design, this quirky merchant serves as the mechanic by which you acquire new items. He's also certainly hiding something.

The game is playable on 3DS. You can also read Zeldadungeon's walkthrough, or watch a comment-free let's play here.

Keep an eye out for Little Legend's next phase, in which we encourage you to celebrate these small treasures with a feast of new creations!

In the meantime,

Reblog and add what you love about the game, things you would like to see, or other resources for those who would like to learn more about it! Here are some suggestions to get you started:

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My fic is essentially trying to explore the game from the context of Linked Universe. Because some Links were understandably consolidated to be more manageable, this is now the Hero of Legend's 4th known adventure instead of being the origin of a new Hero. The time difference between ALTTP and ALBW is shortened from about a century to a few years. I'm trying to bring in elements of ALTTP and the Oracles to explain some of the weirdness this causes. As of right now, it is essentially a worldbuilding experiment from a limited perspective. The fic is also centered around an echo a popular fan theory that is basically impossible in LU.

Here is the link:

Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons are linked games currently playable through Nintendo Online's base tier. Completing one game unlocks additional story aspects in the second! While they can be played in any order, I'd recommend starting with Seasons. Or you can read walkthroughs here and here, or watch here and here!

Reblog and add what you love about the game, things you would like to see, or other resources for those who would like to learn more about it! Here are some suggestions to get you started:

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Minish Cap is currently playable on the Switch through Nintendo Online's advanced tier, or via emulators. If those options don't work for you, here is a walkthrough, and here is a lets play you can watch. Reblog and add what you love about the game, things you would like to see, or other resources for those who would like to learn more about it! Here are some suggestions to get you started:

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Everyone's participation has been so lovely, and the posts are still here and active for people to add new works to as they get them done! There's no time limit!

Link's Awakening is one of the few in the Zelda franchise that has received a true remake! Originally released for Gameboy, it was re-crafted with modern, adorable graphics and gameplay and is currently available on the Switch. You can read a walkthrough here or watch a lets play here!

Reblog and add what you love about the game, things you would like to see, or other resources for those who would like to learn more about it! Here are some suggestions to get you started:

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That art idea you don't think you'll ever get around to drawing

Story tropes that are perfect but no one seems to include

A Link to the Past introduced several firsts in the series; it's the source of the Master Sword, the tendency to have you rescue a certain number of sages or maidens, the locations of Kakriko Village and Lake Hylia, several songs that became iconic to the series, as well as what would become a repeated game formula of having to unlock three initial dungeons which then initiate another stage of the game with many more dungeons to go.

And let us not forget, of course, that it's the game that gave us pink-haired Link with a Dark World bunny form.

A well loved classic with many re-releases across multiple consoles, it's currently playable via Nintendo Switch online. A guide can be found here, or you can watch a let's play here!

Reblog and add what you love about the game, things you would like to see, or other resources for those who would like to learn more about it! Here are some suggestions to get you started:

Links to existing fanworks

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Analysis of story themes, character arcs, and so on

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Best music moments

That art idea you don't think you'll ever get around to drawing

Story tropes that are perfect but no one seems to include

The Legend of Zelda is the first in the series! It's a beautiful open world game that features a top down view. If you were to tackle this beast, I highly recommend using the guide, as when I say open world, I mean it- the game doesn't hold your hand at all as you're set loose in the world of Hyrule. Either that, or you could watch a play-through of this game here!

Reblog and add what you love about the game, things you would like to see, or other resources for those who would like to learn more about it! Here are some suggestions to get you started:

Links to existing fanworks

Most underrated characters

Your favorite gameplay mechanics, story moments, etc

Analysis of story themes, character arcs, and so on

Favorite game items

Best music moments

That art idea you don't think you'll ever get around to drawing

Story tropes that are perfect but no one seems to include

Adventure of Link is a side-scroller that can be played with the Switch's Nintendo Online's base tier. You can watch a playthrough or play it yourself at Arcade Spot! One piece of advice, if you wait long enough at the title screen, it'll tell you the story of what's going on and you'll get a better understanding of what you're doing loll

Reblog and add what you love about the game, things you would like to see, or other resources for those who would like to learn more about it! Here are some suggestions to get you started:

Links to existing fanworks

Most underrated characters

Your favorite gameplay mechanics, story moments, etc

Analysis of story themes, character arcs, and so on

Favorite game items

Best music moments

That art idea you don't think you'll ever get around to drawing

Story tropes that are perfect but no one seems to include

Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons are linked games currently playable through Nintendo Online's base tier. Completing one game unlocks additional story aspects in the second! While they can be played in any order, I'd recommend starting with Seasons. Or you can read walkthroughs here and here, or watch here and here!

Reblog and add what you love about the game, things you would like to see, or other resources for those who would like to learn more about it! Here are some suggestions to get you started:

Links to existing fanworks

Most underrated characters

Your favorite gameplay mechanics, story moments, etc

Analysis of story themes, character arcs, and so on

Favorite game items

Best music moments

That art idea you don't think you'll ever get around to drawing

Story tropes that are perfect but no one seems to include

A Link to the Past introduced several firsts in the series; it's the source of the Master Sword, the tendency to have you rescue a certain number of sages or maidens, the locations of Kakriko Village and Lake Hylia, several songs that became iconic to the series, as well as what would become a repeated game formula of having to unlock three initial dungeons which then initiate another stage of the game with many more dungeons to go.

And let us not forget, of course, that it's the game that gave us pink-haired Link with a Dark World bunny form.

A well loved classic with many re-releases across multiple consoles, it's currently playable via Nintendo Switch online. A guide can be found here, or you can watch a let's play here!

Reblog and add what you love about the game, things you would like to see, or other resources for those who would like to learn more about it! Here are some suggestions to get you started:

Links to existing fanworks

Most underrated characters

Your favorite gameplay mechanics, story moments, etc

Analysis of story themes, character arcs, and so on

Favorite game items

Best music moments

That art idea you don't think you'll ever get around to drawing

Story tropes that are perfect but no one seems to include

I'd also like to add @bokettochild's excellent oneshot set in ALTTP.

The information post about Wind Waker is here if you want inspiration to create something yourself! The event explanation is here.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE FIC you’ve written yourself, or read online? What artwork have you made, or animatics? Reblog with the link to your fanwork here so people can find more of their favourites!

PLEASE SELF PROMOTE!!

We are here to celebrate YOU, the people writing for the littlest legends, so let us see your works!

If you haven’t written for this game before, now is the time! Challenge mode is to get it posted before the end of August!

The information post about A Link Between Worlds is here if you want inspiration to create something yourself! The event explanation is here.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE FIC you’ve written yourself, or read online? What artwork have you made, or animatics? Reblog with the link to your fanwork here so people can find more of their favourites!

PLEASE SELF PROMOTE!!

We are here to celebrate YOU, the people writing for the littlest legends, so let us see your works!

If you haven’t written for this game before, now is the time! Challenge mode is to get it posted before the end of August!

ask and try again, ravio gently teaches link about consent after he touches him wrong

bunny bumps and bruises, ravio hits his head and link tries not to panic himself as he takes care of him

The information post about A Link Between Worlds is here if you want inspiration to create something yourself! The event explanation is here.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE FIC you’ve written yourself, or read online? What artwork have you made, or animatics? Reblog with the link to your fanwork here so people can find more of their favourites!

PLEASE SELF PROMOTE!!

We are here to celebrate YOU, the people writing for the littlest legends, so let us see your works!

If you haven’t written for this game before, now is the time! Challenge mode is to get it posted before the end of August!

None of them have ships and it’s Ravio-centric very interesting 10/10 🙏

Art I have some in my profile soooo

This is my favorite actually

To add my work into the collection, I am working on a fanfic with MANY headcanons ft. Ravio and Link (specifically Legend from Linked Universe, who has been on SIX adventures).

The story is Retired Assets. And I’m creating both the story and its illustration.

This is a story born out of visual art, and I wish to keep the symbiosis going forward.

There is a darker spin on both Ravio’s and Link’s character as the protagonists navigate loss, grief, feeling of incompetence and self-doubt.