Line #310 VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaCDiGames


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/zelda_cdi_games.png]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:''Oh boy!'']]
3
4	->'''Link:''' Gee, it sure is boring around here!\
5	'''King Harkinian:''' My boy, this peace is what ''all'' true warriors strive for!\
6	'''Link:''' I just wonder what Ganon's up to!
7	-->--'''The opening conversation''' of ''Link: The Faces of Evil.''
8
9	%%One quote is enough. Please do not add any more.
10
11	''[[MemeticMutation Mah boi]], [[JustForFun/DescribeTopicHere this description is what all true tropers strive for!!]]''
12
13	A series of games based on ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'' (as Philips didn't have the rights to the franchise name, none of them actually use the name "Legend of Zelda" anywhere) made in the early 90s, as part of Philips Electronics' deal with Creator/{{Nintendo}}'s [[Platform/{{SNESCDROM}} SNES CD-ROM]]. The idea fell through, but Philips had been given [[LicensedGame the right to make several games based on Nintendo characters]] (not their respective franchises, just the characters), in this case from ''[[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Mario]]'' and ''Zelda''. So, along with ''VideoGame/HotelMario'', they made three games for the Platform/PhilipsCDi system: ''Link: The Faces of Evil'', ''Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon'' and ''Zelda's Adventure''. These are [[OldShame not regarded]] [[CanonDiscontinuity as canon]] by Nintendo, and are ignored by the timeline inside material such as Official Nintendo Power Zelda game lists, and ''Zelda'''s 25th anniversary artbook ''Literature/HyruleHistoria''.[[note]]In fact, these games aren't mentioned at all in ''Hyrule Historia''. Not even so much as a footnote.[[/note]]
14
15	The most infamous by far are the two sidescrolling games reminiscent of ''VideoGame/ZeldaIITheAdventureOfLink'', both released in 1993. In ''Faces of Evil'', Link had to travel to the island of Koridai to liberate it from Ganon's forces; ''Wand of Gamelon'' featured Zelda traveling to Gamelon to save her father -- King Harkinian -- and Link. The games are quite infamous on the internet due to their animated cutscenes, often regarded as [[LargeHam hammy]], [[DerangedAnimation bizarre]], and [[{{Narm}} unintentionally hilarious]]; as a result, they are one of the sources most often used for humorous remix videos known as YouTubePoop.
16
17	Less (in)famous is the top-down adventure game ''Zelda's Adventure'', released in 1995 in Europe. In a reversal from the norm, Ganon has kidnapped Link and invaded the Kingdom of [[SdrawkcabName "Tolemac"]], plunging the Kingdom into an Age of Darkness. Princess Zelda sets out to save the young adventurer, and learns from the astronomer Gaspra that she must first collect the seven celestial signs before she can conquer the dark king and bring Tolemac into an Age of Lightness. ''Zelda's Adventure'' featured live action full-motion video cutscenes and pre-rendered sprites and backgrounds (primarily through a combination of live-action footage and surprisingly impressive model effects), and was generally more reminiscent of the very first ''Zelda'' game for the NES.
18
19	[[SmallRoleBigImpact Believe it or not, these games are of genuine historical importance not just to the games industry, but to the entire global political and economic sphere.]] Specifically, this marked the very first time an American company outsourced work to Russian labor, representing a thawing in US-Russia relations in the wake of the UsefulNotes/ColdWar's end on Christmas Day of 1991. Developers Animation Magic hired a team of four Russian animators to work on the cutscenes for ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfWGYW4uZVg The Faces of Evil]]'' and ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4UXa7AgBzA Wand of Gamelon,]]'' flying them into the States to work on the project. The end result was... ''[[DerangedAnimation distinctive]]'', to say the least, but it was this of all things that became a significant touchstone in the post-Cold War era of global politics.
20
21	27 years after the release of ''Faces of Evil'' and ''Wand of Gamelon'', amateur developer Dopply created {{Fan Remake}}s of both games, retaining all of the original assets while updating the gameplay to be less frustrating. Their downloads were only available for a limited time, [[KeepCirculatingTheTapes but mirrors can be found elsewhere online]]. Tropes specific to the remakes should go [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaCDiRemasters here.]]
22
23	In 2023, in collaboration with Limited Run Games, Dopply (under the professional alias Seedy Eye Software[[note]][[{{Pun}} "CD-i"]], y'see[[/note]]) would announce that he had been working on a SpiritualSuccessor to ''Faces of Evil'' and ''Wand of Gamelon'', titled ''VideoGame/ArzetteTheJewelOfFaramore''. In addition to Dopply himself, the development team also includes ''Faces of Evil'' and ''Wand of Gamelon'''s background artist Rob Dunlavey, and Jeffrey Rath (Link) and Bonnie Jean Wilbur (Zelda) are featured as part of the game's voice cast. ''Arzette'' was released on February 14, 2024.
24	----
25
26	!!These are the examples of evil. You must read each:
27	* TheNineties: Most apparent in the music, from the synth quality to the style. Much more than was apparent in the canonical games.
28	* AbhorrentAdmirer: Link gets too much attention from an overweight woman named Alora in two cutscenes in ''The Faces of Evil.'' His expression speaks volumes on his levels of discomfort.
29	-->'''Alora:''' ''(while sultry walking towards Link)'' You're not afraid of dragons, are ''you?''\
30	'''Link:''' ''(gulp)'' O-Of course not.
31	* AccentUponTheWrongSyllable: Almost every single character has a bad grasp on how to emphasize certain words.
32	* AchillesHeel: Each of the bosses in the first two games require a specific item that will usually defeat them in one go.
33	-->"Here's a shroud that scares the wraps off [[{{Mummy}} Gibdo]]."
34	* ADayInTheLimelight: Zelda is the player character in ''Wand of Gamelon'' and ''Zelda's Adventure''.
35	* AdaptationalWimp: Ganon is typically portrayed as a threatening [[EvilOverlord dark lord]]. Here, he's incredibly laughable, and is defeated in one hit, [[WeaksauceWeakness with a book]].
36	* AllThereInTheScript: Many characters are only named in the guides from the Dutch magazine ''CD Interactief''.
37	* AlmostKiss: The visuals near the end of ''Faces Of Evil'' suggest one of these between Link and Zelda, though it's interrupted by Gwonam appearing to congratulate Link on saving Koridai.
38	* AmbiguousGender: Agwanda in ''Zelda's Adventure'' who is voiced by both a man and woman.
39	* AmbiguouslyEvil: Lady Alma in ''Wand of Gamelon'' seemed to enjoy mocking Zelda, was quick to point off she's better off without Link, and it's revealed Link was trapped in her mirror, though it's unknown if Alma was the one who trapped him.
40	* AmbiguouslyHuman: Gwonam in ''Faces of Evil'' and The Fisherman/Blacksmith in ''Wand of Gamelon'' have yellow skin for some reason.
41	* AnachronismStew: An NPC in ''Zelda's Adventure'' is a bartender wearing a cap, despite the game taking place in a medieval-fantasy setting.
42	* AndIMustScream:
43	** Hamsha in ''Faces of Evil'', who is frozen. When Link thaws her, she thanks him by giving him a drink of Water of Life -- then promptly ''freezes again''. And you can just keep rethawing (and refreezing) her whenever you want. Since the mountain was frozen by Ganon, she's presumably freed once he is sealed away.
44	** Goronu threatens to do this to Link:
45	--->'''Goronu:''' I may be hideous, but after a year of being frozen, you will ''beg'' to join me!
46	** Ganon's fate in the end of ''Faces of Evil'' and ''Wand of Gamelon'' is being trapped in a book for who knows how long.
47	* AndThatsTerrible: Mayor Cravendish feels the need to point out that Ganon's forces imprisoning everyone in Tykogi Tower is bad.
48	-->'''Impa:''' Oh my, it looks like everyone's being taken to Tykogi Tower!\
49	'''Mayor Cravendish:''' This is illegal, you know.
50	* ArtisticLicenseSpace: Odranoel the astronomer claims that the night is cold because stars are made of ice. In reality, stars are made up of gases, and even the coldest stars would be considered hot for humans. Justified since the games and the franchise as a whole are medieval fantasy games, and the proposal that stars were made of gases would not be made until 1925 by Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin.
51	* ArtShift: The cutscenes are very obviously animated by different people. Link and Zelda look different in pretty much every scene they appear in, and Zelda is even shown wearing a completely different outfit seemingly inspired by the 1989 animated series sometimes.
52	* AsideGlance: In the opening of ''Wand of Gamelon'', after Zelda tells Link to go find the King, she looks at the player in a way that practically says: "I just know he's going to mess this up."
53	%%* BadassBoast: Most bosses will boast to the protagonist.
54	* BagOfHolding: Link and Zelda both carry magic pouches that allow them to carry many items.
55	-->'''Link:''' Good thing I have my magic pouch. I can carry ''[[HyperspaceArsenal everything!]]''\
56	'''Zelda:''' Luckily, my magic pouch can carry as much as you want.
57	* BagOfSpilling: {{Hand Wave}}d in ''Faces of Evil'', where Gwonam drags Link along for the adventure without letting him grab his stuff, insisting "your sword is enough".
58	* BeatStillMyHeart: Hektan's heart continues to beat after he melts away.
59	%%* BigGood: King Harkinian, both [[AdiposeRex literally]] and metaphorically.
60	* BigNo: The bosses tends to shout "No" when they get defeated.
61	* BlindIdiotTranslation: In the French dub of ''Wand of Gamelon'', Zelda's "Guess again Iron Knuckle." is translated to "Devine encore Iron Knuckle.", which is a literal translation, but it doesn't mean anything in French.
62	* BookEnds: Link tries to get Zelda to kiss him in the beginning and final cutscenes in ''Faces of Evil''.
63	* BossInMookClothing: Gleeok in both ''Faces of Evil'' and ''Wand of Gamelon''. It's found in only one area in each game, and is tougher than any of the bosses despite not getting an intro cutscene (though one NPC brings in up in each game) as well as being accompanied by its disconnected heads. They each drop an item that can be traded for an optional piece of equipment, with Link getting the canteen and Zelda getting the second sword upgrade.
64	* BossRush: At the end of ''Zelda's Adventure'', Zelda has to defeat five of the game's bosses in a row before she can face Ganon.
65	* BottomlessPits: Certain levels like Doradung Cave contain pits and bodies of water that will kill Link and Zelda if they fall into them.
66	* BreathlessNonSequitur: "My ship sails in the morning. I wonder what's for ''DINNER''?"[[note]]If you listen closely, you can hear the sound of a dinner bell in the background of the scene, so it's not a complete non sequitur InUniverse.[[/note]]
67	* BroughtToYouByTheLetterS: Link and Zelda's default shields are marked with an "L" and a "Z" in their respective item menus.
68	* CanonDiscontinuity: Nintendo put little quality control into the CD-I games, only making sure the illustrations in the manual and cover were on-model. Nintendo dumped all endorsement of Philips' games as soon as they hit shelves, and the attitude has only gotten stronger since then. The ''Magazine/NintendoPower'' guide to ''Ocarina of Time'' acknowledged all Zelda games except the CD-I games; ''Nintendo Power'' advertised ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSpiritTracks Spirit Tracks]]'' as the first time Zelda joins the adventure instead of just waiting to be rescued, even though Zelda was the ''player character'' in two of the Philips games; the book ''[[AllThereInTheManual Hyrule Historia]]'' didn't even mention them at all, not even in footnotes. ''Nintendo Power'' does acknowledge the existence of the games, but only to mock them, even before the cutscenes went memetic.
69	* CanonForeigner: Everyone except Ganon, Link, Zelda and Impa, the enemies, and the King, who comes from the [[ComicBook/TheLegendOfZelda comics]] and [[WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfZelda1989 TV series]].
70	* CanonImmigrant:
71	** The name Harkinian first appeared in the comics and cartoon. All versions of Zelda's father in those media seem based off of the King in ''VideoGame/ZeldaIITheAdventureOfLink.''
72	** Probably unintentional, but Lamp Oil, which first appears as an item in ''Faces of Evil'' and ''Wand of Gamelon'', becomes a real Zelda item in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess Twilight Princess]]''. There was a Lantern in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast A Link to the Past]]'', but it ran on Link's magic power. Yellow Rupees also first appeared in ''Zelda's Adventure'' before they appeared in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker Wind Waker]]'' eight years later.
73	** Spear Moblins and Snowballs make their debut in ''Faces of Evil'', though the latter was only an item before becoming an official enemy obstacle in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask Majora's Mask]]'' seven years later.
74	* CastFromMoney: Most items cost rubies/Rupees to use, much like ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaI''. {{Justified}} in ''Zelda's Adventure'' with the claim that Rupees contain magical energy.
75	* TheChosenOne: According to a scroll Gwonam reveals in the intro for ''Link: The Faces of Evil'', Link is the only one who can stop Ganon.
76	-->'''Gwonam:''' It is written: Only Link can defeat Ganon.
77	* ClimaxBoss: The battle with Ganon's [[TheDragon dragons]] in both games; Lupay of ''Faces of Evil'' is the only boss other than [[FinalBoss Ganon]] that isn't repeated (though, oddly, they can be skipped completely), while Hektan of ''Wand of Gamelon'' precedes an important plot point [[spoiler:(Duke Onkled being revealed as a traitor)]].
78	* ContrivedCoincidence: At the end of ''Wand of Gamelon'', Zelda throws Lady Alma's mirror in frustration just because Alma likes to look at herself. It turns out that Link was trapped inside the mirror all along. This is something that neither Zelda or any of the other good guys knew. Link was just freed thanks to a lucky coincidence.
79	* CoversAlwaysLie: The art of Link and Zelda in the Animation Magic games depict artwork taken straight from ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast''. Aside from a few minimal features like a green outfit for Link or blonde hair for Zelda, they do not resemble their in-game appearances at all.
80	* CreepyGood: Several of the characters encountered can be a bit on the creepy side, though most of them do help Link and Zelda on their quests.
81	* CurbStompBattle: All the bosses in ''Link: The Faces of Evil'' and ''Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon'', even Ganon, can be beaten by either attacking them a few times with the right equipment or by throwing a certain item, which will [[OneHitKill kill them in one hit]].
82	* CrystalBall: Impa uses the Triforce of Wisdom as one regularly.
83	-->'''Impa:''' The Triforce of Wisdom promises the King will safely return.
84	* DeathIsASlapOnTheWrist: If you die in the first two games, you are simply put back on the stage with all of the items you've collected. This is in stark contrast to ''VideoGame/ZeldaIITheAdventureOfLink'', in which ContinuingIsPainful.
85	* DeclarativeFinger: King Harkinian memetically uses this in ''Faces of Evil'', while saying: "MAH BOI, this peace is what all true warriors strive for!"
86	* DemBones: As with the main series, the Stalfos are skeleton enemies. Goronu also has a personal Stalfos minion named Sleepy Bones.
87	* DenialOfDiagonalAttack: Link and Zelda are only capable of swinging their swords forward.
88	* DenserAndWackier: Probably unintentionally, but the CD-i games are definitely wackier and more comical compared to other ''Zelda'' games released before or after.
89	%%* DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment:
90	-->'''Suprena:''' This shield both sword and spear deflects, but cannot stop the vilest curse. This crystal makes the shield reflect, [[RhymesOnADime cursing the curser with twice the]] [[RhymingWithItself curse]].
91	* DependingOnTheArtist:
92	** Several characters' sprites look different from the way the same characters look in the cut scenes. The difference is so great that you might wonder if the people who made the sprites even saw the cut scenes (or vice versa).
93	** Link and Zelda appear as they did in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast A Link to the Past]]'' on the cover art for ''Faces of Evil'' and ''Wand of Gamelon'', but they take on a variety of designs in the games proper. Sometimes Link is depicted with shorter brown hair like his appearance in ''[[VideoGame/ZeldaIITheAdventureOfLink Zelda II]]'', and one cutscene unmistakably gives Zelda her outfit from [[WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfZelda1989 the DiC cartoon]].
94	* DepthPerplexion: A common complaint about the game is that the perspective of the game, platforms, and the enemies sometimes makes no sense. One notorious example of this is in Doradung Cave, where walking to the left at the start will cause Zelda to fall into a bottomless pit found on the root of a dead tree trunk.
95	* DerangedAnimation: The cutscenes are some of the most horrible in gaming history.
96	* DevelopersForesight: ''Faces of Evil'' and ''Wand of Gamelon'' have [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxbY0ZCSEnA special audio messages]] that play if the disc detects that it's dirty.
97	* DisintegratorRay: Wizzrobe uses a disintegration spell as his primary means of attack. Zelda uses the Reflecting Shield to turn his own attack against him and defeat him.
98	-->'''Wizzrobe:''' Not the disintegration spell! NOO!
99	* DisproportionateRetribution: Whatever you do, do not bring light into Ganon's lair or else you will die.
100	-->'''Ganon''': You dare bring light into my lair?! ''[[PrepareToDie You must die]]!''
101	* DisproportionateReward: Anutu is so pleased with Link knowing that his "crab" is a Gohma that he gives him a sword.
102	* DullSurprise: In ''Wand of Gamelon'', nobody reacts to Link being released from the magic mirror after Zelda breaks it, unaware that he was in there.
103	* EasterEgg: In ''Zelda's Adventure'', if you hold on a specific item in a specific part of the map for seven seconds, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jj9crhoJzIg a skateboarder will come put of nowhere.]] The skateboarder is a character from a cancelled game called ''Food Dude''.
104	* EverybodyLaughsEnding: ''Wand of Gamelon'' ends with Zelda and the king laughing together.
105	* EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep: The King. He's only called Harkinian [[AllThereInTheManual in the manual]].
106	* EvilIsHammy: ''Everyone'' is hammy, but the evil characters are more so on average.
107	--> '''Ganon:''' YOU ''DARE'' BRING LIGHT TO MY LAIR? ''YOU MUST DIE!''
108	--> '''Ganon''': Join me, Link, and I will make your face the ''GRRREATEST IN KORIDAI!'' Or else '''you will''' '''''DIE'''''.
109	* ExactWords: In the opening cutscene of ''Wand of Gamelon'', Impa says "The Triforce of Wisdom promises the King will safely return!" shortly before the King gets captured by Ganon. However, he does safely return at the end of the game (having been rescued by Zelda), and the prophecy never specified ''when'' he would safely return, or how.
110	* {{Expy}}: Some characters in ''Faces of Evil'' and ''Wand of Gamelon'' have a clear parallel in the other game:
111	** Gwonam and Impa: Wise old folks who accompany the hero on their overseas journey, and assist them by showing visions of the bosses and citizens in distress.
112	** Militron and Iron Knuckle: Both are covered in heavy armor that can only be destroyed by the Power Glove.
113	** Lupay and Omfak: Both are wolf persons.
114	* ExtremeCloseUp: Various characters will often zoom up close to the camera in the cutscenes.
115	* ExtremeOmnivore: Glutko in ''Faces of Evil''and Omfak in ''Wand of Gamelon''. Both bosses are shown to be highly gluttonous, with Glutko eating innocent Koridians and Omfak killing a bird before roasting and eating it whole.
116	-->'''Omfak:''' Whatever I see, I shall devour!
117	* FaceHeelTurn: Midway through ''Wand of Gamelon'', [[spoiler:it's suddenly revealed that Duke Onkled was lying about being attacked by Ganon, and had actually allied with him in a plan to capture King Harkinian]].
118	* FamilyUnfriendlyDeath: Hektan gruesomely melts away into the ground after being hit by a SwordBeam from Zelda, leaving his HeartContainer -- which looks like a still-beating cartoon heart -- behind.
119	-->'''Hectan''': YOOOOOOOOU'VE KILLED MEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
120	-->'''Zelda''': (''with a cocky smirk'') [[BondOneLiner Good]].
121	* FanRemake: Both ''The Faces of Evil'' and ''The Wand of Gamelon'' received one in 2020. They were taken down by the developer pretty quickly (to lower the risk of a DMCA and because they were intended as just learning projects), but can [[KeepCirculatingtheTapes still be found in some places]]. Notably, it includes high-quality assets, gamepad support, and optional AntiFrustrationFeatures such as removing the limited number of continues.
122	* FakeLongevity: Reesong Palace, the final level of ''Wand of Gamelon'', requires you to fall down a well to get a key, and when you get out you have to go through half of the level again.
123	* FeedItABomb: Link can't wait to bomb some Dodongos! This is also how he beats Glutko.
124	* FreezeFrameBonus: When Mayor Cravendish is searching his coat for a magic lantern, his eyes pop when he looks into the wrong pocket.
125	* GamblingRuinsLives: Harlequin has Koridians gamble with eachother until they end up in complete dept which he then subjects each loser to being ReforgedIntoAMinion.
126	* GiantFlyer: In ''Zelda's Adventure'', Zelda reaches the Sky Shrine on the back of a giant bird. The boss of said Shrine, Avianna, is also a giant bird.
127	* GoodIsNotSoft: Zelda is kind and friendly to most people, but shows no mercy to Hyrule's enemies.
128	* GreenEyedEpiphany: Zelda normally denies affection for Link, but seems rather annoyed (or at least surprised) when Alma implies that she kissed him.
129	* GuideDangIt: It's fairly easy for a first-time player to get lost in ''Faces of Evil'' and ''Wand of Gamelon'' but the amount of cryptics in ''Zelda's Adventure'' makes it the most notorious of the three.
130	* HandWave: Nearly everything is interacted with by stabbing it with the sword. The tutorial simply claims it to be a magical property of the sword itself to pick up items and compel villagers to talk.
131	* HardLevelsEasyBosses: In ''Faces of Evil'' and ''Wand of Gamelon'', whereas a good number of the {{mooks}} can prove quite challenging to defeat, most of the bosses die with one hit. Even '''[[BigBad Ganon]]''' himself -- Link must [[ThrowTheBookAtThem throw the Book of Koridai]] at him; Zelda must use the titular Wand of Gamelon to summon binding chains... and then the book inexplicably reappears ''again'' to seal Ganon. The only bosses that put up a fight are the ones that need to be killed with standard attacks or weapons that don't kill in one hit like the Power Glove.
132	%%* HeKnowsAboutTimedHits:
133	-->'''Link:''' When I'm crouching, you can make me do the duck walk! [[MundaneMadeAwesome Cool, huh?]]
134	* HitboxDissonance: The sword seems to have a much shorter range than usual.
135	* HoldYourHippogriffs: Link is "so hungry, [he] can eat an Octorok!"
136	* TheHyena: A guy in one of the shops in the town of Wimbich in ''Zelda's Adventure.''
137	-->'''Man:''' Is a shrine a thing to be taken lightly? No! And a candle is needed to light a shrine! Hahahahahaha!
138	* IfIDoNotReturn: Upon leaving the castle to help Duke Onkled fend off Ganon, King Harkinian asks for Link to be sent if nothing is heard from him in a month's time.
139	-->'''King Harkinian:''' If you don't hear from me in a month, send Link!
140	* IllKillYou: The bad guys are fond of telling Link or Zelda that they will kill them.
141	* InformedAbility: Link claims that Ganon is "no match for the King", though we see nothing of King Harkinian's supposed fighting ability (indeed, him getting captured by Ganon is what kickstarts the game's plot).
142	* InHarmsWay: Link's first few lines in the intro for ''The Faces of Evil'' indicates he has this attitude.
143	* InsaneTrollLogic: The astronomer tells Link that night is cold because the stars are made of ice.
144	* InTheHood: During Gibdo's introductory cutscene, there are two white hooded figures behind him.
145	* ItMakesSenseInContext: The introductory cutscene for Tykogi Tower. It's supposed to depict the inhabitants of Sakado imprisoned there, but since all of the cutscenes save for the intros and endings use the level artwork for their backgrounds, it instead shows out-of-context clips of Mayor Cravendish saying "This is illegal, you know." and Harbanno saying "My cakes will burn!". The WebVideo/GameGrumps [[https://youtu.be/bs_sBMR-D18?t=126 were notably confused]] by these characters suddenly appearing when Impa was the only person around (they're actually just visions in the Triforce of Wisdom).
146	* JustInTime: Right after Link voices his curiosity on what Ganon's up to, Gwonam shows up to deliver the news of what Ganon's up to.
147	%%* LargeHam: Pretty much every single character that has a speaking line.
148	* LiveActionCutscene: In ''Zelda[='=]s Adventure'', the cutscenes are of live-action people portraying the characters. Interestingly, the character sprites are also [[DigitizedSprites live-action people shot from above]], pasted into the otherwise computer-generated world.
149	* LoadsAndLoadsOfLoading: ''Zelda's Adventure'' has to load for a number of seconds during every screen transition. The game cannot play music while loading, so in dungeons, moving to another room [[LongSongShortScene forces the music to restart]].
150	* MagicMirror: Link gets trapped inside Alma's mirror in ''Wand Of Gamelon'', though it isn't elaborated on how exactly he was trapped.
151	* {{Malaproper}}: Rupees are referred to as "rubies" in the game.
152	* MarshmallowHell: Link endures this from a woman with red braids in ''Faces of Evil'', when she grabs him and calls him "My hero!"
153	%%* MediumBlending: Used in the opening of ''Zelda's Adventure''.
154	* MercyInvincibility: Averted. Prolonged contact with an enemy can result in a good chunk of your health getting eaten up. Getting hurt doesn't knock you back, either.
155	* MetaphoricallyTrue: In ''The Wand of Gamelon'', when Zelda expresses concern to Impa over her Father going by himself to aid Duke Onkled and his kingdom, even with the Triforce of Courage, Impa declares that "The Triforce of Wisdom promises The King will safely return"... [[ExactWords it just didn't say when or how he would safely return.]]
156	%%* MilkingTheGiantCow: The animated characters often engage in this.
157	%%* ModestRoyalty: Played straight with Zelda and the King, but averted with Duke Onkled.
158	* MoodWhiplash: In ''The Wand of Gamelon'', King Harkinian wondering what's for dinner comes right after Zelda worrying about the King running into trouble on the island of Gamelon ([[TemptingFate which is exactly what happens]]).
159	%%* MotivationalKiss: Actively {{defied\|Trope}} by Zelda in ''Faces of Evil''.
160	-->'''Link''': How about a kiss? For luck?\
161	'''Zelda''': You've ''got'' to be kidding.
162	* MythologyGag: The manual for ''The Wand of Gamelon'' reveals that the king's name is "King Harkinian", a nod to [[WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfZelda1989 the DiC cartoon]], where the king of Hyrule is also named "Harkinian".
163	* NeverSayDie: Averted with extreme prejudice, despite Nintendo enforcing it at the time. Characters will freely refer to the act of death or killing with reckless abandon!
164	* NightmareFace: Many characters have this during their extreme close-ups due to the strange animation styles, especially Ganon.
165	* NoHeroDiscount: Morshu explicitly says that he can't give Link credit if he's short on rubies, though he's at least apologetic about it (and Ganon's minions all killing people or turning them into monsters means he probably needs all the rubies he can get). The Gamelon shopkeep, meanwhile, bluntly tells Zelda to wipe out a few more Goriyas if she can't afford something.
166	* NuclearCandle: Using the lantern lights up the entire dark area for a limited time in exchange for some lantern oil.
167	* AnOfferYouCantRefuse: Ganon in ''Faces of Evil'' offer Link power and fame and threatens to kill him if he refuses, though he starts fighting the hero anyway.
168	-->'''Ganon:''' Join me, Link! And I will make your face the [[TrrrillingRrrs grrreatest]] in Koridai! Or else you will ''die''!
169	* OminousPipeOrgan: Gibdo is playing one during a cutscene, despite being at the top of the church and nowhere near the organ.
170	* OnlySixFaces: The Koridians who end up being the victims of Harlequin, Glutko, Militron, and Lupay's antics all share the same design.
171	* PayEvilUntoEvil: Zelda kills her enemies without mercy, as shown by this exchange from ''Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon'':
172	-->'''Hektan''': You've killed me!\
173	'''Zelda''': Good.
174	* PerfectlyCromulentWord: Gwonam gives us one with the phrase "Squadalah!", which he utters while taking off on his magic carpet with Link.
175	* PowerFist: The Power Glove, an item in both ''Faces of Evil'' and ''Wand of Gamelon'', lets the heroes break boulders and hurt tougher enemies.
176	-->''[[RhymesOnADime Stir the berries in the tub. Let the juices soak the glove. Let Link fight and never cower, for his glove's a glove of power.]]''
177	* PracticalCurrency: The manual for ''Zelda's Adventure'' claims that rupees contain magical energy, which is why Zelda's spells are CastFromMoney.
178	* PreAsskickingOneLiner: This exchange from ''Wand of Gamelon'' when Zelda confronts Iron Knuckle:
179	--->'''Iron Knuckle:''' You dare defy me?! You will die!\
180	'''Zelda:''' Guess again, Iron Knuckle!
181	* PrepareToDie: Bosses are fond of telling Link and Zelda "You will die!" or some similar variation of the sentence.
182	* PreRenderedGraphics:
183	** ''Zelda[='=]s Adventure'' features a pre-rendered world viewed from the {{top down\|view}}, similar to the classic games.
184	** ''Link: The Faces of Evil'' and ''Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon'' both feature pre-rendered backgrounds for the in-game levels, and 2D animations for the cutscenes.
185	* PromotedToPlayable: ''Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon'' marks the first time the titular Princess is playable.
186	* PsychoticSmirk: Zelda after she kills Hektan. [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/vlcsnap_2021_08_03_20h26m48s399.png You be the judge.]]
187	* RecurringBoss: In ''Faces of Evil'', you fight every boss twice, except for [[TheDragon Lupay]] and Ganon.
188	* ReforgedIntoAMinion: This is explicitly happening in ''Faces of Evil'', wherein [[PigMan Harl]][[VillainousHarlequin equin]], [[WolfMan Lupay,]] and [[TinTyrant Militron]] are depicted [[WasOnceAMan turning people into their minions]]. Alora from Toyku Lighthouse also implies this by saying that her husband is "an [[AbominableSnowman Abominom]] now."
189	* RhymesOnADime: ''Faces of Evil'' contains a handful of these.
190	-->'''Ganon:''' In the darkest nightmare hour, when not moon nor sun has risen, I take Zelda in my power, I shall keep her in my prison!
191	-->'''Witch:''' Stir the berries in the tub, let the juices soak the glove, let Link fight and never cower, for his glove's a glove of power!
192	--> '''Aypo:''' Such is the power of the prince of darkness, that he can kill with a single look. Attacks against Ganon will prove fruitless, unless Link attacks with the sacred book.
193	-->'''Suprena:''' This shield both sword and spear deflects, but cannot stop the vilest curse. This crystal makes the shield reflect, [[RhymingWithItself cursing the curser with twice the curse]].
194	* RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething: King Harkinian and Zelda, both of whom travel to Gamelon to stop Ganon and his forces. Harkinian also asks Gwonam how Koridai could be assissted in fending off Ganon. Averted with Duke Onkled, who does absolutely nothing [[spoiler:and shows himself to be a traitor by the end of the game]].
195	-->'''King Harkinian:''' Zelda, Duke Onkled is under attack by the evil forces of Ganon. I'm going to Gamelon to aid him.\
196	'''King Harkinian:''' How can we help?
197	* SceneryPorn: For the time these games were made (1993 and 1995), the levels are actually rather beautiful. ''Zelda's Adventure'' tried to make things look realistic, and a few rooms in the game actually do look pretty stunning.
198	* SchmuckBait: In Zelda’s Adventure, there is an old woman in the Forest of Ogbam sitting next to a campfire, who beckons Zelda to come closer to hear a great secrets, if Zelda approaches her, the Hag tells her not to trust "anyone with hair", including herself, and steals one of Zelda's Life Hearts.
199	* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: After Zelda kills Iron Knuckle, one of the Armos says "He's dead. Let's get out of here."
200	* SdrawkcabName:
201	** The astronomer NPC from ''The Faces of Evil'' is named Odranoel, which is "Leonardo" backwards.
202	** ''Zelda's Adventure'' takes place in the land of Tolemac.
203	* SelfFulfillingProphecy: A rare positive example- The Triforce of Wisdom predicts that the King will return safely, but in the end this is only because Zelda set out to rescue him.
204	* SkewedPriorities: In ''Wand of Gamelon'', when the baker is captured by Ganon's minions, he's more concerned about his cakes burning because of his absence.
205	* SkippableBoss: Lupay's whole area in ''Faces of Evil'' is optional since it only leads to the final lantern upgrade, which turns invisible enemies visible and isn't strictly necessary, making Lupay, the rematch with Harlequin, and the Reflecting Shield all optional. You can also skip Militron's return by just walking past him in the final dungeon.
206	* SmitingEvilFeelsGood: When Zelda kills Hektan, she says "Good." with a smile. She also seems happy when she kills Omfak.
207	* SomeDexterityRequired: Controls in the games for using items are very complex, due to the controller only having two buttons, far too little for action-adventure titles.
208	* StealthPun: In ''Faces of Evil,'' Link meets a girl on Shipwreck Cliff who asks him to free her father on the other side of a chasm, ending her request with "Pretty please? Have a heart." You're healed back to full health after the cutscene, and it's quietly revealed that she's given you a [[HeartContainer Life Heart]].
209	* SuddenlyVoiced: Link, Zelda, and Ganon, who usually are not fully voiced and were not voiced at all in the main series games when these games were released, are given full voices.
210	* SuperDrowningSkills: Of the BottomlessPits variety. Should Link or Zelda fall into water at any time, they will instantly die.
211	* TallyMarksOnThePrisonWall: When Zelda enters the cell where Kiro is being kept, tally marks can be seen on the cell’s wall.
212	* TemptingFate: Link, in ''Faces of Evil'', remarks, "I just wonder what Ganon's up to!" Roughly a half-second later, Gwonam arrives to tell of Ganon's conquering of Koridai.
213	* ThrowTheBookAtThem: Link's method of defeating Ganon in ''Faces of Evil'' is to throw the Book of Koridai at him to seal him inside.
214	-->'''Aypo:''' Listen! Such is the power of the Prince of Darkness, that he can kill with a single look! Attacks against Ganon will prove fruitless unless Link attacks with the sacred book.
215	* TimeSkip: Two end up happening in ''The Wand of Gamelon'', first when King Harkinian departs and another when Link is sent to find him.
216	-->'''''[One Month Later]'''''\
217	'''Zelda:''' ''[sigh]'' A whole month gone, and still no word.
218	* TomeOfEldritchLore: The Book of Koridai has a secret verse that only Aypo can read. Said verse reveals how to defeat Ganon, this requiring throwing the book itself at him.
219	* TotallyRadical: ''Zelda's Adventure'' has an EasterEgg in the form of a skateboarder who says "Radical, dude! Totally!".
220	* TragicMonster: If the cutscenes are any indication, many, if not all of the monsters you fight are transformed citizens.
221	* TrialAndErrorGameplay: The games tend to be very non-linear and progression items are usually not very clear, which can easilty stump some first-time players.
222	* VictoryIsBoring:
223	-->'''Link:''' Gee, it sure is BORING around here!\
224	'''King Harkinian:''' MAH BOI, this peace is what all true warriors ''strive'' for!
225	* VillainBeatingArtifact: In ''Faces of Evil'', Link defeats Ganon with a single hit from the otherwise-useless Book. Similarly, in ''Wand of Gamelon'', Zelda defeats Ganon with a single hit from the otherwise-useless Wand.
226	* VillainousHarlequin:
227	** The freaky pig-faced Harlequin who turns citizens into Goriyas when they lose his game.
228	--->'''Harlequin:''' Do you know what it means when you lose your last RUBY? Now you work for ''me''!
229	** Pasquinade, the boss of Shrine of Illusion in ''Zelda's Adventure'', is a jester with wolf-like head who [[RhymesOnADime speaks in rhyme]].
230	* VillainsActHeroesReact: Link actually ''awaits'' Ganon's next disturbance of the peace.
231	* VocalDissonance: There's a lot of this going on, in all three games.
232	** Many enemies in ''Zelda's Adventure'' make a masculine grunt noise when they get hit. This includes things like birds, spiders and dragonflies.
233	** Odranoel, the wizard-looking astronomer from ''Faces of Evil'', is clearly voiced by a woman.
234	** Lupay has a feminine voice despite looking like Omfak from ''Wand of Gamelon'', whose voice was a lot more befitting of his WolfMan appearance.
235	** Grimbo, the bearded blacksmith in ''Wand of Gamelon'' who gives Zelda the Power Glove, has a very high-pitched, almost witch-like voice, and is indeed voiced by a woman. Yokan, the fisherman, has the exact same voice.
236	** Though ''Zelda's Adventure'' is clearly set in a European-style fantasy world, many of the voice actors have very obvious, if not stereotypical, African-American accents.
237	--->'''Peddler:''' That was a ''wise'' purchase, young princess!
238	* TheVoice: In ''Zelda's Adventure'', sometimes you will hear a voice that provides you with gameplay hints.
239	* VoodooShark: ''Faces of Evil'' attempts to justify [[BagOfSpilling why Link doesn't have any items]]: Link is about to grab his stuff only for Gwonam to say: "There is no time! Your sword is enough!" This explanation only works if Gwonam is malicious or a total buffoon, as he is incorrect on both counts; you do need the items, and you do have enough time to claim new ones, but you have to do it the slow way thanks to his advice.
240	* WasOnceAMan: The {{Mook}}s in ''Faces of Evil'' used to be Koridians before they were turned into monsters.
241	* WeakenedByTheLight: Possibly the reason why Ganon wants to kill Zelda for bringing light into his lair.
242	* AWinnerIsYou: The final cutscene in ''Faces of Evil'' is pretty short and sudden, and ends with Link exclaiming "I won!" before the credits roll. The one in ''Wand of Gamelon'' is only a bit more substantial. Likewise, ''Zelda's Adventure'' ends with Zelda and Link holding hands and Gaspra giving a short speach about peace returning to Tolemac.
243	%%* WithThisHerring:
244	-->'''Gwonam:''' There is no time, your sword is enough!
245	* WorldOfHam: Even shopkeepers and common townspeople deliver their lines in the most poetic possible way. One might wonder if they're this theatrical to everyone they meet. Ganon himself is not immune to this, either:
246	-->'''Ganon:''' In the darkest nightmare hour, when not Moon nor Sun had risen, I take Zelda in my power, I shall keep her in my prison!
247	* YouHaveGotToBeKiddingMe: Zelda says this almost verbatim when Link asks her for a MotivationalKiss at the start of ''Faces of Evil''.
248	* YourSizeMayVary: Some bosses, namely Militron and Glutko, are depicted as huge in cutscenes, being able to fit a person in the palm of one hand, but are only a little taller than Link in-game. Militron is also revealed upon defeat to be a regular old man in armor the entire time.
249	* ZeroEffortBoss: In ''Faces of Evil'' and ''Wand of Gamelon'', most of the bosses usually go down in one hit -- even Ganon. You need the right weapon to do it, though.
250
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Context VideoGame / TheLegendOfZeldaCDiGames