The eleventh game in The Legend of Zelda series was a sequel to the earlier Four Swords and was released in 2004. Like its predecessor, it focused on multiplayer gaming for up to four players, and was much more linear in design than the average Zelda title (though the areas themselves had room to explore). A key component of the gameplay was the use of the GCN-GBA link cable which was required for multiplayer (though single player mode did not require it, instead putting an emulated GBA screen on the TV itself). The action of the game was split between the TV screen for the main areas, where all players could see what was going on, and the GBA screens, which represented indoor areas as well as the Dark World, where each player could only see their immediate surroundings. Unlike the previous game, all four Links were always present no matter how many actual players there were- the excess Links would follow the players and could be placed into formations.The story is a sequel to Four Swords and features the return of Vaati. According to Hyrule Historia, this is the final game in the "child" timeline, following Majora's Mask and Twilight Princess. While attempting to strengthen the seal on Vaati, Shadow Link kidnaps Zelda and the six shrine maidens, forcing Link to pull the Four Sword from its pedestal and release Vaati once more. Over the course of the game, it's revealed that Shadow Link was actually a minion of Ganon, who is attempting to cover the land in darkness with Vaati's help.In addition to the cooperative multiplayer mode (known as "Hyrulean Adventure") there is also a competitive battle mode, "Shadow Battle", in which the Links fight against each other.
Big Bulky Bomb: Instantly kills any player(s) stupid enough to not take cover in a cave/hole/room when it goes off (The game freaking TELLS you to GTFO or die)? In some levels can be found in innocent looking chests? And in many others, are repetitively tossed around in specific rooms by Dark Link? 'Kay... That's just not fair...
Combination Attack: Once in formation, all the Links will attack and use items in sync with each other. In diamond formation the four Links can perform one huge spin attack together.
Comic Book Adaptation: The manga, written by Akira Himekawa, which expanded on the narrow story and gave every Link a different personality, explaining that the sword's elements split up Link's personality as well, not just his body. Becomes Fridge Logic when you realize that is more of an Alternate Character Interpretation, since Green Link retains the original Link's personality without change and the character traits displayed by Violet Link are not present in the original Link at all.
Continuity Porn: Averted. Deleted text found on the game disc indicates that this game was supposed to retell the Back Story of A Link to the Past, as items like the Master Sword would have shown up, but you wouldn't be able to use them. Shigeru Miyamotonixed this idea late in development because it would have distracted from the straightforwardness of the gameplay. Continuity Nods still abound, though. for example, the existence of the Dark World and the Trident of Power still manage to make this a very likely Back Story for A Link To The Past.
Hyrule Historia has apparently Jossed this interpretation; the games don't even take place in the same branch of the timeline. Unless there's some temporal shenanigans going on, this game's events have nothing to do with A Link to the Past's.
Continuity Snarl: Ganondorf's inclusion causes a lot of problems for what is otherwise an easily-arguable case for the series only having one Ganon.
Fixed; it's been confirmed in Hyrule Historia that this is the reincarnated Ganondorf, coming back after his death in Twilight Princess and regaining his dark powers via the Trident. So in a way, he's the same Ganon yet isn't at the same time.
Flipping the Table: In a meta example, Miyamoto metaphorically "upended the tea table" during development of the game's story (he felt it was too complex), which explains why it seems to be all over the place.
Grievous Harm with a Body: Players can bludgeon enemies with items that they are carrying so they do not have to drop them in order to fight back. This works even if the thing the player is carrying is another player.
Heart Container: Only work for one level, and are found in specific chests.
Homage: With the exception of the character sprites and special effects, which draw from the toon-style, nearly all the sprites draw heavily from Link to the Past, complete with music. Parts of this game are bound to drop a nostalgia bomb on fans of LttP.
Meaningless Lives: Since they really only kick in when the player controlled Link(s) are down simultaneously, the fairies, which you can get several of at the end of every level, can really pile up.
Lives are even more trivial in muiltiplayer mode since a dead player will automatically revive after 10 seconds with full health.
Multi Mook Melee: The game loves to show off just how many sprites it can put on screen at once (if the image above wasn't any indication). Pretty much once a level there will be an area that closes itself off and proceeds to throw dozens of enemies at you at once.
Mutually Exclusive Powerups: Each player can only carry one item at a time (besides their sword, shield, bracelets, and hearts), though all Links following that player can also use the item.
No Export for You: The "Navi Trackers" mini-game was only available in Japan.
A localized version was shown at the E3, with english voice acting. In case you were wondering, Tetra would spell the player noun one letter at a time, instead of pronounce it like in the Japanese version (which would be very complicated). The actual reason for its cancellation that NOA planned to release the three-mode japanese game as two separate games, with the second being the stand-alone "Tetra Trackers" (they planned Shadow Battle mode to be the second game at one point). Of course we ended up only with the first outing...
It would also explain why absolutely none of the data for the third game survived the overseas transition. Usually, it would just be Dummied Out...
Patchwork Map: The area of the map frozen in perpetual winter is right next to the desert. This is given a Hand Wave by saying that the freeze was caused by magic (and we do see the ice melt in the ending), but the map still looks like a bunch of different biomes sandwiched together.
Playing Tennis with the Boss: Variation. Some energy balls can only be deflected by the player whose color they match.
Suddenly Voiced: In the Japan-only "Navi Trackers" mini-game, Tetra and her pirates are featured with full Japanese voice-acting. This is the only example of full voice-acting in the entire history of the series (no, the CDi games don't count).
Time Bomb: Incredibly massive bombs that deal instant death to anyone who doesn't take shelter inside their GBA.
Video Game Cruelty Potential: The Links can't directly hurt each other with their swords, but once you get Bombs thrown into the mix, you can start causing damage to the other Links, which also makes them drop a few force gems for you to steal. Never mind that picking up someone's trailing Link will recruit it to your team. Maybe you can agree to have one each in two player, but in three player, everyone's going to be fighting for Purple Link.
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