History VideoGame / TheLegendOfZeldaTheMinishCap

* CreativeClosingCredits: In a similar vein to [[{{Videogame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker}} The Wind Waker]] its adverted here, with no [[EndingFatigue good explanation]] for the absence of cut-scenes or images.

An online UsefulNotes/AdobeFlash demo for the game can be found [[http://origami64.net/flash.php here]].

An online UsefulNotes/AdobeFlash demo for the game can be found [[http://microsite.nintendo-europe.com/zeldaminishcap/ here]].

The story begins at a festival celebrating the legendary Picori, who can only be seen by children. At a sword fighting tournament at the festival, the winner is Vaati (later to become the main villain of the Four Swords games), who releases monsters all over the land and turns Zelda to stone, hoping to obtain the "Light Force" held by the royal family. Link meets a talking hat named Ezlo who joins him on a quest to reforge the famous Picori Blade and use it to defeat Vaati. Ezlo uses his power to shrink Link to the size of the Picori (actually called the Minish), which assists him greatly in his quest.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Minishcap.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:[-TheHero, The {{Lilliputians}} and the eponymous cap.-] ]]

!!This Game Provides Examples Of:

* CatsAreMean: Unlike the friendlier dogs and birds, cats will actively attack you while in Minish form.

* CoolButImpractical: The Pegasus Shoes, typically a top tier item in the games it appears in, are really only useful for crossing swamps and bumping into things. The roll maneuver is almost as fast, requires no charge time, is safer to use and is easier to control. The Pegasus Shoes also require an item slot in this adaptation, making it almost a [[{{Nerf}} nerf]] relative to the rest of the series.

* The PAL translation says wizzrobes are vulnerable to the Fire Rod, an item that doesn't exist in this game.

* ObviousBeta: The European version [[https://tcrf.net/The_Legend_of_Zelda:_The_Minish_Cap#Regional_Differences has some regional differences]] that seem to indicate it being based on an earlier build than the Japanese and North American versions. For example, Eenie's Kinstone Fusion can become [[PermanentlyMissableContent lost]] due to a bug, a few minor features are missing (such as the shop's Bomb Bag upgrade), and the Ice Wizzrobe's figurine's description references the Fire Rod, which only exists in DummiedOut form (and doesn't behave as intended if hacked in):

* AccidentalInnuendo: The things people say to you when you offer to fuse kinstones often sounds like you're offering [[IsThatWhatTheyreCallingItNow something else]]. One guy says "oh yes please", an old lady says "well ok, but let's be careful", etc.

The twelfth game in ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'' series, and the first completely new one-player ''Zelda'' adventure on the GameBoyAdvance. Despite the fact that it's one player only, it is a prequel to the [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaFourSwords Four Swords]] [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaFourSwordsAdventures games]], as it goes in depth about the origin of the titular weapon as well as [[StartOfDarkness who Vaati is]]. The game also features a "Kinstone" mechanism, by which Link can collect pieces of medallions and fuse them with {{NPC}}s. These Kinstone fusions unlock secrets, ranging from highly important bonus items, to shortcuts, to rooms full of rupees, to simple chests of more Kinstones.

** Getting all of the figurines rewards you with a large number of Rupees--[[MoneyForNothing but by that point in the game, you don't really need them anymore]]. However, you DO get a Piece of Heart and the sound test. The other example is the "Tingle Trophy" for fusing all the Kinstones. The trophy itself is useless, but you get some form of reward for each Kinstone you fuse.

** The Mirror Shield. The requirements for it is to complete the Goron sidequest (which, by itself, you get a bottle for completing), fusing a Kinstone with one of the Gorons to wake up Biggoron (which can't be done right away), and...beating the game once.

** The ability to shrink with Ezlo alludes to the "Gnat Hat" in the first ''Four Swords''.

* CallForward: A musical one. The [[http://youtu.be/sGZBmVe8foI Mini Boss-battle theme]] is actually a remix of the [[http://youtu.be/MaJBwbXVWUk Normal Battle-theme]] of the Japanese version of ''VideoGame/ZeldaIITheAdventureOfLink''.

* MessyHair: Link is quite the bedhead before the Minish Cap covers it up (presumably now he has even worse hat hair).

* StealthPrequel: The game introduces Vaati right off the bat and clearly serves as his origin story, but it's not until you've completely reforged and upgraded the Minish sword that it becomes clear you've actually created and are wielding wielding the very [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaFourSwords Four Sword]] Vaati is sealed inside in the future.

* AntiFrustrationFeatures: Kinstone fusions result in a variety of new things, like treasure chests, gold enemies, opened passageways, etc., and there are 100 fusions to keep track of. Since you can't always drop what you're currently doing to run off and claim whatever new prize has been revealed (or you might not be able to reach it yet), the game places a marker on your map to remind you that it's there.

* ObviousBeta: The European version [[https://tcrf.net/The_Legend_of_Zelda:_The_Minish_Cap#Regional_Differences has some regional differences]] that seem to indicate it being based on an earlier build than the Japanese and North American versions. For example, Eenie's Kinstone Fusion can become LostForever due to a bug, a few minor features are missing (such as the shop's Bomb Bag upgrade), and the Ice Wizzrobe's figurine's description references the Fire Rod, which only exists in DummiedOut form (and doesn't behave as intended if hacked in):

* LostForever: If you don't save a certain NPC early on, you can never get the Light Arrows.

According to ''[[Literature/HyruleHistoria]]'' this game is second in the overall timeline of the series, preceded only by ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword''.