The Legend of Zelda is one of the biggest series in video games. It's no surprise that references to this genre-defining adventure spring up all over the place. Whether that's completely obvious references or the more slightly obscure, you'll find The Legend of Zelda in all sorts of games.
Link, Zelda, the Tri Force, and other memorable moments from the series are all prominent. Given how popular this franchise continues to be, there will be The Legend of Zelda references in games for decades to come.
9 Dress Like A Hero In Terraria
If you're looking to dress up like classic Link, you have that option in Terraria. This vanity outfit is known as the Hero's Set, and consists of the Hero's Hat, Hero's Shirt, and Hero's Pants — a direct reference to everyone's favorite Hero of Time.
You can craft the outfit in either green or purple, but the color you get depends on the platform your playing it on. The green-colored outfit is the only choice on platforms that Nintendo says it's okay to be on. For the platforms that Nintendo flexed its copyright muscle at, the color of the outfit is purple.
8 A Not-So-Obvious Tri Force Reference
The League of Legends item Trinity Force is thought by many to be a reference to the legendary Tri Force that Link sets out to retrieve, for a few reasons. Firstly, it has three yellow triangles in the shape of a larger triangle, and secondly, it is the most expensive and arguably most powerful item in the game.
Oh, and the League of Legends community affectionately refers to it as Tri Force. Sounds more like an intentional reference than an interesting coincidence.
7 It's Dangerous To Go Alone! Take This, Mickey!
"It's dangerous to go alone! Take this" is not only one of the most remembered lines in any The Legend of Zelda game, is also probably one of the most referenced. Epic Mickey goes way back to the first encounter in the original The Legend of Zelda game, when you complete a quest for Beluga Billy.
When he hands over your reward, he drops "It's dangerous to go alone! Take this," as a spoof of Link receiving his first wooden sword from the old man in the cave.
6 RIP Link, Final Fantasy Hardly Knew Thee
Final Fantasy fans might have come across this little easter egg. In the town of Elfheim in original Final Fantasy, you can find a gravestone that says "Here lies Link" — a pretty obvious reference to The Legend of Zelda series.
Not only is the town called Elfheim, it is inhabited by elves who are dressed exactly like Link, with green tunics and hats. This reference isn't in every version of Final Fantasy 1. In the North American version it says "Here lies Erdrick," a reference to the Dragon Quest series. But, in every subsequent remake, as well as the original Japanese version, you can find the tombstone with its referenced to Nintendo's hit.
5 Forget The Master Sword, Link Wants The Stick Of Truth
A lot of games love to show off Link's very distinguishable green tunic and hat, and South Park: The Stick of Truth is no exception. In addition to the outfit, you can also purchase the Elf Blade, which is a nod to the Master Sword. The references don't stop there — when you collect new items your character proudly holds the new item above their head, just like our friend Link.
South Park's creators, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, have said in multiple interviews that they were heavily inspired by The Legend of Zelda series when the game was being developed. So, it makes sense that there would be references in the game.
4 The Simspsons Game Has Homer Feeling A Bit Elfish
Everyone's favorite cartoon family shows their love for The Legend of Zelda, with Homer and Marge dressing up like Link and Zelda in The Simpsons Game. There are actually a couple of references, with the obvious being the Neverquest level, and another in an earlier level where Bart or Lisa can say, "I hope I get to meet Zelda! ZELDA!"
You can also find treasure chests that look suspiciously similar to the ones you find in most The Legend of Zelda games. And if you look outside the video game world, you can find several references in episodes of The Simpsons.
3 The Legendary Spoon Is Truly A Master
In Hamtaro: Ham-Ham Heartbreak you can find The Legendary Spoon, which looks quite like the Master Sword from The Legend of Zelda: A Link To The Past and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. In fact, you even have to collect three marbles in order to pull the spoon from a giant stone.
This homage to The Legend of Zelda series is quite cute, and very lovingly done. It mimics two of the most iconic scenes from the series, when Link pulls the Master Sword after collecting a blue, green, and red pendant. The best part about this tribute to Link is that the music played during the scene are the Open Treasure Box and Item Catch themes played in reverse.
2 Mario Has A New Roommate
Link makes a silent cameo in Super Mario RPG for the SNES if you take a snooze at the Rose Town inn. When you try to talk to him, it makes the sound played when Link solves a puzzle in The Legend of Zelda series. But, this isn't the only reference between the two series.
Mario and Zelda are the two flagship brands for Nintendo, and it likes to show them off in each other's games. The Warp Whistle in Super Mario Bros. 3 looks the same as the Whistle from The Legend of Zelda, and they both play the same song. You can find Deku Scrubs in Super Mario Galaxy, computer players on the scoreboard in Mario Golf will have names from The Legend of Zelda series, and you can find Mario characters in portraits on the walls of Hyrule Castle in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.
1 A Love Letter To The Legend Of Zelda
The Binding of Isaac series is a tribute to The Legend of Zelda, specifically a love letter to the very first game. This game is essentially a sequel to the original game on the NES, with a nearly identical user interface, room design, and player perspective. And that's just the beginning.
There are seven items straight out of the original The Legend of Zelda, including the boomerang, candles, maps, compasses, stopwatch, magical key, and ladder. There are tons of enemies that are near copies of, or heavily influenced by, enemies in The Legend of Zelda. Gels from The Legend of Zelda and Dips from The Binding of Isaac look and act almost identically, and there is a distinct connection between both games' take on skeletons — with Stalfos definitely influencing the design of Bony.