A Link to the Past



The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is the third installment in the The Legend of Zelda series, released in 1992 for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It is preceded by Zelda II: The Adventure of Link and succeeded by Link's Awakening. The Hero of Legend is the main protagonist and Aghanim is the main antagonist. Ganon's minions serve as the villainous faction.

It is the third game in the series, but it is set hundreds of years before Zelda I in the downfall timeline. This timeline branch starts with Ganondorf successfully defeating Link in Ocarina of Time and obtaining the complete Triforce. The seven Sages seal him immediately within the Sacred Realm. Years later, greedy people enter the Dark World seeking the Triforce, turning into monsters and becoming part of Ganon's army. In the war that ensues, the Knights of Hyrule protect the Sages from Ganon's minions, while they cast a seal to close off the entrance to the Dark World. Ages later, when Ganon attempts to escape from the Dark World in order to conquer Hyrule, the events of A Link to the Past take place.

Official Description
''The story is set many years before the events of the first two Zelda games. The player assumes the role of Link as he journeys to save Hyrule, defeat the demon king Ganon, and rescue the descendants of the Seven Sages. It returns to a top-down perspective similar to the original The Legend of Zelda, dropping the side-scrolling gameplay of Zelda II: The Adventure of Link. It introduced series staples such as parallel worlds and items including the Master Sword.''

The Imprisoning War
One day, a band of evil thieves managed to open the gateway to the Sacred Realm, where the mystical Triforce was hidden. Upon finding the sacred golden relic, the leader of the thieves, Ganondorf, slew his followers and claimed it as his own. Before long, dark power began to flow forth from the Sacred Realm. People were drawn into this darkness, and never heard from again. As a result, the King of Hyrule ordered the seven sages to seal the entrance to the Sacred Realm. A great battle ensued—monsters poured into the Light World from the sacred land and attacked the castle. The Knights of Hyrule defended the sages during the great battle against evil, and, though most of them perished in the struggle, the sages were able to cast their seal, stopping the flow of darkness and trapping the evil king Ganon within. This battle became known as the Imprisoning War.

The Wizard
Once the conflicts against Ganon had ceased, Hyrule entered a time of peace which lasted for centuries, until one day, when unexplained catastrophes began to occur. Pestilence and drought ravaged the land. Thinking the recent disasters plaguing Hyrule were somehow linked to the sages' seal, the king investigated it, but found it to be intact. Desperate for answers, he offered rewards for anyone who could find the source of Hyrule's troubles.

In response, a stranger named Agahnim appeared as if from nowhere and stayed the catastrophes with mighty magic. As a reward, the king gave him a new position as chief adviser to the throne, and the common folk proclaimed him their hero. Once more, peace appeared to have returned to Hyrule. Yet all was not well. Agahnim began to govern Hyrule in place of the king and abuse his political power as he saw fit. Rumors spread saying that Agahnim planned to kill the king and take the crown for himself, and that strange magical experiments were taking place in the castle tower at night. He cast spells on the soldiers and kidnapped the young maidens descended from the seven Wise Men, using their powers in an attempt to break the seal placed on the Sacred Realm.

Link's Quest
The game starts with Link being awakened in the middle of a stormy night by a telepathic plea from Princess Zelda, who tells him that she is being held prisoner in the dungeon of the castle and needs help. Now wide awake, Link finds his uncle with a sword and shield in hand. He tells Link not to leave the house, then sets off for the castle. Link ignores his uncle's warning and follows him, only to arrive at the castle to find him gravely wounded. He gives Link his sword and shield and entrusts him with the fate of Princess Zelda. Link proceeds to rescue Zelda, and the two escape the castle through its sewer system to the sanctuary just north of the castle.

There, the priest tells Link that the only weapon powerful enough to defeat Agahnim was the sacred Master Sword. He then sends him to find the elder, Sahasrahla, who explains that not just anyone could wield the legendary blade, and that a hero must appear from the descendants of the Knights of Hyrule. To prove himself worthy of wielding the Blade of Evil's Bane, Link would need to acquire the three Pendants of Virtue.

After successfully obtaining the pendants and withdrawing the magical sword from its pedestal in the Lost Woods, Zelda calls out to Link yet again, this time warning that soldiers have invaded the sanctuary. Link hurries off to the sanctuary only to find that he was a moment too late, and that the soldiers had already taken Zelda off to Hyrule Castle. Once again, Link hurries to her rescue, and once again arrives too late, as Agahnim was already in the process of sending Princess Zelda to the Dark World to finish his ordeal. Upon completing this ritual, little time was needed before the sages' seal was completely broken. Link goes on to defeat Agahnim, who then also draws him into the Dark World, saying he is not truly defeated, yet.

There, Link is contacted telepathically by Sahasrahla, who tells him that the world he is standing in is actually what was once the Sacred Realm, but it was transformed by Ganon's evil wish to conquer the world to become the Dark World. He then commissions Link with the task of rescuing the 7 imprisoned maidens from the dungeons scattered across the Dark World. Upon freeing them all, Link travels to Ganon's Tower, where the seven maidens use their combined power to dispel the barrier sealing off the entrance. Link proceeds to traverse the tower and then defeat Agahnim a second time, this time killing him for good. Upon his defeat, the spirit of Ganon rises from the body, turns into a bat, and flies off into the Pyramid of Power, where Link and Ganon face off for the final battle. With the power of the Silver Arrows and the Master Sword, Link finally vanquishes Ganon, recovers the Triforce, and by making a wish, reverts the effects of Ganon's evil reign over Hyrule and ultimately restores the land to its former glory.

Trivia

 * With a total of thirteen Dungeons, A Link to the Past has more Dungeons than any other official Zelda game (not including Second Quests.) However, Hyrule Castle is technically two Dungeons.
 * The portraits on the walls inside many houses in Kakariko Village, which occasionally dispense Rupees when pulled by Link, appears to be Mario. The theme that plays when soldiers chase Link in the village is actually a remix of the Super Mario Bros. 2 boss theme.
 * In The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past & Four Swords, getting the Master Sword will completely restore Link's Life Gauge and Magic Meter.
 * The seventh Dark World Dungeon, Turtle Rock, contains Chain Chomps, an enemy from the Super Mario series.
 * This game was almost remade for the 3DS but that was scrapped and reworked into a sequel, A Link Between Worlds.
 * A Link to the Past was the first game in the series to use the now-standardized The Legend of Zelda logo in western releases. Japan would later use this standardized logo by the release of Ocarina of Time.
 * The notion of Link freeing Maidens from crystal prisons was reused with Princess Zelda in Ocarina of Time and Skyward Sword, and with Din in Oracle of Seasons.
 * Many recurring musical themes, such as the Fairy Fountain/file select theme, "Zelda's Lullaby", the Hyrule Castle theme, and Ganon's theme, were first introduced in this game.
 * This is the first Zelda game where Link swings his sword horizontally and introduced the Spin Attack.
 * This is the first game where the seemingly main antagonist is actually just a minion of Ganon

Continuity

 * A Link to the Past is the first game that introduced a different Link, as opposed to The Legend of Zelda and The Adventure of Link prior which featured the same Link.
 * A Link to the Past is also the first game in the series to include multiple, parallel overworlds.
 * The iconic Master Sword debuted in this game, which would become an important and often essential item in Link's quest in almost all later games. Games like Ocarina of Time and Twilight Princess feature it with a similar function and purpose as in the SNES game.
 * A Link to the Past introduces the Sages, who would play similar roles in Ocarina of Time and A Link Between Worlds.
 * The game introduces Cuccos, as well as the infamous Cucco Revenge Squad, where a flock of Cuccos will attack Link if he attacks one continuously.
 * Kakariko Village and Lake Hylia debut in this title.
 * This is the first Zelda game where a member of Link's family is shown. The only other games that do this are The Wind Waker and The Minish Cap.
 * This is the first game to give Moblins their pig-like appearance, which would become a series staple after Ocarina of Time.