The Ten Most Memorable Characters of Zelda

The folks at Den of Geek have recently posted an article listing the ten most memorable characters in the Zelda series. After all this time and so many sequels, the Zelda series has developed a huge universe and a cast of countless colorful characters. Many have helped, harmed, or simply annoyed players over the years in their numerous appearances through the series twenty five year history. In this article they take a closer look at the ones who have stood out the most, for good or bad, and explore just what makes them so memorable. Check out what they had to say just after the jump.

Regularly turning up in “most annoying character” top ten lists, Navi’s perhaps the most contentious addition to the Zelda series. Sure, she provides useful tips for newcomers (“Look at this wall! Maybe you can climb it!”), but she’s also Ocarina Of Time’s equivalent of a nagging backseat driver. Nothing can quite top the aggravation when, in the midst of being beaten senseless by a hulking dungeon boss, Navi unhelpfully chimes in with a keening “Watch out!”

Like Navi, Tingle is without doubt one of the most memorable characters in the Zelda series, though not necessarily for the right reasons. Making his debut in the hugely underrated Majora’s Mask, Tingle’s a curious-looking chap who dresses himself in what appears to be green spandex – whatever it is, it’s skin-tight, and decidedly unflattering.

Introduced in Ocarina Of Time, the Happy Mask Salesman took on a far more prominent (and oddly sinister) role in its sequel, Majora’s Mask. Of all the eccentric and downright mad characters in the Zelda universe, the Happy Mask Salesman is surely the most bizarre – in fact, we’d argue he’s the series’ Travis Bickle, so unpredictable and extreme are his mood swings. Fail to pay him for a mask in Ocarina, and this apparently genial fellow will turn decidedly nasty.

What makes the Salesman such a memorable character is his mysterious aura. Where’s he from? How does he know so much about Link’s past adventures in Majora’s Mask? It’s somehow fitting that, the last time we see the Salesman in Majora’s Mask, he’s headed off to the Moon to meet a group of equally creepy Moon Children.

At first I never would have thought the old man from the first game would have made the list. But after thinking about it, he was pretty memorable, if even for the terrible translated phrases that make little sense. I definitely knew who he was even after all the other much more refined characters came along in later games. Much of the rest of the list makes sense to me, of course Zelda and Ganondorf would be there. They have been there since the start. And beyond that we mainly have the other various helper characters such as Midna and Linebeck. I would assume they would stand out more due to Link’s silent nature in the series. It falls upon the sidekicks to be the voice and personality and they are the ones the player sees and interracts with most often. The only one I was not so certain about was Biggoron, everyone else made sense to me. But I thought many of the other characters in Ocarina of Time were a little more prominent than Biggoron.

So what do you think? Do you agree with the list they made? Think anyone was left out? Let us know in the comments below.

Source: Den of Geek

Related: Skyward Sword

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