The BEST Easter Egg In Every Zelda Game

The Best Easter Egg in Every Zelda Game

Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we’re looking at our favorite Easter Egg found across every mainline “Zelda” game!

Dungeon Message “The Legend of Zelda” (1987)

There are plenty of secrets to find in the original “Legend of Zelda,” though not necessarily Easter Eggs. However, one of the coolest ones can be found in the second quest, which is unlocked either after beating the game once or by naming your file ‘Zelda.’ In this harder version, one notable change is to the layout to each dungeon. For Levels 1 through 5, those layouts now resemble letters, notably Z, E, L, D, and A for the series’ namesake.

A Hero’s Resting Place “Zelda II: The Adventure of Link” (1988)

In the Japanese version of “Zelda II,” while traveling through Saria Town, you could find a grave that reads ‘The Hero Loto Sleeps Here.’ Loto is the Japanese name of Erdrick, the protagonist of “Dragon Quest III.” It’s a nice nod to another fantasy hero, but also ties in with the original “Final Fantasy.” In that game, you could find a graveyard in a town called Elfheim. In the Japanese version, a grave read ‘Here Lies Link,’ while the English localization changed it to ‘Here Lies Erdrick.’

The Top Secret Room “The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past” (1992)

One of the most famous Easter Eggs in the “Zelda” series remains one of its coolest, and likely a major source of envy for a lot of fans. In the English language version of “A Link to the Past,” you can find a hidden room with a large supply of blue Rupees and a telepathy tile. Here, you get a message from one Chris Houlihan who asks you to keep his top secret room between the two of you. There are several methods you can use to find the room, but it’s essentially a failsafe for when the game has trouble with Link’s positioning, and usually occurs when Link falls down a hole. It’s been widely believed for a while that Chris won a contest held by Nintendo Power to get his name inserted in a then-upcoming game.

Traveling with Marin “The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening” (1993)

At a certain point in “Link’s Awakening,” players must get Marin to follow them in order to wake a sleeping Walrus, blocking the path to the Yarna Desert. However, before doing so, you can witness a lot of secret and often silly interactions. If you harm a Cucco, she’ll first tell you to stop. But hit it enough times, and she’ll cheer you on before feeling bad about it. Jump down the Mabe Village well and Marin will land on top of Link, apologizing for hurting him. She’ll also make you feel bad about searching through people’s belongings and criticize Link’s lack of skill with an Ocarina. But by far the best interaction happens at the Trendy Game Shop. After Marin asks to play, she’ll pick up the owner instead of one of the prizes. And he’ll be so angry at her for being a pro, he’ll kick you out of the shop.

Courtyard Shenanigans “The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time” (1998)

One of the most well-known Easter Eggs in “Ocarina of Time” occurs early on, as Link goes to meet Zelda for the first time. Within her courtyard, there are two windows on either side. If Link shoots the one on the left with his slingshot, an angry guard will toss a bomb at him for causing trouble. Through the one on the right, you can see paintings of the main characters in the “Super Mario” series. And if you shoot this one, you get 20 rupees. In the 3DS remake, these paintings have been replaced by the landscape of a Mushroom Kingdom level from “New Super Mario Bros.”

Tricking the Dead “The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask” (2000)

There are all kinds of alternate uses or hidden interactions for the different masks in “Majora’s Mask.” Two of the best come during the fight against Igos du Ikana and his two guards. If Link puts on the Captain’s Hat, given to him by Keeta, a great scene will interrupt the fight. Igos will think he’s seeing his old ally before realizing it’s a trick because Link is too tiny. Another silly moment comes if Link puts on the Bremen Mask. This is meant to influence young or small creatures to follow Link around in a march, and its primary purpose is to earn Link the Bunny Hood. Well, if he uses it here, the two guards will also follow in his march, a humorous reaction considering how dumb Igos considers them to be.

The Advance Shop “The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages” & “Seasons” (2001)

This one could be considered more of a secret than an Easter Egg. But it’s something that isn’t often talked about, so I wanted to shine a light on it. The Game Boy Color’s “Oracle of Ages” and “Seasons” were released in Japan on February 27th, 2001, a little less than a month before the Game Boy Advance. While most probably played them on their original platform, there was a neat secret shop for those who played it on the new handheld. Next to the Lynna Village Shooting Gallery in “Ages” and the Know-It-All Birds’ Hut in “Seasons” is a door that will never open, unless you’re playing on the GBA of course. Inside, Link can purchase magic rings he can’t find anywhere else. This shop has been mostly forgotten these days; there’s no way to enter it in the 3DS versions, nor in the versions playable through Nintendo Switch Online.

An Enemy Turned Item “The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords” (2002)

“Four Swords” is a pretty short game. Therefore, there aren’t many interesting Easter Eggs to be found. However, one does show up as an item. Only found in a couple of levels is a Chain Chomp from the “Super Mario” series, which can attack both enemies and other players, even stealing Rupees from your friends. But in the “Zelda” series, it isn’t called a Chain Chomp. It’s called BowWow, named after a specific pet that resembled a Chain Chomp in “Link’s Awakening,” a game with more than its fair share of Mario Easter Eggs.

Fan Boy “The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker” (2003)

At the Nintendo Gallery, Link can bring pictures of characters and enemies to the sculptor, Carlov, who then turns them into figurines. Carlov seems to be a big fan of the “Zelda” series, as evidenced by the many Easter Eggs surrounding his workspace. Many of his sculptures are of various things from “Wind Waker:” the windmill on Windfall Island, Tetra’s pirate ship, and both forms of Nayru’s statue, for example. Others are from previous games. Four masks on the wall come from the N64 entries: the Bunny Hood, the All-Night Mask, the Goron Mask, and the Keaton Mask. Hanging from the ceiling is one of Tijo’s drums, a member of the Indigo-Go’s from “Majora’s Mask.” On his desk in front of Carlov is a red journal with a white bunny emblem, the same used by the Postman in that same game. You can spot bottles of Lon Lon Milk on a shelf behind him. And on the work desk, you can see a sculpture mid-progress of Saria from “Ocarina of Time.”

A Very Different Tune “The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures” (2004)

Like “Four Swords” before it, there aren’t many Easter Eggs in “Four Swords Adventures.” So, we’ll go with a musical one, and one that turns a normally happy song into a somber one. The citizens of the Village of the Blue Maiden have been contending with their children vanishing into the Dark World. And so, the town’s theme is downcast. But for longtime players, they’ll notice it uses the notes of the Kakariko Village theme from multiple other games, altered from its normally carefree happiness to match the setting’s tone. However, after Dark Link is defeated, the theme changes to a more upbeat, happier rendition.

Literary Nods “The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap” (2005)

In “The Minish Cap’s” Hyrule Town sits a quaint, charming library. Here, players can find several nods to other games in the series. #1 on the list of most frequently checked out books is ‘Married to the Moblin.’ The librarian working the desk shares a name with Maggie from “Wind Waker,” who actually falls in love with a Moblin named Moe. The second most popular book is ‘Gorman’s Guide to Good Grub,’ named after a character who appears in “Majora’s Mask” as well as this game. A nod to each game can also be found in the story quest involving the library. Link must track down three overdue books, the third of which is ‘A History of Masks,’ which was checked out by Mayor Hagen. Interestingly, Hagen has large masks lining his office walls. And the first time you visit him, Ezlo seems to find him untrustworthy. This appears to be a nod to the Happy Mask Salesman from “Majora’s Mask,” one of “Zelda’s” more unsettling characters. Finally, at the point where Link shrinks down and climbs up a bookshelf, several books have ancient Hylian that fans have translated. One reads ‘Triumph Forks,’ a nod to the Fishman’s mispronunciation of Triforce in “Wind Waker.”

A Passion for Fishing “The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess” (2006)

Nintendo likes to include nods to past characters through descendants or ancestors, when not simply reincarnating them, that is. In “Twilight Princess,” Link can visit the fishing hole on Zora’s River, run by a woman named Hena. Along the wall are a group of photos, one of which is the owner of the fishing hole from “Ocarina of Time” holding that game’s famously rare Hylian Loach. Henna believes herself to be his descendant, and immediately after this dialogue, you’ll catch her itching her back. This character animation confirms their connection, as the fishing hole man does the exact same thing.

An Unfriendly Greeting “The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass” (2007)

The postman in “Phantom Hourglass” is like a blend of Hylian and Rito. While he doesn’t look like a member of the bird race, he does have wings. When Link meets him for the first time, and he explains who he is, he mentions he’d appreciate it if Link didn’t shoot him out of the sky with a slingshot. While the slingshot is in several “Zelda” games, it doesn’t appear in this one. This is actually a nod to a different game on the DS: “Animal Crossing: Wild World.” In that game, you can shoot Pete, the pelican mailman, out of the sky as he flies by at 9 AM or 5 PM. He’ll be understandably annoyed, but will have no idea it was you who shot him down.

Departing in Style “The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks” (2009)

“Spirit Tracks” gives Link a train to travel around Hyrule. And you’ll eventually unlock cosmetic pieces to style your train however you want. Different sets bring different effects, but the Skull Train comes with a fun Easter Egg. While this is equipped, whenever Link departs from a location, the animation will be accompanied by a few notes belonging to one of three random tunes. You’ll either hear part of the classic theme, what plays when a Spirit appears in the Tower of Spirits, or notes from this game’s Overworld theme.

23 is Number 1 “The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword” (2011)

In “Skyward Sword’s” third dungeon, the Lanayru Mining Facility, Link will come across a puzzle where he must hit three switches in the right order, the solution of which is given on the opposite wall. The order is 2, 3, and 1. This is a small nod to “Ocarina of Time.” In the game’s first dungeon, Inside the Great Deku Tree, Link will meet a Deku Scrub who, after being defeated, will tell him the order in which he has to beat his brothers found later. That order is 2, 3, and 1, which he follows with the phrase ‘23 is Number 1.’

Ravio’s Journal “The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds” (2013)

Our next Easter Egg deals with spoilers, so apologies if you haven’t played the phenomenal gem that is “A Link Between Worlds.” Close to the ending of the game, you learn that Ravio, the odd merchant who likes to dress like a pink bunny, is Link’s counterpart from Lorule. For most of the game, he occupies Link’s house and rents items to him. This makes sense, because in Lorule, you can find an abandoned house that belonged to Ravio in the same spot on the map. However, only in Hero Mode, unlocked after beating the game once, will you find Ravio’s journal here, which explains why he ran away from his kingdom and abandoned Hilda to her schemes.

The Fate of Purple Link “The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes” (2015)

Both “Four Swords” and “Four Swords Adventures” allowed for up to four players at once, each wearing a different colored tunic. However, in “Tri Force Heroes,” there are only three Links while the fourth, who wears purple, is nowhere to be found. However, there is a reference to him. While playing in single player, the other Links take on a statuesque form when you aren’t controlling them. On the right side of Hytopia, you’ll find an abandoned, weathered statue of another Link, seemingly the purple one, who doesn’t get to go on this adventure.

It’s Dangerous to Go Alone “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” (2017)

Easter Eggs appear in abundance throughout “Breath of the Wild,” so the best one can be different from player to player. But one of my favorites has always been a nod to the original game. An ancient Sheikah language can be found in multiple locations, which has, of course, been translated. Whenever Link places a beacon with his Sheikah Slate to mark a point of interest, you can see text scrolling through it. When translated, this reads ‘It’s Dangerous to Go Alone,’ the famous phrase that originated with the Old Man who gives Link his first sword in the NES title.

Supportive Parents “The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom” (2023)

In “Ocarina of Time,” the twin witches, Koume and Kotake, are the surrogate mothers to Ganondorf. They’ve made a couple of other appearances, such as their blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameo in “Tears of the Kingdom.” During the flashback where Ganondorf swears fealty to King Rauru, you can see two Gerudo kneeling with him. A few details point to these being Koume and Kotake, like the pattern on their clothes and the Hylian writing on their headbands reading their names. The biggest clue is the gem in each of their masks, one blue and the other red, which matches the gems previous iterations wore on their foreheads.

Home Sweet Home “The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom” (2024)

After the opening of “Echoes of Wisdom,” Zelda makes it to Suthorn Village, where she can find Link’s house. It’s another place packed with small Easter Eggs. Outside, you’ll spot Link’s brown boots and an ax stuck in a stump, the latter of which specifically references the outside of Link’s house in “The Minish Cap.” More Easter Eggs lie inside. The green rug on the floor is another nod to “Minish Cap,” being the same one Link has in his room. The red rug, rolled up, references another version of his home, in “A Link Between Worlds.” Around the room, you’ll also spot a green hat on a bed post and the wooden statue of an owl, which appears as a helpful creature in several games. On his desk sits three books: one green, one red, and one blue. These colors appear together frequently, but most notably as representations of the three goddesses who created Hyrule: Farore, Din, and Nayru.

Of course, sticking to one per game means we had to leave off a lot of great Easter Eggs. If one of your favorites didn’t make the cut, head to the comments and let us know about it!