3D Zelda Stage Roster

3D ZELDA STAGE ROSTER

And here is our stages for the 3D Zelda games. If this were a real roster from a real game, which stage would you pick to play on first?

Warriors Battlefield

WARRIORS BATTLEFIELD

Hyrule Warriors was a vast departure from the regular Legend of Zelda formula that placed series favorites such as Link, Zelda, and Impa into a battlefield full of soldiers, complete with movesets able to wipe out whole crowds of enemy combatants.

Ultimately, the best way to represent Hyrule Warriors is to represent the hectic battlefield. Valley of Seers is probably the most distinct location unique to the game, but Hyrule Field would serve our purposes just as well. The stage will be set on one of the fortress walls players might see surrounding a keep in the game as battles between mobs of soldiers and Moblins rage in the background.

Potential theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rq98IG56Dic

3D Zelda Roster

3D ZELDA ROSTER

And here's our 3D roster, covering all characters debuting in Ocarina of Time through Skyward Sword with Hyrule Warriors attached. If this were a real roster from a real game, who ya mainin'?

Cia

CIA

Link, Impa, Lana, and their ally Sheik fight their way through the enemy forces to the Temple of Spirits, their enemy’s base of operations. There, they encounter Lana’s evil half, a dark witch who sold her soul to an ancient evil in order to win the love of the hero Link.

This is Cia, a former forest mage who spent her time studying all of Hyrule’s history, becoming enamored with the recurring spirit of the hero Link, but frustrated by his intertwined destiny with the Princess Zelda. The sealed evil Ganondorf used this desire to twist her heart and transform her into the villain she has become.

As a fighter, her moveset will pull entirely from her moveset in Hyrule Warriors, just like her good counterpart. She will use much darker magic that Lana, with a bit more force behind it.

Likelihood rating: Could happen (Although might require a "Mai Shiranui clause" or something).

Lana

LANA

Fighting back against the oncoming hordes, Link and Impa band together, learning of another individual leading a resistance to the north, heading up that way to enlist her aid.

This resistance leader is Lana, a mysterious mage with strong control over light magic and nature. She is soon revealed to be the good half of the being behind all of this, forced from her body when she turned to evil.

As a fighter, Lana’s moveset will pull from all three movesets available to her in the game, most especially from her spell book/barrier magic moveset. Her stats will be similar to those of Hyrule Warriors, with strong magic attacks making up for a lack of physical strength.

Likelihood rating: Good possibility.

Wizzro

WIZZRO

The second of these generals was a ghostly, eerie figure with all sorts of macabre, nightmarish abilities coming from a magic ring on his finger.

This is Wizzro, a sort of amalgamation of numerous horror-themed enemies, including Poes, Wallmasters, and Wizzrobes. He is a demonic being formed from the evil spirits that had been trapped in the ring over the centuries.

Like Volga, he became playable for the players as well. His moveset will pull from that moveset, using lots of trickery and deception rather than brute strength.

Likelihood rating: Probably not.

Volga

VOLGA

Now, typically, The Legend of Zelda was not prone to spinoffs, multiplayer or otherwise, the way the Mario series was, sticking almost strictly to its well-established formula of an action adventure set in a medieval fantasy setting that rewarded you for curiosity and exploration. One of the biggest departures from this standard, however, came with Hyrule Warriors, a crossover with Koei Tecmo’s Dynasty Warriors franchise that used characters and settings from the Zelda series. The series saw a Link, Zelda, and Impa, in a standard Zelda story setup, facing an invasion led by two generals.

One of these two generals is a proud warrior capable of transforming between a human and dragon form, similar to Onox and other draconic enemies of the series. He was recruited by the game’s main villain Cia when she overpowered him in battle and forced him to serve her.

Though an original character to the game, Volga came with his own moveset and was equally available as a playable fighter once he had been unlocked. His moveset will pull directly from that moveset, coming with a lot of power and ferocity.

Likelihood rating: Probably not.

Ghirahim

GHIRAHIM

Armed with his new sword and companion, Link heads down with his Loftwing to the surface world far below the clouds, where he will encounter a vast forest and a spiraling pit guarded by a strange old woman. He will learn from her Zelda’s destiny and his fate to assist her. His first step in the journey is to travel to the nearby Skyview Temple, which will act as his first dungeon. At the end of that dungeon, he encounters a strange flamboyant man likewise pursuing Zelda.

This is Ghirahim, the villain of this game and the spirit of the sword that would become Ganondorf’s sword. He spends the game working to break the seal on his master, held at the bottom of the spiral pit, and pursues Zelda to use her power to do so.

As a fighter, Ghirahim will be fast and agile, with quick devastating strikes and good defense. His moveset will pull from his multiple boss battles throughout the game.

Likelihood rating: Strong.

Fi

FI

Despite Groose’s best efforts, Link comes out on top every time, eventually winning the title of champion to participate in their village’s festival and share a special moment with Zelda. Flying on their Loftwings after the ceremony, Link and Zelda suddenly find themselves caught up in a hurricane that knocks out Link and sweeps Zelda away. Waking up back on Skyloft, Link follows a strange voice to a secret chamber hidden under the village’s goddess statue, where he encounters a sword inhabited by an angelic blue-and-purple spirit.

This spirit is Fi, the soul of the titular Skyward Sword that would someday become the Master Sword. She acts as Link’s guide throughout his adventure, and likewise being the source of all his sword-related powers, for obvious reasons.

As a fighter, she will be graceful and floaty, dancing her way across the battlefield as she does in both Skyward Sword and Hyrule Warriors. Her moveset will pull from her own abilities and the abilities of the Skyward Sword as demonstrated in game.

Likelihood rating: Strong.

Twili Midna

TWILI MIDNA

Link and Midna reassemble the mirror, enter the Twilight Realm, and take down Zant, only to learn the true identity of his ancient benefactor, the one and only Ganondorf. They and Zelda take him down in a final climactic battle, his defeat finally restoring Midna to her true form.

As a Twili, Midna is far more human-like than she was before, tall and elegant but still bringing that mischievous nature back with her. She isn’t shown to do much in this form, mostly just interacting with Link and Zelda in the closing cutscenes, but Hyrule Warriors took the time to truly flesh out just what she could do on the battlefield.

As a fighter, Twili Midna will be far more graceful in her fighting style than she was in her imp form, with intense magical attacks backing her up. Her moves will pull straight from those presented in Hyrule Warriors, centering heavily on the Mirror of Twilight itself.

Likelihood rating: Probably not.

Agitha

AGITHA

Eventually, Link manages to return to his human form and clear out the twilight covering Hyrule by awakening four spirits, slowly but surely gaining access to more and more of Hyrule. Once he gains access to the town surrounding the castle, he gains the ability to interact with the NPCs there, including one odd little girl with an obsession for bugs.

This is Agitha, the self-proclaimed queen of bugs and your go-to point to complete your bug-collecting sidequest. That’s pretty much all there is to her, and yet somehow she found a slot in Hyrule Warriors, endowing her will legitimate magic over bugs and allowing her to fight with all manner of insects at her disposal.

As a fighter, she will be light and floaty, making good use of the butterflies she rules over. Her moveset will pull entirely from her appearance in Hyrule Warriors, which in turn was inspired by the bugs appearing throughout the game.

Likelihood rating: For sure a Piranha Plant clause.

Zant

ZANT

Midna helps Link to escape, and together they make their way up through the castle to the chamber of the captured Princess Zelda, who tells them that Hyrule was invaded by beings from the Twilight Realm, led by a mysterious knight in strange armor.

This being is the usurper king Zant, the man who overthrew Midna and transformed her into an imp by striking a bargain with a sealed ancient evil. Though he presents himself as stoic, he is secretly far more chaotic and childish than he lets on.

As a fighter, Zant is full of quick, zany movements primarily designed to confuse and befuddle his enemies while getting powerful strikes in. His moveset will pull from his major boss battles, as well as his other demonstrated abilities.

Likelihood rating: Strong.

Midna

MIDNA

Transformed into a wolf, Link wakes up in a prison cell, a shackle around his new paw. As he struggles to understand what has happened to him, he hears a mischievous laugh from the shadows as an imp makes herself known.

This is Midna, Link’s companion and guide for the game. She will help him escape and aid him with her Twilight Realm-based abilities, eventually revealing herself to be the true princess of the Twilight Realm, cursed into her impish body by the usurper Zant.

As a fighter, she will be tricky and slippery, strong enough to toss you around with her hair/hand thing but just as likely to slip into shadow and make a quick getaway. Her moveset will pull from her demonstrated abilities in game.

Likelihood rating: Strong.

Medli

MEDLI

In order to have the strength to combat Ganondorf, Link and the King of Red Lions must travel to three distinct locations to seek out the Pearls of the Goddesses. Their first destination is Dragon Roost Island, the home of the birdlike Ritos. Unfortunately, the Rito prince and bearer of the pearl has shut himself away due to a traumatic event, and Link is forced to seek out the prince’s caretaker.

This caretaker is a young Rito girl named Medli. She bears a golden harp that she uses to calm the prince and the dragon that rules the island, and is later revealed to be the descendant of the last Zora sage, making her the new sage of the earth temple. Much like Darunia and Ruto before her, this makes her a key pick to represent the Rito race as a whole.

As a fighter, she will be one of the best in terms of aerials. She won’t be particularly strong, but her maneuverability will make up for that. Her moveset will pull from her entire race as a whole as well as her own specific abilities.

Likelihood rating: Good possibility.

King Daphnes

KING DAPHNES

With a flick of his hand, Ganondorf orders his avian minion to toss Link away, sending him flying miles away over the open ocean. When Link reawakens, he finds himself unharmed and in the company of a talking red ship who offers his help.

This is the King of Red Lions, Link’s personal ride between the various islands and his guide character for the game. As he learns the history of his heroic predecessor, the drowned kingdom of Hyrule, and Ganondorf’s true motivation, Link also discovers the boat’s true identity as King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule, the last king of Hyrule whose spirit has persisted to help the next hero against Ganon’s return.

As a fighter, King Daphnes will be light and floaty, held aloft by his ghostly essence. He will be primarily in his kingly form, though his boat self will emerge with certain attacks. His moveset will pull from the boat’s abilities throughout the game and his moveset in Hyrule Warriors.

Likelihood rating: Good possibility.

Tetra

TETRA

Our new Toon Link’s adventure begins as he and his sister Aryll hang out on a lookout tower, looking through their spyglass, when they see a giant bird flying over their island, carrying in its claws an unconscious young girl in pirate’s clothes.

This girl is Tetra, the fierce and sassy captain of a pirate crew passing by the island, who had been kidnapped by the bird to take to a strange dark fortress for unknown reasons. It is soon revealed that she is the long-lost descendant of Princess Zelda, making her the rightful Zelda of her time.

As a fighter, she will be quick and nimble on her feet, well trained on how to get around on a rocking vessel. She will have access to her magical abilities as Princess Zelda, but she is far more a pirate than a princess and will make far more use of the tools of that trade.

Likelihood rating: Strong.

Beast Ganon

BEAST GANON

With the help of the Seven Sages, Link will make his final campaign on Hyrule Castle, now transformed into Ganon’s castle. He will work his way up to the top, rescue Zelda from her crystal prison, and defeat Ganondorf in one on one combat. Upon the dark lord’s defeat, the castle will crumble to the earth. In the aftermath, Ganondorf rises from the rubble, tapping into the Triforce of Power’s magic and transforming himself into a monstrous pig-like beast.

This is Beast Ganon, the version of Ganon most often seen in the 3D games, but far more feral and bestial than the well-armored sorcerer pig seen in the 2D games. Ganondorf will take on this final form for many of his final battles, most notably here, in Twilight Princess, and in Hyrule Warriors.

Beast Ganon will be big and heavy, with a lot of sheer raw power but very little control or nuance. His moveset will pull from his various boss battles and his playable moveset in Hyrule Warriors.

Likelihood rating: Probably not.

Sheik

SHEIK

Having collected the sacred stones from both Darunia and Princess Ruto, Link heads back to the castle only to find he is too late. Ganondorf has taken over the castle and killed the king, Zelda and Impa fleeing with their lives. As the princess passes Link outside the gate, she throws him a strange Ocarina. Taking refuge in the nearby Temple of Time, Link places the stones and plays the ocarina to open the door to the Master Sword. Drawing it from its pedestal sets off a time warp, sending him seven years into the future and into the body of an adult. He is greeted almost immediately by a strange individual wearing Sheikah garb.

This individual is Sheik, a mysterious ally who will aid Link frequently throughout his quest, teaching him songs that will unlock the magic of the Ocarina. Toward the end of the game, Sheik’s true identity will be revealed as the Princess Zelda, who had taken on the identity to hide from Ganondorf. This character’s popularity would be even further boosted by her appearance in Super Smash Bros. and has since become a fan favorite from the series.

As a fighter, Sheik will be quick and agile, utilizing stealthy moves for easy strikes. Her moveset from Smash currently pulls very little from the original game, more just based on the premise of a ninja than anything else, but many of those moves will still be incorporated, alongside the magic of the songs she teaches as presented in Ocarina and Hyrule Warriors.

Likelihood rating: Already in.

Ruto

RUTO

Having freed the Gorons’ food source and received the ruby from Darunia, Link then travels to Zora’s Domain under the nearby waterfall, an idyllic watery paradise inhabited by friendly blue fish-people. Link heads to talk to the Zoras’ king only to learn that his daughter has been swallowed by the giant fish they worship as a God.

This daughter is Princess Ruto, one of the most prominent members of the Zora race and soon-to-be sage of the water temple. Much like Darunia, this puts her in a good place to represent the Zoras as a whole, if it weren’t for Hyrule Warriors giving her a more distinct moveset of her own.

As a fighter, Ruto, like most of her species, will be quick and agile, practically swimming around the stage with lithe movements. Her moveset will pull from the Zora race in general as well as her own moveset from Hyrule Warriors.

Likelihood rating: Strong

Darunia

DARUNIA

When Link arrives in the Goron city in the caves of Death Mountain, he finds that the ruby he needs to collect is being held by the Goron chief, who has holed himself up in his chamber to protect it from Ganondorf.

This chief is Darunia, arguably one of the most famous members of the Goron race, and would later be revealed to be the sage of the fire temple. This alone would make him the most obvious choice for Goron rep as a whole, if it weren’t for Hyrule Warriors giving him a distinct moveset that was entirely his.

As a fighter, Darunia will be large and heavy, with a lot of strength and some decent speed, at least when he’s rolling. His moveset will pull from Gorons in general but will also be heavily influenced by his Hyrule Warriors appearance.

Likelihood rating: Strong