The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia

Hyrule Historia is an absolute must-have for any Legend of Zelda fan. This beautifully designed hardcover book offers an in-depth look at the history of the beloved Zelda series, with rich artwork, detailed lore, and fascinating insights into the creation of the games. It’s a treasure trove of information, covering everything from the original Zelda to the more recent titles in the series. The concept art and behind-the-scenes details are incredible, giving readers a deeper appreciation for the stunning visuals and thoughtful design that have shaped the world of Hyrule. The book also includes a timeline, which is a great addition for those trying to make sense of the series’ often complex chronology. The timeline itself is a fantastic resource, and its inclusion adds a layer of depth to the Zelda universe that fans will love to explore. Additionally, the book contains interviews with the creators and never-before-seen sketches, which are fascinating for anyone interested in the development process of the games. Whether you’re a longtime fan or new to the series, Hyrule Historia is the ultimate companion to the Zelda games and offers a deep dive into the rich legacy of the franchise. Overall, Hyrule Historia is an essential addition to any fan’s collection. It’s informative, visually stunning, and a wonderful celebration of the Legend of Zelda series. Highly recommended for anyone who loves this iconic franchise!

As a wee lad of 7 years old I remember getting my SNES for Christmas in 1992. Along with the system I got a few games, one being "The Legend of Zelda: A Link to The Past." It wasn't until the excitement from Super Mario World calmed down that I finally decided to pop this game in and see what it was like. As soon as the Master Sword came down, locking into place behind the Tri-force and making that now well-known "shhhink" noise, I knew I was in for something awesome. I remember convincing my parents to let me stay up past my bed time that Friday night. I remember going to the store and looking for anything Zelda-related I could find. I was hooked. I fell in love with this game, and it is a love that has lived now for 20 years. This book is like a Zelda bible. There is so much lore and history in this book. It goes into detail about the events prior to the original Zelda for the NES, and details how the games tie into each other and we finally get an official time line. While a lot of speculation has (and always will be) debated and talked about on-line, to actually see the different story lines and how things work is very cool and also works to fill a lot of gaps in the series. The detailed descriptions about each game, the story, the characters, the items, and the weapons that play a pivotal role in the Zelda series make for a great read. The day it came in the mail I sat down that night and proceeded to read through the entire thing. The artwork from each game is also great to see and the Skyward Sword manga comic included is very cool. In fact, after reading the included Skyward Sword manga I have no started to buy the other Zelda mangas as well. This book is a fantastic addition to any Zelda fan's library, and a great addition to anyone's video game collection as well. If you love Zelda, enjoy a great story and some very cool artwork, do yourself a favor and buy this book. You will not be disappointed.

After receiving my copy of the book on Monday and reading through the entire thing non-stop for 4 1/2 hours, I can safely say this book is one of the most satisfying reads I've had in years, and a definite need for anybody who is either getting introduced to video games, or a long-time gamer with many hours and adventures under their belt. Not only is much information given about the history of the series, but one of the most sought-after answers is finally revealed: "WHAT IS THE TIMELINE FOR THIS SERIES?". The in-depth history is AMAZING. The large collection of production artwork included is unparalleled, and there are art sections for each and every game in the series (save for the horrendous Philips CD-I games). The book itself is extremely high-quality. It is nice and weighty, with top-notch binding. The hardcover front of the book is beautifully detailed. The typeset inside is wonderful and one can tell that the translation from the original Japanese was done carefully (Dark Horse is known for being one of the best English translation companies in existence, I'm not surprised they got the rights to publish this from Nintendo). My expectations were definitely met and even exceeded due to the sheer volume of content that is delivered in this veritable encyclopedia of Zelda knowledge. The only criticism I can give about this wonderful tome is that there should have been a bit more introduction on more of the artists mentioned in the book, as well as other staff that worked on the earlier titles. There also isn't any information about how Capcom became involved to create the Oracles games, nor is there an actual bestiary of the various enemies throughout the series. That aside, any interested person reading this review while they consider if the book is worth the price or not should know it is worth EVERY penny.

As a Zelda fan, I have long wanted to know the official timeline for the Zelda Universe, and this book definitely provides that and so much more. Before I bought this book, I had been uncertain if it would live up to my expectations, but I finally decided to buy it in late 2013; I've now had it for more than two years, and I am still looking at this book all of the time -- needless to say it was far better than anything I had hoped for. I realize that the review I am about to give may be quite long, but it is also extremely detailed and covers a lot more of the book's content than most reviews tend to discuss. I hope you will take the time to read it so that you know exactly what to expect when you purchase this product. Here is a list of the main sections in the book, where I will explain what may be expected in each and review it: The Legend Begins: The World of Skyward Sword This is the first major section in the book, where you will find a great deal of interesting concept art and also small notes on each character/location written by some of the game's creators, which are actually very insightful, and sometimes quite amusing. Yes, this section does take up a large part of the book, and rightfully so; this book was released as a celebration of the 25th Anniversary, and, by extent, the release of Skyward Sword, which was, at the time, the newest Zelda game. This may annoy some fans, but it should be kept in mind that Skyward Sword is not just another new Zelda game, but also the "origin story" of the Zelda universe. Naturally this wonderful game would get a lot of love and attention, and any true Zelda fan should be able to understand that to celebrate Skyward Sword is to celebrate the origin of the beloved series and every other game in it. I find it terribly sad that people claim to care so much about what's canon and what's not, but then choose to ignore a game that is canonically at the start of everything on the timeline, and as a result, needlessly bash this book for respecting that. This is not a huge advertisement, but a celebration that Zelda has made it this many years and is finally able to reward fans with an origin story. As a fan of the game, I can definitely say that this section is very satisfying and does not miss a single aspect of it. As a bonus, there is also a panel of additional facts, hints, and interesting theories about the things in Skyward Sword and their possible relation to the other games on the bottom of most pages in this section. The History of Hyrule: A Chronology This is probably the thing that people purchasing the book will be the most interested in, as it is an actual list on the official chronological order of the different Zelda games, according to Hyrule's historical events. All of the core games in the series up until Skyward Sword are included here; however, all of the spin-offs (e.g., Link's Crossbow Training), the two Satellaview games, Soulcalibur 2, and, thankfully, the awful CDi games, are not listed here. It is very well written, with a few mysteries that leave the reader with some very interesting questions, but not so many that the games seem out of place in the chronology. The timeline splits off in three directions after Ocarina of Time, but this should be no problem for anyone who is even just beginning to understand the concept of alternate universes, also called multiverse. In short, it is listing a set of three universes that occurr as a result of different possible outcomes at the ending of Ocarina of Time. It may sound difficult, but it is actually quite simple; this topic is covered in many different games, books, and TV shows nowadays, so I'm sure a great deal of people out there will be able to grasp this without any trouble. Furthermore, it gives some details about the first legend of Zelda game and Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link that the original games could not provide, such as the story of what happened just before the game began that set Link on his adventures. In addition to this, many of the pages detailing each era also include a small chart at the bottom of the page showing the Hylian writing of that particular time, along with a way to translate it into either Japanese or English. This is very important to those who have always wanted to read the writing placed on many signs and objects throughout the different games, so fans are sure to be pleased that these official translating guides are finally available. The Skyward Sword writing, however, was left out because Nintendo had intended for fans to try and figure it out (many already have). Creative Footprints: Documenting 25 Years of Artwork As the name would suggest, this section is full of artwork from the other core games in the Zelda series. It is definitely true that there is more artwork for the newer games like Twilight Princess and the Wind Waker, but I do not feel that this means they are ignoring the older games; I realize that the other artwork is simply more easy to find and publish because it is newer. As they said, for the older games, they had to dig through stacks of old documents to find the concept art, whereas the newer art would be more accessible. Also, it is unlikely that there would be much art for some of the older games, since the game systems were extremely limited in graphics, and as a result, not much detail could be put into designs that would be visible within the games themselves. Overall, this is a pretty large section, so they certainly were generous with the amount of art put in it. Special Comic: The Skyward Sword Manga by Akira Himekawa This was a very special manga requested by Eiji Aonuma for the 25th anniversary. As is stated by Akira Himekawa in the back of the Hyrule Historia book, this was also to celebrate the release of Skyward Sword and tell a story connected to the game that would complete the "very first Zelda tale" (Skyward Sword). As with most manga, it is read in the traditional Japanese right to left, back to front reading format. Contrary to popular belief, this is NOT a preview for a longer Skyward Sword manga; this is just a very short, very special story. There will not be a bigger manga released later, as is evident now that well over three years have passed since Hyrule Historia's initial release. The story starts out in beautiful full-color, then goes to black and white after a few pages. Some people find this disappointing, but I for one am quite happy with it as it is. The art style is beautiful and perfectly suited to the Zelda style. The story is top-notch and extremely touching, describing the tale of the war between the goddess Hylia and the Demon King Demise, the ascension of Skyloft, and the true origin of the Zelda/Link reincarnation cycle, along with introducing the very first Link, Hylia's Chosen Hero, and explaining his bond with the Crimson lofting. Now, some people claim that some things contradict the games and therefore cannot be true; however, in my opinion, this is incorrect. The Master Sword could have existed previously, been forged by Link and his comrades who would later be called the Seven Sages, and then devolved after the Triforce left its blade and entered the Silent Realm, just for example. In any event, I simply wanted to point out that while other reviewers claimed it non-canon, this was actually never said, and since I realize that many will skip over it if they feel it isn't canon, I wanted to clear that up, so hopefully more people will give it a read and enjoy this book to its fullest. In fact, since it was requested by Zelda's creators and placed in this official book, I think it's pretty safe to say that it is canon. Definitely worth a read, and in my opinion, worthy of its own separate game. I have to say this is my favorite part of the book, as it truly made sense of everything that I still had questions about in regards to Link and Zelda. If you are worried that this story may disappoint you, don't be; I am a huge Zelda fan and adore all of the core games in the series, but this story still holds an extremely special place in my heart, perhaps even slightly above any Zelda game I have ever played (and I've played them all); it's that good. Akira Himekawa's love and respect for the series truly shows in every aspect of this tale, and the final lines in the story really sum up the Zelda series beautifully; "a story that weaves destinies and spans eternity". At the start of the book and just before the manga are two small sections in which Shigeru Miyamoto and Eiji Aonuma, respectively, say a few words about their love for the Zelda series and thank the fans for their continued support, nicely wrapping up the book in a very nostalgic way. The name Hyrule Historia is not intended to imply that the book is mostly about the development of past games, or the history of the series as it has evolved over the years, although it does provide some of that; the name refers to the chronological history of Hyrule that is shown in the book, with all of the events talked about and shown in Skyward Sword being at the beginning of that timeline. Anyone who buys this book would do well to remember that, as it is unfair to expect the book to be about the official chronology, and still not have any focus on Skyward Sword over the rest. As a whole, the book is beautiful and interesting, the price is extremely amazing compared to the usual price in-store, and though it took a while to arrive from overseas, it was well worth the wait. I know that some reviewers complained that their book did not arrive with enough protective packaging, and as a result, was damaged, but this was not the case for me; it arrived in a very large box filled with protective bubble pack, and was in perfect condition, as I bought it new. I highly recommend this book to any and all Zelda fans, and I sincerely hope that if you are undecided about whether or not to buy it, like I had been, this review will have convinced you to give it a shot. You will never regret it.

OVERVIEW: I have never been so excited when purchasing an item from Amazon before. For Hyrule Historia I was so excited that it motivated me to write my first ever product review. Let me just begin with this, I am not an avid reader to say the least. The last book I read was a requirement for high school 9 years ago. This is the first book in a long time that I actually wanted to read. I recieved this product on 1/30/2013 and I ordered it back in Decemember 2012 when Amazon was taking preorders for it. BUILD: When you open the book, you can tell that the hardcover, binding, and the pages are really well constructed. This is no discount shelf book. The illustrations and the text inside the book are well arranged and they catch the eye really nicely. If you love more pictures than words, then you will be in for a treat. With it's 276 page count, the book is heavier than most textbooks that I have purchased for school. An embossed golden Gate of Time is featured on the front and it is paired well with the Hero of Time's most well known tunic color, green. FEATURES: The best feature about Hyrule Historia is how much attention to detail is used throughout the games that a typical Zelda fan might have missed. Why certain shields are designed the way they are and why the colors of Link's crimson Loftwing are significant are just a few examples. The book also shares the different design concepts that were introduced in the Legend of Zelda series before the final product was decided upon. This lets the reader see how the game could have been and then allows for a possible alternate view of the already loved game. The sequence of events in Link's adventures are in chronological order so the book follows the timeline(s) that were set up by Nintendo. The Legend of Zelda series already has beautiful artwork within its games, but this book does an excellent job of showing powerful images from each and every game. The different games are well divided throughout the book and allow for quick navigation to any game within the series. SUMMARY: Shigeru Miyamoto and his team went above and beyond to create this amazing book. I knew I was going to recieve something I was going to read with much detail, but the level of detail and the beautiful artwork is what fascinated me the most about Hyrule Historia. If you are into the Legend of Zelda series, this is a no brainer. With so much to discover within the franchise, the book will have something new for everyone to learn. I'm extremely happy with this purchase and I'm sure I will be reading this unforgettable piece of art over and over again.

'The Legend of Zelda' has impacted my creativity and my imagination since my first introduction with 'Ocarina of Time.' No, I have not been following the series from the beginning, but I was born in 1987 so that's fairly understandable. However, given that I was deprived during my childhood beginnings, I latched onto the series as though I had already been a part of it. Following my introduction to that wonderful game, I began my quest for the search of Hyrule in the real world. I was visualizing events, beings, creatures, and environments but could never achieve full satisfaction. But that was okay, because I had the games to go back to, and I was contented with my world of fantasy. Well, with this book I am one step closer to the world that I have come to cherish so dearly. When I learned that 'Hyrule Historia' was finally going to be released in the United States back in August of 2012 I immediately placed an order to ensure my copy. When time came closer to the release, I relaized that I wouldn't have enough funds at that moment for the money to be withdrawn and had to cancel the order (I would hope that Amazon will eventually allow customers to choose when funds will be extracted). But I have finally been able to reorder the book and bask in its full glory. There are gratuitous sections of art, both concept and finalized. Within these art sections there are even comments from the designers remarking on what they would like the final product to take. There are storyline bridges between each game in the series regarding the state of Hyrule at any given time. And, naturally, fans can finally see the official timeline of this wonderful fantasy world. For any fan that is considering purchasing the book, I will say that any fan should appreciate it greatly. Some have complained about the 'Skyward Sword' section being too long. I consider this an unfair critique, though, seeing as the book was originally intended as a companion piece to that game. No matter how much page space is given to any paricular game, the information and art in this book are much, much more than fans already had. To me, that makes the book incredibly valuable. Truly this book is meant for the fans. If, like me, you are looking for more to explore in Hyrule, this will satiate for awhile. 'Hyrule Historia' stands as a shining and fitting result of twenty-five years of artistic contribution, and I would personally thank all responsible if I could.

I really liked this book edition, it is very elegant and well madre.

The Legend of Zelda is one of the most beloved video game franchises of all time. But for a series that is so treasured, Nintendo has been coy about giving fans an insider scoop regarding detailed plotlines, development commentary, and the behind the scenes creative process. In fact, the overarching storyline has been a topic of heated debate among gamers for years. Finally, after 25 years, Nintendo in partnership of Dark Horse Comics has peeled back the veil of this legendary video game series. Hyrule Historia is a hardcover documentary detailing everything Zelda. Originally, this book was released only in Japan as a tie-in with the release of Skyward Sword. But thanks to Dark Horse, everything has been translated to English – even handwritten captions by Japanese developers have been reworked for Western audiences. This book is basically divided into four sections. The first section is solely dedicated to Skyward Sword, the most current Zelda game but the first in the Zelda timeline. Tons of artwork is nicely displayed along with developer commentary and notes. It might seem kind of strange that such a large section of the book is dedicated to this one game but it was originally designed as a side-by-side release with the Skyward Sword game. Also, since this is the most recent game, all the game’s assets should have been the most easily accessible. The second section is going to be the most coveted as it finally explains the chronology of the entire Zelda series. All the games are canonically linked together on the opening page but then followed by brief summaries of each title on the subsequent pages. As a Zelda fan that has played and completed every Zelda title (except for the highly difficult Adventure of Link – someday I will conquer it!) this section was an eye-opener. Details explained in this section are not something that players can obtain simply by playing the games or reading the instruction manual. Even if you played every Zelda game one hundred times, there are still factoids listed here that you never knew about. Just browsing through these pages will create several “ah-ha” moments especially for hardcore fans. While the rest of the book is definitely welcomed, this section undoubtedly makes the most impact. However, although the book explains the Zelda series in more detail, it still leaves enough open-endedness to allow for readers to make their own assumptions. But at the same time, it leaves things vague enough so future Zelda games can find their place in the series history. Creative Footprints: Documenting 25 Years of Artwork is the third section. Here, viewers are treated to a highly visual representation of the entire Zelda series by game. From early rough sketches, to creature design or declined ideas, this section focuses on the craftsmanship of Zelda. Unfortunately, the earlier released games, say before Ocarina of Time, received the least amount of attention although these games are often the most interesting. Nonetheless, it is pretty to look at and well respected. Finally, artist Akria Himekawa drew an exclusive Zelda anime that basically sets up the events of Skyward Sword. This is an interesting way to experience Zelda especially since this story is basically the origins of Link and Hyrule. Unfortunately, much of this comic is in simple black and white. For a book that is so detailed, the black and white is a jarring difference and doesn’t hold up in comparison to the rest of the publication. The book itself is also well put together. The heavy green cover makes the reader feel like they are holding history in their hands while the pages are printed on high quality paper to make colors pop without unsightly finger printing. This book, in a way, almost makes me feel like I am holding the book of Mudora from A Link To the Past. Luckily, I didn’t need the Pegasus boots to knock it down from the top shelf. Instead, this piece of video game history retails for $35 but outlets like Amazon are charging under $20 it. This is a great way to absorb the most amount of Zelda with the smallest price. My complaints revolve around omitted material. Outside a brief sidebar, BS Zelda was not talked about. Also, the CD-I titles were completely absent which only ensures that Nintendo chooses to ignore this unsightly blemish. The cartoon and even the Zelda cereal were also not shown any love. For a book that is basically the encyclopedia of Zelda, omitting these pieces of Zelda history seems like a wasted opportunity. And for a book based on a game franchise that is filled with some of the most creative character and level designs in history, many of this book’s screenshots and other art assets are small. It would have been nice to see a blown up map or landscape art spread over two pages on occasion. And the Dark Horse logo on the binding of the book also looks out of place; it detracts from the aura of the publication when it sits vertically on a shelf. Hyrule Historia was created for the fans and the artistry shows. Sure there are some flaws with the final execution but the excellent quality of the cover and paper along with the intriguing content make this a book gamers will actually want to read.