Key Takeaways
- Hyrule is a classic, but other Zelda games offer unique and varied settings, such as Hytopia and Koholint Island.
- Capcom's Oracle games feature interconnection through separate settings called Holodrum and Labrynna.
- Termina in Majora's Mask features a unique, dark setting and storyline that differs from Hyrule in the Zelda universe.
Hyrule may be the most iconic of The Legend of Zelda's settings, but it's not the only one. In many cases in the series, spin-offs and side stories have gotten their own dedicated settings without the machinations of Ganon and the royal family of Hyrule.
From Tri-Force Heroes' Hytopia to the unsettling eeriness of Majora's Mask's Termina, the series offers plenty of variety, even if it's just one-off appearances. Hyrule may be a difficult setting, but many of these locations certainly put up strong fights.
7 Holodrum
Some of the only Zelda games that Nintendo approved but did not develop were the Duology of Oracle games, developed by Capcom for the Game Boy Color. Both games featured extensive interconnectivity, with each game having its own setting independent of Hyrule.
In Oracle of Seasons, this setting was the land of Holodrum, a land where Link can change the seasons at will. It contained a wide variety of biomes, from dry deserts to towering cliffs and waterfalls, but was primarily covered with solid ground.
6 labyrinth
While Oracle of Seasons had its own setting in Holodrum, Oracle of Ages instead received Labrynna, a land built entirely around puzzle solving. Unlike Holodrum, Labrynna was only visible during one season, but it has the added caveat that it can also be seen during completely different periods of time, functionally doubling the amount of land to explore.
Labrynna is highly variable in many respects, despite lacking the biome diversity of Holodrum. The Lying Plateau will completely change depending on the companion you have with you, and past expeditions have seen the sea transform into islands.
Both Oracle games play differently depending on which game you play first and whether the world state is taken from the other game.
5 Hitopia
Often forgotten as a main entry in the series due to its focus on multiplayer, Tri Force Heroes is a sequel to A Link Between Worlds and features the same Link as played there. This time the game takes place in the avant-garde Hytopia, where fashion is the name of the game.
The city of Hytopia is freely explored and has many similarities to its neighbor Hyrule. For the most part, you'll be exploring the land's various dungeons while completing puzzles with your Link clone. Still, don't forget to stop and give Link some new clothes. At Hytopia, it's good to be fashionable.
4 lol
The concept of the Dark World has been pretty well established in the Legend of Zelda series, but none has had a more unique identity than Lorule. Originally conceived as simply a twisted reflection of Hyrule in A Link To The Past, A Link Between Worlds gives Lorule its own history.
Like Hyrule above, Lorule was a land with its own Triforce, and its people had the same desire for that power. But for Lorule, this caused destruction. What you see around this land is not a dark reflection of Hyrule, but its own world in ruins, a warning sign of what could happen to Hyrule above.
3 Koholint Island
The timeline of Zelda games is something that many people are obsessed with. Where does this happen, when did it happen, etc. Then you stroll through Link's Awakening, which features Mario's enemies, Twin Peaks inspiration, and a dreamlike feel that will have you never questioning the timeline again.
Set on Koholint Island, Link travels to reach the highest peak, Mt. Tamaranch, to ask the Wind Fish for a safe return to Hyrule. It wouldn't be a Zelda game without Link needing a musical instrument to begin his new quest. Koholint Island may not have been the most visually impressive, but it had a world of feel that has never been achieved since.
2 Termina
Although Zelda was never known before Ocarina of Time, that entry catapulted the series to worldwide fame and is still frequently considered the best game in the series. This was followed by Majora's Mask, a completely unrelated and even more powerful game.
Set in the land of Termina, with no mention of Zelda or the recently defeated Ganon, you have three days to save the world. Termina takes much of its basic aesthetic from Hyrule, but the atmosphere of the land is completely different. The moon is hanging overhead, glaring at you. People are panicking about their impending doom. And Link continues to watch it until he is finally able to stop the moon itself.
1 hyrule
You can't beat the original. There's a good reason why Hyrule is the game's main setting. Over the decades, the series has built a defined identity around Hyrule, ensuring that even when the spinoffs change significantly, the land is still Hyrule. Since the first entry, Hyrule has lost none of its charm and has gained more history with each game that features it.
The power of Hyrule is that it's manipulative yet still familiar. Whether it's Ocarina of Time or Breath of the Wild, you'll always know where to find Death Mountain. Kakariko will always settle down quietly and comfortably. The magnificent Hyrule Field will always be at its center. Memories of that land always make it fun to go back, no matter how much it changes.
