Today I wanted to look at all of the companions that you get throughout your adventures. Not all of these are your companions through an entire game, but if they're with you for any length of time, I considered them to fall under this category. Let's go!
10. Fi (Skyward Sword)
Though Fi was obnoxious through much of Skyward Sword's quest, often giving you details and tutorials you didn't need (and sometimes giving you the answer to puzzles before you even attempted them), by the end of the story, she had grown on me. The fact that her spirit becomes one with the Master Sword means that she's technically in every Zelda game that features the iconic blade, and before her farewell, she promises that she'll always be with Link, through out all of his lives. Once the game had ended, Fi had become a solid character and though I won't miss her robot-speak, she has established herself on this list.
9. Ricky (Oracle of Seasons)
What could be cooler than riding in the pouch of your Kangaroo pal? How about you give that Kangaroo some boxing gloves that give him the ability to punch tornadoes at enemies? Oracle of Seasons allowed Link to befriend Ricky by bringing him his lost boxing gloves. Once you have his flute, you can call him from anywhere in the overworld and use him to cross gaps and send long-ranged punches at baddies. Ricky isn't a central part of the story, but as a companion, he's one of the most fun.
8. Tatl (Majora's Mask)
Tatl and Link definitely get off on the wrong foot and Tatl's anger towards Link is palpable while she uses him exclusively to find her brother Tael. By the end of their adventure, however, they seem to grow on each other and Tatl's motives become a bit more altruistic. Tatl was also quite toned down in the interruptions department after Navi went down in video game infamy.
7. Makar (Wind Waker)
Koroks are pretty awesome in design. I love the woodland sprite aspect set forth and something about the nature of it all really draws me in. Makar isn't an exceptional companion gameplay wise; he can fly around which is pretty fun and plant seeds to give Link hookshot targets, but his real likability comes from his character concept and the fact that he plays a frickin' violin with a stick.
6. Ezlo (Minish Cap)
Ezlo is another companion with a bad habit of interrupting gameplay with puzzle solutions and tutorials, but I love that they turned Link's iconic green hat into a veritable character. There isn't too much to say about him, but I just always liked the idea, and giving Link the ability to shrink to the size of a minish created some fun puzzles and perspective!
5. Loftwing (Skyward Sword)
I do feel like the Loftwings in Skyward Sword were underused. I'm sure Nintendo took the criticisms about the sailing in Wind Waker and didn't want fans spending too much time in the sky. But whenever I was able to soar around, I was happy. I really love the music while you're flying as well as the sound of wind rushing past you. I just wish there were more islands to explore.
4. Epona (various)
It's hard to top Link's trusty horse. Epona has made herself a staple of the games and riding across Hyrule or Termina on horseback is always a blast that invokes a sense of haste and epic adventure. There isn't too much to say about Epona, but any time a Zelda game takes place on large fields or plains, it's difficult not to picture Epona.
3. Medley (Wind Waker)
Another one of Link's dungeon companions in Wind Waker, but unlike Makar, Medley finds herself being much less of a damsel in distress. I enjoy how she becomes a memorable character from the beginning of the game as she helps you get into the Dragon Roost cavern, but continues to stay relevant. And the Rito design was always appealing to me, so it's nice to see her become so memorable.
2. Midna (Twilight Princess)
Midna is widely loved for her complexity throughout Twilight Princess. Zelda characters rarely go through an actual story arch, so it was refreshing to see a character actually change little by little with every benchmark. Throughout the game, motivations change as new information is brought to light and Link and Midna grow closer. The true root of the evil isn't what either party thought and Midna ends up making some tough decisions between the safety and restoration of her world, and dooming another world from suffering the same fate. Midna repeatedly saves Link's life and by the end of the adventure, we've learned a lot about her in-turn.
1. The King of Red Lions (Wind Waker)
I loved the sailing in Wind Waker. I understand that it wasn't perfect and that there were some stretches where it went on for too long without much to do or see in the meantime. But I always loved the sense of discovery that came with the open ocean. Link's boat, The King of Red Lions is a talking ship that is equipped with a sail, a cannon, and a crane for digging up treasure. Towards the middle of the game, you find out that The King of Red Lions is actually possessed by Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule, the King of Hyrule who plays a large role during the end of the game! Over the course of the Wind Waker, you spend a lot of time on your boat, so it's important that it takes on the persona of one of the coolest characters in the Zelda series.
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