Can you believe it's been 30 years (31 in Japan) since we saw the birth of the Legend of Zelda franchise? It's hard to imagine a series lasting that long, but developers have done a fantastic job in bringing us unique and entertaining releases that keep us on the edge of our seats. Link has become a worldwide icon and the Legend of Zelda naওme is known by gamers of all ages and backgrounds. It's an amazing sight to see.

Many people compare the success of the franchise to Mario, another Nintendo creation that has withstood the test of time. While they're definitely similar in success, they aren't similar in their target audience. Although they're mostly labeled as family games, many entries in the Legend of Zelda franchise carry a much darker weight than that of the 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Mushroom Kingdom. The world of Hyrule is rife with pain, suffering, murder,🔴 and wa✅r.

This has led to many creepy storytelling moments, as well as the creation of Majora's Mask, which resonates a depressing and morbid tone. While Mario opts for frights with Boos, The Legend of Zelda sees zombies, skeleton knights, and wid൲e-mouthed mini-bosses.

This list is dedicated to some of the creepier things (and facts) found throughout the Legend of Zelda universe. You'll see a lot of Majora's Mask here (for obvious reasons).

20 He's✨ Only A Freak In The U.S.A. 🍃

Tingle is like a walking fever dream. Everything about him seems a little bit off. His eccentric demeanor, tight-fighting clothes, and made-up language are enough to unsettle any passerby. Tingle seems like the kind of person you would see on an episode of To Catch a Predator. Perhaps that's why we're so creeped out that he sells maps. Hopefully, these hand-drawn guides don't secretly lead 𝓀to his house.

Although, there are some out there that would welcome a visit from the rosy-cheeked cartographer. Some countries think Tingle is hilarious, often poking fun at his eccentric nature and wacky style. Japan, for example, sha♏res a special adoration for this freaky frog-like man. Here in the United States, he's often viewed as a creeper. To be fair, if Germany can lust over Hasselhoff, why can't Japan get tingly for Tingle?

19 The Linker🀅fly Effect ꦿ

If you're a fan of time travel, you've probably stumbled across the Butterfly Effect theory once or twice. Without getting into too much nerdy detail, the basic gist suggests that doing anything (different than the original intention) in the past can have disastrous effects on the future. Depending on what♐ you bel🎃ieve, it's possible that certain consequences can spawn alternate timelines.

Those of you that read Hyrule Historia may recall seeing a chart, which explained what "time period" some of the Legend of Zelda titles were staged in. What's unsettling, is that some of the games you'll play actually exist in timelines in which Link failed to triumph over his enemies🌃. Not exactly jarringly creepy, but depressing to know that there are some instances in which Good doesn't defeat Evil.

18 The First Is The Wors♑t

Speaking of horrible timelines where EVERYONE DIES (not literally, we just wanted to add tension), did you know that the original Legend of Zelda is set during one of the worst events in Hyrule history? The game that started it all takes place during the Fallen Hero Timeline, an "alternate" time arc in which Link fell to Ganondorf during battle (Ocarina of Time). This allowed ꧃the dark lord ꧃to secure the remaining Triforce pieces.

Have you ever noticed that all of the Legend of Zelda games have towns, except for the original? That's because the Hyrule you explore is essentially a post-apocalyptic wasteland. The only known survivors are creepy men living in caves and weirdo's sealed behind solid walls. If you want further proof of the land's demise, look at the first dungeon. Perhaps this old decrepit log is🅘 the remains of the once mighty Great Deku Tree.

17 🌟 Can't Spare A Square

A LOT of creepy and disturbing things happen in The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask. Get used to revisiting the nightmare-l⛄aced realm because you'll see it featured numerous times on this list. One of the more unsettling moments is when Link happens across a toilet-monster named "???." You can't actually pronounce that (you can try), it just means the creature doesn't actually have a name. We aren't even sure if it's human. All you can see is a bony hand sticking out of the dark bowl of an outhouse.

The hand asks for paper and will reward Link with a Piece of Heart if he spares some. An interview with Shigeru Miyamoto revealed that ??? was modeled after the rather horrifying "toilet ghost" Urban Legends found in Japanese culture. We'll spare you the details here, but if you find yourself in a pa𒁏rt🤡icularly brave mood, check out the tale of Hanako-San.

16 Near-Deat♋h Experience 🎶

Link is the sworn protector of the land of Hyrule. He is a brave soul that works tirelessly to keep Princess Zelda safe from harm. Unfortunately, his over-zealousness almost cost the poor Princess her life, according to Legend of Zelda lore. The author of Console Wars, Blake J. Harris, released some never-before-seen illustrations that came directly from Nintendo. These drawings had interesting "story bits" that spoke to some of the lore surrounding The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.

The one pertaining to Princess Zelda speaks of a time when Link almost committed one of the worst accidental atrocities in all of Hyrule. Apparently, the Princess had been captured and was escaping on her own when Link burst into the room and almost cut her in two. The lighting was poor and the Hylian Hero noted a large spider that had sat down beside Zelda. Either that, or he was just tired of all the rescue q꧃uests and saw an "accidental" way out.

15 Tick Tock

The moment you first arrive in Clock Town, things seem a bit off. In fact, the entire Majora's Mask experience is like something straight from a Stephen King novel. There is much to see and do that will make you uneasy, but the way that the adventure "chanܫges with time" is really eerie. The beginning of each three-day cycle sees a renewed hope, complete with upbeat music and sun-filled adventure.

The second day, however, is a bit more grounded. Things are slightly darker than before and there seems to be a general sense of dread wafting through the air. By the third day, the shining disposition is replaced with panic and tense music. Even the citizens of Clock Town, who once laughed at the idea of the moon falling from the sky, seem frozen in fear and regret. Say what you want about Ocarina of Time versus Majora's Mask, but the latꦅter d🌱efinitely had a compelling story.

14 Night Of The Living Dead 💟 𒀰

There are a lot of disturbing Legend of Zelda elements that seem harmless at first glance. How many times have you cleaved through a Stalfos, without so much as a thought? Sure, from the outside, they look just like any other cookie-cutter RPG Skeleton Knight, but have you ever stopped to think about where Stalfos come from? They're reanimated skeletons and those bones didn't randomly ap๊pear out of thin air.

Each time Link cracks a Stalfos' skull or slices its spine in two, he's desecrating human remains. It's easy to forget that these enemies were once people. They could have been anyone, happily roaming the fields of Hyrule before succumbing to a terrible fate. Most of them were probably cut down during 🐻times of war. We 👍know the souls of these people left their undead corpses long ago but it still creeps us out to think we're hacking away at once proud Hylians.

13 🐟 A Relic Forgotten

Ask s💞omeone what their worst fear is and they'll most likely speak about s🐈omething simple like spiders, heights, or enclosed spaces. There are fears, however, that are much more profound. A good example is the fear of being forgotten. No one wants to exit this plane of existence as nothing more than dust in the wind. As humans, we crave to leave a legacy. Because of this, you can imagine how hard it must have been for the Hero of Time to realize he'd become nothing more than a poorly recalled fairy tale.

In the Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, you're trained by a powerful Stalfos known as the Hero's Shade. Hyrule Historia later confirmed that this skeletal creature is, in fact, the spirit of the Hero of Time. It's hard to imagine this gnarled warrior as the savior of Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask. Even in death, h𒀰e striv🌟es to teach his descendant the skills necessary to keep Hyrule safe.

12 💃 Close Encounters Of The Poe Kind

Here we go again, with another entry outlining something downright messed up in the world of Majora's Mask. This time we find ourselves at Romani Ranch, which looks and feels a lot like Lon Lon Ranch. This is no surprise, considering Majora's Mask re-used a lot of the Ocarina of Time elements (both for time-saving and creepy alternate universe purposes). Here we meet Malon Romani, a young girl with an overactive imaginat🦄ion. At least, we wish it was♛ overactive.

Without much warning, you'll find yourself sniping Poe-like aliens from abducting the ranch's cows. What makes this so creepy is that the otherworldly beings will actually kidnap Romani if you fail. Even more unsettlin🍸g is that she'll show up later on, but something will seem rather "off" about her.

11 ෴ The Gomess Reaper 🤪

Let's keep the Majora's Mask freak train a-rollin'. If you manage to make it through the Stone Tower Temple without throwing your controller through your television, you'll𒀰 happen across a rather creepy f🍸oe named Gomess. He's covered in bats, which can only be displaced by Light Arrows, and swings at Link with a massive scythe. At first glance, you'd think this character was modeled after the Grim Reaper.

You'd be right. Gomess is called Faucheur in the French version of Majora's Mask. That word roughly translates to Reaper (also mower) in English. This becomes incredibly creepy (and telling) if you believe in the 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Link is Dead theory. Perhaps this is the Hero of Time figuratively and literally battling against the Gr🌠im Reaper in an attempt to stay alive.