Why is it called "A Link to the Past"?

[Master jedi]

I was thinking, what dose A link to the past mean anyway? dose link mean a portal or connection to the past? or as in literally the hero link to the past? You don't even go to the past in the game. What do you guys think?

[Dark Link]

An interesting note that you might want to read: The game A Link to the Past was originally named Triforce of the Gods in Japan (which would be the true subtitle of the game). Wowever, because of localization in the U.S. and other areas, the title was renamed due to religious referencing.

In retrospect, Triforce of the Gods makes more sense.

[MajorasWrath1]

Yea but they must have had some meaning in mind when they selected the north american name

[Dark Link]

Originally Posted by MajorasWrath1

Yea but they must have had some meaning in mind when they selected the north american name

It's just a substitute subtitle produced by Nintendo of America due to censoring policy. It holds no significant meaning.

[God of Twilight]

Originally Posted by Dark Link

An interesting note that you might want to read: The game A Link to the Past was originally named Triforce of the Gods in Japan (which would be the true subtitle of the game). Wowever, because of localization in the U.S. and other areas, the title was renamed due to religious referencing.

In retrospect, Triforce of the Gods makes more sense.

That doesnt really answer the question.

- I believe "A Link to the Past" was supposed to signify a connection between Ganondorf being sealed away in the past, and then trying to break free in the present.
But I'm not really sure

[SevenYears]

Thought it meant the game's story takes place before LoZ and AoL. Thought it was nintendo who mentioned that.

[Dark Link]

Originally Posted by SevenYears

Thought it meant the game's story takes place before LoZ and AoL. Thought it was nintendo who mentioned that.

Box art, actually:



Miyamoto contradicted this by stating A Link to the Past took place after LOZ and AOL in a Ocarina of Time interview though. Quite frankly, that whole interview was obviously something just to shut fanboy's mouths.

Either way, I agree with you. If the subtitle held any real meaning and intent to NoA, I would think it would mean ALttP precedes LOZ and AOL.

[Master jedi]

I didn't even think about that. The names usually refer to the main item in the game except the old ones which includes alttp.

[BigGoronSword]

*Moved to NES/SNES Zelda*
*Changed title to "Why is it called "A Link to the Past"?" To make it slightly more original.*

-BGS

[Rew]

Personally, I think "A Link to the Past" is the most clever subtitle in the Zelda series.

Its effectiveness comes from it use as a double entendre. On the one hand, it refers to "Link" himself as the link to the past. But to what past? Simply put, LttP is a prequel to the earlier Zelda games on the NES, so the game itself links us to Hyrule's past (back in a time when we only knew of those two games on NES--yes, I'm old enough to remember those days ). On the other hand, the title can also be referring to other characters or even to the Triforce itself, all of which are links. Just as Ganon was sealed away in the ancient past during the Imprisoning War, so now Agahnim is the link to this past. It could also refer to the Triforce, which links together the ancient past (IW), the present (LttP), and the future (LoZ+AoL).

If you think about it, it's a much more thought-provoking title than the ones that simply refer to an object, such as the Wind Waker, Ocarina of Time, etc., etc.

[Chaos Hedgehog]

I've never thought of "A Link to the Past" as meaning the game is prequel to the NES ones. I think that the title being a reference to the actual game's events made more sense. The entire game is about the events of an ancient legend passed down from long ago affecting the present time, because the legend was largely forgotten. Thus, the game events, in which Ganon is trying to escape his seal, are a "link", connecting "to the past", namely the past events of the Imprisoning War (or retroactively, Ocarina of Time). It seems like this interpretation describes the game itself better, as opposed to its not-entirely-certain timeline placement.

[Stuit]

Probably no reason. It sounds kinda cool, but that's all.
NoA came up with the title because they're a bunch of wackos. The original subtitle was Triforce of the Gods. Because it was the first game to write all this religious mumbo jumbo into the storyline.

[Son_michael]

Link himself is actualy a link to the past


he's the last descendant of the knights of hyrule so technically he's the last link to the past...get it?



at least thats why I think they named the game that

[Zelda forever]

if you say it slowly you understand
it is a rather dumb pun
a LINK to the past
linking to the past , going back in time
and his name is link hahah hahaha heh

[Shigeru]

You guys are a bunch of geniuses all together.

Captain Obvious, eat your heart out!

[zeldahis101]

well i think they called it alttp because orginally the game was to feature Link going into the past, so they went with that, but designers changed the story board at the last minute, though the name, either they forgot or, it was already being prosseded, how u like to find a good name for Zelda, i would have like if they called ALTTP 'the legend of Zelda and the moon pearl', or 'the legend of zelda a link to the realm' or something on the line of that.

[Yukikoua]

There's no real reason, excluding the pun, except for the fact that it had originally been the earliest point in the timeline.

Considering the Japanese title is Triforce of the Gods, it takes even less meaning.

[Khao]

It is supposed to be called like that because the story of the game, lets you know the past of Hyrule, explaining the seal war and the triforce that created Hyrule and everything, not literally a link going to the past.

[avroillusion]

I'd personally go for the fact that is was a prequel to the two games on the NES as the reason. Got a link to that OOT interview? I see no reason why it shouldn't go after OOT and before AoL and LoZ. And where are you people getting this ALTTP Link going to the past junk?

[Daphnes]

Originally Posted by Master jedi

I was thinking, what dose A link to the past mean anyway? dose link mean a portal or connection to the past? or as in literally the hero link to the past? You don't even go to the past in the game. What do you guys think?

I don't know why people were ever confused by this.

ALttP Link is one of the last members of the bloodline of the Knights of Hyrule that protected the sages during the Imprisoning War. There is a prophesy that states only a member of that bloodline can stop the return of the evil that once tried to leak out from the Dark World.

The link is the bloodline and the prophesy. I always found it really obvious, long before I even played the game.

[Mattocks]

Originally Posted by Daphnes

I don't know why people were ever confused by this.

ALttP Link is one of the last members of the bloodline of the Knights of Hyrule that protected the sages during the Imprisoning War. There is a prophesy that states only a member of that bloodline can stop the return of the evil that once tried to leak out from the Dark World.

The link is the bloodline and the prophesy. I always found it really obvious, long before I even played the game.

That's pretty much it. Well there are other aspects as well. The whole game is a big reference to the past events. The 7 maidens decended from the sages, Link carrying on the bloodline, Ganon comming back, the sacred/dark real, it's all about past evens. I don't think the title has anything to do with where it is in the timeline, or when it was released.

[JC Farrell]

Originally Posted by Dark Link

An interesting note that you might want to read: The game A Link to the Past was originally named Triforce of the Gods in Japan (which would be the true subtitle of the game). Wowever, because of localization in the U.S. and other areas, the title was renamed due to religious referencing.

In retrospect, Triforce of the Gods makes more sense.

I tend to lean more on the Japanese title names because thats what they are really called. I never did see LTTP as its name. The same goes with AoL the story intros are a bit different. Thats one thing I hate about US versions they tweak the game a bit.

[Cukeman]

The title A Link to the Past refers to the Imprisoning War
(when the ancient sages sealed the Sacred Realm/Golden Land)
in ALTTP Agahnim & Ganon break what is left of the seal.

[Chaos Auteur]

Actually, it's more of a "meta"-reference to the fact that it was the very first prequel game ever done in the Zelda series, connecting the "past" of Hyrule to the storylines of The Legend of Zelda and Zelda II: The Adventure of Link for the NES.

But yes, there's also the more literal Imprisoning War connection connotation, too.

[Mr. Lexxi Aileron]

Comment on the box text:

The Japanese box text does not make the connection between the predecessors of Link and Zelda and Agahnim. The reference point is instead the time when Hyrule was one kingdom (OoT?).

The title is a reference to the game as featuring characters whose ancestors took part in an ancient struggle. Indeed, I do not see why the box text should be referring to anything outside of this context.

[ESE150]

I always thought it was pretty obvious. I'm surprised that people fail to get it. Well, except Chaos Hedgehog:

Originally Posted by Chaos Hedgehog

I've never thought of "A Link to the Past" as meaning the game is prequel to the NES ones. I think that the title being a reference to the actual game's events made more sense. The entire game is about the events of an ancient legend passed down from long ago affecting the present time, because the legend was largely forgotten. Thus, the game events, in which Ganon is trying to escape his seal, are a "link", connecting "to the past", namely the past events of the Imprisoning War (or retroactively, Ocarina of Time). It seems like this interpretation describes the game itself better, as opposed to its not-entirely-certain timeline placement.

I would say that this is the real meaning.