Highlights
- A Link to the Past started a tradition of adding Mario-themed Easter eggs into Zelda games, but Tears of the Kingdom breaks away from this tradition.
- Many future Zelda games featured Mario-inspired secrets and cameos, showcasing the influence of Nintendo's favorite plumber.
- Tears of the Kingdom demonstrates the growth and independence of the Zelda franchise, solidifying Link as an equally important protagonist as Mario.
Many years have passed between the release of A Link to the Past and the most recent The Legend of Zelda installment, Tears of the Kingdom. However, when comparing the two entries in the long-running franchise, there is an unexpected sign of just how far the Zelda games have come; A Link to the Past started a tradition of adding Mario-centric Easter eggs into the games.
As the third entry into the series, A Link to the Past brought forth a new chapter for the Zelda games, which included some surprise inspiration from Nintendo heavy-hitter Mario. For those who have played A Link to the Past, a picture of Mario can be found as a fun Easter egg while the Turtle Rock dungeon was clearly inspired by previous Super Mario Bros. titles. Link had a prominent place in the world of gaming, but Mario was the top dog, and A Link to the Past began a tradition of leaning on the popularity of Mario to sneak hidden content into future games. However, Tears of the Kingdom shows the IP's break away from this tradition, allowing Link to stand on his own.
How Zelda Games Have Evolved Since A Link to the Past
After A Link to the Past featured a surprise portrait of Mario and took clear inspiration from Super Mario Bros. games with the Turtle Rock dungeon, many future Zelda games would follow suit in featuring Mario-inspired secrets. The Legend of Zelda has grown into one of the largest gaming series in the world, but Mario cameos in various games demonstrated the power Nintendo's favorite plumber has held for years.
One of these more blatant cameos appear in Ocarina of Time, with the characters Talon and Ingo who are just Zelda-fied versions of Mario and Luigi. Whether it's a Mario mask featured in Majora's Mask or figurines in Link's Awakening, there are many Super Mario references in Zelda games, but Tears of the Kingdom shows that Link has found independence in Nintendo's world. Link has always been a prominent figure, of course, but Tears of the Kingdom has brought the franchise's protagonist to a whole new level.
After the incredibly successful release of Breath of the Wild, anticipation for Tears of the Kingdom was palpable, and it exceeded the expectations of many fans. Not only has the game become many gamers' picks for Game of the Year, but it's also short on something that many previous Zelda games have included: Mario references. Link can stand on his own as a protagonist, and with the overwhelming success of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, he's just as important to Nintendo as Mario. It's obvious that Zelda games have changed drastically since A Link to the Past, but small details like this showcase just how far the franchise has truly come. The Legend of Zelda has staked its claim as a series that's just as important and influential as Super Mario.
Both The Legend of Zelda and Super Mario have changed gaming in multiple ways, and it seems as though Link is now just as much of a household name as Mario. Although Link has always been a popular character for gaming fans, he was seen by some as coming in second compared to Mario, but Zelda games have grown to the point where the two are now equals. Long gone are the days when A Link to the Past referenced Super Mario features for an entire level. The Legend of Zelda has become its own rich world since the birth of the franchise, and Tears of the Kingdom serves as the perfect demonstration of this growth.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is available on Switch.