In several games she is one of the Sages whose heroism is essential to defeating Ganon; in others, like Ocarina of Time and The Wind Waker, she adopts alternative personas to take a more active role in the story.

He said that a public relations planner had suggested the name when proposing an illustrated story for the game involving the rescue of a princess who was defined as an eternal beauty.

[4] In Ocarina of Time, Zelda's role was expanded by giving her an alter ego as a surviving member of the Sheikah clan named Sheik (シーク, Shīku).

[8] Another alter ego of Zelda named Tetra (テトラ, Tetora) was introduced in The Wind Waker and its Nintendo DS sequel, Phantom Hourglass.

A survey conducted in the United States signified consumers preferred more independent female characters, including Zelda's alter-egos Sheik and Tetra.

[12] The character's significance within the mythology of the series was expanded further in Skyward Sword, where the first incarnation of Zelda is established as the mortal reincarnation of the goddess Hylia, a recurring deity worshipped by the Hylians that appears in statue form.

[15] Director Hidemaro Fujibayashi said that in Tears of the Kingdom her character development is a key aspect of the narrative: "She's going through growth, experiencing things, and ultimately figuring out what kind of a person she's going to be.

Despite feeling that this would do justice to the character, the development team struggled to find the right story and brainstormed ideas to explain Zelda's motivations for embarking on the adventure.

[19] For the development of A Link to the Past, Zelda was originally designed wearing a sci-fi themed outfit to correspond with an early multi-world game concept, but this was eventually scrapped.

Skyward Sword placed greater emphasis on a romantic relationship in its storyline, illustrated by Nintendo releasing an official "Romance Trailer" for the game.

[54] After sensing danger in the lands of Holodrum and Labrynna, she sends her handmaiden Impa to protect Din and Nayru, the Oracle of Seasons and Ages, respectively.

In order to save Tetra, he must sail with Ciela and a sea captain named Linebeck to find the guardians of Power, Wisdom, and Courage.

[69][70] In the sequel, Tears of the Kingdom (2023), Zelda and Link accidentally awaken Ganondorf beneath Hyrule Castle, where she consequently falls into an abyss and disappears into the distant past.

In the time of the Zonai, she meets Hyrule's first king Rauru and his wife Sonia, who help her to use her sacred power to restore the decayed Master Sword.

Aware of Ganondorf's threat, she sacrifices herself by swallowing a Secret Stone, transforming into the Light Dragon, which provides her with the immortality to return the Master Sword to Link.

Zelda's weapon is the magical Tri Rod and she uses her power of Wisdom to duplicate objects and enemies, called echoes, to fight alongside her.

[97] A serial comic by manga author Shotaro Ishinomori was originally published in 1992 in Nintendo Power magazine and later collected in graphic novel form.

Other manga adaptations of The Legend of Zelda games have also been published, including Majora's Mask, Ocarina of Time, The Minish Cap and Phantom Hourglass, which are illustrated by Akira Himekawa.

[113] Maddy Myers writing for The Mary Sue considered Zelda and Sheik to be two halves of a flawed, complex character, but felt that the game "doesn't seem to respect her much".

[115] When reviewing Spirit Tracks, Abbie Stone of GamesRadar praised Zelda's role as a ghost that can possess enemies, as it places her in the position of co-lead throughout the game, and opined that this proves "action and femininity aren't mutually exclusive".

[118] Jonathan Holmes writing for Destructoid highlighted a particular scene in Skyward Sword in which Zelda communicates her love for Link through her eyes and body language, describing it as "beautiful" and opined that Nintendo had made it an unforgettable moment.

[119] Speaking for Nintendo Life, Alex Olney appreciated the human traits and flaws displayed by Zelda in Breath of the Wild and considered this to be her best incarnation, citing the pressure of her responsibilities, her determination to protect her kingdom and Link, her strength and power, and her ability to match Calamity Ganon and restrain him for 100 years.

[120] Gita Jackson writing for Kotaku considered her blue adventuring outfit to be a "cool departure from the norm" of the traditionally pink Hylian princess and illustrated her prominent story arc within the game.

[121] Madeline Carpou of The Mary Sue listed her Breath of the Wild incarnation as one of the most inspiring female characters in video games, stating that although she is "a living representation of the people's salvation" and struggles under the pressure of expectation, she refuses to give up on her responsibilities.

She said that exploring dungeons and fighting enemies as Zelda felt "absolutely awesome" and was made more enjoyable for a female gamer due to having something in common with the hero.

[123] Steve Watts of GameSpot felt that the story in Tears of the Kingdom belongs to Zelda, not only because she is the focus of the main quest line, but also because the mystery of discovering her location slowly unravels throughout the game and leads to an "incredible, stirring revelation".

[125] Zelda's story in Tears of the Kingdom was particularly praised by Matthew Byrd of Den of Geek, who described it as an "emotional and engaging arc", highlighting her sacrifice for those she loves and her memorable reveal as the Light Dragon.

[130] Sara Gitkos of iMore opined that Zelda deserved her own game due to being "a scholar, a leader, and a fierce princess who takes charge of her own destiny".

[131] Jay Castello writing for Polygon described the ending of Tears of the Kingdom as a tragedy for perpetuating the status quo of Zelda's repetitive role in the series, commenting that the gendered elements "appear to skate by simply because this has been going on so long that mentioning them feels blasé".

[133] NME writer Ali Shutler said it was a "bold move forward" by finally making Zelda a playable character in Echoes of Wisdom and praised her capabilities of exploring dungeons and fighting bosses.