Guides

Here I cover official guides published directly by Nintendo, which deal wholly or in part with Zelda.
Table of Contents:

The Legend of Zelda: Tips & Tactics

Information:
Copyright: 1988 Nintendo? -- Publisher: Hideo Ogata -- Published By: Tokuma Shoten Publishing Co., Ltd. -- Editor: Masayoshi Suzuki -- U.S. Editor: Howard Phillips with Lynn Griffes -- U.S. Version Producer: Tsutomu Otsuka

Description:
This booklet was released as a supplement to "The Legend of Zelda." Sold separately, it offered more detailed descriptions and strategies than what was given in the game's manual. This is more than just a walkthrough: it's like a more detailed instruction manual.

Downloads:

Scan of Tips & Tactics booklet
(Originally downloaded from The Zelda Fan)
Part 1 (3.0 MB .zip)
Part 2 (3.2 MB .zip)
Part 3 (3.2 MB .zip)


Zelda 2: Link no Bouken - Futabasha Guide

Information:
Copyright: 1987 Nintendo -- Publisher: Futabasha -- ISBN4-575-15075-4 -- 96 pages + 2 inserts -- Sold for 360 yen

Description:
This is a Japanese guide, published by Futabasha, which covers Zelda 2: Link no Bouken. It has names, art, and descriptions for all items and enemies. It covers most of the game and even shows the ending! There are also two inserts showing maps of Hyrule. I'm not sure if this guide is official, but it looks like it uses official information when it can. (It looks like they drew some of the enemies themselves when no official art was available.)

Downloads:


The Official Nintendo Player's Guide

Information:
Copyright: 1987 Nintendo of America Inc. -- Publisher: Tatsumi Yamashita -- Producer: Tsutomu Otsuka -- Published by: Tokuma Shoten Publishing Co., Ltd. -- Concept: WORK HOUSE, Tokyo

Description:
This guide covers over ninety NES games, including Zelda I and II. The "Reviews" give brief information about items and characters, and walkthroughs through the first few levels of the games. In the back is the "Game Guide," which has brief descriptions of all the games.

Downloads:


The NES Game Atlas

Information:
Copyright: 1991 Nintendo of America

Description:
This guide had detailed walkthroughs and maps for many NES games, including "The Legend of Zelda" and "The Adventure of Link."

Downloads:

  • Scan of NES Atlas (4.6 MB .zip, only contains Zelda portions. PDFs originally downloaded from Zelda.com, and converted to JPEGs. Cover scans provided by Mak.)


Kamigami no Triforce - Nintendo Official Guidebooks

Information:
Copyright: 1991 Nintendo, Shogakukan
Released: Dec. 13, 1991
First (Upper?) Volume
ISBN: 4091041930
More information (Japanese)


Information:
Copyright: 1992 Nintendo, Shogakukan
Released: Feb. 14, 1992
Last (Lower?) Volume
ISBN: 4091041949
More information (Japanese)

Description:
Those silly Japanese thought it would be a good idea to release TWO guides for ALttP. The green-colored one is the "Jou" volume, which can mean "first" or "upper." The red-colored one is the "Ge" volume, which can mean "last" or "lower." These guides actually have a lot of cool information in them, like enemy names/descriptions and interviews. Hopefully these will get translated some day.

Downloads:

Scans of Kamigami no Triforce guides. (Scans made by Melora. Please visit her site, History of Hyrule.) First (Green) Volume
Chapter 1 - Basic Manual (5.3 MB .zip)
Chapter 2 - Tour Guide (10.3 MB .zip)
Chapter 3 - Technique (5.5 MB .zip)
Chapter 4 - Character Catalogue (3.3 MB .zip)
Chapter 5 - Another Side (2.6 MB .zip)

Last (Red) Volume
Chapter 1 - Digest (4.5 MB .zip)
Chapter 2 - Tour Guide II (12.7 MB .zip)
Chapter 3 - Practice (1.4 MB .zip)
Chapter 4 - Technique (3.7 MB .zip)
Chapter 5 - Character Catalogue (4.3 MB .zip)
Chapter 6 - Data (2.4 MB .zip)
Chapter 7 - Another Side (3.3 MB .zip)


A Link to the Past - Nintendo Player's Guide

Information:
Copyright: 1992 Nintendo -- Publisher: M. Arakawa -- Producer in Chief: Hiroyuki Kato -- Editor in Chief: Gail Tilden -- Senior Editor: Pam Sather -- Editors: Scott Polland, George Sinfield, Leslie Swan, Jeff Bafus, Dan Owsen -- Editorial Consultants: Howard Lincoln, Peter Main, Phil Rogers, Juana Tingdale, Tony Harman

Downloads:

Scan of ALttP guide (Converted to JPEGs from PDF originally downloaded from Zelda.com) Part 1 - The Legend (4.8 MB .zip)
Part 2 - Light World (6.9 MB .zip)
Part 3 - Dark World (7.3 MB .zip)
Part 4 - Link's Journey (6.0 MB .zip)
Part 5 - Hyrulian Findings (5.6 MB .zip)


Link's Awakening - Nintendo Player's Guide

Information:
Copyright: 1993 Nintendo (Later versions of this guide also cover the DX version) -- Publisher: M. Arakawa -- Producer in Chief: Hiroyuki Kato -- Editor in Chief: Gail Tilden -- Senior Editor: Pam Sather -- Editors: Scott Polland, Leslie Swan -- Editorial Consultants: Howard Lincoln, Peter Main, Phil Rogers, Juana Tingdale, Dan Owsen

Downloads:

Scan of LA guide
(Converted to JPEGs from PDF originally downloaded from Zelda.com)
Part 1 - The Legend
(3.3 MB .zip)
Part 2 - The Adventure (1)
(6.5 MB .zip)
Part 2 - The Adventure (2)
(7.1 MB .zip)
Part 3 - Profits & Perils
(6.2 MB .zip)


Toki no Ocarina - Nintendo Official Guidebook

Information:
Copyright: 1998 Nintendo, Shogakukan
Released: Nov. 21, 1998
ISBN: 4091026605
More information (Japanese)


Ocarina of Time - Nintendo Player's Guide

Information:
Copyright: 1998 Nintendo


Yume o Miru Shima DX - Nintendo Official Guidebook

Information:
Copyright: 1999 Nintendo, Shogakukan
Released: Feb. 20, 1999
ISBN: 4091026796
More information (Japanese)


Mujura no Kamen - Nintendo Official Guidebook

Information:
Copyright: 2000 Nintendo, Shogakukan
Released: May 27, 2000
ISBN: 4091028489
More information (Japanese)


Majora's Mask - Nintendo Player's Guide

Information:
Copyright: 2000 Nintendo


Fushigi no Ki no Mi (Oracle) - Nintendo Official Guidebooks

Information:
Copyright: 2001 Nintendo, Shogakukan
Released: March 23, 2001
Daichi no Shou (Oracle of Ages)
ISBN: 409102887X
More information (Japanese)


Information:
Copyright: 2001 Nintendo, Shogakukan
Released: March 23, 2001
Jikuu no Shou (Oracle of Seasons)
ISBN: 4091028888
More information (Japanese)


Oracle of Seasons/Ages - Nintendo Player's Guide

Information:
Copyright: 2001 Nintendo


A Link to the Past / Four Swords - Nintendo Player's Guide

Information:
Copyright: 2002 Nintendo
Released Dec. 2, 2002


Kamigami no Triforce / Yottsu no Tsurugi - Nintendo Official Guidebook

Information:
Copyright: 2003 Nintendo, Shogakukan
Released: April 18, 2003
ISBN: 4091061028
More information (Japanese)


Kaze no Takuto - Nintendo Official Guidebook

Information:
Copyright: 2003 Nintendo, Shogakukan
Released: Feb. 3, 2003
ISBN: 4091060919
More information (Japanese)


The Wind Waker - Nintendo Player's Guide

Information:
Copyright: 2003 Nintendo
Released March 17, 2003


Collector's Edition - Nintendo Official Guide

Information:
Copyright: 2003 Nintendo
Released November 18, 2003
Purchase now at EBGames


Zelda Box - The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker Fan Book

Information:
Copyright: Enterbrain Inc and Nintendo in 2002

Description:
Only released in Japan, the Zelda Box came with this booklet, some little figurines, a map, and a music CD with twelve tracks. This booklet, which we've scanned here, featured a huge collection of exclusive Wind Waker artwork, interviews with the Wind Waker development team, a history of the Zelda series, some guides for tWW, and probably a bunch of other things I am unaware of. Very interesting collection of stuff, all told.

Downloads:

Thanks go to Melora for scanning these.
Part 1 (23.7 MB .zip)
Part 2 (24.7 MB .zip)
Part 3 (20.6 MB .zip)