To reiterate some of what my colleagues have already stated, as far as the number and array of in-game items go, not many games hold a candle to what the Zelda game offer. There’s definitely an art to item-hunting in Zelda games since some things are easily located while others take a fair bit of determination.  And there are special items galore. Though they’re often items that you only really need in a particular level, once you have them, you can’t imagine progressing without them.  So without further ramblings, here are my top five favorite items from the Zelda games that I’ve played (Ocarina of Time, Majora’s Mask, Wind Waker, Phantom Hourglass, Twilight Princess, Spirit Tracks.)

5. Whirlwind (Spirit Tracks – Nintendo DS)
Though The Legend of Zelda: The Spirit Tracks and I did not get along very well, and though I disliked using the DS’s microphone, Link’s Whirlwind, obtained in the game’s Forest Temple, was an incredibly useful item to have on hand. With the Whirlwind in use, you blew into the microphone to perform a number of actions: stun enemies or whack them with crates and such, gather out-of-reach things (by “blowing” them to the ground), or dissipating clouds of noxious purple “Dark Matter.” And that Dark Matter was everywhere in the Forest Temple, so you couldn’t have gotten far without the Whirlwind. Plus, the Whirlwind proved quite handy elsewhere in the game, especially when you needed to take care of a far-away enemy.

4. Din’s Fire (Ocarina of Time – Nintendo 64)
I’m not one to argue with fire spells in games. In fact, in just about any game that I’m able to use magic, the fire spells are usually my favorites and the ones I level up first. In The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Din’s Fire was one of the first spells Link received, and it was far and away the one I used most throughout the game. And rather than just being a plain, old, shoot-fire-from-hands-and-or-staff-or-something, when Link cast Din’s Fire, a magical, moveable “shield” of fire was created around him.  Anything nearby was incinerated and Link couldn’t be hurt by the fire himself.  In addition to defeating enemies, you could use Din’s Fire to burn webs and light torches, and it was necessary to have in order to get into the game’s Shadow Temple.  When I think of OoT, Din’s Fire is probably its most memorable item… well, besides the ocarina of course.

3. Hawkeye (Twilight Princess – Wii)
Like Spirit Tracks, I had a rocky relationship with The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, but what time I did spend with the game wasn’t all bad. However, I did have a tough time with its aiming system. So when a friend told me that there was an item in the game that helped make aiming easier, the Hawkeye, I just HAD to have it! Unfortunately, getting it required completing some archery training, which I both badly needed and didn’t want to go near.  Needless to say, I don’t know that I put as much work (and frustrated curses) into obtaining an item in a Zelda game as I did with the Hawkeye. But once I got it, boy oh boy, was it worth the trouble! The Hawkeye turned Link’s Hero’s Bow into a long-range weapon with a scope. It was a fantastic way to take care of airborne enemies. Plus, the time I spent in training actually did help my poor aiming skills a little, so there’s that.

2. Phantom Sword (Phantom Hourglass – Nintendo DS)
The Legend of Zelda: The Phantom Hourglass is my second favorite Zelda game (so you can probably guess what game’s going to be in my top spot… ), but outside of the titular Phantom Hourglass, it doesn’t contain many unique items, or rather those that don’t appear in some form in another game. It’s with that in mind that I pick the game’s Master Sword, the Phantom Sword, as my #2, mainly because of how it must be “made.” In the game, Link had to find three special metals to make the Phantom Sword, and the quests themselves were pure fun, simple and fantastic. While most Zelda games relish in their complexity (and rightly so), I found Phantom Hourglass’s straightforward quests refreshing and enjoyable. And they resulted the creation of the Phantom Sword, a cool Master Sword that Link uses in the game’s final battle.

1. Skull Hammer (Wind Waker – Gamecube)
Though I may have spoiled the surprise, it shouldn’t come as a shock then that my most favorite Zelda item comes from my most favorite Zelda game —  The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. And that item is the Skull Hammer! I’m pretty much a two-handed weapon kind of gal in games. Forget about dexterity and the protection of a shield, I’m always going to want to go into any battle swinging the mightiest weapon available! In Wind Waker, the Skull Hammer was that two-handed weapon, a powerful instrument that dealt a fierce blow! It was also very cool looking, both primitive in its skull-head topper and terrifying in size. And maybe it was just me, but I found it terribly amusing how Link would just whip that giant thing out of nowhere! Uh…the hammer. THE HAMMER! Anyway, as many advantages as the Skull Hammer had, it had its share of disadvantages. It took longer to swing, which left Link open to attack, and it severely reverberated upon hitting the ground, which momentarily halted Link’s movement. Even so, I loved using that thing on just about any enemy in the game. Bigger was most certainly better! And again, still talking about the Skull Hammer.