Lost Woods

The Lost Woods are a recurring location in The Legend of Zelda games, first appeared in the first game of the series, The Legend of Zelda. The Lost Woods is a large forest with a maze-like structure that's easy to get lost in. Pathways appear to loop endlessly unless the player takes a certain path.

The Legend of Zelda
In the original The Legend of Zelda, the Lost Woods was a single-screen, repeating area filled with trees, with one path forming a cross. It required a certain pattern of directions (north, west, south, west) in order for the player to pass through successfully. If the player did not know the correct pattern, they would be unable to reach western Hyrule without having to cross the river north of the large lake.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
In A Link to the Past the Lost Woods is located in the northwestern section of Hyrule, directly north of Kakariko Village. The Master Sword is placed in a large hidden shrine deep in the woods, though numerous fake Master Swords are also present. The dark shadows of the trees are also good growing conditions for the Sleepy Mushroom, which can be turned into Magic Powder. The Lost Woods is also inhabited by several thieves, who won't hesitate to rob passersby of their rupees, should they come too close.

The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons
In Oracle of Seasons, the Lost Woods is the location of the Noble Sword. However, as this game is set in Holodrum, this is not the same Lost Woods as in Hyrule.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
In Ocarina of Time, the Lost Woods is located in southeastern Hyrule. Kokiri Forest, the game's starting area, is a part of the Lost Woods. The Kokiri live here watched over by the Great Deku Tree. Early in the game, Link is sent by the Deku Tree to meet Princess Zelda and must leave the forest, something the Kokiri believe they must never do. After meeting Princess Zelda for the first time he returns here to talk to his childhood friend Saria and is told she is playing her ocarina at "the usual spot" within the Lost Woods.

The entrance to the Lost Woods lies directly to the northwest of Kokiri Forest. The forest is navigated by following the sound of Saria's ocarina leading Link to the Sacred Forest Meadow. Taking a wrong path leads the player back to the entrance in Kokiri Forest. In addition to finding Saria, there are portals to Goron City and Zora's River also hidden within the Lost Woods providing a shortcut to those locations once Link has the Goron Bracelet and Silver Scale respectively. There are also mini-games such as a shooting challenge, where players can win a Bullet Bag upgrade. Adjacent to this challenge, there are two friendly Skull Kids who play flutes. There are a few Business Scrubs located in three major places in the woods. Located in the northern portion of the woods is the Sacred Forest Meadow, which contains the Forest Temple.

According to local lore, anyone who gets lost in the forest will turn into a Stalfos (if Hylian) or a Skull Kid (if Kokiri). A Gossip Stone reveals that only Kokiri who have fairy partners may enter the forest and not become lost. In the Ocarina of Time manga, it tells of how the forest tricks human hearts into wandering the same paths over and over, and if the poor soul loses the sight of the exit, he or she will never return again.

The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
Majora's Mask begins with Link traveling through the Lost Woods in search of Navi, when he encounters Skull Kid and falls into a portal to Termina.

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
In Link's Awakening, set on Koholint Island, the player had to go through the Mysterious Forest.

The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
In Majora's Mask, set in Termina, players can find the Woods of Mystery in the Southern Swamp. It is where Koume generally searchs for mushrooms.

The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker
Prior The Wind Waker, the Lost Woods was flooded when the gods flooded Hyrule. The closest Great Sea equivalent to the forest is the Forbidden Woods, which is a dungeon rather a labyrinth.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
While the Lost Woods does not appear in-name in Twilight Princess, Faron Woods is found in the same general location and the Lost Woods is heavily alluded to by the Sacred Grove. The grove plays Saria's Song as background music, is the home of a Skull Kid, and is easy to get lost in due to convoluted design and the lack of a map.