The Legend of Zelda TV series
Released: Fall 1989

Fans of the Super Mario Brothers Super Show could look forward to a special treat every Friday afternoon: an episode of the Legend of Zelda! This 13-episode series starred Link, Zelda, Ganon, and Link's fairy, Spryte (foreshadowing of Navi?). Link was a sarcastic braggart who was always trying to steal a kiss from Princess Zelda. One of his more memorable lines was "Excuuuuuuse me, Princess!" It was funnier when you were ten, trust me. Zelda was your typical headstrong and brash princess. Ganon was rather bumbling for a purported King of Evil, and Spryte hovered around Link so that she could say annoying things in a high-pitched voice from time to time.

Ah, no no

Hey, Ganon, you got something on your face!

In every episode, Ganon would hatch an amazing (ly stupid) plan to steal the Triforce of Wisdom. It would probably have helped if Hyrule Castle had assigned some "guards" to the Triforce of Wisdom, but I guess they weren't that clever. There was an event of not-too-perilous peril, at the end of which Link would save the day and ask Zelda for a kiss. Zelda, the coldhearted fiend, never kissed him. So as not to confuse younger viewers, the writers never strayed from this basic plot structure.

Despite its short run, the Legend of Zelda cartoon entertained many gamers desperate for more adventures of their favorite Nintendo hero and princess.

The Legend of Zelda Comic
Released: 1990

Spryte gets the snot knocked out of her. Zelda 64 fans rejoice.

Link! and Zelda! Hooray!

Valiant's short-lived Nintendo Comics System featured an even shorter-lived Legend of Zelda comic. The series didn't even last a year, but each of the issues released featured two ten-page stories and a handful of one- or two-page stories. The few sporadically released issues were similar in appearance and tone to the television show. Link still didn't get kissed in the comic. Poor guy.

Soon after the release of Link to the Past in 1992, Nintendo Power ran a lengthy serialized Zelda comic. The comic was set in the world of Link to the Past and very loosely followed that game's storyline.