The Legend of Zelda: Budokai

"The Fight is on!"

GAME
Nintendo USA: June 26th, 2015 ESRB: T
 * japanese tittle = ゼルダの伝説:武道会
 * developer = Heroton Productions
 * publisher = Heroton Productions
 * release = Japan: December 11th, 2014
 * genre = Fighting, Action-Role playing
 * modes = Single player, multiplayer, Online multiplayer
 * ratings = CERO: A
 * platforms = Wii U (With Nintendo 3DS connectivity)
 * input =

The Legend of Zelda: BUDOKAI (Zeruda no Densetsu: Budo-kai), is a Fighting game based around the worlds and Characters of The Legend of Zelda Series. Similar to 2014's Hyrule Warriors, Budokai takes many Characters from various Parts of the Zelda Timeline, while Mixing them into the main story. While originally released on December 11th, 2014 in Japan, and June 26th, 2015 in the US, the game has received many DLC characters and additional content.

On Februray 19th, 2016, a Sequel/Addition of the game was announced called The Legend of Zelda Budokai: Era of War, Which features a new story and world. While it cuts come of the previous roster, it adds in new characters, as well as the previous DLC characters.

Main Story
Sometime in Hyrule's very distant Past, The story follows the conflict between Twin Goddesses, The Goddess of Light, Celes, and the Goddess of Darkness, Luna. Celes and Luna have been at war with each other for an eternity, but thus far neither side has emerged victorious. Originally, Luna was the obvious victor in their many battles, having stronger warriors fighting for her cause, such as the Demon King, Demigra, and his Sister, Yalda. The only force stopping Luna's takeover in every conflict was Celes' lone Warriors, Link, and his childhood friend, Li. As the game begins, it seems Luna has finally gained the upper hand, breaking the cycle of their never ending war. Link finds Celes critically wounded from a battle with Luna. Celes, wanting the war to come to an end, summoned Heroes from all across Time and Space (Similar to Hyrule Warriors) to join her cause, many of these Heroes included Link's Descendants and Alternate Incarnations from the different Timelines (Such as Toon Link). To Counter this, however, Luna had also summoned many of the Antagonists from Hyrule's future, strengthening her powers under Demigra's Command. Backstory for the various characters are also given in "Reports", which are divided into Celes Reports and Luna Reports. Before Giving the Heroes the task of obtaining the 12 Elemental Jewels, She Hands Her Link her a final Parting gift, the Master Sword, which she claims is the only true way to kill her sister, Luna.

Though the Heroes do not fully understand the quest Celes sets before them, they set out to retrieve the jewels in the hopes they can end the war. Each of the heroes has a storyline following their journey to recover their respective Crystal, separated in groups by their respective game. Each storyline also gives a point of View on the Characters personal Dilemmas, as each of them are taken from a point after their game has finished (Especially since the Links had no previous personalities beforehand), such as Twilight Princess Link beginning to doubt himself and who he believes in, Kafei wanting to become the Hero that Termina needs, Twilight Princess Zelda wanting to find herself useful and being haunted of being a puppet for Ganondorf, and so forth.

As the game progresses, flashbacks and character interludes Slowly reveal that neither goddess can truly be trusted by either side, and that there is an unknown force at work that watching from the shadows. After defeating the Summoned Villains from the Future, The heroes return to Celes with their Jewels, but Luna appears and incinerates the goddess, and departs back to her realm. With Celes gone, her power over the heroes fades and they begin to fade back to their own Time and worlds. However, with the last of her strength inside them, the Jewels are able to keep the heroes from fading. Determined to avenge Celes and see her will fulfilled, the heroes journey to The Moon Temple, and Battle both Demigra and Yalda. At this time it is revealed by Demigra that originally Celes and Luna were one, and the only way to bring back the original goddess, was to Kill both of them and use the Master Sword at it's full power, which could only be done by obtaining the 12 elemental Jewels. Demigra also reveals that he was not completely loyal to Luna, and planned on Killing her and taking her place as god when the war was won. Though he lamented on this, he quietly accepts his death, as his sister embraces him as they both fade into darkness.

At the Moon's Center, the 12 Elemental Jewels combine to open the path to Luna's realm, and the heroes confront the goddess of Darkness on her throne, with Link noticing that Luna had a A Black Master Sword. With the Help of his Other Incarnations, Link slays Luna and had successfully avenged Celes. Luna disturbingly pleads to Li to save her from fading away, as the Heroes brush this off and prepare to head home.

However, in a surprise twist, Demigra is still alive, and is able to Mortally wound Link. Even more surprising, A Being known as Lorya appears from Link's Body, revealing not only was he one of the Original Gods that created this world, and also that Celes and Luna were once one goddess called "Hylia", and that Link and Li never existed to begin with, being nothing more than replications of Himself and Hylia respectively. He then takes hold of the Master Sword, which Transforms into a Monstrous shape (Which Lorya says is it's true From). Suddenly, Li suddenly grabs Luna's Sword and faces against Lorya, apparently possessed by Luna. She's no match for Lorya, however, as he had already Absorbed Celes' remains (Which unknown the the Heroes was inside the Master Sword). To Prevent Lorya from Killing everyone, Luna leaves Li's Body, sacrificing herself in a surprising act of selflessness. Before she perishes, she asks the Heroes to Destroy Lorya, as the world no longer has a need for Gods, and that Hylia would want the Future of the World to be in the hands of it's people. Lorya Laughs and Grabs Luna's Sword, Transforming it as well. In another twist, Yalda also appears to Delay Lorya's Destruction of the Moon, fighting her Brother in the Process as the Party Escapes.

As the Party Returns to the Planet, The Moon Chains itself to the Planet's Surface, bringing the two closer together, Which Lorya plans to do to Recreate the world, by destroying both the world and the Moon. Though Link is nothing More than a lifeless corpse and all hope seemed lost, Li, thanks to Luna's Help, had Reawakened to her True Identity as Zelda, and leads the Heroes to the Location of the True Master Sword, which would not only revive Link, but also be the only Weapon that could Slay a God.

After Link Reawakened and took the True Master Sword into his hands, the group travels through The Gate of Souls (Which was Opened Thanks to the Help of Ravio, Hilda and Lancia) to Lorule, The Antimatter Dimension Parallel to Hyrule, and also the Birthplace/Domain of Lorya (This is also what became of Hilda's Kingdom in this Timeline). When they arrive, All the Heroes face Dark Versions of Themselves, and seemingly stay behind to allow Link and Li to Progress to Lorya's Palace. Before reaching the main entrance, Demigra appears one last time and taunts the party, Fusing himself with his Sister and Becoming the Forbidden Beast, Demimerge. Fortunately, the other Heroes appear unharmed from their battles, and Demimerge is defeated and is Absorbed into the True Master Sword, fully vitalizing it's power with it's balance of Light and Darkness.

The party then finds themselves in what appears to be Lorule's Moon. At the Moon's Dark Side, they catch a brief view of Multiple Planets Below, as they Encounter Lorya, now a god-like monster wielding his and Hylia's Master Swords. He voices that he is no longer happy with being the God of Hyrule and Lorule, and wishes to spread his rule to not just other Planets, but other Realities and Timelines. Lorya offers Link a chance to join him, but Link rejects the offer. As the Fight Ensues, Lorya transforms Twice, First into a Combination of Himself and Hylia, and then Finally a Gigantic Dragon-like Creature that Somewhat resembles the last Form Fused with Demimerge and Skyward Sword's "The Imprisoned". In his Final Form, Lorya grows arrogant and begins to destroy Multiple Worlds with his Power. While all hope Seemed Lost, The People from the Heroes Respective Worlds and Time Periods Cheer them on and Provide them Power, which all the Links use to Power the True Master Sword, Allowing Link to Destroy Lorya once and for all.

With Lorya's Demise, Link and Li send The Heroes back to their Worlds after one final goodbye, though now Their own World was on the Brink of collapse due to the lost of their Gods. Using the Remainder of it's power, Link and Li use the True Master Sword to Recreate their world by turning the 3 Swords into Goddesses, Din, Nayru, and Farore. As Link and Li begin to disappear along with the old World, their wills are absorbed into the Goddesses, who Proceed to Recreate the world.

After the Credits Role, the story of Creation for Ocarina of Time plays, as The Goddess Hylia is seen Handing "Her Chosen Knight" The Goddess Sword, Revealing that the Story of Budokai was the actually the Beginning of the Zelda Timeline.

Epilogue
If the game is cleared after all Characters stories had been finished prior, An extra Credits scene is shown also Revealing the Recreation of the Parallel Universe (That will one day contain Lorule), As the new Goddess, Lorya, is Created, and gives a man the "Demon Sword". After a small montage of the man going on a journey to temper his sword, it is revealed that the Man was Demise, and his quest was to Create the Emperor Sword (Paralleling the Creation of the Master Sword). The Scene ends with Lorya sending Demise to Hyrule, starting the prologue of Skyward Sword.

This also plays out as Demise's Epilogue in The Legend of Zelda Budokai: Era of War.

Characters
Characters in Italics Indicate NPC while Characters in Bold Indicate Boss Only. Any DLC characters are not included on this list as they become standard characters in The Legend of Zelda Budokai: Era of War.


 * The Legend of Zelda: Gamalon's Faces, is a future game in the series, so the characters appearing in the game are mostly there for promotional means.
 * Ganondorf from that game is included as DLC only if Gamalon's faces is purchased to avoid Spoilers of said game.

Cast
Unlike previous Zelda games, The Game Features a full Japanese and English Cast for Every Character (With the Exception of The game's Link, who Remains Traditionally Silent, and Characters like Minda and Fi, who Speak their own Langauge)

Trivia

 * Originally the game was going to be "The Heroton Group: Budokai", But was Ultimately scrapped, and was revived after a massive overhaul in The Legend of Zelda: Budokai. The game was originally supposed to be released in 2011 Once The Heroton Group: Alternate Tale of The Heart, and was delayed a total of 5 times. The Game was delayed a final time due to the Release of The Heroton Group: The After Years, and Turned into This game after the assets of the original budokai became The Heroton Group: Momento Phase.