Link looks different. He's older, sure, but there’s a specific kind of weight to his shoulders in this game that we didn't really see in the colorful optimism of The Wind Waker. When you fire up the Wii U and look at the Twilight Princess HD characters, you aren't just looking at upgraded textures. You're looking at a specific era of Nintendo design that leaned hard into the "uncanny" to tell a story about grief, transformation, and literal shadows. It’s gritty. It’s brown. It’s honest.
Honestly, the HD remaster did a lot more than just sharpen the resolution to 1080p. It highlighted the micro-expressions that the original GameCube hardware tried its best to render but often lost in the fuzz. Take Midna, for example. She isn't just a sidekick. She’s arguably the protagonist of the entire arc, and seeing the glow of her Fused Shadow against the stark darkness of the Twilight Realm in high definition makes her feel less like a cartoon and more like a desperate, deposed queen.
Midna and the Problem with Sidekicks
Most people think of Navi when they think of Zelda companions. "Hey! Listen!" It was annoying. Then came Midna. The brilliance of the Twilight Princess HD characters starts and ends with her because she doesn't actually like you at first. She uses Link. She’s selfish, snarky, and kind of a jerk.
That’s why her character arc works.
In the HD version, you can see the subtle shifts in her facial animations during the late-game cutscenes—specifically the scene where she sacrifices herself to protect Link and Zelda. The upgraded lighting engine makes the "shadow" textures on her skin look iridescent rather than just flat black. It's a visual storytelling cue. If you haven't played the HD version, you're missing the way her eyes track Link's movements with a mix of guilt and growing respect. It’s subtle. It’s masterful.
Midna represents a shift in how Nintendo handled secondary leads. She has a physical presence. She isn't just a floating orb; she sits on Wolf Link’s back, grips his fur, and points with her hair-hand. The physics-based animations of her hair in the HD version feel more fluid, making her magical nature feel grounded in the world's internal logic.
The Weirdness of Ordon Village and the Uncanny Valley
The kids in Ordon Village are weird. There, I said it. Talo, Malo, and Beth have these exaggerated, almost clay-like features that some players found off-putting back in 2006. But in the context of the HD remaster, these Twilight Princess HD characters serve a very specific purpose: they represent the mundane world that Link is fighting to preserve.
Malo is the standout. He’s a toddler with the soul of a cynical corporate CEO. The contrast between his tiny, round face and his biting, deadpan dialogue is one of the funniest things in the series. When he eventually opens Malo Mart in Castle Town—complete with that infectious, terrifyingly upbeat theme music—it feels like a fever dream. The HD textures on his "Malo Mart" uniform are crisp enough to see the stitching, which only adds to the absurdity.
Then there’s Ilia. She’s often criticized for being a "flat" character, but she provides the emotional anchor for the first third of the game. Her memory loss subplot is a classic trope, but it’s handled with a surprising amount of tenderness. Seeing her restored memory scene in 1080p highlights the environmental storytelling in the Hidden Village. The dust motes dancing in the light as she finally remembers Link—it’s peak Zelda.
Zant and Ganondorf: Two Flavors of Villainy
Zant is a freak. I mean that as a compliment.
Before he takes his mask off, he’s this imposing, silent monolith. He moves with a rigid, jerky grace. But when the mask comes off? He’s a temperamental child having a cosmic tantrum. The Twilight Princess HD characters roster needed that. We’ve had the "calculating villain" a million times. Zant is something else. He’s a loser who was given a god-complex by a higher power.
The HD version does wonders for Zant’s boss fight. The shifting arenas—moving from the Forest Temple to the Lakebed Temple—showcase the game’s improved draw distances and texture filtering. When Zant is flailing his scimitars around, the motion blur is cleaner, making his erratic movements feel more dangerous and less like a technical glitch.
And then there’s Ganondorf. This version of Ganondorf is perhaps the most "kingly" we’ve ever seen him. He’s not a thief here; he’s a warlord in heavy plate armor. The HD textures on his breastplate show the scarring from where the Sages tried to execute him with the Sword of Six Sages. That glowing wound is a vital piece of lore that’s much easier to see in the remaster. It’s a literal physical manifestation of his refusal to die.
The Resistance and the World Beyond Link
One of the coolest things about the Twilight Princess HD characters is "The Resistance." This is a group of people who are actually trying to save the world while Link is busy dungeoning. You’ve got:
- Rusl: The mentor figure who actually takes up a sword.
- Ashei: The yeti-clad warrior from the mountains who provides actual tactical intel.
- Shad: The scholar obsessed with the Oocca and the "Heavens."
- Auru: The old man with a bazooka (basically).
- Telma: The heart of the group who runs the bar in Castle Town.
These characters make Hyrule feel populated. Usually, Link is a one-man army. In Twilight Princess HD, he’s part of a cell. When they show up to help you storm Hyrule Castle at the end, it feels earned. The HD update helps distinguish their unique designs. Ashei's armor, in particular, looks fantastic with the updated specular maps, reflecting the cold light of the Peak Province.
The Oocca: Let’s Talk About the Bird-People
We have to talk about the Oocca. They are, hands down, the most divisive Twilight Princess HD characters. They have human-ish faces on bird bodies. They live in a city in the sky. They are supposedly the ancestors of the Hylians, or at least their architects.
In standard definition, they were just blurry, fleshy blobs. In HD, you can see the wrinkles. You can see the blinking eyes. It’s horrifying. But it’s also a testament to the game’s art direction. Twilight Princess was never meant to be "pretty" in a traditional sense. It was meant to be evocative. The Oocca are supposed to feel alien and ancient. The higher resolution makes their strange anatomy even more apparent, reinforcing the idea that Link has stepped into a place where he doesn't belong.
Why the Hero’s Shade Still Matters
The Hero’s Shade is a skeletal warrior who teaches Link hidden sword techniques. If you know the lore, you know this is the Hero of Time—the Link from Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask—who died full of regret because he was never remembered as a hero in the "Child Timeline."
This is heavy stuff for a Zelda game.
Visually, the Hero’s Shade is a masterpiece of design. He’s covered in rusted armor and ghostly flora. In the HD version, the transparency effects on his ghostly body are much more refined. You can see through him to the golden, misty background of the training realm. His dialogue is poignant, and his role as a mentor to his descendant adds a layer of generational tragedy to the story. He isn't just a combat tutorial; he’s a warning of what happens when a hero loses his purpose.
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Minor Characters and the "Living" Hyrule
It’s the NPCs that most people forget that actually make the world work. Agitha, the "Bug Princess," is a perfect example. She lives in a Gothic lolita-style house in Castle Town and wants you to bring her golden bugs. Her design is incredibly detailed, and the HD textures on her dress are surprisingly intricate. She’s weird, she’s obsessed, and she’s memorable.
Then there’s the Yeti couple, Yeto and Yeta. Their "love story" in Snowpeak Ruins is one of the most wholesome (and slightly terrifying) parts of the game. The HD version improves the fur shaders on Yeto, making him look less like a block of white cheese and more like a creature living in a sub-zero environment. The moment Yeta turns into a demon because of the Mirror Shard is a genuine jump-scare, and the HD clarity makes her distorted face much more impactful.
Actionable Insights for Your Next Playthrough
If you’re going back to play Twilight Princess HD, don't just rush to the next dungeon. The game is built on its characters. Here is how to actually experience the depth of the cast:
- Visit Telma’s Bar frequently: The dialogue changes after almost every major plot beat. The Resistance members have a lot to say about the state of the world that isn't required for the main quest.
- Watch the eyes: Nintendo spent a lot of time on eye tracking in this game. During cutscenes, notice who characters are looking at—it often reveals their true intentions or hidden anxieties before they speak.
- Complete the Bug Quest: Not just for the wallet upgrades, but to see Agitha’s bizarrely charming animations. She’s one of the most unique character models in the Zelda franchise.
- Listen to the Midna's Desperate Hour sequence: It’s not just about the music; it’s about the way the NPCs in Castle Town react to Link carrying a dying Midna. They back away in fear or confusion, grounding the stakes of the moment.
The Twilight Princess HD characters aren't just remnants of a 2006 design philosophy. They are a masterclass in using "weirdness" to create emotional resonance. Whether it’s the tragic history of the Hero’s Shade or the corporate ambitions of a toddler like Malo, these characters have a soul that transcends their polygon count. They make Hyrule feel like a place worth saving, not just a playground for a kid in a green tunic.
Take your time in the HD version. Look at the details in the armor, the expressions in the eyes, and the way the world reacts to the encroaching Twilight. You'll find that the game's heart isn't in its puzzles, but in the people (and imps) you meet along the way.