One of the most beloved and cozy areas in any Zelda game is Kakariko Village — a small hamlet present in many iterations of Hyrule that feels like a safe recluse from the rest of the world. Many times, Link’s quest has taken him through this village, where he’ll find new characters to help him on his journey.
Kakariko first appeared in A Link to the Past, and Link ventured here to gain some crucial information on his quest to save Princess Zelda. Since then, it has served as an important location in many games. Here are all of Kakariko’s appearances, ranked.
7 Four Swords Adventures
Borrowing heavily from its design in A Link to the Past, Kakariko appears in Four Swords Adventures as one of the Dark World levels. In this iteration, it has been taken over by thieves and darkness has descended over it.
It sparks some nostalgia for its original appearance but is otherwise not noteworthy. There are only a few scattered houses with some nondescript residents, with not much else to see.
6 A Link Between Worlds
This 3DS staple takes place in the same version of Hyrule as A Link to the Past, and as a result, features a very similar Kakariko as the original appearance. Nearly identical, it doesn’t really add much that didn’t already exist more than a decade earlier.
There are some new shops and merchants that are noteworthy, which is great, and it’s home to a dungeon in its Lorule counterpart, Thieves’ Town. It is nice to see such a great version of Kakariko updated with modern graphics, though.
5 Cadence Of Hyrule
One of the most underrated versions of Hyrule is the one that appears in a likewise underrated game, Cadence of Hyrule. In this rhythm-based game, Link or Zelda, depending on who the player chooses to play as, will visit Kakariko to revive the other.
It’s a fairly small little hamlet in this side-game, basically encompassing as single screen. But, it’s very nice. It’s charming, peaceful, and it looks great, as do most places in this game. It definitely feels nostalgic with this design and appearance, and the graveyard is always a nice touch for a cool area in a Zelda game.
4 Ocarina Of Time
The iteration of Kakariko that most players are probably most fond of is the one present in Ocarina of Time. In this game, it’s a very important location that Link will visit many times. It almost serves as a type of crossroads, being the entrance to Death Mountain — home of two different dungeons in the game — Goron City, the Bottom of the Well, and the Graveyard and Shadow Temple.
This version of Kakariko is great. The multi-leveled town with different landmarks like the Windmill and shops make it feel like a real place that has a lot to offer.
3 Twilight Princess
In Twilight Princess, Kakariko appears in a very different style than many players would be used to. Most of the villagers have been turned into Shadow Beasts, so the town is mostly empty save for a few merchants and shops. The town itself looks abandoned and run-down, and many of the buildings have fallen into disrepair.
Despite being rather desolate, Kakariko in this iteration is kind of cool, at least aesthetically. Like most of this game, it’s a bit rough looking but in a way that’s visually appealing and cool. Like always, it serves as an important place for Link on his quest.
2 A Link To The Past
In its original appearance, Kakariko was fantastic. It’s a lively, bustling hub of economic activity and the home to many important characters. The exterior portions of the village are great, nestled into the foothills of Death Mountain and the southern portion of the Lost Woods. The buildings are cool, the characters are all unique, and there is so much to discover and do.
Inside the buildings, there’s also a lot to uncover. The places themselves are diverse and cool, with a bar, several homes, a library, and much more. Like always, this is an important hub for Link on his quest, and it’s fun to return here several times throughout the game. Even the Dark World version, the Village of Outcasts, is great, despite not really being Kakariko.
1 Breath Of The Wild
When making the newest version of Hyrule — in Breath of the Wild — the developers seemed to have wanted to take all the classic Zelda areas and push them to the design extremes. This is clear in places like Zora’s Domain and Kakariko Village.
Here, Kakariko is just amazing. It has so much to discover, it feels like a true city, and the design inspirations are fantastic. Styled after traditional Japanese aesthetics, Kakariko is an amazing place both visually and in terms of services. One can spend hours here just taking in the sights and sounds, from the beautiful water features around town to the variety of gardens and buildings, as well as many side quests to discover.
NEXT: 10 Breath Of The Wild Mysteries That Still Aren’t Solved
