Someone at Google clearly loves video games. Today, to celebrate the HD release of 2006's "The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess" for the Wii U, Google has decided to add in an easter egg in its Google Maps app featuring Link, the mostly silent protagonist of the series.
Today if you go to Google Maps, instead of the original orange avatar used to navigate Google Streetview, you'll now see Link in its place.
If you've never used - or even noticed - the avatar from the Google Maps app before, don't fret. It's essentially a virtual stand-in for you as you browse through Maps. Simply place the avatar on any location on the map (except for water) and you'll automatically be taken into Streetview. From there, as you turn around, Link will re-orient himself to face whatever direction you would be facing.
Combining Link and Google Maps into one is a match made in heaven, especially when looking at the histories of the two. "The Legend of Zelda" has always been about exploration, and even in the original title, Link has been tasked with travelling across Hyrule and traversing throughout various dungeons in his quest to save Princess Zelda. On the other hand, Google is all about helping people find where they need to go no matter where they are in the world.
If someone is good at finding where they need to go it's Link. Google even acknowledged this fact in a tweet that went so far as to reference a quote and meme taken from the original 1986 game "The Legend of Zelda."
"It's dangerous to go alone! Take this."
— Google Maps (@googlemaps) March 4, 2016
This isn't the first time Google has integrated a video game franchise into its Maps app. Back on April Fool's Day 2014, it incorporated "Pokemon" into the app by setting them loose and leaving users tasked with the challenge of finding and capturing them in different parts of the world.
"The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD" comes out today, March 4, for the Wii U. The re-release adds a bunch of new features and gameplay elements, such as the ability to transform with the touch of a single button and a new difficulty mode where you take double damage. It also incorporates functionality with the popular amiibo figurines, such as using the Wolf Link amiibo to unlock the Cave of Shadows, a brand new dungeon exclusive to the re-release.
