Sign

Sign
A sign from Ocarina of Time
First appearance	The Adventure of Link (1988)
Appearances	The Adventure of Link A Link to the Past Link's Awakening Ocarina of Time Majora's Mask Oracle of Ages Oracle of Seasons Four Swords The Wind Waker Four Swords Adventures The Minish Cap Twilight Princess Phantom Hourglass Spirit Tracks Breath of the Wild
Use	Displays useful information

"Simply divine! Impeccably fine! Gorgeous design! Notably kind! Signs!!! Have you broken any signs! Of course not! Who could? They're so lovely! You and I see eye to eye!"

— Sign-Loving Subrosian

Signs are recurring objects in the Legend of Zelda series. These wooden boards are inscribed with useful information that can be read by pressing a game's action button while standing in front of them. In some games, signs can be destroyed or manipulated in other fashions.

Appearances

Zelda II: The Adventure of Link

Signs can be found in the villages of Hyrule, inscribed with the village's name.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

Signs can be found in both the Light and Dark Worlds. After Link rescues Princess Zelda from Hyrule Castle, Agahnim brands Link a kidnapper and traitor to Hyrule, and signs inscribed with Link's description and image can be found throughout the Light World. Signs can be picked up, thrown at enemies to deal damage, or be sliced and destroyed. The Lockpicker, a strange character found near the Desert of Mystery, will follow Link if he breaks his sign. Some signs depict Link as a thief.

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening

On Koholint Island there is an area known as the Signpost Maze, which is filled with various signs. If Link follows the directions on the signs in the proper manner, a staircase leading to Mamu's abode can be found. Some signs in the maze are initially inaccessible, requiring Link to obtain certain items first.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time & Majora's Mask

Signs look and function the same in both these games. Link can destroy them both with his sword and different weapons. They can be repaired by playing either "Zelda's Lullaby" or the "Song of Healing" in Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask, respectively. There are two types of signs in these games. The first kind is rectangular and can be destroyed and repaired. The second kind is skinnier and has an arrow point that typically shows the direction to a separate location. This type of sign will not be damaged by Link's attacks. The sign can be cut diagonally in Ocarina of Time, but this aspect of the sign was removed in the 3D version of the game.

The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages & Oracle of Seasons

Signs in both these games look the same as the ones in Link's Awakening. However, these can be destroyed by picking them up with the Power Bracelet and throwing them.

In Oracle of Seasons, Link can receive a Sign Ring from the Sign-Loving Subrosian if he breaks 100 signs.

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker

Signs in The Wind Waker are nearly all wooden, and inscribed upon in Hylian. Link may cut these signs into several shapes using his sword and different techniques. Link may also destroy signs using a variety of weapons, like bombs. Some items, like arrows, are ineffective, and will, for example, stick to the sign instead.

If Link destroys a sign, he may magically recreate it using the Wind God's Aria to make the pieces hover back to the signpost and reassemble themselves.

The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures

Signs can be found in nearly every stage of the game. They introduce new areas and give warnings or advice about what can be found in areas ahead. Several signs feature newsletters written by Tingle called the Tingle Times.

The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap

Signs are placed near the entrances of areas, usually telling Link where he is and what main areas border the area. Interestingly, Link can pick up a sign with R and carry it around or throw it. He can also destroy them with his sword once he has learned the Rock Breaker skill.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

Signs mark locations and important landmarks such as Death Mountain. Signs also often appear to give directions to different areas of Hyrule or post important messages. Link can slice the sign in many ways according to his sword strikes; a Roll Attack will shatter it in one hit. This also occurs if Epona gallops at a sign. Broken pieces of signs can be carried around. Hitting an enemy with a part of a sign deals damage, regardless of what part is used. However, there is no way to reassemble them without leaving the area and returning. The actual in-game sign models all read, in Hylian, "Signboard of Hyrule."

The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass

Signs reveal what is up ahead, as well as info about where Link currently is. Signs in this game come in two varieties. Signs found in caves and dungeons are commonly made of stone, while signs in the overworld are primarily wooden. Like its predecessors, the wooden sign can be cut in half, but it cannot be fixed until Link leaves the area and comes back to it.

The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks

Large bulletin boards appear in several locations, and give information about prizes available from the prize postcard contest and the names of players who participated in the most recent battle.

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

Signs make an appearance all around Skyloft. Link can hit the signs with his sword to break them. Link can also roll into the signs to break them. Interestingly, while targeting a sign, Link can have Fi analysis it. If Link partially breaks as sign and tries to read it he will receive the message "The sign is broken. It's not possible to read it."

In addition to wooden signs, there are also signs made of stone (which Fi identifies as Stone Tablets) the are indestructible.

Fi's Notes

Sign

“That is a sign. Most often, it is used to convey written information or warnings about the immediate area.”

Stone Tablet

“This is a stone tablet. Depending on the location and intentions of the original author, important messages can be permanently chiseled on them.”

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

"Master Link, Presented By Sakurda Builders"

— Link's House Sign text translation

Link reading a broken sign in Kakariko Village

Signs appear in certain areas of Hyrule usually on forked paths and villages. Wooden Signs can be destroyed with Remote Bombs or cut down with swords, axes, boomerangs, and other sharp weapons capable of cutting. Interestingly, for the first time in the series, it is possible to read signs even if they had been cut down as long as they are not completely destroyed and the readable side of the sign is not lying on the ground. However some signs cannot be cut or broken, usually those that mark businesses such as General Stores, Armor Shops, Inns, or signs that appear in specific areas. The design of some of these unbreakable signs are unique to specific areas such as Kakariko Village, Gerudo Town, Goron City, Eldin Canyon, Hateno Village, Rito Village, or Lanayru Great Spring.

The Sign for Link's House

During the Side quest "Hylian Homeowner", Link purchases an abandoned house in Hateno Village from Bolson. Bolson can offer to Link one of the exterior options for Link's House that is a sign purchasable for 100 Rupees. It is the first time in the series that a sign appears as a purchasable item. The sign for Link's House has a unique design and is unbreakable. The Hylian text written on the sign translates as "Master Link" in bold print and "Presented By Sakurda Builders" (Sakurda is a misspelling of Bolson's japanese name Sakurada (サクラダ) as Sakurada Builders (ビルダー サクラダ) is the japanese name for Bolson Construction) in fine print. Interestingly, the text is the same in both the japanese and english localizations. However when Link examines the sign to read it, it reads simply as "Link's House".

Other Appearances

Subseries warning: This article or section contains information on a subseries within the Legend of Zelda series and should be considered part of its own separate canon.

Link's Crossbow Training

Signs appear in some stages as targets for Link to hit with his crossbow.

Hyrule Warriors & Legends

Sign in Linkle's victory cutscene from Hyrule Warriors

A Signs from Ocarina of Time appears in Zora's Domain and in the King's Hall keep in the Lake Hylia stage.

A Sign pointing the way to Hyrule Castle appears in Linkle's victory cutscene in both games and Linkle's Tale in Hyrule Warriors Legends. Humorously, Linkle fails to notice the sign and often ends up going in the direction opposite to where the sign is pointing to. This results in her finding herself becoming lost during her journey to Hyrule Castle.

In Hyrule Warriors Legends, signs from The Wind Waker appear on the Forsaken Fortress stage.

Subseries warning: Subseries information ends here.