The shape of the Triforce is based on the mon (crest) of the Hojo family in Japan. The Hojo family claims that the three triangles represent the three scales of a Shinto dragon.

According to the story of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, the chronologically earliest of the games, the Triforce was bestowed upon the world by the three goddesses Din, Nayru, and Farore, according to Hylian creation myth. It was said the actual creation of the Triforce was when the goddesses left the realm of Hyrule, at the exact point where they left. It is said that the three triangles which form the triforce are fragments of the goddesses' power. Kept safe in the Temple of Light in a land parallel and reflective of the "normal" Hyrule, known as the Golden Land or Sacred Realm, the Triforce is the ultimate representation of all power, wisdom, courage and magic in Hyrule. The Triforce houses the essence of the gods, and it has been a subject of dispute whether or not the Triforce is an inanimate object that can't distinguish good from evil, or if it is a living entity, as depicted in the end of A Link to the Past.

Ganondorf, a Gerudo thief and the sole male of their tribe at the time, heard of the legend of the Triforce and lusted after its power, primarily as a tool to subjugate the kingdom of Hyrule and expand his influence. Inadvertently aided by a young hero known as Link and the Hylian princess, Zelda, Ganondorf found his way into the Sacred Realm, but could only claim one fragment of the Triforce, the Triforce of Power, typically associated with the color Red and the goddess Din. The other two fragments split off and merged with Link, who received the Triforce of Courage, associated with green and Farore, and Zelda, who received the Triforce of Wisdom, associated with blue and Nayru. They were chosen by the Triforce itself because they represented these two segments of the Triforce above all others. Each of the three was marked with on the back of one of their hands with the mark of the Triforce.

Eventually, Ganondorf was defeated and the power of the seven Hylian Sages (including Zelda herself) were used to seal him in the Sacred Realm. Regarding the three Triforce pieces, two were kept with Zelda and Link and the third Ganondorf kept. Link eventually left for a land known as Termina but when he did, it is believed his Triforce piece left him and was split into 8 fragments. Also, when Zelda died her piece is also believed to have left her and has been passed down through the Royal Family of Hyrule. Although Ganon struggled many times afterwards to rise to power once more, each time a new incarnation of Link and a new Princess Zelda are awakened to put him down and reseal or, eventually, destroy him.

In both A Link to the Past and The Wind Waker, it was revealed that one who touches the Triforce has all of their wishes come true; the Triforce reflects the heart of the one who touches it, whether good or evil. In A Link to the Past, Ganon exploited this power to corrupt The Golden Land, turning it into the Dark World, a realm of dark skies and evil creatures. In The Wind Waker, the king of Hyrule, Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule, wishes for Link and Zelda to have hope in defeating Ganondorf.

Triforce is also the name of an arcade board developed as a joint-venture between Sega, Namco and Nintendo. The hardware is based on the Nintendo Gamecube, but with more RAM (48 MB instead of the Cube's 24). Sega ported its Naomi Development Kit, originally developed for the Dreamcast game console, to the Triforce, making game development extremely simple. Among the games known to run on the Triforce hardware are F-Zero AX and Virtua Fighter 2002, both from Sega. In addition, a Mario Kart game for the Triforce, "," is currently being developed.

External link

• System16 - Sega Triforce Hardware

The Triforce is also referred to as the "Golden Power" in The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and could have something to do with the "Light Force" mentioned in The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap