Zelda franchise strategy guide/Locations/Lost Woods

The Lost Woods is a fictional forest that appears in several games of the Legend of Zelda video game series.

The Legend of Zelda
In the original game the Lost Woods was a single-screen, repeating area filled with trees. The path formed a cross. It required a certain pattern of directions (north, west, south, west) in order for the player to pass through successfully. If the player did not know the correct pattern, they would be unable to reach western Hyrule without having to cross the river north of the large lake.

A Link to the Past
The Lost Woods is located in the northwestern section of Hyrule, directly north of Kakariko Village. The Master Sword is placed in a large hidden shrine, though numerous fakes are also present. The dark shadows of the trees are also good growing conditions for the Sleepy Mushroom, which can be turned into Magic Powder. The Lost Woods is also inhabited by several thieves, who won't hesitate to rob passers-by of their rupees should they come too close.

Link's Awakening
The Mysterious Forest is found just north of the village of Mabe. Link's Awakening was set on Koholint Island rather than Hyrule, so these are not the same Lost Woods as are seen in other Zelda games, hence the name change. However, it is likely the forest was inspired by, and intended to remind players of, the Lost Woods.

Oracle of Seasons
The Lost Woods is the location of the Noble Sword, though it is obviously a second Lost Woods seeing as the game is not set in Hyrule.

Ocarina of Time
The Lost Woods lies directly to the west and north of Kokiri Forest and is inhabited by Skull Kids. It is a maze of trees that can be navigated by following the sound of the Saria's Song. Taking a wrong path leads you back to the entrance in Kokiri Forest. Portals to Goron City and Zora's River are hidden within the Lost Woods. Within the woods, there is a shooting challenge where players can win Bullet Bag upgrades. Nearby this challenge, there are two friendly Skull Kids who play flutes. There are a few Business Scrubs located in three major places in the woods. Located in the northern portion of the woods is the Sacred Forest Meadow. This is the favorite haunt of Saria, Link's friend and the Forest Sage. It is also where the Forest Temple is hidden. According to local lore, whoever enters the forest will turn into a Stalfos (if Hylian) or a Skull Kid (if Kokiri). A Gossip Stone reveals that only Kokiri who have fairy partners may enter the forest and not become lost. In the Ocarina of Time manga, it tells of how the forest tricks human hearts into wandering the same paths over and over, and if the poor soul loses the sight of the exit, he or she will never return again.

Majora's Mask
The game begins in the Lost Woods where Link is ambushed by the Skull Kid.

The Termina equivalent to the Lost Woods is the The Woods of Mystery, located in the Southern Swamp. As with Ocarina of Time, the player must take the correct path through the woods. If they go the wrong way, they are returned to the entrance of the woods. The Woods of Mystery featured a different path on each of the three days in the game's cycle. However, it was possible for a monkey to guide Link through the woods should he ever need to reach the end.

Unlike the Lost Woods from Ocarina of Time, the Woods of Mystery had a minor role in the story, as Link only had to explore the Woods of Mystery to help Koume and, optionally, look for mushrooms with the Mask of Scents.

The Wind Waker
When the gods flooded Hyrule, the forest was almost totally submerged. Lost Woods became the Forbidden Woods. There is clear evidence of previous habitation by Koroks, such as Kokiri-styled houses and lifts across long gaps. Earlier in the game, a Korok also mentioned that they had lived there in the past, until it had become overrun by monsters and they were forced to leave. The boss creature is a plant-monster named Kalle Demos.

Twilight Princess
The Sacred Grove in Faron Province shows many similarities to the Lost Woods; the convoluted design and lack of a definite minimap makes it easy for players to become lost, and the music is the same as the Lost Woods from Ocarina of Time. It is the residence of a Skull Kid, and the Master Sword is located there. Although the ruins of the Temple of Time from Ocarina of Time are eventually discovered to be located here, the Lost Woods of Ocarina of Time were nowhere near the Temple. It could be assumed that either the temple was somehow removed and placed in the Lost Woods from its original location, or that the Lost Woods somehow changed its position (perhaps due to its mystical warping abilities) or expanded, and grew ontop of the original Hyrule Market Town. The Sacred Forest Meadow from Ocarina of Time bears a striking resemblance to the area around the entrance of the Temple of Time in Twilight Princess.

Trivia

 * In Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen, the Lost Cave on the fifth of the Sevii Islands seems to be based on The Lost Woods as it requires the player to enter passages in a certain order in order to traverse the cave correctly. Additionally, if the player enters the "incorrect" passage, they wind up at their starting point, similar to how an "incorrect" passage in the Lost Woods of Ocarina of Time sent players back to Kokiri Forest.
 * The Lost Woods music from Ocarina of Time (Saria's Song) is the alternate music of one Zelda stage in Super Smash Bros. Melee.