There are some items mentioned in the names of the mainline Legend of Zelda merchandise, as well as having cameo appearances in crossover games, like the Super Smash Bros. series.
The titles of The Legend of Zelda series tend to fall into three categories: focusing on an important item, focusing on an important person, or Link is doing something. Oracle of Ages, Oracle of Seasons, Twilight Princess, and Tri-Force Heroes fall into the second category, while Link's Awakening, A Link to the Past, and A Link Between Worlds fall into the third category. The special item names appear a lot, even if Link never gets to wield them during the game.
There are some Legend of Zelda games that almost fit this billing, but just miss out. The Japanese name for A Link to the Past translates to Triforce of the Gods and Link acquires the Triforce at the end of the game, but he never uses it during the events of the game and it's not part of his inventory. The Spirit Tracks exist around the world of Spirit Tracks, but Link never collects them. The spin-offs also aren't being counted, so the Wand of Gamelon or the Ancient Stone Tablets from the Satellaview Legend of Zelda games will not be featured here.
The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time Gives Link This Item
The Ocarina of Time is one of the most important items in Ocarina of Time, as its songs have a magical effect on the world around Link. These magical songs include "Epona's Song," which calls Epona to Link's side, and the "Sun's Song," which changes the time of day. The origins of the Ocarina of Time are unknown, but Link was first given it by Princess Zelda, as it's one of the treasures of the royal family. Link would use the Ocarina's powers to solve different problems in Hyrule and Zelda uses it to send Link back in time to his childhood at the end of the game, leading to The Legend of Zelda's Young Link timeline, which leads to the events of Majora's Mask. While no longer mentioned in the title, the Ocarina of Time is still vitally important in Majora's Mask, as Link must use the "Song of Time" to return to the events of the first day, and avoid being crushed by the Moon.
The Legend Of Zelda: Four Swords & Four Swords Adventures
The Four Sword is notable in that it's the only entry on this list that appears in the title of more than one game. There have been a few multiplayer entries in The Legend of Zelda series in the past, and rather than create a cast of new characters for the players to use, or even bring recurring side characters up to playable character status: Nintendo decided to let Link copy himself with magic. This is where the Four Sword comes in, as wielding it lets Link split into four copies, allowing other players to take up the mantle of the hero of Hyrule. The Four Sword also appears in The Minish Cap, but it's used as a battle/puzzle item and isn't a mechanism for multiplayer.
The Legend Of Zelda: The Minish Cap Gives Link This Item To Collect
The Legend of Zelda series loves its prequels, which might be why Nintendo felt the need to create an origin for Link's green cap. There are several caps in The Minish Cap, but the title is referring to the Minish sage called Ezlo, who is transformed into a hat by Vaati. Ezlo sits on Link's head and acts as his companion throughout the game.
The power of Ezlo's cap allows Link to shrink down to the size of the diminutive Minish people, which is necessary to progress throughout The Minish Cap. It shines some interesting backstory on Link's cap, and gives the game its title. Otherwise, it's a fine - albeit short - prequel.
The Legend Of Zelda: The Wind Waker Lets Link Control The Seas
The Wind Waker is a conductor's baton that acts in a near-identical manner to the Ocarina of Time. It's used for Link to perform songs that have a magical effect on the world around him. These include the "Song of ing," which switched day and night, and the "Ballad of Gales." By far the most useful song in the game is the "Wind's Requiem," which can change the direction of the wind. The Wind Waker involves sailing, so the ability to change the direction of the wind is necessary for exploration. Luckily, The Wind Waker HD introduced the Swift Sail item, which changed the direction of the wind without needing to play "Wind's Requiem."
The Legend Of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
The Phantom Hourglass item is unusual in Zelda, as its role in the story is to provide Link with enough time to explore the Temple of the Ocean King. Once Link enters the Temple of the Ocean King, the Sands of Time within the Phantom Hourglass start to pour, and taking damage from the enemies within will cause him to lose precious seconds. There isn't enough sand within the hourglass to complete the Temple of the Ocean King in one sitting, so Link has to explore the seas and find more pinches of the Sands of Time, in order to increase his time limit. At the end of the game, Link can use the power of the Phantom Hourglass to temporarily freeze time, which can be used against the last bosses in Phantom Hourglass.
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Although Skyward Sword HD is on Nintendo Switch, it may be up for debate if Link actually uses a Skyward Sword. Link never owns an item called the Skyward Sword. Instead, he uses different variants of the Goddess Sword and the Master Sword throughout the game. The name is also referring to his Skyward Strike ability, which involves holding the Wiimote or Joy-Con up in the air to perform a special attack. The title could be referring to any of the blades in The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword performing the Skyward Strike ability, so it's included here for completion's sake.
