Treasure Chest

, also known simply as , are recurring objects in , appearing in every title since .
==Location and uses==
Treasure Chests are located in both the Overworld and in Dungeons. Most of them contain an item that will aid Link on his quest. Smaller Chests usually contain common items and collectibles such as Small Keys, Bombs, Arrows, and various amounts of Rupees. Larger Chests contain rarer, more important items, such as equipment, Big Keys, Pieces of Heart, and large sums of Rupees. Although most Treasure Chests are equipped with a lock, very few actually require a Key to open. Some Chests are locked or otherwise guarded; some will only appear after the completion of a Puzzle in the same room.
There are some Treasure Chests that do not contain useful items, but rather contain harmful traps. Link must be wary, as there is no way to distinguish these Treasure Chests from the others. Traps first appeared in , in which certain treasure Chests contain enemies such as Zols. In , these traps release an icy breath (like that of a Freezard), that will temporarily freeze Link and sap away his life energy. Treasure Chest Traps return in , where certain Small Chests contain Big Bombs that will instantly kill the Links if they are in range when it explodes. In , some Treasure Chests hold Rupoors.
The presence of myriad Treasure Chests throughout the worlds of and its spinoffs is a mostly unexplained phenomenon. According to the official Nintendo Player's Guide, Treasure Chests, hand-crafted by skilled artisans, were used by the Hyrulean people to safeguard their family heirlooms and other treasures.
Treasure Chests are also used by the inhabitants of the Overworld in a recurring mini-game called the Treasure Chest Game. Although the rules of the game vary in its multiple incarnations, the game typically consists of choosing from two or several Treasure Chests. Some will contain prizes such as large amounts of Rupees, while others will contain next to nothing, or nothing at all. If Link chooses the winning Chest, he may be given the option to risk his current winnings for another round with even higher stakes.
==Mainline appearances==
Although Treasure Chests have nearly identical roles in all their incarnations, their appearance is quite diverse. Generally, Chests are made of wood framed in metal. The color of the wood and metal varies: in , Chests are of a mahogany-like color with an aurulent frame, whereas Chests in are made of a much darker wood framed in a dull, lead-colored metal. Chests in are painted blue, red, or yellow. Other Chests do not have a metal frame, and are entirely crafted from wood; yet others are made entirely of metal. As they are mostly made of wood, Treasure Chests can be latched onto with the . This functionality does not carry over to the Clawshot in .
The Treasure Chests containing Nightmare Keys are generally more opulent than regular Chests. In , , and , these Chests are blue and are decorated with gold patterns or an elegant golden frame. In , they are adorned with a red jewel. This is a trait that is also present in the Big Chests of , which are adorned with an emerald-like jewel.
==Varieties==
===Small Chests===
Small Chests are the most basic and most common type of Treasure Chest. They contain the widest variety of items, including Small Keys, ammunition, Rupees, and other treasures. In , , and , they also contain more important items such as equipment, the Map and Compass, and Big Keys, as these games lack the bigger Chests the more important items are usually found in. Small Chests are the only type of Chests found in these games. Small Chests in also contain Big Keys, as this game lacks the Big Key Chests as well.
In and , Link must be wary when opening a Small Chest—especially in a room with multiple Chests—as it may be a Trap. Some Small Chests are invisible; they can be revealed by using the Lens of Truth.
In , a special purple Chest can be found in the abandoned house east of the Village of Outcasts (where Link gets his Sword tempered in the Light World). The Chest must be brought to the Lockpicker at the entrance of the Desert of Mystery, who will then give Link the Bottle found inside when he opens it.
===Big Chests===
Big Treasure Chests typically contain more valuable treasure. In and , they appear uniquely in dungeons and only contain that dungeon's item (such as the Bow, the Boomerang, or the Hookshot). In , these Chests require the Big Key to unlock. In other games, Big Chests contain a wider variety of items, such as the Map and Compass, Rupees, Charts, and even Pieces of Heart. These Chests are also more numerous in both dungeons and the Overworld. 
Like in , Big Chests in (distinguished by their increased width and emerald jewel) also require a Big Key to unlock. These Chests usually enclose Large Force Gems worth thousands of small ones.
In , , , , and , Link is bathed in light when he opens a Treasure Chest. The opening of the Chest is accompanied by a suspenseful tune as Link reaches for the item in the Chest. 
===Boss Key Chests===
Located uniquely in Dungeons, these Chests contain the Boss Key (or Big Key) of the Dungeon they appear in. Typically, they are found near the end of the Dungeon, and are much more ornate than regular Chests. 
Only , , , and feature Boss Key Chests. In the absence of these Treasure Chests, Boss Keys are enclosed in Small Chests. As with Big Chests, they are filled with light and their opening is accompanied by a tune.
===Sunken Chests===
On the Great Sea and in the World of the Ocean King, Treasure Chests can be salvaged from the ocean floor. By finding Treasure Charts in the former and Treasure Maps in the latter, Link can locate these Chests and attempt to salvage the them using the attachment on his boat (the Grappling Hook in and the Salvage Arm in ). In these strange Chests, Link can find a variety of items, including Rupees, Pieces of Heart, Special Charts, Ship Parts, and the Sand of Hours. In , these Treasure Chests are essential as eight of them contain the Triforce Shards. These Chests are located with the help of the eight Triforce Charts.
===Locked or Guarded Chests===
Although the majority of Treasure Chests are in plain reach, some may require additional effort to open. These Chests may be locked (in which case the Big Key is required) or even guarded by a Sub-Boss or enemies acting as Mini-bosses.
Treasure Chests may be guarded in other manners as well. In , some Chests in the Forbidden Woods are guarded by parasitic eye-plant creatures that cover the Chest in vines. To open the Chest, Link must destroy the eye with Bombs.
Many Chests require puzzle-solving to access. Some will only materialize once a Puzzle has been completed, a Switch has been pressed, all the enemies in the room have been defeated, or all the Torches in the room have been lit. In , there are Treasure Chests hidden in the ground that are unearthed by playing the Song of Discovery with the Spirit Flute.
===Goddess's Treasure Chest===
Goddess's Treasure Chests are special Treasure Chests found only on various islands in The Sky in . Each Goddess's Treasure Chest has its own corresponding Goddess Cube found on The Surface and cannot be opened until its corresponding Goddess Cube has been struck with a Skyward Strike.
===Skull Chest===
Skull Chests are Treasure Chests found in Monster Strongholds in . They are usually located on top of a lookout tower towards the centre of the camp, guarded by a combination of Bokoblins, Lizalfos, and Moblins. When found initially, their eyes glow purple and they cannot be opened. To do so, Link must defeat all monsters from the camp at which point a cutscene will show the chest's eyes become yellow and the chest will unlock. Skull Chests can contain weapons, Gems such as Ambers, or Rupees.
==Contents==
Game	Image	Content(s)
 	 	Rupees, Bombs, Arrows, Pieces of Heart, Heart Container, Keys, Dungeon Maps, Compass, Big Keys, Items
 	 	Dungeon Items
 	 	Rupees, Small Keys, Tail Key, Items, Dungeon Maps, Compass, Stone Slab or Stone Beak, Dungeon Items, Big Keys
 	 	Rupees, Small Keys, Bombs, Arrows, Bombchu
 	 	Dungeon Maps, Compass, Dungeon Items, Pieces of Heart
 	 	Big Key
 	 	Rupees, Bombs, Arrows, Bombchu, Stray Fairies
 	 	Small Keys
 	 	Dungeon Maps, Compass, Dungeon Items, Pieces of Heart, Masks
 	 	Dungeon Maps, Compass, Dungeon Items, Big Keys, Gasha Seeds, Magic Rings
 	 	Dungeon Maps, Compass, Dungeon Items, Big Keys, Gasha Seeds, Magic Rings
 	 	Dungeon Maps, Compass, Dungeon Items, Big Keys, Gasha Seeds, Magic Rings
 	 	Spoils, Rupees, Small Keys
 	 	Dungeon Map, Compass, Special Charts, Treasure Charts
 	 	Triforce Charts, Pieces of Heart, Dungeon Items
 	 	Boss Key
 	 	Triforce Shards, Rupees, Pieces of Heart, Special Charts
 	 	Force Gems, Small Keys, Big Keys, Heart Containers, Blue Bracelets, Power Bracelets, Moon Pearls, Items, Big Bombs
 	 	Force Gems
 	 	, , , ,
 	 	Bombs, Arrows, Rupees, Keys
 	 	Dungeon Maps, Compass, Dungeon Items, Rupees, Keys, Pieces of Heart
 	 	Big Key
 	 	Ship Parts, Sand of Hours, Treasures, Big Gold Rupee
 	 	Spirit Gems, Small Keys, Rupees, common Treasures
 	 	Boss Keys, Dungeon Items, Heart Containers, Rare Treasures
 	 	
 	 	Rupees, Pieces of Heart, Medals, Quivers
 	 	Small Keys, Treasures
 	 	Puzzle Keys
 	 	Rupees, Pieces of Heart, Treasures, Dungeon Items
 	 	Big Keys, Master Ore, Quest Items
 	 	, ,
 	 	,
==In other media==
=== (Himekawa)===
Ciela finds a big Treasure Chest in the Temple of the Ocean King. Link carries the Chest outside of the Temple while fleeing a Phantom. Linebeck opens it to find the Phantom Hourglass. Another Treasure Chest is found by Link and Ciela on the Isle of Ember. This Treasure Chest houses the Boomerang.
==Spinoff appearances==
======
Treasure Chests are hidden around the Scenarios, either in odd corners of the map or in plain sight. Some are even partially buried, requiring the use of Magnesis to unearth them. They can contain Weapons, 100-300 Rupees, or uncommon to rare Materials for Quest completion.
==Crossover appearances==
======
Treasure Chests appear in . They can be destroyed to reveal their contents.
==Trivia==
*Artwork of Link from opening a Treasure Chest exists, despite Treasure Chests not appearing in that game.
*In , if Link opens a Chest containing Rupees with a value of 20 or more inside and does not have sufficient room in his Wallet, the Rupees are put back in the Chest and can be retrieved at a later time. In every other game, including , the surplus Rupees are lost.
*There is a Treasure Chest in the Temple of the Ocean King in that contains nothing at all. The chest contained a Key which was taken by Linebeck before Link and Ciela arrived.
*The unactivated, "invisible" Treasure Chests in the Earth Temple of utilize an advanced image distortion effect with a few glitches, such as reflection of any object in front of the Chest. The distorted image has a lower resolution than the main game, probably to save processing power.
==Nomenclature==
==Gallery==
File:TLoZ Treasure Chest Artwork 2.png|Artwork of Link opening a Chest from The Legend of Zelda
File:ALttP Treasure Chest Artwork 2.png|Big Treasure Chest artwork from 
File:LA Treasure Chest Artwork.png|Treasure Chest artwork from 
File:LA Treasure Chest Artwork 2.png|Treasure Chest artwork from 
File:OoT3D Link Obtaining Kokiri Sword.png|Obtaining the Kokiri Sword from a Treasure Chest in 
File:MM Treasure Chest Shop.png|The Treasure Chest Shop from 
File:MM3D Red Treasure Chest Model.png|A red Treasure Chest from 
File:TWWHD E3 10.png|Salvaging a Treasure Chest in 
File:PH EmptyChest.png|An empty Treasure Chest in 
File:Salvage Catch.png|Lacthing onto a Treasure Chest on the sea floor in 
File:Salvage.png|Pulling up a Treasure Chest from the sea floor in 
File:Salvaged Chest 2.png|Salvaging a Treasure Chest in 
File:ST Buried Treasure Chest Model.png|A buried Treasure Chest from 
File:ALBW Chest Holder.png|Treasure Chest cartridge holder from the collector's edition
File:BotW Stone Treasure Chest Model.png|A stone Treasure Chest from 
File:BotW EX Treasure Chest Model.png|An EX Treasure Chest from 
File:BotW Treasure Chest Model 7.png|A Treasure Chest from the "" 
File:BotW E3 2016 Bokoblin Chest.png|A Treasure Chest belonging to a Bokoblin camp from the E3 2016 booth
File:ACNL Treasure Chest.png|A Boss Treasure Chest from Animal Crossing New Leaf
File:HW Red Treasure Chest Model.png|Treasure Chest from 
File:HW Link Opening Treasure Chest.png|Link opening a Treasure Chest from 
File:HW Link Get Bombs.png|Link obtaining Bombs from a Treasure Chest from 
File:SSBU Treasure Chest.png|A Mii Brawler beside Kirby's Treasure Chest Stone transformation from 
File:CoH Treasure Chest Sprite.png|A Treasure Chest from 
File:CoH Treasure Chest Sprite 2.png|A Treasure Chest from 
File:SS Treasure Chest Opened Model.png|An opened from 
File:BotW Bokoblin Chest.png|Concept render of a Bokoblin Chest
File:BotW Treasure Chest Fishing.png|A promotional image from the featuring Magnesis being used on a metal Treasure Chest
==See Also==
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