As The Legend of Zelda turns 30 today we decided to have a look at the ten things we all love about one of the strongest franchises ever!
Be it from Link’s very first NES game or from the 3DS’ TriForce Heroes, below are just 10 of the many things you probably loved when playing this franchise, did we miss something? Let us know!
Disclaimer: These are not in any specific order:
1. Slaying Cuccos
We have all been there; You are given a nice sharp and shiny blade with nothing to cut but grass and the occasional enemies. But then early on in the game you encounter the magnificent chicken-like organisms called cuccos. I don’t care if you order McVeggie or not, ALL of us have sliced into the feathers of the cucco bird. It’s too strong to resist such temptation, something the developers clearly did not miss. Beware of the cucco, it is never alone and few live to tell their tales of chicken slaughter…
2. Link’s face
Link has come a long way from being a tiny mass of pixels. Every new iteration of the franchise has made Link on step closer to the silent yet very competent character able to convey his emotion to the audience. Where this really kicked off was in the Wind Waker. Link’s mouth and eyebrows do such a great job at expressing the character’s thoughts about you rushing off a cliff or sneaking along a wall. The console follow-ups to Wind Waker clearly built upon this mechanic that we still praise today. With the Zelda WiiU footage as a benchmark for the future of the franchise in terms of facial expression, I think good times are ahead for our silent hero.
3. Beating hard dungeons and puzzles
Most of the hardcore Zelda fans will remember the hardship the Water Temple in Ocarina of Time shoved up our noses. The Zelda franchise was always a synonym of “challenging gameplay”. Now I have to be honest and say that the newer titles have become less hard to complete but this seems to be an overall trend nowadays to please a broader audience. But the puzzles we had to clear gave you this great sense of progression when you finally found the correct solution to beat it. Let’s hope Zelda WiiU will, at least, offer us a challenge like it used to be.
4. Great storytelling, lore and plot twists out of nowhere
(BEWARE OF SPOILERS)
In terms of compelling stories the Zelda games have always been top notch. Be it the emotional ending to Twilight Princess where Midna shatters the Mirror or the reveal of Sheik being princess Zelda herself. And there’s so much symbolism going on; Wind Waker’s story ending is about letting go of the Old Hyrule and to sail to a new one.
How about the 3DS’ A Link Between Worlds? Hyrule and Lorule are opposites and what’s the opposite of our courageous Link? It’s revealed as none other than the cowardice of Ravio! The stories have always been one of the major aspects that drove fans mad waiting for the next installment. Zelda has one of the biggest theorizing fanbase pointing out things that only have been revealed much later in Hyrule Historia. Fans are analyzing trailers, textures even the different Hylian hieroglyph languages. But even now the franchise still holds many secrets and raises even more questions about its lore.
5. Fun with friends
Not every Zelda game offers you to play with friends but there have been some that revolve around playing together!
The Four Swords series and the recent TriForce Heroes offer so much fun for you and your friends. Even though the game wants you to progress together as a team somehow it inspires to malice against your friends. You’ll want more rupees than them, better items and of course you want to throw them off a cliff because that’s what friends do to each other when the fate of the world is at stake. And when you throw them into the bottomless abyss you will use the POM POM emoticon on your touchscreen, this has basically evolved into Zelda’s tea-bagging.
6. It has grown into the hearts of casual- or even non-gamers
Zelda has achieved a high status in today’s pop culture. The franchise has unknowingly given birth to ironic T-shirts, cosplay, memes, Youtube indie movies, Heart Container jewelry on Etsy and so on. It has a legacy that tends to attain more than the core audience. Just ask some people if they know the phrases; “It’s dangerous to go alone! Take this.” or “Hey, listen!” Most of them will! Even if they don’t know where it originated from. I guess they are Error!
7. It’s dangerous to go alone, here’s an annoying AI
Now we all love to hate Navi don’t we? She was your guide in the first 3D version of Hyrule and I guess she could’ve talked a little less… But you still rolled up and cried a little when she left you at the end of Ocarina of Time didn’t you? AI’s have come in the form of fairies, talking boats and even princess Zelda herself, well trapped into the body of a giant knight but hey it counts! The AI grew from a simple targeting reticule to a center part of the storytelling. To me it’s hard to pick the best one, I think Midna and Fi are top on my list. It’s hard to choose between two emotionally charged characters that are vital to, again, two great stories in the Zelda franchise. I wonder if we will be accompanied by an AI in Zelda WiiU?
8. The music
Zelda has one of the most recognizable themes and sounds. Whether it’s blasted in your ears in MIDI-file or in superbly orchestrated themes you know it’s Zelda. And what’s great is that the accompanying sounds that are carried through each game are used again and again, but different at the same time. Let me hear the ‘you have found an item’ tune from any game and I’ll tell you it’s that tune! It’s always great to pick up a new Zelda game and to hear the sounds you grew up with in a different yet familiar style. The music has always complemented the theme as well. The dark tunes from Majora’s Mask and Twilight Princess stand completely opposite to the witty tune in Beelde’s merchant ship from Wind Waker but all of them just scream “The Legend of Zelda”! And other proof that we love the music; The franchise inspired an orchestrated concert around the world more than once! I went twice and I just can’t get enough of this music! Go and listen to the sunny Dragon Roost Island theme and tell me I am wrong to love these tunes!
9. The risks it takes with its graphical styles
The Zelda franchise has always tried to differentiate itself from other games and even from itself when it comes to graphical styles. We have seen Hyrule in many different art styles and every time we are amazed at the world around us. I remember going home after a hard day at school and popping Wind Waker in my Gamecube and boy did I feel happy afterwards. The Toon Link style has left many fans angry when it was first shown. Nintendo did release a more realistic tech demo before and something similar happened recently with the WiiU tech demo and the Zelda WiiU reveal trailer. The Zelda Team likes to take these very drastic artistic decisions but most of the time it works out and leaves us timeless visuals that make us realize it’s not always about the console’s raw power, but more of what you can achieve with it if you put your mind to it.
10. It’s a Zelda thing!
Zelda is here to stay. Most of us reading this grew up with it and you probably have a younger brother, sister or another relative that is taking his first steps into the franchise. Few franchises survive more than a decade and only the strong live up to 30 years. That’s already three decades of legends. Even fewer franchises are able to convey such art, bonding and loyalty as The Legend of Zelda…
I’ve given you enough reasons to love The Legend of Zelda and I’m sure you have other and at least evenly important reasons to love it. When we are done playing Zelda others will follow our footsteps into this great world of Power, Wisdom and Courage.
