The Legend of Zelda: 25 Years On

As Link turns the ripe old age of 25 this week, I thought it be cool to take a look back at one of my favourite series. In October, The Legend of Zelda Symphony will be playing two extra special concerts in Los Angeles and London featuring the music any Zelda fan would recognise. As I won’t be able to get to either concert (woe is me!) I decided to talk about the three Zelda games which grabbed my attention, captured my imagination and kept me a loyal fan.

So to kick things off, I have to mention Zelda Twilight Princess. This was definitely one of the main reasons why I bought my Wii. For weeks of reading various articles and looking at screenshots for the first Zelda game for the Wii, I literally burst out of my skin when I got it. My main concern with many series is that they may find a rhythm that their loyal fans enjoy but they decide to change it for the masses creating a less than par game (all I’m saying is Metroid: Other M. Grr!). Luckily for me they stuck to the tried and tested Zelda formula of dark secrets: shocking twists with ‘silent’ Link kicking evil’s ass.

Link catching fish in Twilight Princess.

I seem to find that everyone knows about Ocarina of Time, especially with its re-release onto the 3DS, but when I mention Majora’s Mask I’m either told that they never got round to buying it or they never heard of it. Released for the Nintendo 64, Majora’s Mask is best described as a side story which happens just after the end of Ocarina of Time. Link is brought into an alternative universe where he only has three days to stop the moon from crashing down.

Last but certainly not least, the game where my Zelda love began: A Link To The Past. Easily hands down the most epic and hardest out of the three. I vividly remember sitting on the floor as I watched my older brother battle and slay his way to not only three elemental orbs, save nine maidens trapped in an alternate universe but also get Zelda back. With its 32-bit SNES graphics and extremely catchy soundtrack, it was just inevitable that I would get consumed by the legend, pick up the control pad and give it a go.

The Legend of Zelda series has always been one of those games I’d recommend any well rounded gamer should play. With the impending release of Zelda: Skyward Sword, all that is left for me to do is wish the series another 25 years.


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One response to “The Legend of Zelda: 25 Years On”

  1. Scott avatar

    These four Zelda games – along with Wind Waker and Link’s Adventure – are the main entries I recommend people. Although they all follow Link to the Past’s foundation structurally, I love seeing the twists on it in each game; from the expanded legend of the Triforce in Ocarina of Time, the surreal Majora’s Mask, to the sad story undercurrent in Wind Waker, as well as the character development of Midna in Twilight Princess. Much love for the series! <3 Skyward Sword’s early reviews (Edge gave it a perfect 10) have me excited.

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