The Legend Of Zelda Part I

Yesterday I picked up The Legend Of Zelda: Skyward Sword in what continues to be a gaming delight that for me personally has lasted about twenty years (though The Legend Of Zelda series is celebrating it's 25th anniversary this year).

For those unfamiliar with The Legend Of Zelda, it is a series of games produced and published by Nintendo (and created by the same guy that created Mario - Shigeru Miyamoto) and while the main thrust of the story is similar in each game the details are always very different.  Basically the Princess of Hyrule, Zelda, gets placed in some sort of peril and the Hero of Legend, Link, must save her and the land, usually by defeating Ganondorf.

Some would argue that the whole save the princess story is done to death, and how can you create so many games (nine console games I think) based on the same premise.  Honestly I think it's because each of these stories is told in such a unique and compelling way. I'm always thrilled to get the green tunic that Link wears, to get my first sword and shield.  It's fantastic.  I think my favourite moment in each game though is when you find the Master Sword. In each game it means that you have finally taken hold of the weapon you need to defeat whatever particular evil is haunting the land.

Now I did play the original Legend Of Zelda on the NES and Zelda II The Adventure of Link as well, but I didn't really comprehend what I was doing with those games at the time.  It was not until the Super NES and A Link To The Past that I really understood Zelda and played it purposefully.  I remember thinking that the world that was crafted in that game was huge and I was always so proud to solve the puzzles of the dungeons.  It is a game so far removed from the mindless fighting (like Mortal Kombat) and high scores (like Tetris) and levels and segmented worlds (like Super Mario) of so many other games.

Indeed the original Legend of Zelda game created it’s very own genre, and the ones that have followed it have tweaked that idea to different levels of awesomeness each time.

I’d write more but I would like to play some more before I go to work today.  I already have something ‘Zelda’ brewing in my head for tomorrow!