When I first played on the Nintendo 64, I had never experienced 3D gaming up until that point. I was too young to have ever played an Atari, and I had never been to an arcade, so the joystick was a real marvel. Being able to move in this (literal) new dimension, broadened my horizons and the possibilities felt endless. I had to master using this new technology, however, and I have very fond memories of two particular places where I learned its uses and intricacies. The first was just outside of Peach’s Castle in Super Mario 64.
The second — and for me, the more iconic — was Kokiri Forest.
After a terrible nightmare, Link is awoken by a fairy sent to him by the Great Deku Tree, and his journey begins. Upon leaving your humble little treehouse, you’re greeted by Link’s best friend, Saria. This is when the game truly begins and the player is given what I call a “digital playground” to get their bearings and learn the controls. The area contains no monsters and tons of characters to talk to and interact with, some of whom will teach the player how to play the game.
You can run around and explore all you like at this point. Your objective is to go and speak to the Deku Tree, but if you try to go in that direction you’ll be stopped by the mean and rude Mido. He won’t let you pass unless you have a sword and shield, both of which are found in the forest. This is important, as this forced gate-keeping means the developers can make sure the player has to explore and know the basics of the game, as there’s combat and a dungeon just past Mido.
Near him is a building with a red roof. Approaching it results in a Kokiri teaching the player about Z-targeting, which you’ll be using most of the game. Going inside the shop reveals a lot of goodies, most of which Link can’t use at this point, but most importantly, it has the coveted Deku Shield, one of the items Link needs to prove himself to Mido. However, it costs a pretty steep 40 rupees, which means Link will have to scour the forest in search of some cash.
Conveniently, there’s a lot of money laying around: in the grass, inside rocks, and even in the air. Again, this is all to teach the player that this game requires a lot of exploration, chatting with the various NPCs, and learning the controls. In fact, doing some of the things that the other Kokiri teach you will net you a decent sum of moolah.
Aside from the shop, there are a couple of other standout locations. On the exact opposite end of the forest is an exit. At the beginning of the game, this is blocked by a Kokiri who, if spoken to, reveals a startling revelation: Any Kokiri who leaves the forest will die, and thus he’s there to prevent any Kokiri from getting curious and leaving the forest. I still remember reading this as a child and finding it pretty scary. I knew at some point you were going to leave the forest, but it made me think about Link and how I’d be leading him to his ultimate demise if I had him go through there.
Upon some cliffs near the forest’s exit is a bunch of gates, and at the end of them a Kokiri who will teach you about all the flips and jumps Link can perform while Z-targeting. More interestingly, there’s a hole here Link can crawl through. Doing so reveals a little section which, if the player is too hasty, they’ll run smack-dab into a boulder! Why there’s a boulder in a little alcove in a village full of forest children is anyone’s guess — it’s possible that it was put there to guard the item that lurks at the end, but it still seems pretty extreme to me! Past the boulder, the item in question is the second one required to get past Mido, the Kokiri Sword. This will be young Link’s primary weapon throughout his adventure.
The next location I’d like to talk about is Link’s little house. At first glance, it’s pretty tame and standard for a home, but there’s a little detail I’ve always loved on the outside of his house. On the left side of his home on a trunk is a little drawing of a valiant warrior fighting a fearsome dragon. We learn that Link, though not quite an outcast, doesn’t really fit in much with his peers. I love this little drawing because it tells a little story, perhaps that Link is always dreaming of going on an adventure, and he wants to go and explore the rest of the world, perhaps because he feels isolated and somewhat lonely in the village. This point is brought home once he leaves the forest and even Saria says that Link is different from her and the rest of the Kokiri.
Later in the game, Kokiri Forest is ravaged by monsters once Link becomes an adult. The once-happy locale is now devoid of residents who have all fled into their wooden homes. As the Great Deku Tree has passed away and Ganondorf has come into power, nothing could stop the monsters from eventually taking over the forest. I love how this creates a wonderful dichotomy in the location. Where once you were free to roam and learn the game and act like a child getting his bearings, becoming an adult and going back shows that your childhood isn’t what you remember, and in fact it has become a much more dangerous location. Even the Kokiri don’t recognize Link as an adult, as they believe him to be an eternally young Kokiri and that he must still be out there in his child form.
Kokiri Forest isn’t a location the player will spend a lot of time in, even in terms of other towns in the game. But despite all of that, there’s a lot to be said for it, both as a training ground and a place in the world. It’s a great place for the game to start, and it’s a place where I also started my foray into 3D, and it will always have a place in my heart because of it.
