When it comes to video games, parents usually fall into one of two categories. Some are totally fine with their kids spending an afternoon with a controller in hand, and others worry that too much gaming is bad for the mind and a waste of time.
For some players, though, parents not only tolerated their kids’ passion for gaming but also supported it. Some were even curious enough to ask to join in themselves. In the case of my dad and I, we decided over one summer break to start an Ocarina of Time save file together. Some fathers and sons bond over things like sports, fishing, or other pastimes. My dad and I bonded over video games most of the time.
We agreed to take turns every few days. By that point, I had already completed Ocarina of Time numerous times, so I gave the controller to my dad and let him kick off our journey into Hyrule. I remember leaving him alone with the game for a while, only to come back and find him wandering around Kokiri Forest.
“Dad, you’re supposed to get the sword and shield,” I told him.
“Oh, I just like this place,” he said.
I think he liked the music. I mean, could you blame him?
That was when I realized that I would probably end up doing most of the work on our file.
One of my favorite memories is when I walked in and saw my dad fighting King Dodongo, the second boss of the game. Things didn’t look so good. Dad was down to half a heart left, and so I swooped in to save the day. I snatched the controller and made short work of the boss, then set the controller back down and bowed as if I were expecting some sort of applause.
Dad did manage to make some progress on his own, but most of the time, he preferred to just take things slow. A lot of his time was spent at the fishing pond rather than finding the next temple. One time, I walked in and saw him fishing, his line just sitting in the water for who knows how long before I showed up.
“Did you get the piece of heart yet?” I asked.
“What piece of heart?” He replied.
Dad grew up with a love for fishing, so for him, it wasn’t about acquiring any quest items. He simply enjoyed going fishing.
Obtaining the Megaton Hammer inside the Fire Temple was another memorable moment. It was Dad’s turn with the controller, and he had reached the room where you have to race the timer to get to the large chest containing the hammer. After watching multiple frustrated attempts, I knew I had better step in and help soon, or else he might give up playing and leave me to finish the rest of the game myself. So I asked Dad to pass me the controller and managed to make it to the chest before the timer ran out. With the Megaton Hammer in our bag, we were able to continue on our journey.
The last memory I have of our father-son playthrough came towards the end of the game. I had already completed four of the six barrier rooms inside Ganon’s Castle before stopping for one night. When I came back the next morning, I found that my dad had finished the last two rooms on his own.
All that was left to do was climb the final tower to face Ganondorf. That battle was one that Dad was more than happy to let me tackle.
After defeating Ganondorf, escaping the collapsing tower, and ultimately finishing the last battle against Ganon on the fiery battlefield, our adventure finally came to a close. I thanked my dad for sharing such a fun experience with me and for contributing the best he could to our game. Dad gave most of the credit to me, saying that I “knew where I was going and where all the treasures were” far better than he did.
Perhaps that was true, but I was mostly in it for the experience of getting to game together with my father. That was the real reward. And honestly, there’s nothing quite like that.
Thanks for the good times, Dad. I’ll never forget them.
