From the beginning, The Legend of Zelda has often been associated with medieval times. Though not a traditional, armorclad knight, Link fought insidious, armored Darknuts and his own fireball-spitting dragons in the form of Gleeoks and Aquamentus. As six-year-old Matt sat criss-cross applesauce in the living room at a distance from the television that his…
After creating the world, Farore, Nayru, and Din left the Triforce behind in the Sacred Realm. It was meant to serve as a symbol of hope to the people of Hyrule, and Hylia was left to guard it. When evil rises to threaten the residents of the realm, the paragons of wisdom and courage awaken…
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time introduced me, and likely millions of other players, to the beautiful sounds of the ocarina. With each press of the yellow C buttons on my N64 controller, I marveled at the notes produced; I would hum the simple melodies of “Epona’s Theme” and “Zelda’s Lullaby” as I went about…
When most people think of wisdom, what they’re really thinking of is usually book-smarts. Their mind is filled with images of bespectacled librarians pouring through piles of tomes stacked high to the point of almost toppling over. Moving past this cliché, the truly wise recognize that there are layers to this attribute. In their piece…
Majora’s Mask is a game that constantly twists your expectations. From the moment Link falls down the proverbial rabbit hole and makes his way to Termina, the player’s view is constantly tested. The leisurely pace of Ocarina of Time is replaced by the stress-inducing countdown of the approaching moon, characters who seem so familiar go…
There are prisons without bars. Sometimes expectations, whether from parents, society, or ourselves can lock us up and keep us from leading the life we want. Princess Zelda from Breath of the Wild finds herself in this situation. She’s extremely curious and intelligent and wants nothing more than to explore the mysteries of the ancient…
Prince Sidon reminds me of an old Hollywood movie star. He has the swagger and charisma often attributed to actors like Clark Gable, and his characteristic smile surely makes all the Zora gals and guys swoon as he channels his inner Errol Flynn and steps into the role of adventurous swashbuckler. Sidon has the glitz…
What does it mean to be courageous? It has been described in many different ways: standing up for those who cannot fight for themselves, confronting scary or dangerous situations, and battling against overwhelming odds. One of the more popular definitions of courage I’ve heard is “the quality to do what’s right, even when it’s not…
Who doesn’t love a good festival? Savory and sweet foods, slightly rigged carnival games, displays of dancing, and the accompanying sounds of sweet music are enough to get anyone’s heart racing. Perhaps the best instance of this kind of celebration in the Zelda series is found in the Picori Festival in The Minish Cap. During…
Breath of the Wild added many things to the Zelda series. Its world was more expansive and gave players more creative freedom than ever before. The environment was yours to manipulate and develop your own methods of survival. The adventure unfolded the way you wanted. For Zelda fans with a fondness for the culinary arts,…
When Link first entered the Dark World in A Link to the Past, it must have been quite the shock. Not only was he now sporting a very cute bunny body, but the very air and atmosphere of the Dark World was oppressive. Any warmth, any goodness, any sweetness of the Sacred Realm had been…
It can never be said that Princess Zelda doesn’t lead an interesting life. Across all her incarnations, she has been captured and imprisoned countless times, orchestrated rebellions, haunted a hero, conducted intensive research into ancient ruins, and single-handedly held back the apocalypse. With so many adventurous experiences, the girl needs a day off! One of…
From the moment they saw sky islands in the Tears of the Kingdom trailer, the call went out from fans of Skyward Sword: Will we be able to ride Loftwings again? While the answer remains shrouded like the land beneath Hyrule’s cloud barrier, Tim de Man provides a speculative track that combines the musical styles…
When I played Link’s Awakening on the original chonky Game Boy in 1993, I hopped aboard my very first romantic ship. Each encounter between Link and Marin throughout the game utterly enthralled me. Marin’s cute little outfit, her beautiful singing, and the way she teased Link all set the hero’s heart (and mine) aflutter. While…
One of my favorite things about jazz is just how adaptable it is. This high adaptability gives musicians plenty of room to experiment and improvise, breathing new life into well-worn classics that we only half-listen to because of how familiar they are. Kevin Bene accomplished this with his unique spin on one of the most…
