Often writers in this column discuss moments of triumph, joy, or fond memories with the games of the Legend of Zelda franchise, or other ways in which the games have shaped us. While much of what our wonderful writers produce is tinged with nostalgia, excitement, and wonder; I feel as though the beginning of autumn…
The Sheikah tribe are a secretive type, clinging to the shadows and never more than a lunge away from the Goddess Hylia’s chosen few. Servants to the goddess and her mortal incarnations, the Sheikah are seldom seen by other Hylians and prefer a life of devout obscurity. In a number of titles, we are introduced…
The Legend of Zelda franchise is a collection of stories about trials, adventure, and heroics; no game in the series quite deviates from this. Some of the most recent titles definitely lean heavier into the concept of trials for our Hero than other instalments. I’m referring to, of course, the shrine trials in both Breath…
It’s time to show your strength, Brother! Test your mettle and temper your wit in the proving ground where little Brothers become Goron men! Welcome to Gor Coron’s proving ground – a sauna rung with steel, a hike so tough it has callouses, and a sizzling sumo ring: the Goron Mines! The Three Goron Blood…
The Legend of Zelda franchise has a storied past with many things. One of the less favorable legacies is, unfortunately, water dungeons. The era of the N64 and Game Cube struggled with the complexity that comes with three-dimensional dungeons and swimming, and the Zelda games were no exception. In fact, both Twilight Princess and Ocarina…
Think of a song that always finds its way back into your head, or a book that you have to re-read every year like clockwork, just that one worm in the apple… then realize that mine is Breath of the Wild. Zelda was the game franchise that made me fall in love with RPGs, The…
When one thinks of the Legend of Zelda franchise, we all first think of Zelda, clad in green, fighting daring monsters – no, wait, that’s Link. Across all the installments of the franchise, Princess Zelda has played a variety of roles. From the damsel in distress of titles like A Link Between Worlds, to the…
There are many quintessential enemies across the fantasy genre, from Giant Rats to Skeletons and Dragons to Evil Mages. A Ghost by any other name, like the Poe, is just as invulnerable to your non-magical weapons. Today’s discussion is about the unenviable low-level threat that is the slime, or I suppose the Chuchu. For a…
The Legend of Zelda franchise has been host to a number of unique dungeons and mechanics over the years. Some have lasted across multiple iterations, while others faded into obscurity (poor Spinner, you deserved better). One incredibly common theme across all of the games is, unsurprisingly, darkness and light. For all the posturing around good…
It’s been a while since I have covered Twilight Princess, but I find myself coming back to it this week because I’m feeling particularly nostalgic for one crucial moment in Link’s story. For a story so closely tied to a personal motive for our Hero of Twilight, that being saving the children of Ordon Village…
The Legend of Zelda franchise has always put forward games that encourage players to be resourceful and creative, oftentimes giving players large sandboxes, rigorous optional challenges, and an abundance of resources to experiment with. As a result, no two people really experience the games in quite the same way – the stories may be the…
For as long as we have had aesthetic equipment slots, we have had fashion sets in games. You may equip whatever buffs you need for the next fight, with no regard for how it looks; or you may have a favorite set you always wear, even to your detriment. Regardless of how you play, there…
Much like my first game for the Nintendo DS was Phantom Hourglass, my first game for the 3DS was Hyrule Warriors Legends. I invested countless hours into the game, with some interesting characters becoming my favorite; any of my readers who know the names Linkle and Lana have my attention. I would charge across the…
Core to many games is the idea of weakness and resistance. Be it the type charts of Pokémon, the Lance beats Sword beats Axe of Fire Emblem, the targeted weak/strong/null of various Persona, or something similar, many hobbyist gamers have interacted with the idea that water beats fire. Across the Zelda franchise, there have been…
A hero’s journey could never be complete without two crucial chapters: the return home, and the “dark forest”. The former can be anything from a heartfelt reunion to a grim reminder of the evil our hero stands against. The latter is a time-tested trope of a threat unfamiliar or unknown in a treacherous place. On…
