I have always been fascinated by creatures. Whether they’re the ones we share the real world with or the ones that dwell in the realms of fiction, all manner of beasts, critters, and even monsters hold a special place in my heart. The worlds of video games have brought me some great creatures to obsess over (though it’s puzzling that I only have a mild interest in Pokémon), and the ones found The Legend of Zelda games stand as my absolute favorites. They have given me so much: They stir my imagination, they make the lands I traverse across with Link feel alive and real, and they offer unforgettable interactions and challenges. The Legend of Zelda would be nothing without these gifts from Farore, so I think a little recognition is in order.
Point-blank proof of the fun to be had with the creatures of The Legend of Zelda.
And to be clear, I’m specifically referring to the more animalistic creatures of Zelda, not the more human or menacing kind. Those fulfill a different need for the games and for me, so I think they warrant the future creation of their own article (not that I need an excuse to write about them as well).
Breath given to the wild
Whenever I find myself deep into a Zelda game’s story, and I’ve reached the point when I can freely explore the environment, one of my first steps in my process is to see what manner of animals and monsters I can find. As I wonder blissfully through Hyrule in Ocarina of Time, as an example, I take note of the clever distractions: The Deku Babas that snap at Link as he rolls past them on his way to see the Great Deku Tree, the Skulltulas that hang from the ceiling and wait to lunge upon unsuspecting adventurers, the Octoroks that keep me on guard for flying rocks as I try to avoid being swept away from the Zora River’s current, and the seemingly ever-present Keese that do their best to make almost every dungeon and cave a place of dangerous adventure. They all do their part to grab my attention.
Aside from the enemy types, there are also a handful of benign animal friends to enjoy. Dogs are honestly the best reasons to visit Hyrule Castle Town, especially when you can get the energetic pups to chase you around. And the Fishing Pond, with all of its incredibly stubborn game fish, offers a unique reprieve the from my larger-than-life quest. Link has always had a connection to animal life, as is evident in most other games (especially Twilight Princess), and it’s an element of the games and the character that I relate to and connect with. I couldn’t imagine The Legend of Zelda without it.
Sure, these examples and others like them don’t exactly offer any impactful interaction or challenge, but that’s not their purpose. Honestly, if they suddenly disappeared, how boring would it be to travel through any location in any game? With the Ocarina of Time examples, they keep me from simply soaking in the scenery of an area. After looking at the landscape for about ten seconds, I would be ready to move onto the next location. These beasts keep my focus, and they help me get lost in the experience.
Beast master
Of course, interacting with simpler beasts is fun, and as I mentioned, it prevents that unforgivable sin known as monotony, but on the opposite side of the spectrum, the powerful monsters and feral beasts do an amazing job of getting my wannabe-hero blood pumping.
Could you imagine if every enemy in the Zelda games took no effort to kill? Some of you don’t need to imagine, because you’ve played bad games that tried to emulate Zelda and did exactly that. It’s awful when every enemy is basically the same thing and offers no threat or variety. Luckily, Zelda games have been trying their best since the beginning to breed monsters with the singular desire to brutally kill Link. Writing that, I feel bad for Link, but he can take it.
It’s a dog-eat-hero world out there.
Breath of the Wild is the most generous giver when it comes to providing brutal beasts to battle. It has plenty of terrifying humanoid enemies, such as the Lizalfos and Moblins (and I count the Lynels in this, so don’t expect me to talk about them here), but the instinct-driven creatures found throughout the fallen grandeur of Hyrule offer just as much excitement.
Packs of wolves, if I’m only starting out in the adventure, are worthy of my respect and caution. Every time they lock their gaze on me, let out that eager howl, and sprint toward me, I quickly dive into my inventory to make sure I have a decent weapon. It’s the fact that they are in packs that brings the pressure. When my hearts are limited, and my weapons are meager, I revel in the fact that I have been given the chance to go full Liam Neeson on the canines. Link does indeed have a particular set of skills. (I know I crossing film references. You don’t need to say it.)
Simple threats such as the wolves are OK at first, but eventually I look to find an actually imposing beast, and I find often find that in the form of a Talus. Gorons are known for their tenacity and stubbornness, but I think Talus monsters really show the Gorons how it’s done. These stone-faced beasts with nerves of steel will rock my world if given the chance, and there doesn’t even seem to be a reason for them to want to kill me. Think about it: They clearly don’t eat, Link’s too small to be an inherent threat to them or their territory, but still they decide they have to be a aggressive as possible the moment he comes near them. And if all I’m doing is climbing over them because I think the monster that camouflages itself as boulder is exactly that, then how is that my fault?
Whatever, it’s not as if can I undo what I did. All I can undo is the Talus’ existence. They like to lumber, but once one of them winds up to toss their rock hands — a powerful though utterly reckless attack — they betray their secret speed to me, and Link learns how fast he can run. An encounter with a Talus can never be taken lightly, and I love them for that.
I managed to not die to the first Talus I fought in Breath of the Wild, but it was still an experience that spiked my heart rate. Anxiety aside, the rush of finishing those things off by climbing on top of them and then dealing the killing blow with the Spin Attack was worth it the first time, the second time, and the fiftieth time. I might sound bloodthirsty, but the point is that Zelda games know how to get my attention with their murderous monsters.
Intelligent designs
I saved my favorite point about the creatures of Zelda for last. It’s a simple one: their designs. I love studying the designs in everything. From complex subjects like electronics and organizational systems to the often-overlooked products like printed material and hand tools, I love studying how things have been constructed to serve a purpose and to create an aesthetic. And animals top my list things to study, and fantasy creatures are close behind them.
I think my favorite creatures in all of Zelda are the Dodongos from Twilight Princess. I was never a fan of their forms from the older 2D games, and I did enjoy the ones from Ocarina of Time, but lizards are some of my favorite real-world animals, and this version of the Dodongo takes heavy inspiration from them, so there’s no question of where my preferences lie.
They’re so cute when they’re mad.
These Dodongos are based on geckos, with their low-lying bodies, large eyes, gaping maws, and their suction-cupped toes that are perfectly suited to help the lizards climb nearly any surface. They have appropriately scaly skin, and the color patterns reflect the pleasant brilliance and varying hues seen in real reptiles. And then added to all of that is their ability to breathe fire. If it wasn’t the fact that their flames could cook a person faster than Breath of the Wild’s Link can cook anything he can fit in a pot, I would still hold onto that boyhood dream of owning one as a pet.
The Dodongos are my favorites, but there’s an unequaled joy in discovering all-new designs and details when I play these games. It endlessly feeds my curiosity. Nintendo has always been a company built on the desire to promote and push creativity and imagination, so I know my hunger for more discovery will always be met. This is another point proved by what they accomplished with Breath of the Wild. There are so many animals to find in that games, and I can actually photograph and document them all. I can also eat all of them, but maybe that’s not entirely relevant to my point, I’m not actually sure. New options are always welcomed, at least.
A natural fit for The Legend of Zelda
I don’t know how I would feel about The Legend of Zelda if I couldn’t find, study, and (sometimes) fight the curious creatures that make the games so charming. The lands I explore are meant to offer an escape from the real world, but there are some aspects of the reality I could never live without. The animals we live alongside are examples of that, so the presence of their fantasy equivalents is a requirement for me. And I know how lucky I am that The Legend of Zelda, as it does with all of its wonderful offerings, delivers all that I could ever want.
Zac Pricener
Zac Pricener has been an avid Zelda fan for twenty years. The series has been a source of creative inspiration for him and fueled his desire to become a writer. That desire to write in turn led him to now serve as the Features Manager, Assistant Columns Manager, and Assistant News Manger for Zelda Universe.
by Zac Pricener on July 22, 2020
