Journal 12-88R The morning of his long-awaited departure has finally arrived. A father’s love and concern for his offspring are never-ending, but the glimmer in his eyes helps ease my apprehension. The Golden Land promises hope for a better tomorrow, so who am I to say otherwise? I will miss our conversations, laughter, and even…
Looming over Kakariko Village, the Lost Woods is known by all as a labyrinth of secrets and dangers. Few people dare to walk past its sacred and reclusive borders, where the age-old trees cast shadows that drape everything in a haunting darkness. The forest looks to punish any who wander past its borders. Only beasts…
The characters from the original Legend of Zelda don’t say much, but what they do say is highly memorable. Among the most recognizable quotes is “It’s a secret to everybody,” uttered to Link by a Moblin in hiding. Versions of this iconic phrase have become a recurring Easter egg in the Zelda series (and in…
As video game technology continues to evolve, increased graphical fidelity leads to greater immersion and more realistic experiences. In just a quarter-century, 16-bit pixel art has been replaced with computer-generated imagery that rivals modern-day movies and television shows. Resolution and aesthetics have made giant strides, but an equally impressive example of advancement is video game…
In recent years, fans of The Legend of Zelda can find numerous ways to explore the stories of their favorite titles beyond merely playing the games. Books like the Hyrule Historia and Zelda Encyclopedia have cataloged and codified the history of Zelda‘s ever-expanding lore, while more than half of the games in the series have…
The very first game I ever owned for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System — which was, in turn, my first console — was The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. Although I had played other games before it on friends’ machines, including the majestic Super Mario World (which I would acquire for myself…
It’s quite a time to be a Zelda fan in this day and age. We can choose from a ton of original titles, remakes, and spinoffs at our leisure. There is even a blockbuster sequel to Breath of the Wild on the horizon, and any sort of announcement for it could drop at any moment.…
A consistent enemy in the Zelda series, the Like Like has a long-standing tradition of creating problems for Link by attempting to swallow him to steal his belongings. This trait has made them unique when compared to other monsters of Hyrule, though in a way that has generated groans from players instead of praise. As…
There’s nothing like a map to make a fantasy story seem more tangible. You open a massive tome and there, in the early pages before you’ve even met your characters, or even in the endpapers right within the cover, you’ve already experienced a sprawling continent or entire world of nations, city-states, mysterious regions and magical…
The Gaming Historian has shared a documentary video about a little-known Sega Genesis game titled Crusader of Centy, in North America. The game is noteworthy for being Sega’s Zelda-clone — a response to The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. I was surprised that I had not heard of this game, but after…
The Hero of Time. Chosen by the Gods. The Savior of Hyrule. Such titles of praise and adoration are worthy honors for the legend capable of wielding the Sword of Evil’s Bane. With each passing generation, the tales of Link’s stoic deeds slowly faded from memory. In the words of Galadriel from The Lord of…
A Link to the Past has received some Sega-style music remixes thanks to The Legend Of Renegade, who has put together some strong reimaginings of what the game might sound like on a Genesis. He covers three different tracks: “Shadow of Dungeons,” “Death Mountain,” and “Dark World.” We have also included the original SNES version…
Total donations are in for Corona Relief Done Quick, the speedrunning charity event hosted by Games Done Quick (GDQ) on April 17-19. The results for the impromptu virtual event are nothing short of remarkable. Over $400,000 USD was raised in just shy of 60 hours, a new record for GDQ’s side speedrunning events. Recently, we…
Animal Crossing: New Horizons has been out for less than a month, and Zelda fans are already showing an insane amount of creativity with their islands. One of the newest features of the Animal Crossing series is the ability to reconstruct land and water with the new terraforming feature. The Legend of Zelda is no…
On first acquiring my Super Nintendo Entertainment System, long ago in the halcyon days of my fifth-grade year, I had one major competitor for time on the console: my father. The SNES was the first console in our house, so video games were new for my dad, and he quickly found he enjoyed playing my…
