There are a whole lot of compelling characters in Majora’s Mask, many of whom have personal struggles on top of the incoming apocalypse. Anju’s fiancée has gone missing, Pamela’s father is turning into a Gibdo, and Lulu’s eggs have been stolen by pirates. In a game with no shortage of deeply personal stories, Cremia’s stands…
“Drum major Zach Hedrick, is your band ready?” The year is 2012 and the Pride of Oklahoma marching band take the field for their performance. The theme— video games. In this captivating performance, the band plays a familiar melody for Zelda fans in the audience. This segment is often praised for the arrangement, intricate formations,…
The River Zora have been a rare species in recent years, their last mainline appearance being in 2013’s A Link Between Worlds. This time around, in Echoes of Wisdom, they’ve left their role as enemies behind entirely and embraced a peaceful lifestyle. It’s a very welcome change in my book, and not just because I’ve…
Echoes of Wisdom gets off to a rollicking start, leaving little time for rest. From the initial but temporary Link battle against Ganon, to Zelda’s stressful escape from first the encroaching rift, then the patrolling Hyrule Castle guards, the player is thrown from one moment of conflict to another. In some ways, Suthorn Village is…
Echoes of Wisdom is a milestone for the Zelda series in a lot of ways, the most obvious being that it’s the first mainline title to feature Hyrule’s princess as the primary protagonist. Aside from the gameplay innovations, this simple change of character leads to countless subtle differences from past games. Even the soundtrack reflects…
The sun rises over Mount Lanayru, and the princess of Hyrule watches wistfully from the other side of the vast kingdom. She’ll be visiting that snowy mountain tomorrow, and it could be her last chance to awaken her bloodline’s sacred power. Whether she succeeds or not will determine the fate of her kingdom and her…
Every hero needs a place to call home. Even if your home has been destroyed by your nemesis or is far away from where your quest takes you, heroes need a “home.” They need places to rest, resupply, and often citizens to help. I would guess that few heroes claim an imaginary village dreamed up…
I wasn’t the biggest fan of Yunobo at first. He’s introduced as a fumbling coward and doesn’t seem to change during the events of Breath of the Wild. Then, when Age of Calamity’s DLC mission in Kakariko Village came out, Yunobo started to really grow on me. After defeating the Yiga Clan, he tells Daruk…
Skyloft is such an iconic location in the Zelda series. Not only does it feature memorable locations like the Knight’s Academy, but it’s the home of charming (and memorably odd) characters like Peatrice who develops a perhaps unhealthy infatuation with Link and the owlish-looking but loving father, Gaepora. All in all, Skyloft feels almost like…
Twilight Princess is notorious for its dark and serious style, but the game isn’t afraid to be goofy once in a while, too. Something that makes this game one of my favorites in the Zelda series is how it mixes bizarre elements into otherwise grim scenarios, creating a horrifyingly comical tone. This is especially true…
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve grown to love all things cozy. A warm cup of coffee and a low-stakes book about a baker; a fuzzy blanket and a farming sim like Stardew Valley or Fae Farm; or a clingy cat who wants to be petted while I watch a Studio Ghibli movie are my jam.…
The Pirates’ Fortress is one of my favorite sections of Majora’s Mask. Returning the stolen Zora eggs was the most emotionally important mission in the game to me, and that’s saying a lot. Majora’s Mask is overflowing with heart, but invading the Gerudo stronghold felt extra personal. Not only were we stealing back eggs for…
In many ways, the story of Ocarina of Time is a story of growing up. Both Link and Zelda begin the story as kids. After their fateful meeting in the palace gardens and their hatched plan to save Hyrule from the cunning Ganondorf, they are forced to grow up. Link’s journey to get the Spiritual…
The Zora are a people with an astoundingly rich history, even for Zelda standards. The modern day Zora of Tears of the Kingdom may not have known of its existence, but the Ancient Zora Waterworks likely once served a grand purpose. In fact, water temples in general tend to be gold mines for lore and…
Creepy and unpredictable. Those are two words that I would use to describe Midna when Link first meets her. Her constant teasing and vague threats of torment mirror her impish form, and she’s certainly not trustworthy at first. Her and Link’s partnering is more one of necessity than anything else. It’s not until much later…
