The Bokoblins, smaller and weaker relatives of the ever-threatening Moblins, have served as standard enemies of Link’s in many of his adventures. Vicious and able to demonstrate varying levels of intelligence, these monsters are not to be dismissed when traversing the many versions of Hyrule. The Bokoblins made their first appearance in 2003’s The Wind…
When you first played The Wind Waker, did it feel like you had already met Aryll before? Maybe its her chipper demeanor, or the way she dresses? Or could it be the strange love she has for seagulls? There’s something about Aryll that makes her seem instantly familiar to Zelda fans. This is because she…
Perhaps no historical period accelerated the advancement of fine arts and humanities quite like the European Renaissance. The collective guild system of the Middle Ages was replaced with a surging praise of individuality, and this evolution produced priceless artifacts and paintings. But the Renaissance also incited another significant form of individualism: the signature. Becoming mainstream…
It is an unfortunate truth in game development that content gets created only to be scrapped or unfinished. A lot of work and testing goes into making games, from the mundane of making ramps to see how the player character responds to slopes in the engine to rooms designed solely to test the various mechanics…
The machines are everywhere. It’s hard not to notice them since they are found in subway stations, convenience stores, and just about every other place you may visit as you move around in the hustle of Tokyo. Some stores are dedicated solely to them, offering stacks of coin-operated, hand-cranked apparatuses for customers to try their…
Nintendo’s franchises are so iconic and genre-defining that it’s sometimes easy to forget that these trendsetters also once relied on various sources of inspiration themselves. Nintendo Producer Shigeru Miyamoto, for example, took the name “Mario” from a landlord at Nintendo Washington’s property warehouse named Mario Segale, according to the book “Game Over, Press Start to…
The old saying is that money does not grow on trees; however, video game worlds typically defy such laws of nature. From question block coins in the Super Mario Bros. series to actual money trees in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Nintendo worlds are filled with creative means to accumulate wealth. Of course, no other currency…
A good musician-for-hire always has a good setlist up their sleeve. Whether it’s a performance up on stage or playing in the background to give a party some atmosphere, a musician must practice a handful of songs to be able to play at any spontaneous moment. The bards of A Link Between World’s Milk Bar…
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…
The ocean is a strange, beautiful, and scary place. Around 95% of the ocean floor remains unexplored, but the 5% we have seen has revealed fauna far outside what our own imaginations could conceive. It is no wonder these dwellers in the deep have inspired countless science fiction and fantasy creatures. We can add the…
First of all, if you’re one of those people who snidely respond to that headline with, “Yeah, The Legend of Zelda TV series sure was a big mistake,” then you should leave and go think about what you’ve done. Then come back, because you’ll probably get a kick out of this article, you uncultured swine,…
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…
Ah, the Lover’s Pond. It’s a well-sought after pool of water for many singles in Breath of the Wild, hoping to meet their one true love once they find it. Finding it isn’t too easy as the pond is hidden on a mountain top in the Faron region, but love seeking travelers can easily tell…
When the final boss in any game morphs into a second form, you know things are about to get serious. That’s exactly what happens when you defeat Majora’s Mask and it transforms into the gangling cyclops Majora’s Incarnation, though not in the way you might expect. Between sprinting bouts that produce a psychedelic blur of…
The late and great Robin Williams brought joy to millions around the world with his energetic comedy and his many fantastic movies, but at Zelda Universe, we will always remember him most as a fellow Zelda fan. Back in the late ‘80s, Robin and his wife were playing the original Legend of Zelda together while…
