The Legend of Zelda History
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The Legend of Zelda History
One of the most popular game consoles of all time is undoubtedly The Legend of Zelda. Since the original The Legend of Zelda was released, many others variations have followed. The original came about in 1987, so as you can see it has been popular for many years. The Legend of Zelda was produced and designed by Shigeru Miyamoto.
Miyamoto based The Legend of Zelda on experiences that he had in local forests, lakes, and caves around his Kyoto home. One memory that stood out for him was discovering a large cave. This is something that is a recurring them in The Legend of Zelda series.
Even though the game was named after Princess Zelda, it is based around one character; Link. His adventures in all the games include the rescue of Princess Zelda. But even when Princess Zelda is not present in a game, flashbacks and verbal cues always bring her back around.
The Legend of Zelda is based in the land of Hyrule, and consists of battles between Link and his arch nemesis Ganon.
The land of Hyrule offers many challenges to Link. This includes varying landscapes, climates, enemies, and much more. To succeed, Link must find the Triforce in order to have enough power to reach the end goal. The actual game is full of puzzles, action, and of course strategy.
When the original The Legend of Zelda is compared to today’s game it appears to be quite simple. But all in all, the overall development of the series has kept all of them popular. All in all, 13 games have been released. They are as follows.
The Legend of Zelda
This was the first game in the series, and was released in the United States in 1987. Although it may seem outdated in today’s day and age, back then this game was the cream of the crop. It was full of adventures and action play that other games could only dream of. Many people feel that this was the game that paved the way for others to follow.
Your quest for the original game is to rescue Princess Zelda from Ganon. You attempt to collect pieces of the Triforce along the way, and travel through the dangers of Hyrule. Sounds simple enough, right?
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
The second Zelda was released a year later in the summer of 1988, and was based a bit off of the first game; but not too much. Many feel that this game was too far removed from what the original offered.
Your quest in this game is to waken Princess Zelda as she was put to sleep by an evil sorcerer. The Adventure of Link requires you to collect pieces of the Magic Crystal in order to gain admittance to the Great Palace, where Princess Zelda is being held.
A Link to the Past
After a slight wait, A Link to the Past was released in 1992 to great anticipation. This game was more closely related to the original, but added more worlds and adventures.
A Link to the Past was also released on Satellite Gaming Television which helped expand the growth of the game.
Your quest in this game is to once again take on Ganon who was freed by Agahnim. Your main goal is to put Ganon back into the Dark World, and of course rescue the Princess. Along the way, you need to get the help of the Seven Sages who can help to imprison Ganon.
Link’s Awakening
Once again the Zelda series took some time off, but in 1998 it was brought to the forefront once again. This game was released for the Game Boy handheld system.
This was the first Zelda game to be based outside of Hyrule.
Your quest in Link’s Awakening is to head out to sea, and navigate islands which contain eight instruments of the Sirens. Learning how to control your boat and take on the high sea can be a task in its own right!
Ocarina of Time
Shortly after Link’s Awakening the Ocarina of Time was released; in fact, this happened in the same year. This was the first Zelda game presented with 3D graphics. The Ocarina of Time was first known as Zelda 64, and really took the game to the next level.
Players noticed that the game was top notch, and so did the media. In fact, this has been voted the best Nintendo game ever.
In this installment, Link has been tricked by Ganondorf, and has assisted him to gain access to the Sacred Realm. He used this entrance to transform Hyrule into a wasteland. Link must get the help of his friends to restore the land.
Majora’s Mask
Majora’s Mask is considered by many to be the darkest version of the Zelda game series. There is a lot of destruction in death in Majora’s Mask. Once again, Zelda paved the way by making this a time based game of sorts.
Even though this game received mixed reviews, many people have fallen in love with it over the years.
Link has to save the people of Termina in this game. They are under the control of Majora’s Mask, and without his help they will all be destroyed within 72 hours by a large explosion of the moon.
Oracle of Ages / Oracle of Seasons
Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons were released at the same time because they were linked together. At the time this was quite unique, and leading up to the release nobody knew what to expect.
Although original plans called for a trilogy, designers decided to stick with a two game set instead.
In Oracle of Age, Links uses the Triforce to travel out of his comfort zone and to Labrynna. It is here that the Sorceress of Shadows had gained power to alter the course of history. Veran is in charge of Nayru, and is using the power to travel back in time.
In Oracle of Seasons, Link is sent to Holodrum. This is where he runs into Onox who has stirred up quite the storm and has also kidnapped the beautiful Din. Link is looked at to return Holodrum to the way that it used to be.
The Wind Waker
In 2002, The Wind Waker was released in Japan. A year later it was released to the rest of the world. More weather elements and the job of once again taking on the high seas made this game quite interesting.
As mentioned above, Link is once again out on the ocean taking on the elements. Only this time around he is searching for his sister who was kidnapped by a large bird. Plenty of puzzles and mysteries stand in Links way as he fights to find his sister.
Four Swords Adventure
In 2004/2005, the Four Swords Adventure was released, and was far removed from the original Zelda games of the past. This installment was the first multi player game, and there were 24 stages to conquer.
Many feel that the Four Swords Adventure was Links most dangerous mission. He is forced to split himself into four using the powers of the Four Sword. This leads to all four heroes attempting to hold down the evil terror of Vaati, the wind demon.
The Minish Cap
In late 2004 and early 2005, The Minish Cap was released on differing platforms. This Zelda game gave Link new powers such as the ability to explore new areas, and also shrink in size. There are two worlds to The Minish Cap. You can either play with Link at normal size, or you can shrink him down to a smaller version.
A new world was opened to Link in this installment, and it is full of adventure. The Minish Cap gives Link the power to shrink himself, and this gives him more abilities to get around than ever before. There are many battles and mysteries in this game.
Twilight Princess
The last release of the Zelda series was the Twilight Princess. This was one of the first games for the new Nintendo Wii gaming system. With a high tech remote control, this Zelda game has more functionality than those of the past. This game depicts a grown up Link attempting to save Hyrule from the Twilight Realm. Once entering the Realm, Link is transformed into a wolf. As you can imagine, this gives a different angle to the Zelda series.
Link is the only one who can save Hyrule from an evil power in the Twilight Princess installment of Zelda. After being transformed into a wolf, he heads off to save the land. He is accompanied by Midna, and uses his sword as well as his superior fighting skills to navigate the rough terrain.
Phantom Hourglass
The launch date of Phantom Hourglass has yet to be set, but many are already talking about it. It is safe to say that this installment of the Zelda game will use a dual screen set up as well as many more modern features.
In this game, Link is on the ocean once again, this time with Tetra and his pirate friends. When the two find an old abandon ship, both end up falling over board while exploring. Link is then washed up on a deserted island, and sets off to find Tetra with the help of a fairy.
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