Even after 35 years of slaying Bokoblins, Darknuts, and demonic pig beasts, today’s games continue to provide a Link to the past with the likes of Breath of the Wild looking back to the game that started it all the way back in 1986, The Legend of Zelda (NES). What started as a project for the Famicom Disk System – an NES add-on that never left Japan – went on to spawn what would become a legendary series to live up to its legendary name. The Legend of Zelda evolved the notion of exploration in gaming beyond the limited and simplistic game design that came before, creating a rebirth for adventure-based gameplay in video games that captured the imagination of fantasy gamers in snazzy gold cartridges, and still manages to compel gamers to uncover Hyrule Kingdom’s long forgotten secrets…
Link has since explored the fields of Hyrule countless times, saved Termina from the mischievous Skull Kid, travelled the sea, sky and time itself, and banished Ganon more times than Dracula in the Hammer movies (seriously, just give it up already), having appeared on every Nintendo system to date. As well as the Philips CDI, but we don’t need to talk about that. Ever. “Whether skyward bound, adrift in time, or steeped in the glowing embers of twilight,” the adventures of Link are considered by many to be among the best experiences in gaming of all-time. And I’d be remiss not to mention the gem that is Freshly-Picked Tingle’s Rosy Rupeeland: who could forget about Tingle, the ultimate Link fanboy? As February 21st, 2021 marked the 35th anniversary of Shigeru Miyamoto’s gaming phenomenon, The Legend of Zelda, we are reminded of how iconic and influential that cartridge has become and how well it holds up!
Where later entries begin with the Hero of Hyrule waking up or falling out of bed and answering the call to adventure that all tunic-wearing fantasy protagonists must heed, The Legend of Zelda’s first screen starts you right outside a cave, with little-to-no direction. Walk across or up to one of the surrounding areas, and you’ll be met with Ganon’s minions without a sword, only to meet a prompt demise. In a moment that is now undoubtedly iconic and meme-worthy, upon entering the cave ahead of you, you’ll be greeted by an old man – who seems oddly eager to give you, a stranger intruding in his cozy hovel, his sword – coining the phrase: “it’s dangerous to go alone! Take this.”
And with that, Link’s quest begins, scouring the land to find eight dungeons, each filled with Moblins, Keese, a boss, and a slick beat to inspire Link’s appetite for exploration, before finding the lair of the dastardly demon, Ganon. It’s thanks to the simplicity of its story that The Legend of Zelda is so easy to pick up and play for veteran Hylians and newbies alike, dropping you straight into the action. Albeit in a bright green tunic with no sword. Or Rupees.
Likewise, Breath of the Wild throws – nay, hurls players headfirst into the deep end as soon as Link wakes up in the Chamber of Resurrection after his 100-year long nap. Bit of an over-sleeper, apparently. While Hyrule – decimated at this point by Calamity Ganon – is initially restricted to the fairly sizeable Great Plateau, when you are let out into the wild, it was praised as a breath of fresh air as the rest of the kingdom opens up. Somewhat ironic given that you can see how much it evolved ideas of non-linear exploration directly from The Legend of Zelda. Curiously, the game’s physics – which took the longest to design and integrate – were tested through a 2D pixel rendition which looks shockingly like the original NES title: maybe it’ll be released as a fun de-make in the future?
The main bulk of The Legend of Zelda will have you searching every nook and cranny for hidden items, dungeon entrances, strange elderly inhabitants with cryptic messages, and shops. Why they are hidden remains a mystery: they can’t be making many Rupees hiding behind a wall that needs to be bombed first, surely? And of course, with your sword in hand, you’ll be slashing away at Ganon’s devious delinquents, finding new gear to help you on your travels, including a bow-and-arrow, Magical Sword (not the fabled Master Sword), and a flute that can whisk you away across the map. It’s impressive how well the game holds up today, with mechanics that continue to influence game design.
Equally influential, Link’s Peter Pan cosplay, with his iconic green tunic and hat have stood the test of time, as instantly recognisable as Mario’s swanky cap and overalls, or Lara Croft’s badass, rugged mountain climber gear. Before Breath of the Wild’s new blue duds, very little about Link’s look changed since his original NES appearance. Besides going from a big, bold cartoon eyes chibi character to a realistic, moody, Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings ranger who can transform into a wolf, that is. Even Hyrule itself, though the geography changes slightly from game to game, always feels consistent, becoming a character unto itself, with familiar landmarks such as Death Mountain appearing way back in 1986 and frequently making an appearance since.
Exploring Hyrule is still a joy, and has been in each iteration, with each screen of the original managing to stand out as unique and memorable, which helps when navigating the vast land, even without a detailed in-game map to check. Something the likes of Metroid II on Game Boy has been criticised for over the years, though that’s also largely due to its monochromatic screen. Finding caves and items hidden in the overworld, from secret bomb-able walls to trees that turn Link into a pyromaniac, has found its way into Zelda games since, and can be seen in the likes of Metroid and future Metroidvania’s. It’s a mechanic that serves to heighten the all-consuming sensation of adventure and exploration that permeates throughout the mysterious kingdom of Hyrule and has become a staple in game design.
That charming 8-bit world of The Legend of Zelda is infested by some recurring series creatures, from Moblins and Like-Like’s, who are contrarily not very likeable when you come across them, to bats and snakes. Sorry, “Keese” and “Ropes”: the latter name continues to baffle me. Does that mean ropes in Hyrule are venomous reptiles? Like Link himself, named for the way he “links” the player to the world of Hyrule as a silent protagonist, the designs for most of these enemies have stayed consistent throughout Hyrule’s history and every bit, whether 8 or 16, as memorable as our beloved hero.
But besides green tunics, annoying fairies, dungeons, temples, and nightmarish, mentally scarring undead who hug Link from behind, when we think about The Legend of Zelda franchise, we of course recall the epic scores that accompanied our journeys through Death Mountain, Kokiri Forest, across the plains of Hyrule Field, or while buying potions from the bopping shop keepers in Castle Town. Kōji Kondō’s score from The Legend of Zelda continues to find itself in even the newest entries in the franchise, introducing us to the iconic Overworld theme as well as Item and Secret jingles. Though a personal favourite which truly captures the mood of exploring a dark dingy dungeon, inhabited by Hyrule’s grimmest and grossest – naturally including a triceratops – would be the Dungeon theme. Kōji Kondō’s history with Nintendo has introduced us to some of the most iconic scores in video games, including Super Mario Bros., and who could possibly forget the score to… NES Soccer. The Legend of Zelda, whether through the bloops and bleeps of NES 8-bit sound chips or fully orchestrated with strings and keys, has to be up there as having one of the most iconic soundtracks in video games.
Thankfully when you’re out of Hyrule fields to explore, defeated Termina’s falling moon, awoken the Wind Fish, or finished slaying hordes of Bokoblins and Lizalfos by the thousands, there’s still plenty of Zelda-esque worlds to dive into. Like the creatively dubbed Metroidvania spawning from the complex designs of Metroid and Castlevania, exploring fantasy lands, slaying orc-like beasts, conquering dungeons and temples, and besting horrific bosses with giant “shoot me here” eyeball weak-spots continue the legacy of The Legend of Zelda, while adapt and develop some of its influential ideas to create unique experiences.
The likes of Crusader of Centy, Hob, Blossom Tales, Ittle Dew or even 3D Dot Game Heroes turn back to the 2D pixel roots from the NES and SNES era, flooding the indie scene with retro-throwback experiences that have exploded in popularity in recent years. Though for those more invested in 3D open world gaming experiences, Horizon Zero Dawn (PS4) will likely appeal to Breath of the Wild fans, which in itself can be traced way back to the original 1986 The Legend of Zelda, showing how 35 years later that NES experience continues to serve a pivotal role in game design.
