GAME QUEST

After two weeks with Ocarina of Time, I can’t stop thinking about it.

How? How could I have made it this far in my gaming career without playing this game?

Mostly, I’m having a blast seeing how the game transforms the all-star formula of A Link to the Past into 3D. For all intents and purposes, this is the same exact game. Collect these three things. Find items to unlock more secrets and even more items. Mid-game twist that lets you flip between two versions of the same world. Collect even more things.

Yet despite following the same blueprint as its predecessor, I’m impressed at how fresh and surprising it all still feels. I say this as someone who played A Link to the Past not too long ago. I don’t know if it’s inherently because of the 3D world or if it’s because I feel like no other modern series that I’ve played follows this formula (or does it as well). This game absolutely holds up, probably no doubt thanks to the help of the 3DS makeover. I wonder if I played other entries first and then tried to go back if I would be as impressed.

Part of the fun in playing this right after A Link to the Past is seeing how they brought 2D mechanics into a 3D space. The hookshot in particular is fun to play with, as hunting around for grapple points in a 3D environment feels like the way the tool was always intended to be used. Other new additions like the Lens of Truth make good use of the space as well (Shadow Temple be damned). It’s great to see such an aggressive take on movement and travel throughout a 3D space.

There’s something about playing these early 3D games that really excites me. I think it’s because I enjoy not only seeing how developers were learning to use the added dimension, but also how to do so creatively. There are puzzles that utilize a day-night cycle combined with shooting a target in a 3D space that feels like it should have blown people’s minds back in the day. There’s so, so much room for exploration and experimentation thanks to the new hardware and the game takes advantage of it every time.

Hell, for all the shit the Water Temple has gotten over the years, the pure verticality of it all is still rather stunning. Even without the extra assistance the 3DS version provides (a little icon next to each Triforce symbol that tells you what level the water will be raised to), it feels fairly intuitive that the levels correspond to how far up the temple you are. This part of the game was definitely a highlight for me so far, something that I’m sure I can attribute to easier item management for putting the boots on, as well as the ability to run underwater. Both were luxuries unavailable for the N64 version. To answer my question from last week, fuck frustration for the sake of mutual commiseration. I had a lot of fun exploring that temple.

And the music. I absolutely suffered from Zelda theme music fatigue without even playing a single game. I thought it was rather dull, overrated, and overplayed. But within the game, the soundtrack is downright magical. The tinkling melody of the ocarina as the sun rises. The stirring Hyrule Field music that draws me into an adventure the likes of which I haven’t heard since Pokemon. The subtle, relaxing music in Zora’s Domain. I can feel the game forging nostalgia from the music alone as I play it. I can’t wait to start exploring alternate renditions on YouTube when I’m finished.

All in all, I’m starting to see why Zelda fans are so excited about the series. A Link to the Past was great, but there’s something about Ocarina of Time that feels extra special. It combines an immersive environment with beautiful, sometimes haunting designs (lookin’ at you, Bongo Bongo). It’s a lot less generic than I feared the series was going to be. Graphic t-shirts and shitty Triforce tattoos aside, the praise for the series is well earned. It’s just good game design. I’m excited to finish my journey and move on to Majora’s Mask. 

Stray thoughts:

• Favorite temple so far is probably the Water Temple. Wasn’t that crazy about the Fire Temple or Shadow Temple.
• On that note, I made it halfway through the latter before realizing I needed the Lens of Truth first. What a rookie mistake.
• I spent a lot of time with a guide during A Link to the Past, mostly to make sure I had enough heart pieces. I’ve only referred to a guide when I’ve been stuck on something for more than an hour with Ocarina and the gameplay experience is a lot better. I’ll probably do a longer post on the dangers and pleasures of using guides.
• I thought the game would rely on flipping back and forth between young and adult Link more to solve puzzles, but this seems mostly relegated to side stuff. I’m mostly fine with this, as switching between the two isn’t as quick as I’d like.
• In regards to my control issues, from last time, I think I sorted it all out. It was helpful that I can have the L button just toggle targeting without me holding it down.