Author: Jared Eubanks

When the release of Skyward Sword HD was announced, it was pitched as solving the controls issue that plagued the original Wii version and had held back an otherwise masterpiece in the Zelda saga. Motion controls were retained and improved with the Joy Con controllers, but most importantly button controls were introduced for those who preferred a more traditional control scheme, or were playing in handheld mode. The movement of Link’s sword was mapped onto the right stick allowing for…

Adding that perfect touch to your Zelda collection on display can be challenging. How do you pay homage to your favorite games or characters in ways that are both unique and aesthetically pleasing? What are the best eye-catching and yet subtle items for conveying your fandom to guests in your home? This is a great niche for Etsy creators to fill with hand-crafted creations which incorporate iconography from the Legend of Zelda series. My personal favorite Zelda game is Breath…

Games Done Quick (GDQ), which speedruns games in marathon format for charity, has released its list of games to be featured in the upcoming Summer Games Done Quick 2024 (SGDQ) week-long event. This includes three Zelda titles: A Link to the Past, Ocarina of Time, and Twilight Princess. The marathon will take place from June 30th through July 6th in Minneapolis, and it will be streamed live on Twitch. GDQ states on its website that it has raised over $45…

In the Legend of Zelda series, a handful of towns make appearances in multiple games, with each version having its own unique aesthetic and charm. Hyrule Castle is a commonly occurring location in Zelda, but the adjacent Castle Town doesn’t always appear with it. When it does, it is often a market square for buying goods, a hub connecting multiple key regions, and/or filled with non-playable characters (NPCs) for mini-games, side quests, or informants advancing the game’s narrative. In my…

In the Disney+ TV series Boba Fett, an intimate look into the culture and traditions of the Sand People was given through the eyes of the titular bounty hunter. The story writers reshaped the narrative around a race of nomads thought to be uneducated, uncivilized, and savage based on their presentations in the previous Star Wars movies. However, Boba Fett, after being welcomed into their society (though after a bit of a rocky start), comes to see how these wandering…

Nostalgia is a powerful emotion for gamers. If you grew up playing games as a kid, there’s a certain connection you’ll always have to the titles and consoles of your youth. It’s not just the memories of the specific games, but also the specific sounds and tactile feelings from the console, the controller, and other aspects of the hardware. Maybe it’s the distinct click when inserting the cartridge, the experience of pushing the power button or switch, the feel of…

Since the Super Smash Bros. series started back in 1999 on the N64, The Legend of Zelda has been an integral part of the games. In the subsequent installments on every Nintendo console generation since then (plus the 3DS handheld), additions of various forms paying tribute to The Legend of Zelda saga have been integrated to widen and deepen the experience of fans. Super Smash Bros. Melee for the GameCube saw the inclusion of three more fighters with the combo…

Multiplayer games can be an immense amount of fun, but they can also present their own unique challenges. One of the challenges that game developers have to plan around is the potential for a wide range of skill levels among those who are playing together. When players are all experienced gamers and near similar skill levels, puzzles or bosses that revolve around precision timing and high levels of cooperation can be exhilarating to defeat. However, when a wide range of…

Are you a recent Zelda fan who arrived during the Switch generation and are interested in playing through the full catalog? Are you a veteran Zelda fan who is tired of dusting off that old system to play your favorite Zelda game one more time? Regardless of when you found The Legend of Zelda, I think we can all see the value in having the complete saga on Switch so that it is both accessible and convenient for recent and…

If you ask Zelda fans what their favorite game in the series is, you’ll find that many pick the first Zelda game that they completed. My first Zelda game was Breath of the Wild in 2017, despite me being in my early 30s at the time and a gamer since childhood. Though I never experienced Zelda as a kid, I have a son who is eight years old and a big Zelda fan. He loves reading the Hyrule Historia trilogy…