Author: Sean Gadus

Nintendo has a rich legacy, and the company has seen periods of tremendous success throughout its history. The company’s creativity has sparked countless innovations in hardware and software that have changed the gaming landscape. For example, games like Donkey Kong, Super Metroid, Super Mario 64, and Wii Sports have had a tremendous impact on how developers and fans understand video games. That being said, Nintendo’s history is also littered with wrong turns and frustrating decisions as well. Nintendo has notoriously…

Like many things in life, tastes and habits change over time. Whether it is books, movies, visual arts, or video games, people’s interests and opinions about different topics transform as they age. While some core interests may remain consistent throughout a person’s life, other interests may come in and out of focus as the years pass. With the Zelda series spanning nearly forty years, many of its devoted fans have gone through significant life changes as they follow the series….

One of the key recurring events in the video game industry is The Game Developers Conference. GDC is a yearly conference that brings together programmers, artists, producers, game designers, audio professionals, business leaders, and journalists to foster community and showcase innovation. In addition to the various expos, lectures, and panels, the conference has its own set of awards (The Game Developers Choice Awards). GDC 2024 will take place in San Francisco from March 18th to March 24th. In a recent…

Analyzing the different worlds depicted in the Zelda series is a very interesting exercise. In addition to the many different versions of Hyrule presented to players over the past thirty-five years, players have been on journeys to Holodrum, Labrynna, Termina, Koholint Island, and The Great Sea. While there have been some Zelda sequels in the past, the developers of Tears of the Kingdom made the unusual decision to set the game in an expanded version of Hyrule from Breath of…

Pieces of Heart have been a staple of the Zelda series since they debuted in 1992’s A Link To The Past (full Heart Containers were available in the first Zelda game). Outside of Heart Containers, Pieces of Heart were the only way for the player to increase Link’s health. For the majority of the Zelda series’ history, players have been required to collect 4 Pieces of Heart to upgrade their health; Twilight Princess deviated from this format by requiring 5…

In its long and storied history, the Zelda series has gone through a lot of changes in gameplay, world structure, story design, and presentation. While Zelda games generally build off of ideas in their predecessors, most games also include new mechanics and design concepts in order to keep the experience fresh or push the series forward. While these new mechanics or design ideas are usually well-received by fans and critics, not every player connects with every mechanic. Some mechanics or…

While Zelda film, television and streaming projects have been rumored for years, the announcement of a Zelda film project on November 7, 2023, was a huge moment for the Zelda community. The announcement from Nintendo included several surprises. First, the film will be co-financed by Sony Pictures Entertainment, which shares a parent company with Nintendo competitor Sony Interactive Entertainment. Second, the Zelda film will be live-action rather than animated. This came as a surprise for many Nintendo fans who noticed the…

While The Depths was a relatively underwhelming part of Tears of the Kingdom for me, the area’s role in the final section of Tears of the Kingdom‘s main quest was very satisfying. In order to confront Ganondorf and save Hyrule, Link must delve deep into The Depths to reach Gloom’s Lair. From there, Link and the sages engage in a thrilling battle against a series of enemy hordes before confronting Ganondorf. Overall, the difficulty of the battles against the horde,…

Music is a crucial part of the identify of the Zelda series. From the beginning, the iconic music and memorable sound effects have helped elevate the series above many other fantasy and adventure games. With the music from the Zelda series being so beloved, the movie has a lot to live up to. Some of the biggest questions about the upcoming Zelda film project are related to the film’s music. Two of the biggest questions are who will compose the…

One of the elements that defines Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom is the two games’ focus on ancient but advanced technology. In these two Zelda games, many of Link’s abilities come from harnessing technology like the Sheikah Slate, Purah Pad, and Zonai Devices. Although magic and other fantasy elements still play a part in these two games, technology has a large focus in the plot and gameplay mechanics.  For example, enemies like constructs and guardians are…