Have you ever been playing a video game and wish that you could be in the game yourself, or own part of a character’s outfit or the like? I know that I have! Since playing my very first Zelda game when I was a kid, I have always wanted my very own Master Sword. Over the last few years, I toyed with buying a plastic sword off of Amazon, ordering a nice forged sword from Etsy, or going through the…
Welcome… to Fall Brawl! Summer is over, but don’t fret: for the third year, the Fall Brawl Character Contest is back. 2019 saw Midna take home the top prize. 2020 saw Skull Kid squeak out a thrilling last minute victory. 2021 had Sheik dominating the field. This year, the field is wide open and a NEW Champion will be crowned. The premise is simple: 64 characters enter, and in a spin on a regular NCAA-style tournament, these characters compete in matches throughout the bracket…
When developing the original Legend of Zelda game for the Nintendo Entertainment System, series creator Shigeru Miyamoto reportedly found inspiration in his childhood memories of exploring fields, forests, and caves in and around Kyoto, Japan. The child-like wonderment of exploration that such memories represent has continued to inform every other game in the Zelda series, and its universal message has connected with generations of fans all over the world. No member of the Zelda Dungeon staff can claim to have…
When it launched back in 2017 for the Nintendo Switch, Blossom Tales: The Sleeping King quickly became one of my favorite titles of the year. There was something about it that, in a year full of reinvention and new concepts for Zelda with Breath of the Wild, felt so familiar and charming to me. Nostalgic even. This was an adventure that wore its inspiration on its sleeve and fit right in with the classic 2D, top-down Zelda games of years…
Warning: This article contains some spoilers for Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity and Breath of the Wild. Across all mediums, thoughtful artists, writers, and designers are always looking to other projects to inspire and challenge them. In some ways, Breath of the Wild was a thoughtful reaction to the evolving gaming landscape, a landscape where wide open worlds with endless hours of content have become a key part of many big-budget games. Going full circle, Breath of the Wild has…
Power, Wisdom, Courage — these three virtues of the Triforce establish what it means to be a true hero in the land of Hyrule. But to become worthy of them, specifically the Triforce of Courage, Link often has to bravely face many hardships and trials to prove himself. This particular side of the Sacred Triangles has always been my favorite of the three pieces, ever since I was little. I used to think I liked it so much because it’s…
Welcome to another installment of Inspired By Zelda, the series of articles looking at games new and old that take inspiration and create a foundation based on some of the classic Zelda titles we know and love. Our aim is to spotlight the games that Zelda fans might enjoy adding to their catalog. Up today is Ocean’s Heart by solo developer Max Mraz and published by Nordcurrent Labs, available on Nintendo Switch and PC. Released for PC in 2021 and…
Magic: The Gathering is one of the most popular games in the world. The long-running table-top card game, which started in 1993, has a huge global community that show out for every new expansion and product launch. One of the beauties of MTG lies is the game’s flexibility. With almost thirty years worth of cards, players can build decks based around any number of ideas and themes. This makes deck-making a manifestation of a player’s personality, playstyles, and interests. Players…
Feeling inadequate. Always faltering, failing, falling. You give it everything you have, but it’s never enough. Like all the potential in the world should somehow be in the palm of your hand, yet you just… can’t… grasp… it. No matter how hard you try, you can’t seem to do anything right. I know this is a feeling many have felt. I know this is something many deal with on a daily basis. I know that I am not alone. But……
To me, The Legend of Zelda has always been a series of dungeon-crawling headscratchers rather than combat-focused action games. Except for the franchise’s earliest entries, figuring out what one is supposed to do is usually the primary challenge; the actual execution is often trivial. Whether it’s a specific puzzle, the layout of a dungeon, or a sequence of actions that need to be performed, the Zelda series has consistently delivered brainteasers that are both creative and memorable. What has often…
