We’ve all been there — a frustratingly hard dungeon you’ve spent hours in and still can’t seem to get anywhere. The repetition of the music, the feeling like you’re lost in the woods, walking in circles… it’s maddening. You’ve exhausted yourself, tried everything you can think of and then again for good measure, but you just can’t solve that puzzle, find that item. Finally you cave, and look up a guide. So much for completing that without aid, right? And…
Just imagine. It’s the late 90’s, and you’re just a kid playing through your first ever Zelda game — Ocarina of Time — on the Nintendo 64. For the most part, things haven’t been too difficult! You’ve conquered The Great Deku Tree, snuck past the guards at Hyrule Castle to meet Princess Zelda, received the Goron’s Ruby, and painstakingly carried Princess Ruto through the disgusting depths of Lord Jabu Jabu. And here you are — ready for the next big…
For all my talk of Ocarina of Time being an overrated Zelda game, it’s definitely not without good qualities. The most prominent one that comes to my mind is versatility. Not only has the 1998 title stood the test of time by remaining an accessible and playable classic to this day, it makes a fantastic canvas for randomizers and various modded versions. Vidya James, a Zeldathon member and Twitch streamer, recently showcased a version of Ocarina of Time where young…
We all remember the first time we guided Link to that location in that game and embarked on conquering that dungeon. For some, it’s hookshotting to the top of the broken steps and entering the Forest Temple. For others, it’s being fired from a canon and landing atop the City in the Sky. And for others still, it’s hefting the statue before the Ice Palace. Each of these temples features one theme; be it forest, sky, or ice, these themes…
Hey there, Zelda fans! I hope you’re enjoying Dungeon Week so far! As promised, our talented writing staff will be highlighting the Zelda series’ biggest and best dungeons all week long. And, of course, our weekly Caption Contest is part of the festivities too! In fact, our special Dungeon Week contest is here to spotlight one of the only living, breathing dungeons in the Zelda series. Our Last Contest: We received so many fantastic entries in our last contest….
I am a Zelda dungeon fanatic (both in terms of in-game dungeons and this glorious website where we currently reside). Few things bring me as much joy as a good dungeon full of whimsical puzzles and memorable baddies do. However, there are some dungeons in the Zelda series that not only made me scratch my head, but almost made me rage-quit a few times during my first playthrough. Being difficult doesn’t mean that these dungeons were bad, but good heavens,…
The Zelda series is filled with tons of awe-inspiring dungeons to explore and conquer. But what makes a dungeon worthy of the top tier? What makes it memorable and enjoyable, and just plain good? In my own experience, I’ve always wondered if it’s the overall theme of a dungeon that makes it memorable. Each game in the series usually has a plethora of themed dungeons that range from desert, to lava, to water (everyone’s favorite, right?). I feel like a…
What makes a satisfying dungeon is a great question for Zelda fans to discuss. This is a complex discussion because the elements that make a great early dungeon and the elements that make a great late-game dungeon are quite different. The early dungeons in Zelda games are often designed to teach the player the language of puzzle solving and to serve as tutorials for how to navigate a complex collection of rooms and floors. Yes, these early dungeons still need…
From the very start of the series, dungeons have been intrinsic to the identity of The Legend of Zelda. Whether they be levels, palaces, temples, cisterns, or Divine Beasts, these structures are in many ways collectively a crucial ingredient of the whole Zelda franchise. These areas, more than any other, sell the heroism, adventure, fantasy, and sense of discovery for which we come to Zelda again and again. “Dungeon” is in the name of this website for a reason, after…
Get your headphones in, because this week, we’re taking a musical journey throughout the history of the Zelda series to rank and discuss every games main theme! We go back and find what works, what doesn’t, which games were short-changed, and which themes we would consider the best of all time. We’re playing every theme in the series, so sit back and groove out to the amazing music of the series. Don’t forget to let us know which main theme…
