Category: Ocarina of Time

Ocarina of Time’s “Serenade of Water” is a reflection on time’s changing and unending flow. Before playing the serenade for Link, Sheik says as much: “Time passes, people move…like a river’s flow, it never ends…the clear water’s surface reflects growth…” The following improvisation on and expansion of the piece illustrates just that. Kara Comparetto recently shared “Improv on Serenade of Water ~ Zelda: Ocarina of Time ~ Piano” on the Kara Comparetto Klips YouTube channel. Comparetto begins the piece with…

In our modern world, the music of a video game is significant, to say the least. It can bring you into a game or take you out of it. Often, it plays a fundamental role in the design and structure of a game, including the mechanics. Perhaps no other fanbase can affirm this importance more than those loyal to the Legend of Zelda series. For many, the quintessential example lies with Ocarina of Time. A new analysis video by Liam…

Animated videos depicting moments from video game history have allowed fans to recreate their memories using unique art styles and interpretive emotions to convey the experiences had. Sometimes, rather than a “factual” depiction of what happened in the game, the creator focuses on the potential internal experience had by the player, showing their feelings towards certain events and NPCs, or ways they may have wished to play the game. Enter Fela animations, and their recreation of some of the opening…

In the age of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, unconventional solutions to problem-solving are the name of the game. Director Hidemaro Fujibayashi told Game Informer in a 2023 interview that one of the goals in the development of the open world Zelda games was to create obstacles for the player where “there are many answers to a single problem, and all of them can potentially be correct.” So, the player will have a variety of tools…

Collecting is such a large part of Zelda (Rupees, Pieces of Heart, Empty Bottles, weapons, cooking ingredients, any number of dungeon/plot MacGuffins, etc.) that it’s pretty easy to see why so many Zelda fans extend the act of collecting into the real world. Nintendo itself has played directly into this, offering a variety of series memorabilia for purchase. This includes limited-edition consoles, amiibo, and Special, Master, and Collectors’ editions of games that come with artbooks, statues, and soundtracks. Aside from…

We are in the age of remasters and remakes. Just look at some of the movies and shows released in the past few months, or those slated for release later this year: Mean Girls, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Road House, and both the Ghostbusters and Planet of the Apes franchises all received or are receiving new remakes or reboots in just the first half of 2024, and the list goes on. Disney continues their mission of…

The internet loves a good hot take. All year round, whether you frequent Facebook, Reddit, Bluesky, or the website formerly known as Twitter, users are always ready to share their most controversial or contrarian opinions on just about any given topic. If an unpopular opinion would likely prompt an angry mob to point a dozen swords at your face or chain you in the center of crowded coliseum, you know that your average netizen will swiftly and smugly share it…

“The Man Who Sold the World”…”All Along the Watchtower”…”I Shot the Sheriff” They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but what happens when the imitation surpasses the original? The three songs just listed are more well-known by the artists who covered them (Nirvana, Jimi Hendrix Experience, and Eric Clapton, respectively) than the original composers (David Bowie, Bob Dylan, and Bob Marley). While this comparison of popularity may not translate when comparing covers of Zelda songs to their original versions,…

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…

It’s a logical leap for a franchise known for its intricate puzzles to have a series of complementary jigsaws. As someone who always has a puzzle on the table as a work-in-progress, I will eventually run out of Zelda-themed ones. Gorgeous designs from The OP Games/USAopoly, Winning Moves, and Ravensburger are only several makers known for making Zelda puzzle — this doesn’t even include the vast sea of fan-made jig-saws. Last year, USAopoly gave fans a stunning 1,000-piece Tears of…