Category: Skyward Sword

One of the most important aspects of the Zelda series is its music. Many fans can immediately recognize various melodies and leitmotifs from across the different games. Among video game franchises, the Zelda series is one of the most covered franchises, with various musicians translating the music into different genres and creating new arrangements of iconic songs. Whenever a musician or group of musicians uses their gifts to cover Zelda music, it is always a special treat. With this in…

With every new iteration in the franchise, the Zelda series finds some new way to innovate on itself. Some are smaller changes or developments, like Ocarina of Time to Majora’s Mask or Phantom Hourglass to Spirit Tracks. Others are huge sweeping changes, like the N64 era to The Wind Waker, or Skyward Sword to Breath of the Wild. While many of the fundamentals remain the same from entry to entry, the games still find ways to make themselves unique and…

It finally arrived in the mail today! My Figma EX32 Link action figure from The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds by the Good Smile Company. This toy perfectly captures that Super Nintendo era Link we all know and love, as if he jumped out from the booklet. Admiring this masterpiece, and debating whether to take it out of the box or not, I knew right then and there that it was now my favorite piece of The Legend…

Upon its 2011 Wii release, the most striking element of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword was the use of 1:1 motion controls to manipulate Link’s sword and other objects. This was a fairly controversial decision, and despite the system’s far-from-perfect consistency, the unique controls undoubtedly lend Skyward Sword an air of singularity that separates it from other Zelda titles. When creating Skyward Sword HD, Australia-based developer Tantalus had two goals: improve the quality of the game’s motion controls, and make the game more accessible…

For a series entitled The Legend of Zelda, it’s interesting that a handful of its games don’t feature the titular princess in a prominent way. Although later installments like Breath of the Wild and Skyward Sword include her more, focusing on her character development, strength, and role in Hyrule, it’s notable that Princess Zelda is hardly even mentioned in some titles! For example, I have always found it odd that Majora’s Mask is considered a Zelda game when it has almost nothing to do…

In times of trouble, it helps to have inspirational figures to look up to and emulate. “We Can Do It!” posters featuring a now iconic American female factory worker showing off her strength (commonly dubbed “Rosie the Riveter” given her association with pop-culture characterizations emerging in music and art during the time period) have been repurposed ever since World War II to help people feel empowered to tackle tough challenges and rally around common causes. It was even frequently reimagined…

Despite the iconic green tunic (that is until 2017’s Breath of the Wild), Link has sported many different looks throughout the years in The Legend of Zelda. He might always have the same overall pointy ears and shaggy hair, but his facial features, overall physique, and renditions of his tunic have undergone many different styles. Which brings us to the controversial question: Which one looks the best? Which incarnation of Link is your favorite? Honestly, for me, it’s hard to…

As spring begins to give way to summer, the blossoms turn to leaves, the temperatures get warmer, and I continue to hope that the waves of pollen swamping my region will soon subside. I find myself taking more time to walk around my backyard and take in the sounds and sights of nature. I love seeing the wind tousle the treetops and the brightness of the local greenery. Despite being an avid fan of cozy dark winter nights, I love…

A good or bad gimmick can elevate or detract from a game, and the Zelda series is unique in that every single game has a distinct, unique gimmick associated with it that makes them ripe for examination! This week, we’re diving in and discussing what’s worked and what needed improvement over the years with Zelda gimmicks; Dual worlds are a favorite staple, but maybe stylus or motion controls weren’t for everybody. Transforming via masks was likewise awesome, so why did…

Pigminted, a wooden carving shop we previously covered in 2018, has plenty to show for the past four years. The Indiana-based Etsy shop, which has been around since 2016, specializes in carving iconic gaming cartridges, cases, and consoles into wood. For example, this Minish Cap carving features Link and fellow Picori NPCs almost popping out of a Game Boy Advance. Adorable! Pigminted has also done similar carvings for Zelda games such as Twilight Princess, The Wind Waker, and Skyward Sword, to…