Category: Daily Debate

Time travel is tricky. It’s rough, it’s course, and it gives us multiple timelines. But for all its problems, time travel was one of the more interesting facets of one of the best Zelda games ever. Whether Link was being sealed in the Temple of Light for seven years or using the Master Sword to travel to and from the past, time has been an important concept and integral component of Ocarina of Time. Which is odd considering that you really only…

So far, one of my favorite additions to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is the recently announced Spirits system. Through this, hundreds of Nintendo characters — both popular and obscure — can lend their strength to the game’s massive fighting roster. Some can be equipped to increase a fighter’s attack power, while others grant special abilities such as falling immunity and starting the battle with a particular item. Spirits are looking to be not only a terrific way to represent seemingly every…

Breath of the Wild represented a new milestone for the Zelda series with the addition of proper voice acting. As charming as the basic grunts and unintelligible speech of characters such as Midna and Fi are, it was refreshing to see the series experiment with traditional performances — even if it was restricted to only a handful of characters. Baby steps, people. Like I said, there’s something inherently endearing about Zelda’s approach to voice acting in games past. That said,…

Of all the tribes in the Zelda series, there is one in particular that I feel should get more recognition that it actually receives and that tribe is the Kokiri. The Kokiri Forest was home to Link in Ocarina of Time and this was the only era that it’s tribe were seen in their human child-like form before evolving into Koroks during the time of The Wind Waker and Breath of the Wild. When Link defeated Ganondorf during the events of Ocarina of Time, the end…

The fantasy genre is a diverse and vibrant area of literature. Thousands of authors have published stunning and imaginative stories. Any of those could possibly influence current and future film, television, and other literature. Within The Legend of Zelda series, one can see the influence of the classic play and story Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie, whose title character clearly influenced another famous green clad hero. The influence of other properties is an essential part of all creation. All…

Magic takes many forms in the world of fiction both subtle and overt. The same goes for magic in the Zelda series. It’s ever present, but not always visible. From the creation of the Triforce and the land of Hyrule to spells like Din’s Fire, magic can be both powerful and useful. In most games, Link eventually gains access to some type of magical abilities like charging his sword with power or even invoking the strength of nature using the Wind Waker….

Since his introduction in Ocarina of Time, Ganondorf has been a huge part of The Legend of Zelda mythos. This name is usually reserved for the human form of the primary villain, while Ganon is used for the more monstrous form of the character. Ganondorf is depicted as a powerful sorcerer, a dangerous warrior, and a cunning enemy. Most notably, Ganondorf has always existed in direct opposition to our hero, an ultimate ordeal to be conquered. With this in mind,…

The sword and shield are fantasy gospel. It’s hard to think of two components of the genre that are more closely linked. The offensive qualities of the sword, designed for speed and attack, are thematically complemented by the protection and stability of the sturdy shield. Together, the two items provide a balanced combat style perfect for a hero! Throughout The Legend of Zelda‘s long history, the design and emblems featured on shields have changed drastically over time. The original shield…

The Megaton Hammer is one of my favorite items from Ocarina of Time. The Megaton Hammer is the main item retrieved from the Fire Temple and was historically used by the Gorons in a previous bout with Volvagia. It’s a simple but effective weapon that’s effective against both Volvagia and Shadow Link, and it’s also responsible for why I think the final battle with Ganon is very impressive. Having lost the Master Sword, Link has to rely on his other…

During the most recent Nintendo Direct, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate director Masahiro Sakurai broke the seal on utterly random characters being added to the game’s roster. While the Duck Hunt dog and Mr. Game & Watch were definitely weird choices in years past, the Direct’s one-two punch of Incineroar and Piranha Plant seemed to bring out-there Smash Bros. additions to a new level. So, with the door now fully open for strange, random, or outrageous fighters being added to Smash,…