Classic Official Art from A Link to the Past Transformed into Amazing Animation
Posted on January 21 2023 by David Lasby
Parker Simmons, the creator of Cartoon Network’s Mao Mao: Heroes of Pure Heart, recently tweeted out samples of his latest project; the news has Zelda fans everywhere dreaming of what’s possible. Simmons has brought to life classic artwork from The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, transforming these images into incredible animations.
Simmons, a longtime fan of video games and of Zelda in particular, first began tweeting about the project in early January, when he shared out an animation of Link holding one of the Crystals containing a Maiden. Simmons noted that he “had a lot of fun figuring out how to translate” the classic art into animation via the software Adobe Animate. Simmons has now posted three distinct animation shorts from A Link to the Past: the Crystal Maiden, Link exploring a dungeon, and Link battling a Stalfos Knight (seen below). He is also finishing up a fourth animation, with Link battling a Geldman, which should be available soon.
Link vs Stalfos from The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past manual artwork. Brought to life by yours truly. pic.twitter.com/YPm5C2vN2m
— Parker Simmons (@parkerrsimmons) January 12, 2023
Interestingly, the original image from which Simmons drew inspriation for this Stalfos Knight battle animation was not actually included in the original A Link to the Past instruction booklet. The image instead comes from The Legend of Zelda Art and Artifacts, which was published by Dark Horse Comics in 2017.
Of course, the desire to see The Legend of Zelda given another chance as an animated series is not new. Many lament the 1980s adaptation and believe today’s environment is the right time to try again. As recently as 2021, an editor from Powerhouse Animation Studios, the company that created the highly successful Castlevania Netflix adaptation, expressed hope for such a revival.
Tell us what you think! Does this make you think an animated Zelda production could be successful? Which game would you like to see developed for such an animated series? Share your reactions in the comments below.
Source: Parker Simmons (via Nintendo Life)
I’m a life-long fan of video games and have been playing since I got my NES in the 1980s. The Legend of Zelda, Super Smash Bros., Aliens, and Halo are some of my favorite game franchises. I write for several sites, including Zelda Dungeon, Boss Rush Network, and The Mighty. Find me on Twitter to check out my other content!
