Daily Debate: What Makes The Legend of Zelda Series Special to You?
Posted on February 01 2019 by Sean Gadus
The Legend of Zelda is one of the most prolific and iconic video game series in history. Since the introduction of Link in 1986, Nintendo’s fantasy franchise has accumulated critical and fan praise across the decades, spawning a legion of devoted fans.
The series is the reason I play video games and that got me thinking about what makes the series so special. The fantasy genre is a favorite of many video game fans, as is the action-adventure genre, so the setting and concepts within it are not necessarily fresh. Despite this, The Legend of Zelda series stands distinct and separate from the rest.
For me, what makes The Legend of Zelda special is its fusion of diverse elements. It combines elements of western high fantasy with eastern mythology. For example, how many other games include European style castles and eastern dragons like in Breath of the Wild? The game balances the action of combat with exploratory elements and diverse puzzles. The franchise is an incredible melding of elements and ideas, blended together by some of the best developers in history.
What makes the Zelda franchise special to you? Let us know in the comments below!
Sean Gadus is a Senior Editor at Zelda Dungeon. His first Zelda game was Ocarina of Time, and he loves all of the 3D Zelda games from 1998-2011. He is currently playing Witcher 3: Wild Hunt for the first time (what an amazing game!). He wants to help build a kinder, more compassionate world. You can check out his other written work at The-Artifice.com.
