Blast From the Past – Development of Zelda 64

Posted on June 05 2011 by Nathanial Rumphol-Janc

Blast From the Past, a weekly feature exploring exclusive never-before-seen content from all your favorite games!

Ah, Ocarina of Time… Remember when the entire game took place in a Mario-esque castle? How about when the medallions were equippable? When Navi didn’t exist and a girl named Aria guided you around? Or when you used a reed to call Epona? No? Oh! This week, in anticipation of OoT 3D’s release, we take a look at drastic changes that took place during the original game’s 4 year development. From the tech demo to the final release, we follow OoT through its many transformations.

1995

The world’s first look at a 3D Zelda. The game was built on a modified Super Mario 64 engine, evidenced in this early footage of a cartoony Link.

1996

One of the initial exercises by the developers to practice creating a 3D Zelda was to remake the first dungeon from the first Zelda game.

In this dungeon, naturally, Link could find the Triforce.

1997

Zelda 64’s initial button configuration used A for attack and B for equipping items, emulating the controls of previous games in the series. A was the attack button for much of the game’s development, a configuration that also turned up in early Majora’s Mask and The Wind Waker.

Another early enemy. That shield is awesome!

An imposing… Turtle Rock? Early Dodongo’s Cavern? A brick chimney belts out smoke. Where is this place?!

Link and the Darknut have a rematch later in development. Fun fact: The same door texture here is found in Super Mario 64’s Wet Dry World, not the only texture to be shared between the games.

Adult Link faces off against Gohma, bow on A and sword on the C button.

Link leads a much simpler-looking Epona around what might be Lake Hylia. Navi’s on the B button and Link has the Forest Medallion equipped. It’s not certain what the original function of the equipable medallions was, but one theory is that they could be used to cast spells much like in ALttP. The Forest Medallion might have been linked to Farore’s Wind, for example, and the Fire Medallion to Din’s Fire. After all, the Shadow Temple does have a Fire Medallion symbol at the entrance hinting that the player needs to use Din’s Fire to gain access.