FBM – Overworld Themes Part 6: Free Sailors

Well Zelda Dungeoners, we’re now down to the last few features in the Overworld Themes series. Last week marked the end of the Exploration Overworlds section of this series, so today we’ll be starting on the next set: Transportation Overworlds.

In the Zelda series, there are four games with transportation overworlds. These are Wind Waker, Phantom Hourglass, Spirit Tracks, and Skyward Sword. As I see it, those can be further broken into another two groups; the “free sailors” that let you control your transport as you go, and the “fixed tracks” that keep you on a set course with more restricted movement. Today, we’re focusing on the former of those groups; jump in to see!

Track: “The Great Sea”
Game: The Wind Waker (GCN)

I think I’ve made it pretty evident in the past just how much I enjoy The Wind Waker. It’s easily one of my favorite titles in the Zelda series, and I even replay it fairly often. And still, no matter how often I’ve heard it, I still love to hear this track.

The Wind Waker brought a completely new type of overworld to the Zelda series. Instead of an open field with nooks and crannies, players were confronted with a massive ocean with no manner of crossing except by boat. These extensive boat rides became synonymous with the game; people rarely think of Wind Waker without noting the sailing sections. Whether you find it monotonous or exciting, adventurous or bland, you have to admit that every trip across the Great Sea had some great music with it.

In this track we can instantly notice some musical differences from previous themes, as well. Instead of the rousing adventurous themes, we have a somewhat deeper tune that feels a bit more relaxed. It is still quite exciting, just in a different way. There are still drums beating out a steady rhythm, still an ensemble of strings and brass, but now they simply feel less urgent.

This “lack of urgency” is fitting for this tune. After all, what more can a sailor do than kick back and let the wind carry his boat forward? This song captures the essence of the sea, but there’s another note as well; the song also has less progression than Ocarina of Time and its ilk. While other console Zelda games have songs that change with the day’s passing, this one remains constant. I find this to be another fitting way for the song to capture the ocean’s consistency and seemingly endless surface.

Title: “The Sky”
Game: Skyward Sword (Wii)

Ah, Skyward Sword. Such an enjoyable experience for Wii owners everywhere. This game featured the one overworld in a video game that is truly worthy of the title “overworld”… after all it is over the world.

Bad jokes aside, The Sky follows a number of conventions defined by The Great Sea, while also creating its own twist. Similar to the Great Sea, it has a more relaxed and less pushy or tense overtone than some other Zelda overworlds (again, still keeping the rousing feeling of adventure that cannot be left out). Unlike the Great Sea, though, this tune doesn’t have the deep or “throaty” main tune that characterizes its cousin; this song’s instruments play more lightly. Most of its instruments are either smaller (say, for example, a violin instead of a viola) or simply play higher notes, so in that way its tone is much airier than The Great Sea. Very appropriate choice for the game.

Another interesting note here is that the dynamics of previous games returns. In Ocarina of Time and Twilight Princess, the music changes in tempo when Link is or isn’t moving, and if he’s on his horse or not. Similarly, The Great Sea becomes quieter when Link lowers the sail. In The Sky, a snare drum strikes a rapid beat that becomes more apparent each time Link gains speed and/or dives on his Loftwing. A very nice touch indeed.

Conclusion
That wraps it up for this week. Next time, I’ll be focusing on the DS games, and finally the week after that I will be looking at the Four Swords games. Which of these two songs is your favorite, and what do you love most about them? Let me know in the comments!