New Ocarina of Time ROM Hack Puts a Dark Spin on Hyrule

I adore ROM hacks. Seeing a game I enjoyed in the past re-imagined by an individual (or a group of them) is a perfect excuse for me to revisit it. Sadly, compared to other games from my childhood, there aren’t many ROM hacks available for the Legend of Zelda series. Sure, we have Outlands, Parallel Worlds, and Goddess of Wisdom, to name a few. However, compared to other game series, like the Super Mario games, there is very little representation for Zelda games. Hackers E-Gor and Spire are looking to add one more with an interesting, dark take on Ocarina of Time.

In this new hack, titled Dark Hyrule Fantasy, starts off in a tavern in Villa Muerti. This serves as a supposed central hub where your character can go to gather information and start new missions. Your character shares the base model of Adult Link, but sports an entirely new, more Gothic-inspired style. “Link” sports a long, red jacket, pale skin, and a small goatee, giving him the definite feel of a vampire. Even Navi has been made over to have a pair of bat wings. It’s a small detail that could be easy to overlooked, but really adds to the tone.

Within the released demo, you can visit two other areas: Candlelight Woods and Nightshade Manor. Candlelight Woods serves as a connection between your the Villa and the Manor. Overall, it has a real Castlevania feel with a Zelda skin. Wolves run wild, and re-skinned Deku Babas  are ready to take a nasty bite out of you. Nightshade Manor feels like a walk through Dracula’s Castle and offers a strange and disorienting array of color. Patterns on the walls and floor feel like they are alive and working against you. Beyond that, you’ll also find a few platforming challenges, such as jumping through broken gates and navigating narrow platforms full of enemies. One final surprise from the demo is its compatibility on N64 hardware through a flash cart. Utilizing real hardware adds a sort of legitimacy to the game and reduces lag that might be found on emulation software.

Dark Hyrule Fantasy is still under development, but you can find the demo here and give it a try for yourself. You can also check out the featured video above by Hard4Games for a taste of the action.

Dark Hyrule Fantasy is now on my short list of anticipated games, and I hope we see more of it soon! What are your thoughts on the ROM hack? Let us know in the comments!