Twilight Princess Isn’t the Typical Zelda Game

“Despite what many critics have said about it, Twilight Princess is not an overly traditional Zelda game.”

This quote forms the basis of “Re-Examining Zelda: Twilight Princess” by Jacob Crites. In this thought-provoking article he argues that despite how most people write Twilight Princess off as a carbon-copy of Ocarina of Time, it is significantly different and can stand on its own. Sure, the overall structure may be similar dungeon and gameplay-wise, but looking deeper Twilight Princess is a very unique Zelda game. I’ve been thinking of replaying it for a while now, and this article has convinced me to get on to that.

The feature starts by talking about the opening scene of the game. Whereas in Ocarina of Time, A Link to the Past or The Wind Waker where there are “epic” openings, Twilight Princess’s is very simple. Two friends talking by a spring, some fishing, tracking a lost cat – all very humble stuff. Jacob goes on to talk about how Twilight Princess is like this because ultimately, it’s not Link’s story. It’s not even Zelda’s.

Jacob contends that Twilight Princess is different because it’s all about Midna and her struggles. It is her story. Link is just a sidekick. The first part of the game is Midna using Link for her own purposes. There really isn’t any grand schemes to save the world yet, it’s just Midna wanting her throne back. As the game progresses, her character develops and she comes to love Hyrule, Link and its inhabitants. Through focusing on Midna, Zelda and Link take a back seat, making this a very unique Zelda game. I definitely recommend reading this feature if you’re wanting to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for Twilight Princess. I certainly have.