Unwinding Areas in the Legend of Zelda Part IV

Hello dear readers! Sorry for having this out so late, had some other work piled up before I could finish this. Anyway, as some of you had suggested in the comments back in Part III, we will be looking at several of your favorite unwinding areas, specifically: The Milk Bar, Faron Woods, Hyrule Town (Minish Cap), and the Laundry Pool. Some of these areas in particular not only apply us and how relaxed we feel about it, as you might expect some characters within their area have their reasons as well. As always, don’t forget to suggest your favorite areas to discuss for next week. With that said, lets dive in!

The Milk Bar (Majora’s Mask)

Disregarding the idea of any gloom you might expect to find in a bar, as well as the looming moon about to crash over Clock Town, the Milk Bar manages to remain a calm area. And you might not have known that had you been curious enough to acquire the Romani Mask. Or you found out that you could sneak in at 6am while at first expecting some bar-like activity going on, only to discover Mr. Barten cleaning up. Sure there’s not much going on and you might, but you can buy a bottle of milk or some special Chateau Romani and listen to the pretty catchy “Milk Bar Theme”. However, the atmosphere here isn’t all doom and gloom. With some fairly simple decor, and lack of customers, I found the shades of purple and gray rather suiting. As a child, the Milk Bar never caught much of my attention, that is, until you are able to play ‘Ballad of the Windfish’ for Toto’s sound check. Doing so actually unveils a touching moment of Gorman’s past as he reminiscences the song for the reason he joined show business. Thus leading me to conclude he’s her only for one reason. Yep, to unwind. Sure he’s not sipping any Chateau Romani, he’s here obviously sulking the first time you see him. Until it’s implied that he’d like to hear the Indigo-Go’s, (mainly LuLu) perform. Speaking of touching moments, how can I leave out Madame Aroma? Yes she has something to do with “unwinding” here. As we find out, her beloved son Kafei had gone missing, that’s enough of a reason to be at a bar I suppose (sulking, worried, and perhaps trying to ‘escape’ and unwind a little). However, talking to her at a certain time allows her to believe that you are this “expert person-finder” and the task to find Kafei. Nevertheless, the Milk Bar takes it’s place in being unwinding to it’s customers or even you.

Faron Woods (Skyward Sword)

Home of the the Kikwi, Glittering Mushrooms, Musical Tadons, and the Great Tree, as well as quite a few site attractions; Faron Woods for the most part, makes the perfect place to unwind in it’s distinct environment. With vibrant earth tone colors and of course, the ever so adorable Kikwi, Faron Woods is easily one of my favorite areas in Skyward Sword, notably for the large area it has to offer. Though not all that different from the Faron Woods in Twilight Princess, this rendition is much brighter and allows for more open exploration. It appears to be a seemingly peaceful environment for some time, (until the seal on The Imprisoned weakens) and eventually becomes a progressively effected area. Beginning with cute little Kikwis hiding about, to a increased number of enemies, and the forest becoming flooded. Regardless, this area still remains a place of unwinding, whether you’re; fighting off Bokoblins and Deku Babas, enjoying the the catchy music, or slashing those giant captivating mushrooms. Even though you can’t exactly go crazy swinging on the vines like some kind of Tarzan-Link, the vines were certainly a nice touch. Yet, the forest still has plenty to offer. At some point in the game, the entire area becomes flooded. Now you can explore the forest, (and whirl like mad) underwater! Additionally, the Faron Woods, also connects to the Ancient Cistern and the beautiful Floria Waterfall. More so, the forest is also known as the Silent Realm, surrounded by some pretty cool looking Guardians with a slightly different atmosphere. There’s so much that can be done in just this one location, even if it is slightly different at times. Overall, it’s a fantastic area to unwind in.

Hyrule Town (The Minish Cap)

Of all the Castle Towns through out the series, the Minish Cap Castle Town has quite a handful of content to indulge in, or rather unwind in. Cheery, bright, and colorful, how could you resist not spending a few hours here? Right off the bat, you are able to experience the celebration of the Picori Festival. Bustling with cheery music and the overwhelming color scheme going on, it’s hard to be in a bad mood around here.  I’m sure some of us spent quite some time fusing and collecting Kinstones throughout the town. All for the sake of collecting numerous figurines that we can’t exactly hold on to. I can’t tell you many rupees I’ve spent on cakes and croissants at the Bakery of Wheaton and Pita. Given that you have the ability to shrink to Minish size, there’s even more to do. Snooping around the town’s buildings and homes, you could even explore the sewer lines or chat with some animals. You could take a nap at the Happy Hearth Inn to restore some hearts, or challenge Simon’s Simulaions. The list goes on. Hyrule Town as some might agree, is easily one of the most unwinding areas in game.

The Laundry Pool (Majora’s Mask)

Alright, so there really isn’t much to it. It’s a laundry pool, the smallest area in Clock Town. And we don’t actually see anyone using it, not at all. The reason I’m listing this as an unwinding area (other than being suggested), is because it really is an unwinding area. There’s absolutely no activity going on that you can actually partake in, other than saving a fairy and finding a few rupees. Simply listening to the day’s music, running around and hopping over the pool are enough. The fact that its one of the few areas in Clock Town that isn’t bustling with townsfolk make it a distinct area one can simply unwind in. Heck, even Guru-Guru seems to think so as he plays his phonograph on loop. Pushing a little further, I think it may be safe to assume that the Laundry Pool is intended to be seen as a little calming area as it was suggested that Kafei hide there for the sake of his situation. Its the perfect (yet somewhat obvious) hideout, sorta.

And that’s all for this week! Let me know tor thoughts on these areas and what you’d like to suggest for Part V in comments below! Oh, and please do let me know your reason! It’s always fun reading why you would revisit your favorite areas for whatever reason. See you next week!