Danny takes a look at 26 years of collecting rupees and saving princesses in this history of the Zelda series.
There are certain games that seem so integral to gaming that to not play them is sort of embarrassing; one such game is Zelda. Thanks to my household never owning a Nintendo system growing up, it wasn't until I got Wind Waker for my GameCube that I finally understood what the game really was.
Those adventures on the high seas convinced me to buy Twilight Princess alongside my launch day Wii, but for some reason I never felt compelled to play any of the older games. To an outsider, Zelda can look like the exact same game repackaged with some updated graphics and a new control scheme. And in many ways that's exactly what it is, but the experience is one worth repeating.
Zelda games are adventures packed full of interesting characters, engaging combat, and vast explorable worlds, where each game weaves a new story into a connective narrative spanning the very fabric of time and space.
If, like me, you've been hesitant to dive into the series, perhaps this video will help. Unless you still don't own a Nintendo. In which case just pick up Darksiders II or 3D Dot Game Heroes.
Danny has been a GameSpot community member since 2005. Since joining the staff as a video journalist in 2011 he has lost touch with most of his friends and family. He looks forward to the day achievement points become legal tender so he can return to Ireland and fix its broken economy.
ya zelda kicks ass. first i played was a the adventures of link, could never beat it. Ocarina of time was and is my favourite game. I actaully played through, and finally beat after seventeen years a link to the past last summer. it was to say the least, awsome. My brother could also never beat it when we were younger, and it wasnt until seventeen years later, that the stupid eagle thing he could never beat the stupid bird was the second last boss... it was pretty daming for the both of us hahahaa
also, my finest moment in childhood zelda history? The 1st time i beat the water temple in ocarina of time. Glorious. And playing the game again several years later to learn about the great goron sword that doesn't break and the creepy masks to be worn. And oh yeah i used to be terrified of the zombies that screamed and stunned you. i would run so fast through the castle village as an adult.... and nighttime in the field was terrifying. Man that game was awesome.
Wait wait wait. After Zelda 64, the Child timeline is the one that spawned the more mature Twighlight Princess, and the Adult timeline is the one that spawned the cell-shaded kid? Great Scott!
@Suikogaiden The fact that every game feels unique yet so familliar is amazing about this series, games like Final Fantasy and CoD may have lost their roots and are slowly killing the franchise are there, but Zelda is not one of them.
@Chuubby What tipped you off? Was it the fact that he admitted straight off he didn't know much about Zelda, or the way this series is designed to give a crash course in gaming dynasties to people who aren't already familiar with them? Thank you for your input.
Wind Waker was not only my first Zelda game, but my first game entirely. That game is the reason for me loving games so much, and it remains one of my favorite games of all time.
Zelda on NES was my all time favorite game. I remember my mom and I playing and drawing maps and plotting all our secrets found, from using the candle on trees to bombing every wall in the overworld and underworld! Such awesome nostalgia!
Gotta say i didnt like your review. To be quite frank it pissed me off. It was just one giant joke to you up until about the end. Also, I didn't like your stupid jokes. So do YOURSELF a favor and go play the previous games Danny. THEN, come back and do another review
@mobones87 He did the same thing with Final Fantasy. When I wrote my distaste for his humor AND his ignorance to the series, gamespot members lynched me.
@mobones87 I don't think this is a review...it's more a brief history of the series. Danny usually brings some irreverant humor to all of the videos of his that I've seen so it should be no surprise that he brings the same here. I have never nor will I ever play a Zelda game but I still watched and enjoyed the episode and the impression I came away with is that Danny is being complimentary of what the Zelda franchise has accomplished.
Man, Nintendo really loves kidnapping princesses, I'm sure they'll one day reveal that Samus from Metroid is a princess that got kidnapped at some point but escaped.
Congrats that was a big one! I think you touched ont he Music but that for me was a huge part. I can hear the sound of Spirit temple music and shudder- the themes in Ocarina of time are ... well... timeless!
I grew up with Zelda 1 and 2, but sadly my parents were too tight to buy me a Snes so i have not played Link to the past yet. But I will eventually when I got time
I grew up playing A link to the past on the SNES and I loved it, played a bit of ocarina of time on gamecube (i think) but will pick it up for 3DS eventually
