DAILY MANIFESTO

The Legend of Zelda Turns 25 Today!

Posted on Monday, February 21 @ 07:00:00 Eastern by Daniel Bischoff

So Mario got the big birthday celebration, I get that. He's the recognizable one, the media darling. Frankly, if anyone deserves a birthday bash, it's Link. The little green-clad fellow has been around the block quite a few times. He's grown older, younger, then older again! Today, he turns 25.

That's right, 25 years ago today, Nintendo published The Legend of Zelda for the Nintendo Entertainment System. Since that initial release, Nintendo has published 14 main titles in the series, including classics like A Link to the Past, The Wind Waker, and what many still believe to be the best game ever made: The Ocarina of Time.

With all that princess-saving, world-rescuing work under his deku-belt, you'd think Link, Zelda, and the monsters that flood Hyrule on occasion deserve a little party, right? Unfortunately, you'll have to scour your local second hand store to wrap up your own special edition anniversary bundle of classic Zelda titles.

(Pictured: Legend of Zelda games always had the best Nintendo Power covers)

Despite being one of the most venerable, lasting characters in video game lore, Link and the rest of the cast haven't yet been flogged to death in sports games or board games like Mario has. For that, he will ever retain a place of respect in our minds and hearts.

What was your favorite Zelda game? I hear Majora's Mask is the trendy title these days, but I'll always keep a spot for A Link to the Past in my heart.

Do you have a Zelda memory to share? To kick us off, I'll admit that in Hyrule Castle in A Link to the Past it took me weeks before I figured out that I was supposed to cut the curtains in the back of the room. Still, I never looked at a guide. Finally knowing where to move to next was such a huge reward after all that stuggle.

Comments

ryandebraal
Joined: Jul 2006

Posted: Feb 21st, 2011 at 11:16 am
Link to the Past, one of the few games that I've played many times over till completion. I can still remember that horrible sound when you used the mirror to transfer between worlds:

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Rinnon
Joined: Nov 2005

Posted: Feb 21st, 2011 at 11:41 am
At the risk of sounding stereotypical, I'm going to say Ocarina of Time holds my fondest memories. First off, the fact that there were no copies available ANYWHERE where I lived, and I only got a copy because I had friends at the local Video Store (Being 11 at the time, it wasn't exactly common to have connections just yet. Especially since it wasn't anyone I knew before, I was just there so often.) And then, when I got it (around Christmas time) I realized that EVERYONE was playing it, but in a good way. I could go to school and have like, 20 different people to talk about about where they were, what they were liking best, etc. I can't remember any other game in recent history that I could be so confident everyone was playing.

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Squiggy
Joined: Nov 2005

Posted: Feb 21st, 2011 at 11:48 am
My first Zelda game is also my all-time favorite: Ocarina of Time. I'd never played a Zelda game before, and when I plugged it in after getting for Christmas of 1998 (along with the ever-classic Goldeneye and Mission: Impossible), I was blown away. Zelda has been my favorite series of games ever since.

I remember the days back when OoT's Triforce was right up there with Pokemon's Mew in regards to how many rumors were out there to get the damn thing (The only difference being Mew was actually in its respective game). I remember when we still thought we could beat the Running Man. I remember when Odyssey of Hyrule was still a useful source of current Zelda news.

I still remember going to Game Revolution for the first time to look up Ocarina of Time cheats and found Marshmallow's walkthrough. That thing was like my bible when it came to playing Zelda 64.

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LinksOcarina
Joined: Nov 2005

Posted: Feb 21st, 2011 at 1:11 pm
I don't need to say anything I think...except that Zelda is one of the few series that I think I can play once a year every year. Especially Ocarina of Time. Not much else can be said really....one of the best series ever made.

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Lien
Joined: Feb 2008

Posted: Feb 21st, 2011 at 3:45 pm
I still think that ocarina of time is overrated... but wind waker is underrated. But in the end, the best zelda ever made is the second one or the twilight princess.

What you mad at my comment? then in the spirit of zelda... Excuuuuuuuuuse me, princess!

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cyberjim2000
Joined: Feb 2010

Posted: Feb 21st, 2011 at 6:22 pm
I remembered not knowing what to do in the Link to the Past when you first have the mirror and turned into a pink rabbit. Took me forever to figure out the whole dual-world type of gameplay.

Then there's the water temple in the OoT. Man, it felt so good getting past that hell hole.

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UghRochester
Joined: Jun 2006

Posted: Feb 22nd, 2011 at 4:38 am
OoT was one of my favorites since you had to play a magical ocarina to go about doing things. It's just one of those games you can play again multiple times. What, did I mention I have The Master Sword and Hyrule shield from OoT?

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