If you grew up with video games in your household, especially those by Nintendo, odds are you played or have at least heard of a little series known as The Legend of Zelda. Personally, this series was and continues to be my all time favorite, so call me a bit bias if you will as I attempt to persuade you why The Legend of Zelda is possibly one of the best video game franchises ever made. Here are some reasons exactly why I think this.
1. Good vs. Evil
Because every epic adventure needs a good vs. evil storyline, right? In nearly every game in the series, the main hero, Link must overcome obstacles to defeat the evil Ganondorf so that the world can once again experience harmony and joy. This is usually accomplished by rescuing Princess Zelda who is the guardian of the Triforce of Wisdom (often known as simply the Triforce). The reason why this theme is so significant is because of it’s reflective and relatable narratives that encompass things like man vs God, man vs nature, man vs himself as well as emphasize how the world is affected when either good or evil forces are in power.
2. The Triforce
Speaking of the Triforce, this symbol is something well known to nerds everywhere. The Triforce is essentially a triangle made up of three smaller triangles, each one representing certain characteristics. These characteristics include wisdom, power, and courage. Not only that, but each part of the Triforce is representative of the series' three main characters: Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf. Link holds the Triforce of Courage, Zelda the Triforce of Wisdom, and Ganondorf the Triforce of Power. This symbol is the heart of the series, as the fate of the world depends on who holds the complete Triforce. Typically Ganondorf is the evil protagonist who tries to obtain the entirety of the Triforce so that he can rule the world in darkness.
3. The Score
The Legend of Zelda series has one of the most beautiful musical scores ever written. It's significant, recognizable melodies provide an enthusiast of this series with feelings of warmth and nostalgia. On top of that, the Royal Philharmonic actually held a concert for one night only in which they played the series' score on its 25th anniversary. How awesome is that?!
4. Chronology
Perhaps the most intertwined, complicated, and simultaneous chronology belongs to The Legend of Zelda series. Just a disclaimer, especially for first timers, this series does not go in the order which the games were created and many of the games are simply alternate dimensions. I won’t go into much detail, but I will say that the two main categories in the Zelda universe's consist of the Hero (Link) being either defeated or triumphant. The first four games in the chronology have to do with the establishment of the Hero, the Goddesses, and the Legend while the others exist almost simultaneously with one another. In the “defeated hero” storyline, Link battles the forces of light and dark, succeeds, and then faces decline. On the flip side (literally), the “triumphant hero” era has to do with the rise of the shadow realm, Ganondorf, and the defeat of these dark forces. Lastly, the second part of the “triumphant” universe, Link goes on a voyage, discovers new continents, and establishes the new world (New Hyrule). Make sense? Clear as mud? Great! Again, this is an incredibly condensed overview, but goes to show how truly creative and well thought out The Legend of Zelda is!
5. The Artwork
Especially in the game Twilight Princess, the concept art is immensely detailed and beautiful. It’s my personal opinion that the concept art for this particular game was no doubt the best in the entire series. This is actually one of the main reasons why Twilight Princess is in the top two of my favorite games
6. The Silent Hero
For those of you who aren’t very familiar with The Legend of Zelda, the main hero, Link, actually never talks. Or at least, the audience doesn’t see him talk. While this has angered some, it’s actually an important characteristic for Link to be silent. To put it simply, he doesn’t really need to talk. In my own interpretation, the silence of Link is actually quite powerful. Since Link is the holder of the Triforce of Courage, his actions must reflect this and actions speak louder than words. In his silence, he maintains the wisdom and courage needed to accomplish his destiny of defeating evil. Not only that, but the fact that he is silent makes Link more relatable to a larger audience. We can relate to him given his expressions and the context of the situation at hand.
