{"id":52109,"date":"2018-10-02T17:00:00","date_gmt":"2018-10-02T17:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/news\/2018\/10\/feature_a_20th_anniversary_zelda_adventure_-_playing_ocarina_of_time_for_the_first_time"},"modified":"2018-10-02T17:00:00","modified_gmt":"2018-10-02T17:00:00","slug":"feature-a-20th-anniversary-zelda-adventure-playing-ocarina-of-time-for-the-first-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/2018\/10\/02\/feature-a-20th-anniversary-zelda-adventure-playing-ocarina-of-time-for-the-first-time\/","title":{"rendered":"Feature: A 20th Anniversary Zelda Adventure &#8211; Playing Ocarina Of Time For The First Time"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"media_block\"><a href=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/5d9f07f68876e\/large.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/5d9f07f68876e\/small.jpg\" class=\"media_thumbnail\"><\/a><\/div>\n<aside class=\"picture strip\">\n<div class=\"img\"><a title=\"The Legend Of Zelda Ocarina Of Time 3D\" href=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/5d9f07f68876e\/the-legend-of-zelda-ocarina-of-time-3d.original.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/5d9f07f68876e\/the-legend-of-zelda-ocarina-of-time-3d.900x.jpg\" alt=\"The Legend Of Zelda Ocarina Of Time 3D\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/n64\/legend_of_zelda_ocarina_of_time\">Ocarina of Time<\/a><\/strong> happened at the wrong time. Not so much for the fortunes of its original platform, the Nintendo 64, nor legions of Zelda fans old and new around the word \u2013 the game would sell two and a half million copies between its November 20th release and the end of the year. But said year, 1998, was one where a lot changed for me personally. I turned 18 in the spring, and\u2026 Well, let\u2019s just say that video games suddenly weren\u2019t so much of a <em>priority<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>A familiar story, I\u2019m sure \u2013 one that many readers will be able to relate to. And, just like so many of you, it didn\u2019t take too long before my love of video games \u2013 something that\u2019d been forged by the ZX Spectrum, Commodore Amiga and SEGA Master System long before my first Nintendo acquisitions \u2013 re-established itself, with social sessions aplenty spent in front of PlayStations and N64s, through college and university.<\/p>\n<p>But while we\u2019d go Baron-to-Bowler in multiplayer <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/n64\/goldeneye_007\">GoldenEye<\/a><\/strong> matches and chase each other through Choco Mountain on <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/n64\/mario_kart_64\">Mario Kart 64<\/a><\/strong>, the fact that I didn\u2019t own an N64 at the time \u2013 I eventually bought one in my early 30s \u2013 meant I couldn\u2019t really explore its single-player titles. And certainly not a significant time-sink of an adventure like Ocarina of Time.<\/p>\n<p>But finally, for its 20th anniversary, I have played the game that earned unanimous acclaim at launch, a swathe of perfect scores, and still sits top of Metacritic\u2019s best-ever list. Caveat: I\u2019ve done so using the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/3ds\/legend_of_zelda_ocarina_of_time_3d\">2011 3DS version<\/a> (even more specifically, using a 2DS XL). But I am a creature of convenience, and portable play is my preferred way to dip into older games.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"object object-youtube\">\n<div class=\"youtube\">[embedded content]<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>The problem with doing just that, revisiting archive titles, is that history is rarely kind to video games. Visuals can dull (subjective though that assessment will always be), mechanics become outdated, forgivable quirks transform into painful problems. Gaming has never been as good as it is today \u2013 and this time next year, we\u2019ll be able to say the same thing all over again, until the end of time itself. It\u2019s the nature of the medium, determinedly progressive and tech-driven as it is, and the industry that surrounds it. So, I started Ocarina of Time, in 2018, with some apprehension.<\/p>\n<p>I needn\u2019t have worried. Some things resist the ravages of time, crystallising as they do an era, a genre, in such a way as to, if you\u2019ll pardon the clich\u00e9, become <em>timeless<\/em>. And I was \u2013 I am \u2013 relieved to discover that Ocarina of Time is such a video game. After putting some 200 hours into <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/nintendo-switch\/legend_of_zelda_breath_of_the_wild\">Breath of the Wild<\/a><\/strong>, I never expected a 20-year-old ancestor of the Switch\u2019s preeminent role-player to be quite as engrossing, as nuanced and layered, as something with 21st century design philosophy driving it.<\/p>\n<p><em>(And this is a good moment to add: spoilers for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time follow.)<\/em><\/p>\n<p>But then, both BOTW and Ocarina of Time are built on the go-anywhere explorative foundations of the very first <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/nes\/legend_of_zelda\">Zelda<\/a><\/strong> game. Ocarina might pair Link with the ever-chattering fairy companion Navi, but her where-to-go-next advice need not always be immediately heeded, leaving the player free to explore a three-dimensional Hyrule that, records attest, was <em>remarkable<\/em> in 1998. In 2018, while compact by contemporary standards and undeniably empty in several areas, it still impresses once you leave the opening Kokiri Forest hub.<\/p>\n<p>And it\u2019s a big enough world to make travelling exclusively on foot something of a chore. Which leads me, neatly, to one of the surprising things about my overdue debut play of Ocarina of Time. Epona, Link\u2019s horse and 3DS cover co-star, isn\u2019t a steed you\u2019re guaranteed to call your own during the course of the game\u2019s central story, as the way to gain access to the fleet-footed friend isn\u2019t explicitly woven into Link\u2019s quest.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"gallery\">\n<div class=\"col\"><a title=\"The Legend Of Zelda Ocarina Of Time 3D\" href=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/146311c4de2ba\/the-legend-of-zelda-ocarina-of-time-3d.original.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/146311c4de2ba\/the-legend-of-zelda-ocarina-of-time-3d.445x245.jpg\" width=\"445\" height=\"245\" alt=\"The Legend Of Zelda Ocarina Of Time 3D\" \/><\/a><a title=\"The Legend Of Zelda Ocarina Of Time 3D\" href=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/e4e5673beb74e\/the-legend-of-zelda-ocarina-of-time-3d.original.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/e4e5673beb74e\/the-legend-of-zelda-ocarina-of-time-3d.445x245.jpg\" width=\"445\" height=\"245\" alt=\"The Legend Of Zelda Ocarina Of Time 3D\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"col\"><a title=\"The Legend Of Zelda Ocarina Of Time 3D\" href=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/0805e1e9ed28f\/the-legend-of-zelda-ocarina-of-time-3d.original.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/0805e1e9ed28f\/the-legend-of-zelda-ocarina-of-time-3d.445x245.jpg\" width=\"445\" height=\"245\" alt=\"The Legend Of Zelda Ocarina Of Time 3D\" \/><\/a><a title=\"The Legend Of Zelda Ocarina Of Time 3D\" href=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/ca1ccb3f23871\/the-legend-of-zelda-ocarina-of-time-3d.original.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/ca1ccb3f23871\/the-legend-of-zelda-ocarina-of-time-3d.445x245.jpg\" width=\"445\" height=\"245\" alt=\"The Legend Of Zelda Ocarina Of Time 3D\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>Rather, it\u2019s a case of wandering, listening, reciting melodies \u2013 an all-important part of Ocarina of Time, alongside time travel, as its title makes abundantly clear \u2013 and having enough rupees in your pocket to enter into a wager with a crooked ranch hand. Where Breath of the Wild naturally funnels the player towards taming a wild horse, Ocarina of Time just leaves one in the game for you to acquire of your own accord.<\/p>\n<p>Or, of course, by using a guide \u2013 which I am unashamed to say I have been, during my playthrough. It\u2019s helped a lot with some dungeons, and for learning (about) optional songs. The Scarecrow Song, for example, has proven invaluable. It\u2019s an anomaly amongst the melodies here, as Link actually recites it to a sentient scarecrow on the shore of Lake Hylia as a child (write it down!), and must then recall it, with note-perfect accuracy, as an adult to unlock access to a handy strawman buddy who\u2019ll help Link access otherwise unreachable areas, to grab treasure or avoid tough enemies. Before learning the various tunes of temple teleportation, this shortcut-enabler is a godsend.<\/p>\n<p>Something else I wasn\u2019t ready for is the darkness that creeps across Ocarina of Time. It\u2019s not as grim as its direct sequel, <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/n64\/legend_of_zelda_majoras_mask\">Majora\u2019s Mask<\/a><\/strong>, which I\u2019ve previously played; but knowing as I do the significance of the Great Deku Tree to Zelda lore, it\u2019s a shock to see the famous forest spirit turn as black as an <a class=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=V1vJVlYoar8\">\u201986 Optimus Prime<\/a> and die so early in this game.<\/p>\n<p>The way that parts of Hyrule are completely devastated once series big-bad Ganon(dorf) reveals his true colours is also fairly remarkable, with Hyrule Castle Town creepier here, populated by shrieking, zombie-like ReDeads, than its ruins are in BOTW. No, the graphics aren\u2019t amazing, this being a low-res handheld; but even with limited detail, albeit vastly improved on the N64 original, this version of Ocarina of Time is ripe with atmosphere.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"picture strip\">\n<div class=\"img\"><a title=\"The Legend Of Zelda Ocarina Of Time 3D\" href=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/abab0b34e1f57\/the-legend-of-zelda-ocarina-of-time-3d.original.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/abab0b34e1f57\/the-legend-of-zelda-ocarina-of-time-3d.900x.jpg\" alt=\"The Legend Of Zelda Ocarina Of Time 3D\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>Combat, it turns out, isn\u2019t so different to more modern Zeldas, with locking onto enemies essential given the 3D space and lack of an easily controllable camera \u2013 there\u2019s no C-Stick functionality, with Ocarina preceding the little nub\u2019s incorporation. There are times when the camera irritates, with Link falling through an unseen hole in the floor or being blindsided by a hidden enemy lurking off-screen. Some bosses are more exciting to face off against than others, but that\u2019s par for the course for this series, and the same is true of the dungeons \u2013 oh, how I never intend to set foot in Jabu Jabu\u2019s Belly ever again.<\/p>\n<p>But even 20 years on, any complaints to be levelled at Ocarina of Time are really nothing more than nitpicks, irritations that won\u2019t be the same for everyone. Personally, I\u2019m so pleased to have discovered that this is a certified classic \u2013 according to the ancient scriptures of archive magazines, at least \u2013 that <em>does<\/em> hold up in the present day.<\/p>\n<p>Indeed, it more than holds up \u2013 Ocarina of Time still plays terrifically, even ported to a platform it isn\u2019t native to. It has a degree of depth and mystery that constantly rewards the curious player, and offers a healthy level of challenge that can be modified, effectively, by your own choices regarding equipment and magic use. And if you want it to be tough, <em>oh boy<\/em>, Ocarina can be tough. And that\u2019s before you even entertain the idea of attempting the <strong>Master Quest<\/strong> version.<\/p>\n<p>So if you, like me, somehow missed out on this landmark release on the N64, or the GameCube (lest I fail to acknowledge that port), please be assured that Ocarina of Time is a legitimately fantastic video game, <em>right now<\/em>. It doesn\u2019t look as shiny as later Zeldas, but has an aesthetic consistency throughout that draws you into its world. Navi can get on your nerves a bit, but I guess you can turn the sound down. There are characters aplenty that you\u2019ll already know from later games. And while you\u2019ll have to wander off the beaten track to get the most out of it, isn\u2019t that part and parcel of all mainline Zelda games?<\/p>\n<p>Those first steps onto Hyrule Field can\u2019t amaze like they would have done in 1998 \u2013 but on the small screen, in 2018, the moment remains an invitation to a most wonderful adventure.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ocarina of Time happened at the wrong time. Not so much for the fortunes of its original platform, the Nintendo 64, nor legions of Zelda fans old and new around the word \u2013 the game would sell two and a half million copies between its November 20th release and the end of the year. But [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-52109","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-nintendo-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52109","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=52109"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52109\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=52109"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=52109"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=52109"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}