THE LORE YOU KNOW - The Legend of Zelda

Woo, who's up for another history lesson? No? No one? Cool, I'll just talk to myself for a bit.

Original Concepts: The Legend of Zelda comes from the brilliant mind of Shigeru Miyamoto. (There will be a few more Lore articles with his name all over them, he's... a pretty big deal) When Mr Miyamoto was a boy he would explore the hills and forests around his childhood home in Sonobe, Japan.

He would find caves and explore them with a lantern, later using this as his inspiration for creating the world of Hyrule. He used his memories of getting lost amongst the sliding doors of his home to create the dungeons you would explore. Miyamoto wanted to make a "miniature garden" for players to explore to create the same sense of wonder he felt while exploring as a child. The titular character's name is in reference to American novelist Zelda Fitzgerald,  Miyamoto thought her name sounded "pleasant and significant". The series protagonist, Link, and his fairy companions were drawn from Peter Pan and Tinker Bell. (Link's green tunic is kind of a give away there, though it's a pity he can't fly. I wish Navi was as mute as Tinker Bell though) Of course, no hero is complete without his trusty sword. Link's Master Sword finds its inspiration in the classic Arthurian legend, Excalibur. With it being kept lodged in stone and only wieldable by the chosen hero, it was the obvious choice for the hero's weapon. While the Zelda series has gotten its influences from various sources, many other game franchises have drawn inspiration from Zelda. These include, but aren't limited to, Grand Theft Auto, Uncharted and the Blood Omen series.

Debut: On February 21st, 1986, The Legend of Zelda was released as a launch title for Family Computer Disk System in Japan. (Basically what would become the Nintendo Entertainment System in America and Europe) 

Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka designed and directed the game. Tezuka wrote the story and script. Keiji Terui, who had worked on anime shows such as Dragon Ball, wrote the backstory that was found in the game manual. As far as building the lore went, TLoZ had it all. You were introduced to Link and Princess Zelda, the heroes of the series. Ganon made his first appearance in his demonic pig form and as the series main antagonist. Players were set in a massive map (for its time) and sent to explore the caves, rivers and mountains in search for the Triforce. (Again, this became one of the series staples) The original game was a lot more open to the player in terms of how they could set about completing the quest. A fair amount of the overworld was freely available from the start, though a few locations and dungeons were only accessible with the acquisition of certain items. A feature that would take a stronger role in later titles. While not exclusive for the time, The Legend of Zelda did have a new game+ mode called "Second Quest". After completing the game, you could unlock this mode which featured tougher enemies, a new map layout and different item placements. This essentially made it a brand new experience. (You could also unlock this mode from the start by entering your name as ZELDA) The music for the game was composed by Koji Kondo. Originally he wanted to use Maurice Ravel's Bolero as the games main overworld theme but later learned that the copyright hadn't yet expired. After finding that out he wrote a new theme in a day. (I'm lucky if I can write one of these in a week...) When the game was released in North America, the box had a small cut away to reveal the cartridge inside. This was to showcase that instead of the regular grey colour that NES games usually came in, The Legend of Zelda was gold.

Sequels and Innovations: (Buckle in, ladies and gentlemen) Zelda II: The Adventures of Link was released less than a year after the original on January 14, 1987. It switched from a top-down view to a side-scrolling one (much like the Castlevania series) though it retained the top-down view for the world map. Zelda II is the only game in the series thus far to have had an experience system, which was used to increase his attack, defence and magic capabilities. A lives system was also introduced, which was thankfully not carried on as a series mainstay. (Unless you count the Philips CDi Zelda games, which you really shouldn't)
Jump forward 4 years to 1991, Zelda: A Link to the Past is released on Super Famicom. [a.k.a. Super Nintendo Entertainment System] (Here was the seed that the franchise would truly grow from) Long-standing items such as the Hookshot, Pegasus Boots and Heart Containers were introduced to help you on your adventure. One of the most canonically important artefacts was created; The Master Sword. The concept of parallel worlds is also introduced, here as the Light World and the Dark World. This would become a popular concept used in future releases in varying degrees.

In 1993, the Zelda series gets its first handheld title: Link's Awakening. (Though it was originally just a test project to test the Game Boy's capabilities and not meant to be a full game) Not only was this the first game to not take place in Hyrule but it also didn't feature the titular character, Princess Zelda. Despite being released on the Game Boy, it still brought new features to the table. Link could now gain the ability to jump, which hadn't been possible before. The game introduced collectables, in the form of "secret seashells", which unlocked a powerful sword when all were collected. The "Item Swap" quest started here as well, where Link would trade with one NPC to another to receive a unique reward. The game was even innovative mechanically. Separate items could be assigned to A and B, this meant that they could be used in various combinations to solve more complex puzzles. In 1998, Link's Awakening DX was released as a launch title for the Game Boy Colour. This version of the game featured additional tunics for Link to wear which increased either attack or defence. These were found at the end of an additional, colour-based dungeon.

1998 proved to be a very important year for the Zelda series. (And not just because Link got all colourful on a handheld) The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time was released November 21st on the Nintendo 64. For the first time, Hyrule could be explored in 3D. Not only was this groundbreaking for the series but the games industry as a whole was majorly influenced as well. With all the aspects that had been brought to the series thus far, this made Ocarina of Time the most in-depth action-RPG of its time. As Hyrule had become such a massive world to explore, Link was introduced to his horse, Epona. Early in the game, you receive the Ocarina of Time. With it, the game uses a mechanic that becomes a feature in later games where Link plays music to solve puzzles, teleport to locations and even change the weather with a series of timed button prompts. (You know, normal musician shit) Of course, with the 3D environment comes a new challenge to the combat. Link can shoot his bow in any direction, strafe around enemies and the line between puzzle and boss begins to blur. Then there was the lock-on system to help keep track of the enemies. This game broke moulds left and right. (The less said about Navi, the better though) Link would travel through time with the acquisition of the Master Sword to a point where Ganondorf (Ganon's human form) had captured Zelda and taken over Hyrule. As a grown adult, Link could use more powerful weapons and a vaster array of tools to aid him in saving Hyrule.

April 2000 saw the release of Zelda: Majora's Mask. While technically very similar to OoT, Majora's Mask's tone was much darker, dealing with death and tragedy on a much greater scale than previous entries. These would be themes that would take significant roles in future sequels, adding amazing depth to an already incredible mythos. Link would receive masks that would alter his form, giving him new abilities. Much like items he would receive from dungeons, these helped him progress further through the game. (After a short yet upsetting cutscene equipping them) Unlike the other games, Majora's Mask had a clock counting down towards a Game Over screen from the start. This came in the form of the moon with a big, creepy face on it slowly inching closer over the three in-game days. On each of these days the world would change, quests would unlock, locations would change. Using time travel, this created a game-long puzzle of time management that played into the sinister themes perfectly.
Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages were both released simultaneously for the Game Boy Colour. While taking major cues from earlier 2D, top-down Zelda titles in regards to gameplay, it did feature one very interesting dynamic. With the use of a password or a link cable, you were able to play one or the other as the sequel to the title you had just finished. (It didn't matter what one you played first, it would continue the story knowing what you had done) This also resulted in a final confrontation with Ganon that you wouldn't encounter if you had only played one of them. (You could see this as a cynical cash-grab getting you to buy two games but it ultimately meant more Zelda to play) Seasons would use the different seasons (funnily enough) to change environments and open new paths. Ages touched, once again, on the concepts of travelling through time to solve puzzles and progress through the game.

December 2002: A new adventure was released. Unlike the previous 3D instalments, however, this was cel-shaded and cartoony. Miyamoto wanted Zelda: The Wind Waker to "extend Zelda's reach to all ages" with this new look yet familiar gameplay. Personally (and in hindsight, unforgivably) I dismissed this title off-hand because of how it looked. I was a damn fool. The Wind Waker was the most fun I got out of my GameCube. (Barring the Metroid Prime series but we'll get to them at a later date) Instead of rolling hills and a horse to ride on them, you're given an endless ocean and a boat to explore it. Much like the ocarina in OoT, Link uses a baton (the titular Wind Waker), to control the wind and help him navigate the flooded world. It really has stood up to the test of time, in my opinion, and if you get a chance to play it then do so. (Even if you already have)
Sorry if the next two titles are close to your heart but I'm going to fly past them. 2005 saw the release of Four Sword Adventures and The Minish Cap on the Game Boy Advance. The former had a heavy emphasis on multiplayer, using cooperation to solve puzzles and fight bosses. The Minish Cap operated very similarly to earlier games, adding a "shrinking" mechanic that allowed Link to see the world from a completely different perspective. While fun, nothing remarkable.

The next big 3D release was in November 2006. Zelda: Twilight Princess was released first on Wii then a month later on GameCube. Here the influences of "A Link to the Past"'s "two worlds" and the darker tone of "Majora's Mask" were very apparent. Link could be transported to the "Twilight Realm" where he would take the form of a wolf. This created interesting scenarios where you would have to solve puzzles and fight enemies in a completely different way than what you were used to. The Wii version showcased it's motion controls in the combat and fishing. This was a positive or a negative, depending on your view of motion controls. Aside from the way you moved, there were a few other differences. The overworld map was switched East to West in the Wii version (which made the map the wrong way around in my opinion), and Link could equip four secondary weapons as opposed to two in the GameCube version. The GameCube version did give you full control of the camera without having to enter a "look around" mode.
Here are another two I'm going to rush over. While I understand the significance that both Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks (October 2007 and December 2009 respectively) are direct sequels to The Wind Waker, a move that hadn't been done since OoT and Majora's Mask, they were kind of enclosed in their own space. Both were released on Nintendo DS so both made use of the touchscreen. Phantom Hourglass allowed you to plot a course for your boat without having to touch the controls, meaning while you sailed you could concentrate on using items and firing your cannons. A central dungeon had you pick up the "Phantom Hourglass" to prevent you from taking damage from "cursed" areas within it for a limited time. Spirit Tracks operated in much the same way but this time with a train instead of a boat. It removed the "cursed" areas and made its dungeons easier to navigate with unlockable shortcuts.

(One more push, we're nearly there) Skyward Sword, released November 20, 2011, for the Wii, made a much bigger focus on its motion controls. (The special 25th-anniversary edition came with a golden Wii-mote and an orchestral soundtrack for the Zelda series. It's pretty awesome) Depending on how you held the mote, you could slash in many directions, use the Wii Nunchuck to defend yourself with your shield. The designers, with the increased capabilities of the Wii-mote Plus, were challenged with creating items for Link to use that would utilise the advanced motion controls effectively. For the most part, the combat was intense and satisfying. Due to its precise nature though, a few bosses later in the game felt a little too exacting in their swordsmanship. It would be remiss of me to not mention Skyloft. This is set as your home above the clouds. Much like Wind Waker, where you're surrounded by water, here you are surrounded by open sky. The only way to reach the ground and other floating islands are with the aid of your trusty feathered Loftwing. (Think a big, colourful seagull and you're about 75% right) Canonically, Skyward Sword is the first game in the series, featuring the progenitors for a lot of the Zelda lore.
Through the years of 2011 to 2016, various re-releases of older Zelda titles were released on the Nintendo Virtual Console. Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask both received a 3D release for the Nintendo 3DS and both The Wind Waker and Twilight Princess got HD versions for the Wii U. (That no one played because no one bought a Wii U) In amongst all of this Zelda: A Link Between Worlds was released on 3DS. It was set as a direct sequel to A Link to the Past though instead of items being found exclusively in dungeons, you could also buy various ones from a merchant. This made navigating the overworld much freer from early on. It introduced the world of Lorule, an opposite world to that of Hyrule. (A direct comparison to the Light and Dark worlds) Story-wise, it kept things fresh with a few plot twists that weren't that common for the series.

Hey guys. We made it. It's finally 2017 again. Breath of the Wild has been released on Nintendo Switch (As yet another Zelda console launch title) and it's fucking glorious. Going directly back to its roots, you have a massive map (for its time), pretty much free reign to play the game in any order you want. This time you can go directly to Calamity Ganon (because that's his name now) and beat him within the first 20 minutes of starting the game. Assuming you're actually good enough to beat the endgame boss with three hearts and whatever weapon you managed to scrounge on the way over. Most shields and weapons now break after so much use, there's a much bigger emphasis on alternative clothing for Link to wear, from just staying warm in the mountains to being able to sneak into the Garudo Village dressed as a woman. The designers of BotW have thought of most contingencies. There are physics-based puzzles, weather that affects you in different ways (Pro-tip: Don't wear lots of metal during a thunderstorm), voice acting ingame for the first time in 30 years. That and basically everything that had been added to the series as a whole over the years. (I still haven't even played it yet) The game is jam-packed full of puzzles and quests that can take well in excess of 200 hours for the more determined of us to complete. Magnum opus might be a bit too strong a term but from most accounts, this is the shiniest of shiny jewels in Zelda's crown to date.

We've travelled over 30 years, over 15 games to this point. If you've stuck with this until now, then you are the true Hero of Time. I hope you enjoyed the distilled taste of pure Zelda directly to your eyeballs because I've had a real good time filling my head with more Hyrule than I know what to do with. (How many times did I say titular? I'm just trying to sound smart) Good day to you! Kisses.