We don’t like The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. We worship him, we adore him. It’s a cult game that we never got tired of. Released for the Nintendo 64 in 1997, the game had a profound impact on the video game industry, but also on the collective imagination – whether we played it or not. Admittedly, it was released at a pivotal moment for video gaming (when 2D games transitioned to 3D), but its impact was so monumental that for years the Zelda games that followed were called upon to rise to their greatness, and were systematically crushed by its mere evocation. Its implementation, its gameplay, its story, its atmosphere, its music and even its sound effects, every element of the game is simply unforgettable. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is the base. So when we learn that the title has finally been included in the World Video Game Hall of Fame who acts as international pantheon of video games, we applaud all of our members. It is important that such a game be exhibited, celebrated, but also treated with the respect we owe it, as we would a painting by a master.
chaired by The strong and the International Center for the History of Video Games this is Manhattan, the World Video Game Hall of Fame since 2015 brings together the best games from around the world based on their quality but also what they brought to the world and how they impacted society. However, the games are only added in spades to give each induction an exceptional side. A jury meets every year after a pre-selection of around ten titles, introduces a small handful of newly elected members. Four new games are entering the video game pantheon this year: Dance Dance Revolution, Sid Meier’s Civilization, Ms. Pac-Man Last but not least, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Shigeru Miyamoto’s masterpiece joins The Legend of Zelda (see it) as well as a long list of different and varied titles, including Pong, World of Warcraft, Final Fantasy VII, Sonic the Hedgehog, GTA III, Space Invaders, The Simstetris Super Mario Kart (look here) Pokemon Red/Green or Donkey Kong (see here) The full list can be found here. Note that you can already make campaigns and suggestions for next year’s vintage a title you think is worthy of being included in the pantheon – see here.
Today, Ocarina of Time is often cited as one of the greatest games of all time by critics and gamers alike. A sequel, The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask (2000) for Nintendo 64 directly follows the events of Ocarina of Time. Nintendo re-released Ocarina of Time as a bonus disc for The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (2002) pre-orders and later made the game available through various Nintendo Online Networks. A remake for Nintendo 3DS updated the graphics and took advantage of the handheld’s stereoscopic screen, but the gameplay remained largely the same. Even today, developers around the world credit The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time with having influenced the way they make games. Somehow, the game’s sprawling 3D world, fluid combat, intricate puzzles, and time-shifting story inspire players with a wonder they will never forget.
Did you know?
Players must travel through time with an ocarina, a real wind instrument whose particular shape in the shape of a bird’s head inspired its name, which means “little goose” in Italian.
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The Legend of Zelda (NES) was inducted into the World Video Game Hall of Fame in 2016 (see here)
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Photo credit: The Strong