Welcome to CalTimes’s Game Review series! Here we will be reviewing and critiquing popular games, whether they are old or new. If you have any suggestions, please email us!
“The Legend of Zelda” has been a cornerstone of the fantasy gaming industry for years, and the history mainly starts with “Ocarina of Time”. Released in 1998, the game is the first 3D installment in the “Legend of Zelda” series. The third dimension added plenty of new ways to engage in combat and explore the world of Hyrule. The main gameplay revolves around action, adventuring, and puzzle-solving.
In “Ocarina of Time”, you play as Link, a young boy living in the forest, who is summoned to save Hyrule. He is given a sword and a shield to start out, and is sent out to meet with Princess Zelda. She believes that Ganondorf, the evil Gerudo King, is trying to steal the Triforce, which is a relic that grants the holder godlike power. Zelda sends Link to gather some spiritual stones, but when he gets back, Ganondorf has already attacked. Link goes to grab the legendary Master Sword to defeat Ganondorf, but doing so leads Ganondorf directly to the Triforce. Link’s spirit was frozen for seven years after this event, awoken only when he was old enough to wield the Master Sword and defeat Ganondorf to save Hyrule. The game then follows Link as he travels the world of Hyrule to find the seven Sages that can help him. He also has the power to travel between time with the Master Sword, allowing him to go between adult and child.
“Ocarina of Time” shines in almost every facet, but I was specifically drawn to the story, setting, and characters. The overall story is very strong and in my opinion the strongest in the series. The setting of Hyrule also shines, as it feels massive for a game released in 1998. The different corners of Hyrule are also beautiful and are themed in different ways. My favorite places in the game were Zora’s Domain, which is the water-based home of the fish-like Zora, and the Kokiri Forest, which is the beginning area full of the child-fairy race of Kokiri. The characters in all of the explorable places were very well-designed and had amazing personalities, with my favorites being Sheik and Princess Ruto.
In terms of gameplay, I was shocked to find out that it is surprisingly smooth and fun considering how old the game is. The camera was a bit annoying at times but I think it was made up for with how great the combat and movement felt. The only big gripe I had with the gameplay was that some of the puzzle-solving temples were insanely tedious and hard to figure out. The Water Temple in particular was impossible to figure out without a guide and I have no idea how a child would be able to get past it.
Another part of the game that I fell in love with was the music. Koji Kondo’s direction for the soundtrack makes it one of the best video game soundtracks I have ever listened to. It is full of iconic tracks, with every area’s music sounding perfect. It’s a game I recommend playing with the sound on for the full experience.
Rating: 9.5/10
This is a game that I think everyone should play at least once and is one of the greatest games of all time. It received critical acclaim on its release, and time has cemented it as one of the best games ever. Multiple members of the industry have cited “Ocarina of Time” as a huge inspiration for other games such as Okami, Grand Theft Auto III, Uncharted, Dark Souls, and Shadow of the Colossus, to name a few. It has long lived on as a game people regularly play, whether it is casually, speedrunning, or modifications. There’s no denying that the game is a classic that should be enjoyed by all gamers.
