For the first article of this series, I conducted a survey to determine college students’ favorite video games. In the previous articles, the most popular answers were found to be Pokémon, Minecraft, and Animal Crossing. The Legend of Zelda (tLoZ), a fantasy, action-adventure video game franchise, was favorited amongst three of the fifteen college students surveyed. With 27 games and counting, spin-offs included, it is no surprise this franchise was mentioned more than once. The first title in the series, The Legend of Zelda, was released in 1986 by Nintendo. Later, an animated series was created based off of the original game in 1989, and a manga in 1997. Several of the Legend of Zelda games are also considered some of the greatest video games of all time. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is the best-selling game from the franchise to date, with over 21 million sales.
Why does this game stand out to college students?
Each Legend of Zelda game features puzzles, exploration, adventuring, and epic battles with many role-playing aspects. The battles emphasize a hack-and-slash style of combat to slay enemies and bosses throughout each game. The player can also choose different items and abilities to help solve puzzles or defeat enemies that block their path. During the release of every new title, refinements and additions are made to enhance the series’ gameplay. The story takes place in the fantasy world of Hyrule, where players control an-elf like man named Link. He is often joined by Princess Zelda, a reincarnation of one of the three goddesses that created Hyrule. Together, they fight against Ganon, a demon king who aims to control a relic left behind by the goddesses called the Triforce.
The main story and timeline of the Legend of Zelda games is complex, but can be represented by this image:
However, this complex, comprehensive storyline fits perfectly with the preferred traits of some of college students’ favorite video games. One student that listed The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild as one of their favorite games, comments: “I enjoy adventure and story-developed games, where [it] progresses over time… but still has battling, as well.” Another college student with The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time as one of their favorite video games stated: “Engaging stories, problem-solving puzzles, and pleasing aesthetics make them more fun to play.” The Legend of Zelda games were developed to fit those criteria since the first title’s release. Breath of the Wild is a strong example, receiving incredibly positive reviews and multiple Game of the Year 2017 awards.
Upcoming Legend of Zelda Content
A Nintendo Switch remaster for The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword was announced on February 27, 2021. The original game, made for the Nintendo Wii console, was a huge success for the franchise. With the upcoming remake, fans can enjoy old features in new ways. The Switch’s controllers, called Joy-Cons, will be utilized to replicate the Wii Remote Plus’s motion controls. The remaster follows the same story as the original, but with higher resolution graphics for a better gameplay experience. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD is scheduled to be released on July 16, 2021.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Maggie Spring
Student Author - Spring 2021
