I, the lucky lady that I am, received Legend of Zelda: A link to the Past for Christmas.
Oh it is a good one!
I adore Ocarina of Time. It was the first game I ever played all the way through, and I was truly hooked. I have played surprisingly few other Zelda games, mostly due to not having the consoles to play them on, so what a joy it is to play A Link to the Past now!
I am still working through Link to the Past, I have only just arrived at the Mountain Dungeon, but wanted to share some thoughts at a half-wayish* point.
*(I’m not overly sure where I am in the game, I haven’t played it before and don’t care for the inevitable spoilers if I google to find out!)
On that note : Spoilers ahoy! If you haven’t played, and are intending to play this game, do not read this post yet.
There are many things I have enjoyed so far including:
Dated graphics does not mean dated game
I didn’t own the SNES, I went from Sega Megadrive (technically my big sister’s) to the Nintendo 64. So, the graphics look dated and I assumed the game would be a short, clunkier version of Ocarina. HOW WRONG WAS I! The story, your connection to Link, the puzzles and the humour are all on point.
Dungeons
It’s just so satisfying completing a dungeon and receiving an amulet! The format works a treat. I like how element based the designs for dungeons are.
Items
There seem to be a million tools to find that will help you on your quest! I just got the flippers so I can swim. Every time you hit a brick wall there will be an item to help you through it, and the variation from a bow and arrow to a frozen wand (which I am yet to use actually, why do I have that?) is so much fun.
Secrets
I found a secret fairy cave under a bush and was so very pleased with myself! I have seen ‘easter eggs’ and ‘what you may have missed’ videos for games and films on YouTube and my mind simply boggles at how people find all of these things! So when I manage to find secrets in a game, it’s a thrill.
Pink Bunny
I felt like now was a good time to write a blog post about this game because, to my absolute delight, I just turned into a pink bunny. A ruddy PINK BUNNY! Zelda games have such a lovely in-game humour, and Link to the Past is rife with it...
Pay no attention to the average middle-aged man sitting by this sign.
Story
It always comes back to this with me and games. I need a good story, from the main plot to the subtext. Why Link is transformed into a pink bunny, his relationship with Zelda, how some people in the town turn on him and call the guards, the history behind the sword in the woods (more on that below, darn sword!) all gives such texture to the game that I fully immerse myself in its world. Oh happy escapism!
And here are some things I am anticipating:
Sword
I want the sword. I’ve seen the sword, I have translated the inscription on the sign by the sword, I have attempted to take the sword numerous times. Give me the sword!
Amulets
I have two out of three amulets. Having used the mirror to get out of the dark world I know that once I have the third one I will be able to traverse that world as Link. Exciting!
The Past
The game is called A Link to the Past... what happened before the opening of the game I ponder! Ocarina was time travel based as well, it’s interesting that this pre-Ocarina game alludes to a similar plot!
Saving the Day
Why am I playing this game? Because I want to be the hero that saves the day! Bring on the final boss battle!
So there we have it, an overview of my journey in Legend of Zelda: Link to the Past.
I will write a follow up piece when I finish the game!
