How Breath Of The Wild Made Me A Zelda Fan 20 Years Later

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time has been called the greatest game of all-time by many. The title has changed the face of video games, whether you’re 13 or 30. The project was a success because of its large world and puzzle-laden dungeons. It also featured an innovative Z-Targeting lock on system that led to the rise in 3D action-adventure. Ocarina’s groundbreaking format was also validated in Twilight Princess, Wind Waker, and Twilight Princess. Ocarina of Time was an defining moment in my childhood. However, it wasn’t something I considered to be a fan of.

My family had a Nintendo 64, but we didn’t have any money for it. We spent many evenings browsing through the rental shelves at Blockbuster and checking out Super Smash Bros. for just a few days. Zelda’s Ocarina of Time was also often part of this rotation. The rentals let me play some of my favorite games but they did not allow me to fully experience all of the great experiences on the console. 

My Ocarina of Time saved file was lost when I returned my rental. This is because most Nintendo first-party titles save their data to the N64 cartridge. While I watched Navi in Kokiri Forest wake Link up dozens of times before I finally got to play the game, it was a frustrating experience. Because I was frustrated with Zelda’s Zelda series for a long time, I never played the subsequent Zelda entries. However, that all changed in 2017 when I started to play Breath Of The Wild.

Breath of the Wild was first loved by me for its peaceful moments. These were the times Link would walk beneath the Dueling Peaks, or find treasure on the nearby shoreline. You could also hear scattered melodies juxtaposed with a Hyrule that was in total ruin. This was the world that I wanted to live in. The more time I spent there, the more special it became. Breath of the Wild gave me a glimpse into what an open-world gaming experience could look like. It was not about task lists or busywork, but instead allowed for spontaneity and exploration. Although the game’s central quest requires you to “Destroy Ganon”, you have complete control over how it is done.

From the moment Link steps onto The Great Plateau, he has all the necessary equipment to make the trip ahead. Link can fly paragliders through the air and cover great distances. The Sheikah Slate has the power to Magnesis and Stasis and Cryonis. Remote Bombs allow him to eliminate enemies and obstacles in the Zelda way. This is because of the consistency and interaction between these mechanics with systems such as stamina weapon degradation and temperature. It also fosters creativity.

For instance, grass, wood, food and certain enemies are all flammable. Setting grass on fire can create updrafts which players can use for combat and to reach out of-reach areas. They can also use an open flame to make their own food. Small decisions like these permeate the experience, and more times than not, you can enact whatever out-of-left-field strategy you dream up – and I love the game for it.

Breath of the Wild presents a challenging puzzle to players in its opening hour. This is The River of the Dead. Players must solve this puzzle. To reach the shrine giving them Sheikah’s Cryonis power, players will need to cross the torrential waters below Mount Hylia. Since it only takes a few seconds to die from hypothermia after being submerged, you must find another way to cross the icy river – especially without owning the crucial paraglider yet.

Magnesis can be used by perceptive players to rebuild the broken pieces of an old bridge. They can also use a less traditional approach and find an axe in a riverbank tree, then chop down the conifer to get to the wooden raft. You could have used the Korok Leaf to navigate the raft from the other bank if you had discovered it earlier. Zelda: Breath of the Wild celebrates curiosity in almost every moment, and the entire game embraces that philosophy until the final.

Breath of the Wild is a reconstruction of the original Ocarina of Time format; it’s a passing of the torch. Like how fans remember 1998 to shape their gaming tastes, 2017 is the year that my expectations changed about open-world video games. Breath of the Wild has a relaxed approach to quiet moments and is not shy about asking players questions. This game is liberating and gives the user full control of their adventure through it. 

Combining Breath of Wild Nintendo’s video games have been a great experience. They combine exploration and stimulating combat with beautiful art direction and memorable music. Twenty-five year later, I still consider myself to be a Nintendo fan. Zelda Fan, it is so satisfying.