Monday, February 21, 2011

Happy Birthday Zelda!


No, I don't really know anyone named Zelda. On this day in 1986 the game The Legend of Zelda was released in Japan on the Nintendo Entertainment System. That would make Shigeru Miyamoto's classic game 25 years old. The game revolutionized video gaming by incorporating a non-linear approach to gaming where the player was free to move all around the world map as well as to back track to find previously inaccessible items. Not only did the game offer a unique and satisfying quest, but it also had a completely new quest accessible after finishing the game where items and redesigned dungeons were moved around to different areas throughout the world.

On Christmas morning 1986 I was gaming heaven at the ripe old age of 13. I remember playing the game for hours on end and being disappointed that I had to put the game down for a few days when I went on a school trip to the Peach Bowl in Atlanta shortly before winter break ended. Since that time I have played ever version of the game from the NES all the way through to the latest version on the Wii. My favoirte game in the series? Like most fans I'd have to pick The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time released on the Nintendo 64 and about to be re-released on Nintendo's latest handheld system, the 3DS. Good times!

Check out 1UP.com's coverage of the game and its 25 year history here.

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