2016 is an important year for Nintendo, this year marks another major milestone for one of the companies biggest franchises The Legend of Zelda. All year long they are celebrating the franchise with major releases such as The Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess HD, Hyrule Warriors Legends and of course Zelda U, but all that aside one day is more important and that day is today.
Yes it was on this day the twenty first of February 1986 (which is in now in Japan) that the game that started it all debuted. Today was the day the original Legend of Zelda arrived in stores, and now looking back honestly where would we be without this momentous franchise, we can look at the history of any major game player and see the mark that Zelda left on them. Ocarina of Time, Majora’s Mask, Wind Waker, A Link to the Past just to name a few have been a big deal to so many people, they somehow changed lives, they opened the door for a deeper look at the potential of games, they were amazing.
On a more personal level I don’t honestly know where I would be without the franchise, I may not have such an expansive history as many a Zelda fan but I love the franchise just as much. I only really started liking the Zelda games back in 2006 when I first played The Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess and this game began a truly wonderful journey, one that eventually led me to play the best game in the series, Skyward Sword. What a time my days in High School came to a close, I had just finished exams (how I hated them), now what was I to do, this is when Skyward Sword arrived, I got immersed in the game falling for its world, its story and more importantly its excellent controls. Skyward Sword is the game that made me want to talk more about videogames and share my thoughts, without I would probably be in a truly depressed state but that is alternate dimension Simon’s problem. Skyward Sword was a magical game and the combination of twenty five years of effort to make the best Zelda ever.
Now we are at the thirty year mark I must wonder what lies ahead, and will Zelda U become that big Zelda game we hope it to be? Either way I am glad that the Zelda franchise is in my life, it is such a wonderful series full of many great stories and games, and all that’s left to say is happy thirtieth anniversary and may you have many more wonderful years.
