November twenty first, 2023 marked the twenty fifth anniversary of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time’s Japanese launch. To have a good time this historic Hyrulean event, we’re operating articles all through the week devoted to the sport, our reminiscences, and its legacy. On this closing characteristic, we’re closing with an opener as Jim explains why the sport’s first dungeon is one in every of his all-time faves…
I’ve talked about it a couple of instances throughout this week’s anniversary celebration, however I am going to say it once more simply in case you have not been maintaining with the Ocarinaversary content material (tut tut tut): The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time was my introduction to gaming. And what an introduction it was.
There was, nevertheless, one concern. While you begin your gaming journey with what many think about to be the best of all time, the place do you go from there? The reply, it appears, is again to Ocarina of Time. Often.
I’ve managed to get a very good variety of video games underneath my belt within the ensuing 25 years, a handful of which even most popular to Ocarina, however my introduction to Hyrule nonetheless dominates my listing of favorite gaming moments. The title display, the time journey, lastly defeating Phantom Ganon after a very tear-inducing grind session, this recreation is filled with GOAT moments. However above all of those sits the immovable dungeon, Contained in the Nice Deku Tree. My beloved.
“You possibly can’t decide a complete dungeon as your favorite gaming second of all time!” it’s possible you’ll cry, and that is truthful sufficient. Coincidentally, it simply so occurs that a number of of my prime moments come from this very location, so I feel it is truthful sufficient to group them collectively underneath a singular umbrella.
Reasonably than run by way of a step-by-step information of the dungeon, I’ve determined to slim it all the way down to only a handful of my finest bits. Some ‘Deku Delights’, you may say. I can not actually say that the dungeon is the most effective within the sequence — the Forest Temple holds collectively significantly better as an entire, if you happen to ask me — however inform me this: Does the Forest Temple have a depraved soar off a ledge that builds up a lot energy you possibly can break by way of the ground itself? I do not suppose so.
Effectively, I’ve stated it now, so why not begin there? Within the years earlier than Tears of the Kingdom received us all used to the majesty of leaping from a excessive platform (okay, Assassin’s Creed bought me on it years prior, however let’s follow the Zelda theme right here), my little thoughts couldn’t comprehend simply how cool it could be to see such a feat of fantasy athleticism in motion. The online flooring caught my eye from my first steps into the dungeon, and the wonderful placement of the instantly seen coronary heart simply out of attain from the primary platform — requiring you to leap off it and onto the net, testing its power — inspired me to place two and two collectively. I must soar from increased up.
Previous to that very second, my childhood had been crammed with “get down from the highest of that tree,” “perhaps we should not burn issues,” and “let’s not soar into that gap, even whether it is only for enjoyable.” Now I am a boring grown-up, I see that these are all sound items of recommendation, however on the time, the leap from the highest of the Deku Tree, by way of that internet mesh and into the water beneath gave me a rush of adrenaline that no Sky Island dive has been in a position to match.
So, let’s leap into among the dungeon’s puzzles, lets? As a result of (shock, shock), I feel they’re good.
I actually do not know if there was a second in gaming that has made me really feel smarter.
The way in which that the Deku Tree regularly introduces you to the wonders of lighting torches. Fantastic. The way you study to cross the flooded flooring whereas retaining your flame alight. Good. However the one which stays in my thoughts as the most effective of Nintendo’s ‘let’s make these children really feel like geniuses’ is the 2-3-1 Deku Scrub brothers.
Simply in case you do not keep in mind, a Deku Scrub at an earlier stage within the dungeon informs you that you’ll have to defeat his brothers by remembering that “twenty-three is primary” (a Michael Jordan reference, maybe? Might this recreation be any extra ’90s if it tried?). You need to maintain onto this data for a very good very long time, too.