Illustration by Stephen Maurice GrahamThe year 2015 was set to be a fantastic one for fans of Nintendo's most venerated series—a terrific 3-D remaster of the wonderfully weird Majora's Mask would be followed by a brand new open-world Zelda game on the Wii U. At least, that was the case until Nintendo spoiled everything by postponing the latter until 2016—though that should make for a heck of a 30th anniversary celebration.
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The reaction to the delay says much for the regard in which the series is still held. While some would claim the more recent entries have fallen some way short of their predecessors, each one has left a new generation of players enraptured. The backlash is, of course, part of the traditional Zelda cycle, whereby the latest game—after a raft of positive reviews—is roundly criticized, while its predecessor is reappraised as a classic. So fear not, Skyward Sword, you'll be considered a masterpiece next year. Maybe.One of the reasons it has endured is the same reason some veteran players have drifted away from the series: tradition. Zelda is, as the title suggests, a fable, a tale passed down through generations that gains and loses elements in the retelling, like an extended game of Chinese whispers. It's what imbues its routines and rituals with deeper meaning—when Link pulls the Master Sword out of its resting place, it's an action that carries added emotional weight precisely because it's become part of the myth over three decades' worth of games; equally, for those who've done it several times before, it's a process that may be dulled by familiarity.That's entirely understandable, but for many Zelda players, it's a moment that returns us to more innocent times—and besides, there's usually a fresh twist to make this particular ceremony, along with donning Link's iconic garb and uniting the Triforce, more than just hollow nostalgia.
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Your favorite Zelda is your first, as the cliché goes. As such, pinning down significant moments in the series is a bit of a fool's errand, as everyone will have their own personal highlights. Here, then, is a list of eight special Zelda moments that you're bound to disagree with. By all means, berate me once you've read through what's below—but maybe this could be a place to discuss the Zelda moments that mean the most to you, and together we can celebrate a series that has brought joy to so many.Many Zelda games are described as the "most divisive in the series," but I think Skyward Sword is a shoo-in for top spot. It's polarizing for a number of reasons: Some believe the motion controls to be a stroke of genius, while others outright hate them. Design connoisseurs adore the structure, while others resent being sent to the same environments, even if they've usually changed quite a bit on return visits. Most fans and naysayers, however, would probably agree that robotic ally Fi holds Link's hand far too long and too often, not just interrupting exploration by calculating probabilities of success, but flat-out revealing the solutions to puzzles. Learn to ignore the flashing icon when she has knowledge to impart, however, and she's a much more palatable companion. And by the end, when it's finally time to say goodbye, you might just feel yourself welling up. Admittedly, the music has much to do with that, a sparse, tear-jerking piano refrain of her theme striking up just as you're ready to bid her adieu.
Fi's farewell—Skyward Sword
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The Milk Bar—A Link Between Worlds
The Wind Fish is revived—Link's Awakening
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Midna's desperate hour—Twilight Princess
The castle beneath the sea—The Wind Waker
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