By Matt Estes
According to Metacritic, a site that amalgamates critical opinion of media, “The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time” is the highest rated in video game history. This has lead many people to tout it as the greatest video game of all time. I agree with that assessment.
I first played “Ocarina of Time” when I was 16 years old, which means I first played the game a full 10 years after it was released. Growing up with the “Sonic the Hedgehog” and “Kirby” franchises battling it out for favorite video game series, I decided to branch out and try to find a series I would like even more. What I found was “The Legend of Zelda,” and I was not disappointed.
“Ocarina of Time’s” reputation preceded my first experience with the game, so I knew it was good. I just did not know how much I would enjoy it. Never has a mere video game been so cinematic, so solid in its gameplay, and so emotionally potent. When I was playing I could see past the dated graphics and immerse myself in the world of Hyrule.
The important thing about OoT is its status solidifying 3D adventure games as an actual genre. This game crafted the Zelda formula that is still enjoyed by gamers today. You can look at any recent adventure game, including juggernauts like “Skyrim” and “Grand Theft Auto,” and find the elements that premiered in this game.
Nintendo somehow managed to pack an emotional wallop into this game. Themes of childhood, death, and good versus evil permeate the adventure. This is capitalized by the music, which itself is beautiful and top notch.
If you can look past the somewhat dated graphics, see if you can track the game down on the Nintendo 64 or play it on the Wii’s Virtual Console. If you cannot forgive graphical limitations, there is a remastered version now available on the Nintendo 3DS.
[Edited by Dagur Jonsson - 10/9/13]