After a month's worth of Final Smashes I was able to do the unthinkable when I pushed down on the Smash cart inserted on my 3DS and changed it to my Ocarina of Time (the game, alright. Not the real ocarina of time, how would that even fit?). Maybe it's because of THIS announcement which pumped me up that made me run back to Hyrule and save it again.
My first play-through of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time was, sadly, a rushed and segmented adventure since I had a pile of unfinished games at the time and all I wanted to do was to finish as much games as possible before vacation ends. And while I did enjoy the game and all its memorable moments it felt like I haven't experienced the game as the masterpiece that it is since I only ever completed the story in the most straightforward manner that I could.
The first time I played Zelda was December last year and I finished it May this year (damn that was long) thanks to academics and other social nonsense.
I started a new file today and as an overloaded treat to myself I made sure that I'd be gaming all day. The many deaths I suffered during my first adventure taught me well, as of my current progress I haven't died yet. I was even able to breeze through Jabu-Jabu's belly, the hardest part I raged on about during my first adventure.
Collecting Zora's Sapphire was the most fun I had in the whole first half of the game beating out my adventures inside the Great Deku Tree and the explosive turnabouts inside Dodongo's Cavern that led to the reclamation of the Gorons' foodcourt.
One of the reasons why I enjoyed my time inside Jabu-Jabu (why does that sound so...ugh) is the Zoras' tsundere princess, Ruto.
Here's the Tsun:
And here's the dere in two seconds flat:
But really, all the time Link was with her around the innards of Jabu-Jabu she was always happily waiting in anticipation for our green hero.
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| See how happy she is? Just look at that smile! |
Well, to sum it all up the easiest dungeon that I went through in the hunt for the Spiritual Stones was inside the Great Deku Tree. My adventure inside Dodongo's Cavern was neutral. Even now I'm still not that big of a fan of bombs and lava (and Gorons, and Death Mountain, and...you guys get the point). Zora's Domain is now my favorite in the first half of the game mainly because I managed to get through the annoying Boomerang levels with ease thanks to my awesome mastery of...L-Targeting! But even so, that damn gigantic mid-boss Octorok is hella annoying.
Everyone knows that after the third Spiritual Stone has been collected, Navi will prevent you from doing any side-quests for the moment using her extreme annoyance talent. Unless of course her "Hey, Listen!" is music to someone's ears then I'm pretty sure they could have done plenty of things before proceeding to Hyrule Castle Town.
Catching a snapshot of this cut-scene was.not.e-a-s-y.
Of course there wan an option of just recording the scene but as my hands were shaking at the sudden epicness of Link's display of courage, that was certainly out of the question. No matter how many times I watch this scene, it still sends a chill down my spine. This was a great prelude to the dark future ahead of Link, Zelda and Hyrule.
After the cut-scene, acquiring the Ocarina of Time and opening the Door of Time, Link has a special reunion with Fi...but of course that's all in my head since before Skywayrd Sword's release the Master Sword was a weapon not the materialization of someone sent by the Goddess, Hylia.
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| Thanks Navi, I wouldn't have guessed it without you |
I took the time to read all the dialogue between the characters involved in the transition from present to future in this part of the game. After my first playthrough, some of my random thoughts included the seven sages. The three main characters during the first half of the game (Saria, Darunia and Ruto) were all obviously part of the seven. Impa and Nabooru were news to me as I was playing but there was still no surprise there. Zelda on the other hand was a sage but a special one since she was the "leader" of the seven and the bearer of the Triforce of Wisdom, plus she doesn't have her own dungeon. And speaking of not having their own dungeon, we have this old deviant who has the air of a wise old owl (yes, pun intended, Kaepora Gaebora).
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| Seriously, Rauru. Can't you just be normal and have your own dungeon? |
To this day (with all the knowledge I have with Zelda...alright I played just 5 games, gimme a break) Rauru remains to be one of the most mysterious characters in the whole Hyrule Historia. He's a great guy, always watching over Link and the fate of the land. It's just...why can't he just be locked up in his own dungeon for once?
After the timely revelations of Rauru, I am now in control of Adult Link. Right after returning to the Chamber of the Master Sword Link is greeted by one of the top-tier characters in Smash, Sheik.
One of the most disappointing moments I had playing this game was meeting Sheik's character with the knowledge that she is Princess Zelda (ermm...spoiler alert?). Years before I played the game, I already knew that Zelda and Sheik are the same person, but learning that as a spoiler and not as part of the game kinda ruined a big part of the feels I was supposed to feel during the game...so yeah. Lesson learned, spoilers are incredible weapons of mass (mental) destruction.
Wait a minute...
This has been bugging me since I started a new file. During my first playthrough, before the final confrontation against Ganon, Link and Zelda rushed to escaped the crumbling castle. But during their escape, Zelda was helpless...HELPLESS!
Why in the Hyrule did she not transform back to Sheik? I mean was changing into her proper princess garb so magically taxing that she can't use her Sheika abilities?
Even during the final battle, she was a spectator, only participating in the battle by holding down Ganon for Link to deliver the final strike.
And then there's THIS:
Zelda grew up trained as a Sheika for Hylia's sake. Yah, the Master Sword can only be held by the one worthy of being called the "Hero of Time", but shouldn't there be some kind of special treatment for Zelda since she was the reincarnation of the Goddess, Hylia.
...ah damn I guess I could let this one slide, but still as a princess who grew up under the influence of the Sheika tribe, she could have at least helped Link fight. I was a noob back then with only one bottle and without the Biggoron's Sword, a help from Sheik would've been nice.
Well that concludes part 1 of Time and Again (I probably should change the title of this Gaming Report). Gaming Report 2 for my second Zelda run should come in next week after I rack in more progress. As of this afternoon I was able to awaken Saria as the Forest Sage. Right now I'll probably do more side-quests especially collecting the Gold Skulltulas. Link needs a bigger wallet.
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