For me, there is one video game that stands the test of time more than any other: The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. As the subtitle is a crucial part to the game’s storyline, the game itself is a crucial link to my childhood, which largely consisted of Saturday morning cartoons, Wrestle Mania and weekend sleepovers. Not only were times much simpler for an 11 year old me, but the games themselves seemed better built and a lot more fun to play’like Tim Burton telling a colorful story; not Michael Bay just blowing stuff up.
Those were the days.
Now that I’m much older and have a wife, kids, and a career that keeps me busy, it’s hard for me to find the time to get deeply involved in video games. I still play them, but at a much more casual pace. Twenty minutes here and there keep me tied to the industry, but deep down I long for the days of pretending to be sick so mom would let me stay home from school so I could play games all day while sipping gag-inducing cough medicine. It just so happens that every few years I get to step into a parallel world and relive my childhood.
My best friend and I have an ongoing tradition to get together and do nothing but play Zelda. We once had a goal of beating every Zelda game ever made. The newer Zeldas keep us from attaining that goal due to their length, so we focus on the the pre-N64 Zeldas that are as timeless today as the first day we fired them up. Just this last week, he called me up to play Zelda. He too is married with children, but his wife would be out of town for the week and was taking their new baby along. So I got the “OK” from my wife to spend a Friday evening reminiscing and playing Zelda at his house into the night.
First stop, Chinese takeout and cream sodas. After that, we headed back to his place and fired up A Link to the Past on the old Super Nintendo. From the opening title screen to the last boss battle, I was 11 again. I completely forgot that I had pressing deadlines at work on Monday and the responsibilities of raising small children seemed secondary for just a few hours. Like riding a bike for the first time, all those vivid memories of staying up all night doped up on pixy sticks and Jolt soda came rushing to my mind’the button combinations and hidden secrets still ingrained in my memories.
After playing into the early hours of morning, I headed back home and into the present. I slipped into bed and caught a few hours sleep, before waking to kids jumping on the bed. I was home again, but this time I was refreshed and rejuvenated. All because of a video game that’s never forgotten what too many other games overlook: fun.
I can still remember my first play through of that game. I got it late because I had to get all my games with my own cash. I think I was in high school, circa 94-95. I got stuck in that temple where you get the hammer. I would wander around there for hours just trying to figure out why I couldn't advance. One day while I was playing, a couple of friends dropped by to say hi and asked what I was doing.
My buddy informed me that I could PULL THE TONGUES ON SOME OF THE STATUES!
My mind was BLOWN!
Such awesome memories of that game. Great job, you may have just inspired a VC purchase. Why oh why wasn't that on the collectors disk?
great article.
I didn't get a nintendo until zelda II came out and that was my first game. I remember I didn't get TLOZ until my 14th birthday, but for some reason some other friends were still playing it and we traded secrets back and forth. (what a birthday too- saw jurassic park and got zelda!) The Zelda sleepovers were great.
I didn't play ALTTP until college! Even on an emulator, that game was a fun distraction.
I'm starting to notice as I get further and further caught up in the "real world" that I, too, am finding less time to enjoy a good video game. This article reminds me that sometimes, I have to stop and take a breather. Otherwise, I'll become old, and we wouldn't want that!
I remember stepping out of Link's house and thinking about how amazing the rain looked. THE RAIN.
Graphical accomplishments aside, it was an amazing game.
The Link to the Past was by far the best Zelda. I know some people thing OOT was awesome but I played Link to the Past alot. Also the reason why it wasn't on the Gamecube Zelda Collectors disc was because they will about to release this on the GBA so it wouldn't of made since even though I wish they did put it on the Zelda Collectors disc but oh well. I too fall into the same boat with being married (kids on the way) and working the IT career and constantly studying the latest in new technology for our company that I just don't have alot of time like I use to so I like casual games and games that aren't too deep. Otherwise, I just buy a game and do my best to beat it through before I buy and comment to another 50 dollar game. I love the old NES & SNES games of my little kid days. N64 and Playstation were my high school days.
There is just something about SNES games that made them fun. Not sure if it was my age or if it was the greatest console of all time, but my best gaming memories come from the SNES era.
I am a 53 year old grandmother who still loves playing Zelda. I've had the pleasure of introducing some of my grandchildren to Zelda. I have a gamecube and was very happy when I learned I could buy an attachment that allowed me to play ALTP on the gameboy cartridge. I love TP, MM & OOT but ALTP is still one of my all time favorites. Say what you want, but you're only as old as you feel and playing Zelda helps keep me feeling young at heart.
For once, I agree! ALttP was the first game I ever played and it'll always have a place in my heart, I keep going back to it and even after my dozens of play throughs, I never get tired of it!
When I was 11, wrestling hadn't reached its 80s zenith yet, I ran home from the bus every day to catch Star Blazers except on those days when my mom would have coffee with some of the other teachers and let my brother and me go next door to the arcade to play Asteroids or Space Invaders. The game that rocked my world that year was Pac-Man, a game with no fire button but which kept me playing to try to see the intermissions between levels.
I have never actually touched a SNES and never played Link to the Past, though I would have if they'd included it on the Gamecube Zelda Collection disc. As it was, my first Zelda was Ocarina of Time on that Wind Waker preorder disc, and at this point it's probably my favorite game. Maybe LTTP will change that whenever I get around to trying it. And maybe (unlike any of the 3D ones) it might be short enough that I actually finish it when I do.
I do have a couple of Nintendo-related links to my past: playing Donkey Kong on the Colecovision, a couple years later in 1983; and playing Super Mario Sunshine, when my partner was still mostly healthy and life was the best it was ever going to get, in 2003. Simpler times for sure.
😀 ALTTP is still my favorite Zelda!!!
This article made me fell warm and fuzzy in places I didn't even know I had
Great article Mark…
I'm in the same situation, there isn't enough time to play now as an adult. That sucks =/
I must simply be a more new-fashioned gamer, but even though I grew up during the Snes era, I love Wind Waker and absolutely detest A Link To The Past. It was a chore just to get through the game for me (I was playing it because i wanted to be more familiar with "the classics" and it was one that i had missed). Perhaps I'm simply spoiled by the incredible artistic immersion of Wind Waker, but I just could not get into A Link To The Past. And the added annoyance that it was Frustratingly hard, not Fun hard. One of my favorite games of all time is Ikaruga so I Know what Fun hard is like, but Link To The Past just annoyed me so often. There were still moments I genuinely was impressed by, and the music was consistently incredible and damn that rain still looks amazing today, but there are so many Snes games I enjoy leagues more. Mega Man X, Donkey Kong Country 2–it's probably just a game type preference on my part.
However, I am glad that so many people enjoyed the game! Just don't ask me to play it again! ^_^ And yes I did beat it.
If I'd played it back when I was younger, right when it came out, it probably would've blown my mind. I guess I'm just spoiled now. v_v