 In my youth, I briefly dabbled with Ocarina of Time. I want to believe that due to the difficulty of the game I gave up early, instead choosing to watch my brother play. As I got older, I always had a faint memory of two moments in the game, the master sword and young Link's home. But there was some sort of magic about the lore and the land of Hyrule that I had always remembered, which had me wanting to fully explore the game for all that it was. That alongside its incessant praise being hailed as one of the best games of all time. So about a month ago, I bought Nintendo 64 and booted up Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time, my very first Zelda game for the first time, technically. From the second I started it, simply hearing Epona's majestic galloping and the enchanting opening chorus from the title theme, I knew this game was going to be a journey. Ocarina of Time really instilled a sense of a classic adventure into me, following a hero's journey who needs to save his world from corruption. The lore of Hyrule felt rich and I particularly enjoyed the mythos surrounding the Triforce and the Six Sages, and the theme of Time really stuck with me. Ocarina of Time follows the hero of this series, Link. As young Link recedes his call to action by the great Deku Tree, a cursed and dying tree who was cursed by Ganondorf, the big bad of the game, the Deku Tree tells Link that he must fulfill his destiny and save Hyrule, and first he must visit Princess Zelda. He is given the quest to find the spiritual stones, which are the keys to the Sacred Realm, where the Triforce is stored. The Triforce is able to grant any wish, and it is made up of three values that embody the three Golden Goddesses, Din, Nehru, and Farore, power, wisdom, and courage. An individual needs the three spiritual stones, the Master Sword, as well as the Song of Time with the Ocarina of Time to enter the Sacred Realm. So Link ventures around Hyrule, visiting Kakariko Village, Goron City, and Zoro's Domain, and Link makes many friends along the way. For me, the game's narrative really found its footing when Link finally reached the Master Sword. As he pulled the artifact from the pedestal of Time, the young Hylian finds out that he is not of age to wield the sword, so he instead gets put to sleep, and awake in seven years later, when he can become the hero of Time. The catch is that when Link entered the Temple of Time, Ganondorf entered the Sacred Realm. Ganondorf followed him, as he had retrieved all of the items, Ganondorf slipped into the Sacred Realm and touched the Triforce, however in order to harness its full abilities, one must have a balance of courage, wisdom, and power. Because Ganondorf didn't have this balance, the Triforce then broke into three pieces. Ganondorf wielded the Triforce of Power, the quality he possessed the most of, and the other two remaining pieces were of course the Triforce of Wisdom and the Triforce of Courage. The Triforce recognized his heart and transformed the land of Hyrule into a land of darkness, as it was his heart's desire, and I will forever be a sucker for time-skips, so watching member-chirred Link awaken was so much fun to see, and with him, a new mystical hero emerged alongside him, by the name of Sheik, who would quickly become my favorite character. Now with Hyrule shrouded in darkness, it is up to Link to harness the power of the Six Sages and to defeat Ganondorf. In this time, Link visits the Forest Temple to awaken Saria, the Fire Temple to awaken Darunia, the Water Temple for Princess Ruto, and finally Impa and Naboru, who are the keepers of the Shadow and Spirit Temples. And Rauru, who woke Link up, was the Sage of Light. As Link finished awakening all the Sages, the Seventh Sage emerges as none other than Sheik, who was actually Princess Zelda in disguise. She was not only the leader of the Sages, but Princess Zelda also wields the Triforce of Wisdom, and Link wields the final Triforce, the Triforce of Courage. Zelda as Sheik quickly became my favorite character. The three things that drew me to Sheik were her character design, her theme, and her wisdom. The design was similar to Impa's, as they were both Sheikas, but her mysteriousness represented by her covered up and stealthy design so gravitated me towards her. Second was Sheik's theme. The soft yet imposing harp-like sound on the entry was so calming in a game that is chaotic in nature. The game made it known that when Sheik's theme plays, there is a sense of safety and serenity in it. It was like a sigh of relief. And finally, Sheik had some of the most insightful and powerful lines of the game, which truly showed Zelda's wisdom in full effect. Moving back to the story, however, once Sheik revealed herself as Zelda, she then gets found and captured by Ganondorf. And Link must journey to the Baron Hyrule Castle to defeat Ganondorf, save Zelda, and to save Hyrule. Link defeats Ganondorf, and then with the aid of Zelda, defeats Ganondorf's transformed self, the entity Ganon. With the help of the six sages, they seal Ganon away, and Zelda returns Link back to his younger self in his own time. And at the end of the game, young Link would meet Zelda once again in Hyrule Castle. And I don't know why, but I expected the game to let me free roam around Hyrule, but instead the game gets grayed out with the end of this enchanting story emblazoned in the middle of the screen. Ocarina of Time was a story about coming of age and a story about courage. Link was only a little boy when he received the quest to save Hyrule, where he immediately had to push his childhood and his innocence to the side and assemble the courage to face many dangerous challenges, to save a land that was as foreign to him as it was to the players. Though, because that sense of danger didn't feel urgent, this allowed me to appreciate the different areas I was in. But as Link aged, his quest became more pressing as the world turned into darkness. Many of the good times and friends he had made in his younger days weren't there waiting for his future. So in that sense, Ocarina of Time was a bittersweet story. Its affiliation with Time makes me truly value the days that Hyrule wasn't yet lost. And with the game mechanic of being able to jump back and forth when Time really highlighted this. After spending a long time with the older Link, being able to go back to the Temple of Time to turn back to Link's younger self resonated with me. Because in that time, I went back to Lon Lon Ranch to see Malon and her father, Goron City and Zora's domain were populated and the market was full of life. And with that, introduces one of the thought-provoking quotes made by Sheik. The flow of time is cruel. Its speed seems different for each person, but no one can change it. A thing that doesn't change with Time is a memory of younger days. In adult Link's land, it is plagued by Ganondorf's malice. Malon is imprisoned in Lon Lon Ranch. Both Goron City and Zora's domain are empty. Link's friends back home in the Kokiri Forest can't even recognize him. The market is a barren wasteland and the princess is missing. And I remember after Link's awakening, being eager to go and see how everyone has grown and changed. And to find these places desolate and empty was sad. But that memory still exists with Link. And while he can always go back and relive it, he can never change his past. But that good memory can never be changed for exactly that purpose. It is meant to be there as a stagnant memory and a reminder that his future can be changed, that he can never forget those times. Through hard trials with adult Link, he is able to find his former friends who have grown in their own right. Particularly Princess Ruto, the once bratty princess in her old age has now changed. And to that, Sheik says the following. Time passes, people move. Like a river's flow, it never ends. A childish mind will turn to noble ambition. Young love will become deep affection. The clear water's surface reflects growth. Time has changed not only the world as Link knows it, but the people inside it too. Link's ambition was unwavering, but those around him have grown nonetheless. Ruto has now become guided and her love that she had for Link seven years prior was now even stronger. And this quote by Sheik accurately and elegantly described the flow of time. And the final Sheik quote I will look at is before she plays the bolero of fire. It is something that grows over time. A true friendship. A feeling in the heart that becomes even stronger through time. The passion of friendship will soon blossom into a righteous power. And through it, you'll know which way to go. Ocarina of Time is a lonely game. It's the lone hero running around trying to save Hyrule. While he definitely has a lot of help, you spend the majority of the game in silence and in solitude while accompanying you with a beautiful soundtrack. Though you are alone, Link is always being pointed in the right direction by friends. And that becomes even stronger the further you delve into the game. They are important. From Saria to Zelda, Impa, Darunia, Malin, Aboru, Soran and so forth, Link is never truly alone. When he is able to remember the passion of all the people that he's helped or have helped him, they become his strength. And finally, I want to look at the soundtrack. Ocarina of Time has one of the best video game soundtracks I have ever heard. It has a unique quality that I still can't put my finger on, that has stuck with me ever since I played it. As this being my true introduction to the series, this portion of the game elevated it from great to unforgettable. The music alone was able to breathe so much life into a game, into a story without speech. From the second the game was booted with the title theme, every village, every dungeon, every location had its own sound. And that sound told a unique story. Lon Lon Ranch's theme was the story of Malin, her father, and Ipona. The Lost Woods and its timeless melody sets up the woods' unpredictability. Sora's Domain's theme gives the serenity and coolness of water. The Latin touch of the Gerudo Valley theme gave them culture and style. Not only were these songs appropriate for their location, they're simply beautiful songs. Every time I hear the Great Fairy fountain theme, I remember the magic of Hyrule, and how I felt taking Link into such a unique space with such unique properties. And the one theme that I think is now etched into my brain is Zelda's lullaby. A true lullaby that I can now safely associate with the series as a whole, a lullaby that brings feelings of safety and the calm elegance of a royal family all in one. As told by Vincent E. Rhone, the harmony of the lullabies is a fitting, deliciously unassuming tribute to the complexity of the princess. The addition of the ocarina makes it clear that in the land of Hyrule, music has special properties. All of these serenades, allergies, and boleros, as well as an instrument that can help control time, help further elevate and display the power of music in this land. And by having the player not only learn, but actually play these melodies, help keep these songs in your mind and as the game ends, closer to your heart. This story of adventure and discovery is etched even into the gameplay. The endless puzzles, treasures, and attention to detail grant fulfillment to the players after completing a dungeon like Jabu Jabu's belly or the tedious water temple. It is that same feeling of accomplishment I felt when I saved Hyrule. The design of the game had both simplicity and innovation, which brings much of its critical acclaim. It was the first of its kind in many aspects of game design, camera function, level design, and even world design. Narratively, Ocarina of Time is a coming of age story. A story of growth, destiny, friendship, and Link's unique relationship with time and with growing up. We all grow up, and Ocarina of Time was a different kind of adventure. For the kids of the 80s and 90s, I see the importance of this game. It carries so much life and light. At times this game is loud and at times quiet, all when necessary. Ocarina of Time was an inspiration, inspiring kids to be like Link, the hero of time. To understand that journeys will take time, and that time works differently for each of us. To some, time is gentle and to some it is forceful. Those kids would soon find out that memories of their younger days in the land of Hyrule will never be forgotten. Most of all, I think this game inspired these kids to have courage. For those who are courageous are the ones who succeed. Like Link, courage is silent. It is not spoken, rather it is an action that we must consciously perform every single