Daily Debate: What is Your Favorite Memory of the Original Legend of Zelda?

The Legend of Zelda has been a hallmark of innovation and imagination since its inception, all the way back with the original Legend of Zelda title for the NES. Gamers found themselves thrust into a land unlike anything ever seen before: the vast realm of Hyrule, which could be explored at will in any direction you wanted right from the very start of the game. It has the power of saving data, it had swords and bows and boomerangs and bombs, it had the basis for what would become one of gaming’s most lauded series. It didn’t have much in the way of storyline, sure, but that only allowed gamers to think up their own tales and adventures for Link to go on. I’m sure for many gamers, there’s a wealth of glorious memories they hold for this title. What are yours?

I was a couple of years late to the party, having started the series with Ocarina of Time and played pretty much every other game in the series before I finally got around to taking on the original Hyrulean adventure. But even so, the simplicity of the setting allowed my imagination to run wild. I would be walking across the screen, trying to get around the bushes while avoiding the Octoroks, and I would picture Link ducking and diving around the shrubbery as he snuck up on the baddies before finishing them off with a quick strike of his sword—only to hurriedly rush back to cover as another beast rounded the bend. I’d see him nervously inching his way down the stairwell to the next dungeon, blade in hand in case an enemy charged at him out of the darkness and caught him unawares. Given how much I adore storylines, I was surprised to see myself rather enthralled with a game that holds a distinct lack of in-game narrative.

The original Legend of Zelda captivated many of us, so much so that its iconic look was brought into Hyrule Warriors in the Adventure Mode part of the game. How about you—what are your favorite memories of the first game? You first time facing Aquamentus, or Gohma, or even just an Octorok? That feeling of power you get from receiving your first sword? Or maybe your best memories exist outside of the game: a specific instance when you played it with a friend or family member, or a discussion that spawned from it, or maybe a chance encounter that a passing “It’s Dangerous to Go Alone!” quote drew you into. Let us know in the comments!

(Note: We’ll probably have this kind of DD for every game of the series eventually, so let’s keep this talk focused on the original NES classic. Thanks)