Timeshift Thursday – Zora’s Domain (Ocarina of Time)

Hi, and welcome to the latest segment of Timeshift Thursday where I take you back to some of my favorite Zelda areas! It’s great to have you join me again and hopefully the topic this week is in your best interests. Ocarina of Time is back on the agenda as we look at a beautiful part of its glorious overworld and discover the race who inhabit its region.

Ocarina of Time was such a memorable game; especially for those who were introduced to the Legend of Zelda because of its stunning world of Hyrule, introduction of peculiar tribes, beautifully captivating story, and the immerse 3D environment it portrays. The most praised video game title, unfortunately, has cursed every Zelda game since to ultimate failure and disregard no matter how hard Nintendo tries to give us a nostalgic feeling about it. Hopefully brand new Zelda Wii U and 3DS titles agree with people’s expectations although the standard is, as mentioned, set quite high. Anyway, let this week’s feature roll!

Today, we’ll be taking a breathtaking look at Zora’s Domain from Ocarina of Time! This indoor water center hosts a group of fish-natured beings called Zoras and they happen to intertwine with Link’s quest in a very important way. Click the jump below and let’s take a good look at the glorious Zora’s Domain!

If the Ocarina of Time adventure is played in the most well-known way, Link passes into the region of the Zoras in a desperate attempt to gain the third spiritual stone, open the Door of Time, and find the Triforce. To enter the Zora’s home providence, Link must prove his connections to the Royal Family of Hyrule are legit by playing the melodic “Zelda’s Lullaby” tune and part the gushing waterfall blocking access to the domain. The first thing you may notice when glancing at the Zora’s Domain intro cutscene as Link enters the area is that the Zoras surely have chosen a spectacular part of Hyrule to dwell in! A glassy-refined waterfall is the main attraction of Zora’s Domain and it always gives me the reminiscing memories of my childhood as I took that leap of faith off the top of the waterfall immersing into the sparkling waters below. Thankfully, Nintendo gave us the 3DS remake of this stunning game as the 3D effect really showed a pure sense of depth and the environment never looked graphically clearer.

You can fish, swim, talk with Zoras, and help the Zora King in a quest to save his beloved daughter, Princess Ruto, whom you so happen to awkwardly become engaged to once she gives you her Zora’s Sapphire. It’s probably the closest step Link has ever gained to becoming a married man yet not by his choice alone! An interesting factor to identify is the wide-known theory that Link has the ability to unfreeze Zora’s Domain from its icy state after Link travels forward in time and finds out what Ganondorf has done to the region. Weirdly enough, although Link saves the Zoras, the Domain still remains frozen over by its crystallized curse and many gamers searched endlessly to find a way to bring Zora’s Domain back to its organic state. Although this cannot be achieved, during the credits Zora’s Domain is indeed shown to have been restored yet the area is lifeless because Zoras are celebrating Ganondorf’s defeat at Lon Lon Ranch.

The music of Zora’s Domain lets us know the feel of the environment Link is entering. It’s calm, peaceful, and the Zoras are enjoying just chilling out in their humble abode. Their lives are content with the beautiful waters they may live in and this theme really emphasizes how easy-going the tribe really is. This is indeed a personal favourite Zelda composition of mine.

What are your thoughts about Zora’s Domain? Do you wish you could unfreeze the area before finishing Ocarina of Time? Are you a fan of the Zora tribe? I would love to read your thoughts and comments below!