Zelda Dungeon Reflects on Ocarina of Time’s 25th Anniversary

“Right now our highest priority is to create an interesting game, first and foremost. Sometimes that means not worrying about the joints not lining up perfectly, which is inevitable anyway. Excluding really obvious, big breaks in continuity, we ignore the little inconsistencies.”
—Shigeru Miyamoto

In an interview with Japanese gaming magazine Famimaga 64 back in August 1996, game developer Shigeru Miyamoto was asked about upcoming titles for the recently launched Nintendo 64 system. During the interview, Miyamoto talked about the development process on Super Mario 64 and how he had been wanting to use 3D polygons in a way that was beyond the capabilities of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Late in the interview, Miyamoto revealed that Mario 64 was in development concurrently with the then-titled Zelda 64, with Mario’s first 3D outing using ideas he came up with for the next Zelda. Thanks to Miyamoto wanting to go beyond what was possible at the time, development progressed on a title would redefine the Zelda series and video gaming as a whole.

Twenty-five years ago on this very day, the world witnessed the initial release of what many consider to not only be the best Zelda game of all time, but one of the best video games ever created: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

In the same way Miyamoto redefined the platforming genre with Super Mario 64, he redefined the action-adventure genre with Ocarina of Time. This game boasted an expansive game world, an epic fantasy aesthetic, an eclectic cast of characters, wonderfully orchestrated music, unforgettable dungeons, and memorable boss fights; the list just goes on and on. Nintendo’s Entertainment Analysis & Development (EAD) division took such a chance after the success of A Link to the Past, and it paid off in spades for the Big N.

Just look at all of the accolades Ocarina of Time has received over the years. The game has managed to be at the top or near the top of nearly every gaming publication’s “Best Video Game Ever” list around the world. Last year, it was inducted into The Strong National Museum of Play’s World Video Game Hall of Fame, joining such greats as Halo: Combat Evolved, Final Fantasy VII, and, of course, the original The Legend of Zelda. It has managed to influence other significant titles such as Grand Theft Auto III, Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver, Ōkami, and many more. Ocarina of Time has also managed to stay at the top of Zelda Dungeon’s own Best Zelda Ever list for five consecutive years!

Now while it is nice to see how much Ocarina of Time means to the rest of the world, I thought it would be best to examine the game’s importance in our neck of the woods. Zelda Dungeon is filled with many people who grew up with Zelda, so I thought it would be nice to ask some of the other writers here about their memories and experiences with the game.

Writers were asked the following questions in regards to Ocarina of Time:

  • When did you first play Ocarina of Time? What was that experience like?
  • What’s a moment from Ocarina of Time that you can never forget?

Below you’ll see not only recollections of the first time each writer played this Nintendo 64 classic, but of the moments that most stood out to them while playing. So, without further ado, here are Zelda Dungeon’s reflections on The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

Judy Calder, Managing Editor


Judy talks about her time not only believing in the magic of Ocarina of Time, but the fears that she overcame in order to witness an iconic reveal in the game.

I first played Ocarina of Time when I was around eight years old. I had gotten a Nintendo 64 for Christmas and so far had only played Super Mario 64, and I wanted to try something else. Ocarina of Time seemed to stand out to me, and when I loaded the game, something felt entirely right. The Kokiri Forest felt like home, and I fell in love with the adventure. This was the first time I truly felt like magic could be real.

A moment I’ll never forget from Ocarina of Time is finally seeing Princess Zelda all grown up and in the Temple of Time. As a kid, I was absolutely terrified of the bosses in this game, so it took me years to get to that point. However, I had poured over the Prima guide and knew exactly what to expect. Seeing the princess on screen at last was a huge moment, and I was in awe of how gorgeous she was, with her lovely blonde hair and royal garb. I still remember how thrilled I was, and just how much I wanted to be a real-life Princess Zelda.

Charles Xavier, Senior Editor

Charles’ first experience with Ocarina of Time concerns a parental figure who helped him through the toughest of times throughout the game.

I first played Ocarina of Time when I was three years old. I remember watching my dad play it often and I was so captivated by it. He created my own save file that I could run around on. I would  usually do well to get into dungeons and get to boss fights, but as soon as a boss fight would begin, I would get scared and pass the controller to my dad to have him do the battle for me.

Picking just one moment in a game of many amazing moments is so tough. I guess I’d have to go with the moment after Ganon’s Tower collapses when Link walks forward to investigate a sound within the rubble. Ganondorf flies up into the air, succumbing to pure rage, channeling the Triforce of Power to transform into Ganon! To take the stakes even higher, Ganon knocks the Master Sword away from Link! It felt like such a climactic moment and stays at the forefront of my mind.

Chakell Herbert, Associate Editor

Chakell looks back at a time when Ocarina of Time was just a visual experience for her, before she eventually led a courageous playthrough of her own.

When my siblings and I woke up on Christmas morning in 1998, we were gifted a Nintendo 64 complete with classics like Super Mario 64 and Mario Party. However, something about The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time hooked my five-year-old heart as soon as I heard the iconic piano theme while watching Link ride Epona into the dawn on the title screen. Being the youngest child, I usually didn’t get to play video games as much as my older siblings, but one of my favorite pastimes for the next few years was watching my older sister play Ocarina of Time. I would spend hours with her as we solved puzzles together and navigated the whimsical land of Hyrule. I was captivated by this game. However, I had never attempted to play by myself before; when I turned eight, I decided it was time to try! I would spend hours upon hours trying to figure out where my next step in this amazing story would take me. I spent so many years of my childhood making progress on this life-changing masterpiece of a game.

There are too many moments to count that became core memories for me throughout my first playthrough of my first-ever Zelda game. Call it silly, but this game was one of the first experiences in my young life that taught me about what courage is. I’ll never forget the bone-chilling fear I felt when I entered the Bottom of the Well for the first time, or when I had to muster up the courage to enter the twisted corridor in the Forest Temple after Navi cryptically warned me to “watch for the shadows of monsters that hang from the ceiling.” I’ll always remember the shock of watching Link become an adult and witnessing the horrific state Hyrule was in after his seven years of absence. And ultimately, I’ll never forget the triumph I felt each time I conquered an obstacle that seemed too scary or too impossible. All in all, this game means absolutely everything to me. Call me cheesy or blinded by nostalgia, but it truly opened my eyes to how masterful storytelling in a video game can teach us lessons that stick with us forever. In Ocarina of Time’s case, I learned about what it means to be brave.

Josh Wittmershaus, Junior Editor

Josh recounts his love-at-first-sight encounter with Ocarina of Time, and shares how a moment in the Korkiri Forest still resonates with him to this very day.

I was closing in on my tenth birthday when I got Ocarina of Time. I immediately fell in love with the atmosphere, the music, and the story. However, as someone with little opportunity to use deductive reasoning skills, I found myself getting stuck, constantly. It didn’t help that I simply wasn’t that great at hand-eye coordination (some things never change). So, my first experience with Ocarina was littered with trips to my neighbor Wayne’s house, where I would hand him the cartridge, sit back, and watch him play. Once my stay was up, I’d go home and return to my other save file to try to mimic his successes, often with poor results.

Like many, I have a hard time picking one moment that stands out among the treasures this game has offered over the years. There is a moment in Ocarina of Time that brings a unique emotional reaction out of me, though. It’s early in the game, when Link is leaving Kokiri Forest for the first time. As he walks across the bridge – a metaphor in itself – he is stopped by Saria, who still shows some disbelief that Link is actually leaving the forest – and her. There is no music to accompany this moment, no music to suggest to you how you’re supposed to feel or what each character is feeling. Saria attempts to come to terms with the assumed finality of your friendship, pleading that Link reassure her that they will stay friends forever. She doesn’t teach you a song yet, but only asks that you think of her when you play the ocarina she gifts you. There’s a dramatic pause, and Link slowly backs up, only to turn and run away, leaving Saria gazing on as he disappears into the woods. Even watching this scene now, I’m not sure how to react. There’s an atmosphere of desperation, a sense that closure was not granted, and in Link’s case, outright denied. I’m a fan of the cliché, “I’ll see you when I see you,” as it leaves the door open for a chance encounter with someone in the future. While it seems Saria hopes that this is the case, I can’t help but get the sense that, in that moment, she knows that that encounter will come with its own new emotions.

Nick Miller, Associate Editor


A friend introducing Nick to Ocarina of Time would not only change how he looked at video games, but how, thanks to a few musical notes, he heard video games forever.

The year was 1999. I went over to a friend’s house and ran upstairs to play video games in his room. He asked, “Do you want to play my N64? I got this new game called Zelda.” I had never heard of Zelda, or even the Nintendo 64, before. You see, up until that point, my family had only ever owned an NES and an SNES. I didn’t have Nintendo Power, and, being six years old, I wasn’t exactly going to the store and shopping around either. The only games I had were whatever my parents decided to get me for Christmas or my birthday, which at that point was just Super Mario All-Stars, Super Mario World, Donkey Kong Country, and Super Star Wars. As far as I knew, video games were limited to just moving a character side-to-side, and you could sometimes jump on bad guys. So, imagine my wonder when a 3D character gallops across the screen on a horse. I was instantly blown away. I remember running around Kokiri Forest, talking to everyone and exploring every nook and cranny. My understanding of what gaming was capable of expanded in an instant. Ocarina of Time is the game that turned gaming into a lifelong passion for me, and I am forever grateful for that.

Something I’ll never forget about this game is the soundtrack. Ocarina of Time’s music is ingrained in my soul. Those first few notes of the title sequence fill me with emotions every single time they play. Every track has lived in my head since I was a kid, each carrying with it a memory of one of my playthroughs or something that was happening in my life at the time. As such, each playthrough of this game is a personal experience for me, with the soundtrack acting as a photo album of sorts, allowing me to relive memories of various experiences in my life from childhood all the way up into adulthood.

Emi Curtis, Associate Editor

While not the biggest fan of Ocarina of Time, Emi still remembers their positive experience with the game at a well-established fast food chain.

While I am known as one of the resident trash-talkers of Ocarina of Time, I actually do in fact cherish this game quite a lot. I remember originally playing it inside of some playplace, probably at McDonald’s. Despite a grubby controller touched by easily hundreds of children and a fogged-up screen covered in scratches that made it hard to see, there was something about those first couple hours I couldn’t get enough of. It took me so long just to figure out that I needed to *buy* the shield Mido wanted so badly to see, and almost twice as long to figure out that I needed to jump down and use gravity to break the spider web blocking the lower level of the Deku Tree.

Ironically, I wouldn’t end up actually completing the game until around ten years later after The Wind Waker and Twilight Princess properly introduced me to the series. But I remember that big climactic moment seeing pig Ganon for the very first time. I always knew he was a thing, but after two human Ganondorf showdowns in the games I actually managed to finish before then, to finally see the iconic “roll between his legs to strike his tail” battle was a full circle moment of, “Oh, I’m a Zelda fan now. I get it.”

Kora Burton, Senior Editor

In a first-time experience involving the Nintendo 3DS remake, Kora recalls when her future significant other introduced her to the world of Zelda.

My first experience playing Ocarina of Time was actually playing the 3D version while on my first summer vacation home from college. If your first impulse, perhaps understandably, is to say, “Psh, that doesn’t count!” well, this story is about you too. Due to finances and other circumstances, I had pretty limited access to most video games or “regular kid” things growing up. Times, for a long while, were tough. The only reason I even got to play this game at this particular moment of my life at all was because of the kindness of my boyfriend at the time, who ended up becoming my spouse years later. He let me borrow his 3DS (affectionately named Oliver) along with his copy of Ocarina of Time 3D for the entire summer; and from the first moments of gameplay I was in love – both with the game and the person who gifted me access to this new world. While not the typical foundational experience housed in the nostalgic dreams of most Ocarina of Time admirers, that time I spent with Link, Epona, and Navi through Oliver’s two small screens was something new, something calling to a part of me that always wanted to connect with the fun and fantasy of video games.

I distinctly remember sitting back after defeating Ganon and reflecting on my experiences with these classic locations and characters as the end credits began to play. This was the first moment I remember tangibly feeling that I was allowed to have a place within fandom. Growing up, I was surrounded by other kids my age who had seemingly effortless family and financial access to all the popular fun games to play; and with that easy access came what felt to me as the fandom ownership I was denied as a kid surviving difficult circumstances. But after playing this game that had clearly influenced the evolution of the Zelda series titles I had become more familiar with through popular culture, and loving the experience, I knew I had a place in fandom participation too. That fall after returning to college, I handmade my first cosplay – an Ocarina of Time-inspired Zelda/Link mashup – and saved up the cash to go to my first fan convention, proving to myself and the “been there, done that” crowd what I’d learned from that idyllic summer curled up around Oliver while running around and drinking in the most iconic Hyrule.

John Piland, Junior Editor


Not afraid to speak positively about one of the more disliked dungeons in Ocarina of Time, John recalls going from playing the 3DS remake to the Nintendo 64 original.

Ocarina of Time was one of the first Zelda titles I ever played — or at least, the 3D remake was. I first saw the game at a flea market in 2012, and I would have gotten it, if it weren’t for me seeing New Super Mario Bros. for the Nintendo DS — in retrospect, I kind of wish I went with Ocarina. Nonetheless, I got the game a year later — coincidentally on the day my younger brother was born — and fell in love. I must have beaten it in about two or three weeks. I remember late nights playing it, sneaking into my dad’s office to look up guides on Zelda Dungeon. I remember rushing home from school to run the final dungeon, living the accomplishment of all my hard work… and then crying tears of joy and sadness as I watched the credits, having lived a truly encapsulating and life-changing experience in playing that game.

Years later, I would go for a round with the original on an N64 my grandfather got me, but it wasn’t until the COVID pandemic that I played the original all the way through on the Wii U Virtual Console. Oddly enough, I kind of like the Water Temple better in that version — crazy, I know. Anyway, that brings me to one of my unforgettable moments from the game. Most people would probably share a happy moment, but I’m taking a different route. You see, I had a very hard time navigating the Water Temple when I first played it on the 3DS. I must have spent at least five hours trying to complete it — in my defense, it was my first 3D Zelda. I was getting very, very frustrated. The ironic thing? The infamous boot switching wasn’t even a problem, because I was playing the remake! Hoo boy, even thinking about it gets my heart racing. In an odd twist of fate, however, the Water Temple is now one of my favorites in the series. It’s funny how that works.

Brandon Schmitz, Senior Editor

In an interesting turn of fortune for Brandon, a different Nintendo 64 classic would see him arrive at the gaming classic we’re looking back at today.

Although Ocarina of Time was not the first Zelda game I played, I do still consider it my initiation into the series. I mean, if I wanted to get really technical, then the first time I can recall seeing Link — his Ocarina incarnation, no less — was through the original Super Smash Bros. in 1999. Even setting that aside, though, I distinctly remember — not long afterward — watching my older brother play Link’s first N64 adventure with a friend who had brought the game over. Once I got over the initial surprise of, “Hey, that’s the dude from Smash,” what struck me was just the overall sense of scope. At the time, even locales as small as Lon Lon Ranch felt vast.

Throughout the next few years, I would stumble across the game in various forms without actually playing it firsthand. From skimming through the strategy guide at Blockbuster to learning about Ganondorf, Sheik, and even Princess Zelda herself through Super Smash Bros. Melee, I was, admittedly, kind of spoiled on many of the story’s major beats beforehand. And yet, by the time I finally tackled the game in 2004, none of that really mattered. To go through these iconic moments within the context of the adventure itself — it was as if I was learning all of this for the first time. To this day, Ocarina of Time remains one of the most influential pieces of media I’ve ever experienced.

John Furby, Junior Editor

John recalls his mom saving him from having to wait until after Thanksgiving in order to get his very eager hands on Ocarina of Time.

I had a subscription to Nintendo Power, so I knew Ocarina of Time was coming. From the first early build images, through its short time as a launch title for the 64DD peripheral (I was worried constantly about having to convince my parents to cough up money for another system so soon after the N64), and finally through its numerous delays throughout 1998, we’d waited years. But then there was a release date, there was a Collector’s Edition golden cartridge like the original a decade before, and my parents preordered it for me, promising to not make me wait for Christmas to play it. November 21st came and went, and our preorder was delayed. The 22nd, the 23rd, the 24th passed by without the game in my hand. Thursday the 26th was Thanksgiving, so if I didn’t get the game Wednesday, who knows how long I’d have to wait for it over the holiday weekend; stores weren’t always open back then. I came home from school that Wednesday to find Mom at the door, holding a game box. The store still didn’t have the Collector’s Edition, so Mom canceled the preorder and bought the standard game instead. I hugged my mom, tossed my school bag down, hurried to my room and disappeared until Thanksgiving dinner the next day. My first time playing it was a long holiday weekend uninterrupted by responsibilities. I was fourteen, miserable in high school, the Furby dolls were soon releasing to ruin my Freshman life, but I had Ocarina of Time.

I think the lasting memory I have — one I still feel when I play it to this day — is stepping out of the forest into Hyrule Field for the first time, into the bright sunlight, and realizing you could go anywhere. No scrolling screens. No limited overhead views. No rectangle shaped maps. This was a world you could play in, something I think we definitely take for granted today. It’s hard to describe how important this game was at the time. It was the first new Zelda adventure in five years and momentous because bringing Zelda into the 3D age meant the series had longevity. It felt like Zelda was here to stay when other properties hadn’t yet made the leap to the next dimension. It brought in a whole new fanbase, friends of mine who had never picked up a Zelda game couldn’t put this down. It set a standard for 3D adventure games, its mechanics and influence can be seen in other non-Zelda adventure games to this day. It’s a game I play every year in the fall. It’s the second game, after A Link to the Past, that I played with my newborn daughter; and when I played it this year, now that she is older and more aware, she sat mesmerized from start to finish. I can’t wait until I can teach her how to play, and let her experience what I felt the first time.

Leslie Jacobson, Associate Editor

Leslie recounts when Ocarina of Time was less of a video game, and more of an interactive film experience that would eventually lead to her undying love for Zelda.

I had just turned 14 the first time I played Ocarina of Time. Up until that point, I didn’t even really like video games. My experiences with video games were pretty much platformers and racing games. I actually watched my younger brother play, since it was his game. One day, I asked if I could start a file. I remember gasping at the Deku Tree’s archaic language. Was the whole game going to be like this? Eventually, I thought, this wasn’t a game, this was a movie I could participate in. There were puzzles instead of platforms. Charming characters and an epic story kept me going more than any desire to “beat a level.” I wanted to discover and explore more! We purchased the official strategy guide, and I adored how it was written like a story rather than the “go here, do this” approach of other guides. Little did I know how unique this was. That guide also had summaries of previous games, which made me want to play them. I wanted more of these “interactive movie puzzle-boxes.” That is truly where my obsession began.

A moment I’ll never forget is when my brother and I discovered the dying soldier in the alleyway in Hyrule Castle Town. We both had played through the game many times and would watch each other play. That day, after retrieving the Ocarina of Time from the moat, he decided to walk around town before getting the Master Sword. He talked to the soldier. We were both shocked when the soldier slumped over. Navi’s dialogue of “He’s not moving…” was even more heartbreaking. The whole story became that much more tragic seeing the effects of the war on Hyrule’s citizens. Finding that incredible bit of storytelling that could so easily be missed made me want to find out every bit of story, every bit of lore, just everything about the game, and eventually, about the series itself. Looking back, this was pretty much par for the course for a Zelda game, but it really was the first time I appreciated how lovingly detailed a Zelda game can be.

Kristen G. Rosario, Associate Editor


My own first-time experience with Ocarina of Time all came from the luck and opportunities of my older brother. And after my first exposure to this game, I tried my best to play as often as I could.

I didn’t really get my hands on Ocarina of Time until roughly a little over a year later after its release. During the beginnings of the Internet, my brother entered an online sweepstakes run by Cartoon Network for a Nintendo 64, along with a litany of games. He actually managed to win, but then we had to wait two agonizing months for his prize to arrive (before Amazon spoiled us all on fast delivery). While we were so ecstatic to finally get our hands on the console (translucent orange for those curious), it unfortunately only came with one game: Pokémon Stadium. Luckily for my brother, he had managed to make a couple friends in the neighborhood who just so happened to have N64’s as well. One such friend let him borrow their copy of Ocarina of Time. I was so happy by this news as it was a game that didn’t have anything to do with Pokémon!

Unfortunately, my brother wouldn’t let me play the game, even going so far as to hide it in the room we shared together every time he was done playing the game. Though I got busted a few times playing it or searching for the cartridge, it was well worth it. This was my first time playing a Zelda game at all. I knew next-to-nothing about the series, even for a short time believing Ocarina of Time was the first game in the franchise. The moment that stands out for me the most is booting my brother’s friend’s save file and seeing Link, fully upgraded in every way imaginable, about to climb the stairs that would lead to the Ganondorf fight. While I didn’t play through that save file, I just imagined what it would be like to make it that far on my own terms. It wouldn’t be until many years later that I would beat the game and officially begin my journey into the world of Zelda.

What do you remember about your first time playing Ocarina of Time? What’s a moment from the game that you remember the most? Let us know in the comments below!

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