Completed Writing Commissions

Ocarina of Time, A Story About Growing Up

Ocarina of Time.

It's a title most Legend of Zelda fans would recognize, even if they never played it. It was the game that brought the series into 3D, and since then has left its mark on as one of the most influential games series. Games such as Breath of the Wild or Twilight Princess would not have happened had this game failed, but thankfully, it did amazingly, and is still remembered fondly and still enjoyed by fans of the world.

I can see why so many people love it. The game is really fun. It's got a lot to do, a wonderful set of environments to explore, and is just overall fun to play and progress through. I see a lot of people talking about theories surrounding its backstory of the Hylian Civil War, or talk about the music and gameplay, or use it as a point of reference for what they want to see in future Zelda games.

But strangely, I seldom see people talk about the story. In all fairness, it's a pretty basic and straightforward one. There are few twists and turns to speak of, with the most notable ones being the villain, Ganondorf, taking over Hyrule during the seven year time-skip, and the true identity of the character named Sheik. Otherwise, it's just a story of a boy named Link journeying to stop Ganondorf from taking the Triforce for himself, and saving the world. There's truly not much to talk about in regards to plot.

Yet despite that, what it lacks in story, it makes up for in meaning. Whether intentional or not, Ocarina of Time puts emphasis on symbolism to convey the story's meaning to the player. And, given the premise of the game, it's a very fitting one that I feel suits the game perfectly.

Ocarina of Time is a game about growing up. And here's why it makes this game not only a meaningful game in the series, but the people who play it too.

You start off the game as a child named Link, who is about nine to ten years old. Around the halfway point of the game, as many people know, he grabs the Master Sword and is sealed away for seven years, whereupon you regain control of him in an adult body. This is how the theme of "growing up" fits into the narrative so well, because it is about a child growing up into an adult in a literal sense. And both the child and adult segments of the game only build on it.

The objective of the child segment of the game is fairly simple. Gather the three spiritual stones, and obtain the Master Sword. It's also the milder part of the game thematically, with the idea of adulthood not being touched upon at all. Fitting, as Link is a young child at this point in the game. But that doesn't mean it contributes nothing to the theme at all.

To get the Master Sword—as is often the case in Zelda games—the hero has to prove themselves in some way in order to even wield the sacred weapon. In this game, it's to collect the three spiritual stones. The entire child arc is dedicated to Link finding these stones, all while exploring the strange world of Hyrule and meeting its inhabitants.

This ultimately serves for Link—and the player—to get more familiar with the world they're traversing, as well as form their own connection with their surroundings and the people in them by helping them out of the various, but simple, predicaments that plague them. In a sense, much like a child experiencing the world for the first time and learning just what they're capable of. But Link isn't running around blindly. He's guided not only by his fairy companion, Navi, but also by the wise owl Kaepora Gaebora, who offers Link advice and directions throughout the entire child arc of the game. It's very much akin to teachers or mentors guiding a child down their path, without intervening when the times calls for the child to make their own actions.

That is primarily how the child segment ties into the overall theme of growing up, by simply getting familiar with the world and learning how to play, all while being guided by people who know the world best, all while meeting new people and learning how to tackle different challenges on your own. While it sounds underwhelming, it is important nonetheless, as that's the primary purpose of being a kid—to learn and get acquainted with the world. It provides you with the basics and teaches you how to use and build upon them so that you can apply them in everyday life, much like how the first few dungeons in Ocarina of Time gives the player an idea of just what sort of tricks and traps lay in store for them. It may sound mundane, but it's crucial in any person's life.