If A Link to the Past was a refinement of the first Zelda, then Ocarina of Time was refinement of LttP. It was also the game that transitioned the franchise into the realm of 3D polygons and the one game everyone seems to remember when "Zelda" is uttered. It's beautiful and worthy of being called a masterpiece, although this is also where story takes precedence over adventuring and so linearity begins to become more prominent.

The game controls very well. I don't know what game actually came up with the "Z-Targeting" technique, but this is the one that popularized, and for good reason. The camera is rarely ever an issue and Link moves and acts as you'd expect him to. There are some limitations: you can't move around while aiming, although if you use Z-Targeting, you can still strafe around. You can't control Epona while also using your bow, so you might often find yourself being galloped towards a wall, while the Poe you're hunting taunts you and your dumb beast (but then again, I can't imagine anyone controlling a horse and aiming an arrow at the same time).

The sound in this game is superb. Many creatures in the world make different sounds. NPCs make funny little grunts or moans. Weapons sound realistic enough. And the soundtrack! The title promises that a musical instrument would be important to the game, and it makes good on that promise. Not only are the music pieces great and moody, but there's even an item in-game that let's you play music. People have actually used it to play different songs, such as the Kakariko Theme. I wouldn't be surprised if someone played the Imperial March with it.

The graphics were, for its time, amazing. I remember as a kid, back in 1998, getting out of Kokiri Forest and having my eyes just pop out at how expansive Hyrule Field is. It was amazing. Nowadays, the graphics for this game are less impressive and the world actually feels very dead at times. There are barely any enemies in Hyrule Field and when there are, it's at only the beginning of the game. It felt like there could have been more here.

While LttP had an expansive story, this game made it more prominent. Minor plot twists abound although the story can still be summarized as "Save the princess, save the world." There is a much larger supporting cast than in LttP and they all receive a lot more characterization than in LttP.

I recommend this game to anyone that likes adventure games. It's very fun to play and nice to look at. Play it with sound turned up high and you'll have a treat for your ears as well.

New Story

Voyager of Time takes place after Majora's Mask, but it is not a direct sequel. Link has come back to the Kokiri Forest to try and find peace after his last adventure. It is implied that he has had a third adventure in Termina but with the fairy Tael instead of Tatl. The younger brother of the feisty Tatl is a bit more subdued, but also more brave than what we've seen in Majora's Mask. He can hold his own and he and Link have grown to be great friends.

The game starts out with Link having nightmares of his past adventures. The Deku Tree Sprout, descendant of the Great Deku Tree has summoned Link because he has sensed great evil growing lately. Link is sent on a quest to help out with the growing problems in Hyrule.

Along the way, you find that the Door of Time has been broken again by the evil villain, Ganondorf, and you must find a way to stop his rampage once more. There's some twists and turns along the way, as Link's items are spread out in an unfamiliar way. Link also has to face some major problems that hit a little too close to home.

The game features heavy time travel as well as side stories that highlight the problems with time traveling in general. Many places are transformed over the period of seven years that Ganondorf was in rule, and Link has to deal with the problems of his closest friends. On top of that, there may be another problem Link doesn't realize until it's too late...

Updated Environments

The overworld is changed quite a lot from the original Ocarina of Time. There is an attempt to make each village and section of the map seem more lively and have more character than ever before. NPCs are useful to talk to, and they give hints to the world around you. There are small stories they tell you, and even new sidequests you can accept.

The biggest change is the difference between the child and adult sections. The child sections are meant to feel more innocent and alive, and the adult sections are meant to showcase the utter destruction of Ganondorf. This is not to be intentionally dark, but just to show a realistic change that would happen over seven years.

Database match: Legend of Zelda, The - Ocarina of Time (Europe) (Debug) (GameCube)
Database: No-Intro: Nintendo 64 (v. 20210220-053642)
File/ROM SHA-1: CEE6BC3C2A634B41728F2AF8DA54D9BF8CC14099
File/ROM CRC32: 5D1B2996

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