THE
CONTENTS 4 Mario 8 Sonic
Cover: Megan Miller
10 Donkey Kong 14 Kirby 16 Link
Recently, I’ve been craving going back and pulling out my ancient consoles to give games I used to love another chance. It turns out that they are so much better than I remember. I honestly think people associate good graphics, with good games. I’m here to tell you that that’s false. I actually find myself preferring the complexity and the difficulty of these older games. I’ve been looking for a challenge recently, and all I had to do was pull out the classics.
THE
EDITOR’S NOTE
After binge-playing for what seemed like weeks, I decided that the world needed to know more about the origins of some of my most favorite video game characters: Mario, Sonic, Donkey Kong, Kirby and Link. How did these iconic characters first start out? What was the vision behind their creation? How did these characters progress throughout the years to become what we know them as today? As you explore the roots of these characters, maybe take the time to explore the roots of your own origins. You never know what you may find, and you may even end up learning a lot more about yourself. History shouldn’t be something we leave behind, it’s a treasure chest that is waiting eagerly to be opened.
Obi Heizo Obi Heizo
THE
EVOLUTION OF MARIO
How Mario Began
Mario's Early Years
Long ago, during the classic era of console gaming in the eighties, came a title called Donkey Kong (1981), and I'm sure most of you will know what that is as the Donkey Kong series of games continues to this day. The aim of this game was for 'Jump Man' to rescue his girlfriend Pauline from the evil clutches of a large monkey named Donkey Kong.
We see our first signs of Mario's graphical development from Jump Man in Donkey Kong, to the more detailed sprites of Mario on the NES, which overall due to higher resolution capability gave Nintendo the capacity to enhance Mario's sprite.
At this time the little guy with the red overalls and the red cap was not a plumber, but a carpenter, a tradesman non-the less.... One of the more creative Nintendo workers later on realised that Jump Man was not too dissimilar to the owner of their offices, who was named Mario Segale - Mario Segale burst in demanding rent payments during a Nintendo meeting, and it was from that day they decided to rename "Jump Man" to "Mario". As you can probably tell by the name Mario Segale was an Italian, which is why today our favourite Nintendo superstar has an Italian accent. The first starring game of 'Mario' where he was actually known as Mario was the sequel to Donkey Kong, known as Donkey Kong Jr. But why a flat cap and overalls? How was this decided? Simply put this was due to the graphical capabilities of the time, Putting blocky hair on the top of this heroes head would not have gone down at all well, covering it up with a cap however would've been a much easier task. The overalls were put there to ease animation of the character, the arm colour of Mario had to differentiate from that of the overall, yet still show an arm... And that's how Mario became Mario!
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Mario Bros (1983)
This was an arcade style game, you could either play 1v1 battle mode vs. your brother Luigi. Or you could play on a multi-height level, with 2 pipes at the top, where a unlimited amount of turtles and other assorted enemies would descend upon you, the aim was to get the highest score (by killing more and more enemies). This was the first game in which Mario was a Plumber and saw the introduction of his brother, Luigi. Two years after Mario Bros came Super Mario Bros which was the first visit to the Mushroom Kingdom, where Mario had gone to rescue a princess in distress, who had been kidnapped by Bowser.
Mario Evolved (1988-1994)
Mario's sprites have become rounder, and less sharp - Mario looks friendlier, and due to becoming complacent after defeating so many enemies in his previous games, seems to have piled on the pounds...
Super Mario Bros 2 (1988)
This was not originally a Mario game, it was once called Doki Doki Panic, all Nintendo did was simply replace the four players from Doki Doki Panic and insert the Super Mario Bros and their buddies Toad and Princess as playable characters.. Simple as that, this was the only
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game to feature Wart as the main boss. Mario uses vegetables and potions to defeat his foes in this game as opposed to the classic mushrooms and fire-flowers etc. You had the option to play as Princess Toadstool, Toad and Luigi too.
Super Mario Bros 3 (1989)
Another of the Princess Toadstool rescuing platformers, this one however outsold any platform game in the world, even Super Mario World. You play Mario (or Mario & Luigi in 2 player) trying to track down Bowser, you must also return the Wands of Power that control each lands to there Kings by defeating the Koopa Kids.
Mario Gains Super Power (1991-1993)
With the release of the SNES, a significantly more powerful platform than the NES in all respects, Mario's creators could finally make the colourful, more detailed sprites that we all know and love today.
Super Mario World (1991)
The first Mario game & the launch title for the Super Nintendo saw another kidnap of poor old Princess Toadstool, This adventure however is not set in the Mushroom Kingdom, Mario is in Dinosaur Land taking a hard earned vacation after the events of Super Mario Bros. 3. Dinosaur Land consists of several playable zones including Yoshi's Island, Donut Plains, The Bridge areas, Vanilla Dome, Star Land, The Forest of Illusion, Chocolate Island, a Sunken Ship, and finally the Valley of Bowser and featured a scrollable World Map.
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The Next Dimension (1996-2004)
In 1996 Nintendo strayed from the beaten track, Mario - who everyone knew and loved as our 2D hero gained a dimension and took his first look into "2.25D.�
Super Mario RPG (1996)
Not only did Mario seem to lose a little weight for this title, but he also gained another dimension, breaking away from the typical 2D Mario Side-Scroller, Nintendo, partnered with SquareSoft, made a whole host of new characters, a whole lot of new sprites, and the biggest Mario storyline yet, in the first of the Mario RPG Games. This game was never released in Europe.
Super Mario 64 (1996)
This game was made for the Nintendo 64, propelling the world’s favorite plumber back into the limelight. This time he had to battle the nefarious Bowser across all manner of landscapes as Bowser once again kidnapped Princess Peach. This time he imprisons Peach and the denizens of her castle in over one hundred star worlds that Mario must fight through to free them. With each person saved, Mario unlocks new worlds and areas where he can receive hints, power-ups, and the appreciation of those he rescues. Aside from the fact that this game showed that Mario games were feasible on modern systems, it also introduced an entirely original world that would serve as a template for future Mario fames. While it was a departure from the roots of the game, it still ended with the appreciation of Princess Peach.
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The Next Evolution Of Mario Super Mario Sunshine (2002)
Super Mario Sunshine was the next major Mario game to be released, but this time it was on the Gamecube. Although the unique controller for the system put some people off initially, the originality eventually drew people to this installation in droves. The premise of Super Mario Sunshine was that Shadow Mario, our hero’s doppelganger, was polluting the beautiful island of Isla Delfino, a paradise where the Mario gang happens to be taking their vacation. After Mario is arrested and charged with the crimes of Shadow Mario, it is up to him to use the FLUDD technology in order to clean the island.
Modern Incarnations Of Mario The period of time between 2006 to the present day has been filled with a variety of brand new Mario games. In New Super Mario Bros, Bowser Jr. returns again to kidnap Peach and lead Mario on a quest through eight worlds in the Mushroom Kingdom. This game was an incredible homage to the Super Nintendo version of Mario, blending old and new styles to produce a great title in its own right.
Super Mario Galaxy (2007)
Bowser returns once again and launches the Mushroom Castle into space, and out of Mario’s reach. In order to reach her again, Mario must travel throughout galaxies to obtain Power Stars so that he can power an observatory to get to Princess Peach.
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The gameplay was remarkably similar to that of Super Mario Sunshine, but had an incredible wealth of new puzzles and abilities for Mario to collect. While it was not received well by some reviewers, dedicated Mario players laud this game for its fresh take on the franchise. A sequel was made to this game, Super Mario Galaxy 2, and utilized many of the same aspects as the first, but improved some of the detractors from the first.
Super Mario 3D World (2013)
The plot revolves around the gang finding a fairy creature, called a Sprixie, which is quickly captured by Bowser. The characters follow him and find themselves in a whole new world: the Sprixie Kingdom. Here they must track down the Sprixies and figure out why Bowser is trying to gather them. The graphics are vastly improved over the previous entries into the Mario Franchise, and the playability and music have been roundly praised by all reviewers. Overall, this is one of the best entries into the series since Super Mario Sunshine because it is original but holds true to its roots. With this latest success, the Mario franchise has shown its ability to make it in the modern gaming culture, where it will hopefully remain for some time.
SEGA’s New Mascot (1990)
Growth Spurt (1999)
In April 1990, SEGA challenged employees to come up with a mascot who – like Nintendo’s Mario – could sell over 1,000,000 copies of a game. Hundreds of potential character ideas were submitted – including a chick, a porcupine, and a human who would eventually go on to become Dr Eggman – but it was finally decided that Mr Needleman (soon to be renamed Sonic the Hedgehog) was the perfect fit.
Sonic’s one and only absolutely major design change came in 1999 with the release of Sonic Adventure for the Dreamcast.
Let the Games Begin (1991) After a cameo as an air freshener in SEGA’s Rad Mobile racing game, Sonic made his first official appearance in 1991 with his debut title Sonic the Hedgehog for Sega Genesis (Mega Drive).
Several failed attempts at bringing the small and chubby Sonic into the 3D-age had already been made and, with a severe need to freshen-up the hedgehog’s dated appearance, SEGA decided to inject their mascot with some seriously strong growth hormones. Sonic’s legs stretched to around three times their original length and his feet (or at least his shoes) became inexplicably large. His trademark spikes, which once ran all the way down his back, were edited to look more like hair, and his ever so cocky smile was made just that little bit more annoying.
Small and pot-bellied, Sonic was colored blue to match the SEGA logo. His shoes were inspired by the design of Santa Claus and, although he remains speechless throughout the game, his personality was based on that of former U.S. President Bill Clinton.
In contrast to Nintendo’s rotund Mario and Sony’s silly-looking Crash Bandicoot, SEGA wanted to make their character the ‘cool’ guy and, although I think they achieved just that, probably went a little overkill on the idea.
Bad Attitude (1992)
Sonic Adventure 2 – released for the same console 2001 – and Sonic Adventure 2: Battle – released for the Gamecube 2002 – continued the trend, with a similarly elongated designs.
With the arrival of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 in 1992 – and then Sonic 3 in 1994 – the already cocky Sonic seemed to take on an even smugger style. Often pictured with an arrogant smirk, some artwork featured him with much darker fur and more defined outlines.
Set in Stone (2003 – Present) For a long while now, Sonic has looked much the same. That said, he has appeared in several games which switch-up his appearance as part of the plot; these include, Sonic Riders/ Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity – dressed in Jet Boarder attire, Sonic Unleashed – where he turns into the infamously weird ‘Werehog’, and Sonic Generations – in which a 3D redesign of his original look is present. The latest release in the franchise, the much criticized Sonic Boom: The Rise of Lyric – a tie-in game for the quite brilliant Sonic Boom animated series – features Sonic with a necktie and, for some reason, what seems to be toilet paper wrapped around his gloves and ankles. While several main series characters – including Knuckles – have changed quite markedly, Sonic’s design remains relatively untouched.
THE
EVOLUTION OF SONIC
THE
EVOLUTION OF DONKEY KONG
It's on like... Donkey Kong is one of Nintendo's oldest franchises, and one that's come back into prominence with a new Wii U release. When you think about it, DK is arguably Nintendo's second most famous character (don't tell Link I wrote that). But do you really know Donkey Kong? He’s starred in some of the most popular games ever made, but much of his history is unknown to casual fans. What's the reactionary gorilla been up to all these years and what are the strangest parts of his lineage?
When First We Met In 1981, toymaker Nintendo had barely dipped its toe into the emerging Japanese gaming market, but was ready to head to America. As the legend goes, the publisher repurposed some unpopular arcade cabinets to house a game created by a young artist named Shigeru Miyamoto who was overseen by the man that would eventually build the Game Boy, Gumpei Yokoi. Introducing an actual plot to gaming, the silly but simple tale followed a carpenter's pet gorilla stealing the workman's girlfriend. Thus Donkey Kong was born.
Donkey Kong (1981)
Despite the odd concept, the game became a monster hit around the world. The game basically invented the platformer, but back then arcade titles were inventing genres left and right. The real reason it's forever lodged in the minds of the players worldwide is the compelling narrative hook, memorable music, and colorful, cartoony graphics that have aged gracefully. But even though his name was on the marquee, it was Jumpman (soon to be renamed Mario) that became the real star, pushing DK into the background.
Neither Monkey Kong nor King Kong Still argued about to this day, fans aren't totally sure why a huge gorilla is named Donkey. A commonly held belief that Donkey Kong is a mistranslation of Monkey Kong, but that's been successfully disproven. According to creator Shigeru Miyamoto, the "Donkey" name was intentional, meant to reference the stubborn nature of the ape. No matter the source of his first name, it was DK's last name that got Nintendo in trouble with Universal Studios. The movie company claimed the game infringed on its King Kong copyright, with both the plot and title. Seemingly the big studio thought it could intimidate Nintendo into settling, but N's legal team didn't falter. After proving that Universal didn't even possess the rights to King Kong, the court sided with Nintendo, a big victory on its road to US expansion.
Save Papa! Donkey Kong Jr. (1982)
When it was finally time for the apes big sequel, Donkey Kong didn't return the conquering hero in his second adventure. Unpredictably, he's the damsel in distress, caged by Mario and assisted by his son, the titular Donkey Kong Junior. To this date gamers have yet to meet Junior's mother, but at the time we were too busy trying to save papa to notice. Perhaps intended to play against player expectations at the time, seeing Mario as whip-wielding jailer out to kill a baby gorilla is a little jarring these days. It's a risk that Nintendo wouldn't take again with its mascot. In fact, Donkey Kong and his nemesis would part ways for a good while after this game.
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Forgotten Enemies
Too Much of a Good Thing
Donkey Kong 3 (1983)
After ruling the sales charts in the second half of the SNES's lifecycle, Rare moved on to the N64 and became one of, if not the dominant developer for the system. Rare used the console to introduce multiple new stars, including Banjo-Kazooie and Jet Force Gemini, before returning to DK in Donkey Kong 64. Sadly, even though the game was well made, its formula had gotten stale.
After he was finally freed by his son, Donkey Kong's third arcade title had him returning to his destructive ways. This time the imposing beast avoided Mario--he was enjoying new found success in Mario Bros--and forcefully took over a strangers green house. The only person to come to the aid of the defenseless plants was the now-forgotten Stanley the Bugman.
In Country Following DK3, Kong was mostly limited to appearing in arcade ports while Jr. oddly joined the roster of Super Mario Kart instead of him, something that wouldnt be repeated in future Kart games. Then 1994 saw him return in a huge way that included a new, red necktie. Fans first saw DK at his most villainous in the stupendous Game Boy remake of the arcade original. Then Kong got a console series all his own thanks to some tech wizards in Northern England.
Donkey Kong Country (1994)
Donkey Kong Country made DK the hero for the first time ever as he chased down his stolen bananas all over a garden paradise. It gave DK a new personality and heroic identity, forgoing his unpredictable nature, bestowing a new voice and purpose. Featuring then-stunning CG graphics, DKC convinced many that the next generation consoles weren't needed as long the SNES could create such dazzling games.
Donkey Kong 64 (1999)
Aside from the so-bad-it's-good rap that starts the game, the real problem with DK64 is that it buried players in collectibles. After unlocking the five different playable characters, each has different colored bananas to collect along with Golden Bananas, Crystal Coconuts, keys, rolls of film, headphones, and medals that are scattered in every single stage. Rare was famous for using tons of hidden collectibles to extend playtime, but DK64 took that to such ludicrous extremes that numerous players rejected it. After DK64, many gamers needed to take a break from the ape's world.
Team Player Donkey Konga (2003)
Overseen by Nintendo once more, Donkey Kong entered a transition period during the GameCube years. He continued to appear alongside Mario in sports and racing games, but his solo releases were scattershot. While appearing in a couple portable adventures, DK was tethered to a clunky peripheral on the
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GameCube, starring in a series of games that were only playable using an oddball bongo drum controller. The three Donkey Konga games--one of which never left Japan--are cute, but the pop-heavy track lists are too shallow, barely cracking 30 songs per entry and failing to take advantage of the huge backlog of classic Nintendo music at the devs' disposal.
Jungle Beat (2004)
Even weirder was Jungle Beat, a standard platformer that you controlled only with the bongos. It's a physically taxing game, but if you're in good enough shape to keep up with the beat, it's pretty fun. Still, the bongo years will mostly be remembered as one of the weirdest chapters in DKs history.
Back Where He Belongs The Wii spent much of its lifetime free of the dominant ape. 2007 saw the release of the quickly forgotten Barrel Blast and most of his other appearances were limited to ports and supporting roles in Mario sports games. That changed following DKs surprise appearance as the final boss in the Punch-Out!! remake, and DKs momentum continued into a revival many kids of the 1990s had been yearning for. Picking up where Rare had left off with DK64, Metroid Prime devs Retro Studios returned the primate to honor with Donkey Kong Country Returns in 2010.
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Donkey Kong Country Returns (2010)
A striking and proudly 2D throwback, DKCR was a fitting tribute to what was so great about the series Rare made famous, incorporating the iconic music and other cute references to previous DKC entries. However, Nintendo held back on the greater Kong family, as only the indispensable Cranky Kong appears alongside DK and Diddy. Fans loved to see the primates reunited, with over five million copies sold attesting to Country's continued popularity. With sales like that, it wasn't a shock to see the game ported to the 3DS in 2013.
Frozen Bananas DKC: Tropical Freeze (2014)
And that brings us to today and DK's arrival on the Wii U. The DKC series is stronger than ever in Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze It brought Donkey, Diddy, Cranky, and the returning Dixie into HD, with their fur looking particularly shiny. And the game's punishing nature shows the ape hasn't gone soft in his old age. And that's just the start of a 2014 full of gorilla love on the Wii U. Donkey and Diddy are both confirmed for the Super Smash Bros. Wii U and 3DS roster, on top of DK being a racer in Mario Kart 8. Even if Nintendo is going through a bit of a transition these days, it looks like Donkey Kong will be a constant no matter what else changes.
Broad Appeal Like any mascot, Kirby’s purpose is to pull in as many consumers as possible and fashion a recognizable brand. His way of doing that? By being unbearably cute. Developed in the late ’80s by a crackerjack 19-year-old budding designer named Masahiro Sakurai, Kirby’s appearance is likely a product of Japan’s historical love for cuteness. But even the most precious of critters need that X-factor to really break through.
A Flexible Franchise Yet Kirby’s lovable appearance is but a stitch in the fabric of his appeal. Games like Kirby’s Epic Yarn for Wii gave Kirby the DIY treatment, complete with yarn-made characters and graphic accents like zippers, spools, and buttons. It harkened back to Paper Mario, not only because of its textile-inspired presentation but because it proved that, as long as you have a marketable, well-received main character, the rest is pretty much a blank canvas. The potential for spin-offs? Endless! Consider the fact that, despite the traditional side-scrolling action that dominates the main Kirby games, Nintendo and HAL Laboratory have molded the franchise to fit different needs, spanning genres and diversifying gameplay. There was Kirby’s Dream Course, the 1995 bizarro golf outing that resembled Looney Toons‘ Wackyland in setting, and Kirby’s Avalanche, a match-four puzzle game from the same year. In the 2000s, Kirby would return to his handheld roots and cultivate an extensive oeuvre on Nintendo’s portables, with action-puzzle games like Kirby Tilt ‘n’ Tumble for Game Boy Color, and the colorful, stylus-only Kirby: Canvas Curse for the DS. In 2003, he took to the racing genre with Kirby Air
Ride for the GameCube. In Kirby Super Star, the game was replete with mini-games that tested your timing, fights that spoofed RPG battles, and collect-’em-all item hunts. Just like his Nerf-like body would suggest, Kirby is indeed malleable, and his wide appeal and consistently simple style of gameplay allow Nintendo to fit him into various situations depending on the company’s need.
Tried-and-True Gameplay Kirby titles stand the test of time. Initially designed for greenhorn gamers, Kirby grew in terms of his powers, which would set the stage for the rest of the series. Kirby’s second game, Kirby’s Adventure for the original NES in 1993, stunned gamers with visuals that ostensibly outstripped the console’s power. It also expanded on the character’s signature inhaling technique introduced in his debut, Kirby’s Dream Land — the game that’s celebrating its 20th birthday this week. In the sequel, Kirby could assume a variety of different abilities by sucking in different baddies. Fitting for such a flexible character, Kirby’s enduring charm is partly rooted in his copying ability, which constantly creates new content for the player: New controls, new techniques, new animations, new graphics. It’s a distinct brand that Kirby’s built and been able to maintain for the last two decades. A multi-player co-op mode may seem like nothing groundbreaking, but back in the day, lots of two-player games only pitted players against one another, or at least had them swap
turns playing through levels for the highest score. In Kirby 64, one of the main themes is how Kirby’s rivals befriend him to battle a mysterious force known as Dark Matter. Even King Dedede, Kirby‘s Bowser equivalent, lends his efforts to the cause.
A True Videogame Icon The series’ approachability and classic (yet easily adjustable) gameplay formula have sold over 30 million games sold across 20 titles, making Kirby a cash cow for Nintendo. What’s turned into a money-making machine has also become a videogaming institution. Though probably not quite as synonymous with Nintendo as “Mario,” Kirby will likely continue to serve the Big N well as a continued stand-in for a solid platformer, or for a pinball/touch-screen/bocce ball/racing puzzler. You know, wherever Kirby’s needed. And trust us, there will always be a need for a beady-eyed marshmallow that can eat anything and anyone, can breathe fire, and can make millions of dollars.
THE
EVOLUTION OF KIRBY
THE
EVOLUTION OF LINK
Link’s Beginnings 30 years ago, a stubby elf dude in a green windbreaker was told it was dangerous to go alone. He picked up his sword, held it up high, and wandered out into the world, taking us with him. We never looked back. The Legend of Zelda has spent three decades defining adventure in video games, each entry in the series doubling as both a new quest and a definitive statement about the capabilities of the Nintendo hardware it appears on. Link, living up to his name, ties the series together. He’s always there, jaunty green cap and sword in tow, ready to save the day. But just like the consoles his games appear on, Link has changed and grown in ways both subtle and dramatic. Here is how he's evolved from 1986 to 2016.
The Legend of Zelda As both a tiny sprite on the Famicom Disk System as well as the warm cover art adorning his debut, Link was indeed a nubby fellow. What he lacked in stature, he made up for in maneuverability and versatility. The original Link was fast for an action RPG hero, and his arsenal of items found in dungeons or purchased in shops gave him impressive reach. The boomerang extended his ability to grab errant rupees and hearts from across a screen, the bomb let him pound through walls, and the power bracelet let him move heavy objects just to name a few. He was nowhere near as expressive as he was nimble, but he had his signature move down pat: whenever he found a new item or a piece of the Tri-force, he’d hold it straight up in the air like a champ. While most Links appear in multiple games, the design of the original has never popped back up. His diminutive size and brown shock of hair is most closely echoed in the 3DS’ Link Between Worlds.
The Legend of Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link Link grew up strong and he grew up right after all those mean Hyrule nights. Everything changed in Zelda 2. The overhead adventuring changed to a weird hybrid of map wandering, fetch questing for townsfolk, and sidescrolling, platforming action. Link himself grew as well, turning into a tall young man with a perpetual grin on his elfin face. Swordplay evolved even though Link’s reach was shortened. He could stab up or down while jumping, and even level up his health and attack power by gaining experience from downing the game’s insanely aggressive enemies. He also traded in his armory of attack items for a series of spells that granted physical abilities like increased defense or turning into a fairy. He also met a guy in the woods named Error. That’s pretty cool. This Link, along with the wild sidescrolling elements, disappeared after this entry.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past Returning to the seamless overhead structure of the original, A Link to the Past transformed Link from a largely unreadable avatar to a gloriously personable cartoon character. Gone were the blank stares of the Link in 1 and 2. This guy bobed up and down, jogging around Hyrule and Ganon’s Dark World, his little hat flopping around on a head of weirdly punk rock pink hair. Thanks to a massive upgrade to his item store, Link also had a variety of new moves. He could run thanks to a pair of snappy boots, swim thanks to some flippers, and even genuflect at a desert shrine after finding an ancient book. He also turns into a bunny at one point. A Link Between Worlds for 3DS may borrow Link’s look from the original NES, but it’s A Link to the Past that is the basis for most of his moves and his nearly identical Hyrule.
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The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening The strangest thing about Link’s 1993 transition to the technologically inferior, black and white Game Boy was that it also gave us a look at the hero in multiple art styles for the first time in game. Zelda 2 let us see Link tiny in the overworld and big in action stages, but Link’s Awakening opens and closes with bonafide cutscenes depicting Link as a wide-eyed anime hero. That incarnation of the character would stick around for two more games on Game Boy Color, Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons. Game Boy Link’s moveset wasn’t dissimilar to the one in A Link to the Past, but he did pick up the ability to play multiple instruments rather than just the usual one flute. This was also the first time that a predominantly overhead view Link gained the ability to jump. He also hangs out with an owl who is secretly the soul of a magic space whale.
The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time The Nintendo 64 brought Link into the third dimension, broadening his combat skills dramatically. Nintendo’s ‘90s-tastically named Z-targeting system locked Link’s perspective onto an enemy, letting him circle around like a proper sword fighter. The hero could dodge, roll, dive, and pull off a variety of swipes and stabs. More dramatic, though, was the ability to
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play as Link at two different stages of life. At the beginning, you play as an adolescent Link, short and able to use only a limited number of items. Later on, though, you play as Link as a young adult when he can wield heavier weapons and ride a horse. Travelling back and forth through time lent this Link a previously absent physicality, an intimate sense of how he related to the environment around him. This young Link appeared later in the deeply unsettling Majora’s Mask. His girlfriend is also a fish lady.
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker When Zelda made the jump to Gamecube, it reimagined Link’s world as a primary-colored cartoon archipelago whose emotive inhabitants looked wholly unique. Squat and barely into his teens, Toon Link moves more swiftly than the Nintendo 64 Link as he sails from island to island above a long sunken Hyrule. While this Link grunts and yells like the newly vocal Ocarina Link, his face was even more communicative, the broad cartoon features expressing fear, doubt, impatience, determination, and real giddiness. For the first time he also teamed up with other characters, mentally directing friends Medli and Makar around dungeons using the titular Wind Waker baton. Toon Link popped back up in two Nintendo DS adventures, The Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks. His mentor is also a boat possessed by an old man.
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The Legend of Zelda: The Four Swords What began as a side game in the Game Boy Advance version of a Link to the Past ultimately expanded into two more games on Gamecube and Nintendo DSi, as well as the excellent GBA adventure The Minish Cap. As indicated by the title, this Link used the mystical Four Sword that lets him split into four different bodies. In addition to his traditional green tunic, he also splits into red, blue, and purple garbed Links as well. Many of the Four Sword quests involve puzzle solving focused around using multiple bodies, an unusual spin on the spatial challenges common in Zelda games. The Minish Cap version is even weirder because Link’s hat is an irascible warlock that can shrink him down to the size of a ratty old sock.
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess After years of running around as a kid, the young adult Link returned in the surreal Twilight Princess. And like most young adults, he had a pretty rough job. This Link is a goat herder, and nothing says high adventure like goat herding! Actually, he stops herding goats and goes on a quest to save Hyrule from being eternally merged with the spooky Twilight Realm, but there’s still a lot of goat herding up top. While the costume tweaks didn’t bring this Link too far from the adult version in Ocarina of Time, he did have one significant new characteristic.
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When he’s in the Twilight Realm, he forcibly turns into a wolf who bites enemies glowing shadow hearts directly out of their chests. Pretty hardcore. He also meets a yeti and has to help make soup for his sick wife because he’s nice like that.
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword For better or worse, Link changed a lot in his marquee Wii exclusive. The console’s motion controller recast the Zelda swordplay as a series of exacting puzzles, with each motion of your actual arm being mimicked by Link on screen and needing to slash enemies in specific ways. (In theory at least. Skyward Sword’s motion controls can vary wildly in terms of precision based on the environment it’s played in.) But this Link was different in other ways too. For starters, he has a stamina meter that can run out if he sprints too long or climbs a cliff face too quickly. He’s also a craftsman now, gathering up raw materials to make new items and improve old ones. Skyward Sword Link also hangs out with a giant red bird with a hilariously oversized beak and his sword is also an irritating, over-sharing artificial intelligence that loves to skate.