Resurrection: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

Gaming By Proxy

Resurrection: Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

Resurrection is a regular feature in which we reminisce about a game from way back when. This week Jennifer Allen combines childhood memories with her love of THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: OCARINA OF TIME

THE LEGEND of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is the greatest game that I’ve never completed. Before I’m lynched for such an admission – I have actually seen the vast majority of the game’s content. It’s just that I have never completed it. Instead I watched my friend play it to completion.

My friend was lucky enough to have a Nintendo 64. While I loved my PlayStation One, it didn’t have Goldeneye and I was envious. I was even more envious when he received Ocarina of Time for Christmas. He knew it was coming and was ridiculously excited. So was I admittedly. Only the year before we’d spent the winter months watching me play through Final Fantasy VII – a game that resides in both our memories as a fantastic experience. Finally we had an experience to rival that.

Horsey Adventures

We were right to be that excited. During those cold winter months, we’d meet at every possible opportunity, huddled in his living room playing OoT until it turned dark and I had to go home. I’m not sure how long it took for us to complete but it felt never-ending in the good way. That moment when we first saw the wonders of Hyrule Field was as exciting as if we were actually there. Not long after that came the acquisition of Epona – beautiful, lovely, horsey Epona. My friend wasn’t actually very good at racing with Epona so any such tasks were handed over to me. I didn’t mind though. I loved it. When I first started riding around in Red Dead Redemption, I fondly remembered those innocent days with Epona. Despite being intimidated by real horses, I think I’m destined to be a successful virtual horse rider.

From behind my friend’s shoulder, I saw every inch of every dungeon in Ocarina of Time. When he was stuck on a puzzle, we’d brain storm and figure out how to get past it. There were no walkthroughs to consult, no YouTube videos to glean information from, it was all down to me and my friend. My friend later went onto collect every gold skulltula in a second playthrough but he always did have more patience than me. It was the little things that fascinated me, mostly the fishing and horse riding. They seemed mundane to my friend, especially the fishing, but I loved the simplicity of it all. And of course the Ocarina playing – I’m pretty sure I can still clearly remember how to play the Epona song. Much like Final Fantasy VII, it was the little things that made it stand out the most. Acquiring Biggoron’s Sword and Big Poe catching. The more I reminisce the more I wonder just how come I’ve never got round to finishing it myself.

Then again it’s a testament to what a fantastic game it is considering it’s one of my all time favourites despite not actually completing it. Of course I’ve played a fair chunk of it by myself. I’ve got my own N64 now along with a copy of Ocarina of Time, and I’m frequently tempted to buy it for the Virtual Console. When it’s released for the 3DS I’ll be at the front of the line to buy it, but will I actually complete it this time? Who knows. Maybe it doesn’t really matter. I know how sublime and wondrous Ocarina of Time is even if it is by proxy.