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Do you love playing video games? Do you crave the freedom to explore open-world games like Minecraft or Batman: Arkham City? Are you a fan of classics like Tetris, Pac-Man or Donkey Kong? Do you prefer sports games like Tony Hawk’s skater series, Rocket League or FIFA games? Or puzzle games like the World of Goo or online chess?
In “How The Legend of Zelda Changed the Game,” Zachary Small and Rumsey Taylor examine how Nintendo’s Zelda franchise has captivated players for decades by emphasizing exploration and discovery:
The video game franchise that started in 1986 with a pixelated map guarded by ghosts and goblins has evolved into an elaborate topography of mountain ridges, coastline villages and enemy hideouts. The gameplay has also become more riveting, with puzzle-box designs and environmental storytelling that encourage exploration.
But throughout it all, the basic spark of discovery has endured.
The original Legend of Zelda, played by millions on the Nintendo Entertainment System or the company’s Famicom console, was the brainchild of Shigeru Miyamoto, who has described Hyrule as “a miniature garden that you can put into a drawer and revisit anytime you like.”
The initial journey of Link, the game’s protagonist, was inspired by Miyamoto’s childhood exploration of the idyllic countryside of Japan.
The designer’s passion for hiking through the mountains and delving into forests was evident in the mysterious nature of Hyrule, which clutched its secrets, encouraging players to burn every bush in hopes of another secret tunnel.
Miyamoto is what some in the video game industry would call a “mechanics guy.” When he designs Mario or Zelda titles, he usually focuses on the gameplay first. Beyond some narrative threads relegated to the user manual, only a single screen in the original game provided a rough plot summary about the demon king Ganon, a princess named Zelda and a hero called Link.
But over the past 20 years, the stories have become more nuanced, with a tone and artistic style displaying the influence of the Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki. Link has sailed across the sea, lived above the clouds, transformed into a wolf and even become a train conductor. He has forged the ancient blade of evil’s bane and shrunken down to microscopic size.
Students, read the entire article and then tell us:
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What is your favorite video game ever? Why?
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What qualities do you look for in a video game? Why?
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On the other hand, what qualities do you dislike in a video game? Why?
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Have you ever played a game from the Legend of Zelda franchise? What was your impression? Do you agree with the authors about what makes the Zelda games so rich?
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Why do you think the journalists decided to format the article with snippets of video game footage and linked video commentary and gameplay? What do you think about the article design, and would you want to see more Times articles with this kind of format? Why?
Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public and may appear in print.
Find more Student Opinion questions here. Teachers, check out this guide to learn how you can incorporate these prompts into your classroom.
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