The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is a video game that consists of 6 releases

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This treasured classic is unanimously considered to be one of the greatest games of all time, due in large part to the seamless unity between traditional Zelda gameplay and the bold, artistic, 3D environment that it's presented in.

Overview

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time was released in Japan on November 21, 1998, and in North America two days later. It was the first Zelda game to be produced in 3D, and creator Shigeru Miyamoto was almost universally praised for smoothly transitioning Zelda into the 3D space and preserving the feel of the franchise. Ocarina of Time is the fifth game in the series and was developed by Nintendo's Entertainment Analysis and Development division for the Nintendo 64.

Storyline

A long time ago...

Before life began, before the world had form, three golden goddesses descended upon the chaotic land of Hyrule. They were Din, the goddess of power, Nayru, the goddess of wisdom and Farore, the goddess of courage.
Din, with her strong flaming arms, cultivated the land to create the earth. Nayru poured her wisdom onto the earth to give the spirit of law to the world. Farore's rich soul created all life forms who would uphold the law.
These three great goddesses returned to the heavens, leaving behind the golden sacred Triforce. Since then, the Triforce has become the basis for Hyrules providence. Where the Triforce stood became sacred land.
In the vast, deep forest of Hyrule, the Great Deku Tree served as the guardian spirit. The children of the forest, the Kokiri, lived with the Great Deku Tree. Each Kokiri had his or her own guardian fairy, except one. His name was Link.

This is where the game begins, with you playing as Link, a simple young boy living with the Kokiri tribe- elf-like children that never grow up, who dwell in Kokiri Forest - unaware of his true destiny until he is called to visit the Great Deku Tree, who is cursed and dying. The tree tells Link that an evil man has put a curse on him and that Link is the only one who can defeat him. Link finds that this man is named Ganondorf, who seeks a mystical artifact called the Triforce, which will grant him whatever he desires.

Link standing on his tree house's balcony

Ocarina of Time takes place in two different settings in time. In the first setting, Link is a young boy trying to stop Ganondorf from gaining the Triforce. The second begins when Link travels seven years into the future, where he finds an apocalyptic landscape in which Ganondorf has indeed nabbed the Triforce and achieved ultimate power.

The Legend of Zelda series' first appearance on the Nintendo 64 brought many of the franchise's mainstays along with it. There were dungeons with forest, fire, and water themes, for instance, and trademark weapons and items like the bomb and boomerang were also available. This was the first game to feature a lock-on targeting system whereby Link would circle around and direct his attacks at the targeted enemy. The so-called "Z-targeting" system was subsequently adopted by numerous third-person action games.

Control

In a situation similar to the development of Super Mario 64 (released in 1996), Nintendo faced the difficult task of translating one of gaming's most beloved franchises into 3D, which meant a complete overhaul of the series' classic design mechanics.

Unlike the previous, top-down 2D Zelda games, Ocarina of Time utilized a completely 3D view. The player could control both Link's direction and the velocity of movement via the Analog Stick. The camera in Ocarina of Time floated around Link (as opposed to the greater camera controls in Mario 64), and could be instantly directed behind Link by pressing the Z button. Although the B button permanently controlled use of the sword, the games various other items (such as the Bow and the Hookshot) could be mapped onto the Left, Right, and Down C Buttons, allowing Link to access more of his weaponry without pulling up a menu.

Only the Great King of Evil can stand up to the power of Z-Targeting with his aura of evil.

Nintendo brought two major control innovations to bear in Ocarina of Time. The first, and most obvious, new control feature was Lock-On Targeting (referred to as Z Targeting in the game). Pressing the Z button when Link was near a person, enemy, sign or interactive part of the environment caused the camera to lock onto the target (in game, Link's fairy, Navi, would fly to the nearby target, and Link would turn his eyes directly towards Navi's new location) From the locked on position, Link could strafe around his target, use rolls and flips to dodge enemy attacks, and easily interact/talk to NPCs.

The idea of locking on to a target was revolutionary: game programmers and designers, who were trying to understand how characters would be able to physically interact in 3D, couldn’t understand how to make a game with the same type of tight control they could achieve in a 2D perspective. Characters could never line up properly with their targets and movement speed was too slow. Many games had awkward control schemes that confused players (a good example of an awkward control scheme: the original Resident Evil Game, with its D-pad tank-style controls, were probably conceived as a half-decent means for a player to move through a 3D environment). In Ocarina of Time however, players could instantly face and run directly to characters, would always be facing toward an enemy, and had more control over Link. As a result of Lock-on Targeting, Ocarina of Time was easily the most fluid, smoothest looking 3D game of its time.

The second key innovation of Ocarina of Time was the creation of the context-sensitive button. Rather than map every single one of Link's abilities to a different button on the N64 controller, or only provide Link with a handful of abilities, Nintendo mapped many "secondary" control features to the A button. When in a certain situation or "context" (in front of a door, near a block, in combat, playing the Ocarina, riding Epona), the on-screen A button would display a word, indicating what the button could currently be used for (e.g. opening doors, pushing blocks, jump attacks in combat, putting the Ocarina away, speeding Epona up). This was a more subtle change to the series, but Context-Sensitive buttons became the industry standard way for developers to assign controller buttons, using permanent assignment only for important actions, while letting a player use "secondary functions" only in the proper context.

Right now, the A button scrolls through text. The A button can also be used to roll, read signs, and dodge enemy attacks.

Gameplay

Perhaps the biggest surprise for players who purchased the game was that, despite the new perspective, brand new controls, and fancy 3-D graphics, Ocarina of Time was still a full-blooded Zelda game. Sticking to its roots, the game led players through nine different dungeons, having them complete tricky puzzles and defeat big bosses along the way. Rather than use the new found power of the N64 hardware to make a New Zelda game, Nintendo used the increased hardware prowess to Expand the Zelda formula. As Jeff Gerstmann put it in his review, "This is a sequel at its finest, expanding on previous themes and bringing plenty of new stuff to the table."

Ocarina of Time, like the Zelda games that came before it, is primarily a puzzle solving game, with some sword fighting, horseback riding, and boss fighting playing second fiddle. The player progresses through the game by guiding Link to one of the nine dungeons and collecting a mystical artifact at the end(three jewels in the first half of the game, six medallions in the second half) . Each of these dungeon's is filled with puzzles that hamper Link's progress, and the player must solve them to continue onward. In every dungeon (after the first one) players will encounter a "Sub-Boss", a powerful enemy that the player will be forced to do battle with. Defeating the Sub-Boss will lead the player to an item that will be necessary to solve puzzles farther in the dungeon. At the very end, players will encounter the Boss of the dungeon, who can only be defeated with tactical use of the new weapon retrieved in the dungeon (and some well placed sword slashes).

Players will still guide Link through dungeons, collect keys, and fight Ganon -- only this time in 3-D.

Puzzles in the dungeons often share very basic similarities (there's quite a bit of time spent pushing blocks, standing on switches, and pushes blocks onto switches). However, each dungeon has a "theme" that changes the way the player moves through the dungeon. The Water Temple, for example, can only be beaten if the player raises and lowers the water levels, which they can only do at specific parts of the dungeon. The Shadow Dungeon, on the other hand, is filled with invisible walls and traps, not to mention mirages. The player can only see through these disguises with the Lens of Truth. These different "themes" kept the game from ever seeming stale.

There were also many glitches that plagued Ocarina of Time. There were dozens of glitches, some minor and some almost game breaking. Glitches like having no sword, drinking air, and Epona becoming stuck. There was also one glitch that broke the game. Just dont go back to see Saria when Navi tells you to. When you pick up the Master Sword, Sheik will be blocking you from returning to the past (so you cannot get Saria's Song). However, Mido will not let you enter the Forest Temple without it. Sheik will not move unless you have completed the first three temples, and you cannot complete the remaining three unless that happens, so you are effectively stuck and the game is now broken. You can complete the other two temples (Fire and water), but no others.

In addition to these tried-and-true techniques, Ocarina of Time does feature two gameplay mechanics not seen in its predecessors -- these mechanics have had a tremendous influence on the franchise.

Bosses

as a child

Queen Gohma
King Dodongo
Barinade

As an adult

Phantom Ganon
Volvagia
Morpha
Bongo Bongo
Twinrova
Ganondorf
Ganon

Core Mechanic One: The Ocarina

After completing the first dungeon of the game, Link received the Ocarina, a musical instrument similar to a recorder. The player could play notes using the four C buttons on the controller, as well as the A button, to create and play different songs. As Link met various people through out the game, he slowly learned different songs to play on the Ocarina. These songs were not played only for entertainment: each song had certain magical properties that gave Link an arsenal of new abilities. Playing the Bolero of Fire would teleport Link directly to the entrance of the Fire Temple, while Epona's Song would instantly call Link's faithful steed to his side anywhere in the overworld. The Sun's Song turned Day into Night and would freeze the undead, and the Song of Storms caused storm clouds to gather and Rain to fall. The most important song in the game, Zelda's Lullaby, helped the player solve certain puzzles in the various dungeons throughout the world, as it signifies Link's connection to Zelda and Hyrule's royal family.

Zelda's Lullaby, apart from being the game's main musical theme, was key to solving several puzzles in the game.

The Ocarina itself, as a puzzle mechanic, wasn't necessarily interesting or innovative. However, by making the puzzle an instrument, and putting a heavy focus on the musical component of the item, the Ocarina of Time endeared itself to many players. The Ocarina could be seen as one of the many small game play mechanics that would eventually create the music game genre.

Music playing has been a key component in the Zelda franchise ever since Ocarina of Time. In Majora's Mask, Link would once again use the Ocarina, this time as a means to travel backwards in time three days. In The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, Link could use the Wind Waker, a magical conductor’s baton, to control the wind and help steer his ship on the high seas.

Core Mechanic Two: The Past and the Future.

Much like the Light World/Dark World design of A Link to the Past, Ocarina of Time has the player switching between two "different" worlds: The Past and the Future. In the second half of the game, Link is sent seven years into the future, where he is tasked to stop Ganondorf once and for all. To progress to some of the new areas of the game, Link had to travel to the same locations in different time periods. The younger Link could do something in the past to affect the future for the Older Link. For instance, the player must travel through the Spirit Temple as both Young Link and Older Link to properly complete the dungeon. Young Link, due to his smaller size, could crawl into places his older self cannot, and, once inside the temple, could open a pathway so the older Link can enter as well.

Young Link could use items like the slingshot and the boomerang....

To travel through time, Link had to remove or replace the Master Sword in the pedestal in the Temple of Light.

Both characters have weapons restricted from them depending on which "time" they are in: Young Link can't use the newer weapons Older Link acquires through his travels (such as the Bow and the hookshot), while many of Young Link's items are too small for Older Link (like the slingshot and the boomerang). Some items, however, like the Ocarina and the Lens of Truth, can be used by both Links.

The time switching mechanic was eventually expanded into a Time Travel mechanic in Nintendo's follow up to Ocarina of Time, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask.

...while the Older Link could ride Epona and use the hookshot.

Multiple Releases

Ocarina of Time's immense popularity warranted several re-releases. The game reappeared twice: once on the Nintendo GameCube in The Ocarina of Time: Master Quest, and again for the same console on The Legend of Zelda: Collector's Edition compilation disc. In addition, the game is also available for download on the Wii's Virtual Console Store.

Trivia

The song playing over the opening cinematic in Ocarina of Time is a variation of the Warp Flute tune heard in The Legend of Zelda & Super Mario Bros. 3 for the NES.
Inside Princess Zelda's chambers, players can see pictures of Mario and Yoshi if they stare closely through the windows.
If a player fires a slingshot pellet at the windows in Zelda's Chambers, a Guard will get mad and toss a bomb at Link from the windows.
The original theme music for the Fire Temple was removed from subsequent releases because it contained Arabic chants offensive to the Muslim community ("Allah is great", "I bear witness that there is no God but Allah").
The crescent moon & star symbol originally seen on the Mirror Shield and Gerudo architecture was removed from the Gamecube re-release (and versions thereafter) because of its association with Islam.

SOUNDTRACK:

A 82 track soundtrack containing all the music from the game was released in Japan in 1998. An American version was released in 1999 with fewer tracks.

Tracklisting (American Version):
1. Title Theme
2. Deku Tree
3. Fairy Flying
4. House
5. Kokiri Forest
6. Shop
7. Battle
8. Inside The Deku Tree
9. Boss Battle
10. Hyrule Field Main Theme
11. Market
12. Hyrule Castle Courtyard
13. Ocarina Songs
14. Ocarina Of Time
15. LonLon Ranch
16. Kakariko Village
17. Lost Woods
18. Zora's Domain
19. Great Fairy's Fountain
20. Temple of Time
21. Chamber Of The Sages
22. Horse Race
23. Kakariko Village Orchestra
24. Windmill Hut
25. Gerudo Valley
26. Ganondorf Battle
27. Last Battle
28. Zelda's Ocarina
29. Credits Theme

Japanese Version:

Title Theme
Enter Ganondorf
Deku Tree
Fairy Flying
House
Kokiri Forest
Open Treasure Box
Item Catch
Small Item Catch
Shop
Battle
Inside The Deku Tree
Boss Battle
Boss Clear
Heart Container Get
Legend Of Hyrule
Spiritual Stone Get
Fairy Ocarina Get
Hyrule Field Main Theme
Kepora Gebora's Theme
Market
Shooting Gallery
Hyrule Castle Courtyard
Enter Zelda
Ocarina "Zelda's Lullaby"
Zelda's Theme
Ocarina "Epona's Song"
Lon Lon Ranch
Mini Game
Kakariko Village
Ocarina "Sun's Song"
Hyrule Field Morning Theme
Goron City
Ocarina "Saria's Song"
Lost Woods
Dodongo's Cavern
Middle Boss Battle
Dinosaur Boss Battle
Zora's Domain
Great Fairy Fountain
Potion Shop
Inside Jabu-Jabu's Belly
Ocarina "Song Of Time"
Temple Of Time
Open Door Of Temple Of Time
Master Sword
Ganondorf's Theme
Chamber Of The Sages
Medal Get Fanfare
Sheik's Theme
Horse Race
Horse Race Goal
Ingo's Theme
Escape From Lon Lon Ranch
Kakariko Village Orchestra Version
Ocarina "Song Of Storms"
Windmill Hut
Minuet Of Woods
Forest Temple
Bolero Of Fire
Fire Temple
Ice Cavern
Serenade Of Water
Water Temple
Nocturne Of Shadow
Prelude Of Light
Shadow Temple
Gerudo Valley
Spirit Temple
Requiem Of Spirit
Kotake & Koume's Theme
Meet Again Zelda
Game Over
Ganon's Castle Bridge
Ganon's Castle Under Ground
Inside Ganon's Castle
Ganondorf Battle
Escape From Ganon's Castle
Last Battle
Seal Of Six Sages
Ocarina Of Time
End Credits

Game Credits

Executive Producer - Hiroshi Yamauchi
Producer/Director - Shigeru Miyamoto
Director - Toru Osawa
Director - Yoichi Yamada
Director - Eiji Aonuma
Director - Yoshiaki Koizumi
Program Director - Toshio Iwawaki
Chief Programmer - Kenzo Hayakawa
Main Programmer - Yasunari Soejima
Main Programmer - Kazuaki Morita
Main Programmer - Masumi Tarukado
Main Programmer - Hiroshi Umemiya
Main Programmer - Masaro Sakakibara
Main Programmer - Shigeki Yoshida
Main Programmer - Takamitsu Kuzuhara
Main Programmer - Satoru Takahata
Main Programmer - Nobuo Okajima
Main Programmer - Nobuhiro Sumiyoshi
Main Programmer - Atsushi Nishiwaki
Main Programmer - Kenji Matsutani
Main Programmer - Yuichi Yamamoto
Main Programmer - Masatoshi Ogawa
Main Programmer - Makoto Sasaki
Main Programmer - Kunihiro Komatsu
Main Programmer - Shigeo Kimura
Script Writer - Toru Osawa
Script Writer - Kensuke Tanabe
Character Design - Yoshiaki Koizumi
Character Design - Yoshiki Haruhana
Character Design - Satoru Takizawa
Character Design - Jin Ikeda
Character Design - Satomi Maekawa
Course - Level Design - Makoto Miyanaga
Course - Level Design - Hiromasa Shikata
Course - Level Design - Hiromu Takemura
Course - Level Design - Kenta Usui
Course - Level Design - Shinichi Ikematsu
Course - Level Design - Takeshi Hosono
Graphic Design - Tomoaki Kuroume
Graphic Design - Shigeki Yoshida
Graphic Design - Ren Uehara
Cinematic Sequence - Daiki Iwamoto
Cinematic Sequence - Hiroshi Matsunaga
Cinematic Sequence - Hiroshi Matsunaga
Motion Capture - Shinya Takahashi
Motion Capture - Tsuyoshi Watanabe
Sound Composition - Koji Kondo
Sound Effect - Yoji Inagaki
Sound Effect - Takuya Maekawa
Illustrator - Yusuke Nakano
Illustrator - Wataru Yamaguchi
Illustrator - Minoru Maeda
Coordinator - Yoshitaka Nishikawa
Coordinator - Mitsuhiro Takano
Coordinator - Masashi Goto
Coordinator - Hiroyuki Uesugi
Technical Support - Hironobu Kakui
Technical Support - Hirohito Yoshimoto
Technical Support - Yoshinori Tanimoto
Technical Support - Hideaki Shimizu
Technical Support - Shin Hasegawa
Technical Support - Yasuki Tawaraishi
Technical Support - Shingo Okamoto
Progress Management - Kimiyoshi Fukui
Progress Management - Keizo Kato
Supervisor - Takashi Tezuka
Supervisor - Toshihiko Nakago
Product Debug & Testing Unit - Super Mario Club
Link (Voice) - Nobuyuki Hiyama
Executive Producer - Satoru Iwata
Navi (Voice) - Kaori Mizuhashi
Ganondorf (voice) - Takashi Nagasako
Translator - Hiro Yamada

General Information Edit

Game Name	The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Platform(s)	Nintendo 64 Wii Shop
Publisher(s)	Nintendo
Developer(s)	Nintendo EAD
Genres	Add a new genre Action Adventure
Themes	Add a new theme Fantasy
Original US Release	Nov. 23, 1998 need a fuzzy date?
Original US Release	know the real date?
Aliases	OOT LOZ:OOT

Trivia

You've found the Mirror Shield, allowing you to deflect Energy Attacks back at enemies. In How many bosses(not including sub-Bosses) will this be an effective attack?

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