It is hard to imagine that it has been 10 years today since Shigeru Miyamoto's masterpiece "The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time" was released.In 1998, America was not involved in a conflict in Iraq, the price of gas was $1 or less, there was no such thing as an iPod, Xbox, or the Nintendo Wii. There was the Nintendo 64 and a promising new future of gaming in three dimensions.
N64's "Super Mario 64" gave mastery to 3D gaming, but it was "The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time" that perfected it.
My choice as the greatest video game of all-time, "Ocarina of Time" still has as much of an impact today as it did 10 years ago.
Crafting a masterpiece in visual display, ingenuity of controls, cleverness of puzzle design, and excellence in its musical score to create a video game that transcends button mashing and ascends to a level of art.
I remember first entering the Deku Tree and making my way across a new landscape of possibilities in game design that can never be repeated. The soothing music in the Deku Tree brought both mystery and darkness in a Nintendo title that I had not experienced until "Ocarina of Time."
Having completed the first three temples as the young Link, I had thought my journey was nearly over until I found there were five more for me to explore as the older, more mature link.
"Ocarina of Time" certainly captivated and encompassed everything a video game should be with a widely engaging story and my first experience with cinematics in a video game that crafted a beautiful tale of courage and discovery.
The shear depth of the game was well worth its original $60 price tag with side quests that often rivaled the "Final Fantasy" series in depth. Each new side quest or task worked to foster new relationships not only between Link and the game's many supporting characters, but between the player and the game itslef. In this way, Link really does live up to the original meaning of his name - to be a link
between the player and the game.Strangley enough, I remember dreaming about the game at night and being completely stumped in the Fire Temple deep within Death Mountain. Only a truely good game can have you that puzzled.
Alas, I remember actually crying as I watched the final credits roll because "Ocarina of Time" was the quintessential game that forever solidified my love of gaming. I simply did not want the experience to end as it far surpassed any expectations I had as an 11 year-old gamer.
"The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time" is the greatest and most impactful video game I have ever had the pleasure of playing and it is surprising that 10 years have past since it was first released.
I strongly suggest to anyone who loves video games to treat yourself to one of the greatest experiences you will ever have in what can now officially be considered a classic.
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