FOND ZELDA MEMORIES

I, Video Gamer X, have been playing Video Games for many years. Since I was five I have spent numerous an hour with a controller in my hand and a game on the screen. Whether it was toughing it out with Zelda, Mega Man, Castlevania, Street Fighter, Rad Racer, Sonic the Hedgehog, or Pitfall I've been from one end of the gaming spectrum to the other. I have a high appreciation for the great games that are available today. When I was younger I would dream of day when a game would be 3-D or have real voices in it. Today those things are commonplace. I see so many kids take for granted the real quality in their video games and systems. Being the veteran of Video Games that I am, I can see the significant changes that the industry and technology have accomplished.

The Zelda games have always been in that special place of honor on my shelf and in my heart. I have all of them, and I have finished all of them. I have fond memories of good times associated with those games. I can remember playing my Zelda games with friends that have long since faded into history, but those memories are as vivid as yesterday. I have endured the quests and become the Legendary Knight that is Link, and within this connection to a great experience I have found a sense of solace. Truly I say to you, just because you grow older doesn't mean you have to lose sight of the things that make life worth living.

Feel free to send me your Zelda memories and experiences, and I will add them to this page. There can be no doubt that this series of games has made an impact on many people, and has been one of the most influencial driving force in the industry of recreational gaming software.

Darren Says: My name is Darren and I'm 14 years old. I really dont have much to say about Zelda because I have only played one other game rather than Zelda 64. It was "The Adventures of Link," I think. I played it at my friends house. When I was little. We used to go out and play games in the yard, like Zelda. We'd act as Link or another one of the characters in the game. We'd also act out movies and other games like "Indiana Jones" and "Simon's Quest: Castlevania". I loved it. I hold that in my heart til today. But there is something else. Something about the game Zelda that stays with me. It's like I hold a peice of this game in my heart, even though I have only played 2 different games and only beat one of them. I love these games. I hope to God they come out with a sequel or something. I really wasn't introduced to RPG's until FF7 came out. I played that and just about cryed during certain parts and died laughing at others. It was a great game. Zelda didn't have that story the FF7 had. But it still is a GREAT game.

I would love to be in the game. To be as Zelda. Just like your January of the month letter. If I had the chance to be anything, I would take the role of Link and play through the wonderful world of Hyrule. If it couldn't come true as a fairy tale maybe virtual reality, heh :)

Probably the main reason I love the game so much is the remanisce ( cant spell) of playing with my friend. And the love of RPG's. Or not RPG's. But......

Stephen Remembers: My name is Stephen. I'm 12 years old and have played every Zelda game except the first one. I remember when I got A Link to the Past. It was a moment I will cherish forever. It was a cold December night. One present stood out to face me. I tore open the wrapping paper and gazed at the most legendary game of all time. I beat it, as well all other Zelda games I've ever played, but that moment of discovery was just a heavenly moment for the ages.

[email protected] Remembers: I still remember when my brothers and I got "The Legend of Zelda" for the NES back in 1986. Oh man, it was different from any other game we had ever played. It was our first RPG and we were stuck like every five minutes. We had this friend named (don't laugh) Luigi, (I said, don't laugh) that we would look up to. He knew a whole bunch about Zelda. He knew stuff that we would only find in our dreams. He seemed to know where every item was by heart. He seemed magical because of it. He would teach us plenty about the game. It was weird because we never saw him again after we beat the game. He went to another school or something. But he made me appreciate the game a whole lot more. There were so many secrets in that game. Then came "The Legend of Zelda - The Adventure of Link". I remember the first day that it came out. There was a huge line waiting to buy the game. We bought it and took it home and a little more magic was added to my life. Again with "A Link to the Past". To this day I don't know what it was about those games. Maybe it's that those games were all a part of my growing up. They became a part of my life forever, just like all the final fantasys and dragon warriors. These games defined me. They shaped who I am today. Even though I don't go around wearing white tights and slashing everything in sight with a sword, I still carry a piece of those games with me. I will show my children these games and they will probably laugh at me and tell me how old-fashioned they are. I will never see them as old-fashioned. To me they will always have a place in my heart.

(No Name Given) States: I've only played Zelda: A Link to the Past and Zelda Ocarina of Time, but I've always had the memories that it was the best game ever. I don't know why. Ive had many dreams about Zelda: A Link to the Past and i remember whistling the theme song everyday all day, but you know, I've only played the game a few times and I've never beat Agahnim in my 6 or 7 times playing it. I remember bouncing the energy ball back to him and knocking his a** out. That's all. And I remember the first time I got stuck on A Link to the Past.........(we all know this one).........c'mon.........of course it was the maze where you got stuck in the bushes or something and you had to go in a square to get out (in fact, i think it was near the desert, on the west side of hyrule) I'm not sure. These are my memories of Zelda: A Link to the Past. Thank you.

Cory DempseyI am Cory and I'm 16. I've been playing Zelda since I was 5-6, and I can tell you that these games top all the rest... Nothing compares. I used to have all my friends that lived in the same appartment complex come over and we would all figure out the game, and it took a while to get the picture. But I can still remember the days of finding the Legendary Master Sword and boomerang in Zelda I. I remember the frustration of fighting Shadow Link in Zelda II. And although many things could have been different to make the lattest of this awesome saga better... the loyalty remains. Zelda 64 is by far, in my mind, the greatest game ever made. You can play all the "others", but in the end... you always come back to the best.

Lawrence 'Link' Lanahan Relates Eloquently: When I hear the overworld theme from Zelda I can just imagine the medaevil type world of Hyrule, this song brought me to Zelda 64. When I was much younger I had Zelda 1 and 2 for the NES but then they were just games, of course the best games I had ever played in my life but it was just a game. Then after news about Zelda 64 started going around, this was when the first news about an N64 Zelda game started, I had this weird dream. I was Link in some dark damp dungeon, I had a sword and I was on a horse fighting a shiny metallic knight, that is it. It sounds Pretty simple but this was what made me remember Zelda. Like the author of that letter I am deeply interested in dreams so of course I thought about it until it just went sub-concious. I couldn't stop thikning about Zelda 64 so I searched the internet for the Zelda theme to try and bring back some lost memories. What I found (but had never heard then) was the credits theme for Zelda 3. I listened to this wondering what it was until I reached the Zelda them part, when I heard those sweet notes I could once again feel the rectangular controller in my hands and see me fighting off all demons and recovering the triforce. I don't know if I'll ever feel that again for many many years, it was amazing the power of this single song. Since then I bought both Zelda 3 and 4 and this is when I truly disconvered the legend. Playing through these games I truly became Link. The ancient knight, I could relate to it so much it brought so many hidden feelings that this charecter, Link, brought out a new charecter inside myself. I've always been fascinated with sword fighting warriors and the medaevil times and things and this really painted the picture. Back to the music the music to me illustrates all that Zelda is, a legend in itself, a magical world of warriors and...magic. The credits theme for Zelda 3 had everything in it, the beautiful music that had the legendary Zelda theme and whenever I hear this music it ... (He never finished.)

Lawrence "Link" Lanahan Finishes: When I hear the overworld theme from Zelda I can just imagine the medaevel type world of Hyrule, this song brought me to Zelda 64. When I was much younger I had Zelda 1 and 2 for the NES but then they were just games, of course the best games I had ever played in my life but it was just a game. Then after news about Zelda 64 started going around, this was when the first news about an N64 Zelda game started, I had this weird dream. I was Link in some dark damp dungeon, I had a sword and I was on a horse fighting a shiny metallic knight, that is it. It sounds Pretty simple but this was what made me remember Zelda. Like the author of that letter I am deeply interested in dreams so of course I thought about it until it just went sub-concious. I couldn't stop thikning about Zelda 64 so I searched the internet for the Zelda theme to try and bring back some lost memories. What I found (but had never heard then) was the credits theme for Zelda 3. I listened to this wondering what it was until I reached the Zelda them part, when I heard those sweet notes I could once again feel the rectangular controller in my hands and see me fighting off all demons and recovering the triforce. I don't know if I'll ever feel that again for many many years, it was amazing the power of this single song. I had Zelda 1 and Zelda 2 on emulation and I even bought a NES again so I could really experience the two games as I'd done years ago. Since then I bought both Zelda 3 and 4 and this is when I truly disconvered the legend. Playing through these games I truly became Link. The ancient knight, I could relate to it so much it brought so many hidden feelings that this charecter, Link, brought out a new charecter inside myself. I've always been fascinated with sword fighting warriors and the medaevil times and things and this really painted the picture. Back to the music the music to me illustrates all that Zelda is, a legend in itself, a magical world of warriors and...magic. The credits theme for Zelda 3 had everything in it, the beautiful music that had the legendary Zelda theme and whenever I hear the music I can see the whole Zelda epic from start to finish infront of me...all the way to the part with the overworld music and then at the end the adventure is over. Koji Kondo put together definately my favourite piece of game music ever. The legend of Zelda has almost changed part of myself because from playing these games it took me into a different world that I'd never been in before. I didn't imagine a game would ever do this but it did and I discovered a new side of myself, now I'm really into all myths, magic and legends...kind of like an alternative to everyday life for me, games could now be deeper than I imagined. I had grown to really really love the series and how they'd brought a lot more fun into my life and so much of that amazing feeling and that's why I love The Legend of Zelda so much because of how it's made me feel. When I felt as if I was Link in Hyrule it did something to the wa I thought. I no longer just saw games as something to pass my time because a game like this really meant a lot to me, it's somehow helped me be more open minded and enjoy things more and It's even changed the way I think about life, it showed me how there are so many good feelings you can get from things in life. A lot from a computer game but it's mainly not the game that matters to me it's the whole background behind it all. I've written my own stories of Hyrule and that's how I think of The Legend of Zelda, not as a game but as a book and one that when I read it I become so involved in it all that I can forget the outside world. The whole Zelda image means a lot to me, I don't know if I would always have loved those games or if without that dream I wouldn't have 'discovered' the other side of Zelda. Either way this is one game series I will never forget, FF7 or any good RPG can get you involved in it but it's still a game. With The Legend of Zelda somehow I feel much more, I feel as if I'm living a life I've already lived as if I AM Link in a different world. Don't get me wrong I'm not saying I really am because he's a game charecter, imagine finding out you've been created by Shigeru Miyamoto(SP?)!!! That's why I have 'Link' in my name, not because I'm another fan who wantes to call themselves it (which I have not problem with if they really are a fan) but because when I think of the Legend I feel as if I AM Link.

Kevin C. Remembers: I remember when I first encountered Zelda. It was probably 1988 and I was about 5. My cousins had been playing it for a while and were stuck somewhere. I remember them asking me to give it a shot. Now, normally I would have played for two minutes, throw the controller down in frustration and go outside. But not this time. I must have played for three or four hours immersed in this world called "Hyrule". I later found out that this game was the second Zelda. I was so fascinated that I started to make maps of new quests and adventures for Link. I would always watch the Super Mario Bros. Super Show because they had a Zelda cartoon in it. Ganon would always trap people in these big circle things. It was so cool! The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time has totally blown my mind! I can't really complain about. (Except for the ending) I will always appreciate the fine work that Shigeru Miyamoto has produced. The guy's a genius. I hope that an expansion cart comes out or something. I'm crossing my fingers!

Wicked482 Recounts: A few years ago a friend of mine that happened to be a girl came over my house every saturday and all she did was play Zelda untill she left and i let her come untill one day another friend of mine told me that she was just using me to play Zelda. I got mad and i didn't let her come over untill last year when i found out theat the only reason she came over was because she had a crush on me! Now we are going out and are a happy couple. I think that Zelda can bring people closer together as well as be a great game.

LINK64MAN1 Remembers: HI MY NAME IS CHRIS TORRES AND I AM 13. WHEN I FIRST HEARD ABOUT ZELDA WAS WHEN ZELDA LINK TO THE PAST WHEN OUT. BUT I DIDNT GET IT. I DIDNT UNDERSTAND ACTUALLY WHAT ZELDA MEANT,UNTIL I PLAYED IT W/ MY NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR. WHEN I PLAYED IT,I DIDNT WANT TO STOP. ALL THE PUZZLES TO SOLVE AND ALL THE DUNGEONS AND BAD GUYS,IT WAS THE PERFECT GAME FOR ME.AND EVER SINCE,IVE BEEN CRAZY ABOUT ZELDA!! I PROUDLY OWN THE GOLD VERSION OF ZELDA64 AND ZELDA LINK TO THE PAST AND ZELDA LINKS AWAKENING. OH AND ALSO,IF YOU NEED HELP IN ANY OF THE GAMES I HAVE WRITTEN ABOUT,MY S.N. IS LINK64MAN1. THANKS FOR READING MY LETTER

Thomas Lillis Depicted: I grew up with Nintendo, in a sense...

When I was four, way back in... sheesh... 1988... my parents got me an NES for my birthday. They bought a few games with it... Mario and Donkey Kong were two of the three. But the third... that's what got my attention.

Maybe it was because I was four and because small children are attracted to shiny things, but the third box, The Legend of Zelda immediately grabbed my attention.

I put that gilded cartridge in the Nintendo and immediately became hooked. I loved that game dearly. I was awful at it for awhile, but I still loved it. I finished both quests, and when I was done, I actually missed the game.

A similar love was eventually created with Zelda II: The Adventure of Link. To this day, I carry a fondness for these classics even my friends think is loony.

I never owned a Super Nintendo (due to a temporary addiction to Sonic the Hedgehog...), but my friend Jim did. I swear to God, it took me three years to do it, but by going over there with my friends, we eventually conquered Hyrule and the Dark World in a Link to the Past.

I even remember the day we got into the pyramid in the Dark World... I got a weird adrenaline high from that moment... The four of us, at about 3:30 in the afternoon on a Saturday, crowded around Jim's T.V., watching me battle Ganon, an epic conclusion to a long quest...

Two of the four of us are gone now, moved on to other parts of the U.S., but we still look back on that day with laughter.

When I was 12, I ended up in the hospital for a few days because of the development of what has become a chronic, but not tragic or debilitating, illness. I guess my parents felt bad for me, or something, because when I got home, they did something they swore they would never do. They went out to Toys 'R Us, and bought me, what they called, "one of those Nintendo 84 things...".

I played Mario for weeks after that, and enjoyed it a great deal... but something bothered me (aside from the lack of Luigi, which was crushing for me... I liked him better than his fat-butt brother). My two favorite video game friends weren't there... Where were Link and Zelda, dangit?!

I waited patiently for something close to two years... I read the rumors. I drooled on the screen shots. I hummed the Overworld Theme in my sleep. I waited.

Then, Z-Day... November the 23rd, 1998. I knew the box was in the house... I could sense it... But I had to wait for one more month. The wait was next to excruciating.

On December the 25th, I knew the two year (although, if you count the wait between Link to the Past and Ocarina of Time, it's more)was worth it. I didn't sleep for a week. Screw the Christmas Dinner, I was stuck in Dodongo's Cavern! Who needs New Years? I was busy in the Fire Temple...

Now that I've defeated the evil Mandrag Ganon once more, I feel that little sense of loss again. I know, however, that Link and Zelda are going to be back. I've planned their return in my head. Heck, I admit it. I've planned it on paper.

Zelda will remain a part of me for a long time... maybe forever. If I have something to do with it, Zelda and Link are going to be on the `64 soon. They have new people to meet, new places to explore, and a piece of Triforce recover. And whether it's my plan or not that helps them do it, I'll be a part of it, as a player.

The Legend of Zelda is the greatest game series of all time (well, as long as we forget those horrific mistakes on the Phillips 3DO). The Ocarina of Time is the greatest game of all time (of course, I give Final Fantasy 7 a nod for second place). May Shigeru Miyamoto be given the praise he deserves, and may he produce more works for us to enjoy in the years to come.

Thomas Remembered: I am Thomas the zelda maniac. I've loved these games since i got the wooden sword, to the great Biggoron Sword. I remember the day that i played the first Zelda...in the screen with three ways, and a cave with the wood sword.. I remember grabbing it... and slashing octoroks.. Then the Adventures of Link... I remember running like mad from those enemies in the overworld screen..seeking sanctuary in the towns... Then there was A Link to the Past, one of my favorites... I remember the three jewel thingys, and the lost woods..entering the clearing..shining Master Sword... I grabbed it..watched it's luminous power, and it felt like seconds, when i later slashed ganon down to his knees, in victory...claiming the Legendary Triforce... The Keeper of Knowledge...The Juror of Courage...The Forger of Strength.. These were my titles, as Legendary Hero. With Ganon long gone... Headed into the ocean..a storm came... Then i was stranded on a beach..on an Island..with someone who seemed like the Princess of Destiny.. waking up in a house on an island...with a Giant Egg on top.. Koholint. Now, as Hero of Time, I defeat Ganon once again, with the Master Sword, the blade of Legend....

Abby (Little Bug) Remembered: It was a few days before Christmas and I was going to my grandparents house for a Christmas vacation. When I walked in the door I saw a letter by the xmas tree, it read: OPEN RIGHT NOW! Unfortunately I had to wait for my Dad to get home from his golfing. As soon as he did I tore that letter open to find a n64 cord inside! I followed the cord over to the couch and under the blanket there my eyes rested on a huge package and a small package on top next to the two lay a translucent blue controller. I tore open the small package first and low and behold was a Zelda game! Now I didn't have a n64 yet and the Zelda and controller meant the big package was a N64! I tore it open and I discovered that I had been right!So as soon as my new N64 had been hooked up I started playing. It was a dream come true. I soared through it and I loved every moment of it! unfortunately I'm stuck. The lizards in dodongos cavern (no not the dodongos) the ones with knives that jump around keep killing me. If I get past the lizards and beat the game I will tell you about that too. so please help me.

[email protected] Remembers: Well, I'm 13 and I've played every Zelda game (except the CD-ROM ones) and all I can say is that ever since Zelda one came out, I've been a huge fan, I always used to go to my friend's house who had a dad who I called "The Zelda Master" who had everything in Zelda one, I once played it and was confused because it was the 2nd quest. I still remember that if you have your name as Zelda in it, you will automatically go to the 2nd quest. Ever wonder if miyamoto will ever go with the DD and make a Zelda64DD that will continue where we all left off. THEN, we will get the triforce when Ganon comes back out of the seal!

Dallas Remarks: My name is Dallas im 14 and have also been playing video games since I was five. I remember when I played Dragon Warrior with my dad and for days we searched for a secret sword and found it in an abandoned town with wyvrens and big giants and at the beginning when I fought those slime things "those were the days" when games were great not fancy. I would trade all these cool graphics for better quality that games seem to be losing now.

JediKnight13 Recalls: I've actually never played any other Zelda game becides Zelda 64 but I have always been aware of Link and Zelda when I was a kid. I used to always love the Super Mario/Legend of Zelda cartoon series that was on T.V. I always liked Link and how he was just a young guy from the forest who became a hero. I used to play (act out) Zelda adventures with my friend as well as Super Mario adventures. I remember how I used to be Luigi and My friend (who was shorter) was Mario. When we played Zelda I think I used to be one of those pig guard guys. Well those are some fond memories of my child hood that I hope I never forget and I hope I never forget these new fond memories of Zelda 64 when I'm an adult. May the power of the Triforce be with you all....

1 of 4 Wrote: Hey Gamer X, how's it going buddy. I'm 17 so I'm old enough to know about the fist Zelda. I remember going to my neighbors house and watching him play The Legend of Zelda. That was the point when I fell in love with Zelda. My dad finally got me a nes, and with luck he bought Zelda as well with it. I hooked up the nes and started playing. Everyday I would play Zelda day and night, my parents would have to pratically pry the controller out of my hand. When I finally beat Zelda, I had a few friends, we had a party. That's how much it meant to me. I then found out about Zelda 2 the advetures of link. A little different than number 1, but still I wouldn't put it down until I beat it. Then Super nes came out, I was a little older and my parents refused to buy the snes for me. I didn't mind it much, but I found out that Zelda A Link to the Past came and I begged by parents for it, they finally caved in and got me snes and Zelda for christmas. Once again I played it none stop until I beat it, and what a feat it was. I loved that game, it was by far my favorite, until of course Zelda 64 came out. I didn't find out about Zelda for game boy until recently, so I'll diffenently be out getting that soon. Now just recently the release of Zelda 64, I didn't have a N64, and I didn't plan on buying it. I was in an airport and I saw a shirt with Link on it, and he looked a little different so I took a closer look. I saw a much cooler Link and has the look of modern day, other than the clothes. He had long hair and ear rings, a much better look. It said Zelda for N64. I was like S**T, Zelda is out for N64. I was 16 at the time, so it was a year ago. This past christmas I told my parents the only thing I want for Christmas is a N64 with Zelda 64, that's it. They told me that they wouldn't get it because I was too old for that stuff. Well I was very disappointed, but Christmas came around, and under the tree was N64 and Zelda 64. I started playing the game right away and was amazed from the beginning. What a game, what a challenge, what an adventure. I played until I beat it, and I loved every minute of it.

Bigboy129 Remembers: I am 14 now, and recieved A Link to the Past when it came out because my older brother had a friend who had hooked him on the Nintendo Zeldas. My brother played it forever it seemed like, and when he stopped, I grrabbed the controller and just played. I could not stop. I thought it was the best in the world. I beat it after three days of playing. I then started helping out my friends who were lagging and needed assistance. I hadn't played Zelda since I beat it until I purchased The Ocarina of Time. My brother and I went to Wal-Mart at 6 in the morning, and there was a line! I then played while my brother slept. The Zelda series is the best series of games ever to be created!

[email protected] Remembers: Hi, the zelda series has been my all time favorite video games. The games have created an environment that makes feel as if you're there. I hope now Miyamoto will create a closing game to tis timeless series. Perhaps with Link retrieving all three pieces of the triforce and restoring them to their final resting place.