GameMstr1 Remembers: I am GameMstr1, and I have several fond memories of Zelda. I remember about 9 years back, when my aunt, Lori, had a boyfriend named Nathan. He was an expert on Zelda (the original Zelda for NES). I started my own file on his gold copy. He had memorized the location of every item, every key, and every enemy's weakness. We had many a day of Zelda action (I finally found level 5, which took me FOREVER to find!) before the fateful and day when Lori and Nathan broke up. However, all was not lost. A week before this fateful event, he had given me my own gold copy of Zelda. Recently, I promised to myself I would beat it. I finally was on the verge of destroying Ganon when my 4 year old brother deleted my file! I almost strangled him for it, but I kept my cool.

I missed out on Zelda II. That is, until last Monday, when Brandon, my newly-found neighbor since I moved into this new house, lent me his copy. Could you send me a description of where all the keys in the Swamp Palace are, Video Gamer X? I can't seem to get the door that leads to the Glove unlocked. Ironically, I have the Downstab attack and the Hammer.

In school, I made friends with another Zelda expert named Nathan. How coincidental! He helped me to level 7 on the original Zelda. Recently, though, I deleted that file. I decided to go at it with no help from anyone else or Player's Guides.

I never played Link to the Past. I gotta rent that sometime...

I heard Zelda 64 was coming out as one of the launch titles for the N64. I should have known that was a crock. Due to be released alongside Mario 64, Zelda had delay after delay. After a while, all these delays started to get boring. Another issue of Nintendo Power, another Zelda delay. It got so bad, every time I saw a new issue of Nintendo Power, I thought, "How far back is Zelda 64 pushed NOW?" Finally, the release date was set. November 23rd was Z-day. I was so excited, I started typing ***The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time. Coming November 23rd.*** in chat! I heard rumors that Zelda was pushed back even further to March 1999, but, being first in line for it on Nov. 23, this was proved wrong.

After playing Zelda 64, I can say I have truly developed a fondness for Zelda. Having played every Zelda except Link to the Past (which I MUST rent!) and the CD versions (who'd want to play those crappy things?), I can honestly say that the Zelda series is here to stay. Long live Zelda!

James W. Bergeron Remembers: I never had an NES, but when I was in 8th grade I got a Super NES for Christmas. I had never really heard of The Legend of Zelda (yet for some reason, that TV series sounds familiar). A year or two later, when I had become a Nintendo Power subscriber, I came across an article of frequently asked questions about The Legen of Zelda: A Link to the Past. I had never heard of it, but I was intrigued. I rented it at the video store soon after that, and I fell in love with it. I think it was the following Christmas that I received it as a gift from my parents. I hung the map that came with the instructions on my bedroom wall, and it's still there. I only recently received a Nintendo 64 for graduation (June 6, 1999 to be exact). And the game I got with it? Zelda 64, which I had been dying to play. I have also played a little of the NES Zelda games at my friend's house, though that's been quite some time now. But I'll never forget my first taste of adventure in the land of Hyrule.

Chris Remembers: My name is Chris, 11 years old, and I have all the Zelda games made! I remember them all and play them all the time. Infact, I am the only one in my whole city to have a working original NES. The Legend of Zelda... The Adventure of Link... A Link to the Past... Link's Awakening... Ocarina of Time... My sister owned all the original games.. collector's items today. She also had a copy of The Legend of Zelda. I recently bought A Link to the Past from my friend for 9 dollars. I have A Link to the Past for computer since I do not own a Super NES. I recently bought Link's Awakening DX for Game Boy Color.. and on my birthday.. my mom picked me up from school and said I could pick out my birthday presents. Don't guess what I'm about to say: We went to Games For Less and I got Pok�mon Cards, Star Wars: Episode 1: Racer, Banjo-Kazooie, Super Smash Bros., and you guessed it: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time in a gleaming gold cartridge. The man asked me if I wanted a used copy with the gray cartridge or the new collectors edition copy. I asked for the gold cartridge one (which one would you have picked). I love Zelda and hope they make many more Zelda games for years to come.

Kelly Remembers: y name is Kelly and I am 12 years old. When I first heard about The Legend of Zelda-Ocarina of Time coming out for N64,I was ecastic. As quick as I could,I rushed to the video store and got a copy to rent. When I got home,I tore open the box and put it in. And,(now this is true) I imedinally after 5 minnutes, knew that this was the best game I had played in my entire life. After a couple hours of playing,I knew that I had to have it. The next morning I got up early to play and my dad came downstairs to watch me play. After watching me play,he announced that the game was too violent. TOO VIOLENT!!! He than told me to put the game away so he could take it back. I than started to cry in rage and fear that my dad would never let me play it again. Than I decided to try to convince him that it was not violent. For the next month,I pleaded,begged,and even bargained with him to let me play it. Finally,he let me get it again. The biggest suprise came next when I had my 6th grade graduation and my dad gave me my own copy of The Legend of Zelda. I held it in my hands like an idol and have been worshiping the ground he walks on ever since. It's been a long time since that happened. I have started and erased over thousands of files and have no thought in my head except Zelda. I wake up to play it early in the morning and I play until late at night. And there are so many things to do (like glitches) that I never get bored. Your website is the best and I'll stick with you Zelda fanatics until the day I die. Keep up the good work. I'll be with you all the way! - Loyal Zelda Fan

Jeremy Remembers: hey, my name is jeremy. I have great memories of Zelda games! I remember back when I was small..... It was in grade 1 that I got my nintendo. Before getting it, all that I could talk about was getting my very own nintendo like my friends! Then that wonderful moment arrived! I got It for a passing grade 1! it was sitting on my bed when I came home! I was probably about 5 or 6 when i got my first zelda game. I believe that It was Zelda 2. Back then I love the game but when I was small I never finished it because it scared the hell out of me! To this day I havn't beaten that game. But once I was a little older I got The first zelda game "the legend of Zelda" I love that game so much, I played it for hours on end!! Just like I had with Links awakening (when I got my Gameboy!) And Link to the Past! I love all Zelda games especially Ocarina of time but no matter how much people say zelda64 is better then the originals I still think they're wrong! I think that the original zelda games kick ass!! I also think that its grat that so many people have been affected by Zelda games around the world! I hope that nintendo continues to Make Zelda games to affect the lives of the generation ahead. The bottom line is that Zelda games have made me who I am today and I will forever hold a place in my heart for RPG's like Zelda games and the classic Final Fantasy games!!!

John Manuelian Remembers: Hi my name is John Manuelian and I'am 16 years old. I've been playing zelda ever since the 1986 original for the NES. That game is by far the hardest one of the series! I personally found Zelda II: The Adventure of Link to be a flop. 2D side scrolling is just not Zelda. Any way, The SNES game, A Link to the Past, is by far my most favorate game out of the whole series. I can remember the first time I acually had a chance to play it... I was over a friends house, Adam R.'s, and we had just rented the game feom Blockbuster Videos. We, I mostly, stayed up all night playing the darn think with the aid of a poorly written internet walkthrough guide. the next morning around 9 or 10 I finally beat the game. Then out of the blue while the credits were rolling Adam stole the controler out of my hands, I mean he really ripped it out of my hands, and shouted "I Beat The Game!" even though he did not. he he that was a fun night. Because I did not have a gameboy at the time, I beat Link's Awakening through GB emulation. I do have a colour GB now and plan on getting a copy of both Zelda DX and it's original counterpart. As far as Zelda64 goes. I don't like it as much as the others. It's just not Zelda in my opinion. Sure the graphics are increadable and the game got and is still getting rave reviews, but you must ask yourself: what makes Zelda Zelda? I view Zelda64 as an updated Zelda II. Neather game is based on a overhead/birdseye view like the other zeldas, neather game has the triditional overworld theame, and in Zelda II you don't ever fight Gannon / in Zelda64 you never get the Tri-Force (Yet?). I must say, though, The first night I opened my Zelda64 cartrige's box (again in Adam's house(do you see a pattern forming here?)) and looked onto it's shinny gold caseing, well let's just say I didn't get any sleep for the next 5 days ;-).

Dan The Man Remembers: Hey, my name is Danny, and I guess with all this going on, I'd like to share my Zelda memory with the rest. I remember the moment we bought the original Nintendo, I was about 4 years old at the time. I barely remember anything that happened to me in my young years, but I remember that completely. We got the Nintendo deck for my sister's birthday. It came with the classic game, Mario and Duck Hunt, and the track and field one. After months of playing, we beat Mario. We went down to our local video game store, and saw a bright shiny golden cartridge in a centerpiece in the store, hovering over it, The Legend of Zelda. It had various other Zelda items around it, box art and so on. My dad bought it that day. He took it home and popped it in the machine. He got Sooo hooked on that thing. I remember hearing the enchanting theme song all day and night long. My dad would literally stay up till midnight, trying to find where the next dungeon was, with piles of paper with maps on it next to him. I never actually played it, but was drawn to it. My sister and I would watch him play it hours at a time, until we had to go to bed. Then came the day when my dad found death mountain. He walked through the halls of it, trying to find the red ring and the silver arrows. He finally did, and I remember fondly the moment he walked into Ganon's room, and slayed him. After his 4 months of playing the game, he had done it. My sister and I had played the game for a while, until the next one came out. We would get into the first and second dungeon, but where then to scared to move on, afraid we would die, or something. The sequel came out, and again, my dad was on a role. I remember hearing that rich melody as well, with other cool songs along the way. This one was harder for my dad, seeing how he had to fight sideways, and the castle being more heavily guarded. I bought a book to help us, it was a nintendo players guide, and was a guide to many of the hit NES games around then (Zelda, mario, Duck Tales, etc.) I still have the book to today, with all my dad's scribblings around the sides of it. He finally beat that one as well, when he beat his own shadow, which took near hours getting through the blasted Great Palace. We then had a break for a while, playing other various games. Then, when the new Super Nintendo came out, I eagerly opened it on Christmas morning when I was 8. I had various Nintendo Power magazines, anticipating the new Zelda. Sure enough we got that when it came out. This one we thought was much better than the past ones. You were able to talk to the characters more, and you got more attached to the game than you did before. This time, it was my turn to play. My dad watched for some time, but he didn't want to get hooked again, he had had his fair share of it, seeing how he missed a couple days of work before. It took me a couple months to complete, only using a guide to get through the first couple of levels, 'cos I needed to understand this ones puzzles more. I finally beat Ganon at the end, awaiting for the ending. Then came the moment when I held the triforce in my hand. I could just imagine myself holding the three bright golden triangles up in the air, being proud, with my master sword at side. It was a great moment. That ending nearly made me cry. It was one of the best endings I had ever seen (that and Final Fantasy III). I beat it again, shortly after that, including the ones before it. I got into other games at that time, still playing Zelda. A mid 5 years later, Zelda 64 finally came out. After all the push backs, it finally came out. This time, I had a problem: I didn't even own a Nintendo 64. There I was, with a golden copy of Zelda (I pre ordered it), but no deck to play it on. That had to be the most grueling month of my life. I had to work my butt off, trying to save up $129.99 to play this game. At school, my two friends would be sarcastic and would talk about Zelda, talking about Zora's Fountain, or the Forest Temple. I didn't want to hear about what happens in it, so I literally plugged my ears whenever they would start getting into talking about it. I stayed away from them, until I got my N64. Then, I had the pride. I played the game at least one month straight. I missed homework, I got in trouble, but after a month, I had beaten that one as well. Zelda will always have a place in my mind. It is an important role in history almost, as the Beatles are to Music, and as Zelda is to the world. Thank you.

MF Remembers: Well, its hard to believe that I am finding myself taking the time to email a complete stranger and tell him about the experiences and memories I have regarding Zelda. I'm 22 years old now and can vividly remember the first time I ever played zelda. First off, the gold cartridge, the battery backup, everything was unheard of. I can perfectly recally the theme music to the back drop of the waterfall. I was actually sad when I beat the game and could not believe my eyes when I discovered there was a second quest. I purchased zelda 2 the first day it cam out but it just wasn't the same. Somehow the magic of zelda the feeling of youth and innocence will never go away. You'd think one would forget the music or sound effects or creatures in a simple video game but they are as clear now as the first time I played. Never has a single video affected me like zelda. Having emulators on the Internet is the best way to relive the magic of Zelda I only wish my own children to be could have the chance to experience the magic of this video game. Well, enough already. Great site and I'm glad I'm not the only one who loves this game.

Josef Remembers: I hope this is going to the creator of The Odyssey of Hyrule. I just wanted to thank you for bringing me down memory lane. I DO remember the Zelda cartoons and I only got to see two or three that I can remember. When I came home from college this past christmas I bought my 64 and I actually bought it so that I could play Zelda 64. Anyway when I cam back home on weekend I broke out my nintendo and old Zelda gold cartridge game and started to relive my childhood. Now with you going back down memory lane with Zelda I feel like a kid again. Thanks.

Jason Keller Remembers: Hi My name is Jason Keller and I am 15. I do remember playing the very first zelda. I think I rented it. I didn't really understand it but though it was fun. I remember playing the dungeons. They were the best! Then I played the second one and didn't like it cause I didn't know what to do since I was still young. I haven't played A link to the past yet but from what I hear I am going to rent it tonight and as soon as I get enough money buy it! I have only played Links Awakening once and haven't played it since. I just remember seeing link on a ship and then being in some house. Then I heard about this Zelda 64: Ocarina of Time coming out and I saw it toping the charts for most wanted. I thought I had better check it out (still had vague memory of what zelda was like). I did and I loved it! I rented it until I beat it and then I bought it and beat it 5 more times! I still get mad when I think that I was stupid enough not to get a gold edition. That would have been cool. now I am going back to all the Zelda games in chronoligical order of how they are so I can play through story. since I have already beat first one. obviously the ocarina of time. Thanx for your time. I love the game so much that I am going to get that ocarina of time at www.songbirds.com or whatever. and play all the zelda songs! see ya and great page Gamer X. I too once I beat it this time will check for the triforce counting on all the clues that we have been given.

[email protected] Remembers: The zelda series are the best games ever made. i used to play zelda I evey day and every day i would find new things. i still have my old nintendo in my room and zelda is the only cartidge ever in the machine. i never did get super nintendo so i have just recently started playing Zelda 3: a link to the past thanks to emulation(hehehe yea its illegal but nobody cares anymore) already i love the game and its all i do when i get free time(besides search for the triforce in z64) so even after all these years those 8 and 16 bit games still pack a whole lotta punch. they have the best replay value.

[email protected] Remembers: Hi, I`ve been reading the Zelda Memories, and would like to atribute.My entire life my mind has been completely filled with video games. I have played almost all of them, and I have been thinking in my younger childhood, the only thing thats become visible is the long hours in which I spent playing Zelda. I would stay up late at night, all alone, staring at the screen, and thinking what would link do. I have been completely infatuated with this. I remember thinking for a brief moment, that I was Link. I mean, when you Play link, you become him in a sense. The game isn`t just a game. It`s a way of placing you in a new surrounding, giving you tools and weapons, and creating a foe which has threatended your entire existence. As you play, over a period of time, you start to feel a moral imperitive to not let go. I have played many many Video games and all share the same thing. The driving force that compels you to play, is exactly the same as the characters. Link always seems to share a bond with Zelda. He always must save her, and at any cost. So technically, when you play your games you become them, and they posses you. I have also thought that this bond seemed to be more strengthened in Zelda. The most time when I felt the need to not stop was A link to the past. In this, the odds I think were the greatest against you, and Zelda was always but a step away. The people, the places, the unknowing force which binded me to Link has stayed with me through out my entire life, and will continue. Once you play for years, you realize link isn`t just a game character, he`s what we all are and will always be. He represents every man or woman who has ever dreamed of becoming a hero.

Recently, I pulled out my Super Nintendo, and dusted it off, and began to hook it up. As I connected the cords, I felt the presence of that power. That feeling which only appears when you are fighting Ganon. I plugged it in, and started playing. I looked through the three files, and saw the tempered master sword in one hand, and I almost cried. I hadn`t felt so good in so long. Then, I plunged into the game, and standing at the edge at the hole which led to the final dungeon, I gritted my teeth and dove in. I beat the boss, barely. I watched the story of the triforce go by, and I heard the notes. The notes which only play when the triforce circles on your screen, and the credits role by. At that moment, I realized I hadn`t just been playing a game, I had been actually right along side. And that had just reminded me of all those hours which I spent. And I`ll tell you this. It was worth it,...

Cory Remembers: Well, although I've been familiar with it, I've been a Zelda fan for only a small part of my life of my life. My name's Cory. I'm 13 so that makes it about 3 years. But it seems much longer. I can remember my first experiences with that old Nintendo I have that barely works now. It has a lot of Mario stickers on it that it's been collecting all my life. I have a small sort of, "clip" in the back of my head of me opening the Nintendo on that Christmas morning, a month after I turned 4. It came with Mario Bros. I thought it was great but I had no idea about what other game would slowly become a big part of my life. I can remember back to kindergarten. I had a backpack with Link and Mario on it. I didn't really know who Link was until I started playing the Nintendo my grand parents had purchased sometime beyond my memories. I didn't really know how to play those two golden cartridges, bearing the word Zelda on them. Then one day, I noticed the Zelda game in their cabinet for gameboy. I had no idea what to do and it didnt really matter until someone told me in second grade. I never thought about those games again until fifth grade. Then I started playing Zelda: Link Awakening again. I had beaten it and I loved it. That is when I became a Zelda fan. I loved that game. The way the way that Malon slowly became attracted to Link throughout his adventure, but Talon allways pulled her away. It seemed as one of those love stories where you meet someone and start to like them, but once their gone, you wonder if you'll ever see them again. And how they gave hints about the world ending by waking the windfish who's dream you're in (or did Link dream that it was the windfish's dream?). It was fun running all over the place, trading things for other things, finding secrets, and mastering the game. Then I got Zelda: Ocarina of Time. I loved that game. The travelling back and forth in time thing was great. I first saw it in some comming attractions thing at the end of a tape for Banjo-Kazooie. I just recently noticed links Z targeting thing that he useds was a little red box. Weird huh? Now I have to beat 1 and 2. I'm working on that now. Somehow, I'll have to get a hold on A Link to the Past, for i don't have the game, nor the system. I've heard about Zelda games like The Mysterious Acorn and CDI games. I guess I'll never figure that one out. I'm sort of disappointed with the coming of Gaiden. This came so quickly. I feel like if more Zelda games are made I'm gonna lose track. Out of all this, I sadly have only one memory of the T.V . show. A very little one. I think it was Link giving Zelda some flowers. There were other shows on, too. I remember some guy was playing a game, but he kept falling down a hole or something. Then he had to play tetris to get out of this thing and save his friends I think. For the game, it seems real to me. It's not just about some cartoon character made up in someone's head, even though it really is, but it's a story that might be true. A legend. I'm hoping to play as many of these games as I can, for I think of myself being older now, and not having a chance to play the games I had so much fun with. I may forget about these great times. I know I must gather my games and get the ones I need and preserve them. In 45 or 50 years from now, when I'm as old as my grandparents(if I'm still alive) and I like Zelda as much as they do, it won't be so easy to walk into a store and buy a Nintendo Entertainment System, and the golden game with the so beloved Zelda logo on it.

Derek Remembers: First and fore most, I want to let u know how great your Odyssey of Hyrule website is. When I was younger (I am 15 now) I had no clue of what Zelda really was. I must admit that I thought it was just some stupid game that wastes day after day of your life. I didn't even bother playing a Zelda game until Ocarina of Time came out for the N64. I only rented it because there was nothing else at Blockbuster. However when I took the game home and started playing it I instantly fell in love with it. I couldn't have been more wrong about The Legend of Zelda. The biggest video game mistake I ever made was assuming that Zelda games sucked and not buying them. For that reason I can't find the old Zelda games anywhere and I can only have the Ocarina of Time and whatever comes in the future. In the 3-5 days I rented the game for I got all of the sacred stones but had to return it before I got to the Temple of Time. I immediately asked for it for Christmas and due to winter storms our school district's Christmas break lasted an extra two weeks. I used this extra time to play, and beat, my favorite game of all time. That is saying a lot. I'm one of those people who has a life, but when he's bored tries to find any good video game to keep him entertained. I must say that I'm fairly decent at video games and I really enjoy games such as the Resident Evil series. Zelda 64 surpassed that by a long shot. Thanks to your site I was able to broaden my knowledge of the history of Zelda. I learned a lot over the past year about the whole thing and I think you have to best Zelda site on the web. One thing I was wondering was whether or not there is any more information about the triforce in Zelda64. I doubt it, but I am curious. Now that the new Zelda game actually has a real name and a real release date (for Japan) I am for the first time excited about a Zelda game before it actually comes out. I can't wait to spend that same day after day I thought would be a waste of time in my younger days, beating another Zelda game...but then again...can you ever actually beat a Zelda game? I'd like to think you can't. It's part of the true legend that is...The legend of Zelda.

Zeek Nukem Remembers: When I was young I loved to play videogames. I always played my dad's Colleco, then his Nintendo. Me and my afore mentioned cousin played alot. one year I got SNES for Christmas and nobody could get me away from Mario. My dad saw my longing for videogames and started a tradition of renting a game every friday (that tradition holds true to this day). Also Every friday my couisn would come over. This probably sounds pathetic but those are the happiest memories of my life. The main games that stick out in my mind are Shadowrun and Zelda ALTTP. Did you like Shadowrun, I always wondered if you did. Anyway I'll tell you about it my experience, one friday when all the "good games" were out we decided to try Shadowrun. When we played it I loved it and Pete (my cousin) liked it alot too. We must have rented it like 5 times (still haven't beaten it). like I said before, we rented Zelda too. I clearly remember that night. I was going into the rental store and I found this Zelda game. Well I remebered playing the original ones and thought that this would be great. When I got out to the car my cousin was suprised that I rented it. He liked the other two and decided that this one would be fun too. When we got it home and played it we were so happy with it, it was alot of fun and we rented it two more times (beat it the second rental). After a while my cousin stoped coming over every friday but when I heard there was a new Zelda coming out I ordered my gold copy from Nintendo. When it came I could hardly wait to play it. All I have to say about it is... I love TOOT, it has to be my fav game of all time and even though my cousin only played it with me a few times I have alot of great memories getting started with it too.