It was February 21, 1986. The man was Shigeru Miyamoto, a Japanese native. The Legend of Zelda merchandise was his first installment of the high-fantasy adventure video game series. The title, which was a groundbreaking title, was immensely popular among the Japanese. It was also released in the United States by Nintendo the year after.
Brainchild No. 3
In 1985, Nintendo hired Miyamoto to design the series. This was a bold move. The systems were basic and boxy, and the games very simple – mostly arcade. Miyamoto’s previous brainchildren (Donkey Kong and Mario) were just a few years ago. He created a captivating mix of elements from different genres. It used exploration components, adventure puzzles action, transport puzzles, and level building.
The Zelda We Love
What made Zelda so captivating was the way Miyamoto managed to combine these elements while keeping it simple. The protagonist of the game, Link, is the player’s character. He is a young boy who has been placed on a map that only shows the direction to build the Triforce. Add in the intrigue of a fairy princess kidnapped and murdered by an evil antagonist, and you have a truly entertaining plot.
Boyhood Inspiration
Where did this sub-genre get its inspiration? Miyamoto claims it was inspired from his boyhood explorations of the hillsides of Kyoto, Japan. Miyamoto explored forests, hidden lakes, caves, and villages throughout the land. He recalls pointingly that he discovered a dark, secret cave at one point. Although he was scared, he decided to brave the unknown and go in anyway. He was anxious and explored the cave using his trusted lantern. It was thrilling. That is the kind of atmosphere he wanted to create for Zelda gamers in a garden-like setting.
A Zelda under Any Other Name
F. Scott Fitzgerald, an American novelist, inspired the name of Link, the often abducted Princess of Hyrule. Miyamoto was delighted to discover that Zelda was the wife of the novelist. In tribute to her, he decided to base the series on the legend surrounding her name.
