#LEGEND OF ZELDA OCARINA OF TIME 2D HOW TO#

Both infer one another and dictate progression. Good pacing is simply not possible without good game design. This is a design philosophy that carries over not only Inside the Great Deku Tree but the rest of the game as well. More importantly, Ocarina of Time respects its design enough to trust that Kokiri Forest can and will convey all the information it needs to either visually or through text. Ocarina of Time respects its audience enough to trust that they do not need to be explicitly guided towards the sword and shield. It ultimately does not matter which approach a player chooses as both methods are simply two halves of the same whole. At the same time, heading straight for the sword and shield place Link in enough gameplay scenarios where audiences can learn by doing while also inferring narrative elements through visuals- all the Kokiri are children and Link’s fairy is of a different color than that of his peers.

#LEGEND OF ZELDA OCARINA OF TIME 2D HOW TO#

Audiences will learn through explicit dialogue that the Kokiri do not grow up, that Link has been othered by his peers due to the lack of a fairy, and how to maneuver Link in Ocarina of Time ’s 3D space. Should one decide to take their time speaking with their fellow Kokiri, they will be given a better sense of the world Link grew up in. The adventure’s inherent pacing remains intact regardless of how each individual player approaches the task at hand. Although Link is tasked with finding the Kokiri Sword and Deku Shield as soon as possible to meet with the Great Deku Tree, players are likewise encouraged to explore Kokiri Forest to their heart’s content. Rather, it relies on ensuring that players are given a considerable amount of freedom in each section of the game. Pacing in a video game is more than just splitting segments into digestible chunks. On a surface level, it seems as if the balancing act is quite clear- the first half hour takes place outside the dungeon while the second takes place inside, but the balance is actually far more nuanced. The former sees Link acquiring his sword and shield whereas the latter marks the title’s first dungeon.

Ocarina of Time ’s first hour is split into two halves: before the Great Deku Tree and Inside the Great Deku Tree. The game’s very opening puts said balance front and center. Ocarina of Time has a clear, defined structure that thrives on balance. Hyrule is small, but it is dense with secrets to find and connections to each of the game’s main areas dungeons typically take upwards to one hour to complete, ensuring each setting is fully utilized without outstaying their welcome and the story structure maintains that there is a sense of urgency to Link’s quest without raising the stakes to the point where focusing on side quests comes off tonally inappropriate. Every narrative or gameplay beat exists in explicit benefit to the experience. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is a game lacking in the superfluous. A well-paced game ideally has no fluff, with every facet of its design acting as an essential piece of the title’s inherent structure.

A game must not only balance gameplay but ensure that any narrative moves organically alongside it, pacing progression just enough where audiences are advancing neither too fast or too slow. When it comes down to it, pacing is a balancing act, doubly so for video games. Even titles that share the Legend of Zelda moniker struggle to replicate the balance that Ocarina of Time so masterfully pulled off. Very few video games understand pacing as well as The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

Legend of zelda ocarina of time 2d