How Ocarina of Time Built 3D Zelda

[@KingKlonoa]

Your browser is holding you back. Level up here: operagx.gg/KingK

[@marcosmunoa6453]

but I already am watching this on Opera GX...

[@lunethspark]

Imagine selling out to Chinese Spyware.

[@Astral_Catalyst]

I really enjoy your content man. Especially the long form Zelda stuff. I hope your channel continues to grow and flourish. Ypu deserve it

[@Danominator]

Sorry mate just switch to Firefox myself, working on de-Googling my life

[@paulnewhouse5126]

Been using GX for over a year now, nice that it has adblocker built in... sorry.

[@ThatOneEnder]

the slow hilarious realization that this is not a hour and half long video about ocarina of time but rather a re-review on every major 3d zelda is pretty damn funny. banger video

[@diribigal]

Was about to click away from the video until I read your comment.

[@Arcessitor]

What's funny about it? It's literally in the title.

[@kreenbopulusmichael7205]

you didnt read the title before watching it ?

[@sboinkthelegday3892]

@@Arcessitor I concur, maybe because my mind was curious to that direction already, but I didn't even consider it might focus on ooT. Maybe even focus the LEAST on the source, when the topic is the influenced works. But I don't thinkthe devs were "reluctant" to go one direction or the other, they just didn't have their inspiration primary to what "the fans" wanted, being reactionary fanboys of OoT and only OoT, like TMNT fanboys want to go way form the comic book unless they want the 1987 cartoon but PG-17 I feel especailly Fujibayashi coming on after Majora's MAsk, really believes the most in something like Minish Cap and Skyward Sword, moderately realistic but stylized, and a tone of deep lore being left only behind the scenes, bu t IS there. Also, like 90% of Zelda lore is pre-beat in the Last Unicorn, the Flight of Dragons and Black Cauldron, novels that were heavily ptiched to Japanese cheap animation studios in the 80's.

[@diribigal]

​@@kreenbopulusmichael7205Between your comment and the other, I feel like there must be some A/B testing or something. My title is "How the Ocarina of Time Built 3D Zelda", which made me think this was all going to be about Ocarina of Time, with maybe a passing mention of which features were reused vs. discarded in later games. This seemed to be reinforced in the discussion of the past Zelda series on this channel - I assumed this was the first episode of the reboot of the zelda series, and that it focused only on OoT. Was the title different for you? Did you read the title I saw differently?

[@gdawgs101]

I found the Majora's Mask section to be particularly moving - love the parallels you drew between the threats to Termina and needing to distract yourself from the metaphorical "moon" representing current day issues in the real world. Very relatable. Thanks for all the hard work you put into these, I've been a fan for years!

[@martin_the_artist_]

Man, the skull kid & giants scene gets me every time. 'You guys... you hadn't forgotten about me? ... whilst he cries. What an incredible game

[@hplwonder4054]

I like the way you handled this video, discussing all the games, not from a critical perspective, but from directly how you feel. And well, that's what games are, art, and that's what art is, an emotional piece. I was expecting an in depth analysis of ocarina of time specifically but it changed after having watched it all. Maybe your recent videos clued us all in on this but, maybe discussing media as something you feel emotionally attached to is much better than discussing it as something that serves a directly functional purpose.

[@ajbXYZcool]

The final step is to connect the 2 dots - figure out WHY a piece of art affects us the way it does - what about it's construction brings about those feelings?

[@IntellectualBA001]

Personally, I think more reviewers should do both: review games both individually *and* as part of a series or the industry overall, even when that means reviewing many games at least twice apiece.

[@paulhudalla9527]

I agree, games are an art form and how people see it varies from person to person. I enjoy hearing people's thoughts, and art has many different meanings to a single piece. There is no one way to look at art, but thousands.

[@theevilgood]

While I vehemently disagree with the notion that media analysis is inherently subjective. The core, objective thing about his old videos isn't that they were "too objective or critical" as he implies early on. The thing is that there were things he got objectively wrong. That said, I think both is needed. First the objective, to determine the overall quality, then the subjective, to marry the quality to how it made you feel.

[@IAmRodyle]

Can we all just appreciate the masterful transition at 1:23:01? Truly a work of art.

[@Dash123456789Brawl]

I loved that moment! Using those two scenes together was a stroke of brilliance.

[@maximelepage7664]

I knew one of the top comments would point that out!

[@ap1evideogame44]

Favorite part of the video, for sure

[@LazyGardenGamer]

I usually listen to these in the background rather than watch, but I made sure to pay attention to this after reading your comment, and I thank you for it

[@the_wake_]

Windwaker is responsible for one of my favorite conversations I witnessed in high school. Friend 1: "It's so advanced you don't even have polygons!" Friend 2: "But I love polygons! I want to have the polygons!" Math teacher: "...You two have no idea what you're talking about."

[@JeyBerg]

Don’t let the imposter syndrome get to you. I suffer from it pretty badly myself, I think everyone does a little bit. Your old Zelda reviews still hold up and you made good points, even if you don’t agree with them anymore. Growth doesn’t have to mean you completely discard your past self. You can come to understand where you were coming from back then even if you don’t agree with what you said. Great video as usual.

[@carnage0685]

don't say that to him, everyone knows in order to grow you have to betray every single ideal you once stood for!!!

[@LoomDoom]

Well said

[@Malhonn]

i was thinking the same thing, also its important to understand that we all look back at our past selves and cringe a little, maybe feel a little ashamed, but that only means that you have grown as a person. accepting that are things that you cant change about the past, but you can use the experience to better yourself for the future.

[@maximumbeans9310]

Exactly right. It’s looking back at the change in your stride, not covering up your footprints.

[@carnage0685]

@@maximumbeans9310 That's a beautiful way of phrasing it.

[@SacredCharizard]

The transition from Ganondorf screaming in agony to Groose screaming in terror as he falls had me ROLLING 💀 Great content as always. Always a pleasure to see your growth and how your thoughts and opinions change

[@TheJadeFist]

Mikau wasn't just a guitarist cut short, he was a young father who was killed before his kids were born trying to save them, and every time cycle you don't recover those eggs, he died for nothing.

[@zilcar4032]

This was an incredibly refreshing change of pace. I enjoyed and respected the things you had to say about Zelda in your previous videos, but this feels so much more... free. Like you've stopped caring about the 'objective' argument and you just wanted to talk about some games that mean a lot to you. And god damn the breakdown of Majora's Mask really hits home. Your growth shows, KingK. I didn't even realize I had watched the entire video, and it was suddenly over. Phenomenal work.

[@poenpotzu2865]

Ocarina of times ending always felt very melancholy. Link may have saved the day but it feels so much qas sacrificed and lost to achieve it. It also helps that wind waker continues this same feeling.

[@brendantoungate8287]

Ocarina of Time is super melancholy. Link saves the world, but loses all of his friends and childhood in the process. Zelda sends him back into a world so he can regain said childhood, but he's cursed with experience that no one around can relate to, and no one to truly share it with. Hence why he goes on a somewhat desperate, and ultimately fruitless search for Navi. I can't recommend Good Blood's video "Ocarina of Time: A Masterclass in Subtext" strongly enough on this topic. It expressed so much of the appeal of OoT's story that I couldn't find the words for when I was younger and debating it on online forums.

[@weregretohio7728]

The hero of time ended up being the most miserable of them all, too... saves two worlds, no one knows, loses everything, becomes a pile of bones trying to teach wolf Link.

[@sboinkthelegday3892]

I think it relfects LotR and the "split timelines" is not really a thing, they just caved to and capitalized on it because fans only accept those kinds of theories. Zelda opened a quicksave and erased one of those worlds, and it was only spared because The Sacred Realm works that way, being based on The Flight of Dragons' magical world with the golden barrier. My theory is that Wind Waker is actually a return to Sacred Realm where Ganondorf was sealed, along with the fanservice plot of continuing history. But Child timeline is also lost, and that's what the Twilight is all about, the whole POINT of nintendo is to tell a story that exists in the HEARTS of fans, not in the external lore of an IP. Now the idea probably is some kind of a retcon of moving away from the fanfiction, and back to what Zelda used to be, more idealistic and along the guidance of Fujibayashi as a former spinoff director. My lore explanation of this would be that the Wind Waker timeline is turned into Dark World, and starts agian at the position of ALttP, with Botw and totK being remakes of The Legend of Zelda and Link's Adventure. Next game should be As Testified By Ganondorf if it were on me to decide.

[@brendantoungate8287]

@@weregretohio7728 Tbh, I interpret his story as a little happier than that. In my mind, he goes to Termina and gains friends there (as evidenced by the drawing with him and Skull Kid on the stump at the end), thus curbing his loneliness. However, his one regret was that he wasn't around in Hyrule to train an apprentice that could carry the torch, which was eased when he could teach the Hero of Twilight in Twilight Princess. To me, it would explain his ability to maintain his personality as a Stalfos instead of becoming a vengeful monster, and it also shows just how heroic the Hero of Time was; the one thing that he wanted to do-even in death-was to help save Hyrule once again. Hero of Time Link is best Link.

[@ZenShroud1]

Check out "Ocarina of Time: A Masterclass in Subtext". It does a great job covering this topic.

[@Sarge1736]

That Majora's mask rewrite is some of the best retrospective writing I have listened to on KZbin. I can feel the passion, stress, and pride that you put into this video. I'll be rewatching this for months

[@kirby12390]

There's nothing wrong with taking an objective, critical look at these games, but I am so happy we're in a time where people can talk about why they enjoy them and what they mean to them personally. It's so engaging and even thought provoking. Even games I know aren't "great" I've seen people come out and talk about what they learned and gained from that experience. I know you've been making a lot of great videos lately, but this one might be my favorite you ever done thus far. Thank you for all your hard work!

[@SamWickens]

Randomisers gave me something I thought I'd never have: the feeling of playing Majora's Mask for the first time. As a kid, I watched my brother play through it 100% at least once before he would ever let me play, so when I eventually did play it on my own I already knew the story and where everything was, at least in broad strokes. I still always considered it my favourite game, but playing it with the items in all the wrong places made it a completely fresh experience that just made me fall in love with the game all over again.

[@LordTechnopants]

If you weren't playing games in 1998 (or maybe even born) it's going to be difficult to understand what a towering punctuation mark Ocarina was in the gaming landscape at that time. The tech has aged, which is bound to add an anchor to the experience of a new player and we now live with visuals we couldn't have even imagined in the 20th Century. As someone who got their first video game system in 1979 and who can remember when arcade machines were mechanical (& I don't mean pinball) and what a surprise Space Invaders was in 78, I really enjoy listening to the well-reasoned discussions of my most joyous game purchases by someone decades younger. I don't always have to agree with every point, but I can agree to think. I've watched video games in the home arrive, become popular and develop from nothing to this multi-billion $/£ industry and I still get excited at 'the next big thing' and I like to enjoy an intelligent essay on this subject that has been a close-companion for most of life. Thank you for your videos. I'm no fanboy for any brand (at 55 ) and I've owned systems of all gaming creeds, but I have spent so many hours, days & weeks with Link in my life and just replayed Ocarina (again). It's been damn good and long may it continue, this adventuring on my TV (which gets ever larger as the years shuffle by).

[@Kagomai15]

I was 4 when it came out so it was my first Zelda, and my ToysRUs worker dad got it for me for Christmas along with the N64 and i have been obsessed with the series ever since. Twilight Princess was the first game I ever followed the teasers for anticipating its release. I practiced drawing using the art in the walkthrough books for both N64 games. I figure out Zelda songs on every new instrument I try out. Very influential series to me ❤

[@yeahey5947]

Yo good on you kingK, I used to listen to your retrospectives to get to sleep years ago and always thought it was hella wack u didn’t scream the praises of the 3d Zelda’s but you always had something interesting to say. Feels like a good chunk of adulthood so far is rediscovering things we loved as a child and accepting them for what they are and realizing they still have a lot of meaning, pretty cool keep it up dawg.

[@mikesochalski3574]

Your transition from Twilight Princess to Skyward Sword - A+

[@Bajamamut]

The flow of Time may be cruel,but looking back, I think many of us can say we've met a wonderful fate by living in the time when Zelda went from 2D to 3D. Thanks for your time and effort,time after time.

[@tenkenroo]

It’s weird how now kids will only know of Zelda having a majority of 3D titles and not the time before 3D was even a thing

[@tomohawk2177]

OoT was a masterpiece. The fact that I can come back to it, even now, 25 years later, and still enjoy it is testimony to that.

[@IdentifiantE.S]

Its a legend

[@CharriiiLandak]

Majora mask for me, imo it's a better game than oot

[@FluffyMustache]

TotK for me, but I still love OoT to pieces

[@dankaroos]

I've been replaying it on the Switch with the N64 controller the past few weeks and it's insane how good the game still is. Obviously the graphics and some mechanics from early 3D game days have aged, but as a whole I'm having just as much fun replaying it as I did playing it as a kid.

[@leokm9586]

​@@sulex3491Are you playing the original or the 3DS remake?

[@VinnyIurillo]

I don’t know if you’ll read this but your posts are some of the highest quality on KZbin. Wether it’s Zelda, Pokémon, kingdom hearts, or other content I always watch because you’re a great writer and a great narrator. Always going to be a KingK fan!

[@AlekVS]

I love how nuanced you are in how you talk about games. No game is the best or worst thing ever and you express what there is to appreciate about each game so well

[@bills-beard]

How much you care about the zelda series really shines through in your scripts. Its infectious, thanks for sharing your enthusiasm

[@CorIsFire]

I really wasn't expecting to stay up until 2 AM tonight, but this video was easily worth it. Thank you so so much KingK, it might sound crazy but you really have been a prime influence on my life. Your videos are the perfect blend between gaming reviews and.. podcasts I can put on while gaming. I've found so much enjoyment over the past year or so going through your back catalogue of videos, each one, at least to me, being just as wonderful as the next. I really do hope you keep growing as a person. Keep it up, the best member of the Unversed Cast!

[@DiptenLive]

41:22. That moment in the script hit me hard. It felt real and I appreciate you putting it in the video.

[@ericmay560]

That bit was mega cringe, but the rest of the video was pretty good.

[@mrm64]

This game will never stop making me be in awe of it. I've seen countless retrospectives and yet I'll keep coming back for more. Truly the best game of all time to this day.

[@MalzraAirwynn]

I gotta say the transition from TP to SS was gold. Bravo.

[@anthonywritesfantasy]

Man, the Forest Temple is just the perfect introduction to adulthood. It's hard to get to, it's significantly more dangerous than the kid temples, and you're fighting ghosts and phantoms (of people) instead of "monsters." So good. And it's extra cool that technically, you unleashed this evil onto the world. Intense.

[@SquidSquisher]

I was surprised to hear how highly you regard twilight princess, it's one of my favorite games of all time. It houses my two favorite dungeons in all of Zelda being the arbiters grounds and the big snowy mansion

[@TheZebbga]

It was the original Ocarina of Time Retrospective you did back in 2017 that made me find your channel. Cool to see you doing it again.

[@jasonnewbery]

I think i found him on a BOTW retrospective some time last year. Imo his insight on these titles is top notch and I always can’t press on the vid fast enough when I see he has a review posted especially about Legend of Zelda games

[@cloudycanine9682]

Twilight Princess Hyrule Castle is such a haunting place, and it's not even the tower portion that does that for me It's just...the dead silent gardens, the only sounds being the rainfall, the strange blue lighting in the graveyard area, like a place you weren't supposed to find. Seeing those dead soldier spirits just simply pointing to where you need to go, it always made me imagine Ganondorf showing up at the castle while you're running around and just cutting all these guys down, I find it so chilling to think about Getting inside finally and just...more quiet emptiness, only the tiniest sliver of a song playing, like something far away is calling for you, the rain outside even louder when you're close to a window This really was the area that made the strongest impression on me, I think

[@mos3]

Love this. I remember my first time playing OoT I entered the fire temple without getting the fire tunic and without talking to the small goron rolling around. Completed the temple always thinking at some point I was going to get it. Once I finished it, the small goron wouldn't give me the tunic as I already had finished the temple. I realized that wasn't the way I was supposed to enter the temple and could never get the fire tunic, so I started over lol, but that always felt like a little personal victory to me. No internet, no nothing. I just happened to find a way into the temple that was not the intended one and on my first playthrough :)

[@brendantoungate8287]

I've been a fan of KingK's videos for a long time now. I remember being introduced to this channel through those Zelda retrospectives. I have to say, this is their most beautiful video to date. The thematic resonance of each individual game is mirrored in the essay's theme of personal (and societal, to an extent) growth, linking all of these games together into that thesis, no pun intended. Thank you, KingK. Fantastic job, as always.

[@sheep6937]

juxtaposition between TP ganondorf death scream and Groose made me audibly LOL, well done.

[@Glory2Snowstar]

Exactly what I needed at 2:42 AM. A sleep schedule is worth sacrificing for any new KingK drop!

[@riahlexington]

The Majora’s mask segment really makes me want to finish the game. I’ve never beaten it because it always takes a toll on my mental health, but that segment was incredible. Thank you.

[@inspectorjavert2298]

Thank you for highlighting Morpheel's dynamic music, it is such an important feature of that and other boss fights!

[@damonplay8185]

As someone who really isn't too keen on Botw and Totk compared to classic 3D Zeldas I don't have much to say. It was a very nice albeit somber look back. That chapter might be complete but part of growing up for me has also meant that I can now choose the direction I want to grow in and in the realm of Zelda...I'm almoat contend to not grow with it anymore. There have been single games, franchises and styles that simply speak more to me lately than new Zelda probably ever will. It certainly has sweetened this otherwise very bittersweet feeling I get when I now think of the series. In any case, this video has been great and I'd like to thank you for putting in so much effort. The time spent and the passion is evidently on display. Good job man!

[@_michaelyuhhhh]

Shout out to pairing the phrase 'unspeakable evil' with footage of having to enter the pause menu in order to put the iron boots on

[@sweepecho5648]

Just watched this for the first time. This is the greatest video on Zelda I have ever seen. Very excited to watch the next two!

[@ericmay560]

Yeah I kind of disagree at the end. The original formula works for a reason. Good storytelling never gets old. I’d argue that OOT’s praise is from its story more than it being a 3D adventure. It’s legacy is now derived from its story and the structure of that game. It can be improved and grow in the same confines of the original game. That exactly what Twilight Princess does and why most people who love OOT, also love TP. Nicer graphics, more complicated dungeons, and utilizing items better in a crafted world are what many still want. It’s like reading an interactive book, and people are ready for a new story, and good linear story telling is something that will NEVER go out of style.

[@ericmay560]

That being said, this was a banger video and while I disagree at the end, you do make a good conclusion at the end, and it’s well put together. Nice job.

[@thelastwindwaker7948]

Same. I kinda question the idea that “you can’t go back” when Botw is hailed for doing exactly that.

[@alisonpark600]

ocarina literally doesn’t have a meaningful story at all. i don’t understand people who say they love Ocarina’s story, literally u meet zelda, collect some things, go to the future, collect more things, and then beat Ganon. like there is nothing that makes the journey personal unlike every single other 3d zelda story.

[@danyx855]

The tone of the messages king k has been holding for these newer videos has been so real, I've literally felt chills several times in this one. Idk how else to describe it but it feels a lot more personal, as if this video is a reflection of his true thoughts and feelings related to the topics at hand, an excellent piece in writing and delivery in voice, amazing work!

[@pierzpressure7931]

This is a beautiful video, so glad to see such informed, meaningful, and inspired interpretations of these legendary games. And your upload frequency doesn't make me care about you any less. Your videos are amazingly well-written and add so much meaning to some of my favorite pieces of art. You add so much meaning to my life and I can easily assume you do so for many others. No matter what happens, you've created art that resonates with and helps people.

[@dauls]

I have not finished the video yet but Majora's Mask is still my favorite Zelda game all these years later and your analysis of it was great.

[@BrandonMelvinDrums]

I was 11 when Ocarina came out. Had just gotten my N64 a year before and was still wearing out Goldeneye. I remember my stepfather, who was the reason I discovered Zelda playing his original NES game, was talking about it and his co workers buying it. I had no idea how ground breaking it would be. I still have by childhood copy of Majora's Mask which I bought the day it came out with birthday cash. From the time I played it till now, it's always been my favorite Zelda.

[@KollegeJansen2]

Just thanks for all your heart - you not alone with your thoughts and your struggle. In the end is the same ship we all sail

[@Drowzii]

Bringing up randomizer perfectly captured how i've felt about Zelda recently. Learning tricks i would have never learned before, and always having a new experience.

[@SeeD1985]

I absolutely love your new analysis style. I liked your previous Zelda videos but this new style of delving into games' themes and deeper meaning truly resonates with me. Thanks for the hard work @KingK

[@alexandredelarge1901]

Ironically enough I just watched your original OoT video yesterday for the first time and yeaaaah... this one is much better. I simply love watching your reviews, and now I can clearly see the evolution you've had since 6 years ago. Really looking forward to what comes next!

[@MrsDizarky]

Man, this video had me in my feels and reaching for my copy of Ocarina of Time for yet another replay. What a beautiful, thoughtful look at the road the 3D entries have taken and how your thoughts have evolved on them. Seriously, this video is a masterpiece. A real love letter to the series.

[@jeremyduke4938]

"After youve solved the water temple once, youre likely to not struggle from it again." This is an egregious lie...

[@TheJadeFist]

Well you'll not have to figure out that there is a key under that block that rises. I guess is what he meant. Honestly it's not that bad of a temple, you just go all the way around it at the various water levels and it's pretty much a linear path. Results may vary.

[@BlackStarSymphony]

KingK leveled up. That was a well made video and I love the self reflection on how you make videos and why you make them they way you did. I hope this time you feel proud of your work.

[@redspiritmask]

I never really think of Majora's Mask as scary but the way you talked about it hit home for me. As a fellow KZbin creator, I also get freaked out about trying to put out videos on a regular basis. I just don't have enough time to do everything I want to do and that is terrifying. There are a whole bunch of interesting artistic ideas I have that will likely never be made because life is to damn short and I can only make so much.

[@DammeDaniel-ic3mh]

I was not expecting videos about African culture when you said you were a KZbin creator lol cool stuff man!

[@redspiritmask]

@@DammeDaniel-ic3mh Thanks! Yeah educational videos take a lot of time to research so it can get stressful but the fact that I get to teach people about cultures most people know little about is rewarding. P.S. a few of my educational videos feature Zelda as well.

[@BradsGonnaPlay]

12:41 I have completed this game 100% literally dozens of times and I have never known until now you could use fire on the Goron bomb plants. I ALWAYS hiked all the way back to Kokiri Forest.

[@thatonezeldaguy250]

Even with how amazing BotW and TotK are I absolutely miss this age of Zelda

[@nillynush4899]

I split Zelda into 3 categories now; you got the more archaic classics from the (S)NES/handheld era, the Tolkien-esque epics from Ocarina to Twilight, and the current open world Ghibli Zelda. Skyward Sword was a pretty messy "transitionary game" to nu-Zelda's vibe, so I consider it to be its own thing, especially with those fanfiction-tier lore changes and Wii waggle. If I had to pick one, I'd prefer the stuff closer to Tolkien.

[@Jasperr9999]

I enjoy how much more personal you got with this video, with inserting parts speaking about your channel and the process of making videos. You can tell how different these videos are now, where the old ones from years ago seemed to be attempts to objectively review these games, this one seems more on what these games mean to you and how aspects of the games pertain to aspects of your life. I enjoy this newer style of writing, it's a lot more enjoyable and makes the reviews more unique.

[@skyevlyn]

That point about Gannon not needing to change the shadow temple, wow that revelation hit like a brick. I never noticed that, thank you for pointing it out! It makes me think about how the end of Wind Waker makes it clear that while Ganon isn't a great person, he wasn't treated well by the creation goddesses as they favoured the Hylians, which I think would upset anyone. And then the shadow temple shows that the Hylians aren't all that great either... I also love your view on randomizers, I knew of them and that they're popular but I'd never heard anyone explain exactly their appeal, how much it transforms the game and leads to "new" stories in the same game and gives you the first time playing experience in a way! It's almost like learning a language, learning all the building blocks and then skillfully re-arranging them into infinite patterns on the fly as needs arise. I think that's so cool! It's also interesting to hear you grapple with nostalgia and view it almost as a bad thing (I think you said it poisons your view at one point?) when to me, nostalgia is one of the most wonderful, magical emotions. And guess what, when people talk about their nostalgia, I get to see what they see in a shiny new way that I couldn't see on my own; It's like I get to carry some of their love for the game with me now and my love of gaming is fuller for it. I don't get that if people try and be objective about their experience. It's funny to me that I also played WW and TP as a child except I played them in reverse order and preferred Wind Waker, though I would have trouble expressing why (there's a reason Im not a youtuber haha). While I wish you had the experience with WW I did, I appreciate your points about playing it randomized, so I'll be giving that a try! Overall, I loved that this wasn't a series of game reviews but a look into what about each game stood out to you and diving into that one topic. I just love to hear what catches everyone's eye, because it's always different! Thank you so much :)

[@VesDegree]

18:00 YOU CAN BACKWALK OVER THE SAND TO GET TO THE SPIRIT TEMPLE!? I never knew this as someone who played OOT as a kid twenty years ago...

[@hylianro]

The kids that played OoT 20 years ago unironically know none of the cool shit in oot. You learn stuff like this through speed running and randomizers and I think it's a brilliant way to revitalize a game for newer generations

[@zincpodzzz]

I’ll definitely be watching this one countless times. The writing in this one is amazing, great work. Just finished the Majora section, and I’m kinda speechless. Love the videos❤️

[@Handington]

You just keep getting better and better, KingK. Keep up the excellent work!

[@ceze2907]

The transition between Twilight princess and Skyward sword is epic🤣

[@dreamfractures]

It made me a little sad to hear that you worry and stress about your videos. I like your videos because it feels like I’m reminiscing with a friend about these games and times gone by that I can’t get back. I’d wager that people like your videos because they aren’t wholly a critical/mechanical analysis… but because you reflect on these games with authenticity and personal experience. You have nuance and the willingness to see these games with shades of gray, not black and white. To comment on the subject matter… it’s nice to hear you take each 3D Zelda game into account before talking about botw and the direction they took it in. It’s refreshing and grounded.

[@Yonstantine]

I've watched (more realistically listened to while walking about) all of your Zelda videos so many times over, and the depth that you went into in this one was fantastic. It was a joy, I genuinely felt sad while you spoke about MM. You've a mind that works well for this sort of analysis, keep it up.

[@CJBooks4]

Hearing you say "I don't care anymore" warmed my heart💖😊😄

[@faultyfunctions]

Lovely video! Thanks for sharing your thoughts, I mostly have the same thoughts of the individual games though I wholeheartedly disagree with your conclusion. BOTW & TOTK charted a new path, but they took too many steps back in the process. There can be a game that melds the two styles in a proper way. ToTK was supposed to be that, but I fully believe they spent too long on mechanics to really give us something special in the story and dungeon departments. The memory system needs to go and the puzzle box long form complex dungeons need to return. We already spend so much time in BOTW and TOTK thinking of traversal as a puzzle that it makes the newer "dungeons" fall flat when simple traversal is also their main form of puzzle. I hope the next Zelda game will have a more condensed overworld with a story that takes place in the present and has long form dungeons actually return. We can keep the open world, but perhaps a open region style open world like Elden Ring would be the best path forward IMO.

[@matthewwylie2735]

I really liked the more personal and freeform take on your opinions of 3D Zelda. Not because you seemed kinder to them or less critical of them but because it was more about how you felt about them and not anyone else. I've seen a lot more of that since your 2022 video and it really resonates with me. I think I really am going to miss the old style of 3D Zelda, it was something special and something I should have appreciated more when it was still around. I was also a bit bitter at Breath of the Wild for abandoning a lot of what I loved about those titles, the stronger stories, the dungeons, the key items, the list goes on. Even small things got to me like how Link was now blue instead of the iconic green and how the Triforce had seemingly no relevance or even existence to the plot anymore. I don't think I was able to truly appreciate Breath of the Wild until I realized that it wasn't trying walk in Ocarina's footsteps, but rather was trying to be a bold step in new direction, something altogether different from what we've some to expect from 3D Zelda, something that we didn't even know we wanted. I love Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom which I just completed, and I'm interested to see how the series grows from here, but I'm still going to look back fondly at those cool little puzzle games that paved the way.

[@person_guy3505]

Classic 3D zelda is one of my favorite game series of all time. While I definitely have my favorites, I love all of these games for their own reasons. While I know that skyward sword will likely be the final 3d zelda in the classic style (for at least awhile), and that's probably for the best, I can't help but lament the loss of dungeons. While totk tries its best, and the lightning and wind temples comes close, they just don't scratch the same itch. I don't know if classic dungeons can work with the botw style, but I think it would be worth giving a shot to. And hey, if not, hopefully the next 2d zelda can pick up the slack.

[@bfish89ryuhayabusa]

I would say Breath of the Wild is the classic Zelda style, and the series had abandoned it for far too long.

[@amandaslough125]

​@@bfish89ryuhayabusaThe original game still focused on that concept of growth, with you slowly increasing your arsenal and being able to unlock more and more of the map and dungeons. Breath of the Wild doesn't do that.

[@DELTARYZ]

@@amandaslough125 "that concept of growth, with you slowly increasing your arsenal and being able to unlock more and more of the map and dungeons" you just described breath of the wild bro

[@saxoman1]

I'd say its possible to marry the two styles, but TOTK ain't it, those dungeons were glorified Divine Beasts (without the coolness factor of the CONCEPT of the beasts, that you are seizing back control of an ancient mech from an evil demon). I found me FORCING myself to traverse the dungeons "as intended" (taking ONLY rail carts in the fire temple for example) in order to attempt to replicate that classic Zelda feeling, but with all that mechanical freedom that TOTK gives you, you lose the tight puzzle design that necessitates LIMITING YOUR ABILITIES. The story was DEFINITELY improved in TOTK, it was one of its strongest aspects (although mechanically I like the memories in BOTW more). For me the building mechanics was more a side game or distraction from the fact that it used more or less the same map as BOTW (with Nintendo once again disappointing with its lack luster sky islands and IMO repetitive/bland underground). But I must say, Its starting to sound like I hated TOTK, but I enjoyed it tremendously! Just not nearly as much as the completely fresh BOTW. Whatever the sequel to TOTK is, I hope they set it in a new world using the same assets (more like Majora did) and that they find a way to limit what Link can do in the dungeons so that the tight puzzle design can make a return. Until then, as you said, it would appear that 2D Zelda (Link's Awakening remake and ALBW being to stand out modern examples) are where we'll have to get our classic Zelda fix (speaking of which, where is the next one darn it?! lol). (PS, can you imagine a world where we get a NEW classic 3D Zelda? Maybe a story that bridges the gap between Link in Majora's Mask and the Hero's Shade in Twilight Princess? Or something completely new? HYPE!)

[@Depressed_Dandelion]

​@@DELTARYZ exploration and wonder does _not_ equal growth

[@beccup]

Hey KingK, just wanted to tell you how much I appreciate you and your work. Way to go, my dude.

[@PANICBLADE]

I love how the subtext you unearthed from OOT was confirmed for Ganondorf in Wind Waker. The fate of him and his kind against the Hylians who had fairer winds blow at their backs. Fantastic stuff.

[@lukejones7164]

This is an excellent video. You perfectly described what makes this franchise so special.

[@akramrabaa943]

I respect, very strongly, that transition from the Twilight section to the Skyward Sword section. 👌

[@josiahrios6716]

I enjoyed BOTW for what it was, but I don’t think I’ll ever come to accept the new direction the series is taking. I’ll always have a longing for what it used to be. Maybe it’s just nostalgia, but maybe not. Metroidvania’s scratch an itch with many gamers, and Zelda’s formula was a specific version of that that can’t quite be replicated. My dream is that one day the series could split into two formulas, classic and modern.

[@thelastwindwaker7948]

Yeh. I DO NOT understand Aonuma’s logic of saying that if players encounter an object they can’t interact with, they won’t want to come back to it later. Not only is that what metroidvania are built on, but it’s also the whole point of the dungeon item mechanic.

[@arekhautaluoma4276]

Love your reflections in the beginning, - I'm sure there are many more to come. I always loved your old videos, even though they were hyper-critical. I'm sure I'll love these even more.

[@68MasterM]

fantastic video, honestly not what i expected with a deeper dive into the emotional impact of the games and their meaning as an art form but it was definitely welcome, keep up the great work as always

[@JZBeasty]

That transition from Ganondorf to Groose was perfection. And you nailed it with the endgame of Twilight Princess. One thing I liked doing in the GameCube version was saving the game right before Argorok, copying the save file, and then just go from the Argorok fight to the end of the game in a sitting and it was so much fun. Only Zelda game where I did that.

[@nillynush4899]

I made 1 save before the Goron mines for that temple and to replay the late "early game". I'd make another save right before getting the Master Sword because that cutscene is so damn cool, and so I can replay the best dungeons in the game (Arbiter's to City in the Sky). And I make the last save right before the Twilight Palace, because that area is very beautiful and I want to replay the endgame.

[@OhChev]

starting at 30:00 and then peaking with that beautiful crescendo at 41:20 …what great writing. felt this one deep. comparison is truly the thief of joy. you are a fantastic writer

[@Painted_Owl]

Holy crap. I don’t think I’ll ever be this luckily early again. I’ve had a really hard, 36+hour day, finally have a moment to throw something awesome on to zone out to. 20 seconds before clicking onto my subs feed, this gets uploaded.

[@RainbowMan9407]

I find your opinion on your original videos interesting, considering those videos were what got me into Zelda and your channel as a whole. Finding out about a series with such creative ideas hooked me for years. As someone without a Nintendo console, I essentially experienced these games for the first time through various KZbin videos. Now I've played Ocarina and Majora and love both (Majora in particular scratches an itch for me that no other game has), and still desperately want to play Wind Waker and Twilight Princess (Skyward Sword is a mild fascination for me).

[@tomg5119]

Realising how overly-critical you were in past years and now admitting you were, at times, mistaken, is wonderful to hear. The current era of KingK is the best yet.

[@Jappio]

Another really great video, KingK! I love the passion and embracing of just genuine love you've got for the series! It's great to be able to resonate with that level of celebration ♡ Ocarina is my favorite, and I'm so glad there are so many variations on it from Nintendo. These games are darlings, and have meant so much to me. And I love how much they clearly mean to others. It's so great to hear how they're great can be so well articulated! I'm so impressed you were able to jam so many great points and perspectives on so many games. Really has made my morning a good one as I've listened to you. And I actually do like the tadtones. It's kind of neat to explore an old location with more free 3d movement, in a semi collectathon styled structure. It's not like perfect, but I like it.

[@megasoniczxx]

Funnily enough, Wind Waker was actually the first 3D Zelda I truly enjoyed after trying to get into both OoT and MM beforehand. It's really hard for me to pin a specific reason down too but I think for me it comes down to it probably having the best feeling combat in the series and that I really love just riding around in a boat on the water despite normally not liking that sort of thing in a big open 'field' like that. Despite the linearity of the adventure, I think the visuals and music really help to carry it and coming across islands and hostilities at sea are interesting even if you don't have the tools for them. Not saying I disagree with any of the critiques leveled at it mind you since you aren't wrong on them but I guess they're more positive than negative for me.

[@jakefuller685]

Think this might be my favorite video of yours KingK. About 3 years ago my mental health was severely declining and your Zelda vids really hit the spot for giving my mind a break from the constant rushing of thoughts. Thinking about how much I’ve grown since then along with some of the themes of growth you’re talking about in this and I must say you’ve always been a smooth talker but the writing in this is 11/10. Thanks K, your fans cherish you!

[@Guardison]

It's nice, having taken my first steps into the Zelda franchise myself recently, coming to the same conclusions about the older, original entries of the series. A feeling of growth and risk, taking chances and learning what does and doesn't work, consequences and reception be damned. And if anything it encourages me to look to these games with my own thoughts for the first time too, to see what they might mean for me.

[@Bananabumbleb33]

1:05:51 "Twilight Princess came out when I was eight years old" Excuse me while I collapse into a pile of dust and bones

[@mikhail2736]

I really enjoyed this look back on 3D Zelda. It has me thinking about how much I miss the old formula. Zelda has come a long way since OoT, and the transition into BotW and TotK has been insanely transformative for the series and the industry. But I lament that it cost us the traditional 3D Zelda formula, a formula that I feel still has a lot of room for creativity and unique ideas. A formula that I feel like has never quite been captured by any other game/franchise (other than Okami). That's not to say other games haven't pulled from 3D Zelda design, and used it to craft unique experiences. Dark Souls has often been cited as something that pulls both from Metroidvania and Zelda conventions. But I guess I am just craving something a bit less transformative, and I think that is just the part of me that wants to rekindle those feelings from my childhood, a feeling I will constantly chase and maybe never catch again.

[@SoIstice]

Yeah, that's the part of the video that really baffled me. I don't really see many games aiming to be the kind of game 3D Zeldas were. Sure, there were many in the past, such as the aforementioned Okami, but that sort of game seemed to die out long before 3D Zelda ditched its formula. Sure, there are a lot of games such as Tunic replicating the style of classic 2D Zelda, but 3D? Not many to my knowledge.

[@CJBooks4]

This video was amazing dude. I laughed, I cried, and I saw just how much you've grown up over the years: which was a nice mirror reflection on my own personal growth over the years. Thank you KingK.😄💖

[@machodgdon]

Honey KingK came back to us!

[@gary0163]

Majora's Mask is something so beautiful and real, somber and hopeful, a game that pushes what the video game medium can be. And I think your tone, writing, and your own story articulates and adds so much to it. Thank you for the video!

[@j05494]

The old dungeon format was definitively better than anything BotW or TotK produced, shrines included. I like linear story, so the new games kind of sucked story wise in the sense of the whole finding memories / tears in any order aspect. I do like the explore anywhere in any order style. My hope for future Zelda games is they find a way to bring back what made traditional 3D Zelda special and apply it to the open world Zelda games. I think Zelda should try story in the same style assassins creed has been trying, a main story plot that takes you around the world, a sub area based plot of current events and conflicts in the area with maybe a charter from another region, and side quest everywhere (it should probably be noted i hate the leveling system of the new ac games and how it prevents you from exploring). I liked the attempt TotK made to bring back the traditional dungeons, but the temples were a point a to point b puzzle box got confusing when the path wasn't clear. I like how easy it was to find your own path with rocket shields or balloons, but doing skips makes me feel like I'm missing fun chunks of the game. Sure, speed runners love that kind of stuff, but the average gamer isn't a speed runner. Would the Ancient Chasm be as fun with a way to skip the whole hellscape part? Would Yeto and Yeta's reunion after freeing her from the twilight mirror shard feel as special without helping her get soup? Slime falling from the sky or big sand storms seems like annoying bothers than story beats, but when an invisible ghost breaks out of a well, sets a town on fire, picked up the ninja and throws her against a wall, then KOs you, that's your immediate threat, and Gannondorf can wait. There is something lost in the new Zelda games, and I hope the next game can bring some of it back.

[@linksora7120]

I love your Zelda videos so much because of how passionate and expressive you are in talking about your loves and dislikes of such a magnificent series. I feel like where you have grown to appreciate more of what wind waker is trying to do even if it doesn’t click with you, is sort of how I hated ocarina when I first played it because it just didn’t seem as easy to understand as wind waker was for me which I played first and fell in love with. But as I’ve grown up I appreciate things in ocarina weren’t always spelled out like in wind waker. You had to look around and talk to characters and it was always strange that while that aspect never clicked with me in ocarina, I fell in love with majoras mask because I had to strategise how to approach each time cycle. The more I play these games the more I appreciate. As for what my thoughts are on wind waker now? Years after your retrospective made me sad you didn’t love the game I loved so much? I still love your videos as I did back then and I still hail wind waker as the only game I don’t have any faults with. Or at least the faults that get pointed out never looked bad to me. The easy dungeons just mean that I can enjoy cruising through them and enjoy the beautiful scenery more and help to make it very easy to get a person into the series with. The fact a lot of the great sea islands don’t give great rewards? That’s fine by me because to me this is the sort of game that playing with a guide helps me plan when I can go get certain hearts and how much I want to save for that big final section where I clear up the rest of the ocean. Islands not being completable without items like the hookshot? No problem I’ll make note of them and remember to come back later with what I need. It’s those little things in wind waker that discovery of something unusual and having to map out what I can and can’t do yet in the game that keeps me replaying. I love that there’s just a whole sidequest about taking pictures of every single character and getting a figurine of every character, I love collecting the legendary photographs to then make the rarest figures. I love going around as fast as you can when you have the best route planned to water all the deku trees. Wind waker makes me smile everytime I play it because of that colourful aesthetic but also because everytime I play through it I can try new things and try to do more in the game. Maybe I could try collect so much money to try and be able to use the magic armour for as long as possible or perhaps I can try to get every single decoration spot on windfall island filled with the most expensive decoration: the shop guru statue. Even basic things like maybe I could give 3 pigs to the woman at the start of the game for the extra money early on or grab treasure charts as I go to different parts of the story or maybe on the way to great fish isle stop at every island on the way and do what I can before the story continues, I just love how laidback the adventure feels and how much you can go and do while doing story progression. Where breath of the wild and tears of the kingdom feel like a chore to go and try do everything in such an enormous game, wind waker feels like it’s a fun little task I can stop by and do. I always go to pawprint isle before dragon roost island just to grab a piece of heart early on and get some jelly for selling or for making potions (hero mode made me appreciate potions so much more too). Anyways lots to read there but I love your content and I love your different takes on Zelda games ❤️

[@napoleonfeanor]

I see no reason why the Switch Zelda type shouldn't also include dungeons. Let them use a power that only works within the dungeon for example.

[@shinji2898]

Feels like only someone like KingK would’ve been able to take a bunch of hour long reviews and re-review them in such a consistent and tightly scripted video. As always, it’s another great video essay.

[@DammeDaniel-ic3mh]

the Hope section feels kind of unrelated to Zelda and more than a little bit like a cry for help lol

[@NeverSaySandwich1]

Agreed. I think he needs to get off of KZbin for a while or permanently and find new work. The stress and demand of it is getting to him

[@JakevO8]

knew you were overly harsh on the OG OOT review. thanks for growing bud

[@Derpalon]

I think as a general rule I would agree with the sentiment that I want Zelda to keep evolving in surprising ways, but take issue with the notion that it must continue via the paths paved by BotW and TotK. I think there is still room to return to a more linear formula while also not just copy pasting Ocarina of Time again. Bigger is not always better and I have serious problems with the trend of the industry cramming more content at the cost of quality. There are definitely compromises that had to be made in transitioning Zelda to an open world formula, and I cannot say it is unequivocally better in doing so, though I do appreciate the experimentation that came from it. Personally for example, I'd love to see a Zelda with a world similar in size to Twilight Princess and the like but with a more non linear structure like Breath of the Wild, allowing players to tackle challenges out of order with plenty of surprising secrets while still maintaining a more carefully crafted, less repetitive world design.

[@KingKlonoa]

I don't believe I ever said that it had to be exactly like those games. In fact, all I'm really saying is that yearning for the old, in some ways, can be limiting. That is all.

[@Derpalon]

@@KingKlonoa That's fair. I guess it just came across to me in the video that when you said you didn't want to go back, that included even something like Skyward Sword, which still takes the basic linear formula of Zelda but gets highly experimental with the mechanics. I think there's still room for exploration with entries like that, as my issues with Skyward Sword had nothing to do with its linearity or cribbing the basic structure of a metroidvania as a framework to work from; it was just all about the execution where things got sloppy, and that could easily be improved upon. But I digress.

[@pastamaniac6794]

​@@KingKlonoawhat's wrong with limitations? Sometimes limitations are good and have led to some of the most memorable moments in all of Zelda's. Not saying going back completely but ignoring it is stupid.

[@nightbrand8016]

The rant in the middle of the Majora's Mask segment was so very relatable. I think the exact way you do about thinking about time and getting things done and what if scenarios, it's glad to know I'm not the only one who has these irrational, intrusive thoughts that I just keep drowned out by working or gaming

[@zeldafan1315]

"Hope burns ever brighter the taller the darkness looms." Imma keep this in mind going forward now.

[@noobasaurus117]

It’s really cool how you’ve come from that old hyper critical style to one that’s more focused on what parts of the subject that resonates with you the most. It’s way more interesting to hear why someone cares about something so much instead of some review that always has to bring up flaws as if any piece of art could be flawless to everyone. I don’t even particularly care about 3D zelda but your style of going into games and trying to find the best in them gives me an understanding of why people like those things that I didn’t get into

[@HybridAngelZero]

I just wanted to say thank you. Your videos are always a pleasure to watch, your takes are always interesting and well-thought out and in general, your work just makes me feel uplifted and appreciate even more a medium I love so dearly.

[@lucasnikodemus8813]

This video is one of the greatest written videos I've watched in almost 2 decades of watching KZbin. So many of the themes resonated at such a raw emotional level for me! Thank you!

[@lostthepirate6311]

As someone who's been involved in the OoTR community and playing myself since the 2.0 days of 2018, it was wonderful to hear you speak so highly of the project I've spent so much of my free time with. Also have had a lot of fun with TWWR. :)