On November 21, 1988, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time made its debut on the Nintendo 64. The first game in the Zelda series to feature 3D graphics, Ocarina of Time soon captivated fans with its complex time-travel plot, multiple tricky dungeons, and unique incorporation of the titular ocarina's music into both story and gameplay. Twenty-five years later, Ocarina of Time has earned its place on many "greatest games of all time" lists and still stands as the highest-rated game on review site Metacritic with an unequaled score of 99. Ocarina's impact can be felt in practically every Zelda game released since, including those released a full 25 years after its debut.

Ocarina Of Time Spawned Re-Releases And A Sequel

Ocarina of Time itself has been remade and adapted several times. It has appeared on every Nintendo home console, including the GameCube, the Wii, and the Nintendo Switch via the Switch Online service. The game received an updated, more difficult version called Master Quest and an enhanced Nintendo 3DS re-release that featured touchscreen capability, gyroscope controls, and a remade version of the notoriously tricky Water Temple dungeon.

Ocarina also received a sequel in the form of Majora's Mask, which features Link encountering several oddly similar characters in a slightly different world to the Hyrule he knows. However, outside these remakes and direct sequel, Ocarina of Time has had significant influence on many other games in the Legend of Zelda series.

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Breath Of The Wild And Tears Of The Kingdom Frequently Reference Ocarina

Ocarina of Time's influence is everywhere to be seen in the latest Zelda games, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Many locations in the duology's version of Hyrule pay homage to characters from Ocarina, including Kaepora Pass, Darunia Lake, Bonooru's Stand, and Mido Swamp. Some locations from Ocarina of Time also reappear in new forms, such as Kakariko Village and Zora's Domain. In Central Hyrule, players can even encounter the ruins of Lon Lon Ranch.

In Tears of the Kingdom in particular, many homages to Ocarina of Time can be found throughout the game's story and world.

Tears Of The Kingdom's Sages Resemble Ocarina's

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time was not the first game in the series to feature a group of Sages with special powers. However, it introduced many elements that are now common in many games' depictions of Sages: they represent different races of Hyrule, each is associated with a specific element, and they are able to use their elemental powers to aid Link in unique ways. Several games, most notably A Link Between Worlds and Tears of the Kingdom, feature groups of Sages clearly inspired by Ocarina's example.

The Theme Of Time Returns In Tears Of The Kingdom

Ocarina of Time introduced a unique mechanic in which Link could travel between two different time periods in order to save Hyrule from a dark future ruled by Ganondorf. Young Link and Adult Link possessed somewhat different abilities and weapons, and players could use the Temple of Time to switch between time periods at will. While Tears of the Kingdom did not bring back this mechanic entirely, the theme of characters traveling through time and the connections between Hyrule's past and Hyrule's future are heavily emphasized throughout the game.

Hyrule's past comes back to haunt the kingdom as Ganondorf is reawakened after being sealed for several centuries by King Rauru and the ancient Sages. Locations once thought lost to time - the Sky Islands and the mysterious Underground - reappear in an event called the Upheaval. And Zelda herself becomes trapped in the past, desperate to help Link in any way she can despite the hundreds of years that now separate them. While the Temple of Time - now located on a Sky Island - is not used for direct time travel, it is a key location where Link is able to communicate with Rauru and learn more about Hyrule's history.

Tears Of The Kingdom's Ganondorf Borrows Much From Ocarina

Like Link and Zelda, the villainous Ganondorf has appeared many times throughout the Legend of Zelda franchise. After being stuck in his "Calamity Ganon" form in Breath of the Wild, his appearance in Tears of the Kingdom has much in common with Ocarina's take on the Triforce of Power's wielder.

He is once again a King of the Gerudo, the prophesied male born to the otherwise all-female desert people every 100 years. He initially presents himself as willing to ally with the King of Hyrule before revealing his treachery and attacking instead. Tears of the Kingdom even briefly features Koume and Kotake - the Spirit Temple boss from Ocarina of Time - as two Gerudo warriors under Ganondorf's command.

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Other Games Also Pay Tribute To Ocarina Of Time

Although Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom draw heavily from Ocarina of Time's characters, locations, and thematic elements, they are not the only games to do so. Just a few of the many examples include:

• Skyward Sword's "Ballad of the Goddess" features elements of Ocarina's "Zelda's Lullaby."
• Multiple Ocarina representatives - including Sheika, Darunia, Ruto, and Young Link - are playable in fighting game Hyrule Warriors.
• Sheik and Young Link are also playable fighters in multiple Super Smash Bros. games.
• Several remixed versions of Ocarina tunes appear in Crypt of the NecroDancer: Cadence of Hyrule.
• Link's "voice" from Ocarina of Time is a voice option in Tri Force Heroes.

Even 25 years following its initial release, Ocarina of Time remains one of the best-beloved and most influential games in The Legend of Zelda series. It is likely that future entries in the long-running game series will also continue to reference this series- and genre-defining title. Perhaps a full Ocarina remake with a Breath of the Wild-style open world is even possible sometime in the future.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

Franchise

The Legend of Zelda

Platform(s)

Nintendo 64 , GameCube

Released

November 21, 1998

Developer(s)

Nintendo

Publisher(s)

Nintendo

Genre(s)

Action , Adventure

ESRB

E10+ for Everyone 10+: Animated Blood, Fantasy Violence, Suggestive Themes

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