I’m really fucking excited for new Zelda

I’m not sure if I’ve made it clear before, but I’m a huge Zelda fanatic. One of my earliest childhood memories was playing Zelda II: The Adventures of Link on my yellow and white checkered linoleum floor, in a room in my house my brother and I dubbed the “Playroom.”

I was born in 1985, the birth year of the Nintendo Entertainment System. Before I even knew what a video game was, my parents awesomely purchased an Atari and a NES, effectively starting my gaming obsession, at around age three. Sure, Atari had some great arcade games, but NES gave me the Super Mario franchise and two Zelda classics, games that shaped my imagination, creativity, and taught me the ability to conquer any quest. It was Link, however, who would become my personal hero for the next twenty-something years.

Growing up, it was common for elementary school teachers to ask students who their heroes were — most children picked athletes, actors, or family members. Link was always my hero, someone I admired greatly. His bravery in taking on dangerous enemies, facing a near-impossible journey to save a princess, was something I recognized at a young age as extraordinary.

I also felt I had a similar look to Link, with blue eyes and light brown hair — appropriately I dressed up as the pointy-eared hero for Halloween. I still remember how right that green tunic felt to wear, and how proud I was with my shield. NERD ALERT!

So many of my childhood memories revolved around Zelda. I remember having chicken pox all over my body at around age seven, and the only thing that helped distract me was watching The Legend of Zelda cartoon over and over — I loved it growing up, especially the idea to use the original game’s sound effects in the show. I remember playing A Link to the Past in my neighbor’s basement, thinking how different the game looked on the Super Nintendo. I remember the months I poured into playing Ocarina of Time on the N64, with countless hours spent wandering through Hyrule field, or Kakariko Village, just to hear the many beautiful songs that are still stuck in my head today. I remember playing Twilight Princess in my first apartment, and officially beating the game on Christmas night, with hands covered in sweat from an intense final battle with Ganon.

Each memory I have of playing various titles in the Zelda franchise is just as strong as the next, a testament to the emotional tie I have with the series — no wonder I’ve been contemplating a Triforce tattoo for the last few years. As you could imagine, I’m so unbelievably excited for Skyward Sword to release in just a few short days. Having briefly played short demos of the game twice — at E3 2010 and NY Comic Con — it’s been a long and torturous road waiting for its release. After seeing all of the recent trailers and screenshots from Nintendo, I’m confident this game will mark another epic memory that is set to last a lifetime.

Thank you, Shigeru Miyamoto, for giving me something so profoundly exhilarating to look forward to. I’m sure it won’t disappoint. Countdown clock, engage!

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