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This being the 25th anniversary year of The Legend of Zelda, Nintendo chose to kick off their E3 press conference with what could only be described as an all-out Zelda bonanza; the likes of which has never been witnesses before. A live orchestra played sounds effects and tunes from the storied series, a montage showed footage of past games in the series, and a plethora of Zelda-related announcements were made and a new Skyward Sword trailer was shown.
Once again we were reminded of Nintendo’s innate ability to infuse its titles with a level of charm that is seldom rivaled by any of its many competitors. Miyamoto commented that the sounds from the orchestra “[brought] back memories” and had them play a piece from Skyward Sword, a game that will hopefully provide new lasting memories.
In the trailer, Link and a blonde-haired girl — clearly Zelda — are seen living in a city amongst the clouds. They’re tending to some giant birds with reigns on them, which they are obviously about to ride. After some flying, the two of them are attacked by some shadowy-looking whirlwind and they fall. Link comes to what is presumably Hyrule, where he is eventually given his signature green tunic, cap, and tights. The video treats us to scenes as varied as women preparing meals in a kitchen, Link zipping through dungeons on a mine cart, battling it out with Lizalfos and Deku Babbas hanging from the ceiling, and the hero running for his life from a huge fire boss.
I’ve been a fan of the Zelda series for its entire 25 year existence and I could not be more pleased with what I saw today. Skyward Sword’s visuals are sublime and its gameplay is looking most impressive. And in a nod to longtime fans, a gold Wii Remote complete with Zelda logo will be made available alongside the game’s launch. Speaking of which, fears of a delay to the Wii U were unwarranted. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword will release this holiday season.
[Image via Wiirs.]
