Mom's Minute

Link in action from The Legend of Zelda:  Skyward Sword

by Ms. H

Link from the Nintendo Zelda series was reported by the Guiness Book of World Records to be the 2nd top video game character of all time, behind Mario.  This article will discuss Link as he evolved through the years and conclude why Link, of all the thousands of video game characters, won this coveted recognition.

Here are graphics from The Legend of Zelda:  Skyward Sword.

Link evolved from the works of Donkey Kong creator, Shigeru Miyamota.  The first game in the series had a simple premise in which you controlled a little elf boy, Link, whose mission was to assemble the Triforce.  With no arrows or specific directions for play, the game proved to be fruitless to play initially.  However, due to the community of the video game players -- players would get together and discuss how the game was played.

Through the years, the game play changed as well as Link, who grew from a small elf boy to an adolescent.  Link miraculously survived through the 5 year hiatus when nothing was happening or transpiring with the game. Link was introduced to a new life in 3D after a long break.

In 3D, Link once again was transformed. He became less colorful and had a touch of realism to his look. During the 1998 phase of Link and the Zelda adventure, Miyamoto's protege, Eiji Aonuma, took over the project and brought Link to a quest to save the world.  Eventually the project moved to the hands of Capcom's Yoshiki Okamoto and his team.

In 2001, Link returned to the colorful character he was previously.

However he took on another change in later 2010 with one of the major changes in the game play arriving November 2011.  Skyward Sword is designed to use Nintendo WII's MotionPlus accessory that improves the motion sensor capability.

The most current Link has you feeling as if you are really Link.  You, the video game player, hold the WII remote and control the swords when playing the game.

With Link's longevity and ability to "reinvent" himself to the whims of the video game players as well as being able to adapt to the ever-changing video game industry itself, it is little wonder that Link earned a spot as one of the most revered video game characters of all time.

Ms. H's  Upcoming Video Game News:  Coming soon look for news on a laptop you can use to strictly play video games.