Explore every episode of the podcast Hitchhikers' Guide to Hyrule

Happy Thanksgiving hitchhikers!!

Tanner reflects on Season 3 and announces the future plans for the show, acknowledging the age-old pattern of holiday hiatus hijacking hitchhikes through Hyrule.

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Tanner and Tyson discuss their major life events that halted Season 3 production, and then share their fantasy home locations within Hyrule!

Timmi and Maddie interview Tanner to get the deep dive on the recent installment in the Hyrule Warriors saga: Age of Imprisonment!

Tanner, Timmi, and Maddie reminisce about the creepiest and freakiest aspects of their favorite Zelda games to gear up for Halloween.

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It finally happened!! Tanner bought the Nintendo Switch 2!!

In this episode, Tanner breaks down his favorite features of the Switch 2.

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Bonus content from last week's episode with Taylor and Tanner! The two discuss Tears of the Kingdom and the future of Zelda.

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We have our first Switch 2 user on the show, Taylor, returning as Tanner's guest on the show! He tells the dramatic story of how he acquired two Nintendo Switch 2 consoles and gives his two cents on the new hardware and features.

Then, Taylor gives his review of Donkey Kong: Banaza and talks the future of Donkey Kong and Switch 2.

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An episode from our vault of pre-recorded content! At the time of recording, the Zelda movie had not even been announced!

Tanner and Bella review the Nintendo Switch release of Link's Awakening with favorite gameplay mechanics, dungeons, and remastered features of the game. The remake for the Switch brought in a lot of new gamers to the classic game and opened doors for other lesser-known handhelds to become household names.

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Don't hate us!

Shoutout to our listener on Reddit who reached out and asked about the show. Hearing from listeners like you reminds us that there are people who care about the show as much as we do.

We have a track record of hitting brick walls come fall, but this is our way of saying that we hit the hiatus early and are ready to get back on the saddle.

The next few weeks will be episodes from our vault of pre-recorded content. Then, we'll cover Nintendo Switch 2, Age of Imprisonment, and our first handheld Zelda deep-dive with Minish Cap! Stay tuned!

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Tanner starts off a Thursday morning with a lukewarm take on the latest trailer for Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment and reflects on the future of Zelda.

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Bella and Maddie join Tanner this week to share what they have been playing the last two years. Then, they watch and review the latest trailer Hyrule Warrior: Age of Imprisonment.

Welcome back, Timmi! Timmi and Tanner recap the last two years of news and reactions, plus they dive into their recent play-throughs of nostalgic Zelda titles.

THE ZELDA MOVIE HAS CAST THE ROLES OF LINK AND ZELDA!! Tanner and Tyson give their hot takes into this historic announcement and share their dream casting of 5 characters from their favorite Zelda titles.

When life gives you lemons, play more Zelda! After almost 2 years away from the show, Tanner is back with Tyson to talk about the state of the Legend of Zelda series. So much has happened in the time away! Tears of the Kingdom is a fan-favorite game after 2 years released, Nintendo released their new music app, and SWITCH 2 HAS LAUNCHED with upgrades to the main Switch Zelda titles and a promised upcoming Hyrule Warriors. We unpack it all here in the kickoff to the new season!

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Tanner and Timmi discuss the lore of Breath of the Wild, both embedded and speculated. With such a large and expansive game, there’s so much to explore with Easter Eggs galore!

Tanner, Bella, and Maddie reminisce on the release and first play-through of Breath of the Wild with its enormous impact on the series and launch of the Switch in general.

Tanner gives the background of Breath of the Wild while Maddie delivers her spot-on story recap.

Tanner reminisces about the first night he played Skyward Sword and revisits all the nostalgic elements from when the game was released.

Timmi shares her technique for completing all of Skyward Sword in under 15 hours, and Maddie shares her technique for completing none of the game in much longer than that.

Bell and Timmi kick off our series on Skyward Sword by comparing the 2011 classic on the Wii to the much-desired 2022 HD remaster on the Switch.

Tanner and Maddie give their flawless breakdown of Skyward Sword leading up to our upcoming discussions about it.

We bring back Taylor Pingel to discuss one of the most intense and contentious games ever created in the Mario legendarium: Super Mario Strikers. First, it was the GameCube edition. Now, it's a revamped, high-octane online battle royale on the Switch. Listen in!

For this game's nostalgiafest, the Short Clan dive into the unforgettable soundtrack that accompanied the game. Whether the music played behind overworld settings, cut scenes, boss battles, or classic western showdowns in the Hidden Village, the track was always on point and so realistic compared to previous games.

Happy Halloween, Hitchhikers! Continuing our tradition started last year, Tanner and Timmi outline the perfect way to spend a spooky evening play Twilight Princess. As you fight Twilight Beasts, wander through Lost Woods, search for ghoulish Poes, and descend into Arbiters Grounds, you can be sure of a frightful night playing this epic game!

After a long year of hiatus-ing and Tears of the Kingdom hyping, we are pumped to welcome back Tyson Anderegg! He and Tanner talk about some of their most nostalgic memories (for better or for worse), and they discuss why the next Zelda game should be another realistic graphic, darker tone game like Twilight Princess.

Welcome our newest guest, Jacob Anderegg! Jake is helping us kick off our string of episodes dedicated to Twilight Princess. He and the Short Clan talk about their favorite moments, least favorite moments, and their reasons for considering this game as one of the best in the series.

Tanner gives a quick background into the production of Twilight Princess, and Maddie gives her spot-on synopsis of the events within the game.

The entire Short family shares their favorite memories of Wind Waker.

Tanner and Timmi delve into the lore of Wind Waker, starting with the connections it made with Ocarina of Time. This was a landmark game in the fact that it was explicitly linked to another Zelda game in spite of its artistic makeover and drastically different story concept. This opened the door to a more widespread idea that all the Zelda games could be connected which eventually led to the creation of the timeline. One of the more interesting connections Wind Waker made was in the species found in the game and their guardian deities and how they related to those found in Ocarina.

From there, they discussed the possible geographic relationship between the two games. Even though it's typical for a new Zelda game to disregard the geography of Zeldas past, there are still notable similarities that can be drawn between major locations in both games.

Finally, they discussed a point of great importance...who is Link's grandpa??

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Welcome our newest guest on the show, Taylor! Taylor and Tanner have been friends since practically birth, and Nintendo has long since been a part of their friendship. The Pingel household was more into Donkey Kong and Super Smash, but the Zelda franchise finally found a way into Taylor's heart. Now, joining us in this episode, he and Tanner walk through some of their favorite characters, islands, side quests, and other aspects of the game.

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Tanner and Bella kick off our episodes about Wind Waker, discussing the iconic elements of the game like the overworld and animation style. Given that this game was set on the open ocean, it introduced the idea of an open-world Zelda game with a lighter, more comical style of telling an epic story. They also reminisce with some of their early memories of playing the game and share their love of nostalgic characters and side quests.

Starting this week, we're going to start talking about Wind Waker! To get everyone hyped, Tanner and Maddie give the usual intro to the game's story, gameplay, and background. Enjoy!

The Short Clan wrap up their summer of Tears of the Kingdom by continuing the discussion of their favorite music tracks from the game. From the peaceful ambiance of the sky islands to the mysterious tones of the Construct Factory, from the synth brass of a Gleeok battle to the gallant march against the Gibdos, from the sweeping Water Temple to the ethereal Wind Temple, this soundtrack always says the same message - maintaining the nostalgia of Zelda games past with a twist of originality.

The Short clan dive into the soundtrack of Tears of the Kingdom, sharing their favorite tracks from the game.

The Short Clan discuss their theories for some of the biggest questions surrounding the lore in Tears of the Kingdom. First, where in the timeline does the game belong? Perhaps it’s an alternate branch of time a new evolution of Hylians. Maybe it sits at the end of the current timeline after all other branches have converged and long passed into history. Next, who are the Zonai? Do they descend from other sky races like the Ooca or the Wind Tribe, or do they simply evolve from another race in Hyrule? Finally, what are the Depths? Nintendo kept the Depths a secret prior to release, but there are still several mysteries surrounding them, such as their origin and the nature of the Bargainer Statue Brothers.

The Short Clan talks through their review of the Super Mario Bros movie and share their hopes for the future of Nintendo cinema.

The Short clan share their experiences with Tears of the Kingdom after nearly a month since its release.

WELCOME BACK FOR SEASON 2, coming at you live from our parents RV!The Short clan is together for the summer, and we start the season off by sharing our hot takes of Tears of the Kingdom after the first week of its release!Disclaimer: HEAVY SPOILERS for Tears of the Kingdom.

Tanner and Timmi give their hot takes of the new trailer for Tears of the Kingdom from the February Nintendo Direct and share their hopes and predictions for the heralded sequel to Breath of the Wild.

Happy New Year! Tanner sits down and reflects on the most influential character traits from some of the major heroes from the series.

First and foremost is the Hero of Time. As the outcast from Kokiri Forest, this Link had impressive resilience, survival skills, and disassociation from personal identity. These enabled him to selflessly throw himself into the quest of Ocarina of Time without any thought for himself. He eventually found his own identity through his trials in Majora's Mask which allowed him to decouple from the identity of Hyrule's hero. These new-found values of family and legacy allowed him to return as the Hero's Shade.

Long after the Hero of Time came the Hero of the Winds from Wind Waker. Contrasting the Hero of Time, this Link was more laid back and comical as a child, but he could still show impressive determination and power. Though only a child, he could wield powerful weapons and become a master swordsman. He valued personal relationships which led to his call to adventure and eventually led him to follow Tetra and find a new Hyrule.

Another powerful hero was the Hero of Twilight from Twilight Princess. This high-rendered, strong teenager was designed to be a man from the beginning. He shows a similar level of resilience with his ancestor, the Hero of Time, but he also values friendship like the Hero of Winds. He also values the lives of other cultures, including the Twili who the rest of Hyrule disregarded.

The very first Link, the Hero from the Skies from Skyward Sword, was not a hero from day one. He started out being unfocused and directionless. However, he possessed fierce loyalty, and this loyalty led him to dive to the surface after Zelda and begin this adventure. His loyalty transformed into focus and power as he forged the Master Sword and passed the Silent Realms, and as a result, he became the original mold for the Goddess's hero. Even with that hyper focus, though, he still made time to help anyone in need and bring gratitude to others.

Finally, the Hero of the Wild from Breath of the Wild was the ultimate warrior. He thought absolutely nothing for himself and dove into any conflict that his duty demanded. This was engendered from his parents and the Royal Family through his entire life. However, after the Great Calamity when Link lost his memory, he still dove headfirst into this seemingly impossible quest without any thought for himself. Beyond that, he was whoever the players wanted him to be. And we can hope that more of his character traits become visible in Tears of the Kingdom.

May the Triforce be with you in 2023!

Join the Short clan in reminiscing over their top four classic Wii games of all time. In fourth place comes Wii Fit. Even with its less-than-subtle body shaming, the game offered several fun minigames that will always be nostalgic. In third place was Wii Play and Wii Play Motion. It was split 50/50 who preferred the original over the reboot, but both offered tons of group minigames that were fun to play over and over again. In second place was Wii Sports and Wii Sports resort. Tanner and Timmi recollect nearly punching the family TV many times while boxing in the original, but everyone had their variety of favorite events and memories from Wii Sports Resort.Coming in first place was We Ski and Snowboard. Even though it isn't really a classic (in fact, it wasn't even developed by Nintendo), this game is hands down the most nostalgic for the four of us. It's a game where you have your choice of skiing or snowboarding down a classic ski resort or a mountain in the wilderness. The resort offered background music, fun minigames, and lots of NPCs to interact with, while the mountain offered more intense trails, adventurous side quests, and the potential for escaping avalanches. This is definitely a game worth trying out!Let us know what your favorite Wii games are! Message us on Instagram @short.on_lineThis episode is rated Beginner. Discussion topics are broad and tailored to all levels of gamer, especially those who have never played Zelda. Spoilers for games are at a minimum.

Welcome the original Short gamer, Tim!Tim Short joins us to share his original experiences with Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask, clarifying the early events that got the family involved in Zelda. This episode also involves a discussion around which of the two games has more nostalgia than the other.Tim and Barbara were a young married couple in the late '90s when the Nintendo 64 was growing in popularity. By the time it was being phased out by competitors like the Play Station or Sega Genesis, it had become easy to rent the console with popular titles like Wave Race and Goldeneye. One year, around Christmas time, they borrowed a console from a coworker, and after days of playing the classics, they decided to try out this more obscure game at the bottom of the pile. The game was Ocarina of Time.Tim had grown up playing Atari and games like Dark Castleon the Apple Mac. Barbara had grown up playing Mario on the original Nintendo. With two young kids (Tanner and Timmi), playing RPGs wasn't as appealing because of the time commitment and the need to maintain a save file. But, after trying Ocarina of Time, both of them were immediately pulled into the story and puzzles of the game. They decided to purchase their own 64 for $25, buy the game, and finally defeat Ganondorf. These were Tanner and Timmi's earliest memories of Zelda.They both looked forward to the release of Majora's Mask. They even bought the required Expansion Pack in advance to be ready for the game's release. However, Majora's Maskdidn't have the same pull as its predecessor. The story was segmented, the three-day time cycle got them into several pitfalls in the quest, and it wasn't always clear what the next step was. This caused several moments of deep frustration that turned Tim and Barb off to the game. Not to the kids, though. Timmi loved the game from her early youth, and Tanner warmed up to it as a teenager. Tim admits in this episode that it would likely be a fun game to return to, especially with the updated 3D version.All-in-all, Zelda has always been a family-oriented game (which can be said of most of Nintendo's productions). This has been the constant draw for the Short family. The ability of these games to engage everyone on the couch watching has been constant throughout each major Zelda title. The whole family would stay up until 2am watching Tim play through Wind Waker or Twilight Princess for the first time. With all the other systems moving toward realistic graphics and optimized individual experiences, Zelda is focused on captivating a whole room.And as for Majora's Mask, it's a game that ultimately did not live up to its sequel, but it DID create its own shoes to fill as a fabulous stand-alone Zelda title rich with puzzles, quests, and characters. It is much easier on those who have slogged through the main quest for the first time, but for those willing to push through the frustrating points of the game, there's a lot to love!This episode is rated Casual. Discussion topics are intended for those who have played the games and are familiar with the stories, gameplay, and lore. There’s will also likely be spoilers to those who haven’t played through the games. We recommend spending a couple hours playing the games from this episode before listening.

Majora's Mask is one of the most ambiguous games in Zelda concerning lore, leaving LOTS of room for speculation. Tanner and Timmi share some of their favorite theories about Majora's Mask.Link is Dead Theory: Game Theory: Is Link Dead in Majora's Mask?The most popular theory (or at least one of the early prominent theories) is that Link died in Lost Woods, and Termina is his purgatory where he advances through the five stages of grief to grieve his death. Since he would have died in Lost Woods, this would explain how he became the Hero's Shade in Twilight Princess. Given that Hyrule Historia lists the Hero of Time as Link's ancestor in Twilight Princess, though, this theory isn't likely true.Termina isn't a real place: Zelda EncyclopediaZelda Encyclopedia claims that Termina was created when the Skull Kid put on Majora's Mask in the Lost Woods, meaning that it only exists in the mind of Skull Kid. It further explains that his friends, the giants, were spirits in the Lost Woods with him. Skull Kid likely had a falling out with them and looted the Happy Mask Salesman in his anger. Those feelings, combined with the power of the mask created Termina. So once Link beats Majora's Mask and leaves Termina, the turmoil in Skull Kid's heart is resolved, and Termina ceases to exist.Stone Tower Temple: Ikana: A War Between Dimensions - Majora's Mask TheoryOne of the most fascinating places in Termina is Stone Tower, and a popular theory speculates that it was built similar to the biblical Tower of Babel as an act of defiance of God's power. As retribution, the gods of Termina cursed the tower by flipping it upside down. However, a newer theory suggests that the tower was built to intentionally flip upside down in order to reach Hyrule (their heavens). This is evidenced by the strange location of Twin Mold's lair, as well as the fact that Link technically enters Termina upside down deep underground. This theory also speculates that the Garo came from Hyrule to spy on the kingdom of Ikana.Who is Majora? Majora's True Identity? - Zelda Theory - YouTubeThe biggest question that is never really answered in the game is: who is Majora? Contrary to popular belief, our favorite theory on that topic is that the mask was actually created in Hyrule. The culprit of this is the same tribe that conducted shady interrogations on behalf of the Royal Family: the Sheikah. Their intentions were likely good, as they were likely trying to contain the spirit of a powerful demon. Watch the episode to find out who that spirit is.Who is Happy Mask Salesman? The MYSTERY of The Happy Mask Salesman's Identity! [Zelda Theory]Another intriguing character is the Happy Mask Salesman. It is interesting that you meet him in Ocarina of Time opening a brand-new mask shop, but then you end up meeting him a few months later to find out he'd fled to Lost Woods with a powerful and evil mask. The best theory we've heard is that Happy Mask Salesman was sent by the goddesses to find where the mask was being hidden by the Sheikah, take it, and find a way to destroy it. This would explain his relief at the end of Majora's Mask at finding the evil of the mask destroyed and his disappearance at the end of that cut scene.This episode is rated Die Hard. Discussion topics are very specific around certain aspects of the game, and references may not be familiar even to those who have played the game. There are also spoilers for those who haven’t played through the games. We recommend playing through the games from this episode completely before listening.

Welcome to our first Beyond Hyrule episode! These episodes will be where we periodically discuss a game outside the Zelda series. For this first Beyond Hyrule, we welcome Maddie, the youngest of the Short siblings! Maddie grew up watching Tanner and Timmi play Zelda, and then she got into them herself throughout elementary school. She's played Wind Waker HD, Twilight Princess HD, Oracle of Seasons, Skyward Sword (which she recently beat for the first time), and Breath of the Wild. This week, she and Timmi give us a beginner's look at Animal Crossing: New Horizons.Animal Crossing is a Sims-style game from Nintendo, and the main goal of New Horizons is called Project K, an initiative to create a 3-star island suitable for the popstar, K. K. Slider. You accomplish this by building houses, bridges, and inclines for the people who come to live on your island. There are also other islands you can visit, such as Harv's island, to make money and meet villagers. There is also a DLC called the Happy Home Paradise that lets you work on a vacation resort to save up money and find fancy furniture.  You can also visit other people's islands. You can "dream" into random islands of other players, use a dream code to visit a specific island, or visit the island of a Switch friend.Your island can become home to various personalities of villagers. You can get visitors if you have camping sites setup, or you can interact with the typical villagers common to the game. You meet Blathers the owl early on who collects bugs, fish, and fossils to eventually set up a museum. There's also the mayor, Tom Nook, who offers you loans to build new buildings, and his two sons, Tommy and Timmy, who set up a store called Nook's Cranny. Other villagers come and go, selling you their wares as they come. Then there are the other 400 collective villagers. There is a large range of Animal Crossing fans, and one hub for fans on the internet is Nookazon where players can buy and trade villagers. Maddie's favorite villager is Marina the octopus because of her bubbly personality, and Timmi's favorite villager is her tubby penguin Wade because he's simply adorable. Earning money is a major factor of gameplay. It can be hard to get started, so you can sponsor friends if they visit your island. You can also trade in artifacts at Blathers' museum, trade turnips in a stock-market type system, or you can collect Nook Miles to redeem for bells (the currency of the game). There are tons of other creative ways to earn bells, and the money helps you build up the island for Project K. When Project K is complete, you are given the ability to terraform and let creativity run wild on your island.Overall, this is an amazing game that lets players relax and created their island however they want. The objective is simple enough too to lure anybody into the game. In the future, Timmi and Maddie hope to see an easier path to initially saving up bells, as well as more DIY recipes and customizable furniture.This episode is rated Beginner. Discussion topics are broad and tailored to all levels of gamer, especially those who have never played Animal Crossing. Spoilers for games are at a minimum.Follow us on Instagram and YouTube! @shorts.on_line

Happy Halloween!

In our opinion, Majora's Mask is the creepiest game in the Zelda series, so we thought it would be a fitting choice for our Halloween episode. We talk about some of the largest contributing factors to the game's eerie mood, as well as how you should spend your Halloween night…

One of the unsettling components of the game is the presence of death and deep, dark emotions. In fact, one of the most popular themes of the game is grief. There are strong ties between the five regions of Termina and the five stages of grief. Clock Town represents denial as most of the citizens won't acknowledge the falling moon. The swamp represents anger as King Deku is prepared to execute a monkey out of an irrational belief that the monkey kidnapped his daughter. The mountains represent bargaining as the ghost of Darmani begs Link to use magic to bring him back to life. The sea represents depression as Lulu isolates herself after the loss of her eggs. And finally, Ikana Valley represents acceptance after the undead King Igos du Ikana accepts that his kingdom has fallen into decay and ruin. It becomes Link's quest to bring peace to the grieving of these four regions.

Majora's Mask is filled with strange, creepy characters, some of whom were seen in Ocarina of Time. The first character you encounter in Ikana is the Poe Collector who always has a creepy thing to say or ask of you. There's also Sharp, the royal composer poe, who uses his music to suck out your life in his cave of skeletons. Even the humans in Ikana, Pamela and her nameless father (we'll just call him Patrick) have their own disturbing secret. Outside of Ikana, there's the introduction to the infamous hand in the toilet, a character who surprisingly makes a reappearance in Skyward Sword. This game also features a new lineup of strange and frightening enemies, mostly in its mini-bosses. You have to face off against the mostly harmless eyeball, Wart, the cackling Wizzrobe, and the terrifying grim-reaper, Gomess. Not to mention the Death Armos and Eyegore in the Stone Tower Temple.

So, how should you spend your Halloween? First, go to Romani Ranch at night, let the aliens abduct Romani, and return the next day to see how they fry her mind. Next, travel to Deku Palace and witness the king boil the captured monkey. Then, head over to Ikana Valley at night, complete the bottom of the well without the Stone Mask or Gibdo Mask, and if the undead don’t kill you, head to Sharp's cave and chill there with Sharp. Finally, go to Termina field on the final night, let the time run out, and watch the Moon obliterate the whole world, ending with those eerie words, "You've met with a terrible fate, haven't you?"

References:

Aonuma on the 5 stages of grief fan theory in Zelda: Majora’s Mask | GameLuster

Game Theory: Is Link Dead in Majora's Mask?

The Mystery of Majora’s Mask’s “Aliens” (Legend of Zelda)

The G-Files: Zelda - Ben Drowned Creepypasta

This episode is rated Casual. Discussion topics are intended for those who have played the games and are familiar with the stories, gameplay, and lore. There’s will also likely be spoilers to those who haven’t played through the games. We recommend spending a couple hours playing the games from this episode before listening.

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In our first episode around Majora's Mask, we welcome our cousin, Andrew McCord as our guest on the show. Andrew and Timmi both are fanatics about this game, and they take this opportunity to prove why Majora's Mask is the best game in the series.

No matter your opinion about the game, it's hard to deny that this is the most unique of them all. We discuss how the time limit mechanic introduces a whole new way to tackle puzzles and manage quest progress. And even though this game recycles all of Ocarina of Time's assets and 3D engine due to its small production timeline, there's a unique spin put onto every returning character you meet in the game. The overall theme also made the game very distinct from its predecessor. Where Ocarina of Time is themed around magic and faith, Majora's Mask presented themes closer to science and technology.

The game also boasted a vibrant color palette with much more intricate artwork. This helped communicate the tone of the game, which could be summed up as beautiful on the outside but twisted on the inside. Andrew compared it to the Gilded Age of the United States when everyone was manufacturing cheap goods but gilding them in gold to make them appear beautiful. This game looks beautiful and inviting at the onset, but as soon as you take one step into the life of an NPC or the story of Termina itself, the surface corrodes away, and you are left with a deep and twisted conflict to unravel.

Majora's Mask is praised by many, but there is still a significant percentage of the fandom who dislike the game or underrate it. We discuss how the time mechanic of the game, as well as the fragmented nature of the story, turn people away. This is also the darkest game in the series, so many fans find it bleak and heavy, especially in contrast to games like Wind Waker that come after it. For us, this is one of the most fascinating aspects of Majora's Mask. It forces players to face difficult and complex emotions on screen, and it is all themed around closure, including for Link. As he is fighting to find his identity after the closing events of Ocarina of Time, this chapter in his adventure serves as a critical self-discovery that will eventually prepare him to return to Hyrule and leave his legacy as the Hero's Shade in Twilight Princess.

What are our favorite aspects of the game? Andrew loves how deep the game is (and riding around as a goron!), Timmi loves being able to get into the lives of every NPC in the game, and Tanner loves the model it created for how to create interesting sequels to successful Zelda titles.

All-in-all, this game is a landmark in Zelda history, and no matter how you feel about it, it's worth playing again and again because there will always be something new to find!

This episode is rated Casual. Discussion topics are intended for those who have played the games and are familiar with the stories, gameplay, and lore. There’s will also likely be spoilers to those who haven’t played through the games. We recommend spending a couple hours playing the games from this episode before listening.

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We've wrapped up our first round of episodes, which were dedicated to Ocarina of Time, and now we're moving our focus to the sequel, Majora's Mask. In this quick intro, Tanner gives some of the development background behind the game's production, and Timmi gives a brief rundown of the story. If you've played Majora's Mask, then skip right on to Episode 7.

This episode is rated Beginner. Discussion topics are broad and tailored to all levels of gamer, especially those who have never played Zelda. Spoilers for games are at a minimum.

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This episode wraps up our discussion of Ocarina of Time for a while, so we're going out strong with a reflection on all the best and most nostalgic aspects of the game. Tanner, Timmi, and Tyson discuss their most nostalgic locations, songs, boss fights, characters, cutscenes, and more. At the end of the day, this game was foundational for all of us, but there is much more to explore through all Zelda games.

References:

YouTube - Something About Zelda Ocarina of Time: The FIRE TEMPLE -      TerminalMontage

This episode is rated Casual. Discussion topics are intended for those who have played the games and are familiar with the stories, gameplay, and lore. There’s will also likely be spoilers to those who haven’t played through the games. We recommend spending a couple hours playing the games from this episode before listening.

Follow us on Instagram and YouTube! @shorts.on_line

What is Lore?

Lore is the collection of knowledge and traditions held by a group of people. In the fantasy genre, it's the building blocks of the world in which a story takes place. Lore plays a large role in the Legend of Zelda series because it connects the games to each other, and it drives the story elements in each game. It also provides fans like us to explore the games even deeper. Two excellent resources that Nintendo has released are Hyrule Historia and Zelda Encyclopedia, both of which are used frequently in this episode. Ocarina of Time has a straightforward lore structure, making it an ideal game to dig into for beginners and diehards alike. 

The lore centers around the Triforce, the supreme power left behind by the three goddesses. It can grant the deepest desire of anyone worthy who places their hand on it. However, anyone who touches it and is found to be imbalanced between the three virtues of power, wisdom, and courage causes the Triforce to separate into three pieces. It is kept in the Sacred Realm, which has roots back to the earliest age of Hyrule. In Skyward Sword, Link must endure three trials in a place called the Silent Realm, a reflection of the physical world. It can be speculated that the Silent Realm is in fact the early Sacred Realm. The Triforce is also protected by sages, individuals chosen by the goddesses to guard the Sacred Relam. The ancient sage, Rauru, built the Temple of Time to act as a door to the Sacred Realm. The sages also represent an element of existence: light, forest, fire, water, shadow, and spirit. In Ocarina of Time, Link must awaken each sage, who gives him a medallion signifying their alliance in fighting against Ganondorf. They also collectively have the power to open the doors to the Sacred Realm from the inside, and they must use this power to seal Ganondorf away with the Triforce of Power. 

Another mysterious lore piece in Zelda is the Sheikah tribe. In Ocarina of Time, Link learns of an inquisition conducted by the Sheikah tribe where enemies of the Royal Family were interrogated and tortured. Thus, the Shadow Temple stands as a taboo of Hyrule's dark and bloody history. The Sheikah are an ambiguous group of people whose purpose ranges from assassins to messengers to attendants to everything in between. 

And finally, there's the timeline split. At the end of the game, Zelda chooses to send Link back in time to reclaim his childhood. This creates a time paradox: Zelda continues to exist in her timeline, but Link goes back and starts a new timeline. This paradox creates a sticky situation with the Triforce. When Link goes back in time having wielded the Triforce of Courage, it is as if he had touched the still-complete Triforce of the past. Since he is imbalanced (dominantly courageous), the Triforce inadvertently splits again, giving an unsuspecting Ganondorf the Triforce of Power as he's being executed in Twilight Princess. In Zelda's timeline, the Triforce of Courage is left suspended without a wielder, so it shatters into eight pieces which the Royal Family collects and hides all over Hyrule for the Hero of Winds to find in Wind Waker. Both Hyrule Historia and Zelda Encyclopedia cover this timeline split in detail.

This episode is rated Diehard. Discussion topics are very specific around certain aspects of the game, and references may not be familiar even to those who have played the game. There are also spoilers for those who haven’t played through the games. We recommend playing through the games from this episode completely before listening.

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Hitchhiker Level: Casual.

The story of Ocarina of Time is one of the most powerful tools that the game uses to engage players and build its legacy. Timmi and Tanner dive into what elements contributed to the story being so riveting to so many people over the years. In film production, directors will use what's called the "director's palette." Similar to a palette that a painter uses, the director's palette are the different tools to create art through film, such as composition, lighting, sound/music, characters, plot, etc. Video game developers also use a similar palette to craft compelling stories like Ocarina of Time. 

Great stories are also built around the Hero's Journey which outlines the arc of a main character through their transformational experience. This model serves as the backbone of this episode. Act One is the separation which is seen as Link is called to adventure by the Great Deku Tree. He is thrust into the great wide world of Hyrule and sent to unite the various peoples throughout. Act Two is the supreme ordeal which Link faces throughout his journey. He experiences loss, failure, and devastation as he strives to unite the people against Ganondorf. The forging of these authentic relationships is known as Heiros Gamos and is critical to making the quest personal to the main character. One of these relationships is Sheik, the mysterious boy remnant of the Sheikah tribe. Throughout Link's quest as an adult, Sheik is the one constant through the turbulence and trial. He is the anchor that Link is tied to, and this makes it even more shocking and satisfying when it is revealed that Sheik is Zelda in disguise. The most powerful relationship is built between Link and Zelda as they work together to purify the temples of Hyrule and find the sages to awaken. This ultimate alliance culminates in the ultimate loss when Zelda is taken from Link after she reveals herself and is left vulnerable to Ganondorf's power. Act Three is the showdown between Link and Ganondorf, archnemeses made over the course of seven years. Upon his initial defeat, Ganondorf sinks into pure rage, and the battle ensues between pure good and pure evil. As Link emerges victorious, he enters the final stage of the Hero's Journey: unification. He must integrate with the mundane world he left behind, and this is really well-illustrated in Ocarina of Time because Zelda sends him back in time, literally returning him to the ordinary world of Hyrule that is free from Ganondorf's destruction. In this, Link becomes conflicted as a fully developed Hero of Time who has become a hero of the people; however, the people no longer need a hero. And so, he embarks on a journey of self-discovery to complete this cycle, which serves as the theme of Majora's Mask.

All-in-all, this story encapsulates numerous aspects of adventure and transformation that impact the players. History has proven time and time again that the Hero's Journey is a cycle upon which the most powerful stories are told. It is because of this that we believe the story of Ocarina of Time will withstand the tests of time and remain one of the greatest stories ever told!

This episode is rated Casual. Discussion topics are intended for those who have played the games and are familiar with the stories, gameplay, and lore. There’s will also likely be spoilers to those who haven’t played through the games. We recommend spending a couple hours playing the games from this episode before listening.

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