The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Created and Produced by Nintendo
Nintendo EAD. (1998). The legend of zelda: Ocarina of time. Redmond, WA: Nintendo.
Rereleased 2011
Plot Summary
Link, the series’ trademark hero, is back in the land of Hyrule setting out again to destroy Ganondorf and prevent him from finding the Triforce. Link must travel through place and time to awaken different sages (like fairies or spirits) who can combine their powers and trap Ganondorf forever. The ocarina in the title is used to help Link transport to different locations or obtain different items. As the game progresses, the songs learned become more difficult and detailed. Side-quests are another important aspect of Zelda. Navi, the fairy, wakes Link up from a nightmare and urges him to go to the Great Deku Tree. There, he finds out he must go to Hyrule Castle and speak with the princess to stop Ganondorf who seeks to destroy Hyrule. Link meets Princess Zelda who informs him he must find three Spiritual Stones. He completes the mission and as he enters the Temple of Time, Ganondorf appears and steals the Triforce. Link is put to sleep and awakens seven years later. Again, he must go on a quest to free five sages from Ganondorf’s monsters. Once he completes this, Link heads off to find Ganondorf and destroy him. After an epically long battle in which Ganondorf transforms into a boar-like monster and Link defeats him. Ganondorf cries revenge even as the sages carry him off. For this entire time, the player takes the role of Link and is the one who must travel to the dungeons, discover how to defeat the dungeon monsters, complete the side-quests and end Ganondorf’s rule by crippling him.
Critical Evaluation
Ocarina of Time is a single-player videogame for the Nintendo game systems. The player controls Link, the protagonist, from a third-person perspective. The game was also one of the first to include three-dimensional space, enhancing play. The aerial view was mostly controlled by the game, but still provided a grand view of the Hyrule world. It introduced ‘Z-targeting’ which refers to ‘zeroing in’ on an object before throwing a projectile at it. The various puzzles and storylines that need to be solved are what make Zelda an amazing game. There are items to be found, dungeons to unlock, dungeon masters to battle, objects to find, and quests to complete. The side-quests range from being absolutely necessary to downright silly and a waste of time. The detailed gameplay, side-quests, music, and context-sensitive control system combined to make Ocarina of Time one of the most acclaimed videogames ever. Dungeon monsters become increasingly more difficult to defeat, often requiring certain weapons, skills, or kill-points in order to defeat them. Unless a cheat book is purchased, these are discovered by trial and error. Players will also find their skills growing as they practice sword fighting, shooting arrows, and engaging in battle with various creatures.
Reader’s Annotation
Playing as Link, complete dungeon quests battling foes to prevent Ganondorf from destroying all of Hyrule.
About the Author
"Nintendo Entertainment System: Introduced in 1985, the NES was an instant hit. Over the course of the next two years, it almost single-handedly revitalized the video game industry. Selling over 60 million units, people brought games like Mario and Zelda into their homes for the first time on the NES.
Game Boy: The screen was four-colors-of-gray but the device defined portable gaming and was enormous fun. Game Boy, which came out in 1989, was closely associated with the classic game Tetris when it debuted. Game Boy is the most successful video game system ever released. Since its introduction in 1989, Game Boy has sold well over 150 million systems worldwide. Originally bundled with the game, Tetris, this little handheld became an instant phenomenon.
Nintendo 64: The N64 set new standards in realistic 3D gaming when it came out in 1996. Super Mario 64 was the system's showcase game and thrilled millions with its amazing graphics and gameplay.
Nintendo 3DS: On March 27, 2011 in the United States, Nintendo launches the Nintendo 3DS system, which allows users to view 3D content without the use of special glasses."
Genre
Videogame/Fighting
Curriculum Ties
N/A
Booktalking
N/A
Reading Level/Interest Level
RL: N/A
IL: 6th grade and up
Challenge Issues
Possible challenge issues include animated blood and fantasy fight scenes.
In my defense file, I would include the following:
1) Library Mission Statement
2) Library Selection Policy approved by any or all of the following individuals—principal, school board, district librarian OR library manager, city council, mayor.
3) Library Bill of Rights adapted from CSLA Bill of Rights, AASL Bill of Rights and/or ALA Bill of Rights
4) Reviews, both positive and critical, from respected sources such as School Library Journal, VOYA, Booklist
5) Rationale for videogame inclusion for titles anticipated to be controversial, frequently challenged, or created when a videogame is challenged including: summary, audience, purpose, controversial issues and how they are handled
6) How the book fits within Common Core Standards or State Standards
7) Reconsideration form for challenger to complete—include a section asking which part was of particular concern, if the entire videogame was played, and what other similar titles are suggested instead
8) Student reviews from those who have played the game and either enjoyed or disliked the videogame and why.
Why Included
Nintendo's Zelda series is one of most popular and highest rated videogame series not only for Nintendo, but for all videogame consoles. One year Santa got mixed up at my house and I was given a Super Nintendo with one of the earlier games. My father, predictably, was hooked and the next several years found him buying each new Zelda game. Ocarina of Time is his second favorite of the series, but is more popular than A Link to the Past.
Others in the Series
There are 14 other Legend of Zelda games for various Nintendo game consoles.
References
Nintendo. Games. (2011) Story. Retrieved from http://www.zelda.com/ocarina3d/#/home
Nintendo. Games. (2013) Company history. Retrieved from http://www.nintendo.com/corp/history.jsp
Nintendo EAD. (1998). The legend of zelda: Ocarina of time. Redmond, WA: Nintendo.
Rereleased 2011
Plot Summary
Link, the series’ trademark hero, is back in the land of Hyrule setting out again to destroy Ganondorf and prevent him from finding the Triforce. Link must travel through place and time to awaken different sages (like fairies or spirits) who can combine their powers and trap Ganondorf forever. The ocarina in the title is used to help Link transport to different locations or obtain different items. As the game progresses, the songs learned become more difficult and detailed. Side-quests are another important aspect of Zelda. Navi, the fairy, wakes Link up from a nightmare and urges him to go to the Great Deku Tree. There, he finds out he must go to Hyrule Castle and speak with the princess to stop Ganondorf who seeks to destroy Hyrule. Link meets Princess Zelda who informs him he must find three Spiritual Stones. He completes the mission and as he enters the Temple of Time, Ganondorf appears and steals the Triforce. Link is put to sleep and awakens seven years later. Again, he must go on a quest to free five sages from Ganondorf’s monsters. Once he completes this, Link heads off to find Ganondorf and destroy him. After an epically long battle in which Ganondorf transforms into a boar-like monster and Link defeats him. Ganondorf cries revenge even as the sages carry him off. For this entire time, the player takes the role of Link and is the one who must travel to the dungeons, discover how to defeat the dungeon monsters, complete the side-quests and end Ganondorf’s rule by crippling him.
Critical Evaluation
Ocarina of Time is a single-player videogame for the Nintendo game systems. The player controls Link, the protagonist, from a third-person perspective. The game was also one of the first to include three-dimensional space, enhancing play. The aerial view was mostly controlled by the game, but still provided a grand view of the Hyrule world. It introduced ‘Z-targeting’ which refers to ‘zeroing in’ on an object before throwing a projectile at it. The various puzzles and storylines that need to be solved are what make Zelda an amazing game. There are items to be found, dungeons to unlock, dungeon masters to battle, objects to find, and quests to complete. The side-quests range from being absolutely necessary to downright silly and a waste of time. The detailed gameplay, side-quests, music, and context-sensitive control system combined to make Ocarina of Time one of the most acclaimed videogames ever. Dungeon monsters become increasingly more difficult to defeat, often requiring certain weapons, skills, or kill-points in order to defeat them. Unless a cheat book is purchased, these are discovered by trial and error. Players will also find their skills growing as they practice sword fighting, shooting arrows, and engaging in battle with various creatures.
Reader’s Annotation
Playing as Link, complete dungeon quests battling foes to prevent Ganondorf from destroying all of Hyrule.
About the Author
"Nintendo Entertainment System: Introduced in 1985, the NES was an instant hit. Over the course of the next two years, it almost single-handedly revitalized the video game industry. Selling over 60 million units, people brought games like Mario and Zelda into their homes for the first time on the NES.
Game Boy: The screen was four-colors-of-gray but the device defined portable gaming and was enormous fun. Game Boy, which came out in 1989, was closely associated with the classic game Tetris when it debuted. Game Boy is the most successful video game system ever released. Since its introduction in 1989, Game Boy has sold well over 150 million systems worldwide. Originally bundled with the game, Tetris, this little handheld became an instant phenomenon.
Nintendo 64: The N64 set new standards in realistic 3D gaming when it came out in 1996. Super Mario 64 was the system's showcase game and thrilled millions with its amazing graphics and gameplay.
Nintendo 3DS: On March 27, 2011 in the United States, Nintendo launches the Nintendo 3DS system, which allows users to view 3D content without the use of special glasses."
Genre
Videogame/Fighting
Curriculum Ties
N/A
Booktalking
N/A
Reading Level/Interest Level
RL: N/A
IL: 6th grade and up
Challenge Issues
Possible challenge issues include animated blood and fantasy fight scenes.
In my defense file, I would include the following:
1) Library Mission Statement
2) Library Selection Policy approved by any or all of the following individuals—principal, school board, district librarian OR library manager, city council, mayor.
3) Library Bill of Rights adapted from CSLA Bill of Rights, AASL Bill of Rights and/or ALA Bill of Rights
4) Reviews, both positive and critical, from respected sources such as School Library Journal, VOYA, Booklist
5) Rationale for videogame inclusion for titles anticipated to be controversial, frequently challenged, or created when a videogame is challenged including: summary, audience, purpose, controversial issues and how they are handled
6) How the book fits within Common Core Standards or State Standards
7) Reconsideration form for challenger to complete—include a section asking which part was of particular concern, if the entire videogame was played, and what other similar titles are suggested instead
8) Student reviews from those who have played the game and either enjoyed or disliked the videogame and why.
Why Included
Nintendo's Zelda series is one of most popular and highest rated videogame series not only for Nintendo, but for all videogame consoles. One year Santa got mixed up at my house and I was given a Super Nintendo with one of the earlier games. My father, predictably, was hooked and the next several years found him buying each new Zelda game. Ocarina of Time is his second favorite of the series, but is more popular than A Link to the Past.
Others in the Series
There are 14 other Legend of Zelda games for various Nintendo game consoles.
References
Nintendo. Games. (2011) Story. Retrieved from http://www.zelda.com/ocarina3d/#/home
Nintendo. Games. (2013) Company history. Retrieved from http://www.nintendo.com/corp/history.jsp
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