A photo showing a handmade prop of the Sheikah Slate from Breath of the Wild, as well as a foam prop of the Master Sword from the Legend of Zelda franchise.

Returning Home to Hyrule

May 12, 2023 Maggie2 Comments

In Spring 2017, I was just coming out of my first year of college. The last few weeks of the semester had been particularly challenging. On top of navigating the usual end-of-year exams and papers, I was grieving the death of a close family member. The end of the school year also meant moving back to my childhood home again after nearly a year of living independently (more or less), and I wasn’t sure how I felt about that either. In other words, it was a time with many significant transitions, and I was struggling to make sense of it all.

Enter Breath of the Wild.

I was a little late to the party, given that the game had already been out for two months by the time I finished my first year of college, but I didn’t care. The Legend of Zelda series had been a favorite of mine ever since I was introduced to The Wind Waker as a young teen. This new entry in the franchise seemed to combine all of my favorite adventuring and puzzle-solving elements into one incredible package, and I was practically bouncing with excitement at the thought of exploring this new world.

It was love at first sight when I walked out onto the game’s first breathtaking vista over the Kingdom of Hyrule. I think some part of me knew from that moment that Breath of the Wild would become my new favorite.

The more I played Breath of the Wild, the more I wanted to create something that gave me the same feelings of both wonder and comfort. It started with a simple question: What would happen if we flipped the roles of the main characters, Link and Zelda? What if our Chosen Hero was a female swordswoman tasked with protecting a prince with a magical power?

My brain refused to let go of that question, and it eventually spawned a fantasy novel, the first draft of which I wrote in Fall 2017. It would be several years and many revisions before I finally wrote a version I felt fully proud of in 2021. “Project Quest,” as I began calling it, is still the story closest to my heart for many reasons, and though it looks vastly different from its original draft, Breath of the Wild still remains one of my primary inspirations. Whenever I felt stuck in writing, I would return to that game and remember how I felt playing it. And I would ask: How can I do this too?

An illustration of Adrien, a character from Project Quest. He is a boy with white skin and blond hair, wearing a green tunic and carrying a satchel. On one arm, he has a scar that looks like vines or leaves. He's using magic with his other hand, and it looks like a spark of electricity.

An illustration of Myrina, a character from Project Quest. She is a woman with brown skin and dark brown hair in a single braid. She wears a blue long-sleeve tunic with leather armor that consists of a breastplate and shoulder guards. She carries a sword on her right side and she is looking up confidently.

The three main characters from Project Quest: Adrien, Myrina, and Silas.
Art commissioned from @EmilyE_Draws on Twitter

And so it is rather appropriate that today, Breath of the Wild‘s long-awaited sequel, Tears of the Kingdom, is being released after 6 years.

I have just finished drafting “Project Quest #2,” because I learned the story I wanted to tell couldn’t be contained in just one book. This sequel (Book 2 of a trilogy, most likely) clocks in at 135,000 words, which is the longest single thing I’ve ever written. I’m still baffled by it. And again, while this story has a long way to go, I feel like I have also come full circle. Today, I will get to return to the world that started this journey for me.

The past year has also brought some significant change in my life, much like how I felt in 2017. Some of these changes have been more welcome than others, but it all leaves me feeling nostalgic in a way I can’t quite define. I often find myself returning to favorite books, shows, and games for a sense of stability and comfort.

I have changed, and I know Hyrule has changed too since the last time I visited it. And still, this afternoon when I pick up the controller and turn on Tears of the Kingdom for the first time, I know it will feel like greeting an old friend.

I am ready to return home.

Photo of Maggie. a plus size white woman with short brown curly hair and glasses. She is wearing a blue shirt with a pattern around the collar that looks like a sword. In her hands she is holding a copy of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.

A stack of Pokemon Adventures manga volumes. Volume 14 is shown so the reader can see the cover. A small plush Mareep is next to the stack.

Gotta Catch… Some of ‘Em | 25 Pokémon for 25 Years

March 2, 2021October 22, 2022 Maggie3 Comments

“But Maggie, didn’t you write a post listing things from a video game franchise last week?”

I sure did! And I’m going to do it again!

You see, not only did The Legend of Zelda turn 35 in the last few weeks, Pokémon, another franchise near and dear to my heart, also celebrated its 25th anniversary the other day. The Pokémon Company (TCPi) released a delightful retrospective video as part of their celebration:

Anyway, more to the point, Pokémon was my first “real” video game, and it’s a franchise I have a lot of fond memories of, from battling against my neighborhood friends to hunting rare creatures on my college campus in Pokémon Go.

With nearly 900 of these cartoon creatures in existence, it seems nearly impossible to narrow it down to my top 25 favorite, but I’m gonna try it anyway.

A display of Legend of Zelda books and various memorabilia. In the back is a stack of books from the "Goddess Collection," which includes Hyrule Historia, Art & Artifacts, and the Encyclopedia. Stacked on top are two crocheted dolls of Link and Zelda, along with an amiibo figurine based on Link from The Wind Waker. Beside it is a cop of the Oracle of Ages manga, and in front is a prop replica of the Master Sword.

Top 10 The Legend of Zelda Memories

February 22, 2021October 22, 2022 Maggie5 Comments

This is but one of the legends of which the people speak…
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker

I’m not quite old enough to remember when the first The Legend of Zelda game was released, but I still have many fond memories of the series. The Legend of Zelda series was one of the first video games that really showed me how much adventure and story could be packed into one “little” game. No matter which game I played, there was always something new to explore, and I fell in love with the each game’s world and its characters.

Yesterday (February 21, 2021) marked the 35th anniversary of The Legend of Zelda franchise. Nintendo’s popular adventure series made its debut in 1986 on the Famicom in Japan, before coming to the United States a year later on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). In celebration, I’ve collected a list of my favorite Zelda-related memories to share, in no particular order.

A Nintendo Switch displaying a selection of games. All of the games are faded except for the game Transistor. The cover shows a red-haired woman in a golden dress weilding a cyberpunk sword.

I Won’t Become A Number in the System | Exploring the Ending in Supergiant’s Transistor

July 27, 2020October 22, 2022 MaggieLeave a comment

I don’t usually write two deep analysis posts in a row, but I’m making an exception. Last week, as I was preparing for my blog post about Bastion and how it creates weighty, impactful choices for its players, I realized something similar about another game from Supergiant, Transistor.

Transistor was the first Supergiant Games title that I played, and I had no idea what I was getting into. I fell in love with its art, music, and mechanics that were unlike anything else I had ever played before. It was what opened the door for me to try Bastion and, later on, Hades.

Like Bastion, Transistor is also about decisions. However, it is not about how or why we choose one thing over another, but instead one’s right to make decisions at all.

As with my previous post, there are big spoilers for the end of Transistor up ahead. I’ll also be referencing some of the endgame elements from Bastion that I used last time, so beware of that as well. As usual, I highly recommend these games and encourage you to play them before coming back, but I’ll explain enough background that you can read this without playing too.

A hand holding a Nintendo Switch. The screen displays the splash image for the game Bastion

I’ll See You In The Next One | How Supergiant’s Bastion Creates Choices With Narrative Impact

July 20, 2020October 22, 2022 Maggie1 Comment

Video games are driven by decisions. The primary thing that sets video games apart from film or literature is the level of interaction involved, and that interaction comes through making decisions.

These days, there are entire genres of video games dedicated to decision-making, like visual novels. Apart from that, making choices is still a core part of narrative-driven games in other genres.

Bastion, the first game developed by Supergiant Games in 2011, is a typical action RPG on the surface. Beneath that, however, is a well-written story that culminates in two very charged decisions at the end of the game. The final scenes of Bastion have stuck with me since I finished the game a few months ago, and today, I’m going to take a closer look at what makes the game’s conclusion work so well.

Since I’m discussing the end of the game, spoilers for Bastion are below! I highly recommend playing the game for yourself first, but if you already have or just aren’t really a gamer, click to read on.

Afterwords: 7 Spectacular Songs from Video Games

May 25, 2020October 22, 2022 Maggie1 Comment

A few years ago, I was just beginning my foray into video game soundtracks. I had just finished my first year of college, and during that time I discovered that while my usual playlist made it difficult for me to focus on my work, instrumental soundtracks had the opposite effect. So I wrote a blog post ranking my favorite songs at the time.

Since then, I’ve expanded my horizons and listened to music from movies, TV series, and even some video games I never played before. Even though I’m not a musician, I find myself picking up on different themes in the soundtracks of my favorite games. I pay attention to the music, and it enhances my experience.

In light of that, I figured it was about time to revisit my list of favorites. I gave myself a few rules this time around:

No music with lyrics. So even though “Paper Boats” from Transistor is one of my favorites, it won’t make the cut. You should still listen to it though.
Only one song per game/franchise/composer. My playlist is much more varied now, and I want that to show through on this list.

On a side note, I did try to list composers in addition to the game’s title! If I didn’t know who composed the exact song, I just listed whoever was credited on Wikipedia. I also tried to link each track where I could, but it’s not uncommon for soundtracks to “disappear” from YouTube often. Apologies if there are any broken links here!

Without further ado, here are some of my favorite soundtrack songs that keep me going!

A Nintendo Switch console propped up against a paper background. The screen displays the game Celeste, with an illustration of a mountain

Climbing My Mountain | Thoughts on Celeste

November 18, 2019October 22, 2022 Maggie1 Comment

A year ago, in the midst of final exams and papers, I gave myself a few hours off to watch The Game Awards, the Oscars of the video game world (but with less gowns and more t-shirts). I remember that night, huddled on my bed in my dorm room, seeing Celeste win the Best Independent Game and Games for Impact awards. I was intrigued, because the Games for Impact Award generally goes to games focused on emotional storytelling and/or social issues. Not only that, but the developer, Maddy Thorson, spoke about mental illness in her acceptance speech. I kept the game in the back of my mind.

Later that month, I was visiting family, and saw that my cousin was playing Celeste. I learned then that Celeste is a platforming game that relies on quick reflexes and precision to make it from one “room” to the next. I really wanted to give it a try, because the music was catchy and the retro graphics were cute, but I’m horrible at platformers. Even Super Mario games with all of their fail-safes are a challenge for me. I had a feeling that Celeste would be a frustrating waste of money for me, so I shelved the idea of ever playing it.

That is, until the Epic Games Store gave it away for free this year. Knowing it was considered one of the best games of 2018, I “bought” it and decided to give it a whirl when I was itching for a new game to play.

As I suspected, I sucked at it. In the first chapter (or “level”) alone, I died hundreds of times. I would die hundreds more in the chapters to come. But what really drew me in to Celeste was its story and main character, Madeline. I found myself identifying with Madeline a lot, and in a way, her quest to reach the summit of Celeste Mountain became my quest too.

5 Celeste 5 — Madeline begins her quest to reach the summit of Celeste Mountain.

Which Pokémon Go Team Are Your Favorite Characters On? (+Quiz!)

July 9, 2018October 22, 2022 Maggie1 Comment

Two years ago, a little app overtook the world. This app was Pokémon Go, a mobile game based on the popular video game franchise that used GPS and augmented reality technology to bring the cartoon creatures to the real world.

People everywhere grabbed their smartphones and left to explore their towns and neighborhoods. Even today, the game still brings people together regularly. I’ve made some great friends at my school through the game, and there were dozens of people at a local park for the most recent Community Day.

In Pokémon Go there are three teams: Team Valor, Team Mystic, and Team Instinct. Once players reach a certain level, they join one of these teams and then compete against the others.

The choice of team is arbitrary, but each one embodies a certain set of characteristics. Knowing this, it got me thinking – if fictional characters played Pokémon Go, what teams would they be on? I’ve decided to “sort” a handful of them and give a few reasons why. Plus, if you’ve always wanted to know what team you should be on, I have just the quiz for you!

A plush Pikachu sits against a gray background with its back turned to the camera.

Life Lessons Learned From Pokémon

April 16, 2018October 25, 2022 Maggie1 Comment

One fateful day many years ago, someone handed me a GameBoy Advance and a copy of Pokémon Sapphire, and my life was never the same.

I suppose you could take that in the literal sense – i.e. I became a huge geek after that, and my chances of ever being able to pretend I was a normal human being were completely shot – but I think there’s something more there too, something less tangible and obvious than discovering a new hobby.

The things that are a part of our childhoods often have a bigger impact on us than we realize, but we tend to brush these things off as being “not mature enough” to have any real significance in our lives. We look back at the hobbies we had and the games we played as children and think, “Yeah, that was fun, but it doesn’t really mean anything now.”

But that’s where we’re wrong, readers.

A hand holding two video game cartridges for Super Mario Odyssey and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

More Than a Damsel in Distress: A Look at Two Iconic Princesses

March 26, 2018October 25, 2022 MaggieLeave a comment

Fairy tales have told the hero-saves-the-princess story for about as long as fairy tales have existed. This plot was later incorporated into video games, with some of the earliest story-driven games requiring you, the player, to save the damsel in distress. This trope has appeared in dozens of video games since, but none more prominently than the Mario and Legend of Zelda franchises.

Back in the 8-bit days, both of these franchises revolutionized gaming with Super Mario Bros and The Legend of Zelda. Though vastly different in terms of genre and gameplay, both games tasked you with fighting the villain and rescuing the princess – Princess Peach in the case of Mario, and Princess Zelda in the case of Zelda.

The appearances of Peach and Zelda in these early games are classic examples of a Damsel in Distress – no real plot importance other than being a person to be rescued, and essentially helpless (though less so in Zelda’s case). Over time, however, Nintendo has subverted these tropes in their games, especially in each franchise’s most recent entries, Super Mario Odyssey and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Although the safety of these princesses is still the goal of your quest, these two ladies are far more than just damsels in distress.

Warning – Spoilers ahead!