Just how legendary is Zelda? Let us tell you a story about the tri-force, a sword, a boy, a princess, and a dastardly, evil force.
Creative Staff
Author(s): Shigeru Miyamoto, Eiji Aonuma, Akira Himekawa
Editor: Patrick Thorpe
Publisher: Dark Horse
What They Say
Take a 280 page, detailed journey through the world of Hyrule. Dark Horse teams up with Nintendo to bring Zelda lovers the most in depth look at the history of a boy named Link, a princess named Zelda, and every single adventure they’ve been thrown into. From the very beginning of the tale to where it stands now, “The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia” is an intriguing and beautiful tale that any Zelda fan will enjoy.
The Review
It’s more than just an “artbook.” It’s a giant, wonderful history book about “The Legend of Zelda.” As soon as I set my eyes on the gorgeous cover I couldn’t stop smiling at what laid in front of me. I have fond memories of the Zelda franchise. I remember being a kid and seeing a friend play the game, wandering about the land and fighting monsters along the way. It felt like I was watching an adventure book come to life. It was something new, something different. At the time the only NES games I had known about were “Super Mario Brothers,” “Duck Hunt,” “Tetris,” and that track and field game with the running mat. Zelda was something that had blown my mind, but all I would ever do is sit and watch.
I didn’t really play it for myself until years later with “Ocarina of Time.”
“Ocarina of Time” was the first time I ever cleared a game 100 percent. All of the spider masks, all of the dungeons, I completed everything and was damn proud of myself. After that, I had to keep playing the games in the franchise, always had to have a Zelda in my collection. This book is a compilation of all of those feelings I had — and still have — for this franchise. The adventure, the lands, the characters, the monsters, anything and everything Zelda is contained within these 280 pages.
As soon as the introduction started with the legendary Shigeru Miyamoto there was this amazing feeling that came over me. There’s something really special about a creator who loves what he does, and you can tell that Miyamoto loves this franchise as much as we all do — maybe even more. I won’t go into his words for spoilers sake, but the first couple of pages with him talking about the game was the perfect way to start.
And then the wonder and magic of the world of Zelda keeps going, pouring out of each and every page.
There’s an extremely detailed timeline that puts all of the games in order, something that’s been questioned in the Zelda fan base since before I could walk — just kidding, I was at least in school, though I don’t recall what grade. As much as I’ve been talking about the history that comes off of each page there’s also a ton of art in the book, including never before seen sketches and the plans that went into the games. It’s a great way to see how far Link has come, almost seeming to grow up before our eyes. What I really like is the notes that go along with each sketch. It makes me imagine a team of designers, sketching about this world, not knowing if it will go over well with gamers but putting so much effort into everything they do.
I can just imagine them whispering to one another, “This will be the Water Temple,” then, “… it’s going to absolutely suck for gamers,” then insert a bout of evil laughter.
In Summary
If you’re a Zelda fan there is absolutely no reason to not pick up “Hyrule Historia.” It’s an art book, beautiful pictures from the very first game to “Skyward Sword.” It’s a history book, to the point of being able to use it as a reference book if you were writing a thesis on Zelda. Heck, it’s a comic! There’s an exclusive comic inside by Akira Himekawa, the creator of the Zelda manga! It’s absolutely everything you could ever want in a Zelda book. I dare say that after this, you won’t need another Zelda book again. That is, until, a new Zelda is made for the Wii U and/or 3DS. The story lives on, my friends, and for now you can be content with what the “Hyrule Historia” offers.
Grade: A+
