A well as classic videogames, culminating in Skyward Sword, the Zelda series has also given us some fantastic TV ads. We take a look back at a few of the finest…
One of the reasons why the Legend Of Zelda series has endured for so long is, of course, because it’s managed to keep offering new ways of keeping its fans entranced. Across several generations of consoles and handhelds, the games have continued to hook us back in with something fresh and magical. But it’s not just the games that have moved with the times; the way they’ve advertised has also evolved.
As this little feature aims to point out, Zelda ads have gradually changed from odd little promos featuring rapping youths and unhinged comedians, to miniature movies that more successfully capture the atmosphere of the games themselves. To celebrate the arrival of Skyward Sword, then, here are a few of our Zelda ad highlights from the last 25 years.
The Legend Of Zelda
“Whoah! Nice graphics. I’d like to get my hands on that game!” says an earnest young lad in this 1986 advert for the original Legend Of Zelda. If any proof were needed that early console games were pitched squarely at kids, this is it – “Your parents can even hook it up”, an announcer suggests, in an age when mums and dads often asked their offspring to program video recorder for them.
Then, just when you’ve got over the rather enthusiastic acting, the Zelda rap kicks in: “It’s the Legend Of Zelda and it’s really rad/Those creatures from Ganon are pretty bad…”
The Legend Of Zelda: Skyward Sword is out now on Nintendo Wii – you can read our review here. Lots more exclusive Zelda content can be found here.
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