The very best Legend of Zelda tracks, from the original classic through Ocarina of Time.
SHOW NOTES
0:00:00 – Title Screen (Legend of Zelda)
0:10:29 – Overworld (Legend of Zelda)
0:11:46 – Labyrinth (Legend of Zelda)
0:24:14 – Title Screen (Zelda II)
0:25:28 – Overworld (Zelda II)
0:26:58 – Palace Theme (Zelda II)
0:36:09 – Hyrule Castle (LttP)
0:38:59 – Sanctuary Dungeon (LttP)
0:40:58 – Dark World (LttP)
0:51:36 – Tal Tal Heights (Link’s Awakening)
0:53:16 – Sword Search (Link’s Awakening)
0:54:34 – Tarm Ruins (Oracle of Seasons)
0:56:31 – Skull Dungeon (Oracle of Ages)
0:58:15 – Overworld (Oracle of Seasons)
1:08:39 – Hyrule Field (Ocarina of Time)
1:14:05 – Lost Woods (Ocarine of Time)
1:15:18 – Zora’s Domain (Ocarina of Time)
1:21:19 – Shop (Ocarina of Time)
1:23:27 – Windmill (Ocarina of Time)
1:25:04 – Gerudo Valley (Ocarina of Time)
1:31:46 – Ocarina Boogie (Black Lodge)
You shine glorious light on an otherwise dark and monotonous 3rd-shift. …[sheds a single tear]…you are a beautiful, beautiful man Sir Brelston. Bless you… bless you.
Alright, new VGMpire!!!
I’ve noticed you’ve been mostly avoiding the more famous VGM franchises, aside from Castlevania month. I imagine it’s hard to pick out single tracks from such a vast library.
On an unrelated note, how about a Best of 2012 (Late Edition)? Also, how about a User Request episode? I’d like to hear some tracks and let others hear them too, but the ones I’m specifically thinking of (ex: Max Payne Theme) wouldn’t make for an extended podcast, not even if you encapsulate the franchise. I would like to hear a randomized VGMpire someday – sometimes I get burned out on the franchise, especially if I have no prior experience or investment (Ys, Ar Tonelico, etc).
Put XenoBlade Chronicles on the Best of 2012!
Yesssss! Been waiting for a Zelda one since the podcast started Keep up the good work guys! 🙂
For someone who listens to Zelda music just about everyday anyway, I am extremely happy. Thank you Brelston!
PS: Everyone should go check out Twilight Symphony at zreomusic.com; it’s a re-orchestrated arrangement of Twilight Princess music. Very good.
As iconic as Zelda and Mario music is, Nintendo music just can’t hold a candle to the complexity of other music of the time from Konami and Capcom.
Playing Zelda got me into the habit of always holding reset while turning of the power on Nintendo. I never wanted to risk screwing up the save on the many RPGs I played by not doing it, so just to keep the habit I did it on every game.
Yes I’ve been waiting for this! Thanks Brelston!!!
really? i mean its good i just can’t believe zelda wasn’t already covered yet. hmm. anyways love the show now i have something interesting to listen to at work. thanks bret
Nice Episode! Zelda wasn’t a part of my childhood since I grew up with the Genesis instead, but the music is so Iconic that I recognized a lot of these tracks. I know Zelda has a reputation for fantastic music, so I’m looking forward to the rest of this series!
Hey I’ve been waiting for when you’ll bring us a Zelda episode Brett.
Ah yes, Zelda.
The thing for me with Zelda is, I really do love the music… but it has been so overplayed, and I’ve listened to a lot of the same songs so repeatedly over the years, (Specially the main theme and pretty much any OoT song.) that I HAVE gotten a bit fed up about it, to the point that I no longer have the tracks in my computer, or ever listen to them voluntarily.
That being said, a lot of the more obscure tunes are still a blast to hear to this day, and in this episode, Tal Tal Heights has to be the highlight for me. Link’s awakening was one of the Zelda Titles I’ve never played, and listening to this particular tune was pretty cool and refreshing.
Also, another Zelda Soundtrack I’ve never even come close to being fed up with? Minish Cap, really looking forward to see which songs you’ll pick. I am personally hoping that Minish woods will make it! :3
Oh! and also Elston, how about a Contra month, eh? That would be effing fantastic!
As a genesis kid, I never got into Zelda. In fact-and I feel kind of embarrassed to admit this-I’ve never played a Zelda game. Most of my knowledge of the franchise actually comes from Brett. This was a great episode, and I’m looking forward to the followup.
Also, how much do you think Elston dithered about what he named the download link?
A Link the Past still remains my favorite Zelda (next to Majora’s Mask). I got the game as a pack-in title for my brand new SNES that my dad bestowed upon my brother and me after buying it at a local Caldor in ’93/’94.
I know that game like the back of my hand: heart piece & item locations, hidden caves, world warp puzzles, etc. Naturally, since it was my first and favorite Zelda, the soundtrack gets the high honors from me too. Everything from the Prologue, to Hyrule Castle, the Pink Rabbit music, and the Light World Dungeon Theme. I personally think “Dark World” is one of the best SNES tracks of all time. I recently re-listened to “Triforce Chamber” (the music after defeating Ganon) and I got hit by a huge surge of emotional nostalgia. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4Qkmb-vTek
I still think the Zelda games have yet to utilize a two-world mechanic as ingenious as ALTTP’s (although Skyward Sword comes close with its Timeshift Stones). That warp sound effect when you switch between worlds is so damn cool that I use it as my text ringtone. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqLx9WPWzsM
Speaking of ringtones, this is “a secret to everybody:” The Fairy Fountain music makes for a pretty alarm clock ringtone.
I also feel that ALTTP had one of the best Zelda intros: Link leaving home in the middle of the night while intense rain and dramatic music plays as you make your way into Hyrule Castle to rescue Zelda was a fantastic way to start the game. Way better than rummaging through Kokiri Forest looking for a sword and shield, that’s for sure.
I finished Link’s Awakening DX a couple of years back. While I’m not as huge of a fan of that one as a lot of other people are, I thought it was neat. I’ve made little progress in Oracle of Seasons, but with both games coming to the 3DS Virtual Console stateside eventually, I may just wait.
OoT is pretty special to me as well. My dad toiled endlessly going from store to store to get us a copy of that game after it came out (we didn’t preorder it). He finally did a day or two after Thanksgiving ’98. That made for an amazingly magical morning. Whereas ALTTP may have the more epic intro, Ocarina had the cooler outro. The synth choir in Ganon’s final boss theme still gives me chills.
One interesting thing about OoT’s music: The first couple of shipments of OoT cartridges have a “Fire Temple” theme that features Islamic chants. This was removed in future versions. http://www.gametrailers.com/full-episodes/vzs1ku/pop-fiction-episode-09–the-fire-temple-chants
Since I hadn’t grown up with the original two Zeldas, I don’t have overwhelmingly nostalgic memories of the two. Nevertheless, while I may have finished Zelda 1 on GCN using a printed-out GameFAQs map, I take pride in completing Zelda II on my NES 2 summers ago, beating Dark Link on my first try with 0 lives and one hit away from a Game Over. Epic.
And if you’re not tired of heavy metal VGM covers (why should you be?), Vomitron’s Zelda & Zelda II medleys will rock your face off:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9c_BATLsou8 and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkILY7IcjG0
See also: The NESkimos’ Dark World cover: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uc6aHh2jT-4
Looking forward to the next few Zelda eps. Some podcast ideas (that are not called Breath of Fire) popped up into my head recently: Rhythm games (Um Jammer Lammy, Parappa 1/2, Rez, Gitaroo Man, etc.) and Mystical Ninja music (particularly the SNES and first N64 game).
Yes to Mystical Ninja! Don’t have the N64 OST though…
FB me 😛
HUH?! GAME DEALS?! WHERE?!
Oh, that’s just the shop music… it got a Pavlovian response out of me…
^
+5 awesome to you good fellow.
[…] The very best Legend of Zelda tracks, from the original classic through Ocarina of Time. HEY LISTEN! […]
aw yes! very awesome.
also… i love the art work you chose for this one.
i love that classic LOZ art work. something about that art style it just grabbed me as a kid, and i can’t let it go as an adult.
Great episode, but still waiting for the KINGDOM HEARTS or DEVIL MAY CRY episode form you guys >.<
Brelston I’m sorry we don’t tell you how much we love you enough :c This is my favorite podcast, I love when you guys get into stories about the games, and when you talk about the technology and history the went into a specific portion of the game (I didn’t know what Mode 7 was before this podcast, now I joke about it regularly, much to my friends confusion).
I’d be really excited to hear about some of the more obscure titles you’ve been a fan of. I can’t speak for anyone else here, but I certainly don’t listen to an episode based on the games popularity. A whole episode based on old PC games would be a real treat, but you did a Yume Nikki ep, I would be pretty darn giddy abbout that.
<3
OF COURSE THE BLOG POST SAYS HEY LISTEN!!
awwwww yeah
Please talk about The Hidden Village from Twilight Princess next time. Love the show!
Thank you so much for the hard work you put into VGMpire, Brett! And it’s great to finally see a Zelda episode. Tons of great music was covered, and I can’t wait for you to get to Majora’s Mask, Wind Waker, TP, and SS.
I’ve tried asking you on multiple occasions, but what do you say to an episode on Star Fox, Okami, or Journey? 😀
Cheers!
Love SNES Star Fox, but don’t really remember much of the 64 OST, or the stuff that followed (Assault, Adventures, Command etc)
How about Okami/Journey?
I have played every LOZ a million times over THANK YOU FOR THIS! I’ve been waiting for this episode since I found this podcast too.
I grew up in a very woodsy area myself so I thought it was awesome that you guys brought that up. I would play in the woods for hours and LOZ has always reminded me of that. I certainly appreciate that you guys put this together and the commentary is fun to listen to as well. I’m 23 so it’s interesting hearing how you guys experienced all these games.
Keep up the good work! Can’t wait for part 2
I’ve been gone for a while, got some catching up to do. Keep on doing these Brelston!
Great episode guys, can’t wait for part 2!
OoT was actually my first Zelda game, but since I’m only 20 now I may have even been a bit young for that when I played it, and I remember being completely lost way before I even got up to the disasters that would have been the water temple and shooting arrows into the sun or whatever. So my “actual” first Zelda game was Wind Waker when I was about 9 or 10.
Because you said you were wondering Brett, even though I got into Zelda on such a relatively recent game, I still did get that sense of adventure that you were describing when the intro theme played over the story of the Hero of Time in Wind Waker. It was a combination of my vague recollection of playing OoT when I was younger, the excitement you get when you open any new game at that age, and the amazing music that did it for me. Then when I finally got the boat and sail and the entire map opened up to explore, it immediately became my favorite game I’ve ever played. I just played it again a year ago and was really happy to see how well it holds up, especially compared to OoT. I didn’t really have any intention of getting a Wii U, but I have to admit I’m considering it after the Wind Waker HD announcement.
Anyway, keep up the good work Brett.
As a huge legend of zelda fan, Thank you Brelston!
I actually listened to this episode while playing Dark Souls, and the music synced up very well. I was exploring a creepy part of the game while the Labyrinth theme played, and it definitely put me on edge.
Great episode and it made me go buy Hyrule Historia through a link ta boot, book is fantastic so thanks for that Brett.
Oh and since I don’t type it enough, thanks to you and all of the guest hosts for making the most consistently awesome podcast I listen to. <3
Even with this episode just out of the earbuds, I can’t wait to hear part 2!
That Spirit Tracks ost ( or as I like to call them, the ‘Spirit Tracks’ tracks), hell, the whole game was the pinnacle of the DS. So hyped.
AMAZING!! The Zelda franchise is by far one of my favourites and was so exited when I saw the epsiode appear in my itunes (and even more pumped when I saw it was going to be a two-parter)!! All the episodes are awesome but this one was great!! I loved the little rhyme you made up to the continue music, so funny.
Keep up the great work and looking foward to part two!!
ED (from Canada)
Also just saw Mario RPG posted……good run you’re on right now….(can you tell I’m a Nintendo guy or what)
Another fantastic episode! The tunes here brought back some great memories, and after listening to this I’m extremely tempted to download Link’s Awakening from the 3DS VC (also to finish Ocarina of Time 3D in general). Can’t wait for part 2!
Can’t download this episode 🙁
Can you check the link? (No pun intended)
Back now!
Thanks! By the way, I really like the podcast! I like game music, but your discussions between them are great! Many thanks from your Brazilian listener!
Loved the episode!
I was a SEGA kid (I still have my Saturn), moved over to nintendo with the N64, and OoT was my first Zelda game… love at first sight! For Majora’s I even have the golden pre-order cartridge…
Now after listening to the podcast I want to go play them all over again!
[…] briefly touched upon LA in the Hyrule Hits episode, namely Tal Tal Heights… which just so happens to be one of the tracks on this […]
Brett, don’t feel bad about the gamecube version not being widescreen. The gamecube version is the more complete viewport. Nintendo cheated widescreen on the wii version and just chopped off the tops and bottoms of the screen instead of actually widening the viewport which is a shame.
Also just discovered the podcast recently and am totally loving it. Been going through your backlog and it’s all fantastic.
Zelda
You guys made me smile big happy smiles. I loved the way you talked about what it was like to experience Zelda for the first time, and what it meant to you. I grew up with a Sega Master System(my younger brother had a NES), so my experience with the first two Zelda Games was secondhand. I remember the first (or second) Zelda commercial(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-qBkWerZDg), which had a weird dude with a Beekman’s World hairdo in a black leotard walking around looking for Zelda.
So your nostalgia got me thinking: When, if ever, did I ever experience that sense of adventure as a kid? Yup, with Y’s and Golvellius for the SMS….But it all culminated in Phantasy Star.
My buddy got the game before I did. I listened with wonder as he told me about traipsing about the countryside, battling monsters with multiple characters, visiting spaceports and buying burgers and colas at the shop. There are even three planets you can visit. I spent the night that weekend and we stayed up ‘till dawn with that game. I was more than happy to sit and watch multiple hours of dungeon grinding; It had the best 3-D dungeon I’d seen on a console at that time. Anyway, all three of the games I mentioned elicited that sense of wonder you guys got when you first played Zelda. Thanks for taking me back to those moments, even if it took Zelda as a proxy to get me there.
we need VOLUME 2!!