Why Zelda Endures

The Legend of Zelda franchise has long been a gaming institution. For 25 years the series has continued to produce quality releases, laying the groundwork for countless other series and inspiring the imaginations of gamers worldwide. The latest release, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, is no exception. The title, which IGN's own Rich George awarded that coveted perfect 10, is already the fastest-selling Zelda game in the history of the franchise. Not too shabby for a series that's getting up there in years.

So how does Link do it? It's rather simple really. Below you'll find a handful of the many reasons why the Zelda franchise has endured these many years, and why gamers just can't get enough of rescuing the titular princess.

A Strong Foundation

The most important thing any franchise needs is a strong foundation, and Zelda's got that in spades. The basic principals that comprise its winning formula all make for brilliant gameplay hooks. Traversing different dungeons on your quest to save the world, utilizing acquired items to access new areas and interact with objects in the environment – the traditional activities that return in some form or another in each Zelda game just never grow old, especially when packaged with a little dose of innovation.

As good now as it was all those years ago. And it's still dangerous to go alone.

In addition to providing new grass for the chopping (and rupees for the taking), each new adventure builds upon this rock solid foundation with new insight into Hylian lore, new NPCs to acquaint yourself with, and lots of small touches unique to that game (but each so Zelda in their own way). The Zelda franchise, and each game contained within it, carries a certain magic that captures your heart with its creativity and fantastic setting, while appealing to your gamer senses with its riveting gameplay and old school charm. There's a reason gamers have chosen to return to this basic formula time and time again. A great foundation, when handled masterfully, never loses its fun factor.

A Tale That Spans the Ages
One of the most brilliant (and at times confusing) things about the Zelda storyline is that it leaves itself open for infinite sequels without having to stretch. Rather than the developers having to continually contrive a new reason for the same hero to be needed over and over again, Zelda's various creators set-up a timeless tale that is told across centuries, and a plot line that is truly eternal. With the unbreakable spirit of the hero, Link, being reborn ad infinitum - and great evil always waiting to arise - it's a story that easily justifies its repetition, with each new installment only strengthening the overall lore.

Skyward Sword expands upon this idea greatly, explaining even further the reasons behind Link and Zelda's never-ending fight to save Hyrule. The fact that the very storyline allows the franchise to reinvent itself time and time again helps keep it new and interesting, and makes for a long, full history that each entry adds to, chapter by chapter, and Link by Link.

A Tale That Spans the Ages
There are actually very few direct sequels in the series' long run - most Zelda games present an entirely new adventure and storyline for players to enjoy. Sure, Phantom Hourglass follows Wind Waker, Majora's Mask follows Ocarina, and Zelda II follows the original - but otherwise every single adventure starts from scratch. Even direct sequels usually offer hugely different gameplay mechanics to shake things up and a story that is starkly different - like Majora's three day cycle and mask mechanic, Phantom's touch controls or Zelda II's RPG elements.

Majora's was a sequel, but still a very different adventure than its predecessor.

And for those who lobby the complaint that it's always Ganon causing mischief, sequel or not, it's worth noting that half of the Zelda games don't even feature Ganon in any form (not even including the Oracle games, which present a Ganon fight if you link the two after beating both). So while the game may usually task Link with aiding Zelda in some way, it's always in some new, exciting way to progress some new, exciting story.

Keeping it Fresh

Part of what helps the Zelda franchise keep on a rolling is how pioneering it's proven over the years. Zelda is known for being an innovator in the industry, often setting gaming standards that other franchises can only mimic and attempt to build upon. But even more important than its innovations within the action adventure genre is Zelda's amazing ability to provide fresh content within the aging series. After all, even though the original Legend of Zelda for the NES set the standard for adventure games, if the franchise hadn't been able to constantly reinvent itself, the series would have gotten stale years ago.

Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link turned just about every concept the original introduced on its head. It took tons of chances that, even though many of them didn't stick, still made for an amazing and unique (not to mention underappreciated) installment. Link's awakening showed what was possible on a handheld, despite the fact that it was developed for the limited hardware of the original Game Boy. Ocarina of Time showed how to create enormous 3D worlds on a console, and actually invented a gaming staple with the introduction of its revolutionary Z-targeting system. Wind Waker showed how to do cel-shading right, creating a style that proved timeless and still looks gorgeous to this day. And recently, Skyward Sword set a new standard for motion controls that won't easily be rivaled.

Good Games

Above all, the reason the Zelda franchise has endured all these many years is that it continually offers up damn good games for the playing. With deep gameplay, often magical storytelling, and a wealth of new items and characters constantly being added to the fold, each Zelda game boasts the most important element a video game can offer: pure fun.

The series that keeps soaring to new heights. We can't wait to see what's in store.

For challenging us, testing our minds and inspiring our imaginations, ultimately, this is why the gaming world can't get enough of Zelda. If the franchise continues to be handled with the care it has received for the past quarter of a century, there's no reason it shouldn't continue to remain a beloved and valuable gaming institution for another 25 years.

[source IGN.com]