20 Mind-Blowing Gaming Facts You Probably Never Knew

5. The Legend Of Zelda Exists Because Shigeru Miyamoto Had Careless Parents

Link The Legend Of Zelda Twilight PrincessNintendoA provocative title, perhaps, but we'll let you judge just how good Shigeru Miyamoto's parents were for yourselves. In a revealing interview with The New Yorker, the genius behind The Legend of Zelda franchise confessed that he'd often wander off on his own in his rural hometown of Sonobe as a child. Tell us if the following snippet sounds familiar to you. "One day, when he was seven or eight, he came across a hole in the ground. He peered inside and saw nothing but darkness. He came back the next day with a lantern and shimmied through the hole and found himself in a small cavern. He could see that passageways led to other chambers. Over the summer, he kept returning to the cave to marvel at the dance of the shadows on the walls." The visual of a young Shiggy going off on little adventures of his own is undeniably delightful, and we're glad he transitioned into adulthood unscathed, though basically, we're left to deduce that his parents were probably pretty irresponsible in allowing such a young kid to saunter off on their own. Still, had Shiggy not fallen in love with this cave as a child, perhaps The Legend of Zelda wouldn't exist, or at least not in the form that we know it. Yay for bad parenting, right?
Contributor
Contributor

Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes). General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.