The Legend Of Zelda - Ranking Every Gameplay Gimmick

To any child born in the ‘90s, Ocarina of Time is likely responsible for some of their most awe-inspiring early gaming memories. Leaving Kokiri Forest and being free to explore the seemingly endless Hyrule Field is one of gaming’s defining moments, but this is not the games only iconic part.

Few will forget Young Link pulling the Master Sword from its pedestal and then reawakening as Adult Link seven years later to find that Ganondorf had successfully taken over Hyrule. This brave new world was cruel and savage compared to the one of Link’s childhood, with the once bustling Castle Town having become dusty, abandoned and full of horrifying Redeads.

The clever time travel mechanic allowed you to grow with Link and become further immersed into the world. This forced players to step up - just as Link had to - and do everything they could to return Hyrule to the peace of the past. Players were able to freely move between the two timelines, something which was necessary in order to complete the game’s penultimate dungeon, the Spirit Temple in the Gerudo Desert.

Ocarina of Time is often cited as the greatest game ever made, and you can be in no doubt that this is partly down to the ingenious time travel mechanic.