The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time proves that good game design is good forever. It’s as amazing today as it was in 1998 and, frankly, that’s not going to change. At the same time, playing Ocarina of Time today can’t quite compare to playing it when it originally released. At the time, Hyrule Field was fresh, new, and completely unexplored.
Playing Ocarina of Time in the 90s meant discovering Ocarina of Time before anyone else. While savvy gamers were already discussing Ocarina of Time on the internet, most information was traded among friends, through word of mouth. It’s still an incredible game to uncover without that context, but Ocarina was a very different experience for those who grew up in the 90s.
10 The Guard In The Courtyard
Sneaking into Hyrule Castle Courtyard to meet Princess Zelda is one of Ocarina of Time’s most memorable set-pieces. Said courtyard also happens to be one of the more relaxing areas in the game. With so little time spent in the courtyard, a gamer in the 90s might have wanted to slow down and soak in the brief atmosphere on a replay.
Anyone bold enough to pull out their slingshot and shoot the castle’s windows will be greeted with a very nonplussed guard who will then toss a bomb into the courtyard. Since players at this point will only have four hearts max, it can be a tense little surprise.
9 Kakariko’s Free Shield
Most players will go straight from Princess Zelda to Death Mountain, only to be told by the Kakirko guard to go to Hyrule Market and buy a Hylian Shield. It makes perfect sense and most players will have enough Rupees to do just that. Players who took the time to explore, however, will have found a cheaper– freer– alternative.
If Link gets to Kakariko late enough, he can head into the cemetery and grave rob a tomb home to a lone Hylian Shield. It’s not that useful in the grand scheme of things since Rupees are so easy to come by, but it does save time and can get players into Dodongo’s Cavern faster than usual.
8 The Ice Arrows
Considering most players will save the Spirit Temple for last, it’s very easy to overlook the Gerudo Training Grounds in the rush to defeat Ganondorf once and for all. Those who saved the Shadow Temple for last, however, would’ve had the downtime between the Spirit and Shadow Temples to play around in the Training Grounds.
The Ice Arrows are the third pillar of the Elemental Arrow Trifecta and it serves no purpose outside giving LInk a strong, cool, blue arrow. Honestly, the Ice Arrows are a good enough reason to save the Shadow Temple for last. It at least gives players more time to experiment with them.
7 The Fourth Bottle
Most players will finish the game with three bottles max and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. When it comes down to it, actually getting the fourth bottle ends up being more trouble than it’s worth. It’s rewarding to complete the inventory menu, but it’s frustrating. Back in the 90s, though, all gamers had was time.
Getting the fourth bottle requires riding Epona around Hyrule and sniping Big Poes with the Bow & Arrow. Link then has to catch them in bottles and sell them in Hyrule Market. What makes it frustrating? The Big Poes spawn in awkward locations and disappear fairly quick, which results in a lot of trial & error.
6 The Giant’s Knife
Everyone knows the Biggoron’s Sword. It’s the strongest sword in Ocarina of Time, one of the strongest non-myth swords in the series, and tied to the first major side quest in 3D Zelda. It’s so well known, in fact, that the majority of players will completely neglect to get the Giant’s Knife– the Biggoron Sword’s sickly cousin.
The Medigoron in Goron City sells the Giant's Knife, a weapon that’s functionally the Biggoron’s Sword with durability. Once it breaks, it becomes as weak as the Kokiri Sword. Since the Biggoron Sword is common knowledge, few bother getting the Giant's Knife, but it’s a fun weapon to have around, especially if it breaks.
5 The Dying Soldier
This actually wasn’t common knowledge back in the 90s, and you should really take any anecdotes of players stumbling upon the dying soldier as kids with a grain of salt. It’s certainly possible, but online documentation heavily suggests few knew about him at all. After Ganondorf chases Zelda out of Hyrule, head to the Market’s backstreets.
A soldier will be leaning on the ground. Should Link speak to him, he’ll give him directions on where to go next and then draw his last breath. It’s incredibly morbid for a Zelda game and he’s only present here. Once Link pulls the Master Sword, he’s gone from the game for good.
4 Link’s Personal Cow
Who doesn’t love a tall glass of Lon Lon Milk? That delicious nectar that restores our hearts and lingers just long enough to give us a second helping. Milk Isn't particularly expensive in Ocarina of Time, nor is finding a cow to milk difficult, but having to go find milk every time Link needs it can be a bit too much effort than it’s worth.
By playing Malon’s minigame at Lon Lon Ranch and beating her high score after getting Epona from Ingo, she’ll move a cow into Link’s home in Kokiri Forest. For the rest of the game, Link will have his very own cow that he can go to for milk whenever he wants. And at a super convenient location, too!
3 Every Heart Piece
Ocarina of Time is one of the least demanding Zelda games to get every single Heart Piece end. It can seem like a challenge at first, but it’s really more time consuming than anything. It’s all fun, though, and searching for Heart Pieces is an excellent way of getting to know the game better. For a 90s kid, it was a goal unlike any other.
That perfect file graced by the Spiritual Stones, Medallions, and 20 Hearts. Better yet was when you could make it to the end of the game without dying. There’s something beautiful about that “000.”
2 All 100 Gold Tokens
Even more time consuming than getting 20 Hearts is getting all 100 Gold Skulltula Tokens. Getting 50 for the Piece of Heart halfway through the quest chain can be hard enough for unobservant players, but when Ocarina of Time is one of two games you own for the Nintendo 64, there’s plenty of time to explore Hyrule.
Which is honestly the best part of going for all 100 Gold Tokens– seeing Hyrule from its strangest angles. Gold Skulltulas are placed in increasingly creative places, giving those who seek all 100 an opportunity to really soak up Hyrule from head to toe. It’s a rewarding side quest in the grand scheme of things.
1 “The Triforce, I Swear”
Everyone knew at least one little rat in the 90s who claimed they had found the Triforce in the game. Whether it be Nick, Tom, or Justin whose uncle not only worked at Nintendo, but was actively working on “Zelda 2.” As silly as the rumor was, it fueled debates online for years, with fans trying to find the fabled Triforce.
With modern data mining, there’s no real mystery to games anymore, so this very much was a “you had to be there” kind of thing. Something only those who played Ocarina of Time in the 90s can really appreciate and understand.