The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
A classic Zelda adventure with a light world and a dark world.
Where The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past comes up1 episode or test
- 1IntroTight and linear
- 2Early dungeonsOpen, playable in any order
- 3Hyrule CastleConstricted path
- 4Dark worldWide open
- 5GanonFinal stretch
From Mark Brown on Zelda and Dark Souls
What was said about The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
A Link to the Past alternates tight linear stretches with wide open ones. Its outline runs from the intro to early dungeons playable in any order, then a constricted Hyrule Castle, then a wide-open dark world, then Ganon. The tight acts give forward momentum and the open acts give freedom to explore.
Mark Brown compares this to Dark Souls, which has five acts. Acts 1, 3 and 5 (the intro, Sen's Fortress and Anor Londo, and the final Gwyn fight) are linear, and acts 2 and 4 (the bell hunt and the four Lord Souls) are open. He says the two games share a near identical accordion outline of constricting and branching paths. In his words: "Acts 1, 3, and 5 are very linear and have a sense of forward momentum to them. While acts 2 and 4 are more open, and branching."
The World Design of Dark Souls | Boss Keys
It shares Dark Souls' accordion outline: early dungeons in any order, a tight Hyrule Castle, a wide dark world, then Ganon.
A Link to the Past alternates tight linear stretches with wide open ones. Its outline runs from the intro to early dungeons playable in any order, then a constricted Hyrule Castle, then a wide-open dark world, then Ganon. The tight acts give forward momentum and the open acts give freedom to explore.
Mark Brown compares this to Dark Souls, which has five acts. Acts 1, 3 and 5 (the intro, Sen's Fortress and Anor Londo, and the final Gwyn fight) are linear, and acts 2 and 4 (the bell hunt and the four Lord Souls) are open. He says the two games share a near identical accordion outline of constricting and branching paths. In his words: "Acts 1, 3, and 5 are very linear and have a sense of forward momentum to them. While acts 2 and 4 are more open, and branching."
More in Games
GamesNintendo
A Zelda adventure where Princess Zelda copies objects and monsters as echoes to solve puzzles and fight.
GamesThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Nintendo's long-running action-adventure series about Link exploring Hyrule, solving puzzles and fighting Ganon.
GamesDead Space
A major video game publisher and the guest's employer.
G
29 sources · 94 tipsMind Over Magnet
A puzzle platformer where you escape a factory using a magnet and a magnetic field.
GamesFar Cry 2
An open world action game where you recruit and play any of London's citizens.
GamesGod of War
A combat-focused action adventure game from Santa Monica Studio with Norse mythology and light puzzles.
Mind Over Magnet
Mark Brown's first game, a puzzle game he made while learning Unity.
GamesDishonored
A first-person stealth action game from Arkane with supernatural powers and the Clockwork Mansion level.