The Game Plan 02.01.08: The Greatest Video Game Heroes...Ever (Part II)

Posted by James McGee on 02.01.2008

I continue my look at great gaming heroes this week, turning the spotlight on everyone's favorite guy in green, Link.

As I started mapping out the course of these next several columns, in which I'll be discussing my picks for the greatest characters in video games, I realized that this would be much easier if I were dealing with books or movies. It's easy to point to Anthony Hopkins' crazy/charismatic performance as Hannibal Lector, or Jules Verne's description of Captain Nemo as a conflicted eco-terrorist with high ideals and say "Those are great characters." With video games, it's a bit trickier. Pioneering characters of the medium were silent sprites who depended on players to handle most of the action. Stories were usually pretty simple (if there was any story at all) and there was a greater emphasis on gameplay than developing a personality. There was certainly the temptation to look to the modern age, where games have become more cinematic and story-driven, complete with voice acting and Hollywood-worthy writing. While I'll eventually get to some more contemporary characters, I just feel like ignoring the past wouldn't be fair. Part of what makes Mario (for example) such a great character is that, even with the most rudimentary story, he managed to emerge as a striking personality. If for no other reason, the old boys deserve to be recognized because of their ability to shine through as true characters, even when they had so little to work with.

This week, my search for the greatest heroes in video game-dom has me once again delving into Nintendo's rich history. The big N may be "The House that Mario Built," but everybody's favorite Italian plumber had some help along the way. Arguably the second most recognizable character in Nintendo's arsenal doesn't even get his name in the title of his games (well, except for a subtitle or two). But even if the games are called The Legend of Zelda, the star of the show is definitely Link. I'm James McGee, and here's The Game Plan.

As I stated in last week's column, one of my primary criteria in compiling this list of great characters is how much they have influenced games that came after them. I don't think anybody can boast the same amount of influence and number of imitators as Mario, but Link's effect on video games over the years is nothing to sneeze at. While Mario was inspiring countless fast-paced jump-happy titles, Link catered to a more methodical crowd. The Zelda games have always been more about adventure and exploration than frenetic action, so every time a game chooses a slower, meticulous pace, they owe something to the little guy in green.


It ain't easy being green. Having a sword helps.

Some might argue that Link had an even greater impact on the 3D era than his buddy Mario. Platformers aren't nearly the force they use to be, and action/adventure games have really come into their own over the last couple of generations. Once again, Link represents a character who was able to change with the times and, in so doing, created the template that essentially every other three-dimensional adventure game has followed since. Ocarina of Time pretty much hit it out of the park by translating the classic Zelda formula into a 3D control scheme so intuitive that Nintendo has left it virtually untouched for years. Other developers may have tweaked the formula a bit, but the bones of Ocarina's original scheme are still clearly visible. For example, cult-favorite and critical darling Beyond Good and Evil is, for all intents and purposes, Zelda in a sci-fi setting. The enemy lock-on, the exploration, the side-quests—it's all there, and it can be found in countless other games. Everything from Kingdom Hearts to that forgotten gem Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy (hmm, maybe that's a candidate for an Underrated Games column…) is walking a path Link laid out for them.

The Zelda titles have been called "action-role-playing games" by some. Initially, that seems like a misnomer. Although you do get to insert your own name and there are tons of optional side-quests, that's where the comparisons between Zelda and more straight-up RPGs end. Sure, the games take place in an open world, where you're free to roam around at will and engage in all kinds of mundane activities—from fishing to dog races—whenever you want. But when it comes down to actual story progression, things are pretty clearly mapped out for you. You can't get to this dungeon without this item, which you can only receive after conquering another dungeon, and so on. Zelda gives you a little wiggle room, but it also steers you down a pretty specific path. These games have their own story to tell, and they can't have you mucking around with it.


If you ask me to play "Freebird," one more time, I'm sticking this ocarina where the sun don't shine…

So, if the label of "role playing game" seems so wrong for the Zelda series, why does it feel so right? It all comes back to Link, the wide-eyed, silent protagonist of the series. Nintendo has caught some flack for not getting with the times and making more use of voice acting in its core titles, but Link is one character that benefits from the "strong/silent" philosophy. The overall game structure may keep you on a leash, but Link is a blank slate that allows players to write themselves into the story. The myriad choices of other RPGs are replaced by role-playing in its purest sense: putting yourself in the shoes of someone who is not you, doing things you could only dream of doing. Its classic backyard, childhood adventuring with the technological twist of modern console gaming. As a game, The Legend of Zelda may not fit the standard role-playing bill, but Link provides the perfect avatar to act out some good, old fashioned sword and sorcery adventure.

Link doesn't have much to say, but he has still managed to teach gamers and game developers a lot over the years. When it comes to the nuts and bolts of how to put an adventure game together, we owe Link more than any other character in the 3D era. He set the standards that most other titles still struggle to match up to. He offers players the chance to make their daydreams come alive on the screen, nurturing the imaginations of youngsters, and keeping us old geezers in touch with our wide-eyed inner-child. Link may have grown up over the years, but he works hard to make sure we never have to. For that, he deserves our admiration.

Next week, we keep right on a-truckin' through the Great Video Game Heroes series. Hope to see you then.