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Gameheadz
- video game special on games in the 80s. Aired on TLC.

This show had a segment on Nintendo and Miyamoto, growing up, on how Donkey Kong was designed, Super Mario Bros., and The Legend of Zelda. The only airings on TLC I know of was when it primiered and was shown 3 times over the week. I don't remember seeing any offer to buy this on video either. It'd be nice to see this on again someday. Below is an excerpt from The Legend of Zelda coverage, with Miyamoto's thoughts on what he put into the game.

Nintendo released the first of a series of games that has been widely acclaimed as the greatest games ever made, the Zelda series. The Legend of Zelda moved beyond platforms and levels. It offered players a vast magical world to roam and freely explore.

"The story begins with a child standing in the middle of a field. He doesn't have a sword or a shield. The player starts by naming the child, but then he has no idea what to do. He wanders around the field, looking for things to do. It was a very daring concept back then."

Zelda was inspired by Miyamoto's childhood wanderings in the countryside around his home.

"I walked up into the mountains, through woods and the rocky space. And finally, I came to big lake. I was so surprised to find such a big lake high up in the mountains! It looked like a vast ocean. This image is used a lot in Zelda."

"I provided lots of different items to discover in Zelda. These items are there to help the hero grow, from a small child to an accomplished adult. When the child grows up, the player thinks, 'I used to be scared of this but now, I'm very strong!'. That's the kind of game I wanted to make."

 

Taking over 100 hours to play, the Legend of Zelda perplexed, fascinated, and consumed players all over the world. It was an sensation that broke all the rules, and defined a genre that has dominated game design ever since.

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