Legend of Zelda OOT: An Unbelievable Reward System!

        The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time was released for the Nintendo 64 console on November 23rd, 1998.  An outstanding title form Nintendo, Legend of Zelda OOT revolutionized what a video game could be.  Being one of my first/ my favourite video game of all time, I feel like this game has really contributed to my knowledge of how games should be created to ensure the a fun experience.  After recently playing through the game over the summer and then attending the reward systems lecture this week, I was hit with the fact that Legend of Zelda OOT had mastered the correct implementation of rewards, even before people were really looking into the science of what makes games fun!

     

A Common Treasure Chest Present in the LOZ: OOT

        One of the main reasons I feel this game was and still is so popular and successful, is because of their use of implementing rewards at correct times to make the game flow smoothly.  Although the game does not present the player with limitations such as an XP bar limiting the levels the player can attempt, the Legend of Zelda does implement a restriction system that works in sync with the in game rewards.  In a genius design by the team at Nintendo, they implemented a system that did not just rely on the player completing a temple to suddenly have the next one become unlocked.  For the player to progress through the game, they were required to acquire certain items that allowed them to access the entrance area to the next temple.  A prime example that comes to my head when thinking of this reward system was when Link needs to somehow access the water temple resting deep underwater in Lake Hylia.  To prevent players from gaining early access to this area, Link is unable to naturally swim down to the entrance of the Temple.  He must instead complete the temples in the correct order, during which he will receive the Iron Boots as a reward.  These boots then allow Link to sink to the bottom of the lake and enter the temple.

Lake Hylia: The Tree on the Right Signifies the lone part
of the Water Temple above Ground. 

       This is not only an example of great level design on the designers part, but also how they were able to tweak the way a reward system can work for the player as a feel good mechanism, while also allowing the game to flow with little to no interruption.  I can personally vouch for how this system of rewarding the player felt all the more exciting as there is the "Ah Ha" moment present.  What that meant for me, was the moment when I would realize that this new item that helped me defeat the final boss of this temple, is also the item I have been looking for to allow me to keep moving forward in my quest.    I also felt that it made the game slightly more addicting in the sense that I was always on the look out for some new item that would benefit me in my quest and help me trek onward in my endeavors.  It was a new mechanic (for me at least) that helped to break the monotony of completing a level, only to be shuffled to the next one with little flow and a definite lack of meaningful rewards.  

         I am usually very biased to only talk positives of this series, being that they are my favourite, but there is one situation in the OOT game that felt as though the reward system interrupted the main quest line in an unpleasant way.  This moment is when the player is required to seek out the location of the hook-shot, as it is required to access the entrance to the Forest Temple.  However, instead of doing the most obvious option of putting this item as a reward in an earlier instance, the designers opted to add it in a random grave location North of Kakariko Village.  This moment seemed to break the flow of gameplay up to that point as it seemed out of place and not very fitting with the theme of where I was in the story.  Thankfully, the reward system picked up after this point and fit right back to how it had been progressing earlier in the game.

 

Dampe's Grave Race- The unusual race minigame required to obtain the Hookshot

      To this day, I still adore the Legend of Zelda series, as the designers always know how and when to reward the player to make them feel as though they have accomplished an incredible feat.  I would be hard pressed to find another game that makes me feel the range of emotions that the Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time has made me feel.  If only this played in real life, it would make getting a reward that much more satisfying:!