CGR Undertow reviews The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Where once stretched a vast blue sky now billows thick plumes of smoke, a blur of browns and grays which seems to suffocate any rays of light foolish enough to pierce it. Where once stood a proud castle now extends a dying plain of ash and burning rubble, and where once I played as a child now stands a seething, demonic beast obsessed with my destruction. Blade unsheathed and hairs standing on end, my journey had finally come to this. More than a decade has passed since that moment, the monumental final minutes of the Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and after all these years, I remember the scene as vividly as ever. Forget revisiting its cartridge—simply recalling its memory brings a gleaming smile to my face. More than its Homeric story, pioneering controls and engrossing gameplay, perhaps that is the true testament to Ocarina of Times timelessness. Perhaps that is why, even after nearly 12 years and three presidencies, people regard Nintendos Zelda opus so highly. Like the handful of Zelda titles before it, Ocarina of Time uses a simple recipe—explore the world, find a temple, clear it and repeat. The cycle isnt complicated, but the journey it fosters is truly staggering, leading Link on a quest which takes him from forest to desert, from lake to mountain, and even from childhood to adulthood. The classic legend unfolds at an exemplary pace, highlighted by the games vibrant, interactive worlds and powered by its revolutionary third-person controls, camera and combat. Ocarina of Time was deemed a platform-defining release for the Nintendo 64, but in truth, it wasnt simply a defining moment for its platform—it was a defining moment for the industry. A game without peers, its also the greatest game Nintendo has ever released.