Breath of the Wild 2 Trailer: Taking A Closer Look

Hey, everyone! If you’ve been keeping up with E3 this year, then you know there’s a lot to be excited about. Nintendo announced several upcoming titles, including the Switch remake of Link’s Awakening (September 20, 2019), Cadence of Hyrule (available this week!), Luigi’s Mansion 3 (2019), Pokemon Sword and Shield (November 15, 2019), and Animal Crossing: New Horizons (March 20, 2020). Of course, the last thing Nintendo gifted us with was a tantalizing albeit ambiguous trailer of the sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

Even though it clocks in at a little more than 1 minute, the trailer had a looooooot going on. A. Lot. I had to go back and view it several times to not only piece things together but also analyze some elements within. If you pay super close attention, you’ll pick up on some crucial details that might hint toward what we could expect to see in the future.

I know everyone out there is dissecting this trailer with their own unique thoughts. Here are mine!

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Crank Up the Tunes: Listening to Music While Gaming

Hello, dear readers! A week or so ago, I thought about writing this post but thought better of it. Why? Ehh… well, for a few reasons. First of all, it isn’t really /about/ video games, and secondly, I’ve been kinda picked on for doing this before. What am I talking about?

Listening to your own music while playing a video game.

And okay, “picked on” is a strong phrase for this. When I mentioned years ago that I liked listening to a certain artist while playing Twilight Princess, one of my friends pointed at me and yelped “Sacrilege!” And I totally get it – TP has a fantastic soundtrack. But after I’ve played a game the whole way through, I will sometimes turn on my own playlist and rock out. …At least I used to. Now I’m a bit more self-conscious about it, weirdly.

Anyway.

A week and a half ago, I took some days off work and decided to just get out for a while. It was raining the whole time, so I drove around and went to a few bookshops I hadn’t been to before. I threw on some music I listened to when I was a kid or teenager, and memories – mostly of playing Ocarina of Time – came flooding back. Then I started thinking about music I now hear and associate with certain games.

So here’s just a brief insight of what I listened to when playing certain video games:

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May 13, 2019 3

How “A Link to the Past” Entered My Life

So I noticed a few days ago that The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is officially 25 years old as of April 13 (at least in North America). And I thought, “HUH! …It doesn’t feel like it should be that old.” But then again, I’m that person who still thinks 2007 was maybe a few years ago. *shrugs*

I know many people who adore this game. One of my best friends contends that this is the Zelda game he feels closest to. Unfortunately, I didn’t really get the memo and play the game until maybe 12 years later.

Believe it or not, The Legend of Zelda series wasn’t a big part of my life for, well, most of the time I’ve been alive. I blame my older brother in part for this.

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April 18, 2019 6

Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses?

(Eat your heart out, Bono.)

There are undoubtedly several features to love about Breath of the Wild. One of my favorites is the fact that you can find, tame, and befriend a variety of wild horses in this game. They come in different colors, patterns, temperaments, and in some cases, different sizes (looking at you, giant black horse in the desert). If you really want to know what to look for in a horse, you can always check out this handy guide to help you find your perfect steed(s). Or you could be like me and go, “I LIKE THAT ONE IT IS PRETTY AND BLUE!” and just give zero hecks about anything else.

What I Search for in a Horse

It’s going to sound really silly, probably, but I am not completely about finding the strongest or fastest horse. I mean, sure, I prefer horses with 3 or more spurs of stamina and a bit of strength, but that’s not what it’s all about for me.

It usually comes down to color!

I really, really, really like blue and black horses. And by really, really, really, I mean 80% of my roster is one of those two colors. The only exception is the fabled white horse. Also, I almost always try to snag solid colored blue or black horses. There have only been two who have not fallen into this category: my pink and white horse ChizuKêki and my black and white spotted horse Oreo-kun. They were too cute to pass up. 🙂

Favorite Steeds of All Time

Since I technically have 3 full files of BotW (yep, I finished my 3^rd play-through last week!), I have 15 horses. Here are some of my favorites:

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April 16, 2019 3

For the Love of Kass

If you’ve played much of Breath of the Wild, you will come across one of the most amazing characters of the game: a blue macaw-looking Rito named Kass. His accordion greets you with a catchy tune as he sways gently to the melody. When you finally approach him, he will tell you that he is a wandering minstrel with a love for song.

And he is on a MISSION, people! His beloved teacher, the court poet for the Hyrulean royal family, handed down ancient, sometimes incomplete songs about various regions in Hyrule, and he needs to share them with the Hylian Champion. That’s why you’ll find him throughout all the various climates and locations in the land of Hyrule. No place is too hot, too cold, too stormy, too Guardian-y, too full of Octoroks for this cool birb, not when he has his life’s mission to complete!

Anyway, Kass is a really neat guy, at least I think so. Here’s why:

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April 9, 2019 0

Getting Lost in the Divine Beasts’ Melodies

So as most of you probably know, I’m finishing my third play-through of Breath of the Wild. I just need to finish the Champions’ Ballad, go destroy Calamity Ganon, and do that whole saving-the-world thing. NBD.

Lately as I’ve been making my way through this play-through, I’ve been a lot more interested in the Champions and their Divine Beasts, especially the music. I even created a playlist on YouTube with all the Divine Beasts’ tracks, which has actually turned out to be my go-to music at work.

I know a lot of players commented on BoTW’s sparse soundtrack. But the music is definitely there, and it’s crafted beautifully and cleverly, especially when it comes to the Divine Beasts.

Here are some interesting things I’ve picked up along my travels:

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April 1, 2019 3

The Yiga Clan: It’s a Tolerate/Hate Relationship

You know what they say, guys – all good things must come to an end. I muttered this age-old adage last night as I trudged toward my least favorite task in Breath of the Wild: taking on the Yiga Clan.

Don’t get me wrong – I’m not scared of the Yiga Clan or anything. They’re not even difficult to defeat. It’s just… I get so annoyed when they keep popping up everywhere. All I want to do is just have a nice, peaceful stroll through the verdant forests and plains of Hyrule, but nooooooooooo, the Yiga Clan has to ruin it with their whole “I-wanna-kill-you” mission. v_v

Anyway, as I ended my quest for seeking out all 120 shrines in this re-play of Breath of the Wild, I headed toward the clan’s hideout last night and started thinking about it all. The Yiga Clan sure are annoying, but… they’re kind of okay in a way, I guess. In fact, I can sort of relate to them! Here’s why:

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March 25, 2019 0

15 Things I’ve Learned While Playing Breath of the Wild

Can you believe it? The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has been out for a hair over 2 years now. I remember starting up my first adventure the day it came out and being completely bowled over by the incredible graphics, lifelike scenery, and thoughtful game design.

I’ve since beaten the game twice – once on regular mode and once on Master Mode… which was definitely challenging, at least at first. I’m currently working on my third play-through; it’s on regular mode, but this time things are a little different. I have my map and Shrine sensor off, and I’m trying my very hardest not to warp to places, making it a true on-foot adventure.

During my travels and adventures, I’ve learned a handful of fun things:

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March 21, 2019 0

Awesome Nintendo-Inspired Music to Jam To

So lately I’ve been listening to a lot of video game music. Sometimes it’s just OSTs or symphonic renditions of my favorite games. Lately, though, I’ve been working a lot to some sweet Nintendo tunes I found long ago and recently – for free!

One of my gaming buddies pointed me to Overclocked Remix (a.k.a. OC ReMix) when I was searching for fun gaming music. Since then, I haven’t been bored! You can find a slew of amazing fan-made music based off several games you know and love, all for free. I listen to these mixes frequently behind the wheel and at work to help me concentrate on writing. It’s pretty sweet hearing the tracks you grew up with remixed, whether it’s chiptune, hip hop, metal, rap, or synth.

Here are my favorite albums. Check them out and let me know which ones you like best! Continue reading “Awesome Nintendo-Inspired Music to Jam To” →

March 19, 2019 0