As seasoned gamers, we're all aware that the medium of interactive entertainment — often decried by critics as an insular and lonely pastime — actually has very social qualities. People share their own experiences with other players, and when you get a group of people around a television set for a game of Wii Sports, few other activities can match the level of riotous fun.
Nintendo's most famous employee Shigeru Miyamoto has been talking to Kotaku about the connective qualities of one of his own creations, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. He reveals that the N64 classic is the title which allowed him to share his love of games with his young daughter:
It was the first game that my daughter sat down and played a lot of, and as a result of that she became a really big Zelda fan. I remember Ocarina of Time as the game that allowed my daughter and I to start having a lot of conversations about video games.
We're sure Miyamoto isn't the only father who has bonded with his offspring thanks to Link's celebrated 3D adventure. If you've got an equally heart-warming tale to tell, please share it in the comments section below.
[source kotaku.com]
Comments 38
Awwww, cute!
I didn't know he had a daughter.
I remember the first experience I had with Ocarina Of Time. I was at a friend's house, and they were trying to complete the Treasure Chest game in Hyrule Market. None of us knew about the Lens Of Truth yet. I pointed out which chests they should check and surprisingly, they made it all the way to the Heart Piece on my first try!
i approve!
My oldest son and I both have a 3DS. It can definitely be a way to share bonding experiences. My wife got a 3DS so she wasn't left out of the mix. I have been replaying through skyward sword with my 5 year old (middle son). It's fun to watch him succeed and be able to step in where he's flailing. Show him dad's mad skills. Nintendo gaming is a family endevour in our family for sure.
My favorite zelda game is “A Link To The Past” but “Ocarina of Time" was a big one too!!!
@Pinkie_Pikpik lol yes even i didnt know O:
but hey i think that i cool as it was my first zelda game too
My kids LOVE Zelda and Metroid and watching their daddy explore. They sometimes play themselves but it gets very difficult at their ages. (My very young son was through-the-roof at the finale of Super Metroid.)
However, it was Nintendo Land that proved to be the incredible bonding experience for our whole family as we took on Zelda Battle Quest and Metroid Blast as a group of four "equals". The teamwork aspect forced us all to adjust for each other and help each other. At first there was a lot of yelling, especially during the collect the token stages in Metroid Blast, but we learned to be careful and efficient with our verbal help to each other. It has to be my favorite group experience I've had with any game.
My kids were only 3 and 7 at the time.
I became a gamer and bonded with my sister just because she'd let me play on her Nintendo 64 and NES.
Aww that's touching. This reminds me of Robin Williams bonding with his daughter Zelda.
yeah i used to play OOT alot with my mam so i have a similar experience.
probably the best memories i have with my mother, and probably the reason why nintendo is so close to my heart today.
One of many games during that decade that me and my dad played through together. I was in about third or fourth grade at the time. Still my favorite game of time.
So sad... my parents really disliked video games so i could never share my passion with them.
My Dad's been a devoted Tetris man since the NES version. He has instilled in me a love of colourful block puzzlers, except I think he feels he failed as a father because Dr. Mario is my real favorite.
But my whole family plays games; we grew up with them, and it was hard to play single-player games without interruptions.
Future "Your View" Topic, maybe?
That game brought 5 year old me and my dad together in 1999, I vaguely remember going to Meijer and picking up after waiting a year for it to be marked down and then going home and spending 2 years beating the game with my dad
That's really nice and heart warming!, I will do this some day with my kids!
Ps:I guess she got a good kick from the bottom of the well
'Daaawwww!
Now then, time for a bloody duel between Shigeru Miyamoto & Robin Williams! Master Swords at dawn!
'epic rap battles' comes to mind... S. Miyamoto vs. R. Williams... But it's a bad idea, I wouldn't want either of them to lose.
Awesome! CLASSIC, life-changing game.
@Pinkie_Pikpik He has two kids (some sources say 3, though), a daughter, and two sons with his wife, Yasuko, who was the General Manager of Nintendoof Japan in 1977. Don't know the names of them, except his one son, because they keep out of the spotlight, and have no interest in gaming, even his wife who use to work at Nintendo . His son, Kenshi, wants to become a pro surfer.
In 2009 my nephew and I played the Wind Waker together slowly over the course of the year. Every time I visited we'd put in and hour or so of play time. He was 4 at the time and just in awe of everything going on in that game. It was great
I'd always give him time to think about the puzzles and ask what he thought we should do to get past them...pretty soon he was figuring them out completely on his own. He's been addicted to video games ever since.
I had my first child (a boy) in June and the Wind Waker will definitely be one of the first games I introduce him to when he's old enough.
wow. i can imagine the conversations they have, since he's the mind behind OoT
my boys love watching me play Punch out on the Wii, They cheered me on to beat the game, and got mad at me for getting owned the second time around (its REALLYY HARD!), Been about a year since i played it with them and they just recently brought it back up again after seeing the original punch out game. Only Nintendo brings families together like this. NOW GIVE ME ONLINE MULTIPLAYER SO WHEN IM AWAY I CAN GAME WITH MY KIDS NINTENDO!!!!!
@TwilightV LOL I remember trying to do that w/ buddies! We would stare at the lanterns on the walls by each chest AS IF they were some kind of indication lolololol
@hydeks One of his other sons' name is Yoshi.
That's why he called Yoshi that
@Mk_II Sorry to hear that. But you now have the opportunity to correct that missed opportunity one day when you have little critters of your own!
My son just turned 3 and is now able to start using the motor skills necessary to play and be drawn in by video games. I have all 4 consoles and the DS, 3DS and Vita. But the only ones he really plays on are the Wii U and the 3DS. He loves, "Scary Luigi" (Luigi's Mansion 3DS), Mario U, Epic Mickey, Donkey Kong on 3DS and Lego City Undercover. I love every aspect of watching him discover new play mechanics, master those mechanics and see that huge smile on his face. And yes, when he asks, "Daddy can you help me on this level?" Of course I'm there to help him get unstuck or coach him. I just wish he'd let me play longer than 60 seconds at a time! LOL!
I also have a stand-up arcade machine with pretty much every arcade game on it. So far he loves playing Turtles in Time and Street Fighter 2 with me. The thing I look forward to most is the day he truly discovers how many games are in the house (current gen and all systems and games back to the NES)! I remember when I was a kid discovering the treasure trove of comics and books my older brother had. I felt like I stepped into this whole new world filled with new experiences that I just had to reach out and try. It took me years to go through all of it and by then, I started adding to the collection. Imagine a young child who finally has grown into the skills and imagination needed to be totally enraptured by the worlds that video games provide and then opening a door, finding hundreds of classic games from today and going all the way back 30 years! Right now he plays what I think he CAN play when I introduce it to him. But one day he'll start to explore and find this huge world of games that he just has to reach out and pop in. I can't wait for that day of discovery. And then I get to experience it all over again in 2 1/2 years when his younger brother follows in his footsteps
It's the little things in life
Played through twilight princess with my girlfriend. Sealed the deal... now she is my wife.
@AcesHigh LOL. thank you for the sympathy and kind thoughts but i'm way past my sell-by date when it comes to fathering offspring. I remember a world without video games... yes, i'm that old.
But on the other hand i was introduced to console gaming by my ex-GF who brought a Super Nintendo into the relationship. We certainly bonded over Donkey Kong Country and Mario Kart. When she left and took the SNES and games with her, i started my own collection.
Ahhh!!!! Well, I'm not too far behind you! My first console was the Atari 2600 the year it came out. Before that, there were just... Legos! Which was never a bad thing either!
@ultraraichu: ARGH! You beat me to it! Oh, you ninja, you!
I remember when OOT came out. My family would gather around while my mom read off how to do stuff from the guide because we were to young to understand video games that well, but we loved to play them anyways.
Now I still play games with my family like old times.
Unfortunatley my parents for some reason stopped liking video games, and now I only play with my Brother, Sisters, and cousins.
Somehow I have never lost in Super Smash Bros Brawl to anyone, but we still bond.
@World While I don't benefit from many memories of playing games with my immediate family (aside from the occasional game of Sunset Riders with my brother) video games have been a major bonding experience with my wife and her family.
My fondest memories all come from sharing various RPGs with her. From playing Final Fantasy VII for the first time on her Playstation late into the night when we first getting to know each other to sharing Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World together more recently plus a few more in between.
I even recently convinced her to start playing Pokemon with me, as miraculous as that sounds to me.
"Ocarina Of Time Helped Miyamoto Bond With His Daughter"
That's fun to know!
Miyamoto's daughter is quite soothing to the eyes actually.
She got married a few years back to this dopey looking british bloke, but they look very cute together in the marriage photo.
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