Gaming fans are just starting to get treated right in other mediums. Detective Pikachu and Sonic the Hedgehog were both enjoyable films while staying close to the source material. Then there is The Witcher and Castlevania on the TV side of things. No longer will fans have to automatically roll their eyes when a video game adaptation is announced.
There is still a lot to prove for sure, but again, things are starting to get better. Let’s take a look back at one of the more infamously bad examples of a program children of the 80s were subjected to via The Legend of Zelda cartoon. Just what exactly made this thing so cringeworthy and what did it take for Nintendo to regret this mistake?
10 The Triforce Of Two
Right from the start, in the intro theme that is, there is a big problem. Zelda is said to have the Triforce of Wisdom and Ganon has the Triforce of Power. Ganon wants the other “half” so he can rule Hyrule.
Um, did the writers not know how to do math? "Tri" means three hence there should be three pieces of the Triforce. On top of that it also speaks, which is a whole other problem. Plus they are colored and not golden.
9 Link
Link is the second problem, also showcased every episode in the intro. “Excuse me Princess” is the first words Link had ever spoken up to that point and boy, that sure was a way to go. He is competent at what he does, being the hero of Hyrule and all, but he is also completely cocky and vain, making him unlikable. Plus the amount of times he says “kiss” in any given episode would cause anyone playing a drinking game to pass out.
8 The Animation
As a kids cartoon in the 80s, advertising a product more or less, the animation quality is not great. It was made cheaply to get kids interested in buying the game. It’s as simple as that. Take, for example, the picture above with Zelda holding Link’s sword. It looks bent like it melted, or something. Again, that is just one example, but the whole show is not pretty to watch.
7 How Incompetent Everyone Is
Link is not the only problematic character. Everyone is. Ganon is like a typical Saturday morning cartoon villain who constantly screams, “I’ll get you next time” as he blasts off in some form or another. Then there is the King, who is a cowardly buffoon. There’s an episode where he literally hides under a bed from Ganon.
6 Everyone Is So Thirsty
On top of everyone being incompetent, they are also all incredibly thirsty. Link wants a kiss fifty times an episode from Zelda, who is constantly withholding and or about to, but gets interrupted.
Meanwhile, their fairy compatriot, Spryte, wants Link. Even Zelda swoons for a later appearing character, Prince Facade.
5 Link Lives In The Castle
So what exactly is happening with Link and Zelda? Are they married, or what? This is what is confusing. Link lives in the castle, and already known for being a hero. This is to assume the show takes place after the first and second games, or just one of the two, and is now following the aftermath. It’s a clever question to ask what a hero does after the proverbial credits roll, but in this case it just makes for some boring, bewildering side quests.
4 Two Episodes About Chores!
There are many stereotypical plots cartoons can get into like faking being sick to get out of work. Combined with this was a cleaning episode, which is a plot line sometimes combined together in other shows too. While not exciting, it was a fine episode. However, this show is comprised of only thirteen episodes total and two of them are about cleaning the castle. That is a bit too far and a perfect example of just how bankrupt and desperate the writers were.
3 Link The Gunslinger
In this cartoon, Link is not so much a sword pro as he is a gunslinger. That is to say he uses his sword (which looks more like a dagger) as a gun. He zaps monsters into kingdom come like he is Billy the Kid, or something. It’s not exactly exciting to watch, but it is understandable.
Zapping a monster into a pink void is better for censors than having someone chop a limb off. Let us remind viewers that Link is a borderline predator on Zelda for most episodes. A little sword on skin action is not okay, but Link’s constant cry for kisses is? Something is not right here.
2 Name Drops
The cartoon also spends a lot of time talking down to kids, or that is to say it advertises a lot. The strangest of which is Link, Zelda, and the rest constantly name dropping items, enemies, and everything in-between. It feels unnatural in the dialogue and is clearly a thinly vailed disguise. It’s not like they were selling toys either, so it feels stranger than something like the Transformers cartoon showing off a new robot.
1 Fizzled Ending
The thirteen episode run might be a blessing in disguise. Not only that but each episode is only about fourteen minutes minus the opening. It should have at least ended with a bang, but the last episode sort of just fizzled out. Did the show runners get canceled before their big plans could be met? Given that the show was not good and had a problematic link to the game at best, it would not be surprising if it was indeed canned.