TALES OF TERROR

Phantom Epona

I sometimes hate Nintendo for making me want to take nostalgia trips into old games.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, still my favourite Zelda game to date, was due to be released for the 3DS. I would constantly fangasm while watching the commercials for it on TV. Seeing the images related to the game kept making me want to play it more and more; kept making me eye my old Gamecube because I knew I had the game for that system.

Eventually, I caved. Watching Link being mega awesome on the screen for what seemed like the hundredth time, made me want to revisit the land of Hyrule again. So, I scuttled upstairs and into my room where I hauled out the Gamecube and hooked it up to my small television set. I then rummaged through my videogame drawer until I found and pulled out the case for the Zelda Collection. 

I excitedly popped the disk into the Gamecube and booted it up, bouncing in my seat slightly as the  system's introduction played on the screen. I selected Ocarina of Time from the game menu and couldn't help but smile as the title sequence started to run through.

Initially, I had wanted to start a new game; to start fresh from the beginning. But as I looked at the top file, "LINK," my previous and completed game, a different feeling overwhelmed me. I wanted to see Epona again. 

Epona was the cornerstone for my Zelda obsession. Though I was never able to  actually play Ocarina of Time on the Nintendo 64 when it first came out, friends who owned the game would allow me to ride around on the famed horse if they weren't too busy trying to beat a dungeon or something.

My heart sank a little. I knew I was going to see Epona again if I started a new game, but it would still be a while before I could rescue her from Lon Lon Ranch in order to ride her again. After some consideration, I decided "what the hey" and selected my old file. I could always start a new adventure later.

The game resumed as it should  post Ganon, with Link in the Temple of Time. Link was wearing the red Goron tunic (which I preferred to the Kokiri green one) and equipped with the Mirror Shield. In the "C" button area, I had  The Lens of Truth, the Ocarina of Time and Din's Fire selected from my last adventure, but seeing as I was going to be taking a quick jaunt with Epona, I went into my inventory and selected the Fairy Bow to replace my Lens of Truth. Just for fun.

After I was satisfied with my changes, I took control of Link, ran him outside of the Temple and into Hyrule field. Once there, I stopped a moment to take in the surroundings before pressing the corresponding button for down "C" to take out the Ocarina.

Fiddling with the buttons for a bit to figure out which one made what sound, I played Epona's song and gleefully hummed along with the familiar melody. After the song was finished, I heard a familiar whinny and a cacophony of hooves as Epona came galloping toward Link.

A wide grin spread across my face.

"There's my girl," I said softly to the TV screen. 

Once Epona slowed to a stop, I moved Link over to her and mounted. It took me a few seconds to get  Epona facing the direction that I wanted, but as soon as I pressed "A"  and heard Link slap the horse with a quick cry, I was off into my world of  bliss.