#why include a level up system? in a zelda game?

[dravidious]

I rest my case.

-

Fuckin BULLSHIT the one on the right is way better you only need 1 stroke to draw it!

Speaking of some things being objectively better than others for very important reasons, I booted up my brother’s old copy of Hyrule Warriors yesterday and tried to get A-ranks in the adventure mode, only to gradually realize just how important the level-up system is, meaning that no matter how good you are, the only way to have a chance of getting A-ranks on the later stages is to grind until the enemies don’t take 5 whole minutes each to kill.

Then I ranted to myself in my room about how Ultrakill’s P-ranks are way better

[aikoiya]

LoZ: New Ingredients - Fauna & Byproducts

I have a lot of ideas for ingredients for future games.

* Will be besides things that are, in some way, from the official Wild series. Or are at the very least are based on something that originated from it.

※ Will be beside things that were planned to be part of the official series at one point, but for whatever reason, were cut.

☆ Will be beside things that existed, are intended to be associated with, or were inspired by things in previous games, but not the Wild Series.

★ Will be beside things that were in some way inspired by other games or shows.

LoZ: New Ingredients - Flora & Fungi

LoZ: New Ingredients - 2nd Tier Ingredients

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List of Effects:

☆Acro = Wall Climb Speed Up. - EoW: Climbing.

Aerodynamic = Skydive Control Up.

Amorous = Aphrodisiac. This is a secondary effect, allowing it to remain even after being cooked with something else. (This is mostly for flavor & wouldn't actually do anything in a game setting. Though, it specifically only activates when a sufficient level of dopamine & norepinephrine is found in the body, it can likewise be cured when a sufficient enough supply of oxytocin is introduced into the bloodstream. So, it only takes effect if in the presence of someone you legit are attracted to & are in love with, which is why Link wouldn't be affected. He's Zelda's & it'd only work on him in her presence. It also doesn't work on anyone who hasn't finished puberty. It's also known to increase the possibility of reproduction.)

Erogenous = Aphrodisiac. Unlike Amorous, Erogenous needs no emotional attraction for it to work. In this way, it's actually much more dangerous. (Would not appear in games beyond the story. Known to increase the possibility of reproduction.)

*Biting = Cold Weather Attack.

☆Bubble = Hold Breath Underwater For Longer. Much more common than Gills.

*Dark/Warding = Gloom Resistance.

Dawning/Dusky = Twilight Blade Attack Up. (Doubles the damage dealt by Sheikah/Yiga weaponry, Moonlight Scimitars, knives, sickles, & scythes by generating a crepuscular razor, thus dealing twilight damage. Mirror Sheilds are also more effective. Sheikah/Yiga weaponry fused with Silver/Twilight Lizalfos Horns or a Moonstone deal thrice as much damage as normal. Twilight also deals extra damage to undead enemies & Poes, this sets the spirit trapped inside free & results in a Poe Soul. Twilight damage is also noted to be purifying, so defeating Wolfos, Furnix, Bullbos, & Iron Knuckle enemies with Twilight purifies them, thus returning them to their natural state.)

Detox = Helps one fight back against toxins by cutting down on the damage done by said toxins as well as the time until those toxins get out of their system. Can also be used in cooking with Toxic ingredients to negate the Toxic affect. However, it takes a degree of toxicological/botanical/medical knowledge to do so. Also, the higher the toxicity, the higher the Detox effect needs to be in order to counteract it.

Dreamy = Sleep Induction. This is a secondary effect, allowing it to remain even after being cooked with something else. (More for story flavor as somnolents just make you sorta sleepy &, thus, won't just knock Link out cold. Actual gameplay uses would only be included when you use Fuse Weapon to attach the item to an arrow or other weapon, which I'm saying concentrates & amplifies the effects, which allows you to knock enemies out cold. Without the Fuse Weapon rune, you'd need to make a concentrated sleep extract to apply to the arrow/weapon tip by hand. By default, Dreamy items don't work against boss or mini-boss enemies. However, if you go to sleep in a bed within an hour of being affected by Dreamy, you'll get bonuses when you wake up.)

Potent Dreamy = Powerful Sleep Induction. This is a secondary effect, allowing it to remain even after being cooked with something else. (Unlike Dreamy, Potent Dreamy will absolutely knock Link the fuck out. It's basically a tranquilizer. Note that only the scent of a Mawkap will wake him up afterwards.)

Eclating/Glaring = Light Blade Attack Up. (Doubles the damage dealt by swords, knives, axes, sickles, & scythes by generating a cutting light thus dealing light damage. Light-based weapons such as the White Sword of the Sky, the Master Sword, the Sword of the Six Sages, the Bow of Light, & other such weapons deal triple damage. However, damage dealt from using a Light Weapon fused with a Light Dragon part or Diamond or Sunstone is quadrupled. Light attacks also deal extra damage to dark enemies. Light damage is noted to be purifying, so defeating Wolfos, Furnix, Bullbos, & Iron Knuckle enemies with Light purifies them, thus returning them to their natural state.)

*Electro = Shock Resistance.

*Enduring = Adds Stamina.

*Energizing = Restores Stamina.

Fireproof = Fire Resistance.

Fortune = Great Deal. (Briefly increases the amount of rupees you get for selling things.)

Freezeproof = Freeze Resistance.

- ☆Piping-Hot = Freezeproof & Spicy. A Hidden Effect. You can’t normally access a Hidden Effect without certain Infusion techniques.

Gills = Breathe Water For a Period Of Time. Much rarer than Bubble.

*Glow = Glow.

*Hasty = Speed Up. (Doesn't work on sand or snow.)

Sanddrift = Sand Mobility Up.

Snowdrift = Snow Mobility Up.

*Hearty = 1-5 Extra Hearts.

*Icy/Chilly = Heat Resistance.

Lava Guard = Fireproof & Rapid. Allows one to swim in lava. The only individual ingredients that can have this are those that can literally survive in lava. (This effect isn't normally natural to a single ingredient, but can also be achieved via special recipes, using special cooking techniques known only to the best chefs. Or via well-guarded cultural secret known only to the Gorons & Mogma of Gorondia.)

Lightningproof = Lightning Resistance.

*Mighty = Attack Up.

Nucturnepid = Can see farther in darkness.

※Puissant = Allows one to jump twice. (Turns out that a Twice Jump cooking effect was cut from the final TotK game. So, you gotta know that I'll be effing with that!)

*Rapid = Swim Speed Up.

Recovery = Allow someone to slowly recover hearts over time.

Revival = Revives after death with 8 hearts. (Only Fairies & recipes that require Fairies have this effect. Don't worry, no Fairies are harmed during this process. The only thing used is the Fairies' dust.)

Riptide = Water Spear/Blade/Whip Attack Up. (Doubles spear, blade, & whip damage by generating a pressurized stream of water, thus dealing water damage. Zora weaponry does triple. Weapons fused with Silver or Water Lizalfos Horns, Water Lizalfos Tails, Opals, or Pearls do triple as well. But Zora weaponry fused with Silver or Water Lizalfos Horns, Water Lizalfos Tails, Opals, or Pearls do quadruple.)

*Scorching = Heat Weather Attack.

*Sneaky = Stealth Up.

*Spicy = Cold Resistance.

*Sticky = Grip Up.

*Stormy/Charged = Stormy Weather Attack.

*Sunny = Heals Gloom Damage.

Tenebrating = Dark Blade Attack Up. (Doubles the damage dealt by Sheikah/Yiga weaponry, Gloom weaponry, sickles, & scythes by generating a vicious dark force, thus dealing dark or shadow damage. Sheikah/Yiga weaponry fused with Dark Monster parts or Ebony triples the damage dealt.)

*Tough = Defense Up.

Toxic = Inflicts Poison. This is a secondary effect, allowing it to remain even after being cooked with something else. (Note that certain Toxic ingredients can be prepared specially to be made edible or to make things like medicines.)

☆Twisty = Dexterity Up. In EoW, it only referred to the turning of keys, but here, I'm sort of expanding on it.

☆Vitality = Temporary Stamina Use Reduction.

Max Vitality = Max Energizing & stamina can be used freely for a certain amount of time.

Windshear = Wind Blade Attack Up. (Doubles the damage dealt by Rito Weapons, swords, knives, axes, sickles, & scythes by generating a cutting wind, thus dealing wind damage. Damage done specifically by Feathered Edges or any other of the abovementioned weapons fused with an Emerald will be tripled. And Feathered Edges fused with an Emerald will be quadrupled.)

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Just for clarity's sake, Ealiyah Town is a Gerudo settlement situated in the Gerudo Highlands in Risoka Snowfield. They were founded by Gerudo, who wished to stay with their husbands as men are forbidden from entering Gerudo Town. As such, Ealiyah is inhabited mostly by Gerudo, Hylians & Humans, as well as the occasional Sheikah & a race I recently made up called Lupáns. (For more on Lupos, go to Wolf Link & the Lupán Race.)

Whereas the Gerudo of Gerudo Desert worship the 7 Heroines & it's debated as to whether there was an 8th at all, some even regarding the speculation of there being one as sacrilegious, Ealiyans worship the 7 as well as the 8th definitively, who was actually a man who helped the 7 Heroines save the Gerudo, but was still forbidden from entering Gerudo Town due to being a man. However, the 7 are sometimes regarded with a certain degree of harshness & even hurt, though not open hate, as a result of what is percieved as betrayal & ingratitude.

It's said that the original founders of Ealiyah were Gerudo who were disgusted with the injustice visited upon the Hero & thus broke away from the Gerudo Culture in order to found a settlement where he would be properly exalted.

Anyway, Ealiyans maintain the Statue of the 8th.

Also, Ordon Town is situated where the canonical Faron Grasslands is. Here, the region is referred to as Ordona & Ordon Town's oldest section is situated around the Lake of the Horse God with Ordon Ranch being located in Ibara Butte.

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Also, if you wish to know more about this, go to my Extended Beastiary.

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Animal Products:

☆Gilded Egg ❤️+2 = The egg from either an extremely happy & well-taken-care-of Cucco or Gilded Cucco. Insanely rare & hard to come by. They're extremely nutritious & delicious, as well as having a richer flavor than your typical Bird Egg. When used as a primary ingredient, it is known to be rich & savory, lending a burst of umami, sometimes even being compared to an explosive umami kick. They are known for the lightly sparkling, pale gold-like sheen of their shells & slightly shimmering yolks. Sought after by the rich as a luxury food & is often an ingredient in gourmet recipes. May greatly boost the effect of other ingredients. Much like the Golden Apple, causes an Autocrit. - EoW: 'Rare egg with a golden gleam. When used in a drink, it may greatly boost the effect of other ingredients.’ Is a mix of a reference to the Golden Cucco from TP & the Golden Eggs from EoW.

Ostrich Egg = The egg of a Dunerunner Ostrich. About the size of someone's hand & are known to have a mild, buttery flavor. Only really found in the Gerudo Desert.

☆Lon Lon Milk ½❤️ = Milk from Lon Lon Cows. A very special & high-quality milk. Said to be a major part of Hyrule's history going back thousands of years. This particular brand of milk is known to be very nutritious & refreshing with a silky-smooth texture, carrying a mellow flavor with just a touch of sweetness & slightly Sundelion-like undertones. It is also known to be a bit sweeter & creamier than Hateno Cow milk. Special in that, when used as an ingredient, it boosts the healing effect to the consumer by a considerable amount. - ‘EoW: Sweet & refreshing milk of the highest quality. When used in a drink, it boosts the healing effect to the drinker by a lot.’

☆Radiant Butter (Glow) = Butter made from the famous milk from Lon Lon Ranch in Mabe Village, it's described as being richly creamy & tends to lend a degree of decadence to food & drink. The taste tends to be slightly sweeter & the texture creamier than butter made from Hateno Cow milk. Is also referred to as exquisite at times. Its richness even appears to push through bitterness. The rebuilt Lon Lon didn't always make butter, but after the foundation of Hateno, who began to gain traction as a farming village that sold Goat Butter, Mabe had to pick up its pace or be left behind. Because of this, they've become ranching rivals. However, it wasn't until it rediscovered an old recipe from an era long passed that it managed to catch up. It's advertised to have been fermented in such a way as to make it shine brightly, though nobody outside of the dairy industry seems to have any idea as to how… - ‘EoW: Butter fermented in such a way as to make it shine brightly. When used in a drink, it makes the drinker glow for a time.’

Lon Lon Cheese = Cheese made from the milk from Lon Lon Cows. Lon Lon didn't always make cheese, but just like how they stepped up their game to keep pace with Hateno's Goat Butter, they did so again when Hateno began to make cheese. Has a tendency to be milder & slightly more tangy than Hateno Cheese, but not as tangy as Lebnah.

Mabe Cream Cheese = A Mabe invention meant to one up Hateno. Similar to Lebnah, but with less tang.

☆Ordon Milk = A type of goat milk sold in Ordon. Is generally said to taste rich, mild, & somewhat sweet with little to no aftertaste. However, Ordon's also has a pleasantly earthy undertone to it & is richer than that of the typical White Goat. It is also much closer to a human mother's milk in proteins & fats, which makes it a suitable substitute for infants that have been adopted. (It's also apparently got K2, which is believed to direct calcium to bones & teeth. It's also higher in higher in zinc & selenium.)

☆Ordon Butter = Butter churned from the milk of Ordon Goats. This butter is unique in that not only is it sweet & tangy with a smooth, creamy texture like all Goat Butter, but is also richer & slightly sweeter with pleasantly earthy undertones. (Appears to retain its high K2 levels.)

☆Ordona Cheese = Ordon Cheese is specifically made of pure goat milk. Some people actually prefer Ordona Cheese to Hateno or Lon Lon Cheese which results in the villages having a bit of a rivalry. While goat cheese from the usual White Goat has a mild, earthy, & buttery taste with a slight tartness, Ordona Cheese is unique in that it is richer & slightly sweeter with undertones of earthiness. It also has no soapy aftertaste like other goat cheeses can which tends to be partly why it's so well-liked.

Buffalo Milk??? = Has a higher fat content.

Buffalo Butter = Buffalo Milk has a higher fat content, which evidently results in a butter with a richer & creamier texture as well as flavor. This means that it's easier to churn & yields a higher amount of butter per milk. The primary milk type used in the Faron Region. However, there really are no ranches out that way so it’s very much a local source only.

Okili’i Cheese or Mozzakili = A soft, somewhat rubbery cheese made from the milk of Water Buffalo. Though, the milk comes from Water Buffalos from the Faron East Coast, it's then sent to Deya, where it is prepared with their pasta filata method of curd-pulling. Lurelinites tend to refer to it by okili'i-li'i. - Evidently, most mozzarella is made from Water Buffalo Milk???

Yak Milk or Bōmïchaa = Milk from Highland Yaks. Called "Bōmïchaa" by the Gerudo.

Yak Butter or Bōsudrï = Butter made from yak milk in Ealiya. Yak Butter is richer & less sweet than cow butter with floral notes. Called "Bōsudrï" by the Gerudo.

Ealiyan Cheese or Bōchurkha = Made from Yak Milk. Unlike with Ordon, Mabe, & Hateno, the rivalry between the 4 farming villages is mostly one-sided on Ealiya's part. It's Ordon, Mabe, & Hateno who cares the most. This cheese is said to be delicate with subtle tones of sweetness mixed with wildflowers. Called "Bōchurkha" by the Gerudo.

Sheep Milk or Ghamïchaa = Milk from Bighorn Sheep. Called "Ghamïchaa" by the Gerudo. (It is higher in vitamin B12, vitamin C, folate and magnesium than either goat or cow milk.)

Sheep Butter or Ghasudrï = Butter made from Sheep Milk.

Sheep Cheese or Ghachurka = Cheese made from Sheep Milk. - Used as feta.

Mushmylk or Funghilatte = Made from processed Milk Mushrooms. Tastes like a creamier milk with a slightly earthy, mildly mushroomy undertone. Best for more savory dishes, but still very useable in the not as sweet deserts.

- Mushgarine or Fungharina = This mushroom-based butter involves stirring together Mushroom Mylk & Vinegar, then letting it sit for 5 minutes to curdle. During that time, use a Crank Blender to blend together oil, yeast, & salt until smooth. Then, add the curdled Mushroom Mylk & blend until smooth & creamy. Next, pour into a mold & put in a cold place until set.

Frox Egg = An egg laid by a Frox.

Oasis Honey 🍵 (Recovery) = Honey produced by Dune Ants. Has a distinctly different flavor to Courser Bee Honey, having a more fruity aftertaste due to the various Oasis Fruit that said ants eat. Called Wahē Honzu by the Gerudo.

Sāqmàla Honey (Erogenous 2 & Vitality) = Honey produced by Dune Ants. Though, this honey is specifically made from Prickly Peaches & Stamegranate. Those allowed to farm this honey is regulated & only those with a permit are allowed, but that doesn't stop people from doing it anyway.

*Seastone Salt = - TotK: ‘Crystalized salt from the ancient sea commonly used to season meals. Cannot be eaten in this form.’

*Rock Salt 🩵 = When used as an ingredient, it helps to restore some of the consumer’s energy, however, whether that refers to stamina or magical energy, depends on the other ingredients. Nowadays, only found in the Depths. The Sheikah refer to them as Gan'en (岩塩). - EoW: ‘A clump of salt that crystallized over a long time. When used in a drink, it restores some of the drinker's energy.'

Bird Meat:

Cucco Drumstick ❤️ = The drumstick of a Cucco.

Cucco Thigh ❤️+1½ = The thigh of a Cucco.

Whole Cucco ❤️+3 = A whole Cucco.

White Drumstick = The drumstick of a Bright-Crest Duck, Crown-Crested Swan, Rainbow Peacock, or Heron.

White Thigh = The thigh of a Bright-Crest Duck, Crown-Crested Swan, Rainbow Peacock, or Heron.

Whole White = A whole Bright-Crest Duck, Crown-Crested Swan, Rainbow Peacock, or Heron.

Squab = The meat of a Common, Red, Blue, Rainbow, Sand, or Golden Sparrow or a Wood, Rainbow, Hotfeather, White, or Accented Pigeon, a Seagull, or Marriage Doves (though, it's illegal to kill Marriage Doves as it's said to curse one to never find love).

Raptor = The meat of an Islander Hawk, Forest or Snowfall Owl, or Wastes Vulture.

Autruche = The meat of an Eldin, Forest, or Dunerunner Ostrich. Considered a red meat as it is very beefy.

Mammal Meat:

Pork = Meat from a Pig or Woodland, Red-Tusked, or War Boar.

Beef = Meat from a Hateno Cow, Tabanthan Ox, or Water Buffalo.

Prime Beef = Meat from a Hateno Cow, Tabanthan Ox, or a Highland Yak.

Gourmet Beef = Meat from a Lon Lon Cow.

Venison ❤️ = Meat from a Mountain Deer. Wild game. Comes from the ancient Hyrulean word venatus meaning "to hunt."

Prime Venison ❤️+1½ = The meat from a Grizzlemaw or Honeyvore Bear.

Gourmet Venison ❤️+3 = The meat from a Tabantha Moose.

Mutton = Meat from a Bighorn Sheep.

Chevon = Meat from a White Goat, Mountain Goat, or Ordon Goat.

Prime Chevon = Meat from a White Goat.

Gourmet Chevon = Meat from an Ordon Goat.

Leup = The meat of a Maraudo or Cold-Footed Wolf or Wasteland Coyote.

Vulp = The meat of a Grassland, Snowcoat, or Dusttail Fox.

Gammon = The meat of a Bushy-Tailed Squirrel, Meadow or Snow Rabbit meat, a Wasteland Hare, or a Jackalope.

Fish:

*Hyrule Bass = (_ _) A green & white bass with a dark green vine-like pattern down its sides. The Sheikah refer to them as Hairaru Basu (ハイラルバス, direct translation). - '.'

☆Skippyjack = (_ _) Small blue & white tuna with orange fins. Has white wave-like swirls down its sides. Is actually a young Nuptuna or Neptuna. It's currently too young to know what it would've grown into. - Reference to Phantom Hourglass.

☆Loovar = (_ _) An enormous dark pink fish with a white underbelly & a green stripe dividing the 2 colors. Its fins are also green. It has pink, swirly patterns just behind its head. An ocean fish. Requires a salvage claw to catch. - Reference to Phantom Hourglass.

☆Greengill = (_ _) A green fish with a large, dark green swirl pattern. Mostly found in Ordona. - Reference to Twilight Princess.

☆Hylian Pike = (_ _) This long, brown-grey fish has a yellow zig-zag pattern along its side. - Reference to Twilight Princess.

Kelcey Smelt = (_ _) Lives in Hebra. In Kelcey Lake specifically.

High-Flying Fish (Aerodynamic) = (_ _) This fish sails up high in the clouds amongst the Sky Islands. Its fins resemble shimmery, translucent wings made up of many tiny, translucent fins. While it cannot fly, it is an excellent glider with a lot of innate control of its gliding patterns. Instead, it can swim in clouds which it uses to its advantage to leap from cloud to cloud. Can only fly freely in the rain. A fish that is best during the summer time, when the delicate, soft texture, & mild flavor is at its most refreshing.

Amative Salmon (Amorous 1) = (_ _) Lives in Hebra. Its Amorous effects aren't as potent as when they're spawning.

☆Nuptuna (Amorous 3) = (_ _) A blue & white tuna with yellow fins. Seeing one is said to be considered good luck for upcoming nuptials. Very hard to catch. The fully grown state of a female Skippyjack. Thought to have been brought over from another world after a hero's return. - Reference to Majora's Mask.

Void Loach (Dark/Warding 3) = (_ _) An eyeless troglobitic fish that lives only in the Depths. Difficult to catch due to the darkness. - Inspired by the IRL Cryptotora thamicola, a.k.a. the Waterfall Climbing Loach.

Abyssal Squid (Dark/Warding) = (_ _) A Squid that lives deep in the dark part of the ocean. It is pitch black in color, which helps it to remain unseen. Makes its home all throughout the ocean on the Hyrule East Coast. The Sheikah refer to them as Shin'en'na Ika (深淵なイカ, direct translation). Referred to as Pali Muhe'e by the residents of Faron.

Twilit Moonfish (Dawning/Dusky) = (_ _) A disc-shaped Faronic ocean fish with silvery scales that shimmer in the moonlight. Only comes out at night. It has a distinctive rich, creamy taste, as well as seven cuts with different textures. The top loin is tender & sweet with a tuna-like texture. The side & lower flesh are too fibrous for Sashimi, but is still great for cooking & other types of Sushi. The lower loin has a robust flavor similar to Endura Tuna/Nuptuna/Neptuna or Herofish/Legendfish with more oil than the top loin & has a fat content that can be higher than Amative or Hearty Salmon. This provides you with a lot of options for how to cook it. The Sheikah use it to make delicious Sushi sets. - An opah.

Statictail (Electro) = (_ _) A variety of green & silver fish with a bright yellow bolt going from eye to tail. It's dorsal fin & tail are also yellow. It is divided in half by the stripe down the center with greenish scales taking up the top half & silver scales taking up its underbelly. Can be found in the Akkala & northern Necluda Seas. The Sheikah refer to them as Seiteki Buri (静的ブリ, direct translation). - A yellowtail.

Endura Tuna (Enduring) = (_ _) A tuna with a pair of orange racing stripes down its back. Lives in the Necluda Sea. The Sheikah refer to them as Taeru Maguro (耐えるマグロ, Enduring Tuna). Faronites have named it Ahonui Ahi.

Lavascale Tilapia (Fireproof) = (_ _) Can be found swimming in lava or magma, but requires the use of a specially made fishing rod to obtain. Has a slightly sweet flavor after you get past all that heat. Grants Fireproof when cooked. Due to living in lava, it has no eyes & instead navigates via echolocation.

Frigid Cod (Freezeproof) = (_ _) Lives in the Necluda Sea, in & around the Lanayru Bay. Has a slight sweetness to it.

☆Hylian Loach (Gills 3) = (_ _) An extremely rare & difficult to catch fish. It appears to be similar to a bowfin with lustrous golden scales & ornate, black swirl patterns down the length of its body. Due to its rarity & difficult to catch nature, the Hylian Loach is usually revered as a legendary fish. Its scales are said to aid in holding one's breath & reducing the pressure that one experiences when diving. Was once used in the making of Zora Armor before the Great Flood. Often found in hard to reach, isolated places. - Reference to several Zelda games.

Deepgill Pike (Gills) = (_ _) This fish has 5 Gills. Cooking grants the Gills effect. Only found in the ocean. The Sheikah refer to them as Era no Fukai Sanma (えらの深い秋刀魚, direct translation). Called Ho'i Piha Pahu in Faron.

Marine Trench Perch (Gills) = (_ _) This fish's meat is velvety rich, making it great as Sushi. Lives in the Necluda Sea. The Sheikah refer to them as Kaikōmutsu (海溝むつ). Residents of Faron call it Meaola'hoo Kau.

Deep Lurefish (Glow) = (_ _) A terrifying fish that lives in the Depths & the deepest part of the ocean. Truly a nightmarish creature. Delicious though as its meat is soft & sweet & can be prepared similarly to how Hearty or Amative Salmon are &, as such, can be pan-fried, baked, grilled, steamed, barbecued, or enjoyed as chunks in curries & soups. Its lure, which it uses to draw in prey before devouring them with its horrifying, massive teeth, grants the Glow effect when cooked. The Sheikah refer to them as Shinkai Ankō (深海アンコウ, direct translation). Faronites call it Kai Hohonu Lawai'al'a. - If other, smaller fish come too close, it will devour them whole one at a time. As in, in game.

Iridescent Berata (Glow 2) = (_ _) Considered the most beautiful fish in Hyrule, coming in many different patterns of vivid colors. They actually look like this due to their scales reflecting the light. In reality, they are black as the void, so at night, they appear thusly & are impossible to catch then. As such, since most fish are either color-blind or can only see in 1-2 colors, the Berata are actually extremely well camouflaged. However, during the Berata's spawning season they begin to glow in the dark using bioluminescent stripes & spots, especially on their fins, to draw in potential mates through dance. This results in them being vulnerable during that time. A fully-grown specimen features all 7 colors of the rainbow; red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, & purple. When it hatches, it's entirely red, but as it matures it gains additional colors until it has the color purple; at which point, it is fully grown & at peak flavor. However, after a certain amount of time having gained that purple color, they begin to slowly bleach in color from fins to heart before eventually dying once they've turned completely white. The more white they are, the more tough their meat will become, so it's preferable to find one as close to that sweet spot in age as possible. Actually very aggressive with barbed quills in their fins despite their beauty. The quills aren't toxic, but they hurt like a son of a bitch. They are found in the Faron Sea & are extremely difficult to find, let alone catch. Also called Mosaic or Stained-Glass Berata due to the various different vivid patterns that they come in. They are referred to as Nijiiro no Berata (虹色のベラタ, Iridescent Wrasse-Betta) by the Sheikah. Though, Faronites call it Ānuenue 'Akikilolo. - Has the colored patterning of a Fairy Wrasse, but the fins of a Betta Fish & a body shape similar to a Koi.

Tigerstripe Mackerel (Hasty) = (_ _) This fish's top half displays a pattern much like that of the Jungle Tigers in Faron. Often migrates between the Faronic & Necludic oceans. A prized Sashimi ingredient. Considered a delicacy. Is actually flavorful on its own & doesn't need any special preparation to enhance its flavor. Thought to be one of the most flavorful fish in Hyrule alongside Hearty/Amative Salmon & the Endura Tuna; however, it is often overlooked in favor of more popular options. Possibly due to how oily the meat is, as a result, it has a strong flavor to it. Incredibly versatile, it's great whether served raw, cured, grilled, fried, roasted, or poached. But is especially delicious smoked. The Sheikah refer to them as Torajimamoyō no Saba (虎縞模様のサバ, direct translation). The residents of Faron refer to it as Kika'hālu'a Ono.

Sandskimmer (Sanddrift) = (_ _) Lives in flowing sand in the Gerudo Desert. Due to living in sand, it has no eyes & instead navigates via echolocation. Requires a Sandfish Trap to catch. The Gerudo refer to them as Gàl'xïtïr. - Reference to My Time At Sandrock.

Sand Tuna (Sanddrift) = (_ _) A sandy-colored tuna that makes its home in the flowing sand in the Gerudo Desert. Due to living in sand, it has no eyes & instead navigates via echolocation. Requires a Sandfish Trap to catch. The Gerudo refer to them as Gàl'tana.

☆Ordon Catfish (Hearty) = (_ _) A long, green fish with question mark-esque swirly lines along its sides. Only found in Ordona. Has a mild, sweet & slightly earthy flavor as well as a firm & flaky texture, which makes it a great fish for those who generally aren't a fan of strong-tasting fish. Many compare it to the taste of Lavascale Tilapia if less spicy. Best for grilling, frying, or baking. The Sheikah call them Toaru Namazu (トアルナマズ) or Ōdon Namazu (オードンナマズ), while the Gerudo call them Ōradona Gàtïmatsya & Faronites refer to them as Olihanu O'opu'pākē. - A reference to Twilight Princess.

Hearty Sea Bream (Hearty & Amorous) = (_ _) These fish can only be found in Lover's Pond atop Tuft or in Heartbreak Pond atop Ebon, which are saltwater ponds. They adapted from sea bream after somehow finding their way up to Tuft & Ebon Mountain. The favored fish of Karina, Goddess of Love & Passion. The Sheikah have several names for this fish; they refer to them as Koibito Tai (恋人鯛, Sweetheart Sea Bream) or Kokoro no Komotta Tai (心のこもった鯛, Heartfelt Sea Bream) or Koikito Baradai (恋人薔薇鯛, Sweetheart Rose Sea Bream) or Kokoro no Komotta Momoirodai (心のこもった桃色鯛, Heartfelt Peach-Colored Sea Bream) or Koibito Nadeshikodai (恋人鯛撫子鯛, Sweetheart Dianthus Sea Bream). However, Faronites refer to it as Ke Aloha Mū. - Inspired by IRL sea bream which was dedicated to Aphrodite, goddess of love, because it was broadly considered to be the most attractive & flavorful fish. Think Sea Bream of Love from Fantasy Life.

Knoutfish (Hydrating) = (_ _) A long, eel-like fish with an insane dorsal fin, scary teeth, & no eyes due to living in flowing sand. While sweet to taste, its flesh is watery & gelatinous & it's texture is considered unpleasant. As such, it requires a specific preparation to be palatable. This process involves heating it so that it releases it's juices, which can be used to cook. Is seen as a pest. Requires a Sandfish Trap to catch. Called Gàl'bàtacha by the Gerudo & Kaulai'a by Faronites. - Inspired by the IRL lancetfish.

Herofish (Mighty 2) = (_ _) This fish has a sword-like nose, which it uses to protect its school. This fish is meaty & is often compared to steak due to being more robust than other fish. Lives all along the Hyrule east coast. The Sheikah refer to them as Eiyū-Mekajiki (英雄メカジキ, Hero Swordfish). On the other hand, Faron natives call it 'Ōlohe Wiwo A'uku.

- Legendfish (Mighty 3) = (_ _) This green & gold fish has a sword-like nose, which it uses to protect its school. This fish is meaty & is often compared to steak due to being more robust than other fish. Much like the Staminoka Bass, the Legendfish is just a Herofish that's made it to a certain age. The attack up it gives is greater than that of a Herofish & lasts twice as long. Can be found anywhere off the east coast of Hyrule. The Sheikah refer to them as Densetsu-Mekajiki (伝説メカジキ, Legend Swordfish). However, the residents of Faron have named it Kaao A'uku.

Swiftfin Trout (Rapid 2) = (_ _) A Zora's Domain only fish. The fastest known freshwater fish. The Sheikah refer to them as Hayai-Hire Masu (速い鰭マス, Fast-Fin Trout).

Faronic Sailfish (Rapid 3) = (_ _) The fastest fish in Hyrule. Period. When cooked, it grants an even bigger boost to Swim Speed than the Swiftfin Trout. Lives in the Faron Sea near Lurelin. The Sheikah refer to them as Faronikku Bashoukajiku (ファロニックバショウカジキ, direct translation). However, residents of Faron refer to it as Fahanawiwo'ole A'u Lepe.

Fleetstream Eel (Rapid 2) = (_ _) Fastest river eel known. It's streamlined build & it's muscus-like secretions are thought to be how it's able to swim so fast. Tends to live in rivers around Lanayru & Necluda. The Sheikah refer to them as Kantai Nagare no Unagi (艦隊流れの鰻, Fleet-Flowing Eel).

Swiftcurrent Dolphinfish (Rapid 2) = (_ _) An ocean fish with a powerful tail. Lives mostly around the Faron-Necludic Sea. Best when fried. The Sheikah refer to them as Hayai-Nagare Shīra (速い流れシイラ). Though, Faron residents call it Māmā-Kahe Mahi-Mahi. - Mahi-Mahi.

☆Reekfish (Revitalizing) = (_ _) Used to be found in the Tanagar River before the river dried. Extinct or critically endangered. Is said to have stunk to high heaven, but was also considered highly nutritious & good for combating colds. If it still lives, then it could possibly be found in the Hyrule Castle moat. - Reference to Twilight Princess.

☆Neptuna (Riptide 2) = (_ _) A deep, dark purple tuna with a white underbelly & a yellow stripe dividing the 2. It also has teal swirl patterns down its sides. Despite being a tuna, it actually has a swordfish-like protrusion from its face. Its eyes seem to always be set in an angry glare. A Legendary Fish; extremely hard to catch & even if you do manage to, you need a boat & salvage crane to lift it onto the boat. Mostly found off the coast of Akkala. The fully grown state of a male Skippyjack. - Reference to Phantom Hourglass.

Tidal King (Riptide 3 & Hydrating) = (_ _) Enormous, mythical fish that resemble massive eels said to be harbingers of earthquakes & tsunamis that live out in the deep ocean. A Legendary Fish that is very, very hard to find, let alone catch. You cannot catch it by hand as it is far too large & requires a salvage crane. Its flavor is strong in a way that many might consider off-putting. However, it has a cod-like sweetness & is overall very delicious. The biggest issue is its texture, which has been noted to be egg white-like. As such, much like the Knoutfish of the Gerudo Desert, it's best to render the fats & use that to flavor dishes rather than eat the meat itself. Another way to cook it is by boiling it or frying it up with butter which toughens the meat up, thus giving it a firmer texture. However, the best part to cook is the fish's heart, which is said to be earthshakingly delicious. The heart has 3 sections to it, each with a slightly different texture. After rinsing it in hot water, the part with the lightest coloring is said to taste similar to cow intestines, while the darkest colored one tastes like Cucco heart. However, chefs should beware as it's thought that eating a Tidal King will curse those who partake, so it's a definite trade-off. The sort that you'll have to decide if it's worth it. The Sheikah refer to them as Kairyū no Tsukai (海竜の使い, Messenger of the Sea Dragon). Meanwhile, Faronites call them Akua Ko Kai'e'e to mean “Spirit of the Climbing Sea.” - An oarfish.

Sandacuda (Scorching) = (_ _) Due to living in sand, it has no eyes & instead navigates via echolocation. Requires a Sandfish Trap to catch. The Gerudo refer to them as Gárokuda. - Reference to My Time At Sandrock.

Steam Coelacanth (Scorching) = (_ _) Lives in the deep ocean, near volcanic vents. Has remained largely unchanged for millions of years. Faronites call them Māhu Konohana.

Volcanic Angelfish (Scorching) = (_ _) A bright orange angelfish with purple or indigo stripes. Lives in magma & near volcanic vents in the ocean, often swimming between the 2. While it has eyes, due to only partially living in lava, it has very poor eyesight & primarily navigates its surroundings via echolocation. Also called Cherubimfish. The name given to it by the residents of Faron is Pāhoe Kīkākapu. - Inspired by the Flame Angelfish IRL.

Hideaway Halibut (Sneaky) = (_ _) Lives in the Necluda Sea. Known for its camouflage ability where it lays flat on the seafloor. Has a slight sweetness to it. The Sheikah refer to them as Kakurega Ohyō (隠れ家オヒョウ, direct translation). Residents of Faron refer to it as Pe'e Aku Hemolepaki'i.

Vicegrip Octopus (Sticky) = (_ _) This octopus' suction cups are strong enough to pull a carriage. This is due to the secretions that they produce which can be harvested & used to make a high-quality, water-resistant glue. Referred to as Fuku Tako (副タコ, Vice Octopus) by the Sheikah & is a key ingredient in Takoyaki. Faron residents call it Loa'a He'e.

Boltfang Eel (Stormy/Charged) = (_ _) A green eel with yellow accents & glowing, yellow racing stripes down its sides. Produces electricity which it uses to hunt, though it makes it easy to spot as well. Good thing it's a fast swimmer. It's best you be careful & not go for them directly. A smart fisher would use a rod or a net. Lives in the rivers around the Faron Jungle. The Sheikah refer to them as Boruto-Kiba no Unagi (ボルト牙の鰻, direct translation). Faronites call it Uilia'pāpā Puhi.

Solarscale Bream (Sunny) = (Sparus solarus) A brightly colored bream with shiny orange scales that reflect the sun. It lives on the Sky Islands & heals Gloom.

Lynelfish (Toxic 3) = (_ _) A vibrantly colored fish with quilled fins that resemble the mane of a Lynel. It produces a paralytic poison from its quills that can last for days & cause extreme pain, sweating, & respiratory distress. Attaching a quill to an arrow will paralyze an enemy for a good long while. Known as the deadliest fish in Hyrule. Not even killer whales fuck with these bastards. Their natural predators are Euryhaline Zora, Hylians, Ovelians (humans with regular ears), Coastal Rito, & Oxen Sharks. Their meat is actually delectable & very versatile, taking seasoning very well. However, that can't be caught normally. They require spearfishing. Though, despite how deadly their poison is, they're actually not as difficult to prepare as you'd think. The Sheikah refer to them as Rainerukasago (ライネルカサゴ, direct translation). However Faron residents generally refer to it as Laionela'pihi. - Note: Lionfish IRL are actually extremely invasive & are very bad for reefs. They will eat anything they can kill, including fish much bigger than them. As a result, it's actually very encouraged to eat them.

☆Venin Pufferfish (Toxic 2) = (_ _) A fish able to puff up like a spiky balloon as a defense mechanism. Can only be caught safely by fishing. You try to catch it directly, it'll either sting you on land or literally explode in the water. Dead ones are useful as underwater bombs. Extremely difficult to prepare. Their liver is said to be the tastiest part of the fish, however it's also the most poisonous. Like, extremely poisonous. BE WARNED! They live mostly in the Necludic Sea, often venturing into the Lanayru Bay. The Sheikah refer to them as Doku-Fugu (毒フグ, Poison Puffer). Faronites call it Mea 'Awa O'opu Hue. - A semi reference to the exploding pufferfish enemies from Kirby 64 & the Water Bombs from Twilight Princess.

Stratusail Fish (Windshear) = (_ _) A sailfish with wing-like fins, a large sail, & a long, pointed nose that it uses to defend itself. It sails through the clouds around the Sky Islands.

Reptile Meat:

Serpe = The meat of a Treetop Boa, which lives in the Faron Jungle. The Sheikah refer to them as Kozue Boahebi Niku (梢ボアヘビ肉, Treetop Boa Snake Meat). Any Critter referred to as a snake also counts.

Rangpar = The meat of a large reptile, such as from an Gopongan Alligator or Faron Crocodile. A white meat that has a texture like a mix between fish & poultry with a slightly Cucco-like flavor.

Shark Fin (Mighty) = A fin from an Oxen Shark or Kōbra Shark. The Oxen Sharks swim all along the Faron-Necludic Coast & the Kōbra Sharks live in the Gerudo Desert, in flowing & quicksand. Both are strictly regulated. As such, their populations are sustainable enough to be eaten if a person only catches one. Coastal residents will often catch one or two & have little parties where the featured ingredient is shark as they use as much of the animal as possible. Every shark you kill gives 4 of these. The Sheikah refer to Oxen Shark Fins as Oushi Fukahire (牡牛フカヒレ, direct translation). Residents of Faron refer to it as Kauo Niuhi'hulu. However, the Gerudo refer to Kōbra Shark Fins as Kōbra Samàq’jru. - Note: Finning is illegal even in Hyrule & the law is enforced strictly. Please also note that Shark Fin doesn't actually have any flavor. The reason its fins are used is so that no part of the shark is wasted.

- Shark Meat (Mighty) = Meat from an Oxen Shark or Kōbra Shark. Oxen Sharks swim all along the Faron-Necludic coast & Kōbra Sharks live in the Gerudo Desert, in flowing or quicksand. Both are strictly regulated. As such, their populations are sustainable enough to be eaten if a person only catches one. Coastal residents will often catch one or two & have little parties where the featured ingredient is shark as they use as much of the animal as possible. Every shark you kill gives 2 of these. The Sheikah refer to the Oxen Sharks as Oushi Same no Niku (牡牛サメの肉, direct translation). Residents of Lurelin refer to it as Kauo Niuhi'pipi. Though the Gerudo refer to the Kōbra Shark Meat as Kōbra Samàq’gïdo. - Note: Finning is illegal even in Hyrule & the law is enforced strictly.

- Shark Bones (Mighty) = Bones from an Oxen Shark or Kōbra Shark. These Oxen Sharks swim all along the Faron-Necludic coast & Kōbra Sharks live in the Gerudo Desert, in flowing or quicksand. Both are strictly regulated. As such, their populations are sustainable enough to be eaten if a person only catches one. Coastal residents will often catch one or two & have little parties where the featured ingredient is shark as they use as much of the animal as possible. Every shark you kill gives 3 of these. The Sheikah refer to them as Oushi Same no Hone (牡牛サメの骨, direct translation). Residents of Lurelin refer to it as Kauo Niuhi'iwi. Though, the Gerudo refer to Kōbra Shark Bones as Kōbra Samàq’ābezàmen. - Note: Finning is illegal even in Hyrule & the law is enforced strictly.

Critters:

Koholint Shrimp = (_ _) A type of shrimp that can be found living around the Koholina Archipelago. The Sheikah refer to them as Shitchi Zarigani (湿地ザリガニ, direct translation). Called Ahiahi 'Ōpae by the Faron natives.

Wetland Crawdad = (_ _) A type of shrimp native to the Lanayru Wetlands. It is used quite a bit in Gopongan cooking.

Frostclaw Lobster (Biting) = (_ _) Lives on the shores of the Necluda Sea, specifically, Lanayru Bay. Has claws that generate severe cold. The Sheikah refer to them as Shimo-Tsume Isēbi (霜爪いせえび, direct translation).

Eventide Seadragon (Fireproof) = (_ _) A ruby-red variety of seahorse. Lives in the Faron Sea near volcanic vents around the Koholina Archipelago, specifically near Eventide Island. Lurelinites have named it Ahi'lupe Kai Mo'o.

Aquaskin Frog (Gills 3) = (Rana _) A very rare, euryhaline frog that has mastered the means of filtering oxygen from water. Was once used to make Sheikah-style fukumen face masks for Zora Armor, but the practice was lost when the Zora first rose from the water to take to the skies. The practice has recently been refounded. The Sheikah refer to them as Mizu-Hada Gaeru (水肌ガエル, Water-Skin Frog). - Inspired by the Crab-Eating Frog (Rana cancrivora).

Chthonic Clam (Gills & Amorous) = (_ _) A type of clam that can only be found in the Depths in Chthonolimns (underground lakes). When collecting them, you have a chance to also get a Black Pearl, but it's extremely rare. Black Pearls give more Shadow Damage than Onyx.

Illuminolm (Glow) = (_ _) Shiny, black salamanders with bioluminescent blue markings. The cave-dwelling cousin of the Bolt Axlotl. These creepy-cute little buggers are like eyeless snakes with legs & fins framing their head.

Hearty Roe (Hearty) = (_ _) Fish eggs lain by either Hearty Salmon, Hearty Sea Bream, Amative Salmon, & oddly Endura Tuna. Used often in Sheikah cooking, but is also regularly served at high-class parties as simple hors d'oeuvres (though the Sheikah tend to see that as a waste). You have a chance of getting them whenever you catch one of the above-mentioned fish. The Sheikah refer to them as Kokoro no Ko (心の子, Heart Roe). Though, Faronites call them Puuwai Kowaū.

Bolt Axolotl (Lightningproof) = (_ _) A freshwater-dwelling salamander that is immune to electricity.

Lanayru Serpent (Rapid) = (_ _) A water snake that lives in it's, but mostly the Lanayru Wetlands & Zora's Domain. Its scales are dark blue, so they camouflage well at night, so it's easy to get scared by one. However, while their fangs are sharp & will hurt, they aren't venomous. However, it's still possible for them to rip a vital artery if they get lucky, so don't underestimate them just because they don't have venom. The Sheikah refer to them as Ranēru Kawa no Hebi (ラネール川の蛇, Lanayru River Serpent).

Riverhorse (Rapid) = An orange seahorse with a horn native to the rivers of Hyrule's Lanayru Region. They have a mild, slightly sweet flavor with subtle nuttiness & gelatinous flesh. However, they are often fried, resulting in something crunchier. Frying them long enough gives a more porkskin-like flavor. Due to being a freshwater fish, it's milder & lacks that salty or briny taste that saltwater fish possess. - ‘EoW: A creature with a distinctive mouth. When used in a drink, it enables the drinker to swim faster than usual.’ - Fun Facts: Seahorses are one of the only species on earth where the male becomes pregnant. They tend to give hugs to partner every morning during pregnancy. They often sing while mating. Seahorses are monogamous & mate for life. They are known to hold each others’ tail while traveling to prevent drifting apart.

Abalone (Recovery) = (_ _) These mollusks live inside a shell that features a magnificently iridescent mother of pearl interior. Really only found along the Faron Coast.

Rava Abalone (Tenebrating & Recovery) = (_ _) These mollusks live inside a shell that features a magnificently iridescent, but dark & alluring mother of pearl interior that almost resembles smoke. Extremely rare & only found on the beaches of the Koholina Archipelago.

Backsplash Crab ❤️ (Riptide) = (_ _) These bright blue crabs have vividly colored shells with a swirling, T-shaped pattern. Though typically docile, they are also very grudgemental & vengeful. Only found on the Koholina Archipelago. - From Wind Waker.

Emberclaw Lobster (Scorching) = (_ _) Lives on the shores of the Necluda Sea, specifically around Akkala. Its claws are white-hot & seems to have napalm for blood. Meaning that they'll explode if you accidentally step on one too close to lava. It won't kill you due to the explosions being relatively tiny, but it'll hurt like an SOB regardless. The Sheikah refer to them as Hibana-Tsume no Isēbi (火花爪いせえび, direct translation).

Staticlaw Lobster (Stormy/Charged) = (_ _) Lives on the shores of the Faron Sea, specifically around Lurelin. Much like the Boltfang Eel, this lobster's claws produce electricity, though in this case, it conducts it in its claws. The Sheikah refer to them as Seiteki-Tsume Isēbi (静的爪いせえび, direct translation). On the other hand, Faronites call it Kū'oko'a'niho Ula.

Faronic Oyster (Tough & Amorous) = (_ _) A type of mussel that lives in the Faron Sea. When collecting them, you have a chance to also get a Pearl, but it's very rare. Pearls give stronger water magic than Opals. Faronites call them Hanawiwo'ole Kio.

Pipoe Clam (Fortune) = A type of small clam known to produce a tiny little golden-colored pearl. Quite rare, but making it into jewelry causes rupees to appear more often.

Desert Viper (Toxic) = (_ _) A venomous snake that lives in the Gerudo Desert. Their venom can be used to make medicines or alcohols. Gerudo refer to them as Geràsht'è Àspa.

Sand Cobra (Toxic 2) = (_ _) A very venomous snake that lives in the Gerudo Desert. The hood is the symbol of the Gerudo. Their venom can be used to make strong medicines or alcohols. Gerudo refer to them as Geru'kōbra.

Royal Cobra (Toxic 3) = (_ _) An extremely venomous snake that lives in the Gerudo Desert. Heavily associated with Gerudo Royalty. The pattern on the back of the hood is different depending on whether it is male or female. Gerudo Kings by blood get the mark on the hood of males tattooed onto their body. The same is said of Gerudo Queens by birth getting a tattoo of the female Royal Cobra's hood. Their venom can be used to make very potent (& dangerous) medicine or alcohol. Male Royal Cobras are referred to as kings & the females as queens. The Gerudo call these Màlàki Kōbra. - Based on the King Cobra.

Adder Frog (Toxic 3 & Dreamy 2) = (_ _) Lives in the Faron Jungle. Actually pretty damn delicious when prepared right. Secrets a toxic oil through its skin. This toxin has a deeply somnolent effect that, if you fall asleep without some kind of cure, will actually paralyze your lungs & kill you. Is very brightly colored with bright orange hind legs & front fingers, an aqua main body with large black splotches that have thin, sky-blue outlines that are generally hard to see from a distance & purple lining the eyelids. This acts as a signal that it is extremely toxic. If you plan to catch it, best you either wear gloves or use a Bug Net. The residents of Faron call them Mo'opetena Poloka.

Barbed Urchin (Toxic 3) = (_ _) A very dangerous sea creature with barbed quills. Just getting stung by one is deadly enough. If you can't even get the quill out fast enough to draw out the poison, you're as good as dead. Found in the Faron & lower Necluda Seas. They have a unique, distinct, intense sea sort of flavor commonly described as salty-sweet with a creamy or buttery consistency & a briny texture. Can only be grabbed if you're wearing Diving Gloves, which are one of a number of upgrades for the Zora Armor along with an Aquaskin Fukumen. Sheikah refer to them as Toge Uni (とげウニ, Spiny Sea Urchin). Faronites call them Kukū Wana.

Sandpincer Crab ❤️ (Windshear) = (Gelasimus harenapinciare) These crabs are native to the Gerudo Desert, but only really show up during the winter months. Mostly sandy-colored, but with bright green pincers & legs. The Gerudo refer to them as Ger’kàràt. - From ALBW.

Insects:

☆Faron Grasshopper = (_ _) Extinct. Evolved into the Restless Cricket. - ' Reference to Skyward Sword.

☆Starry Firefly = (_ _) Native to the Sky Islands. While they still exist as is, some managed to learn to survive on the ground & evolved into Sunset Fireflies, Deep Fireflies, & Lightningstrike Bugs. - 'These insects are among the rarest in the skies & can only be found in dark places.' Reference to Skyward Sword.

☆Woodland Rhino Beetle = (_ _) Extinct. Evolved into the Rugged Rhino Beetle, Bladed Rhino Beetle, & Energetic Rhino Beetle. - 'A slow forest bug that is easy to catch. Roll into trees to knock it down.' & 'Collectors often polish the hard carapaces of these beetles to make them tougher. It's the strongest of all the insects.' Reference to Skyward Sword.

☆Lanayru Ant = (_ _) Extinct. Evolved into the Dune Ant. The Gerudo referred to it as the Laniru Namla. - 'It's said these ants store water deep in their nests, allowing them to thrive even in the intense heat of the desert.' Reference to Skyward Sword.

☆Gerudo Dragonfly = (_ _) Extinct. Evolved into the Quick Darner & Sterlingwing Dragonfly (before it too became extinct). Died out before the Gerudo first came to Hyrule. - 'These stunning insects have compound eyes more beautiful than Rupees & wings as transparent as glass.' Reference to Skyward Sword.

☆Joy Butterfly = (_ _) Said to bring good luck. Are known to gather near treasure. Necklaces are often made in their image & worn as good luck charms. Closely related to Blessed Butterflies. The Sheikah refer to them as Tanoshi-Ge Chō (楽しげ蝶, Joyful Butterfly). However, Faronites have coined them Hau'oli Pulelehua, while the Gerudo call them Vàttawn'è Tïsa.

☆Eldin Roller = (_ _) A blue Beetle known for rolling dung. Native to Eldin. Called Orudin Kusomusha (オルディン糞虫, Eldin Dungbeetle) by the Sheikah. - 'These small-bodied bugs roll a big ball of… something. The way they busily roll stuff back to their nest is quite adorable.' Reference to Skyward Sword.

☆Jànnú Scarab = (_ _) A type of beetle considered a sacred insect to the Gerudo. The Gerudo call them Jànnú Skarabï.

☆Dune Ant = (_ _) Descendant of the extinct Lanayru Ant. These ants live in the desert in oases, they tend to eat fruit & flowers & produce honey. If you catch one, it's possible that you'll also get some Oasis Honey. The Gerudo refer to them as Gel'shïr Nàmla. - A reference to the Lanayru Ant in Skyward Sword.

☆Sky Stag Beetle (Aerodynamic) = (_ _) A light blue stag beetle with gold markings. Lives only on the Sky Islands. - 'These bugs are really popular with the children of Skyloft. Their pincers pack a lot of crunch, so watch your fingers!' Reference to Skyward Sword.

Frostscythe Mantis (Biting) = (_ _) A Mantis well-adapted to the cold & having claws that produce sub-zero temperatures that freeze their targets instantly, it preys on Cold Darners & Winterwing Butterflies. Lives on Mount Lanayru, in Hebra, & on Gerudo Highlands. The Sheikah refer to them as Shimo-Kama Kamakiri (霜鎌カマキリ, Frost-Sickle Praying Mantis), while the Highland Gerudo refer to them as Fïze'tàrrba Lauso.

Diving Beetle (Bubble) = (_ _) These beetles have oar or flipper-like feet that allow them to swim. As a result, they are typically found in water. Lives all throughout Lanayru, but are most commonly found in the Lanayru Wetlands & Zora's Domain. Can also, occasionally, be found in Necluda & Faron, but only in the rain. The Sheikah refer to them as Gengorō (ゲンゴロウ, direct translation). On the other hand, Lurelinites call them Kini'ea Puʻu. - Inspired by IRL Diving Beetles.

Bubblehelm Spider (Bubble) = (_ _) These spiders use their webs to create helmets that protect their heads from water. This allows them to swim underwater for a time in order to catch prey. The Sheikah refer to them as Sensuigumo (潜水クモ, direct translation). - Inspired by IRL Diving Bell Spiders.

Shallows Scorpion (Bubble & Toxic) = These little scorpions live in shallow bodies of water. Their tails act as snorkels so they can survive underwater & during that time, they use their pincers which have a toxic sting to them. While they don’t typically venture onto land, when they do, their snorkel narrows & sharpens into a stinger. Unfortunately, they must avoid striking at anything too sturdy as due to its multipurpose function, their stringer tends to be much more fragile than land-based scorpions. The venom of these scorpions can be processed into a potent medicine. In Gerudo culture, they are often associated with Vàh Kàvtrïna who uses toxins to both hurt & heal. - IRL water scorpion, but as an actual scorpion.

*Courser Bee (Energizing/Enduring) = (_ _) Lives in hives where they make Courser Honey. Just 1 doesn't give as much Stamina as Courser Honey, but the more bees you use in a potion, the more Stamina is recovered beyond what you'd expect as the effects are compounded. Effectively making a potion that is worth more than the sum of its parts. Is sort of used as an easy early-game potion item. Using 6 with a monster part even gives the Enduring effect. The Sheikah refer to them as Ganbari Bachi (ガンバリバチ, Let's Do It Bee).

☆Gilded Beetle (Fortune) = (_ _) Extremely rare & hard to catch. Native to Hyrule Field, specifically Faron-side. Has a luminous, metallic-looking exoskeleton that resembles gold with platinum markings & rupee-like eyes. Can be either sold to collectors for large amounts of money or made into a fortune-increasing potion that briefly increases the amount of Rupees you get for selling things for a certain amount of time. Referred to as Kinmekki no Kabuto (金メッキのカブト, Gold-Plated Helmet) by the Sheikah. Though, Faron residents refer to them as Kula Pu'u.- Reference to the Gold Beetle in Twilight Princess.

☆Highroller Pillbug (Fortune) = (_ _) Extremely rare & hard to catch. Native to Kakariko Gorge. Has a luminous, metallic-looking exoskeleton that resembles gold & Rupee-like eyes. Can be either sold to collectors for large amounts of money or made into a fortune-increasing potion that briefly increases the amount of Rupees you get for selling things for a certain amount of time. The Sheikah refer to them as Kujira Dangomushi (鯨ダンゴムシ, Whale Pillbug). - Reference to the Gold Pillbug in Twilight Princess. It's name is a reference to the fact that highrollers are sometimes called whales.

☆Aurelian Ant (Fortune) = (_ _) Extremely rare & hard to catch. Native to Kakariko Village. Has a luminous, metallic-looking exoskeleton that resembles gold & rupee-like eyes, the males having shimmering, glass-like wings. Can be either sold to collectors for large amounts of money or made into a fortune-increasing potion that briefly increases the amount of rupees you get for selling things for a certain amount of time. The Sheikah refer to them as Orerian Ari (オーレリアン蟻, direct translation). - Reference to the Gold Ant in Twilight Princess.

☆Treasurehopper (Fortune) = (_ _) Extremely rare & hard to catch. Native to Hyrule Field, specifically near the Eldin Province. Has a luminous, metallic-looking exoskeleton that resembles gold & emerald, glittering, glass-like wings, & rupee-like eyes. Can be either sold to collectors for large amounts of money or made into a fortune-increasing potion that briefly increases the amount of rupees you get for selling things for a certain amount of time. Referred to as Takaramono-Hoppā Batta (宝物ホッパーバッタ, Treasure-Hopper Cricket) by the Sheikah. - Reference to the Gold Grasshopper in Twilight Princess.

☆Goldenrod Plasmid (Fortune) = (_ _) Extremely rare & hard to catch. Native to the area around the Bridge of Eldin. Has a luminous, metallic-looking exoskeleton that resembles gold & rupee-like eyes. Appears to have delicate, gold leaves sprouting from its body. Can be either sold to collectors for large amounts of money or made into a fortune-increasing potion that briefly increases the amount of rupees you get for selling things for a certain amount of time. Referred to as Akinokirinsō Nanafushi (アキノキリンソウナナフシ, Goldenrod Stickbug) by the Sheikah. - Reference to the Gold Phasmid in Twilight Princess.

☆Gemscythe Mantis (Fortune) = (_ _) Extremely rare & hard to catch. Native to the area around Lake Hylia. Has a luminous, metallic-looking exoskeleton that resembles gold with a jade abdomen, platinum markings, sparkling, frosted glass-like wings, scythes made of what appears to be diamond, & rupee-like eyes. Can be either sold to collectors for large amounts of money or made into a fortune-increasing potion that briefly increases the amount of rupees you get for selling things for a certain amount of time. Faronites call them Pōhakumae'pahikākiwi Ūhinipule. - Reference to the Gold Dragonfly in Twilight Princess.

☆Sterlingwing Dragonfly (Fortune) = (_ _) Extinct. Had originally evolved from Gerudo Dragonflies that had migrated north from the desert. Was extremely rare & hard to catch. Used to live around today's Tanagar Canyon back before The Convergence. Died out when it dried up. Had a luminous, metallic-looking exoskeleton that resembled gold, glittering, glass-like wings with platinum markings, & rupee-like eyes. Could be either sold to collectors for large amounts of money or made into a fortune-increasing potion that briefly increases the amount of rupees you get for selling things for a certain amount of time. - Reference to the Gold Dragonfly in Twilight Princess.

☆Halcyon Butterfly (Fortune) = (_ _) Extremely rare & hard to catch. Native to West Hyrule Field. Has a luminous, metallic-looking exoskeleton that resembles gold, shimmering, stained glass-like wings that come in a variety of patterns with platinum markings, & rupee-like eyes. Also called Shimmerwing or Mosaic Butterflies. Can be either sold to collectors for large amounts of money or made into a fortune-increasing potion that briefly increases the amount of rupees you get for selling things  for a certain amount of time. - Reference to the Gold Butterfly in Twilight Princess.

☆Gilded Stag Beetle (Fortune) = (_ _) Extremely rare & hard to catch. Native to North Hyrule Field. Has a luminous, metallic-looking exoskeleton that resembles gold, sparkling wings, a horn like diamond, & rupee-like eyes. Can be either sold to collectors for large amounts of money or made into a fortune-increasing potion that briefly increases the amount of rupees you get for selling things for a certain amount of time. - Reference to the Gold Stag Beetle in Twilight Princess.

☆Gemlit Ladybug (Fortune) = (_ _) Extremely rare & hard to catch. Native to South Hyrule Field near Ordona. Has a luminous, metallic-looking exoskeleton that resembles rose gold, spots that bring to mind white or black pearls depending on the sex, glittering, glass-like wings, & Rupee-like eyes. Can be either sold to collectors for large amounts of money or made into a fortune-increasing potion that briefly increases the amount of Rupees you get for selling things for a certain amount of time. Referred to as Ā’pōhakumae Ponumomi by Lurelinites. - Reference to the Gold Ladybug in Twilight Princess.

☆Shimmering Mayfly (Fortune) = (_ _) Extremely rare & hard to catch. Native to the Gerudo Desert. Has a luminous, metallic-looking exoskeleton that resembles gold, shimmering almost glasslike wings, & rupee-like eyes. Can be either sold to collectors for large amounts of money or made into a fortune-increasing potion that briefly increases the amount of rupees you get for selling things for a certain amount of time. The Gerudo refer to them as Shim'teron. - Reference to the Gold Mayfly in Twilight Princess.

☆Glimmershell Snail (Fortune) = (_ _) Extremely rare & hard to catch. Native to the Forest of Time, in the West Ordona Grasslands. Has a luminous, metallic-looking exoskeleton that resembles abalone with silvery swirls on the shell & rupee-like eyes. Can be either sold to collectors for large amounts of money or made into a fortune-increasing potion that briefly increases the amount of rupees you get for selling things for a certain amount of time. Though, for a more long-lasting affect, it’s recommended to have it made into jewelry. The Sheikah call them Kirameku Sazae (きらめくサザエ, Shimmering Turban Shell). Lurelin natives instead call them Hulali'pup Kamaloli. - Reference to the Gold Snail in Twilight Princess.

Goldweaving Spider (Fortune) = (_ _) These canyon-dwelling spiders weave cocoons of golden thread, which the Gerudo use to make some of the absolute finest threads & silks. Used to make the Golden Sashes that the Gerudo weave to help to block wind. They refer to them as Dhânūsjéda Xabàt.

Everlost Silkworm (Glow) = (Antheraea fantasmalunae) Native to both the Gerudo & Necluda regions. A small, white caterpillar that grows cocoons which the Sheikah & Gerudo then use to make thread & silk. However, during fall, their threads become silver, which is used to make some of the absolute finest silks & threads. Extremely expensive. They are known to nest in Càrïtàn Bean bushes & Dreamdrop trees. They eventually grow into Everlost Moths. The Sheikah refer to them as Eien-Ushinatta Kaiko (永遠失った蚕, direct translation), while the Gerudo refer to them as Ohïm'dad Shïrkéturre. - A reference to glowworms & silkworms.

Everlost Moth (Glow & Dawning/Dusky) = (Antheraea fantasmalunae) A moth with cyan wings that emit a lovely glow in the dark. Native to both the Necluda & Gerudo regions these moths are said to guide the way to the afterlife & are known to be found near graves, in graveyards & cemeteries, though very few are aware that they can also be found in the Depth near the Bargainers Statues. Heavily associated with the moon & the Sheikah, these moths bear a symbol uncannily similar to that of the Mind's Eye on their wings, but in white. Their lower wings form a loop that is said to carry the souls of the dead. You can often see them migrating from the Surface to the Depths from September to the end of fall after the final major lunar bookend phase before returning to the Surface in spring. Also called Moonlight Moths due to their lunascent glow. The Sheikah refer to them as Eien-Ushinatta Ga (永遠失った蛾, direct translation), while the Gerudo refer to them as Ohïm'dab Sāsha. - Inspired by IRL Spanish Luna Moths as well as the Japanese beliefs of butterflies & the Kura'in Butterflies from Ace Attorney 6: Spirit of Justice which denotes that they guide souls to the afterlife. Meanwhile, the name is inspired by the book of the same name.

☆Prismatic Firefly (Glow) = (_ _) A descendant of the Forest Firefly. Shines in a fantastic array of colors. Found living in very old Necluda forests or the Great Hyrule Forest. Often used in the creation of Pictoboxes to produce colored pictures. Referred to as Niji Hotaru (虹ホタル, Rainbow Firefly) or Sanryōwai-Jō Hotaru (三稜顡状ホタル, direct translation) by the Sheikah. Faronites refer to them as Ōnohi Pu'u Ahi. - A reference to the Forest Firefly from Wind Waker.

Quick Darner (Hasty 3) = (_ _) A dragonfly with dusty purple wings & yellow tips descended from the extinct Gerudo Dragonfly. Quickest insect in Hyrule. Its wings built to be the most aerodynamic of them all & can often be seen zipping around the desert & skimming over dunes. Lives in the Gerudo Desert where they are referred to as Sarï'alyae. - A reference to the Gerudo Dragonfly in Skyward Sword.

Swiftwing Butterfly (Hasty 2) = (_ _) While not as quick as the Quick Darner, this is the fastest butterfly known to Hyland. Is frequently found in Hyrule Fields & Hyrule Ridge.

Aquawing Butterfly (Rapid) = (_ _) This butterfly's wings are covered in a hydrophobic coating, which allows it to briefly skim along the surface of the water. Naturally resides around ponds that have Fleet-Lotuses, Wave Saffron, & Starry Rosemary, which they draw nectar from. Can be found all over Lanayru & a little bit in Necluda, but is most commonly found in the Lanayru Wetlands & Zora's Domain. Much like the Diving Beetle, will also come out in Necluda & Faron, but only during the rain. The Sheikah refer to them as Mizu-Tsubasa Chō (水翼蝶, Water-Wing Butterfly). Lurelinites have named them Wai'ēheu Pulelehua.

☆Blessed Butterfly (Recovery) = (_ _) A butterfly with beautiful blue wings & white swirl-like markings. Heavily associated with Hylia & are thought to guide the hero to important things. The Sheikah refer to them as Ten ni Megumareta Chō (天に恵まれた蝶, Heaven-Blessed Butterfly). However, Faronites call them Pōmaikai Pulelehua, while the Gerudo refer to them as Vàttawn'è Oten or Vàttawn'è Shô'si. - 'These insects are commonly found in every province. In rare cases, you can find them flying in strange locations.' Reference to Skyward Sword.

☆Sand Cicada (Sanddrift) = (_ _) Native to the Gerudo Desert. The Gerudo call them Gel'tetï. - From Skyward Sword.

Emberscythe Mantis (Scorching) = (_ _) Its claws burn white hot which instantly cooks its prey from the inside out. Lives in Eldin & preys on Summerwing Butterflies & Warm Darners. However, it's favorite is the Smotherwing Butterfly, which is inconvenient considering that they are immune to the Emberscythe's burning claws. Scholars theorize that the Smotherwing Butterfly adapted to be immune to flames specifically to protect itself from the Emberscythe Mantis' claws. The Sheikah call them Nokoribi-Kama Kamakiri (残り火鎌カマキリ, Ember-Sickle Praying Mantis).

Firesting Scorpion (Scorching & Toxic) = (_ _) Lives only in the Gerudo Desert. Preys on the various desert insects using the toxins in its stinger that increases the internal temperature of its prey, causing them to essentially cook from the inside. Grants increased attack in hot weather. Its toxins are considered a venom, so it's perfectly fine to consume so long as there are no open wounds inside the eater's mouth or along the esophagus. The Gerudo refer to them as Fa'ser Selqet.

Petalscythe Mantis (Sneaky) = (_ _) Its lovely color allows it to blend in with its surroundings by looking like the petals of various flowers in order to catch prey with its sharp, scythe-like claws. When out foraging for flowers, you might end up also getting a Petalscythe Mantis by accident. The Sheikah refer to them as Hanabira-Kama Kamakiri (花弁鎌カマキリ, Petal-Sickle Praying Mantis). - Inspired by the IRL Orchid Mantis.

☆Volcanic Ladybug (Spicy) = (_ _) A ladybug with black, boxy markings. Resistant to heat. Lives only in Eldin. The Sheikah refer to them as Kazan-Sei no Tentōchū (火山性のてんとう虫, direct translation). - 'A volcano-dwelling insect often spotted in groups. It moves little & is easy to catch.' & 'They say these bugs get their deep-red hue from the ores they eat. They are slow moving & tend to stay in one place.' Reference to Skyward Sword.

☆Walltula (Sticky & Toxic) = (_ _) Feeds on the bodily fluids of others. The Sheikah refer to them as Sutaruwōru (スタルウォール). Though Faronites have coined them Kolopi'i Nananana. - Reference to Skyward Sword.

Lightningstrike Bug (Stormy/Charged) = (_ _) Lives in the Faron Jungle. A firefly that shines green. If too many gather around during a lightning storm, they will create a circuit that generates a charge that can fry nearby creatures. Be cautious when approaching! The Sheikah refer to them as Rakurai Hotaru (落雷ホタル, Lightning Strike Firefly). Residents of Lurelin refer to them as Huila Nalo ʻUiʻuiki. - Yes, this is a reference to My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.

Statiscythe Mantis (Stormy/Charged) = (_ _) Lives in Faron where it feasts on Restless Crickets & other insects. Its claws conduct electricity, which much like the Emberscythe Mantis, cooks its prey from the inside out with the added bonus of it paralyzing them long enough to get the job done. Also very much enjoys Electric Darners & Thunderwing Butterflies. While they are more resistant to its electricity, they aren't immune. The Sheikah call them Seiteki-Kama Kamakiri (静的鎌カマキリ, Static-Sickle Praying Mantis). However, Lurelinites call them Kūʻokoʻapahi'kākiwi ʻŪhinipule.

☆Deku Hornet (Toxic & Recovery) = (_ _) A bright yellow hornet with purple wingtips & black markings on its abdomen. Very aggressive. Its larvae are fantastic for fishing bait. Lives in Faron & Ordona. Its venom can be used to make strong medicines if you know how. The Sheikah call them Deku Suzumebachi (デク雀蜂, direct translation). On the other hand, Faron natives call them Tiki Hope'ō. - 'The venom of these insects can be heated to infuse a potent medicine. Just be careful not to get attacked by an angry swarm!' Reference to Skyward Sword.

☆Skyloft Mantis (Windshear) = (_ _) Native to the Sky Islands. Some managed to make their way down to the Surface & evolved into the Emberscythe Mantis, Frostscythe Mantis, & Staticscythe Mantis. - 'These bugs catch prey with their sharp jaws. They are often seen up above the clouds.' Reference to Skyward Sword.

Monster Meat:

Important Note: I have an hc that there are 2 kinds of monsters. Ones that are essentially the corpses of dead monsters reanimated by evil magic & ones that are actual living monsters. The ones that disappear when killed are the reanimated ones while the ones that aren't leave physical bodies. The reason that the monster parts in the game aren't good to eat is due to being from half-decayed bodies & are corrupted & puppeted by evil magic.

Gleeok Meat = Comes from a non-reanimated Gleeok.

Froxling or Grangirino = The meat of a Little Frox. Only found in the Depths.

Granfibio = The meat of a Frox. Only found in the Depths.

Obsidian Granfibio = The meat of an Obsidian Frox. Considered to be the underground's equivalent to prime meat. Only found in the Depths.

Blue-White Granfibio = The meat of a Blue-White Frox. Essentially gourmet meat in the underground. Only found in the Depths.

Dark Clump (Dark/Warding) = A dark, pulsing mass of black magic. Often created when a spirit holds such a strong resentment or grudge that it manifests into a Poe. Needs a special preparation method to be able to consume safely without resulting in corruption. It takes a gifted Hearth Mage to be able to do so while retaining the effect. - The Sheikah refer to them as Yami no Katamari (闇の塊, Mass of Darkness).

Also, by cooking enough dishes, maybe you can expand the number of ingredients you can use from 5 to 6 &, eventually, 7-10.

Now, here's some art of a few of these ingredients:

Now, I'm perfectly aware that most of these are just replicas of EoW's ingredients, but still.

---

And, another thing I'd add. Cooking in bulk.

LoZ Wild Masterlist

LoZ Cultural Masterlist

[archoneddzs15]

Sega Mega Drive - Dahna Megami Tanjoh

Title: Dahna Megami Tanjoh / ダーナ 女神誕生

Developer/Publisher: Information Global Service (IGS)

Release date: 20 December 1991

Catalogue No.: T-64013

Genre: Action

Dahna is a game I find myself coming back to often, struggling with its controls, unrelenting difficulty, and unappealing visuals. Why? Seriously, I don’t know. There’s just something that keeps me stumbling back for more, like a masochist in withdrawal for some cruel yet delicious form of torture. It must be that I simply want to complete it to never have to touch it again, or it may have something to do with the untapped potential you can so easily see, the potential that all but gives up so close to its goal.  I can kind of see why this one was left in Japan and Korea.

Dahna is the story of two daughters, Regine and Dahna. Both were born with incredible magic powers, especially Regine. Her power was so great that forces from the underworld killed their parents and kidnapped her. Dahna escaped and was raised by the sorcerer Magh. When Magh is kidnapped by an evil sorceress the now-grown Dahna sets out to save him. It would be easy to draw comparisons to Golden Axe by giving Dahna a cursory glance. In reality, it is closer to being the Rastan game we never got for Genesis (we did get a Rastain game for the Master System, Game Gear, and MSX). And yes, I’m including Rastan Saga 2 (Mega Drive & PC Engine) in that. Dahna has a variety of sword attacks similar to Zelda 2. You have a standard three-hit sword combo, that can up stab and downward stab.  You have a magic meter that builds up by defeating enemies or collecting items. Depending on the amount gathered you can perform one of three spells.

Mechanically Dahna is sound. The problems come from the stiff controls. Anything that does not involve attacking has a slight delay. If an enemy leaps behind, you Dahna is slow to turn around and attack. You can both crouch and crawl along on the ground. But doing either is very slow as you have to manually get back up in steps when performing either action. There is a considerable amount of platforming and for the most part the controls are serviceable. The times where the high jump won’t perform on command is cause for much frustration, however.

What ultimately ruins the game is the insane difficulty. Dahna gives you a single life and five credits to reach its conclusion. That is far from ideal considering the massive undertaking ahead. There are bottomless pits at every turn and with the less-than-ideal controls chances are you will fall into more than a few. The game does not refill your life bar between levels which is insane. In fact, life-restoring items are rare: at most you’ll restore three or four bars of health. That is nothing.  The only way to fully restore your health is to reach one hundred thousand experience points, which also increases your max health.

The most disappointing aspect of Dahna is that it could have been solid. There are plenty of elements within the game that I really like. There is a great deal of variety from one stage to the next. Stage 1 begins with you on the back of a giant. It is incredibly similar to the Bizarrians in Golden Axe, and I would have loved to see more of that. The following level sees you on horseback as you ride down a mountain. Later on, you even fly on the back of a dragon. When everything is working right combat can be fun. The game is very bloody and has creative bosses as well. But you have to tolerate a lot of janks to appreciate its good points. A few slight tweaks would have gone a long way.

[arkus-rhapsode]

What's going on with the Emio developer?

So quick post cause I saw some news that caught my eye relating to the making of Nintendo's newest game, Emio-The Smiling Man.

So before I go into this, a little bit of context, Mages was the developer behind the remakes of the first two Famicom Detective Clubs. Now a third party developer working on a remake makes a whole lot of sense. Why devout internal resources to remaking a game? But this got me intrigued.

Because this is something I think most people just don't realize with the games industry, a game only gets made if a team is there. That's why a bunch of the franchises you like may not get consistent updates. Many may not be aware but current Nintendo the developer is actually made up of ten internal development teams, called EPDs, that focus on specific franchises and usually only that.

So for example-EPD 3 is the Zelda team. They are group that exists to make and manage nothing but Zelda. Meanwhile, EPD 4 is focused on general entertainment games so this includes things like Brain Age or Nintendo Labo or Nintendo World Championships. Then there's EPD 5 which makes Animal Crossing and Splatoon and only those.

This of course can apply to First Party teams like Monolithsoft or Next Level Games which also seem to have their own franchises they're privy to working on like Xenoblade and Luigi's Mansion respectfully. And even 2nd parties like Intelligent Systems and Hal Labs who are almost always going to be the teams behind Fire Emblem and Kirby respectively.

But now of course this begs the question of, what if a franchise doesn't have a team? Well then you are out of luck unless someone else is willing to work on it. Last Wario Land game we got wasn't made by Nintendo but by Good Feel on the Wii. But then you got WarioWare which keeps coming cause InSys is willing to keep making them.

So here we have Mages. A developer who seemed to be trusted by Nintendo and enjoy remaster Famicom Detective Club so much that they were the ones pitching a brand new game. And that got me thinking, what if Mages were to become the team that makes more Famicom Detectives if Emio is a success story? We could potentially see this niche franchise that was already very obscure be pushed up to a regular release schedule? We could be seeing Mario and Zelda and Animal Cross and SPlatoon be the Nintendo line up that's always guaranteed to get a new game. And it's Famicom Detective Club?

[everygame]

The Mysterious Murasame Castle

Developed/Published by: Nintendo R&D4, Human Entertainment / Nintendo Released: 14/04/1986 Completed: 31/01/2024 Completion: Finished it (with quicksaves at the start of levels and before bosses.)

1986 is a huge year for Nintendo. They released the NES in North America at the tail end of 1985 and will launch it in Europe by the end of 1986. After nearly 3 years of spotty releases and arcade ports an avalanche of games are going to start showing up. But most fascinatingly, as they begin to conquer the world, they take a massive right turn in Japan by releasing the Famicom Disk System in February.

I assume that even if you’re not a scholar of video game history, if you’re reading this you already know all about the system, but in précis, Nintendo made a business decision. The Famicom was successful; producing cartridges was expensive. Retailers and consumers wanted cheaper games. Nintendo hadn’t created a licensing scheme for the Famicom (as they would for NES) so they weren’t seeing any sweet, sweet fees either. Seemingly, a floppy disk add-on solved all those problems, while also allowing games to be larger, have more sound channels, and include saving.

You can debate the success of this business decision. They sold 4.4 million of them by 1990, and the hardware pushed their game design forward leaps and bounds. But it seemed to come at the exact wrong time. Within four months of launch cartridge games were being released with larger capacities than the disks offered. Saving becomes available on carts; newer and better mapper chips meant games on the disk system were stuck in the past. It was simply a technological dead end. The first original game to released for it would be The Legend of Zelda, and by the time of its release in North America not quite a year and a half later it would be on cartridge without any major concessions.

Interestingly, though, the second original game to be released would be Nazo No Murasame Jou, aka “The Mysterious Murasame Castle” which would not be released outside of Japan at all. Why this is I have no idea and can find nothing concrete, because when considered contemporaneously, this is a perfectly successful run-and-gun adventure that feels like an early example of what the system would become known for via companies like Capcom: arcade ports that have been expanded into something more suitable for the home console (think Bionic Commando and that.) Here it’s like someone, noticing that Nintendo had The Legend of Zelda engine lying around, decided that they should make a version of Sega Ninja with it–and in fact, I’m not sure that’s not what they did, considering the SG-1000 version of Sega Ninja has flick-screen scrolling too.

Cast as the samurai Takamaru, you have to make your way through five castles by first fighting your way through their castle grounds (taking one or two maps) and then the castle interior (one more map.) You do this by melee combat (which tends to kill everything in one hit) or throwing projectiles (which tends not to.) Movement feels very much like The Legend of Zelda, including very boxy collision detection. The maps, too are like The Legend of Zelda dungeons, but not exactly: you travel about them in a non-linear fashion and have to pick up certain power-ups to advance (sandals, for example, that allow you to travel over water) but you’re not really ever forced to fight any enemies, and most power-ups follow the Xevious system of just being invisible and you have to shoot where they are to get them (thankfully, they’re predictable once you’ve found them).

While I can’t guarantee this was inspired by Sega Ninja, it’s very much like it in one respect. The Mysterious Murasame Castle is relentless. Multi-colored ninjas are throwing themselves on the screen constantly, and if you stop moving or stop attacking you’re dead–it really is that simple. Most of the game is played trying to get off screen as quickly as possible and working out the optimum route through the castle–it’s almost a racing game in that respect. 

It is very hard. Not impossible, but made, er, impossible-adjacent by how strict it is. You can only take three hits, health restoring items are rare (and invisible) and and every time you die you lose everything (but you do start on the screen you just died on–and you can backtrack to try and get some power back, so that’s nice.) While it feels stupidly difficult for 2024, I can imagine how for the right kind of player in 1986 this was the straight razor compared to The Legend of Zelda’s, uh… quill pen. Play a hard action game surviving and mapping out the levels, learning new things, new efficiencies every time rather than doodling about. It feels perfect, actually, for the American audience of the era, which makes its absence all the more puzzling–I suspect that the setting was considered “too Japanese” and reskinning it felt like too much work, the kind of thing that kept Ninja JaJaMaru-kun stuck in Japan too. 

Now, there are some absolutely brutal skill checks in this that I can only see as requiring you reset the system every time you die (most notably the last few bosses) that just make it feel old-school cruel, but I had a fairly decent time trying see how far I could get “for real” once I’d learned the maps (not very far, it turns out.) And I still enjoyed the challenge of this even letting myself do some judicious quick-saving. This isn’t the great leap forward for design that The Legend of Zelda was, but it sort of offers an interesting counterpoint–would games look completely different if Nintendo decided this was the one to get released in the west instead of Zelda?

Probably not actually.

Will I ever play it again? It’s fun, but it’s too hard. Probably not on this one too.

Final Thought: Nintendo really haven’t returned to this one very much. It’s not a complete black sheep, getting a GBA re-issue and (bizarrely) a 3DS release in Europe and Australia, but one of the strangest has to be that in Samurai Warriors 3 for Wii (Nintendo published in the west but otherwise a Koei game through and through) Nintendo EAD made an entire “Murasame castle mode” which is a remake in the Musou style. That’s an even odder decision than not releasing this in the west in the first place.

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[vellatra]

I don't really know any characters from your story besides Vellatra herself, so how about #1, #8, and #9 for the most important character who is not her?

Oh dear! You know what, I'd never really considered who was "second-most important"! So I did some pondering... and mulled it over with my advisor and confidante (@reneethegreatandpowerful), and have come to the conclusion that Zac is second. HOWEVER! The story has a few different groups it follows, with their own side plots and stuff, so I have also included perhaps one of the more interesting folks from each of these groups. Thanks for the tough question! Those are the ones that help me fine tune stories. 😁 And now, your answers.

(Apologies - I committed the cardinal sin of using a "skin color" marker in this drawing, thereby turning him into Donald Trump. Sorry! 😅)

Q: Full name and occupation?

A: "I'm Zachary James O'Connor. Most people just call me Zac. I'm in training to eventually join the army in the Merfaen tiz Ornaru - if I don't find a way back to Earth first, that is!"

Q: What do you do for fun?

A: "My favorite pastime is playing video games! Especially fantasy swordplay stuff, like Zelda, Xenoblade, and Final Fantasy. They don't have electronics in this world though, so nowadays I tag along with Aileev and get into mischief with her, mostly." 😆 (Author's note: Aileev is Vellatra's teenage firecracker of a daughter. I'll have to introduce her sometime soon!)

Q: What is your greatest achievement, and why do you think so?

A: "I learned Flunibu, the Merfaen language, to a conversational level in a couple of weeks. Never thought I'd learn a new language that fast!"

Q: Full name and occupation?

A: "Vexina Katrina Fini. I'm a specialist in the natural sciences, and at the moment I'm on a government funded mission to investigate some strange phenomena near the edge of our solar system. ... Admittedly I've been pretty sidetracked lately! But Silen Fah is full of interesting new flora and fauna to discover, so I'm not too upset." 😁

Q: What do you do for fun?

A: "I enjoy reading up on the most recent scientific discoveries, and mulling over the unexplained mysteries of the universe. Did you know, for example, that nobody's yet come up with a satisfactory theory for how the mammoths were frozen so quickly and preserved so perfectly? The temperatures and conditions you'd need-"

Q: Ahem, next question! What is your greatest achievement and why do you think so?

A: "By a long shot, the discovery of this new world! No earthly scientist has ever been able to catalogue so many new species and geological formations as I have, and all thanks to a happy accident on our travels through space! I worry, though, that no one will ever find OUT about my achievement. I haven't found a way back home, or a way to send my findings to Earth.... But hope is not lost and I won't give up!"

Q: Full name and occupation?

A: "I am Fabian, son of Henry. I am a squire for Sir Galahad of Camelot."

Q: What do you do for fun?

A: "I enjoy practicing swordplay, hunting, and riding horseback when the time may be spared."

Q: What is your greatest achievement and why?

A: "I have done little worthy of renown as of yet, but I am only a youth. I trust that, in time, great things shall be done. Perhaps I shall become a knight of King Arthur's court? Slay wicked beasts? Save fair maidens? What the Lord willeth, I stand ready to do."

This is the second time I've typed all this out... sure hope Tumblr doesn't delete it all again! This is getting tedious. 😵

Anyway, it was fun to figure all this out! Thanks again for the question!

[lilycutesmith]

Top 25 Formative Games/Series For Lily Cutesmith, Dipshit Game DevTM here's a long ass post about these and my thoughts if that's something you're interested in

anyways I made a long ass thread about my choices here so I'm formatting it better here under a readmore (games are done in no particular order really)

7th Dragon Code VFD is a fun game that's probably the weakest in the series but it is the only one that came out over here and while the others have fan-translations i havent gotten too far in any of them. They're good games imo! VFD just sorta came out and was there when I needed it. It's not good once you play the other games and find out the developmental history of VFD is "the company making it went under and SEGA basically finished it for them and its a fucking miracle it even came out this side of the pond." The 2020 games (there's two) for the PSP have Hatsune Miku in them and you can unlock the Miku version of the OSTs by saving her in a side mission in those games and they have some REALLY cool environmental art direction/design so I think they're worth checking out. The series was started/directed by the director of the first EO game and you can very easily see the shared DNA in the series, despite the different design direction it took. VFD is VERY easy to break once you reach a certain point in the game so its by far the easiest, and in all of the games the random encounters are only really threatening for the first few levels, but the real meat of the combat is in the Dragon and Boss encounters. The party size is a more standard 4-members in 1, with a row system too and it plays largely like what one may consider a standard rpg combat system with the React Turns being kinda there. 2020 takes the React Turns and turns it into a genuine part of the game's action economy once you get access to the buffs that grant them upon fulfilling the conditions. This is vital due to the game's 3 Member party size! Its cool. I like it a lot and would love to explore the design space of that further, because i think its a much more interesting system then SMT's Press Turn System. It's something that's really got my brain juicing.

It was a bloody battle between Link to the Past and Link's Awakening but I think the randomizer specifically pushes LTTP to the finish line for me. I really like both and other zelda games though so tough choice. I like a lot of zelda games to be fair and am a known Zelda 2 enjoyer (ill beat it one day…) but like, Link's Awakening sticks to me because a) played it a lot as a kid, and b) man it's story is pretty good and I read someone's take on it as being a farewell to the like, more simple stories of a hero vs the dark lord that most adventure stories had at the time as they shifted to being much more in-depth and grown-up in a sense? And I think that's neat. However, Link to the Past won over it for me here because like, man, I did 100% the GBA version including the four swords content/bonus dungeon, and also like, I spend a lot of time with the randomizer and I've really come to appreciate the like, toolset and layout of the game. It's cool as hell. I don't really have strong opinions on the 3D games frankly. I like the setting of the series though, its a p huge influence on me, and I would be loathe to not include a representive on this list.

I'd probably put Pokemon Scarlet here instead but i didnt see it in the fucking thing and apparently Pokemon Ruby wasn't there either (was not into the remake) so Red version it is (i played yellow but lol) realistically this just represents the entire series for me tho. So you might go "lily why the fuck Scarlet?" and like, man, its probably the most fun I've had in a mainline game and the story was a lot of fun to go through. I havent played the DLC and tbh I'm probably not going to but I like what I've heard of it. The ost also fucks but that's pretty much the standard for pokemon, there's always bangers in there. ANYWAYS, the point here is that pokemon is hugely influential on me and that's why it's on the list baby!!!!!!! I have a million thoughts on the design of pokemon games but that's something for an Ask and another time.

Kirby Super Star is also here bc I played it a SHITTON as a kid and the cart we had was faulty so we often had to do the entire game in one go typically but the nature of the game made that mostly fine and it was fun so like!! Like, I would probably rank Planet Robobot or Forgotten Lands or even Star Allies higher then KSS, but I think in terms of like, once again, influencing my Entire Identity And Existence, KSS takes the cake!! I don't think I have much more to add to this point tbh, I just really like Kirby games!

Fairune Collection is here partially bc I did really like it and it kinda made me think about what a game IS. Also i really like the games by the dev and the worlds they've built so it goes here. This point also includes Kamiko and Transiruby by the same dev as well. I really like how their pixel art looks and the overall visual direction of their works. Also cute girls. That's vital here. I think if you like, puzzle adventure games, the Fairune Collection is a good pick up. They're funny lil games.

you dont play Fall Guys to win, you play it to be the Biggest Clown in the show, and sometimes that gets you the win. I play with a friend only though so the clowning IS twofold. But also like, honestly, the game controls in a very specific way that sucks but Purposefully So? It feels good to play. It's a very interesting game design-wise in that way, and the level creator really lets you explore that and that's cool. The like, """kaizo""" level potential is honestly really high and we've seen some cool stuff in that regard too. Obviously I am obligated to say that it is a F2P game with microtransactions for funny outfits and animations, so obviously if that's bad for you then don't play it. I DID drop money on it for the miku outfit and concert emote myself bc like, miku. We also discovered that you can grab-cancel emotes and if they make a sound at the start you can beep very aggressively and its VERY funny. It fucking rules to beep around someone and then they figure out how to do it and join us and like, the game really stands out when you do the classic "jump and emote at someone to communicate in an mmorpg" activity.

"Why no souls games?" I enjoy souls games but they weren't ever particularly like, influences to me? Code Vein however is where I got my current sona/vtuber design idea from and its a fucking unhinged 6-7/10 game ever it rules. Like where do I even start with this game really? It's a mid to bad story with pretty fun combat and systems and a very funny character creator and its impossible to take seriously with most of the level design being Whatever with the exception of the Cathedrel of Sacred Blood which is a huge fucking part of the game that actually tests your observational skills outside of the enemy encounters, and the game is fucking FUN as hell! incredible game changed me as a person, made me feel like I was starting to really understand video games as a medium when i finished it.

Shadowbringers is specifically the expansion and not like the entire FFXIV game; its an incredibly strong story about fighting for a future you may not even see and that's extremely resonate to me. makes me want to make an rpg. I'm not gonna lie, I kinda soured on FFXIV after Endwalker for a variety of reasons (shoutouts to the raid series though, Scream is a banger song), so I dont really play it anymore. Shadowbringers is still in my heart though, and like, man, its hard to describe. Ardbert is fantastic, the conclusion with Elidibus is incredible, going through whats left of the First really drives home the despair of the situation while showing the resilience of the people still remaining, emet squelch is there. And like, really, I think the story as a whole just very much resonates with me especially with gestures at the world as a whole going on so like, idk maybe I'm saying the wrong words then what I mean too. I'm into it. Shoutouts to Eden 8's pre-final phase with Gaia being Gay As Hell. That part in conjunction with the song live rent-free in my head, esp as inspiration for one of my pairs of OCs.

Zero 2 is here bc its a fucking good game that greatly influenced my tastes in gameplay and aesthetic. why arent people making MMZ-style games where are you people. Anyways I don't know how much I could add or explain this because really the "MMZ-Style Games" bit doesnt make sense unless you're familiar with how the games feel to play lmao. There's a niche for incredibly tight movement + combat in a 2d Platformer with levels that you can play for Rank to test yourself and i am just not seeing them tbh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Iji is the first game to make me cry as a teen. one of the strongest standouts from the early western indie game scene by far. I dont think I particularly cared for the gameplay thinking on it, but I also think that's like fine because its a very unique game and it plays well enough for exactly the kind of game it needs to be. The fact this is one of the first games to go "hey, you don't actually need to kill anyone, and in fact, you probably really don't want to anymore once you get the fuller picture of what's going on because god DAMN the situation is bad" is really important to me and like, man, maaaaaaan, the game's good. Shoutouts to Asha, worst funniest cockiest dipshit ever 10/10.

An Untitled Story is just a solid game from celeste dev who is responsible for the game maker platformer engine I eventually adapted into my own form. I think the game itself is like fine and I really like that one of the MAIN upgrades you get for progression is straight up hatching from an egg. Ultimately, the game is on here because it greatly affected my game dev trajectory. "Why not Celeste tho?" i havent played it and really just havent felt like playing it, its not the time yet.

I picked Double Dealing Character as the touhou representative because while Ten Desires is the first touhou game I truly got into and beat repeatedly, DDC is like, the one that REALLY got me into the series and made friends during. I think if you're looking to try playing any of the mainline touhou shmups this is a good starting point; there aren't any like, game specific mechanics you need to worry about and there's some really fun/funny spellcards that'll trip you up, the challenge is just in the right spot I think. Touhou as a SERIES is a huge inspiration for me (I literally made several fangames at this point) so it resides in a special place in my heart.

tetris attack is a game that i wish i could play against other people like i straight up plan on implementing online into touhou panel date pon for this explicit reason i crave violence that only swapping panels can sate. i really dont need to add more to this, but I also enjoy Dr Mario and Tetris. I don't think I'm MASTERFUL at them but I fall into a weird spot of "Not Pro but Super Not Casual" for them so its hard to play Versus in these games (not that there's easy ways to play falling block match 3 versus games that aren't Tetris or Puyo but i mean…)

the probably big ???? here for most people who are familiar with it is Mystic Quest and a) dude that game's soundtrack FUCKS b) I played it a lot as a kid whenever my family stayed at my aunt's house and it was so much fun. S/o to Shining in the Darkness for the same reason (and is probably why i latched onto EO in the first place tbh). Listen, FFMQ is the most baby shit rpg ever but it is a vital piece of my soul as a game designer/developer/person. You have to respect it, if nothing else for the OST.

La-Mulana, Baba is You, and Ittle Dew get the same entry on here as they are more or less on here for the same reasons. They're all puzzle games on wildly different axis and really made me think about what challenge means for a video game. La-Mulana (this includes 2 for the record) because the game asks you "ok dipshit, how good are you at taking and using notes and remembering what verbs you have? Also here's some slapstick jokes for your enrichment lol". Its great. You have to respect the game because it WILL throw a banana peel in front of you and you WILL slip if you aren't paying attention. Baba Is You is just a phenomal take on sokoban. Rules are fake actually as it turns out. Ittle Dew I struggle to remember any actual puzzles from (granted its been a Hot Minute since I played it) but I DISTINCTLY remember that both 1 and 2 do the funny joke of "hey if you know how to do weird shit with your tools you can get into Places You Shouldn't Be In" and that owns. It's similar to Baba Is You in that regard but it feels like a very different angle, imo. These games helped me sort of like, come to terms with and grasp the idea of games challenging you from different angles? Its not ALL about execution, after all!

shoutouts to crocomire jumpscare, got me good when i was like, 8-9. Super Metroid really sticks in my mind as a result of playing it a lot as a kid, but especially because of that part. I picked Super Metroid specifically bc its the game I probably played the most of when I was younger, though realistically that title might actually belong to Zero Mission bc I did nearly everything in that game except for the Low% Runs bc jesus christ those are hard as hell. Anyways I really like Metroid Primes 1 and 2 (didnt particularly care for 3? wii-mote aiming doesnt do it for me either) and most of the games and like, I've talked about how the gamefeel of the 2D ones is very unique and I dislike the term metroidvania bc there's usually way more emphesis on the -vania part then anything like Metroid lmao. But yeah, samus cool and gay. Would love to see people make metroid-style games with a slower n more methodical gameplay style tbh. I should also make that at some point.

Etrian Odyssey V is my pick for EO because imo its probably the most solid one in terms of the team figuring out how to design the games and just has REALLY fun class and encounter design. I get why ppl might shy from it bc its different aesthetic from the others but its good. Each class has a Base Set of Skills that sort of gives you an idea of how they'll play but then you unlock the Master Sets and you have to pick one for each class (each class gets two) and that allows you to really focus your characters and the teambuilding aspect really pops off at this point. The FOE puzzles and dungeon layouts are fun and the random encounters will explode you for fucking up, its great. Just a really strong and focused entry to the series, and I feel like the one that really delivers on the EO experience. I don't really wanna talk about the other games otherwise we'd be here all night but I do want to make a note that if you're looking to play the first 3 games, the HD Remasters are probably your best bet as the QoL shit (+ slight balance changes to how some skills work/they behave properly now; Beast notably still works the same but is better now due to the Provoke changes; "but Loyalty still sucks?" welllllllll there's quirks to how you can use that to your advantage actually; remember these are team building games!) really helps make them easier to play and get through. Anyways big fan of EOV, its decidedly my favorite after getting thru most of my second replay (i need to get back to it lol). Recommend if you're itching for an RPG with teeth that's not overwhelming you with a bajillion numbers and has a lot of depth to how you can build your team.

Order of Ecclesia is here bc gender. also bc its my second castlevania game (i started with Dawn of Sorrow) and i managed to 100% somehow. idk its a fun game and i think it might've been one of the first games where I REALLY started to understand the concept of game mechanics, because idiot baby me finally realized that "oh enemies have RESISTANCES and WEAKNESSES and my weapons can HIT those weaknesses for MASSIVE DAMAGE" after trying to genuinely master the game for the hitless medal rewards (unhinged btw, but i mean you also got the Death Ring bc well if you're using that you HAVE to do hitless lol). Anyways I dont care much for Castlevania as a series tbh, but OoE (and by extension DoS) were formative games for me so they go on here. Shanoa is also Gender so like, lol lmao

I dont actually have much to say for Knytt Stories. I cant remember as much as I would like but I feel fondness recalling it and I think it definitely influenced how I think about games. This goes for Knytt too, the first one. I think if nothing else, these games were probably the first games I played where the primary focus was simply area atmosphere and VibesTM and they were cute and fun to play.

dragon's dogma is on here bc i think its one of the first games where I actually thought about my character's gender and tried out the name Robin for a bit there. also its a fun fucking game and I liked how wild it gets past a point. Really just, primarily hoping that 2 has a much larger enemy variety pool. Clambering around on shit and stabbing it was hella fun. But yeah this is really just on here for the gender reasons lmao.

Wonder Girl 3 The Dragon's Trap (the remaster/make/whatever) is the game to bring up whenever "does animation affect game feel" as a topic comes up because its THE shining example of it doing that imo. its also just a good fucking game I think about a lot. good ost to boot. Like, I think about the game itself and its like just a really solid fun action platformer with exploratory elements and minor ""rpg"" elements? but it really vibes with me aesthetically. It's an inspiration for me, because frankly I love making these sorta games? I wish there were more like it.

ok last game. Potato Flowers in Full Bloom is such a good fucking game. its cute. its good. I would kill for Chief, love her. she just wants to feed the world dude. 10/10. its kind of like a puzzle rpg in a sense? I really like it. DRPGs are a niche genre, and I think PFiFB is a very unique take on it, and like, I really recommend it if you're juicing for something that's a bit different. Last I checked you can cheese a lot of it by building an evasion character turbo hard but like I think that's fine, there's plenty of variety in terms of how you can build characters and its fun. It's cute. It made me rethink how I approach game design? I think? Idk. It's just a game i really enjoyed and I think you should try out if you like RPGs.

I forgot to talk about the X Series since the thing didnt have X1 on there for some reason so the Collection is there (for the PS2). The series quality is all over the place but damn if it aint a formative series for me, in much of the same vein as the Zero series.

In conclusion you need to have played at least 75% of this list if you want to stand even a chance of dating/fighting me.

EDIT: actually I have a couple of notes I want to talk further about to.

a. "Why no Mario games? Sonic games?" So While I Do Enjoy Mario Games, none of them are what I would call necessarily formative for me? They're all more like, games I take inspiration from rather then affecting my brain on the level the other games did. As for Sonic, I just have not play the games LOL.

b. "Undertale?" Man, I like Undertale a lot, its just not on the list for a similar reason to the above.

c. I did try to stick to one game per series/developer but that sorta fell apart as I racked my brain for games lmao. shit's hard when you have a lot of thoughts and poorly processed words.

[dragmiire]

thoughts on the big ganondorf fight(s)! i totally forgot to post them, but i got THOUGHTS INDEED.

okay first off, RLY wish we had a cooler arena for the humanoid fights. Just A Dark Room(TM) felt boring and dull. it would've been neater to slowly walk into deeper and deeper darkness, until finding a light root. then when you light it up, you're face-to-face with The Horrors(TM) (like idk a bunch of gibdo corpses, creepy gloom, whatever) and ganondorf awaiting you. and then you gotta fight in the creepy depths arena lit only by the light root with all the outside edges of the arena pitch-dark and very spooky scary. just. just anything, pls.

MY MAN CAN FLURRY RUSH OUT OF MY FLURRY RUSH?? WHAT. the way i actually screamed when i did a flurry rush (which i rarely do successfully i am SO bad at timing) and he flurry rushed out of it and beat the shit out of me. or when i'd do a flurry rush and he'd just do a sick backflip. what the fuck. why is he so AGILE.

again, HOW IS HE SO AGILE?? he is HUGE and was doing backflips and front flips and flying through the fucking air PRE-DEMON KING MAGIC FORM. if i didn't have to do the stupid army bit every time id love to just go back to watch him do his insane acrobatics.

to beat him i literally had to shove him into a corner against the wall so he'd stop back-flipping away from me. literally every time i would try to hit him he'd slow-motion backflip away and i was going to lose if i did not fudge it a little.

apparently when a dragon dies it causes a NUCLEAR EXPLOSION? PARDON?

also why is it HIS secret stone ends back up on his forehead, but zelda's remains in her tummy?? both of them ate their stones, it made zero sense.

god his demon king form is SO sexy.

lowkey him eating the secret stone, just the intensity of how he seemed to shove it down his own throat? also kinda sexy im weird im sorry.

it took me a total of three hours-ish to beat him, including my first try. as cited to blue, i needed the following to beat him: fierce deity armor (all save for the headpiece at 3 star, headpiece at 2 star), gloom-resistant food, defense-up food, LOTS of gloom removal food, LOTS of heart-up food, and so many prayers.

OH AND I FORGOT, THE FACT HE CAN PERMANENTLY REMOVE YOUR HEARTS?? I WAS SCREAMING?? BRO WHAT THE FUCK??? if i didn't have all that fucking extra heart food he'd have KILLED ME. literally was about to go into a rage if i lost after struggling SO hard.

the dragon fight was super fun and i found it very rewarding, personally, after getting my ass beaten into a blood stain. i honestly don't mind a super easy final fight after a really hard fight, it feels like a lil 'u did it!' final lap.

all in all, i was caught between being SUPER pleased at how hard he was and how they made him rightfully super tough, and also dying because PLEASE nintendo i JUST want to see the last few cutscenes my GOD.

not ganondorf related, but i did like how the game ends with link finally being able to grab zelda, and it was nice to yknow, do it urself. i almost wanted to see what happens if u let zelda go splat but i didnt wanna replay the boss fights if it restarted u. STILL do not like everybody swearing fealty, i didn't like it with the og sages and rauru, ESPECIALLY did not vibe with it and zelda.

idk how to exactly put it into words, it just puts everyone on a subservient level to her when they rly should be kicking the outdated monarchy system to the curb and functioning as equals each trying to boost up their individual societies and hyrule as a whole. but it was rly funny to see link wearing his usual resting bitch face while everyone else is fumbling thru their vow.

[owlixx]

Mega Man Ideal Game (for me)

So, playing Mega Man 11 made me realize what my ideal Mega Man game looks like.

Basically: Mega Man Universe/Powered Up meets Halo: The Master Chief Collection

From Mega Man 11/Powered Up/Universe

Cutsey, chibi-ish, 2.5D art style

Lots of options for controls, playable characters, etc.

Maybe even just uses the MM11 engine

Double gear system as option (circle back later)

Opposite philosophy from the Legacy Collections - more about representing the old games rather than preserving

From Master Chief Collection (especially when it went to PC):

Unite the entire series under a single application

Start early access, adding one game at a time

Universal controls and settings

Introducing new levels of customization not seen before in original games

Singular hub the whole thing, universal features

Cross-game playlists (all ice levels back to back, that kind of thing)

Tons of leaderboards and achievements

Unique timed challenges

Incentives to play all the games in every style

So more specifically, I don't really need any more robot masters or plot. I feel like we have covered all the bases already. Instead, I want to see every Mega Man game rebuilt from the ground up in a unified engine. They could be sold as a la carte DLC, or perhaps in chunks of "season passes" with maybe 3 games coming out a year. Capcom already does something similar with their arcade collections. Just like those, I want tons of accessibility options and challenge modes across the board, universal screen filters, cute unlocks tied to achievements.

I would settle for something like the recent retro remakes that just redo the graphics but let you toggle with a button, but I'd prefer to have deeper QoL changes.

Specifically, my vision for this game hingers on encouraging players to replay these games over and over again with something a little different every time. Not just by offering achievements, but by offering a myriad of modes that don't actually require huge changes to implement, but make the games feel very different.

This is why I would want the games rebuilt in a new engine, almost like a map pack for Mega Man 11: so that we can add something like Roll as a playable character without having to hard code that into every single game. Admittedly, 7-8 and (hopefully included) MM&Bass are different enough to require some more work, but I think this isn't an impossible vision.

Again, here is just an example of what I am imagining: you go to boot up any of the Mega Man games, 1-11, and you are presented with an overwhelming grid of options, like:

Playable characters: Mega Man (with variants for his ability sets, maybe we can find a way to dynamically alter stage obstacles when he doesn't have slide, for example. Maybe that is asking too much, but the folks in the Metroid/Zelda randomizer communities seem to know a thing or two about stretching games to their limits without making them unplayable), Roll (again, just give her one tiny change like a double jump or altered buster to give her a totally different feel), Proto, Bass, Duo, maybe even X/Zero, maybe even Mega Man.EXE and Volnutt if we are getting crazy, or even potentially every single robot master like Powered Up does. Again, that would require reworking the stages, which wouldn't be manually feasible, but I am sure there is a way this could be accommodated. I would also love the ability to specifically go through each Mega Man game as a fully powered Mega Man from any other game, but again that demands reworking stages, especially ones like Sword Man that use earlier abilities.

Modes: hardcode in restricted modes like buster only, weakness only, no weakness, no charge shot, no slide, one hit, etc. as well as toggles for stuff like pits, spikes, higher health, etc. plus challenges like randomized weapons, reverse screen, time trials, boss rush, things like that.

Even just those two things alone could multiply to create a nearly unlimited amount of new replay value.

As for new QoL changes, I basically just want to see everything from Mega Man 11: hotswapping with buttons or right stick, new character model for each weapon, expanded tutorial, lots of difficulty options, auto shoot, auto charge, optional dedicated slide button, and I would love to see the option to bring the double gear system (or at least the speed gear in the form of a limited-use slowdown) in all the old games as an optional mode. Same with having the slide in 1-2, charge shot in 1-3, jetpack in earlier games, characters in games they shouldn't be in, etc.

TLDR: I want a unified remake of the Mega Man 1-10 in the MM11 engine.

I feel like The X series is too all-over-the-place to do this with, while the Zero and ZX games are too similar to be worth cross-pollinating this way, although again I would love to see X and Zero adapted to classic Mega Man, even if they end up being overpowered.

The other pitch for this game is basically to just...make Mega Man Universe and have it contain the official levels packed-in. Mario Maker has really proven how to do a AAA retro DIY game already, and so has the fangame Mega Man Maker as far as I can tell.

Alternatively, just make something like Power Fighters but include all 88 robot masters. That is still a hefty game, especially if you can build any kind of replay value in.

[ryanmeft]

Nintendo Games That Should be Re-Released, Part 1

Yesterday, Nintendo announced a smorgasbord of updated re-releases, including Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door and Mario vs. Donkey Kong, as well as new info on that much-anticipated Super Mario RPG remake. Naturally, this has people talking about what other games Nintendo should re-release, but most of these people are wrong. They largely want their favorite games on the Switch, even if those games have already been re-released several times. What the fandom needs is more of what Nintendo announced in their direct: good games that no one remembers or has played in a long time because they're stuck on their original systems. These are those games.

Fire Emblem Awakening

Intended to be the final entry in the FE series due to slumping sales, Awakening’s relationship-based team building, more forgiving difficulty options and intriguing narrative instead revitalized the series from DOA to a real strategy contender. All the more a shame, then, that it remains stuck on the 3DS. A bit of a graphical upgrade and the DLC being included in the purchase price would make this classic worth revisiting on a modern system.

The Legend of Zelda: The Phantom Hourglass

Along with Zelda II and Spirit Tracks, this is generally regarded as one of the least essential Zelda games, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have plenty going for it. The problem with the original release is many people, even Zelda die-hards who bought it on the strength of the name, never saw most of it due to Nintendo’s frustrating insistence on pimping the DS’s touch screen for everything they could. A re-release that got rid of the mandatory touchscreen controls and maybe added a couple new whiz-bangs as a thank you would allow a lot more people to experience the game.

Donkey Kong Country Returns

Currently the only mainline DKC game that is not playable on any modern system, DKCR was a resounding critical and commercial success that not only re-galvanized the series after a long hiatus, but gave it a new direction just as compelling as the old one. The most updated way to play it is in a 3DS version, which is not the way to experience this game’s visual creativity. If Nintendo let it off the hook with new content similar to that in their Tropical Freeze re-release, we’d all go ape for it.

Mother 3

I’ll level with you: I tried the first Earthbound and couldn’t get into it at all. That said, I understood why the series was special back in the day, and why fans are understandably POed that Nintendo of Japan has been sitting on the third and final game for 17 years. Back in 2006, there was a logical business argument against releasing it in the west due to poor sales, shipping and packaging costs and localization, but digital delivery has lessened many of those obstacles, and after they did it with the first Fire Emblem, this would be a great show of support for the Big N’s loyal fans.

Wario Land Virtual Boy

Perhaps the biggest white whale in Nintendo history, the game was well-reviewed and even originated the idea of jumping between foreground and background, but the dismal failure of the Virtual Boy and the eye-splitting red and black visuals have relegated this to a game only the hardest of hardcore Nintendo fans have played. A bit more content to combat short length, a graphical overhaul to make it actually look good, and I’ll bet fans would snap this up.

That's it for part 1. Please like, share or comment, and I'll get the second part out as soon as I can.

[aikoiya]

LoZ - Ordon Food Culture

Ya'll, I have a frankly dumb amount of recipe ideas for the Wild Series.

Part of it has to do with the idea that, in Link's house, he could cook more complex recipes, including 2nd Tier Ingredients. Which are ingredients made of other basic ingredients. A number of these 2nd Tier Ingredients could be used to substitute multiple base ingredients in a recipe, thus giving you more room to work with.

He'd also be able to cook in bulk, which is something I feel like is holding the cooking system in the Wild Series back.

Another idea I had was that the more you cook, the better you get at it, thus the more ingredients you can use in a recipe.

So, Link would start with only being able to use 5 at a time, but the amount can increase up to 6, then 7-8. Then, maybe even 10.

The list itself isn't complete in any capacity.

Affects & Recipes beginning with a * indicates that it is already in the games in one way or another.

※ Will be beside things that were planned to be part of the official series at one point, but for whatever reason, were cut.

Some 2nd Tier Ingredients use the same ingredients, but the end result depends on which kitchen utensil is used to make it. For instance, Pastry Dough & Soup Stock are both made with the same basic ingredients, but you get Pastry Dough using a Rolling Pin & Soup Stock using a Pot. In this way, it would sort of soft block certain recipes behind a specific kitchen utensil.

Kitchen Items:

Cooking Pot, Rolling Pin, Mortar & Pestle (later upgraded to a Spice Grinder), Food Mill, Crank Blender, White Frying Pan, Zonaite Brewing Keg, Brick Oven, Saucepan, Cheesecloth, Hōchō-Kaku (A full Sheikah knife set in a knife block), Makisu (a sushi mat), Oil Distillery, Fermentation Jar, & Frost Box (basically a fridge/freezer that uses Ice Runes).

Gathering these things also has another affect. They improve the quality & effectiveness of your final dish, as well as increase the likelihood of getting cooking crits.

---

For more information on the ingredients I'm using, go here: Flora & Fungi, Fauna & Byproducts, & 2nd Tier Ingredients.

I've decided to split thing up:

Kakariko Food Culture

Ordon Food Culture

Gerudàn Cuisine

- Ealiyah Town Food Culture - Highland Gerudo Settlement

Koholint Food Culture

I'd also recommend checking out the Canon Settlement Recipe Ideas & Ruined & Non-Canon Town Recipe Ideas.

For quick travel, go to LoZ Cultural Masterlist. You'll find other recipe lists there under the Food section.

---

List of Effects:

☆Acro = Wall Climb Speed Up. - EoW: Climbing.

Aerodynamic = Skydive Control Up.

Amorous = Aphrodisiac. This is a secondary effect, allowing it to remain even after being cooked with something else. (This is mostly for flavor & wouldn't actually do anything in a game setting. Though, it specifically only activates when a sufficient level of dopamine & norepinephrine is found in the body, it can likewise be cured when a sufficient enough supply of oxytocin is introduced into the bloodstream or by simply avoiding those who cause such reactions until the Amorous food has made its way out of their system. So, it only takes effect if in the presence of someone you legit are attracted to & are in love with, which is why Link wouldn't be affected. He's Zelda's & it'd only work on him in her presence. It also doesn't work on anyone who hasn't finished puberty. It's also known to increase the possibility of reproduction.)

Erogenous = Aphrodisiac. Unlike Amorous, Erogenous needs no emotional attraction for it to work. In this way, it's actually much more dangerous. (Would not appear in games beyond the story. Known to increase the possibility of reproduction.)

Battle Ready = Hearty, Enduring, & Mighty all in one. (This effect isn't natural to a single ingredient & can only be achieved via special recipes, using special cooking techniques known only to the best chefs. Or via well-guarded cultural secret known only to the residents of specific places.)

*Biting = Cold Weather Attack.

☆Bubble = Hold Breath Underwater For Longer.

*Dark/Warding = Gloom Resistance.

Depths Stride = Dark/Warding & Glow at once. (This effect isn't natural to a single ingredient & can only be achieved via special recipes, using special cooking techniques known only to the best chefs. Or via well-guarded cultural secret known only to the residents of the Depths.)

Dawing/Dusky = Twilight Blade Attack Up. (Doubles the damage dealt by Sheikah weaponry, Moonlight Scimitars, knives, sickles, & scythes by generating a crepuscular razor, thus dealing twilight damage. Mirror Sheilds are also more effective. Sheikah/Yiga weaponry fused with Silver Lizalfos Horns deal thrice as much damage as normal. Twilight also deals extra damage to undead enemies & Poes, this sets the spirit trapped inside free & results in a Poe Soul. Twilight damage is also noted to be purifying, so defeating Wolfos, Furnix, Bullbos, & Iron Knuckle enemies with Twilight purifies them, thus returning them to their natural state.)

Detox = Helps one fight back against toxins by cutting down on the damage done by said toxins as well as the time until those toxins get out of their system. Can also be used in cooking with Toxic ingredients to negate the Toxic affect. However, it takes a degree of toxicological/botanical/medical knowledge to do so. Also, the higher the toxicity, the higher the Detox effect needs to be in order to counteract it.

Dreamy = Sleep Induction. This is a secondary effect, allowing it to remain even after being cooked with something else. (More for story flavor as somnolents just make you sorta sleepy &, thus, won't just knock Link out cold. Actual gameplay uses would only be included when you use Fuse Weapon to attach the item to an arrow or other weapon, which I'm saying concentrates & amplifies the effects, which allows you to knock enemies out cold. Without the Fuse Weapon rune, you'd need to make a concentrated sleep extract to apply to the arrow/weapon tip by hand. By default, Dreamy items don't work against boss or mini-boss enemies. However, if you go to sleep in a bed within an hour of being affected by Dreamy, you'll get bonuses when you wake up.)

Potent Dreamy = Powerful Sleep Induction. This is a secondary effect, allowing it to remain even after being cooked with something else. (Unlike Dreamy, Potent Dreamy will absolutely knock Link the fuck out. It's basically a tranquilizer. Note that only the scent of a Mawkap will wake him up afterwards.)

Eclating/Glaring = Light Blade Attack Up. (Doubles the damage dealt by swords, knives, axes, sickles, & scythes by generating a cutting light, thus dealing light damage. Light-based weapons such as the White Sword of the Sky, the Master Sword, the Sword of the Six Sages, the Bow of Light, & other such weapons deal triple damage. However, damage dealt from using a Light Weapon fused with a Light Dragon part is quadrupled. Light attacks also deal extra damage to dark enemies. Light damage is noted to be purifying, so defeating Wolfos, Furnix, Bullbos, & Iron Knuckle enemies with Light purifies them, thus returning them to their natural state.)

*Electro = Shock Resistance.

*Enduring = Adds Stamina.

*Energizing = Restores Stamina.

*Fireproof = Fire Resistance.

Fortune = Great Deal. Briefly increases the amount of rupees you get for selling things.

Freezeproof = Freeze Resistance.

☆Piping-Hot = Freezeproof & Spicy. A Hidden Effect. You can’t normally access a Hidden Effect without certain Infusion techniques.

Frost Guard = Spicy, Freezeproof, Biting, & Snowdrift at once. (This effect isn't natural to a single ingredient & can only be achieved via special recipes, using special cooking techniques known only to the best chefs. Or via well-guarded cultural secret known only to the residents of Hebra & Ealiyah Town.)

Gills = Breathe Water.

*Glow = Glow.

*Hasty = Speed Up.

Sanddrift = Sand mobility up & prevents from sinking in quicksand.

Snowdrift = Snow mobility up & prevents you from sinking in deep snow.

*Hearty = 1-5 Extra Hearts.

Hydrophilic = Gills & Rapid at once. (This effect isn't natural to a single ingredient & can only be achieved via special recipes, using special cooking techniques known only to the best chefs. Or via well-guarded cultural secret known only to the Zora. Also pairs swimingly with Zora weaponry.)

*Icy/Chilly = Heat Resistance.

Lava Guard = Fireproof & Rapid. Allows to swim in lava. (This effect isn't natural to a single ingredient & can only be achieved via special recipes, using special cooking techniques known only to the best chefs. Or via well-guarded cultural secret known only to the Gorons & Mogma of Gorondia.)

Lightningproof = Nullifies Lightning.

Lightning Guard = Lightningproof & Stormy/Charged at once. (This effect isn't natural to a single ingredient & can only be achieved via special recipes, using special cooking techniques known only to the best chefs. Or via well-guarded cultural secret known only to the residents of Faron, Ordona, & the Gerudo Desert.)

*Mighty = Attack Up.

Nucturnepid - Can see farther in darkness.

Photosynthesis = Sunny & Recovery at once. Allows you to slowly recover hearts over time so long as you're in direct sunlight or under a Lightroot, even if those hearts are effected by Gloom. (This effect isn't normally natural to a single ingredient & can only be achieved via special recipes, using special cooking techniques known only to the best chefs. Or via well-guarded cultural secret known only to the Mogma.)

※Puissant = Allows one to jump twice. (Turns out that a Twice Jump cooking effect was cut from the final TotK game. So, you gotta know that I'll be effing with that!)

Pyrophilic = Flameproof & Scorching at once. (This effect isn't natural to a single ingredient & can only be achieved via special recipes, using special cooking techniques known only to the best chefs. Or via well-guarded cultural secret known only to the residents of Eldin & Gorondia.)

*Rapid = Swim Speed Up.

Recovery = Allow someone to slowly recover hearts over time.

Reforge = Repairs Weapon or Shield, but must be applied directly.

Auto Reforge = Automatically repairs Weapon or Shield upon breaking.

Revitalizing = Hearty & Enduring at once. (This effect isn't natural to a single ingredient & can only be achieved via special recipes, using special cooking techniques known only to the best chefs. Or via well-guarded cultural secret known only to the residents of specific places.)

Revival = Revives after death with 8 hearts. (Only Fairies & recipes that require Fairies have this effect. Don't worry, no Fairies are harmed during this process. The only thing used is the Fairies' dust.)

Full Revival = Revives after death with full ♡s +1-10 extra ♡s. (This effect isn't natural to a single ingredient & can only be achieved via special recipes, using special cooking techniques known only to the best chefs. Or via well-guarded cultural secret known only to the residents of specific places. If you get a crit while cooking, you'll also get up to 10 extra hearts as well.)

Riptide = Water Spear/Blade/Whip Attack Up. (Doubles spear, blade, & whip damage by generating a pressurized stream of water, thus dealing water damage. Zora weaponry does triple. Weapons fused with Silver or Water Lizalfos Horns, Water Lizalfos Tails, Opals, or Pearls do triple as well. But Zora weaponry fused with Silver or Water Lizalfos Horns, Water Lizalfos Tails, Opals, or Pearls do quadruple.)

*Scorching = Heat Weather Attack.

*Sneaky = Stealth Up.

Shadow Sneak = Dark/Warding & Sneaky at once. Stealth increases even more in darkness. (This effect isn't natural to a single ingredient & can only be achieved via special recipes, using special cooking techniques known only to the best chefs. Or via well-guarded cultural secret known only to the residents of Kakariko.)

*Spicy = Cold Resistance.

*Sticky = Grip Up.

*Stormy/Charged = Stormy Weather Attack.

*Sunny = Heals Gloom Damage.

Sun Guard = Chilly, Hydrating, Scorching, & Sanddrift at once. (This effect isn't natural to a single ingredient & can only be achieved via special recipes, using special cooking techniques known only to the best chefs. Or via well-guarded cultural secret known only to the residents of Gerudo Desert.)

Tenebrating = Dark Blade Attack Up. (Doubles the damage dealt by Sheikah/Yiga weaponry, Gloom weaponry, sickles, & scythes by generating a vicious dark force, thus dealing dark or shadow damage. Sheikah/Yiga weaponry fused with dark monster parts triples the damage dealt.)

*Tough = Defence Up.

Toxic = Inflicts Poison. This is a secondary effect, allowing it to remain even after being cooked with something else. (Note that certain Toxic ingredients can be prepared specially to be made edible or to make things like medicines.)

☆Vitality = Temporary Stamina Use Reduction.

Max Vitality = Max Energizing & Stamina can be used freely for a certain amount of time. (This effect isn't natural to a single ingredient & can only be achieved via special recipes, using special cooking techniques known only to the best chefs.)

Windshear = Wind Blade Attack Up. (Doubles the damage dealt by swords, knives, axes, sickles, & scythes by generating a cutting wind, thus dealing wind damage.)

---

Special Attention: Whenever a recipe says "Any Butter," just assume that that also includes Browned Butter. Likewise, whenever a specific type of butter, such as Ordon Butter or Lon Lon Butter, is called for, that also includes their Browned variants.

The reason for this is because Browned Butter is just an overall improvement on regular butter & can be used in damn near anything. From savory, to sweet, to vegetables.

It's just a simple way to elevate your cooking.

Of course, there is also an in-game reason. The better quality the ingredients you use, the better the results you get from the final product with a higher chance of getting crits.

Browned Butter is melted butter with an elevated nutty, caramelized flavor.

This is done by gently cooking Butter cubes in a light-colored pan on medium heat & moving the cubes around the pan as it melts. Once melted, it'll begin to foam & sizzle around the edges. Continue to stir & 5-8 minutes later, the butter will turn golden brown. Once the foaming subsides, the milk solids on the bottom of the pan toast, & you smell something intensely buttery, nutty, & rich, it's done. Be careful not to burn it! - This is an advanced cooking technique that really elevates dishes in possibly the most basic, fundamental way. This is done simply by replacing Butter with Browned Butter. Note that the flavor changes slightly depending on what kind of Butter you start out with, so be sure you match the right Butter to the right dish. Most gourmet dishes use Browned Butter instead of un-browned Butter.

---

Also, unless certain ingredients are specifically listed in the name, many ingredients can be substituted for another one from the same category or sub-category. The ingredients listed here are just how the specific settlement makes it.

---

Anyway, Ordon is a mainly human & Lupan settlement with a mostly human culture, you can also find the occasional Hylian, Sheikah, & Gerudo living there. (To learn about the Lupos race, go to The Lupos Race.)

Ordon is situated in what in canon, is known as Fural Plain, around the Lake of the Horse God in the Faron Grassland. Here, the Grassland is known as the Ordona Provence.

Ordon is known for farming Ordon Pumpkins (Enduring), Fortified Pumpkins, Hylian Tomatoes, Stambulbs, Hylian Rice, Zonai Corn (Mighty), Shadow Yams (Dark/Warding), Apples & Golden Apples, Bird Eggs as well as Gilded Eggs (lain by Golden Cuccos & extremely happy Cuccos), Ordon Milk, Ordon Butter, & Ordona Cheese. Because of this, whenever a recipe requires dairy products, they always opt for the local goat products.

You can also find Hylian Tomatoes & a decent number of Mighty Thistles growing wild.

In the lake known in canon as Haran Lake & the Lake of the Horse God are Hyrule & Staminoka Bass, as well as Ordon Catfish (Hearty) & Greengill.

They also have a well with Glowing Cave Fish & plenty of Cavern Sorrel (Dark/Warding) living in it.

They have an Apple orchard in the eastern half of Fural Plain known to produce a not inconsiderable number of Golden Apples & the Ordon Forest is full of Courser Bee hives & mushrooms. The forest is also home to wild Ordon Goats, Mountain Deer, & Grizzlemaw Bears. There are also some places with Hearty Radishes, but not many. Armoranths, Hylian Herbs, Valiant Gladiolus (Mighty & Amorous), & Vital Sage (Enduring) tend to grow wild around there too.

Faron Woods (including Pagos & Finra) to the north also has an abundance of Farore Hazelnut (Lightningproof) & Woodheart (Tough) trees that produce all through fall & winter. As a result, those planning to travel through the Faron Jungle often stop by Ordon for Farore Hazelnuts (Lightningproof) as well as Boltshield Houseleeks (Lightningproof) from the beaches along the Faron Sea south of Ordon. Which, Ordonians tend to grow Boltshield Houseleeks on their rooves to prevent them from being struck by lightning.

As mentioned before, they are also very close to the Faron Jungle which is full of Mighty Bananas & Mighty Thistles.

They also have the benefit of having a Satori Tree very nearby, so that gives them frequent access to both Satori Cherries (Hasty & Hydrating), Satora Blossoms (Hasty & Amorous), & Endura Carrots.

Locally Made 2nd Tier Ingredients:

Fall Seasoning = Gleam Ginger (Sunny), Akkala Cinnamon (Hasty; imported), & Barricade Cloves (Tough). - A festive seasoning most commonly used in the fall. While Akkala Cinnamon originates in Akkala, Ordon uses it quite a lot in their baking.

Apple Jam = Any Apple, Cane Sugar, & Boiled Chuchu Jelly/Gelatin.

- Satori Jelly (Hasty & Hydrating) = Satori Cherry (Hasty & Hydrating), Cane Sugar, & Boiled Chuchu Jelly/Gelatin.

Mayonnaise = Bird Egg, Oil Jar, & Rock Salt.

Hoy Mustard = Hoy Mustard Seeds (Spicy), Vinegar, Shock Fruit, any Wine (optional), Rock Salt, Barricade Cloves (Tough), Gleam Ginger (Sunny) a/o Wave Saffron (Gills).

Hushpuppy Batter = Stambulb, Masa (Mighty), Cane Sugar, & Ordon Milk. - Used often in Goponga & Ordon.

Ordon Rub = Honeyed Sugar (Energizing), Charred Pepper (Spicy; imported), Spicy Pepper, Vital Sage (Enduring), Frostbite Mint (Biting; imported), & Rock Salt.

Ordona Barbecue Sauce = Hylian Tomato, Courser Honey, Goron Spice (imported), & Sheikah Shōyu (Sneaky; Sheikah Edadaizu; imported). - An Ordona sauce used to flavor meat.

Browned Ordon Butter = Ordon Butter. - While Browning was invented in Mabe Village, the technique has quickly been adopted by chefs everywhere. This is done by using a white Frying Pan & stoking a fire to medium heat. Then adding cut butter to the pan & stirring it throughout the melting process. Be careful to keep your eye on the butter as it can very quickly go from Browned to burned. It will begin to get brown specks floating in it & turn golden brown. You know it's done once it begins to give off a nutty aroma. Browned Butter can take the place of regular Butter in any recipe, though whether it improves it depends on the recipe itself.

- Honeybutter (Energizing) = Courser Honey & Browned or Unbrowned Ordon Butter. - Ordon has learned to enrich their baking by infusing their butter with different things. Honeybutter is one such result of their experimentation.

- Honey Applebutter (Energizing) = Any Apple, Courser Honey, & Browned or Unbrowned Ordon Butter. - Ordon has learned to enrich their baking by infusing their butter with different things. Honey Applebutter is one such result of their experimentation.

- Hazelnut Butter = (Water/Woodheart Milk) | Browned or Unbrowned Ordon Butter, Farore Hazelnut (Lightningproof), & Akkala Cinnamon (Hasty; imported). - Ordon has learned to enrich their baking by infusing their butter with different things. Hazelnut Butter is one such result of their experimentation.

- Woodheart Butter (Tough) = (Water/Woodheart Milk) | Woodheart (Tough), Sundelion, Courser Honey (optional), & Rock Salt. - Essentially tastes like a silky, smooth peanut butter with soul & sweet undertones. - The best kind is made using Ordonian Woodheart-infused milk.

Honeyed Sugar (Energizing) = Courser Honey & Cane Sugar. - Basically brown sugar.

Cinnamon Sugar = Akkala Cinnamon (Hasty; imported) & any Sugar.

Zonai Chocolate = Zonai Cocoagranos (Spicy & Amorous), Ordon Milk, Cane Sugar, & Spicy Pepper (optional). - An ancient candy treat originally introduced by the Zonai. Said to be the Food of the Gods. The Spicy Pepper is optional, though it is more accurate to the traditional version of the recipe. These candies are typically used to make delicious desserts these days.

Pralines = Farosh Hazelnut (Lightningproof), Ordon Butter, Cane Sugar, Akkala Cinnamon (Hasty; imported), Honeyed Sugar (optional; Energizing), & Ordon Milk. - A favorite Ordon candy. Is technically a 2nd Tier Ingredient, but can also be eaten as is.

Dashi = Any Faron Sea Fish & Water Cabbage (Gills & Hydrating), & any Mushroom (optional). - Used in making Sheikah-style soups. Depending on the type of flavor you want, you can use a variety of different ingredients, but saltwater fish & Necludic Seaweed/Water Cabbage are required.

Kansui (Stormy) = Baking Buddy & Shock Fruit. - Primarily used to make ramen noodles.

Tempura Batter (Spicy) = Tabantha Wheat, Tundra Potato (Spicy), & any Egg.

Porridge Base = Hylian Rice, Ordon Milk/Broth, & Rock Salt (optional). - Whether the Porridge is sweet or savory depends on the liquids you cook the Hylian Rice in.

Grits Base (Mighty) = Ordon Milk, Zonai Corn (Mighty), Rock Salt, & Ordon Butter. - An important ingredient in a Goponga breakfast.

Roux = Tabantha Wheat & Oil Jar. - Often used in both Gopongan & Ordonian cooking.

Broth = Rock Salt, Oil Jar, & Meat/Vegetable.

Thin Soup Stock = Ordon Milk & Rock Salt. - A light soup stock.

- Soup Stock = Ordon Milk, Rock Salt, & Tabantha Wheat. - Same ingredients as Pastry Dough, but the end results are different depending on whether you use a Rolling Pin or a Pot. Also commonly used for Stews.

- Creamy Soup Stock = Ordon Milk, Ordon Butter, Rock Salt, & Tabantha Wheat.

Crepe Mix = Any Egg, Tabantha Wheat, Ordon Milk, & Cane Sugar. - Invented in Goponga, but used in numerous villages.

Bread Mix = Tabantha Wheat & Rock Salt.

- Masa (Mighty) = Zonai Corn (Mighty) & Rock Salt (optional). - Introduced by the Zonai thousands of years ago. A staple ingredient in Zonai cooking. Has also become an important part of Koholan cooking.

- *Wheat Bread = Bread Mix. - Considered a 2nd Tier Ingredient due to its use in making sandwiches. Pairs well with soups & stews.

- Rice Bread = Mochiko (Hylian Rice), Ordon Milk, & Rock Salt. - First invented by a Sheikah & Gerudo couple, the 2 having bonded over their mutual love of food & baking. Considered a 2nd Tier Ingredient due to its use in making sandwiches. Pairs well with soups & stews.

Cake Mix = Tabantha Wheat, Cane Sugar, & Ordon Butter.

Pastry Dough = Tabantha Wheat, Ordon Butter, & Rock Salt. - Same ingredients as Soup Stock, but the end result changes based on whether you use a Rolling Pin or a Pot. Can also be used as pie crust.

Choux Base = Tabantha Wheat, Ordon Butter, Bird Egg, Rock Salt, & Cane Sugar. - Invented in Goponga, but Castle Town uses it quite often too.

Cookie Crust = Any Cookie, Ordon Butter, & Rock Salt or Cane Sugar. - Can be used to replace Pastry Dough in almost any Pie.

Recipes:

Cornbread = Hushpuppy Batter, Tabantha Wheat, Ordon Butter, Bird Egg, Akkala Cinnamon (optional; Hasty), & Corser Honey (optional). - The best & traditionally Ordonian way to eat this is to take a big piece, cut a small slit in the middle about halfway into the bread, stuff the opening full of butter, & put it in a pan over a fire until the butter has melted entirely. The bread soaks up the butter like a sponge & it tastes buttery-delicious! ♡ Evidently, it's also good with honey & cinnamon.

Hushpuppies = Hushpuppy Batter & Oil Jar. - Though they originate from Ordon, they are greatly loved in Goponga & Lurelin as well.

*Cooked Stambulb (Energizing - ) = Stambulb. - 

*Buttered Stambulb (Energizing - ) = Stambulb & Ordon Butter. - 

*Glazed Stambulb (Energizing - ) = Courser Honey & Stambulb. - 

*Glazed Mushrooms (Energizing - ) = Courser Honey & any Mushroom (Stamella recommended). - 

Nutty Pork (Energizing - ) = Pork, Ordona Barbeque Sauce, Vital Sage (Enduring), & Chickaloo Tree Nut/Farore Hazelnut (Lightningproof). - 

- Braised BBQ Ribs (Energizing - ) = Any Beef, Cane Sugar, Vital Sage (Enduring), Goron Spice, & Ordona Barbeque. - 

- Honey BBQ Pork (Energizing - ) = Pork, Ordona Barbeque Sauce, Vital Sage (Enduring), Courser Bee Honey, & Stambulb. - 

- Tomato Brisket = Any Beef, Hylian Tomato, Ordon Rub, & Rock Salt. -

- Spicy Pulled Pork = Pork, Ordon Rub, Sheikah Shōyu (Sneaky & Detox), Windfall Lime (Windshear), Stambulb, & Cane Sugar. - Cooked low & slow so it cooks in its own juices.

- Cracklings = Pork, Huakiao Spice, Rock Salt, Barricade Cloves (Tough), Akkala Cinnamon (Hasty), & Kakariko Plum (Sneaky & Detox). - Delicious chunks of pork with Crispy crackling.

Catfish Meuniere = Ordon Catfish (Hearty), Tabantha Wheat, & Ordon Butter. - 

Fried Catfish (Energizing - ) = Ordon Catfish (Hearty), Vital Sage (Enduring), Hushpuppy Batter, & Oil Jar. - A catfish fried in what is essentially hushpuppy batter.

Ordon Fried Poultry = Any Bird Meat (Cucco), Tabantha Wheat, Stambulb, Goron Spice, Shining Rosemary (Glow), Rock Salt, & Oil Jar. - Arguably the best fried poultry in Hyrule. Be sure to soak the poultry in a Stambulb, Goron Spice, & Shining Rosemary brine for 2 days before cooking. The whole bird version is traditionally used as the central dish to the Feast Day of the Harvest Festival in Ordon.

*Pumpkin Risotto (Tough/Enduring) = Fortified/Ordon Pumpkin (Enduring), Armoranth/Vital Sage (Enduring), Hylian Rice, Ordon Butter, & Rock Salt. - 

- *Mushroom Risotto = Any Mushroom, Hylian Rice, Ordon Butter, & Rock Salt. - 

- *Cheesy Risotto = Ordona Cheese, Hylian Rice, Ordon Butter, & Rock Salt. - 

- Poultry Risotto (Enduring - ) = Any Bird Meat, Hylian Rice, Vital Sage (Enduring), Ordon Butter, & Rock Salt. - 

Poultry Pilaf (Enduring - ) = Any Bird Meat, Vital Sage (Enduring), Hylian Rice, Ordon Butter, & Bird Egg. - 

Ordona Meat Bowl (Enduring) - Any Red Meat (Beef recommended), Hylian Rice, Ordona Cheese, Roux, Courser Honey, Vital Sage (Enduring), & Rock Salt. - First melt the cheese into the roux, then the meat has to be glazed with honey as it creates a nice contrast of flavors with the goat cheese. A great way to start a day of work on the ranch.

*Fish Pie = Bread Mix, Ordon Butter, Rock Salt, & Ordon Catfish (Hearty). - 

*Meat Pie (Enduring - ) = Red Meat, Vital Sage (Enduring), & Bread Mix. - 

Sweet & Savory Butter-Grilled Cobs = Zonai Corn (Mighty), Rock Salt, Ordon Butter, & Hazelnut Butter (Lightningproof). - A salted & grilled corn on the cob. Comes with 2 cobs, 1 grilled with regular Goat Butter & the other with Hazelnut Butter.

Cheesy Mushroom Omelet = Any Mushroom, Ordona Cheese, Bird Egg, Rock Salt, Ordon Milk, & Ordon Butter. - A staple breakfast dish in Ordon. That one splash of milk results in an even fluffier egg.

Mushroom Quiche = Any Egg, Ordon Milk, Heavy Cream, Ordona Cheese, any Mushroom, Pastry Dough. - A sort of savory pie made from eggs & mushrooms.

Pumpkin Quiche (Enduring) = Any Egg, Ordon Milk, Heavy Cream, Ordona Cheese, Ordon Pumpkin (Enduring), & Pastry Dough. - A sort of savory pie made from eggs & pumpkin.

*Pumpkin Porridge (Tough 2-3/Enduring) = Porridge Base, Fortified/Ordon Pumpkin (Enduring), Gleam Ginger (Sunny), & Armoranth/Vital Sage (Enduring). - A staple breakfast dish in Ordon.

- Fall Porridge = Porridge Base, Courser Honey, Farore Hazelnut (Lightningproof), Fall Seasoning, & any Apple. - A delicious, seasonal breakfast eaten during the fall when Ordon has its harvest.

- Fish Porridge (Energizing - ) = Staminoka Bass, Porridge Base (using Broth), Stambulb, Windblade Leek (Windshear), & Sheikah Shōyu (Sneaky & Detox). - A staple breakfast dish in Ordon.

- Honey Apple Porridge (Energizing) = Any Apple, Honey Applebutter, & Porridge Base. - An Ordon & Mabe breakfast staple.

Cheesy Garlic Grits = Grits Base (Mighty), Ordon Cheese, & Stambulb. -

- Fried Grit Cakes = Any Grits, Tabantha Wheat/Masa (Mighty), Rock Salt, Charred Pepper (Scorching), Goron Spice (optional), & Oil Jar. - Cooled grits cut into squares, then triangles, dipped into flour & fried deep.

*Cream of Mushroom Soup (Mighty) = Razorshroom, Mighty Thistle, Cavern Sorrel (Dark/Warding), Hyrule Herb, & Creamy Soup Stock. - 

*Meat Stew = Red Meat, Vital Sage (Enduring), Cavern Sorrel (Dark/Warding), & Soup Stock. - 

*Creamy Meat Soup = Red Meat, Mighty Thistle/Vital Sage (Enduring), Cavern Sorrel (Dark/Warding), & Creamy Soup Stock. - 

*Fragrant Catfish Stew (Energizing) = Stambulb, Ordon Catfish, Cavern Sorrel (Dark/Warding), Oil Jar, & Thin Soup Stock. - A great soup for when you're sick.

*Lumpy Pumpkin Soup = Sun Pumpkin (Sunny), Sunshroom/Endura Shroom, Stambulb, Warm Safflina, Creamy Soup Stock. - A recreation of the signature Soup once sold at the Lumpy Pumpkin. Best when piping hot, but even when cold, it still has a warming affect. - Inspired by Skyward Sword.

*Supreme Soup = Ordon Catfish (Hearty)/Reekfish (Revitalizing), Ordon Pumpkin (Enduring), Ordona Cheese, Endura Carrot, Tundra Potato (Spicy), Stambulb, & Creamy Soup Stock. - A fantastic soup for when you're sick. Inspired by Twilight Princess.

Farore Nut Soup (Lightningproof) = Farore Hazelnut (Lightningproof), Windblade Leek (Windshear), Vital Sage (Enduring), & Creamy Soup Stock. -

Farmer's Stew = Any Meat, Tundra Potato (Spicy), any Mushroom, Vital Sage (Enduring), Cavern Sorrel (Dark/Warding), & Creamy Soup Stock. - 

Elixir Soup (Battle Ready) = Zonai Corn (Mighty), Endura Carrot, Hearty Radish, Mighty Thistle/Valiant Gladiolus (Mighty & Amorous), Stambulb, Palm Fruit, & Creamy Soup Stock. - A very difficult recipe native to the Ordona & Faron regions that requires a lot of cooking knowledge. Only the residents know how to make the proper effect come out. The effects are a toss-up when made by anyone else. A reference to Wind Waker.

Deserts:

*Honeyed Apple (Energizing - ) = Apple & Courser Honey. - 

- *Honeyed Golden Apple (Energizing - ) = Golden Apple & Courser Honey. - 

*Hot Buttered Apple = Apple, Honeybutter, Fall Seasoning (optional) & Chickaloo Tree Nut/Farore Hazelnut (optional; Lightningproof). - 

- *Hot Buttered Golden Apple = Golden Apple, Honeybutter, Fall Seasoning, & Farore Hazelnut (Lightningproof).- 

*Honey Crepe (Energizing - ) = Courser Honey & Crepe Mix. - 

*Honey Candy (Energizing - ) = Courser Honey. - 

Honey Pudding (Energizing - ) = Courser Honey, Ordon Milk, Bird Egg, Cane Sugar, & Gelatin (Lynel Hoof). - 

Apple Turnovers = Apple, Fall Seasoning, Cane Sugar, & Pastry Dough. - 

- Golden Apple Turnovers = Golden Apple, Fall Seasoning, Cane Sugar, & Pastry Dough. - 

Sugar-Fried Fallnuts = Farore Hazelnut (Lightningproof), Woodheart (Tough), Cane Sugar, & Oil Jar. - These hazelnuts & Woodhearts have been sugar-fried until gooey & glutinous inside. Very moreish. Based on My Time in Sandrock.

Magic Cinnamon Twists = Pastry Dough, Cane Sugar, any Butter (melted), Akkala Cinnamon (Hasty), & Hazelnut Butter (optional; Lightningproof). - Roll out Pastry Dough & cover both sides with sugar, then use a Rolling Pin to gently press the Sugar into the dough. Stir together melted butter & cinnamon, then brush onto the dough. Now, fold in half & cut into thin rectangles. Finally, twist & place onto a baking sheet & bake. They're like cookies & are best when dipped in Hazelnut Butter.

Banana Nut Bread = Mighty Banana, Acorn/Chickaloo Tree Nut/Farore Hazelnut (Lightningproof), Akkala Cinnamon (Hasty), Cane Sugar, & Bread Mix. - 

Hazelnut Banana Muffins = Hazelnut Butter, Mighty Banana, Ordon Milk, & Cake Mix (made with Hazelnut Butter). - Muffins made with Hazelnut Butter & Mighty Bananas, then drizzled with a Hazelnut Butter icing.

Fallnut Brownies = Hazelnut Butter (Lightningproof), Woodheart (Tough), Farore Hazelnut (Lightningproof), Zonai Chocolate (Spicy & Amorous), Tabantha Wheat, Cane Sugar, Sundelion, & Rock Salt. - Chocolaty brownies full of Woodheart chunks.

Shortbread Cookies (Sunny) = Ordon Butter, Confectionary Sugar (Mighty) Tabantha Wheat, & Sundelion. - Deliciously buttery flavor.

Hazelnut Chocolate Chip Cookies (Amorous) = Hazelnut Butter, Zonai Chocolate (Spicy & Amorous), Bird Egg, Tabantha Wheat, Akkala Cinnamon (imported; Hasty), Rock Salt, & Sundelion. - Yummy, nutty, chocolaty cookies!

Pumpkin Drops = Ordon Pumpkin (Enduring), Lon Lon Cream Cheese, Choux Base, Baking Buddy (Stormy), Fall Seasoning, Honeyed Sugar (Energizing), Farore Hazelnut (optional; Lightningproof), Ordon Butter, Sundelion, & Confectionary Sugar (Mighty). - Pumpkin cookies with a cream cheese frosting mixed with honeyed sugar on top. These cookies are very decadent & are commonly made during winter. However, not many families actually know the recipe, but those who are friends with families that do are very greatful.

Choconana Nut Cookies (Mighty 2 & Lightningproof) = Mighty Banana, Choux Base (using Browned Hazelnut Butter), Farore Hazelnuts (Lightningproof), Woodheart (Tough), Baking Buddy, Zonai Chocolate (Spicy & Amorous), Sundelion, Fall Seasoning, Shock Fruit (juice, optional), Honeyed Sugar (Energizing), & Masa (Mighty). - Considered some of Ordon's best baked goods. The use of Masa, Honeyed Sugar, & Baking Buddy allows for a cookie that's crispy on the outside, but light & fluffy on the inside. Add to that the combination of Mighty Banana, Zonai Chocolate Chunks, plus Farore Hazelnut & Woodheart pieces & it's just chock full of delicious tastes & textures. Best when still warm with a glass of Honey Milk to dunk ‘em in, but Banana Milk or Hot Cocoa are also a valid choices. The recipe for this dish is actually heavily sought after by the Yiga as they are, by far, Master Kohga's favorite. (He would ditch the Calamity like a bad fling if it meant he could get his hands on a copy of this recipe.)

Woodheart Meringues (Tough) = Any Egg, Sundelion, Vinegar/Shock Fruit, Cane Sugar, Zonai Chocolate (Spicy & Amorous), Woodheart (Tough). - These sweet, chocolatey cookies mimic the appearance of Woodhearts almost perfectly. Has little chunks of Woodheart in them.

Yam Dessert Sliders (Amorous) = Shadow Yam (Dark/Warding), any Butter, Honeyed Sugar (Energizing), Courser Honey, Sundelion, Fall Seasoning, Shortbread Cookies (Sunny), & Zonai Chocolate (Spicy & Amorous). - Discs of Candied Yams sandwiched between pairs of Shortbread Cookies, then dunked into chocolate, then let to cool & harden.

Bananas Foster (Mighty 2) = Browned Ordon Butter, Mighty Banana, Honeyed Sugar (Energizing), Akkala Cinnamon (imported; Hasty), Banana Liqueur (Mighty), Rama Lama, & Sundelion Ice Cream (imported; Sunny). - A famous Ordon dessert. The bananas are flambéed in butter, sugar, & alcohol until caramelized, then poured over ice cream.

Woodheart Soup (Tough 3) = Woodheart (Tough), Croíbollainne (Tough), Condensed Milk, Cane Sugar, Akkala Cinnamon (Hasty), Heavy Cream (optional; Tough 1-2). - This dessert soup is a fall specialty in Ordon. Based on My Time in Sandrock.

*Cheesecake = Ordon Cheese, Cake Mix, Cane Sugar, Akkala Cinnamon (imported; Hasty), & Cookie Crust. - 

*Pumpkin Pie (Tough 1-2/Enduring) = Fortified/Ordon Pumpkin (Enduring), Fall Seasoning, Cane Sugar, & Pastry Dough. - 

- *Apple Pie = Apple, Fall Seasoning, Cane Sugar, & Pastry Dough. - 

- *Egg Tart = Bird Egg, Cane Sugar, & Pastry Dough. -

- Golden Pie = Golden Apple, Fall Seasoning, Cane Sugar, Courser Honey, & Pastry Dough. - 

- Satori Pie (Hasty & Hydrating) = Satori Cherry (Hasty & Hydrating), Cane Sugar, & Pastry Dough. - A springtime desert. Often served at Hanami.

Lód Bán (Lightningproof & Amorous) = Farore Hazelnut (Lightningproof), Ordon Milk, Zonai Chocolate (Spicy & Amorous), any Rama, Sundelion, Choux Base/Cake Mix/Pastery Dough, Rock Salt, Heavy Cream, Cofégranos (optional; Energizing), & Confectionary Sugar (Mighty). - Basically just a Mont Blanc.

Pyre Bean Cake = Pyre Beans (Scorching; blended), Farore Hazelnut (Lightningproof; blended), Courser Honey, any Egg, any Butter (melted), & Baking Buddy (Stormy). - Yes, the recipe is odd, but trust the process! The resulting cake is soft, dense, & rich despite its odd ingredient choices.

Fairy Cake (Full Revival & Amorous) = Fairy, Lovely Rosehip (Hearty), Golden Apple, Sweetheart Orchid (Hearty & Amorous), Fall Seasoning, Hearty Truffle, & Cake Mix. - Revives you after death with full hearts. If you get a crit while cooking it, you'll also get up to 5 extra hearts as well. Takes some serious master chef levels of skill to make.

Chocolate Cake (Spicy & Amorous) = Zonai Chocolate (Spicy & Amorous), Mayonnaise, Tundra Potato (Spicy), Akkala Cinnamon (Hasty), & Cake Mix. - This version of the recipe results in a very moist cake with a bit of tang & a very deep, rich chocolate flavor.

Fall Moonshine Cake = Fall Moonshine (Mighty 3), Cake Mix, any Apple, any Egg, Baking Buddy, Oil Jar, Rock Salt, Akkala Cinnamon (Hasty), Sundelion, Heavy Cream. - This wonderfully moist, delicious spiced cake was made in response to Lurelin's Rama Cake. Baked in a bundt, it has chunks of apple inside & is drizzled with a moonshine caramel glaze.

Drinks:

Honeymilk (Energizing - ) = Courser Honey, Ordon Milk, & Akkala Cinnamon (optional; Hasty). - This simple, yet comforting drink originates in Ordon, but is now enjoyed Hyrule over. A favorite for children everywhere.

Apple Cider = Apple, Fall Seasoning, Cane Sugar, & any Tree Nut. - Commonly served at Ordon's Harvest Festival in fall & is a very popular drink all over Hyrule around that time.

- Golden Apple Cider = Golden Apple, Fall Seasoning, Cane Sugar, & Golden Apple, Fall Seasoning, Cane Sugar, & Woodheart (Tough)/Farore Hazelnut (Lightningproof). - Commonly served at Ordon's Harvest Festival in fall & is a very popular drink all over Hyrule around that time.

Gladiolus Tea (Mighty 1 & Amorous) = Valiant Gladiolus (Mighty & Amorous), Korok Frond, & Courser Honey (optional). - 

Hazelnut Coffee = Hazelnut Butter, Mighty Banana, Zonai Cafégranos (Energizing), & Zonai Chocolate (Spicy & Amorous). - A sort of Ordon coffee.

Brewing:

Ordon tends to use either Oakwood Barrels or Oak-Hybrid Barrels to make their alcohols. The woods they tend to use most for barrel heads are Woodheart, Hazelnut, & Applewood.

Woodheart is known for its fine, sweet aroma profile, the casks are said to be extremely similar to oak, Woodheart is reported to be especially good for brewing meads & fruit brandies. Despite this, it's also popular with other distillates. Is also known for amplifying not only coffee & cinnamon notes, but also for increasing mouthfeel & body due to glycerol. Imparts whiskey with a nutty flavor & notes of both hazelnut & almond. - Due to being a very hard wood, these barrels tend to last longer than others.

Farore Hazelnutwood gives rich, nutty notes of aroma & tends to apply the comforting & warm richness of roasted nuts to flavor profiles. Works well with whiskey.

When used to age vodkas, raw Applewood appears to add a bit of sweet fruitiness, while toasted Applewood seems to apply a richer, sweet fruit aroma & a toasty, fruity flavor to the taste. Toasting also appears to leave it with a pleasant, unoffensive mouthfeel. Though no info on other types of distillates currently.

Courser Mead (Energizing - ) = (Water) | Courser Honey. - Hyrule's most common & cheapest alcohol. Despite how cheap it is, it's a pretty good drink. Made in Hyrule Castle Town, Mabe Village, & Ordon Village.

Laochnic Metheglin (Sunny 2 & Detox 3) = (Water) | Courser Honey (Lurelin Orange or Frostbane Blossom recommended), Fall Seasoning, Sundelion, Charmberry (Detox 3 & Amorous), & Kuzudenpun (Vitality). - This spiced honey wine is still a fairly new Ordonian product, but it's been making waves. Note: Aged in an Oak-Woodheart Hybrid Barrel, this causes the mead's more cinnamon notes to be emphasized, as well as lending it more body & a better mouthfeel.

Ordon Vodka = (Water) | Tabantha Wheat, Tundra Potato (Spicy), Valiant Gladiolus (Mighty & Amorous). - A very strong alcohol that'll surely warm you up.

Yam Vodka (Tenebrating & Amorous) = (Water) | Tabantha Wheat, Shadow Yam (Tenebrating), Valiant Gladiolus (Mighty & Amorous). - A very strong alcohol that's sweet, but has a mysterious allure to it.

Spiced Chocolate Stout (Spicy & Amorous) = (Water) | Zonai Chocolate (Spicy & Amorous), Cane Sugar, Kuzudenpun (Vitality), Bitter Bogbean, & Tabantha Wheat. - The chocolate taste is subtle enough that it doesn't overpower the stout flavor. Uses a darker, more aromatic malt to emphasize the dark chocolate flavor without making it too overwhelming. Note: Best aged in a Woodheart Barrel as it amplifies the coffee & cinnamon notes of the end product.

Mocha Stout (Sunny 2 & Amorous) = (Water) | Ordon Milk, Zonai Chocolate (Spicy & Amorous), Zonai Cafégranos (Energizing), Cane Sugar, Stamstall Kudzu (Vitality), Fall Seasoning (optional; for added fall spice), Sundelion, Bitter Bogbean, & Tabantha Wheat. - This stout is for those who like a bit of bittersweet. Made in Ordon, this beverage is considered both a chocolate stout & a cream stout. The aroma is said to be rich & lightly spiced with top notes of coffee, chocolate, & cream, but also undertones of toasted nuts. Is known for being full-bodied & smoothe. (Tip: Soak the beans in bourbon & to help dissolve some of the oils.) Note: Best aged in a Woodheart Barrel as it amplifies the coffee & cinnamon notes of the end product.

Woodheart Stout (Tough) = (Water) | Woodheart (Tough), Bitter Bogbean, Tabantha Wheat, Masa (Mighty), Honeyed Sugar (Energizing), Baking Buddy. - This stout prominently features a sweet & richly flavored nutty, herbal profile, specifically Woodheart.

Banana Liqueur (Mighty) = (Water) | Mighty Banana, Cane Sugar, Ordon Milk, & Heavy Cream. - A creamy banana alcohol.

Chocolate Liqueur (Spicy & Amorous) = (Water) | Zonai Cocoagranos (Spicy & Amorous), Cane Sugar, Ordon Milk, & Heavy Cream. - 

Ordon Moonshine (Mighty 3 & Amorous) = (Water) | Zonai Corn (Mighty), Mighty Thistle, Valiant Gladiolus (Mighty & Amorous), & Cane Sugar. - Only available in Ordon. Has a very complex flavor profile. However, keep in mind that it's only the best commercial moonshine. The best overall can never be bought in a store.

Harvest Moonshine (Mighty 2) = (Water) | Any Apple Cider, any Apple (juice), Cane Sugar, Honeyed Sugar (Energizing), Fall Seasoning, Ordon Moonshine (Mighty 2), any Vodka, Sundelion. - Sweet & delicious, but will still light you uuuup~. Made in autumn & the flavor certainly shows it.

Cornucopian Moonshine (Mighty 3-4 & Amorous) = (Water) | Spiked Golden Apple Cider (Might 2 & Amorous), Golden Apple (juice), Cane Sugar, Honeyed Sugar (Energizing), Fall Seasoning, Ordon Moonshine (Mighty 2), any Vodka, Sundelion. - Sweet & delicious, but will still light you uuuup~. Made in autumn & the flavor certainly shows it.

Laochran Ghrá Poitín (Battle Ready & Amorous) = (Water) | Zonai Corn (Mighty), Tundra Potato (Spicy), Mighty Thistle, Valiant Gladiolus (Mighty & Amorous), Sweetheart Orchid (Hearty & Amorous), Ordon Pumpkin (Enduring), & Cane Sugar. - Only available in Ordon. Has a very, extremely complex flavor profile. Unlike Ordon Moonshine, this stuff cannot be bought. It can only be obtained if you know a guy who knows a guy who knows who makes it or if you, yourself, or someone in your family makes it. This isn't like the commercially sold moonshine. This is legit. It's the real shizz! This is a recipe that is handed down for generations in Ordona & was drunk before battle. Only a shot, though, as too much will fuck you up quick & in a hurry. Drinking it gives you this lovely warm feeling in your esophagus & honestly feels like a shot of adrenaline to the system. Temporarily enhances strength & endurance. And if the drinker wins the battle quickly enough, also helps in… post-battle celebrations with one's husband or wife. Which makes its claim to fame as a drink for the "warrior of love," surprisingly accurate.

Ordon Whiskey (Mighty 1) - (Water) | Zonai Corn (Mighty) & Tabantha Wheat. - The most common adult beverage in Ordon.

Satori Whiskey = (Water) | Satori Cherry (Hasty & Hydrating) & Zonai Corn (Mighty). - A whiskey made from Satori Cherries for the Hanami Festival.

Ordon Village Cocktails:

Spiked Apple Cider = Apple, Fall Seasoning, Cane Sugar, any Tree Nut, & Ordon Whiskey (Mighty). - Ordon's favorite fall drink. Beloved & deeply nostalgic. Commonly served at Ordon's Harvest Festival in fall & is a very popular drink all over Hyrule around that time.

- Spiked Golden Apple Cider (Mighty 3 & Amorous) = Golden Apple, Fall Seasoning, Cane Sugar, Chickaloo Tree Nut/Farore Hazelnut (Lightningproof)/Woodheart (Tough), Valiant Gladiolus (Mighty & Amorous), & Ordon Whiskey (Mighty). - The best version of Ordon's favorite fall drink. Beloved & deeply nostalgic. Comes in short supply due to how rare Golden Apples are. Commonly served at Ordon's Harvest Festival in fall & is a very popular drink all over Hyrule around that time.

Honey Toddy = Courser Honey, Shock Fruit, & Ordon Whiskey. - Very easy to drink & has a sweet end. The sort of drink you break out at the end of dinner & keep serving. The perfect drink to have while talking & laughing with friends & family. Healthy & a bit medicinal. Good if you have a cold.

LoZ Cultural Masterlist

[powdermelonkeg]

Hello! I saw one of your fmab reblogs on my dash and in the tags you said that Zelda was a franchise guilty of the « our heroes are good bc they’re heroes » trope, esp ww, oot, botw, and tp. If that’s not a bother, could you elaborate on why these games make you think that? I’m not criticizing at all, I’m just genuinely curious as to what in these games brought you to that conclusion. Thought I would ask but you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to. Have a nice day!

Without going on my "Hi the Hyrulean Royal Family is irresponsible at best" rant, I'm gonna give the really simple breakdown:

Twilight Princess is the least egregious offender, Wind Waker is the most.

Twilight Princess: Arbiter's Grounds is never addressed. We don't get told anything about it, but it's very clearly a Gerudo temple, a holy place, that's been converted into a torture prison. More on that here. There's also the fate of the Twili; we're told by Lanayru that the "dark interlopers" were banished, but Midna says the following line:

Not "descendant of the criminals."

Descendant of the tribe.

The interlopers' entire tribe was banished for what they did. A tribe includes old people. It includes children. Regardless of if it's a community as small as Ordon Village, or a whole race as big as the Gerudo, this specific line is pretty damning.

But it's brushed aside because the interlopers were after the Triforce, and the goddesses are good...right?

Ocarina of Time: First of all, the Hyrulean Royal family's influences are EVERYWHERE. How many dungeons need Zelda's Lullaby or the Song of Time to open?

They even control the water levels in the Zoras' own lake. That rubs me all the wrong ways, but hey, the Hyrulean royals are good, right? We love Zelda, and she'd never do anything bad here—it was probably instated by her parents or grandparents.

The fact that these are called, specifically, "temples" though? Yeah...

And then the Gerudo. Regardless of what you think their relationship with Hyrule was before the civil war, because Ganondorf is the bad guy, it's suddenly okay to infiltrate their village, shoot their guards, steal their stuff, then raid their temple. Link isn't just ignored for doing this, he's actually respected for it. (Yes, I know, the Gerudo locked up a handful of carpenters, and they're thieves. That's a whole different problem about how the Gerudo are handled)

Maybe if it was a case of Link going to the front gate and delivering a direct challenge, sure. And we really don't like to make Link into the bad guy, I know. But if this happened in any kind of real setting, do you think it'd fly?

No consequences.

Wind Waker: EVERYTHING. OKAY. EVERYTHING.

"Oh no, Ganon's back, we're going to DROWN HALF THE POPULATION AND DESTROY EVERYONE'S HOMES"

Daphnes orchestrated this. He's the "good guy" to the very end.

Where are the Gerudo? We get a passing mention of "rival pirates" that Tetra's fighting against, but we don't know who those are.

This happens right after OOT, too. The Gerudo's water source is a RAVINE. Do you really think they can swim?

What about the Zora? They were forced to FLEE THE WHOLE WATER SYSTEM. Or the Gorons, how many of THEM are left?

Where's the Sheikah? What about the forest the Kokiri called home—they had houses too! Where are the Deku Scrubs?

What about animals? Horses, cows, fish?

The entire world FLOODED. All that's left are MOUNTAIN VILLAGES. And Daphnes is the hero here?!

...I have very strong feelings about Wind Waker. I adore that game for making Ganondorf more than just "haha evil man bad" but I never liked the KORL.

[ottspot]

Why I’m Excited for Sonic Origins

Let me preface this entry by saying this: I am not the biggest Sonic the Hedgehog fan in the entire world. I know, what a shocker! Why on earth would Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and all the other characters in the franchise be the air I breathe, the food I eat, and the blood that runs through me? This is absolutely ridiculous!

But, what can I say? I was always a Nintendo person growing up. I loved Mario, Zelda, and Pokémon. I never had much exposure to Sonic outside of playing Sonic 3 on the Wii Virtual Console and knowing that he was in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. I always knew of him as that one blue hedgehog guy and nothing more.

As the years went on, though, I got to learn more of his past and the games he appears in. I can recall staying over at a friend’s house and playing some of the Sonic Classic Collection for the Nintendo DS and experiencing some of the older games that way, too! But one fateful day- on my birthday in 2015, I received a present that would open the door to the entirety of Sonic’s past: the Sonic Mega Collection for the Nintendo GameCube.

This was an incredible collection full of charm and nostalgia (I’m absolutely not the only one to think so!), and I had so much fun playing it. Although, I never actually beat any of the games on there, not even once! Sure, I unlocked all the games by tediously starting and exiting them so it would register in the in-game counter, but outside of that I only played each game for about half an hour at most. Maybe it was the GameCube controller, or the fact that I wasn’t used to the expansive levels or unfair deaths, but the games never entirely stuck with me.

Years later, of course, I did go back and beat the first Sonic game with the 3D re-release on 3DS, albeit with save states, but it’s a feat I will never forget. The first Sonic game I have ever finished. Period. Over the years I did try to finish Sonic 2, 3 & Knuckles, CD, and even Sonic Mania, but I never got too far with them. As I played, the drive to finish them just lessened and lessened. They were still fun, of course, but something about them just wasn’t clicking with me. There was no “push” for me to complete them.

Fast forward to today, and I am filled with more determination than ever before, as I’m one of the people eagerly awaiting an all-new Sonic collection from Sega: Sonic Origins.

Sonic Origins is a new collection featuring Sonic the Hedgehog 1, 2, 3, Sonic & Knuckles, and Sonic CD. Not only is this the first time Sonic CD has been included in the same collection as the other Sega Genesis titles (something that was originally going to happen in Sonic Mega Collection, but was ultimately scrapped), but these are also the first time that these “remastered” editions are coming to consoles! It is also the debut of the Sonic 3 & Knuckles remaster, a long-requested game from Sonic fans.

The other remastered games have been released previously only on mobile devices, with the exception of Sonic CD, which also released on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Steam. They feature widescreen support, extra levels, enhanced special stages, and bonus playable characters.

Not only will Sonic Origins include those features, but they will feature an all new story mode with animated cutscenes, missions, and other tweaks and additions to make the games more beginner-friendly. The “Anniversary Mode” features unlimited lives and a new coin system that lets players retry special stages to get all those pesky Chaos Emeralds.

This mode alone has me very eager and excited to try the games again, and actually beat them this time. As stated before, I was never a big fan of the unfair deaths and challenges that led to me giving up after running out of lives. Some might say “But that’s Sonic! If you just give up and don’t learn how they work, you’re just not a real gamer.”, but it’s just how I like to play! This isn’t a piece on easy modes in video games, though. That’s another tale for another day.

One thing that people have voiced complaints about is the cost of this collection. The standard edition retails for $39.99 USD, while the deluxe edition including all the DLC is another 5 dollars on top of that. Some think that the price is a bit much for what is essentially 4 Sega Genesis games and one Sega CD game, some of which have already been re-released many times beforehand. It didn’t help that the initial pre-order chart that Sega released was the most confusing thing to read on the planet, and made it seem that things were locked behind certain editions and DLCs, reminiscent of some Ubisoft games.

Thankfully, the chart was updated later on to further clarify that some things were pre-order bonuses, and that you get everything by pre-ordering the digital deluxe edition. This didn’t exactly stop the complaining, though.

I may be a tad biased being a bit of a newcomer and all, but personally I don’t really see a reason to complain here. These are five fully remastered titles, in full widescreen with many enhancements and extra modes. For years there has been a demand to put these remasters on platforms other than mobile and an even higher demand to make one for Sonic 3 & Knuckles, and I was definitely one of those people hoping for both. After years of waiting, Sega had finally given them what they had been asking for.

I have heard many great things about the widescreen remasters of these Sonic games, that they were made by veteran Sonic hackers that know the classic games very well, possibly even more than the original developers! Their expertise with past hacks, the remasters, and even creating Sonic Mania makes me very excited. Finally, no more of having to play on a touch screen!

To end things off, I would just like to say that the release of this collection makes me hopeful that Sega will set these as the standard for future releases of older Sonic games, and that other companies like Nintendo and Capcom will take note and faithfully remaster their older games and package them up in a nice bundle like this.

And no, Nintendo. We don’t mean sticking a SNES ROM from 1993 onto a disc. Again.

Thank you for reading this all the way to the end, everyone! This is my very first post of (hopefully) many on here, and the fact that you stuck around means a lot. If you have any suggestions on this post or ideas for future blogs, please feel free to leave a comment or send me a message! Socials can be found on my Contact page.

Next up: I Might Be a Bit of a Crackhead for Finishing All of Final Fantasy XIV in Just About a Month

[guerilla935]

My Favorite Fishing in Video Games Where Fishing is Not Core Game Play

A really awesome surprise for me is always to boot up a game that is full of action and suspense to be introduced to a fishing side activity. I have toiled away at fishing in games for hundreds of hours at least. It has gotten so bad in some instances that my friends have asked me why I haven’t just taken the plunge into real fishing. It’s definitely because that is a lot of work and in real life I don’t catch a fish every 30 seconds. They have also wondered why I don’t just play a fishing simulator like Planet Fishing (Shout out to Planet Fishing that’s a great game). And that’s where I have to think for a while. Fishing while you have better things to do like save the world is very special. You aren’t fishing because it’s the objective of the game or because that’s why you are there, you are fishing because it’s fun and maybe you need a break to swing a fishing rod instead of a sword. And then you can stop, and get back to fighting or whatever the rest of the game entails. Below are games that have fishing in them for mostly no reason at all. I have shamelessly spent way to long with my bait in these waters and absolutely loved every second of it and I hope that you (the reader) can find a lot of relaxation in these waters as well.

Pokemon Series

Since the very first Pokemon game there has been fishing. You get the old rod from some guy and then you are free to fish up as many goldfishes that you want hoping that one of them will grow up to be a 21 foot tall dragon. Pokemon has combined their fishing with their main game play and makes you at least start a battle with the fish you drag onto shore. Now fishing in Pokemon is pretty subpar mainly because a single Pokemon game hasn’t really been known to have more than a handful of Pokemon that you can fish for. Also if you are looking for a strong water type Pokemon you could do a lot better than fishing for it. Typically a Pokemon player will fish about 5-10 times total. And although fishing for Pokemon isn’t all that great it has been in every game for over 20 years and that is pretty impressive. It’s a small detail that makes the world of Pokemon feel like a real world of wild creatures.

Sonic Adventure DX

In Sonic Adventure DX you are given the choice to play as a lot of different characters, one of which is named Big the Cat. Most of the characters are combat characters that rely on speed and attacks to get through levels, some even wielding rocket launchers and extremely oversized hammers. However when you start the story of Big the Cat you are thrown in a completely opposite direction. Big the Cat is a giant purple cat who lives in the jungle with his best friend Froggy. Froggy accidentally swallows one of the most powerful objects in the Sonic universe and Big the Cat must chase him all over the world trying to fish him out of where he is hiding so that he can eject the Chaos Emerald out of him and they can return to their life in the jungle. The fishing mechanics in this game actually are really good and this is probably because Sega had just put out a series of mildly successful Bass fishing games before releasing this game. Either way its absolutely hilarious that Big the Cat gets to defeat Chaos 6 right before Super Sonic has his showdown with Chaos Perfect.

Final Fantasy XV

In Final Fantasy XV you play as Noctis and his favorite hobby is fishing. When I first played this game I sped through it and never fished once and reached the end of the game never indulging Noctis in his hobby. When I replayed Final Fantasy XV I fished for 50 hours and then ejected the disc from my console. The fishing in Final Fantasy XV is surprisingly deep with a lot of the vendors supporting what you could call a fishing road trip. In the game it is extremely dangerous to be out at night so I would plan day trips to lakes to maximize the amount of fishing I would get to do. I would prepare days in advance to make sure I could afford the trip and that I had enough supplies to both protect myself at the lake and have enough supplies to last the whole day. Final Fantasy XV really is a game about getting really distracted and fishing is probably its best distraction. My days on the lake were the perfect balance of peaceful and rewarding, this game offers an awesome reward of well planned trips and a good haul of fish.

Final Fantasy XIV Online

Final Fantasy XIV is the only game I have ever played where the fishing played exactly like its combat. When you are fighting enemies in a dungeon in FFXIV you are constantly adding buffs, landing hits, using consumables, and managing resource bars. When you are fishing in FFXIV you are constantly adding buffs, landing hits, using consumables, and managing resource bars. Note you are doing so at a much more leisurely and less life threatening pace but you are still doing it. I never maxed out the fisher class but I got it into the expansion content which was a really long and relaxing experience. Yet another Final Fantasy title where the real meat of the game is in getting distracted. When you fish you also sell on a player market that fluctuates based on market price just like real fish. You get the relaxing fishing side of the game and also an aggressive economic number crunching side as well. I spent way too long with a real pen and paper deciding how much I should sell for on any particular day and bossing around my two cat girl employees.The MMO aspect of the game adds so much to what you would expect to be a very solitary experience.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

Have you ever gone fishing for hours to receive an empty bottle? That is exactly what kick started my addiction to fishing in Twilight Princess. An empty bottle in Twilight Princess means another way to heal yourself, another way to add oil to a lantern, another way to carry useless water around. The only way to get the 4th bottle in the game is to go to a dedicated fishing spot and fish until you pulled it out of the pond. The actual fishing is pretty weird, it involves motion controls which I still am not entirely sure what they do or how to properly use them but it is really fun to hold the pole in gyroscope and set the lure in the water waiting for fish to come get a nibble. Although the physics with the water make it difficult to see if you have actually gotten a bite or not it still is enjoyable the other 85% of the time it works.

Stardew Valley

So this one is at the top of every other “fishing in games” list and there is a big reason for that. It’s really good. I think in my first Stardew Valley farm I gave up farming entirely and fished all day every day and stopped to buy food to replenish my energy and go back at it. I really didn’t care about getting rich or making enough money to expand the farm or get to know everyone I actually spent about 50 hours just fishing. The fishing takes some skill and a pretty keen eye but the random jerks of the fish and the rhythm of the game play are so fun to try to master. It’s a part of Stardew Valley that I felt like I was continuously improving on as time went on and it was really fun. I mean I don’t recommend it because you’ll end up moderately poor but it was really fun.

Fantasy Life

Fantasy Life offers you 12 potential jobs, you could be a brilliant blacksmith or a devious potions maker, a lumberjack or a knight, a hunter or a seamstress. However your inner dad is calling and you decide you want to play through a fantasy RPG as a fisherman, hell yeah. the story is relatively short so you can quickly unlock a lot of locales to fish at and there is a manageable economy system that lets you deal in fish in advantageous ways. You can even pick up cooking on the side and make fancy dinners and sell the fish for higher you can do that as well. Fantasy Life is like a clever mix between Animal Crossing and Final Fantasy XIV and it kind of succeeds and falls short of it. The fishing also takes a good amount of skill and rhythmic approach to master so it doesn’t get boring almost at all until you have cleared the game.

Maple Story 2

Maple Story 2 is one of the most expressive and cutest games that I have ever played. And the fishing is no different, its all about style. The fishing in Maple Story 2 is monotonous and can get old but you do it for the chibi clout. Because much like the rest of the game you can look however you want and do whatever you want and sometimes you just feel like kicking back and throwing lure in the water at the beach. I never got super into the fishing in this game but it won me over with its adorable design and stylish atmosphere.

Animal Crossing Series

Of course I had to include the most popular game right now. Animal Crossing has become something of a connection between people when we can’t leave the house. A thing we all have in common on social media and with our friends. My first experience with Animal Crossing really starts with New Horizons and I was completely blown away. The fishing isn’t super complex or difficult but the range of what you can pull out of the water and what you can do with it is absolutely breathtaking. For a game about cartoon people living with humanoid cartoon animals the fish looking photo realistic. And the museum where they can be kept is stunning. The museum looks like it was designed to capture the feel of being in a museum and matches the design of all the great real life aquariums and observatories. Although it is a bit frustrating when your rod breaks it is easy enough to make one (or worst case buy one) to get your bait back in the water.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Tell me I’m wrong, you can’t. Isabelle getting added to Smash brought a very powerful fishing move that isn’t practical all the time but is really funny. Wouldn’t recommend this game if you are looking to relax and fish but I do recommend hooking your friend with a fish hook and send them flying off screen if you had to.

Minecraft

I have a very special role in Minecraft when I join a friends server. A role that I assign to myself. While everyone is off getting awesome swords, spelunking for diamonds, and exploring the infinite landscape, I build a small wooden shack and I set up a farm with an irrigation canal and start fishing. A steady supply of food is necessary and while I’m hanging out with my friends in a server I’m happy to be the one to provide it. The fishing in this game is probably the slowest of all the ones on this list but is the most useful. just throwing the fish in the oven creates food that can help keep you and your companions alive for a long time. I think I definitely have my limits with Minecraft fishing and I couldn’t do it for hours on end it is rewarding to set up shop and find a nice place to settle down for a few hours to fish.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses

This is the only Tactical RPG in this post. Fire Emblem: Three Houses has sections between combat where you can go and talk to your students and do other activities. We aren’t here to discuss other activities though we are here for the fishing. The fishing allows you to catch fish for some reason that I’m sure is good but never intrigued me enough to learn. All I know about the fishing in Fire Emblem: Three Houses is that it’s fun. I started to bust through combat just so that I could get back to fishing. The funniest part about this one is that the fish has a health bar. Pressing the A button at the exact moment finds a way to become easier and still find ways to mess you up. Either way, I’m not that interested in tactical RPGs but I heard there was fishing in this game so I had to play it and it was worth it.

Jak & Daxter: The Precursor Legacy

In Jak & Daxter, Daxter gets turned into a small animal by dark eco while exploring a dangerous island off the shore of his home with his best friend Jak. To get back to the island to investigate, the pair have to borrow a boat owned by a fisherman who is troubled by an invasive species of poisonous eel that is ruining his haul. He asks Jak to catch fish for him without catching any eels. This fishing mini game can only be done once but it is going to either be something you think is very unique or a huge waste of time. All I’ll say is that the sound that the fish makes when it goes into the net is absolutely a reward in itself it is so satisfying. But anyways, more intense than some other options here but get it done so you can get back to absorbing eco powers and jumping on stuff.

Shovel Knight

Shovel Knight is a 2D action platformer but you can also fish. And you fish for the best kind of fish, money. You can get some other stuff too like health pickups and magic replenishers but we know what you want. You see that little glint and you pop out the fishing rod and pull out those money bags. If you are devoted enough you can even get a surprise from the Troupple King (long live his highness) if you fish out the right stuff. I don’t even know if I fished all that much when I played Shovel Knight but it’s hilarious that you can.

NieR: Automata

I did not play a lot of NieR and that’s because I was fishing. I don’t know why all I did was fish but you throw your little robot in the pond and you lean on a magical stool so honestly it was good enough for me.

Club Penguin

If you know then you know. In hind sight there really wasn’t a whole lot to do in Club Penguin but this mini game really messed me up. You basically get to move up and down, catching fish and avoiding trash and other hazards. Basically trying to do this and catch as much fish as possible to avoid having to ask your parents for real money to pay for snacks to feed a virtual ball of fluff with eyeballs. I don’t really remember how challenging it really was but I remember getting decently high scores to about like 100 fish per round so I guess it was pretty easy if I could do that at age 10.

Rune Factory 4

I’m gonna be very honest about this one and say that the fishing in Rune Factory 4 is basically just Animal Crossing fishing but more anime. The fish react to the pole the same, the fish almost look the same, and the buttons to respond are the same. What makes this one special is where you can take it. You can fish in the little moat in town, in the lake, in a dungeon full of monsters, in a lake that is eternally the season fall, anywhere. You are constricted by the boundaries of Stardew Valley and that is how much energy you have and how much time you have in the day. It’s still fun to fish but I wish that they had used their fun fantasy setting to give the ability to fish up some cool made up fish instead of strictly things that exist in real life.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2

Ok, diving, fishing, same thing. Diving in Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is just fishing with your whole body. It works a lot in the same way as Pokemon where you fish up monsters to fight and get the rewards from them. It is a completely optional activity however if you decide to undertake the grind of scavenging in Xenoblade Chronicles 2 then you will never hurt for money ever again. It makes my wonder why Rex stopped being a salvager to do odd jobs because this was PROFITABLE. The main incentive is that there are spots that spawn a certain enemy that drop cores. Cores are like gacha or loot boxes that contain new anime girl partners that deal huge damage in fights. They even have their own side quests and story lines. I spent maybe 30 hours grinding before giving up on this game and while it does become tiresome I really enjoyed the random rewards of possibly getting a new companion or a really cool weapon.

It’s been tossed around that every great RPG has fishing in it. I won’t argue that point but a lot of great RPGs certainly do have fishing in them. Everyone needs a break sometimes and fishing is the perfect activity to remind us to stop and take that break. Even games can get long and without these distractions it might be so much harder to complete these harrowing tasks. Don’t forget to take breaks and just enjoy the sound of the water every once in a while because there’s no rush playing video games.

Honorable Mentions:

Kingdom Hearts: Sora fishing with his bare hands on Destiny Island

Persona 4: Weird aqueduct fishing

Persona 5: Marina fishing life

Sea of Thieves: A pirates life for me

[spoadicdeviance]

When “Anger Always Wins In The End”: The Story of X-Play vs Skyward Sword

Gather around the Barcalounger over by the fireplace friends, family, and those who only come to the Skyward Sword tag to bash the game in question. Old SporadicDeviance is going to tell you a tale that harkens back from the far distant past of 2011. It’s going to be a quite a long story, so you might want to get comfy.

The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword was making its rounds across the mainstream game review circuit, largely earning 9′s and 10′s across the boards. The game also ended becoming one of the very few games to earn perfect scores from both EDGE magazine and Famitsu. Talks of potential Game of the Year awards were already underway. 

Yes it seemed Skyward Sword would experience nothing but smooth sailing when it comes to the gaming media.

Enter X-Play; the TV show focused on game coverage airing on the network dedicated to gaming and technology (in the sense that MTV used to be dedicated to music) G4.

Starting in summer 1998, as GameSpot TV, and ultimately concluding its run by the start of 2013, this show was perhaps the most popular source of game reviews in its heyday. In fact, with the shows propensity to include heavy layers of snark and cynicism in their reviews, as well as having the tendency of preforming comedic skits based on the various games they covered, one could say that X-Play was one of the progenitors of various online independent game reviewers that started from around 2006 and continue to the present day.

“Why bring up the show’s history?” One may ask. Well its important to establish that the programs was very popular with a substantial viewership, even in its final years of broadcast.

Which brings us to the moment that X-Play and Skyward Sword crossed paths.

It all started with the shows review of the game and the program ultimately giving Skyward Sword an overall score of a 4 out of 5. This caused a bit of stir amongst X-Play’s audience.

Now, on the surface, a score like that wouldn’t appear to be anything to really harp on about. Sure, a 4 out of 5 score was on the lower end of the range of scores Skyward Sword was receiving at the time. Nevertheless, a 4 out of 5 was still overall a good score. 

However, as said before, this is all surface level. To get a full understanding of why some gamers were questioning X-Play’s review, you have to look at both how X-Play defines its rating scale as well as the content of the review itself, beyond the final score.

First let’s talk about X-Play’s ratings scale. In 2011 the program updated the meaning behind each of the five different ratings. For a game to earn a 5 out of 5, the game would have to “realize all ambitions of its design” while a 4 out of 5 game would only accomplish most of its goals.

Well Skyward Sword’s goal was to be the proof of concept on what the Wii’s intent was as a console. The game’s ambition was to show the world that motion controls not only be practical as the primary means of control for a AAA game but also in some ways surpass traditional controls in terms of immersion and practicality. Does that mean by giving Skyward Sword a 4 out of 5, X-Play thinks Skyward Sword didn’t fully accomplish its ambition?

No. They didn’t think Skyward Sword failed in that regard. In fact, in their review of the game, X-Play stated that despite initial skepticism on Skyward Sword going all in on motion controls, hosts Adam Sessler and Morgan Webb were pleasantly shocked with how good the controls felt, saying that the Wii-Motion Plus controls were fluid, responsive, seamless, and never frustrating. They also stated that if all Wii games controlled just was well as Skyward Sword then a large majority of complaints lobbied against the system would never have materialized.

So what caused the show to give Skyward Sword a 4 out of 5? According to X-Play’s 2011 rating system and game needs to have “minor flaws” on order to get a 4 out of 5 score. So what did X-Play think were said flaws?

Well X-Play used the trite “revisit certain areas of the game” non-criticism that I’ve already touched on in a prior post. It’s weird since games like Metroid Prime also used backtracking and X-Play still gave those games perfect 5 out of 5 scores.

They also said that there wasn’t much to do in the Sky overworld, which is outright wrong considering all of the goddess treasures and various sky islands that have their own minigames/sub quests to do. Yes its mainly side content but almost every Zelda overworlds are mainly used for side content and linking the various areas in the map. I think I’ll go more in depth on the whole “The Sky is too empty.” criticism in another post.

Then they complained about how your shield can break and you would have to go back to Skyloft in order to purchase a new shield. Seriously? This is like when people complain that in Banjo Kazooie, when you die, you have to recollect all the music notes. That’s the point. The game is punishing you for messing up during the combat. Also the game doesn’t force you to purchase a new shield. You can play the game without a shield if you choose to do so.

I would say the shield bit is the worst criticism in the review if it wasn’t for the frankly dumb, and hilarious in hindsight, critique of Skyward Sword’s crafting system. Adam called the system “grindy” and said that crafting doesn’t fit in a Zelda game. Considering how Breath of the Wild not only has a crafting system, but also, by X-Play’s standards, made it more grindy than it was in Skyward Sword, I think even Skyward Sword’s biggest detractors can call this assessment of Skyward Sword crafting system half-baked at best.

And those were the flaws X-Play found in Skyward Sword. Even if those critiques were legitimate, and let’s face it they’re not, it doesn’t seem like these flaws are enough to justify docking Skyward Sword an entire point in a 5 point rating system, does it?

Well according to a lot of fans of the show, it wasn’t. Fans were speculating that X-Play wasn’t really sincere in their giving Skyward Sword a 4 out of 5. Some thinking that they set out to not give the game a perfect score and were grasping at straws trying to find any justification for their score, rather than have their final score come naturally as they played/reviewed the game.

By all accounts, Skyward Sword seemed to have been more deserving of a 5 out of 5 score rather than a 4 out of 5, according to a lot of X-Play’s viewership. 

Viewer response to Skyward Sword’s 4 out of 5 score might have been the primary reason X-Play revamped their ratings scale the following year, using “half-stars” in its ratings (ultimately making the rating system a 10 point scale) as well as reworking the conditions for a 5 out of 5 score. Now for a game to achieve a 5 out of 5 a game doesn’t have to achieve all of its design ambitions and merely not have any “issues” which would result in a 4 out of 5.

My suspicion that the viewer response to the Skyward Sword review was the catalyst for the change is only strengthened by the fact that X-Play used Skyward Sword as their example of a 4 out of 5 game in their new ratings system. 

But despite all that, the backlash to X-Play’s review was relatively minor, especially compared to the backlash a certain other professional reviewer got for giving Skyward Sword a lower score compared to X-Play, but that’s a tale for another time.

This isn’t the main part of the the story. X-Play’s review of Skyward Sword and the viewer response to said review were all the primer for the centerpiece of this tale.

It’s now time for the awards season. All the various gaming publications were nominating and awarding the best games of 2011. Skyward Sword managed to get itself plenty of nominations, including Overall Game of the Year from publications like EDGE.

But what about X-Play? What awards did they nominate Skyward Sword for?

Did X-Play nominate Skyward Sword for Game of the Year? 

No.

Did X-Play nominate Skyward Sword for Best Action/Adventure Game? 

No

Did X-Play nominate Skyward Sword for Most Innovative Game? 

No. .

Did X-Play nominate Skyward Sword for Best Story? 

No.

Did X-Play nominate Skyward Sword for Best Art Direction? 

No.

All Skyward Sword was nominated for were Best Soundtrack and Best Motion Controls.

And you want to know the really messed up part; Skyward Sword only won for Best Soundtrack and lost the Best Motion Controls award to Dance Central 2. Let that sink for a beat. DDR Kinect 2 Dance Central 2 apparently had better motion controls than Skyward Sword according to X-Play. This despite of all the praise the show gave Skyward Sword’s controls in its review. This is like when the Queen bio-pic, Bohemian Rhapsody, won the Oscar for “Best Editing”. Are you kidding me?! But I digress.

Needless to say, if viewers were just a little peeved with X-Play’s review of Skyward Sword, they were outright mad with how the show basically snubbed Skyward Sword from its award show. 

The vast majority of gamers felt that, even if the game would ultimately not win many awards, Skyward Sword should have at least had more than two (relatively minor) award nominations and should have been nominated for Game of the Year. X-Play was being called out, rightfully so, for not giving Skyward Sword its fair dues.

But all was not lost for Skyward Sword, for while X-Play would have full control on which games were nominated and which game would win the majority the awards, the fans would have their own say for one certain award.

G4 decided to do what they called a “Videogame Deathmatch”. This was basically a tournament consisting of 32 games released in 2011. 

Each round would have multiple games paired off to face off against each other. The general public would go online and vote for one of the two games in each match to go on to the next round. The first round had people vote between 16 pairs of games. The next round would have 8. Etc. Etc. This would culminate in a final round where the two winners of each side of the bracket would face off and the people would vote between these last two games to decide which game would win the tournament and would receive the Viewer’s Choice Award at  X-Play’s Best of 2011 Award Show.

Skyward Sword was one of the 32 games selected for the tournament, whether it was because G4 honestly thought the game deserved a chance to win or they were simply trying to placate fans of the game.

I would say the latter because the side of the bracket Skyward Sword was on was definitely the more competitive side of the two. How more competitive? Well while the side of the bracket Skyward Sword was on had games like Portal 2, Minecraft, Uncharted 3, Batman Arkham City and The Elder Scroll V: Skyrim, the game that would become the finalist for the other side of the bracket was Assassin’s Creed: Revelations. Does that answer your question?

So Skyward Sword faced some stiff competition. It really seemed like G4 and X-Play did not want Skyward Sword to win this tournament so they made sure it would go head to head against some of the most popular games of 2011. It was going to be a miracle if Skyward Sword made it to the final round.

Well let me tell you something; a miracle did occur that year.

In round 1, Skyward Sword went up against Uncharted 3, the flagship PS3 title of 2011, and the fans voted for Skyward Sword over Uncharted 3.

In round 2, Skyward sword went head to head against Fifa 12, the latest entry of the videogame series based off of the most popular sport in the world, and the majority chose Skyward Sword over Fifa 12. 

In round 3, Skyward Sword faced off against Batman Arkham City, the game that is considered to be one of the greatest superhero games ever made (if not the greatest), and Skyward Sword got more votes than Batman Arkham City.

In the semi-finals, Skyward Sword went one on one against The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, one of the best selling games of all time, and the gamers chose The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword over Skyrim.

Needless to say when Skyward Sword went up against Assassin’s Creed: Revelations, a game that even fans of the Assassin’s Creed franchise don’t hold in the highest regards (at least it’s not Unity?) in the final round, the vote went overwhelmingly in Skyward Sword’s favor.

The end result was that Skyward Sword won G4TV’s Videogame Deathmatch: Best of 2011 Tournament and was awarded the Viewer’s Choice Award for 2011.

Now when it came time to officially announce the winner of the winner of the Viewer’s Choice Award during the televised award ceremony, how do you think the hosts handled the situation?

Well take a look for yourself with this Youtube video archiving X-Play’s award show that year. (Timestamp 34:04-35:25)

They start out by saying how close the matchup between Skyward Sword and Assassin’s Creed: Revelations was, despite the fact that by accounts of those who participated in the voting process, Assassin’s Creed never got more than 40% of the votes in the final round, but that can be chalked up as theatrics for the audience.

When they reveal to the audience that Skyward Sword won the final round and in turn won the Viewer’s Choice Award, you can juts tell that Adam Sessler is not happy with the results. The way he’s moving his body. His tense face and pursed lips. The sarcastic tone in his voice as he calls Skyward Sword “Nintendo’s love letter to motion controls”.

Adam is not happy that the game he and the rest of the staff at X-Play snubbed from their award ceremony not only won the Viewer’s Choice Award but also beat two of their nominees for Game of the Year, including their choice for overall Game of the Year, in the process.

At this point, most people think it would be best for Adam to just accept the results for what they are, give Skyward Sword a proper congratulations, and move on with the next award of the night, in spite of Adam’s personal feelings towards the situation. Just be professional. That’s all Adam needed to do.

Most would think that, but Adam Sessler is not most people.

As the hosts were talking about Skyward Sword’s win, Blair Herter made a passing comment saying that the Nintendo fanbase being “enraged” over Skyward Sword not being nominated for Game of the Year helped Skyward Sword win the Viewer’s Choice Award.

Adam immediately jumped on that by adding with and I quote;

“Enraged? That’s a-th-th-that’s a nice term. It was close race, but ANGER always wins in the end.”

Wow. I mean wow. Not even the Red Sea is as salty as Adam Sessler was with that comment.

He couldn’t just take the L like an adult and move on. He felt like he had to get the final word on the matter. 

It’s like Adam wants to say the Viewer’s Choice Award doesn’t really count because the vote didn’t go the way he wanted. This is, ironically, the kind of immature fanboy behavior Adam is trying to make fun of. It makes it seem like Adam thinks he’s above the “unwashed masses” that participated in the Videogame Deathmatch voting process. 

Regardless on if you think Skyward Sword deserved to win the tournament, you must admit that this was bad look on Adam’s part.

Now I don’t want to end this post on a bittersweet note so I want you to think about what actually happened. 

Skyward Sword is so beloved by the majority of gamers that when a review show as big as X-Play tried to downplay the game’s quality as well snub the game from its best of the year award show, the gamers respond by making sure Skyward Sword won the title of the Viewer’s Choice awards.

And this is one of several time where when major reviewer publications/programs reached out to their audience, the gamers, to get their take on what game they felt was the best game of 2011, and The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword was chosen by said gamers as the the best game of that year.

It’s funny because whenever I bring up that point, the minority of Skyward Sword detractors try to make up some excuse to delegitimize Skyward Sword winning the viewer’s choice award.

When I mention Skyward Sword winning IGN’s viewer’s choice award, or when Skyward Sword was voted the number one, best game of 2011 by the fans of ScrewAttack, they say “Oh that’s because fans of Skyrim, Batman Arkham City, Portal 2, and so on were divided amongst themselves while Nintendo fans were united in their support for Skyward Sword. If the poll wasn’t a free for all, Skyward Sword wouldn’t win.”

Well here’s another instance of Skyward Sword winning a viewer’s choice award; Skyward Sword had to go one-on-one against multiple games in order to win the viewer’s choice award. Skyward Sword got more votes than some of the most popular, well reviewed, and highest selling games of that year. More gamers preferred Skyward Sword over Uncharted 3, Arkham City, and Skyrim.

I think all of that, along with how Skyward Sword was considered the best game of 2011 by ScrewAttack and IGN users, and how people are hyped for the HD rerelease, it’s safe to say that despite what some vocal people may try to say otherwise, The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword is a game that is far more beloved by gamers than it  is “divisive”. 

[kintatsujo]

LoZ AU- The Courage of Running Away Part TWENTY-FOUR

This post is so late because I accidentally took a several hour nap and then it went and got a Little Convoluted, including a page that might’ve gone in a supplementary post except that I wanted it HERE, for REASONS

Warning for Fantasy Religious Imagery, which is sometimes based on Christian religious imagery because it’s Legend of Zelda and the magic book from the first game was literally just a Bibble in the Japanese

#AU August

#LoZ AU: The Courage of Running Away

I'm setting up for a boss fight here and I want to go a little into the idea that Lorule Castle Town and Lorule Castle are effectively being approached like a "final dungeon" here (technically at this point my brain has assigned CoRA itself as "first half of game" and whatever I call the sequel as "Second half of game" but that's not the point)

Which actually I'm gonna real quick go into MORE of the basic "gameplay" that exists in my head if CoRA was ACTUALLY a game instead of this increasingly convoluted fanfic that I've been having Emotions over, just because I've been thinking about it and it's how I'd be plotting shit here.

Basically the MAJORITY of the gameplay would be Link running around adventuring, like any LoZ.  Different greater regions would be their own discrete overworlds with a few points here and there where you could cross between them, not like portals or anything just like mountain passes and shit.  (I think since we're going full jrpg with the story the sequel would probably feature an airship worldmap.  Don't ask me how Link gets an airship I just cut going into the Rito captain that decides he's in love with Marla for time!)

But THEN there would be sections that functioned like Hyrule Warriors, with a team of characters that you could switch between.  These would be signaled by phrases like, "Okay, Link, tell us what you need us to do."  Some would be specific dungeons and some would be based on chunks of the map that had been sliced out, like how in Age of Calamity a lot of the mini missions used chunks of the chapter mission maps.  Technically the Tutorial Dungeon from Hell would work somewhat like this EXCEPT that Astramorus isn't your team member, he's an "allied" unit you don't have to protect because he hangs back tossing heal items and fairies at Link.  

The first REAL time you'd get a taste of having team members would be basically a minigame with Tonbo and Marla and all playable characters would have segments that let you get a handle on how they worked.  Gray's would actually be a training mission where he's kind of showing off for Link because Zelda Jr. is egging him on.  (See thinking about this like a game REALLY helps with the story writing lmao)

During the solo segments while Tonbo and Marla are travelling with Link, btw, they'd be wandering around cities or towns as NPCs Link can have conversations with, including one with Marla that would be sparked by examining the statue of the Fierce Deity in Clocktown Town Square but which would be presented as Marla seeking Link out.  This is because I love party chat.

[image description: A below shot of a statue of Fierce Deity Link.  He is lit by a lantern with fairy wings to the side, and there are strings of lights behind him and a dark roof above.  Link and Marla are looking up at him as Link explains, “The Hylia Church holds that he was one of my-- One of the Goddess’s Chosen Heroes.  The local faith holds that he came in the form of a child but with the soul of an adult, that he went on to take the forms of dead loved ones and dead heroes in Termina, that he had powers upon powers and skill upon skill, that he was many places at once over three days, helping and rescuing and working, and that he awoke the Four Giants of the land and pushed the moon back into the sky.”  Link holds himself.  “I can’t POSSIBLY live up to all that,” he says.  Marla is holding some sort of wrapped food she’s taken a bite out of.  She says, “Do you WANT to live up to all that?  Also if he came in the form of a CHILD why’s he depicted as this big manly man chonk?”  End ID.]

Also in general all playable characters's levels, hearts and general development would just be, haha, LINKED to Link's.  I know a lot of people enjoy managing all their characters but I'm thinking about Final Fantasy 9 and how every time you go to a town everyone just wanders off and I never know if I'm gonna actually be able to GIVE characters their equipment or if the party's gonna get broken up by Story again.  I think a lot of the flow feel to the system I've just outlined would be similar to that so I don't think the non-Link members of the party should be something a player would have to worry about upkeep with.  Also yes in that same line everyone would automatically be healed and have a full magic meter at the beginning of the team segments.

Anyway for this particular party mission Queen Zelda would actually initially try to talk Link out of it.  "Absolutely not," he says, "I'm going and Father is too, we deserve answers and if you end up having to blow Serenumbra up this is the only chance we'll have at getting them."

(Zelda Sr's like.... "I didn't blow your father UP...")

Ghirahim is also champing at the bit to go fuck Serenumbra up, because he's fucking furious to have realized that Serenumbra was chessmastering him.  Dinravi and Eltani are going both as support and because everyone but Ghirahim agrees that Ghirahim needs someone to act as his restraint.

[Image Description: Ghirahim is waving his hands angrily and ranting, "And the WORST PART is now I have to save HYLIA'S BROOD just to SPITE him!" while Dinravi pats him on the shoulder with a grin, saying "There, there."  End ID.]

I don’t know why Ghirahim’s hands always turn out so amazing, actually, I’ve always thought of hands as one of my strengths but it feels like CoRA’s Ghirahim is one panel of pretty hands after another.

ANYWAY it’s a smallisher team because the main loftwings they have that can make that trip again after having rushed from Gerudo City to Hyrule Castle are the unusually large ones like Hera, and those are fairly rare.  The main characters I’m absolutely sure on are Link and Astramorus, Dinravi Ghirahim and Eltani, and of course Queen Zelda and Impa.  Gray wants to go but he can’t because health potions don’t work as fast on injuries quite as severe as a stabbity in the torso and whether Marla and Tonbo come along is actually something I’m not explicitly solid on yet, because this is Draft 0.5 and I can still change my mind at this point. 

And one of the things is that in this mission Astramorus essentially functions as a helper character chasing after Link with health potions just like in the Tutorial Dungeon From Hell, except he’s a lot quieter about it.

Because of this and because Link is the main character, they’re together when they find Serenumbra first:

[Image description: Serenumbra is in the middle of a ceremonial setup; in the middle are he with a book stand and behind him a statue of Hylia.  On either side are symmetrical stone beds, the left below an upright Hyrulean Triforce and the right below a flipped Lorulean Triforce.  Princess Zelda is laid on the left side and Princess Hilda on the right; they are dressed in simple gowns and seem to be unconscious.  The beds were clearly made exactly for Hilda’s height, as Zelda is too short for hers.  They are laid in state reminiscent of the way the sleeping Zelda was in Adventure of Link.  Between this scene and the viewer are two figures with swords, although the nature of them is unclear; they could be people wearing horned masks.  Serenumbra says, “Ah, Astra.  You’re ALIVE.  What a SURPRISE.”  Astramorus and Link are standing side by side.  Astramorus says, “So you DID know what I was planning to do.”  Serenumbra makes the smuggest possible face.  “Oh PLEASE, dear friend, I’ve been winding you up to see what you’ll do since you were FIFTEEN- a little NUDGE in the right direction was as good as telling you to do it!”  End ID.]

Okay but looking at that Smug Serenumbra face I actively wanna punch him until he loses a few teeth so I think I’ve succeeded at drawing it.  The soldiers are actually intended to be Armos because I like the Armos and I think they should show up in Botw2. (I’m kind of hoping we’ve already seen one in that more recent trailer but they don’t look anything like these buddies; I’m talking about that big turquoise dude.)

Anyway we all know this ceremony isn’t going to work.  The Armos keep Link and Astramorus off of Serenumbra long enough for him to try it, and it just fuckin fizzles.  Zelda and Hilda sleep right through the whole thing (they’re uh, you know, under a spell, so they’d sleep through quite a lot.)

[Image Descriptions: Serenumbra is gripping his book and staring into it, demanding of the pages, “WHY isn’t it WORKING?!!”  Astramorus says, off-panel, “It’s pretty SIMPLE, Seren-”  He is shown to have his hands on Link’s shoulders as if to brace him, as Queen Zelda breaks the doors behind them down with a BOOM, Ghirahim coming up behind her with a grin.  Link and Astramorus shout together: “YOU HAVE THE WRONG ZELDA!!”  Serenumbra stares at them, his glasses opaque, as apparently something in his mind breaks with a “SNAP!”  He then smiles serenely.  “Very well,” he says, as the Moon Pearl on his chest begins to glow, flooding the room with blue.  “Let us see how you fare against a GOD’S NIGHTMARE.”  Before him, on what had appeared to be a circular rug, something black and gaseous seems to seep into reality.  It has glowing white eyes.  End ID.]