No more games, no more pretense — this is our list of the top 25 Zelda items of all-time. Whether they were weapons or shields or utility items, these are the panel’s selections for the coolest or most useful inventory slots in the series. We’ll be counting down one by one until we reach the #1 pick on Jan. 31.
6) Ocarina of Time – 8 votes, 289 points
Shaun: Duu Duu Duuuuuu, Duu Duu Duuuuuuu, Duu Duu Duuuuu Duuuuuuuu Duuuuuuu. I played this simple instrument so much I’ve probably memorized every song, which is saying something.
A lot of credit goes to Ocarina of Time (the game) for making the Ocarina of Time (the item) seem really cool. Because it’s not. Have you ever played one in real life? It’s pretty lame. No one goes to college for Ocarina playing. There are no music fans who go to an orchestra saying “man, I can’t wait for the Ocarina solo!” That’s because there are no Ocarina solos. Because Ocarinas are a joke.
And yet, the Ocarina of Time is the crux of one of Link’s most iconic adventures of all time, and is capable of time alteration, uncovering secret paths, and getting Darunia to dance his ass off. That’s pretty solid in my book.
Bonus points go to the Ocarina of Time being just as important — if not more so — in the game’s sequel, Majora’s Mask. That’s staying power!
Chris: Perhaps the most influential item in the most influential game in the series. There are a lot of musical instruments throughout the Zelda lore, some of which we’ve mentioned earlier in this list. But nothing quite measures up to the Ocarina of Time.
This is important for several reasons. It’s a connection between Link and Zelda that spans the seven-year gap, allowing Sheik to jam out on her harp to help Link in his quest. But you have to go deeper than that. Think back to when you were little and you first played this game. (Or, if you’re a young’in, get off my lawn and think back to a couple years ago, you whippersnapper.) When young Zelda is being chased by Ganondorf and rushed from the castle by Impa and she throws this into the water, you don’t really know what’s up yet. Sure, the item mentions “time” in its name — but until you head to the Temple of Time after this, you don’t truly understand what that means. Link hadn’t been a grown-up yet; he was always a kid until then. It’s a big deal.
Joseph: Of all the instruments in the various games, the Ocarina of Time was the most economical. It gave you unparalleled travel efficiency, taking you directly to the temple you needed to beat. Not just that, it introduced a new layer of music to the world of Zelda that was already supporting an excellent soundtrack. It was not much good in a fight, but its utility outside of battle (it turned day into night) has earned it a place in the item archive.
Michaela: I love the musical side of the Zelda series, and the Ocarina is easily one of the best musical items. Each tune on the ocarina is iconic and memorable, and their application in the games is versatile.
Cary: Do you remember playing the recorder in elementary school? Oh. How about Gen’s double flute from The Dark Crystal? No to that too, huh? Well, that’s about as far as my knowledge of woodwind instruments that may be somewhat genealogically related to the Ocarina of Time goes. But just how cool was it being able to play a pretty (and useful) musical instrument such as the Ocarina of Time in a video game? Very, very cool. My problem was that I wanted to use it to play anything. I was no John Williams, mind you, but I did spend a fair amount of time messing up the game-specific songs with my own “compositions.”
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