In fact, most games today have Zelda to thank for their basic mechanics and exploratory style. Ocarina of Time was not only one of the first games to truly take advantage of the 3D space, but it also introduced a perfected lock-on mechanic that changed gaming as we knew it, provided a huge world to explore, and offered varied gameplay. It then lead me into a life-long love with other Zelda games. The game is filled with so many iconic moments like stealing Epona from Lon Lon Ranch, sneaking past Gerudo guards, and playing those magically catchy tunes on the titular musical instrument. In no time, I was running into Zoras, Gorons, and the huge cast of quirky characters from the Zelda universe. I popped it into my N64 the second I got a chance and it blew my Hyrule-loving mind. She let me borrow it, saying it was a boring game and I could have it as long as I wanted (she clearly had bad taste). I had no idea just how much finding the Ocarina of Time cartridge at my friend's house was going to impact my life when I was 11 years old.
