No fairy can tell me when to stop playing Zelda

EDITOR'S NOTEfrom Sam Barsanti

Sean is fighting on the front lines of an important battle for Nintendo fans of all ages: Our inalienable right to game until our eyes bleed. I'll be right there with him...as soon as I take this short break.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D is quite a bit different than the Nintendo 64 original. This new version has updated graphics, modified controls, and a hint system that keeps you from getting lost (an occasional problem in this series). Even Navi, your fairy guide throughout the adventure, has a helpful new tip to aid you in your quest: Turn off the game!

Okay, maybe it’s less helpful and more...completely unnecessary.

Navi can't handle her workload

Unfortunately, Nintendo decided to reinforce one of their newest (and most frustrating) habits for Ocarina of Time’s jump to the third dimension: reminding you to take a break from playing every hour or so. Sure, it’s commendable for a company that wants my entertainment money to also want me to enjoy their entertainment responsibly, but their concern is pointless in this case.

Any fan knows that this game’s structure leaves room for places to take a natural rest from adventuring without needing to be goaded into it by a tiny fairy. Most of the game takes place in underground dungeons which are not only full of enemies but also puzzles that require you to utilize an ever-expanding assortment of tools in a variety of clever ways. The solutions to these aren't always clear, and hitting a mental roadblock at one can cause some tension.

I think it's accurate to say that most players will get stuck somewhere in Ocarina of Time (Water Temple, anyone?) or get frustrated by repeatedly falling for a trap that they haven’t encountered before (like invisible pits that can only be seen with a certain item). Discovering the right path can be difficult sometimes, and players will occasionally find themselves stumbling around for a while with no idea of what to do next.

These are the moments when I take a break. Once I’m away for a few hours, my brain will start to drift back to the land of Hyrule and demand that I solve these mysteries. When I come back and look over a troublesome room with fresh eyes, sometimes it’ll seem like the solution has been written on the wall the whole time.

That's why I don’t need Navi constantly suggesting that I rest. Even if I don’t do what she says, just being interrupted by her is enough to disrupt my flow. I don't know if Navi’s tip is more successful with other people, but it makes me seriously consider having one more marathon session out of spite.  

Maybe I’ll never stop playing. Take that, you stupid fairy.

Tags: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

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Marty Hess

July 13, 2011

I think Nintendo and Grezzo programmed Navi to tell you to take a break so the 3D effect doesn't begin to strain your eyes and cause headaches.

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Sean Lefebvre

I appreciate you reading the article and taking the time to comment, but the article doesn't question why there are breaks, it's meant to make you consider the necessity. Although I mention appreciating Nintendo's intent, in the future I will think about being more explicit with my explanations.

I did not realize the implicit intention of your article until I re-read it through that new lens. I apologize if my comment was crass and too easily dismissed your original point.

Winson Shuen

As much as I want to, I think there'll only be more of these reminders; not less. Nintendo is really adamant about these reminders, perhaps because they're afraid to be sued. It's more than just Navi too, just look at the Balance Board from Wii Fit. I'm almost positive there'll be something similar in Skyward Sword since the game requires so much motion/body control.

Kim NaRae Mauchley

August 09, 2011

This reminds me of Guild Wars. "You've been playing for 1 hour." "You've been playing for 2 hours." "You've been playing for 3 hours. Take a break." XD

Brian Pacella

Anyone who had a Virtual Boy remembers exactly how adamant Nintendo was about taking breaks with that system. Old habits die hard I suppose.

Ed Grabowski

Talk about taking a giant steel hammer to immersion and shattering it with one quick swing...That is exactly what Nintendo did to me whenever I got reminded to take a break in the middle of saving Hyrule. Just as I was getting comfortable, and just as I was getting fully immersed in the adventure, a damn fairy who will remain nameless took all of that immersion and shattered it.

Nintendo could not have made a worse decision in my opinion. I would have settled for a crappy frame rate, or no upgraded visuals. I would have settled for a lot, but a COMPLETELY unnecessary immersion breaking msg that pops up on the screen every hour or so is unforgivable. Could you imagine if Commander Shepard suggested you take a break every time you play Mass Effect for more than an hour?

Brandon Guerrie

Some kid (actually like 21 years-old) at the mall had his ring tone/ text tone as Navi: "Hey! Listen!" I wanted to smash his phone. It drove me nuts, and it is funny hearing that damn fairy even when I'm not playing OoT. Navi: Go to hell.

Paul Davis

I recently completed the 3DS remake and I got this message maybe 3 times my entire play through, which consisted of numerous multi-hour sessions. I agree that the message is undesirable, but I did not find that it had any impact on my enjoyment of the game.

As an aside for those wondering about the 3D itself, I thought the 3D effect was very well done and immersive, especially with the improved draw distance. I found myself playing the game with 3D on about 90 percent of the time. I did not experience any eye strain, although maybe I am getting used to the systems 3D effect as I play the 3DS more.