Role-playing video game
Typically action RPGs feature each player directly controlling a single character in real time, and feature a strong focus on combat and action with plot and character interaction kept to a minimum. Early action RPGs tended to follow the template set by 1980s Nihon Falcom titles such as the "Dragon Slayer" and "Ys" series, which feature hack and slash combat where the player character's movements and actions are controlled directly, using a keyboard or game controller, rather than using menus. This formula was refined by the action-adventure game, "The Legend of Zelda" (1986), which set the template used by many subsequent action RPGs, including innovations such as an open world, nonlinear gameplay, battery backup saving, and an attack button that animates a sword swing or projectile attack on the screen. The game was largely responsible for the surge of action-oriented RPGs released since the late 1980s, both in Japan and North America. "The Legend of Zelda" series would continue to exert an influence on the transition of both console and computer RPGs from stat-heavy, turn-based combat towards real-time action combat in the following decades.
The Legend of Zelda
"The Legend of Zelda" series has crossed-over into a number of other Nintendo and third party video games. Most prominent of the collaborations would be in the "Super Smash Bros." series of fighting games published by Nintendo. Link appears as a fighter in "Super Smash Bros." for the Nintendo 64, the first entry in the series, and is part of the roster in all subsequent releases in the series as well. Zelda, (who is able to transform into Sheik as well), Ganondorf, and Young Link (the child version of Link from "Ocarina of Time") were added to the player roster for "Super Smash Bros. Melee", and appeared in all subsequent releases except for "Young Link", who is later replaced by "Toon Link" from "The Wind Waker", in subsequent releases "Super Smash Bros. Brawl" and "Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U" however, both Young Link and Toon Link appear in the fifth installment, "Super Smash Bros. Ultimate". Other elements from the series, such as locations and items, are also included throughout the "Smash Bros." series. Outside of the series, Nintendo allowed for the use of Link as a playable character exclusively in the GameCube release of Namco's fighting game "Soulcalibur II"."The Legend of Zelda" series has received outstanding levels of acclaim from critics and the public. "", "", "", and "" have each received a perfect 40/40 score (10/10 by four reviewers) by Japanese "Famitsu" magazine, making "Zelda" one of the few series with multiple perfect scores. "Ocarina of Time" was even listed by "Guinness World Records" as the highest-rated video game in history, citing its Metacritic score of 99 out of 100. "Computer and Video Games" awarded "The Wind Waker" and "" a score of 10/10. "" has won Gold Award from "Electronic Gaming Monthly". In "Nintendo Power"s Top 200 countdown in 2004, "Ocarina of Time" took first place, and seven other "Zelda" games placed in the top 40. "Twilight Princess" was named Game of the Year by "X-Play", "GameTrailers", "1UP", "Electronic Gaming Monthly", "Spacey Awards", "Game Informer", "GameSpy", "Nintendo Power", "IGN", and many other websites. The editors of review aggregator websites GameRankings, IGN and Metacritic have all given "Ocarina of Time" their highest aggregate scores. "Game Informer" has awarded "The Wind Waker", "Twilight Princess", "Skyward Sword", "A Link Between Worlds" and "Breath of the Wild" with scores of 10/10. "" was named DS Game of the Year by IGN and "GameSpy". Airing December 10, 2011, Spike TV's annual Video Game Awards gave the series the first ever "Hall of Fame Award", which Miyamoto accepted in person. "" and its use of melodic themes to identify different game regions has been called a reverse of Richard Wagner's use of leitmotifs to identify characters and themes. "Ocarina of Time" was so well received that sales increased for real ocarinas. IGN praised the music of "Majora's Mask" for its brilliance despite its heavy use of MIDI. It has been ranked the seventh-greatest game by "Electronic Gaming Monthly", whereas "Ocarina of Time" was ranked eighth. The series won "GameFAQs Best Series Ever" competition.