I’m probably not the only nerd who’s been sitting at the edge of his seat, impatiently waiting for March 3rd.  If you’re a gamer like me, then you know I’m talking about the Nintendo system we’ve all been waiting for—the Nintendo Switch!  And, of course, the only game we’ll be playing on Day One will be the long-awaited Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.  But whatever do we do with ourselves in the meantime?

Well, thankfully for Dark Horse Books, they have a brand new Legend of Zelda: Art & Artifacts book that shows off the full beauty of the franchise.  I think it’s safe to admit that one of the major reasons a video game with a small elf as our hero in each story has mostly survived thanks to the detailed artwork that goes into each game. My Playstation 4 has way better graphics than any of my current Nintendo machines, and yet, I could play The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time over and over again until my fingers bleed (which I have done on my small-screen 3DS), because I’ll never forget how some of those scenes took my breath away way back in the day. 

If there’s one thing that Art & Artifacts does well, it’s grouping artwork into a multitude of categories, from character illustrations to the Temple of Time, to a stunning collection of artwork that spans the story’s 30-year history.  And yes—each game is apparently connected by a well thought out timeline.  Therefore, viewing these illustrations in the order they’ve been presented truly shows us how the world of Hyrule has changed time and time again, and yet, always retains its sense of familiarity. 

Of course, a digital file doesn’t do this book justice, as many of the images look better side by side.  But even without words, Art & Artifacts reminds me of every Legend of Zelda game I’ve ever played—from every temple to each unique story—and there is a sense of nostalgia that comes with this book that I wouldn’t trade for the world.  Even some original sketches are included in this 400+ page beast that make this book a must-have collector’s item for any Legend of Zelda fan. 

P.S.  Has anyone ever realized that ranch owners Talon and Ingo look like weird versions of Mario and Luigi?  Coincidence?  I think not…