I've been chasing a feeling since 1998

I’ve been chasing a feeling in games since 1998. That feeling started the first time I played The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time—a game that made the world feel bigger than I could understand at the time. In this video, I talk about what “wonder” really means in games, and why no matter how many incredible games I’ve played since—Skyrim, Breath of the Wild, Tears of the Kingdom, Elden Ring—I still find myself chasing that same feeling. Recently, watching a Nintendo Direct with my son brought all of that back in an unexpected way. It made me think about where that feeling started… and how it connects all the way back to my childhood, renting The Legend of Zelda on the NES from a small local video store. This isn’t about nostalgia for old games. It’s about discovery. It’s about imagination. It’s about the feeling of stepping into a world that feels bigger than you are. And why I’m still chasing that same feeling today. Ocarina of Time, Zelda Ocarina of Time, The Legend of Zelda, Nintendo Direct, Nintendo nostalgia, gaming nostalgia, retro gaming, gaming wonder, Breath of the Wild, Tears of the Kingdom, Elden Ring, Skyrim, Nintendo Switch, video game storytelling, gaming memories, childhood gaming memories, retro gamer, gaming essay, emotional gaming video Image: “The Legend of Zelda – Golden Cartridge” by Dave or Atox / CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons