I am replaying the video game, "Breath of the Wild", the newest addition to the Legends of Zelda video game series (on the Nintendo Switch). Technically, I never actually finished the game during my first playthrough, because I watched my husband go through the final battle sequence just before I got there in my own file, so I felt a little disillusioned about going through it myself (with a complete lack of confidence that I could actually do it), so I never did. I am excited about giving it another chance, and actually finishing this time around.
One of things I like most about the Zelda series is its emphasis on puzzles. Yes there are the obligatory boss battles and physical fights with enemies (which I totally suck at and usually fall back on my "wail on them without strategy" method), but the puzzles are what appeal to me. They require cleverly thinking outside of the box, not physical strength, the best weapon, or the most leveling up. In Breath of the Wild you are confronted with a different puzzle in each of its 120 shrines that are scattered about world. There is usually a designated way to solve each puzzle, but I very often break all the rules and find a very clever (often easier) way to solve it, which delights me so.
Yesterday in particular, I had two delightful experiences while playing the game. I entered a shrine where I needed to get a ball in a hole at the exact right time in order for a platform to lift me to the exit. At first it looked super hard and convoluted, with lots of possible steps that all had to timed exactly right. But I decided to try something first- I put the ball in front on a wind tunnel for it to blow into the hole and ran as fast as I could to the platform. I made it there just in time and the platform delightfully lifted me to the exit. It was perfect. My husband was shocked, saying something like, "that's not the way you're supposed to solve that." I totally cheated the system. Or did I? I think part of the beauty of the game is myriad of the endless possibilities, encouraging you to try a multitude of options and see what works.
Later, I found myself in one of the four "divine beasts"- mechanical machines with a series of puzzles and a boss at the end. I delightfully solved all the puzzles fairly easily, but entered the boss battle with no hope. I hate boss battles. The last divine beast boss battle took me like 30 tries to win. I often get frustrated and upset and give up. I also hate it when my husband watches me, I always get nervous and think he is judging me on my lack of skill, which makes me perform even worse, a vicious cycle. But I decide to take this boss battle slowly and steadily, using almost ALL of my arrows, food, potions, and energy, and somehow, miraculously won on my first try. Even though the battle took an incredibly long time and seemed like I had taken many more tries to win, it was, in actuality, my very first try. So I announced to my husband in a victorious voice "FIRST TRY!" That's a joke we have together from a scene in the Lego Movie where Batman throws SEVERAL bat boomerangs trying to hit a button; when he FINALLY hits the button after many, many tries, he smugly states: "First try!" It's the best delightfully funny little moment, and my husband and I have co-opted it for all kinds of things. But this time, I actually did accomplish the feat on the first try (which NEVER happens for me during boss battles), and felt very proud of myself.
Lots of life lessons to learn from these experiences: self-confidence, slow and steady wins the race, think outside the box. I'm actually looking forward to beating this game.
With delight,
♥Jamie
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