Letters: V3 #004
February 23rd, 2010
Ice says: So the weather report says I'm going to be snowed in ... they say it like it's a bad thing! HELLO, my name is "Ice."
I've had these letters chilling in my inbox for quite awhile, and I thought it would be a great day to take them out and answer them. My friend Chaz Drake thought it would be a good idea to help. We'll let you decide if that's true or not. Luckily Raquel threw her two cents in also.
Cammy writes: I love the opinions section. How often are you going to do them? What's the schedule?
Ice replies: What's funny is that you say you love the opinions section, but I don't remember getting an opinion from you!
Chaz ponders: Maybe he just likes reading them?
Ice replies: Cammy is a "she." Didn't you ever play Street Fighter?
Chaz: I vaguely remember stealing some quarters out of a Street Fighter machine once...
Ice: Yeah, that sounds like you. And I almost forgot Cammy asked a question ... well ... I'm going to start out making Opinions a weekly thing. Ask a new question on Monday and compile/publish the results. That gives you all week to answer this one, Cammy.
Chaz: Hey, I just did a search for you, and Google images has some nice shots of you, Cammy. But what are those on your legs, scars?
Ch_Vg writes: woht is izc's tihmline theohry?
Chaz replies: What's with the extra h's? Are you trying to convey an accent?
Ice admonishes: Don't hound the typing-impaired, Chaz. They make up most of our viewership.
Chaz: What, why not? It looks stupid.
Raquel adds: I was really confused by it.
Ice: Thaaaaank you for your input everyone. To answer your question, the timeline theory is that I think if Nintendo doesn't care about a unified timeline, I shouldn't either. Certain games clearly fit together, but it almost seems as if each console or system has its own timeline (though Wind Waker can connect loosely to the N64 games and the DS games). I've got certain theories and whanot, and I prefer some timelines over others, but that's the short answer.
Gerry writes: Just writing to correct you - it says on your music page that Zelda 2 and Zelda 4 wasn't written by Koji Kondo. They were.
Raquel replies: You dare to correct Ice, ruler of the Zelda music kingdom? The maestro himself? Blasphemy!
Chaz: Cool it Raquel, it's a common mistake among Zelda lovers =)
Ice replies: You're right, Chaz. Zelda 2 and Zelda 4? No they weren't. Koji Kondo wasn't even working for Nintendo when The Adventure of Link was made (he left the company for a brief time). Zelda 4 started as an "unofficial" Nintendo project and also wasn't composed by Kondo. The list goes on, actually ... Oracle games, new themes in Majora's Mask, Wind Waker music, etc.
Not to minimize his contribution to the series of course. Landmark games, themes, scores, etc. were composed by him ... Zelda 1, Zelda 3, Zelda 5 are regarded as some of the best soundtracks in the series and each game that comes before or after them owes Kondo a debt of gratitude.
Terr8646 writes: Why did Koji Kondo wait until Brawl and Melee to reuse his palace themes? Why hasn't he reused his town theme from that game, or the dungeon theme from the first game?
Raquel replies: I don't know, but I'm curious about the "8646" in your name. I'm always curious about the numbers people put in their name! One person had 8 numbers after their name and it drove me crazy!
Chaz: Year born (86) and jersey number (46). I have a talent for these things.
Ice answers: To answer your question, I don't think it was Mr. Kondo who was choosing which themes get used in the Smash Bros. games. Also, the two palace songs and the town theme were written by Akito Nakatsuka, not Koji Kondo. The Zelda 1 dungeon theme has been reused a few times, such as in the Zelda 4 Color Dungeon.
Sahasrahla writes: Whatever happened between IZC and ZHQ?
Chaz replies: ZHQ? Those guys, why I oughtta...
Ice: If you're asking what went on between the sites, basically THAT did. Some staff members and fans of each sites were in the mood for a little rivalry and things got out of hand. Not the webmasters, mind you ... I don't think Niels or myself cared much for any of it. I would rein people in much sooner and swifter if it were to happen again, but I was 14.
Chaz: Long live the motherlode!
Ice: If you're asking about SINCE then, well, I was helping Niels with his relaunch a couple years after it closed down but nothing ever got off the ground. I've talked to him a few times and he's still in the industry.
Ice: Some pretty good letters today ... I hope some misconceptions have been cleared up. I've got more letters percolating into my inbox, so keep your eyes peeled for another fancy edition of Letters!
