Greatest Gaming Weapons: The Master Sword

When I was a kid, I loved video games. In fact, I still do! But back then, I had a major disadvantage. You see, I wasn't allowed to play video games (ask my Mom why -- I'm really not completely sure myself). Still, I snuck in gaming time whenever I could. Whenever I went to my cousin's house, they had their Nintendo console at the ready. Whenever they came to my house, they had their Gameboys. One of the games which looked most fascinating to me was the original Legend of Zelda. This little elf-child roamed around, fighting evil monsters -- shooting bolts out of his sword sometimes!

They let me play, but with the limited time I had, I didn't make much progress. It stuck in my mind, though. The button-mashing sword flailing action was fantastic. Back then, it couldn't get any better.

I was later surprised to find how popular the game was with adults. Several of my friend's parents had the games, many of them the "gold edition." But, again, I rarely got the opportunity to play it myself. Instead, I contented myself with my PC Games, which my mother had finally accepted as "okay."

I discovered ROMs when I was in High School, and one of the first ROMs I downloaded were the old Zelda games. I was surprised at how different each of them were. The side-scrolling action of Zelda II had entirely unique game play, and an entirely different style. Even then, there were the solid links throughout the series. Link himself, of course. His Sword. The Triforce. Zelda (obviously).

But everything evolved through the series. The original Master Sword shot bolts at enemies, which didn't work so well in the side-scrolling versions. A Link to the Past gave the sword its title, and gave it a history. "The sword destined to destroy Gannon."

Then we had Link's Awakening. The sword makes its appearance there again, but who can say if that's even relevant. After all, the game was just a dream anyway. Such a cheap way out! I have to say, the ending was completely agitating after spending dozens of hours glued to my gameboy's screen.

But then, in Ocarina of Time, the Master Sword had its true awakening (as did the series). This was when I went from a casual player of the games to a hardcore fan. Within the game, the sword was beautiful. Its power was amazing. It became central to the plot (along with two other iconic items -- the Hylian Shield and, of course, Link's Ocarina) and served as a focal item in the series from that point forward.

Windwaker took the series a step back graphically, and the Master Sword certainly played its part there, too. Though it didn't have the place of honor that it had in Majora's Mask and Ocarina, it was still an epic force. And then, Twilight Princess had its go at the master sword.

But there was a difference here! Specifically, the Master Sword was now designed to be used in the right hand. One of the mostly unknown facts about Link is that he is a left-handed hero (or was, right until Twilight Princess). As such, the Master Sword was designed for a left-handed Link. Though some have complained about the change to a right-handed Link, the fact is, only the most devoted fans noticed that Link was left-handed. Left-handed fans often picked it up, though! What probably started as a small mistake in pixel position turned into an icon for left-handed people, and the reversal to a right-handed Link has robbed many lefties of the only prominent left-handed video game hero.

In each of the repetitions, the sword became slightly more complex, but maintained its basic appearance. It's a simple sword. Sleek. Deadly. Because of the slight differences, and the obvious color choices, the sword is instantly recognizable amongst fans.

There are many versions of this blade in the collector's market these days. One of the more famous versions was made by a Scottish blacksmith for about $1400, and it is undoubtedly the highest quality and most authentic version to date. There are, however, quality versions for lower budgets, if you know where to look. One such place is the site I run, Seraph Swords. We've had the opportunity to work with sword crafters in four different countries, and currently have three different versions of the sword available.

Swords like this are the stuff of Legend, and in a classic game, they are an equally classic item. As a gamer, I hope that icons like the Master Sword will stay in video games forever. Signs show that it will, too. Even if Zelda dies out, other franchises have recognized this great weapon. Soul Calibur, World of Warcraft, Animal Crossing, Wario Touch, and many others have given the sword a cameo. The sword is something like Mario's hat. It is as immortal as the character, and deserves equal veneration.

Rob Tenken
Seraph Swords
Brought to you by the letter "Awesome" and the Master Sword.