The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
In the complicated timeline of the Legend of Zelda, Link often appears as a child. One of the greatest Legend of Zelda games, Ocarina of Time, starts off with little Link waking up to the incessant cries of Navi.
Some Legend of Zelda games such as Ocarina of Time are more focused on Link becoming more powerful, so the game has a transition from child to adult to showcase this growth visibly.
Although games like Breath of the Wild start Link out as an older teen, his character development isn’t a big part of the game.
For example, Breath of the Wild is more focused on the stories of the champions and Link regaining his memory, whereas Ocarina of Time is more about Link being a powerful hero – thus it is useful to explore the world as a presumed powerless kid first to experience this increase in power.
After finding the Master Sword, Link’s spirit is sealed for seven years, seeing him age in the process. Shiek even tells him he now looks like the Hero of Time after aging. When heading back out into Kakariko Village, and then fighting enemies, Link also looks more capable and ready to fight what follows.
The time spent playing as a kid in Ocarina of time is helpful for narrative reasons, child Link is younger and therefore expected to be less knowledgeable and more flawed – meaning there’s more room for Link’s character development over this span of time, a change he must face to continue his journey.
