It might have been when you were a young child, it might have been a few days ago�almost all Nintendo gamers have had one memorable moment in their life where they felt especially close to one title. A title belonging to a series that has withstood all drastic changes in the gaming world, from 2D to 3D, from 8-bit consoles to 64-bit consoles. Zelda will always be remembered as one of the most innovative, entertaining, and compelling series of all time.

I know some staff members at Cube-Europe weren't even born when Legend of Zelda came out back in 1986, but that doesn't mean they haven't had a chance to get to know the series. And that represents one of Zelda's best features; the fact that you can feel totally immersed in Link's world (whether it's Hyrule, Termina or Koholint) without having any previous Zelda knowledge. The characters, the atmosphere, the perfect balance of difficulty in the dungeons and the story, will win any gamer over in no time.

To celebrate the release the new Zelda game for GameCube, I present some memories from certain staff members of Cube-Europe. Let's start of with mine�

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Walty's Memory: I'd have to say my best memory was with Ocarina of Time, and I'm sure that's the game that stunned the majority of Zelda gamers. Without starting another feature on why I believe that is the greatest game of all time, let me get more specific regarding my recollection�

The ending for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is very surprising (and is often still discussed on the internet). There's the people who hated it and thought it was put thoughtlessly put together, and the people who loved it. I belong to the latter group. The fact that Link goes back to being a young Kokiri (he's actually not, but that's another story) was simply the best solution for me. The long ending simply fascinated me. Everything from the celebration of all the citizens of Hyrule, to the union of the sages was, in my opinion, the apotheosis of gaming. And that's why, as my best Zelda moment, I choose the period of time in which I watched the ending of Ocarina of Time. It doesn't get any better than that�

Domstercool's Memory: My best Zelda moment has to be in Ocarina of Time when Link arrives at the Temple of Time after getting the three spiritual stones.

Link walks into the temple and you notice the Master Sword stuck in the ground, you walk up to it and see a sequence where link as a kid pulls out of the Master Sword and you sit and watch as he transforms into adult Link , and your jaw drops in amazement as there stands adult Link with the Master Sword in his hand ready to kick arse.

Ash's Memory: Well getting OOT for �28 at Toys R Us was pretty cool. But in gaming, I don't know. OOT was the first game I got so it's just the general awe as you explore the game and find out more and more. Some very memorable moments, such as when I tried the fishing game and got too into it and ended up on my back on the floor.

Franklin's Memory: For me my favourite Zelda moment would be near the end of Ocarina of Time, when you find out Shiek is Zelda only to have her taken away by Ganondorf. Then when you finally reach the top of Ganon's tower and find the two there was like an anger building up inside me towards Ganondorf, and I was just thinking, "I'm going to make you pay for what you done." Then the poor sense of joy when you "finally" beat him and watching Link slash with the Master Sword then deliver the final blow and Ganon is sealed in the Sacred Realm. I was actually so excited to have beaten Ganon, I was jumping for joy, and something I never did in any game ever. Ocarina of Time was something truly special but the ending is the part that sticks out most for because of the way it actually played with my emotions because it sucked me in so much. From anger when confronting Ganondorf to absolute joy when finally beating him and last but not least a great sense of accomplishment when you see Link return to his child form and return the Master Sword to it's pedestal and he goes to see Zelda again and you just think, who that was an amazing game...let's do it again.

Fred's Memory: There are far too many 'Greatest Zelda Moments' to list just one, so here are a few of my favourites.

The Ocarina of Time is, quite frankly, a gaming masterpiece, and within this masterpiece are so many memorable moments that Ocarina of Time will stick in your mind forever. One of these moments - and one which will always stay in my mind - is when you escape Lon Lon Ranch on Epona, and obtain the beast for your riding pleasure. The feeling of freedom as you ride around Hyrule Field was something unheard of for games of that day and age, but The Ocarina of Time broke many boundaries, and that was one of them. It's still a joy to play Epona's Song and have the stallion ride affectionately up beside you, then roaming Hyrule field from dusk till dawn before heading up to Gerudo Valley to the archery game. Magical.

Defeating Ganondorf and escaping from the collapsing tower only to find yourself confronting Ganon - half Pig, half great big giant monster thing, all evil - is a moment to cherish as well. Slaying the foul beast with your Master Sword is one of the most relieving moments of any game ever. The fact that you're greeted by the most delightful end sequence ever created is a welcome bonus.

This goes for all Zelda games. One recurring aspect of the Zelda series that always makes me happy is the music. To sum it up in one word would be spectacular. It always amazes me how the music manages to capture the feeling of the games at the time, and this is most evident in Ocarina of Time. From the Temple of Time's classic sacred-sounding bass and tenor theme to how the environment of Gerudo Valley is perfectly depicted by the wonderful Spanish guitar theme, Ocarine of Time is as much a joy to the ears as it is to the heart. And how can you forget the classic over-world theme? It is quite possibly the most renowned of all Videogame tunes, save for the Mario theme, and just adds to the feeling of triumphalism received from Zelda. The emotion exuded via these themes is astounding.

For me, the storyline attached to A Link to the Past is the strongest. The fact that I instinctively knew that Ganon was going to be behind it all, even though on the face of things Aghanim was the big bad, never deterred me from reaching my final goal and rescuing the maidens, Zelda included, and capturing the Triforce to restore everything to the way it was. The end theme is something else altogether. Untouchable. Shooting the beam sword is always fun as well.

Again, another moment from the flawless Ocarina of Time that really stands out is the fishing 'mini-game'. I put mini-game in inverted commas because, basically, if Nintendo released it as a separate game it would blow every single other fishing game out of the water (no pun intended). I once spent two Zelda days at the fishing pond, and while you're there, the time flow is a lot longer. It's just such a joy to play.

Of course, there are hundreds of magical moments in the entire Zelda series - the numerous mini games, the sprawling dungeons etc. - that I could go on for so much longer. But on a personal level? Well, that would probably have to be getting Ocarina of Time for Christmas 1999 (aged 12), having to wait 4 days to play it (I wasn't at home) and then bulldozing through it in 10 days without a guide. The way I see it, the Zelda series is the gaming representation of Nintendo; Legendary.

Blackbird's Memory: Giving the monkey his banana

Eek! (Note from Walty: Well, it probably mean a lot to him.)

Er-no's Memory: The best moment in a Zelda game is when you turn on the console. If I were too choose a particular moment I couldn't, as there are too many. Ocarina of Time has the best moments of them all however the satisfaction levels when Link to the Past is completed are very high. Every time you turn on the console to play that game you just know it's going to be another amazing experience.

In conclusion, my best Zelda Moment : Watching the intro before you choose your file.

Link's Memory: The monkey deserves to die! Just kidding�

Hmmm...favourite Zelda moments.

In The Legend of Zelda I really liked the end with you fighting Ganon and then getting the tri-force. It has been a long time since I played that game so it's hard to find specifics.

In Zelda II: The Adventures of Link I think my favourite moment is fighting the last boss. I was so surprised when I found out that I was going to have to fight myself. It wasn't easy either.

In The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past I think that my favourite part was the end. The fight with Ganon and getting the tri-force was extremely fun. Other great parts in a Link to the Past include the opening story seen, getting the Master Sword, the first fight with Agnahim, and most of the bosses were pretty fun.

In The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time my favourite moment is the fight with Ganon. It was easy, but that aside the set-up was breathtaking. The lightning, the fire, and Ganon...amazing. Other great parts are the opening scene of Link's dream, the reoccurrence of that dream, the flow through time when you first see the 'new' Hyrule and the 'new' Link, the fight with Phantom Ganon, the fight with Stalfos Knights and pretty much all of the other cinema scenes (fire at Kakariko Village for example).

In the Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask my favourite moment is the last dungeon where you turn everything upside down. The enemies and final boss in it are really cool. The bosses in Majora's Mask were all really cool. Other great parts are the very beginning, fending off the aliens at the ranch, and midnight of carnival day. The ending is also pretty cool.

I don't want to spoil anything about The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker so for now I'll leave my favourite part as to the very beginning. The prologue is really well done and I really loved the remastered music from early Zelda games.

I guess that sums up perhaps half of my favourite Zelda moments.

Ben's Memory: My favourite Zelda moment was awe-inspiring. It took place in the epic tale that is the Ocarina of Time on Christmas Day, when I woke up dazed in my humble abode before stepping out into the colourful place that was my hometown, Kokiri Forest. I was absorbed into a wonderful world of fantasy, something that has not been repeated since. An air of community swamped over me as my sister's CD carefully humbled in the background. It was magical. All my troubles left my body, as I wasn't Ben anymore, I was Link. And that, my friends, is why The Legend Of Zelda series is the best selection of titles ever. That's why I'm a Nintendo gamer.

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Feel free to add your favourite moment with a Zelda game in the comments system. Have fun!