By Joseph Walter
Whether it's the peaceful-but-haunting Forest Temple, the depths of the Deku Tree, or the dreamlike Kakariko Village, there's an exceptional atmosphere to this game that, even to this day, makes it stand out from its peers, including other Zelda titles.
The scene is set from the moment the player fires the cartridge up and finds themselves transported to the realm of Hyrule by this outstanding title screen.
The rest of the title screen provides dynamic angles and sweeping shots of the at-the-time expansive Hyrule Field, tracking Link on his journey before finally transitioning into a first-person view, which takes us into the mysterious entrance of Kokiri Woods, found at the southern end of the field.
What ties everything together for this perfectly executed title screen, though, is the gorgeous musical score.
Curiously taking the recorder theme from the original Legend of Zelda (which, oddly enough, also acts as the whistle theme from Super Mario Bros. 3), this wistful motif, now played with an ocarina, is greatly expanded upon, being accompanied by a gentle piano and relaxing strings. Overall, this piece, along with the title sequence's visuals, create an at-once stirring and dreamlike world, the likes of which had never been seen before.