If you’ve ever wondered what the art of classic games might look like if it were revived, here’s a great example. American Animation Parker Simmons Converted parts of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past SNES Guide and other articles on Living and Breathing Animation.
The results are absolutely stunning – with artwork of the 1991 Super Nintendo action adventure brought to life. Many Zelda fans on social media have requested an official cartoon in this style, instead We’ve already got it.
Simmons reveals that the “Link vs Stalfos” fight was animated in Adobe Animate, had about 110 icons, 70 frames, and the music is from a Zelda “Sound and Drama” CD from the 1990s. Perhaps even more surprising is that the sound effects were copied from Dragon Quest VIII, but it fits! Note: This original art appears to have been retrieved from The Legend of Zelda: Art and Artifacts Dark Horse Book Published 2016/17.
Aside from the beautifully animated Link vs Stalfos battle, Simmons showed Link exploring a dungeon and talking to Sage:
Parker Simmons is best known as the creator of the Cartoon Network animated series, Mau Mau: Heroes of the Pure Heart. He also worked on Well ku! as a writer and in various other roles including voice work.
If you want to see some of The Legend of Zelda: Link to previous artwork in its original state, there is actually an original PDF guide you can access. Nintendo’s official site. And just remember, you can also play the SNES classic A Link to the Past via Switch Online. You will need a subscription, of course.
As for whether or not we’ll see something like this, who knows? With Mario now on his way to the big screen in April, perhaps there’s an opportunity for Link to put the animated TV series from the late ’90s behind him and write a new chapter in screen history.
