Twenty-five years ago, Nintendo released The Legend of Zelda on the Famicom in Japan. Sporting top-of-the-line graphics (at the time), open-ended game play, and a vast world full of secrets, many old-school gamers still consider Zelda to be one of the greatest games of all time.
One of the most memorable components of the Zelda franchise is its memorable music. Everything from the triumphant over-world theme song to the satisfying “da duh duh duuuuuh” fanfare can easily be recognized by gamers and non-gamers alike. The game was composed by the legendary Koji Kondo, who was also the same mastermind behind the Super Mario Bros theme song. You've probably heard people play the Legend of Zelda theme song about a bazillion times with the guitar and piano on YouTube already. However, how often can you hear it performed by a freaking carrot?
To commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Legend of Zelda series, the following is a compilation of the strange, unique ways people have performed its theme song (in no particular order).
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1. A Capella With Funny Hats
Diwa de Leon: He's a composer, an arranger, a musician, and a lover of silly hats. He's also a video-game fan, and his YouTube page is loaded with a capella renditions of popular game music.
2. An Ocarina Carved Out of a Carrot
Zelda nerds love the ocarina. However, YouTube celebrity heita3 takes his Zelda love to a new level by making his own ocarinas . . . out of vegetables. That's right, the man hollows out vegetables of all sorts and somehow turns them into something that can play a song as beautiful as “The Song of Time” from Ocarina of Time.
3. Hand Farts
He's back! Hand fart-master Gerry Phillips shows his love for the Zelda series by doing what he does best. The man has been hand farting for more than 38 years, and he's so hardcore that he's using a distortion pedal on his hand farts.
4. A Cockatiel
Stuck in the Lost Woods? The secret is to follow the music, like the tune this cockatiel is singing.
5. Cell Phone
We've all played “Mary Had a Little Lamb” at one point in our lives using our cell phone's keypad. But how many of you can play the Zelda over-world music? The guy in the video above can, and the comments tell him to “go kill yourself,” “that was terrible” and “your a nasty bitch go fuck yourself and suck on your moms tits you hobo dicksucker.” Isn't the Internet a great place to share your talent?
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6. Twin Musical Tesla Coils and What Appears to be Twin Lightsabers?
It's a bit shocking how amazing this video is. Probably one of the world's most dangerous musical instruments, the twin Tesla coils emit sounds that come from the high-voltage sparks it creates. It's loud and it's dangerous, but at least it comes with an integrated light show!
7. Theremin
This strange-looking device is actually a musical instrument. Moving the right hand between the two rods that serve as antennas control pitch, while the left hand controls phrasing. However, a lot of you immature readers will probably giggle at the way this theremin player's right hand is positioned.
8. Stylophone
A stylophone, for those who don't know, is a stylus-operated synthesizer. YouTube musician fleabane plays the Zelda over-world music rather well on such a tiny device–until he realizes there aren't enough keys!
9. Minecraft Noteblock Music
It's amazing when gamers are able to create a system that is as complicated as a working musical device within a game. A game within a game–sounds like an awesome idea for a sci-fi movie. In this example, Minecraft players are able play the Zelda theme song by using a seemingly complex set of in-game wires, switches and blocks.
10. Two Guitars Played By One Person
You've probably seen this kid before, and you're probably really jealous of him. And you very well should be, considering he knows how to play two guitars at once. Zack Kim, the dual-axe-wielding child prodigy you see here, has grown up to become a young man and fine musician. His YouTube page has a diverse number of songs, from Korean music to the Super Mario theme . . . that's right–on two guitars.
