Would you look at that? The last matchup of the 2020 Awards has arrived at last, and boy, will it be a doozy!
But before we can begin the last phase of voting, we must first take a look at the results from the previous round. We had 11 people participating this time around, so let's see what they cast their votes for!
January, February, and March: "You Say Run" was said only 2 times. 3 people heard the "Echoes" of what was said. In the end, though, 6 people decided to "Cherish" the moment.
April, May, and June: There were 0 "Trials" in this particular matchup. 4 people were still loving that "Main Theme," but 7 others elected to watch the epic "Attack on Titan."
July, August, and September: 3 people felt the "Magic" in the air, but it was short-lived. 3 more people vacationed in the "Starshine Beach Galaxy," but it cost a lot due to a lack of popularity. However, 5 people enjoyed the thrills of being by blown away by the "Sand 'N Sails Heatgusts" while bopping their heads like crazy.
October, November, and December: There were a mere 3 people who relaxed while listening to "Utsukushiki Zankoku na Sekai." In yet another twist of fate, 4 people said "Goodbye" while 4 more heard it "In Hushed Whispers." So out comes the random decision maker with the best two out of three, and we get . . . "In Hushed Whispers" as the winner.
It's time for you to make the most difficult decision yet! Gather your courage, for it is now time for . . .
The Final Round
"Cherish" by EXO-CBX
versus "Attack on Titan" from Attack on Titan
versus "Sand 'N Sails Heatgusts" from A Hat in Time
versus "In Hushed Whispers" from Dragon Age: Inquisition
I leave this up to you, one last time. You have two weeks to deliberate over your final answer, which means that you have until Sunday, March 14th. As has always been with this part of the Awards, I ask that when you vote for your favorite song, you also give your reason as to why you chose it. If that song becomes the ultimate champion, your comments will be featured on the victory post.
It's time for yet another Music Monday post, and we've got a real special one today! You're about to find out why . . . unless you read the title, in which case you already know.
Our song happens to be none other than the lovely . . .
"Zelda's Lullaby" from The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Composed by Koji Kondo
In case you somehow missed it, yesterday (February 21st) was the 35th anniversary of The Legend of Zelda. I knew I just had to pick a song to celebrate the occasion, as the franchise is one that I hold very dear to my heart. Seeing as how I've already shared a song from Spirit Tracks, A Link Between Worlds, The Wind Waker HD, and the fan album Zelda Cinematica, I figured it was high time to pick something from Skyward Sword.
Choosing a specific song, however, wasn't nearly as easy. Do I pick "Ballad of the Goddess?" Or maybe the one from the opening story, of which most--if not all--Zelda games have. Perhaps I should just pick one of my favorite world, dungeon, or boss themes as a way to represent what the series is. In the end, I went with the old classic and instantly recognizable "Zelda's Lullaby." Not only is it one of the most iconic video game themes in the world, but it also happens to show up in many titles in the series-- or again, perhaps all of them. It felt like a good track to celebrate the anniversary, and Skyward Sword's rendition is probably the best one.
Usually this is where I talk about the music, but I wanna rather focus a bit more on the games rather than the specific song. (Which is absolutely gorgeous, by the way. Never fails to stir some deep emotion within me.) Nintendo had a direct a few days ago, and in it they announced that Skyward Sword HD is coming to the Switch. My reaction to when they showed the first frame of the trailer, a simple shot of the sky, was basically, "Let's go! Let's FREAKING GO!" I couldn't be happier with the announcement, because that game was made to be brought to the Switch.
As it just so happens, this particular Zelda title is one of my top five favorites (in no particular order, it falls in with Breath of the Wild, A Link Between Worlds, Spirit Tracks, and The Wind Waker HD). I have never and will never understand why people hate it or just can't get behind it. I never had issues with the motion controls, and now that the HD version is coming with an option to use "regular" controls, that really can't be anyone's complaint anymore. The story is solid, and the character development is some of the best in the series. The art style is a unique one and very pleasing to me. And the score! My goodness, the orchestral music alone makes this game a masterpiece. Meanwhile, people praise games like Twilight Princess to high degrees, and I'm just like:
I understand that not every game is made for everyone, because if that were the case, no game would ever receive bad reviews or ratings. Just like Twilight Princess HD was in no way my cup of tea, I understand that that might be the case for some with Skyward Sword. I think the important thing is that you actually give said game a fair shot. I played Twilight Princess all the way through, and because of that, I think my opinion and criticism of the game has merit and are justified. You can critique a game fairly and not just hate on it without giving reasons why--but this is a whole other topic, so let me get back on track.
At the end of the day, if you're a Zelda fan, that's awesome. Whether you prefer Skyward Sword or Twilight Princess, or if you still think that Ocarina of Time or A Link to the Past are still the best games ever, or if you only enjoy the 3D or the 2D titles, or if you think Breath of the Wild is overrated, or if you like getting deep into the Zelda lore or the Linked Universe, or if you just enjoy casually playing the games from time to time or simply enjoy the soundtracks--it doesn't matter. We're all part of the Zelda community, and we have a connection because the franchise means something special to each and every one of us. We should start celebrating our differences and appreciating the fact that we don't all have the same tastes, that there's something for everyone. (Preaching to myself here too, because I can get pretty opinionated.)
As of my writing this, Nintendo has yet to announce any specific way they're celebrating the anniversary. Considering how big the series is, I doubt that they'll just let it pass by. But even if SSHD is the only thing they're doing in honor of the past 35 years, I hope that you'll find some way to celebrate in your own way and show your love for the boy in green who never fails to rouse from his slumber in time of need, companions at his side, to face overwhelming darkness and restore peace to the world.
That's that! Do you enjoy the Zelda franchise in some way? What're some of your favorite games or soundtracks? How did you, or will you, celebrate the 35th anniversary? And also, what'd you think of the song?
Ah, the time has finally come! Round 1 is now officially over, which means the decisions are about to get a lot more difficult. That's right, it's time for round 2!
But before we can properly move on, we need to examine the results of the last four matchups! We had a total of 11 voters, though one person chose not to vote for September while another person didn't submit a vote for November. That's why the numbers will be slightly different. But enough chitchat, let's hear how things went down!
September: A rare occurrence in the Awards, both "The Simulation" and "Sand 'N Sails Heatgusts" received 5 votes each. You know what that means: time to bring out the random decision maker and see which one gets best 2 out of 3. All right, don't hold your breath . . . because you're gonna need it when the "Sand 'N Sails Heatgusts" coming blowing through!
October: 2 brave souls decided to traverse the depths of the underworld as a "Hellwalker." But 9 people chose to stay back and talk about them "In Hushed Whispers." Quite the victory for the song, but who can blame them? Quiet, eerie strings are just *chef's kiss.*
November: 1 person moved into the "Shifty Boo Mansion" as their new home--I wonder how that's working out for them? 3 people preferred to watch "Aveline's Escape" from said mansion, which must've been quite intense. In the end, 6 people said "Goodbye," because they liked haunting lyrics more than they did haunted homes or the hunted fleeing.
December: "Snowy" would be more aptly titled if it were called "Melty in the Face of Overwhelming victory." While 1 person cast their vote for it, the other 10 were unanimous in their love for "Utsukushiki Zankoku na Sekai"--which makes sense because the song is certainly a thing of beauty in a cruel world.
Now comes the hard part. Round 2 has you voting for the best song of three months. Are you ready? Will you be able to make a choice in the end? Time will tell, so let's not waste any of it!
January, February, and March
"Echoes" from Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia
versus "Cherish" by EXO-CBX
versus "You Say Run" from My Hero Academia
April, May, and June
"Attack on Titan" from Attack on Titan
versus "Main Theme" from Ori and the Will of the Wisps
versus "Trials" by Starset
July, August, and September
"Magic" by Gabriel Brown
versus "Starshine Beach Galaxy" from Super Mario Galaxy 2
versus "Sand 'N Sails Heatgusts" from A Hat in Time
October, November, and December
"In Hushed Whispers" from Dragon Age: Inquisition
versus "Goodbye" by Taemin
versus "Utsukushiki Zankoku na Sekai" by Yoko Hikasa
Now it's time for you to act. The matchups are tough, but I know your will and determination are tougher! Don't forget, you have two weeks to vote, which means Sunday the 28th will be the last day that any submissions are accepted.
