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Articles by Ben Connolly
Unleash powerful Smash moves in these Ocarina of Time mods
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Medli’s Melodies: A spirited track for a smashing battle
Poor Spirit Tracks. This game doesn’t get nearly enough credit for all of the wonderful things it has contributed to the Zelda universe. It was the first game to incorporate Zelda as a companion in Link’s journey (albeit in ghost form), and the interactions between the two are just adorable. You get to blow into the DS microphone to play notes on a pan flute and solve puzzles, which I think is pretty nifty. And, oh yeah, it has trains! Who doesn’t love trains?
YouTuber Javed Sterritt helps uncover new details of Majora’s Mask localization and development
At the beginning of 2023, Javed Sterritt, known for his YouTube channel Good Blood and side channel The Hyrule Journals, reported on Majora’s Mask’s complicated localization process. This was finally brought to light by Jason Leung, the game’s head of English localization. The Line by Line documentary highlighted the incredible difficulty of the task, given the enormous increase in text compared to Ocarina of Time and the stifling time budget of the sequel.
Music producer drops second Zelda cover album, Hyrule Lofi II
Lo-fi musician Caspian has released a sequel album to his Zelda cover project, Hyrule Lofi. The tracklist for part 2 has even more selections than the first installment had, with some of the new tracks being Linebeck’s Theme, Lost Woods, Lanayru Desert, and several original themes from Tears of the Kingdom, which wasn’t yet released when Caspian launched the first set of covers.
Medli’s Melodies: Live orchestra recording of Sheik’s Theme (“Hero of Time” project)
In 2017, a very special Zelda project was released to the world. It was a monumental success on Kickstarter, accruing well over $50,000 in backer contributions, and the quality of the end result speaks to how well those funds were utilized. The project? A full album of musical arrangements from Ocarina of Time, decadently performed by a live, 64-piece orchestra (what a fitting number).
Meet Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom VAs at SoCal signing event
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Get some free in-game items from Nintendo’s Tears of the Kingdom news channel
For players who are still progressing through Tears of the Kingdom, or for those of you who are just now starting your adventure in Hyrule, check out the free rewards available in the Switch’s News tab to receive a little boost to your inventory. Whether you’re in need of Zonai devices like rockets or carts, or are looking to stock up on cooking items with special benefits, or need supplies to craft unique weapons, these helpful bonuses should be a welcome addition to your game.
Player makes it possible to beat Tears of the Kingdom without visiting the surface
When a video game as vast, varied and freedom-forward as Tears of the Kingdom comes along, players often set themselves limitations in their playthroughs that spur creative thinking and offer interesting challenges. Recently, one Reddit user embarked on a truly ambitious challenge run that aimed to eliminate the largest portion of the map from their playthrough, determining that it’s possible to beat the game without touching the surface at all.
GameSpot continues iconic “Things You STILL Didn’t Know” series with Tears of the Kingdom
GameSpot is now a few entries deep in their new YouTube series, “Things You STILL Didn’t Know In Tears of the Kingdom,” adapted from the same series’ premise they used for Breath of the Wild. The open-world Zelda games are astoundingly detailed, and GameSpot writer Max Blumenthal, aka RinHara5aki, has dedicated himself for years now to chronicling every obscure interaction and reference that players probably missed in these two games.
Inspiration for the name “Majora” confirmed by creator and partial namesake Tayaka Imamura
Recently, an interview with Tayaka Imamura, the art director of Majora’s Mask, illuminated a pretty interesting fact about the game’s titular entity, giving us a new source for the name Majora. Imamura’s work is hugely influential in the Nintendo sphere. Along with the creation of Zelda characters like Majora and Tingle, he also contributed to the rich artistry of F-Zero and Star Fox, birthing two of Nintendo’s most iconic legacy characters in Captain Falcon and Fox McCloud.
Medli’s Melodies: The final Tears of the Kingdom trailer
On the morning of April 13th, 2023 (at least, it was morning where I live), Zelda fans across the world waited not-so-patiently at their computers to hear from Eiji Aonuma and witness the final official trailer for Tears of the Kingdom. The trailer, coming in at almost four full minutes, blew the minds of everyone who saw it, even people who thought they weren’t excited for the game.
Realm of Memories: Becoming the Hero of the Wild
I love the Super Smash Bros. games — a lot. You could say I’m something of a fanatic. In particular, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate takes the prize as my favorite multiplayer game of all time, attested to by the insane number of hours I’ve logged since its release in December 2018 (I’ll give you a hint: It’s more than five hours and less than three thousand).
Zelda’s Study: The possible origins of Zelda’s Lullaby
Since its first appearance in A Link to the Past back in 1991, the song “Zelda’s Lullaby” has become a ubiquitous melodic presence in the Zelda series. It has been represented, either prominently or as a cleverly-hidden Easter egg, in 13 mainline Zelda games since its debut, as well as several spin-off and crossover games.
Yuga’s Art Gallery: An inviting voxel-art training session
I’ve always considered Breath of the Wild to be a comfortable game. Even though plenty of encounters and surprises are sure to bring your heart rate up (Guardians and Lynels, anyone?), the natural beauty and serene stillness of the game’s overworld will always stick with me the most. My first exposure to the game was the autumnal Akkala region, jumping into a save file started by my brothers and being swept away by the brilliant, colorful vistas.
Yuga’s Art Gallery: The striking gaze of a Champion
Hungry_Clicker is an extremely talented Japanese digital artist who I think you ought to know about. He’s best known for his contributions to the fighting game community, drawing stylish pieces based on the characters of Street Fighter, Tekken, Super Smash Bros. and countless other series.
Bombers’ Notebook: Rauru, the Sage of Light
In Ocarina of Time, the first character Link meets after leaving the boundaries of Kokiri Forest is a large, enigmatic owl named Kaepora Gaebora. This feathered fellow can be a bit of a handful for first-time players, as his monologues famously occupy many text boxes. If you’re impatiently mashing to get to the end, he can trick you into allowing him to repeat his entire spiel. He seems to have a good laugh about it, too.
Tingle’s Maps: Face Shrine (Link’s Awakening)
The Face Shrine is the sixth of Link’s Awakening’s eight dungeons. It is where you find the Powerful Bracelet, a tool used for lifting exceptionally heavy objects, and the Coral Triangle, one of the shimmering musical instruments that Link will need to perform the Wind Fish’s symphonic ballad. Functionally, it is a rather standard Zelda dungeon, with short combat trial rooms, observational puzzles, and some brain-teasing, map-wide barrier arrangements. But it is also atypical in a crucial way.
Yuga’s Art Gallery: Fierce Deities ready to battle in Smash
The masks of Majora’s Mask provided our hero Link with some truly outlandish powers that had never been seen before in the Zelda series — and with those powers came some equally outlandish designs. Chief among them is, in my opinion, the Fierce Deity Mask. Granting Link immense strength and speed, eyes brimming with ethereal white light, and a long double-helix sword that fires magical beams, the Fierce Deity Mask is among the most powerful and mysterious items in all of Zelda lore.
Tingle’s Maps: Rutile Lake (Breath of the Wild)
We all know the arresting effect Breath of the Wild’s natural environment had on us at one point or another. Within its vast fields and forests, there’s something spectacular to behold for players of all sensibilities, ranging from the epic to the serene. I’m partial to both, but when it comes to one of my favourite locations in the game, the serene wins out.
‘Blade Runner: Black Lotus’ anime review
Dissecting the first two episodes of the anime, “Blade Runner: Black Lotus” Chelsey Powell / Daily Collegian By Ben Connolly, Collegian Staff November 27, 2021 On Monday, I was scrolling through my feed and noticed an ad for a “Blade Runner” anime on Adult Swim and that it was premiering on Nov. 14 – that same night. As a huge cyberpunk and “Blade Runner” fan, I naturally elected to postpone my homework and clear my schedule for a binge-watch session.
Bucket list bathrooms on campus
The must-visit bathrooms of UMass By Ben Connolly, Collegian Staff September 16, 2021 After many months away from the University of Massachusetts campus, we all have things we missed in our absence – in-person lectures, number one dining and parties, to name only a few. However, the highest rated feature of on campus living is, needless to say, the public restrooms.
Questions to ask besides “What’s your major?”
There are many ways to break the ice By Ben Connolly, Collegian Contributor September 13, 2021 Sitting down next to someone you don’t know is often an anxiety-inducing experience. Deciding how to fluidly introduce yourself is hard enough, never mind holding the conversation! Alas, a difficulty that is rarely overcome. You may be tempted to consider asking the person next to you what their major is, but I beg you to reconsider.
Yuga’s Art Gallery: Evil armored giants in Breath of the Wild
No one will argue that Breath of the Wild goes easy on you at the start. On top of skipping out on a traditional tutorial, your three tiny hearts will be depleted by nearly everything in the game if you’re not careful. From encounters with monsters big and small to powerful and deadly weather to taking one wrong step off a cliff, Hyrule is out to get you from the moment you exit the Shrine of Resurrection.
Medli's Melodies: 'Zeldawave II'
Medli’s Melodies: ‘Zeldawave II’ Recently, I wrote a Medli’s Melodies article for Marble Pawns’ Ocarina of Time remix, “Zeldawave,” a loving vaporwave tribute to Koji Kondo published three years ago. Earlier this year, to the joy of many fans, Marble Pawns returned with the continuation, “Zeldawave II.” As a sequel to his Ocarina of Time remix, it is fittingly composed of music from the sequel to that game, Majora’s Mask.
'Zeldawave' - Zelda Universe
Medli’s Melodies: ‘Zeldawave’ Ocarina of Time is a legendary game in the eyes of most, and for more than the simple fact of being an incredible game. Many of the biggest fans of Ocarina of Time were kids when they first experienced it, and it shaped them as they transitioned into adulthood.
Bombers' Notebook: Link, the Hero of the Wild
Bombers’ Notebook: Link, the Hero of the Wild Link has been through a lot in his many iterations. Throughout The Legend of Zelda series, he’s been “skyward bound, adrift in time [and] steeped in the glowing embers of twilight” (according to Zelda’s speech during Link’s knighting ceremony). But Breath of the Wild brought about a very different kind of trial for the hero, one that no other incarnation has experienced (even if they wish they could): amnesia. Who am I, again?
Rhythmic Aggression: Q&A with Occams Laser
A UK-based ‘darksynth’ artist Courtesy of Occams Laser's official Facebook page By Ben Connolly, Collegian Staff April 1, 2020 Rhythmic aggression. That’s how I would describe the music of UK-based “darksynth” artist Occams Laser. His top track on Spotify is “Quarantine,” which came out in 2018 but is aptly named for current events.
Q&A with Darksynth artist Wraithwalker
An interview with the Georgia-based artist By Ben Connolly, Collegian Staff March 5, 2020 It was a long, cold night when I first heard Wraithwalker. I was scanning through recommended songs, trying to find the next big name in Darksynth. After hours of listening to dozens of albums, the eerie opening of Wraithwalker’s Seraph seeped through my speakers. I was immediately intrigued. How had I not heard of this artist before?
Korean Zelda fans animate beautiful Studio Ghibli-inspired Breath of the Wild trailer
Korean Zelda fans animate beautiful Studio Ghibli-inspired Breath of the Wild trailer The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has often been compared to the works of Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli, and in particular, the movie Princess Mononoke. The design elements of Link and Ashitaka with their blue tunics are very similar, and the infection of Ganon’s Malice hearkens visibly and thematically to the curse placed on the boars.
Interviewing darksynth: Battlejuice
An interview with Moscow-based artist Battlejuice (Photo courtesy of the official Battlejuice Facebook page) (Photo courtesy of the official Battlejuice Facebook page) (Photo courtesy of the official Battlejuice Facebook page) By Ben Connolly, Collegian Staff December 10, 2019 Send email to this address Enter Your Name Add a comment here Verification With darksynth being an underground genre, many artists find themselves with fewer listeners than they would like.
Today’s underground: DEADLIFE
An interview with the darksynth artist (Photo courtesy of Deadlife's official Facebook page) (Photo courtesy of Deadlife's official Facebook page) (Photo courtesy of Deadlife's official Facebook page) By Ben Connolly, Collegian Staff December 3, 2019 Send email to this address Enter Your Name Add a comment here Verification Based in Manchester, UK, Ed Hawx aka DEADLIFE, is the wild card of the darksynth scene.
Local artist spotlight: Moris Blak
Boston-based industrial artist (Photo courtesy of Moris Blak's official Facebook page) (Photo courtesy of Moris Blak's official Facebook page) (Photo courtesy of Moris Blak's official Facebook page) By Ben Connolly, Collegian Staff October 29, 2019 Send email to this address Enter Your Name Add a comment here Verification A few months ago, I went to a concert in Boston. I entered the venue and saw a hastily drawn poster detailing the night’s line up.
Cacao: A healthy candy?
Cacao has numerous physiological benefits Ghirardelli makes chocolate bars that are both high in cacao content and easily available. Courtesy of Ghirardelli official Facebook page Ghirardelli makes chocolate bars that are both high in cacao content and easily available. Courtesy of Ghirardelli official Facebook page Courtesy of Ghirardelli official Facebook page Ghirardelli makes chocolate bars that are both high in cacao content and easily available.
I took a bunch of personality tests and here’s what I got
Pseudoscience vs. Actual Science Collegian File Photo By Ben Connolly, Collegian Staff September 19, 2019 Send email to this address Enter Your Name Add a comment here Verification Do you ever hear people call themselves an “INFP” or an “ESTP?” If there’s one thing that turns me into a grumpy old coot (and honestly, there are many things, but I felt like writing an article about this one), it’s when people cite pseudoscientific personality tests.
Should you be drinking coffee?
The psychological effects of frequent caffeine consumption By Ben Connolly, Collegian Staff September 5, 2019 Filed under Archives, Arts & Living, Culture, Food & Drink, Scrolling Headlines Send email to this address Enter Your Name Add a comment here Verification Eighty-five percent of Americans report daily caffeine consumption, averaging 165 mg a day. For comparison, the average Starbucks drink is around 130 mg, and the average amount of caffeine consumed by a college student is around 150 mg.
Studying advice for finals
Tips for studying you can actually use (Maxwell Zaleski/ Daily Collegian) (Maxwell Zaleski/ Daily Collegian) (Maxwell Zaleski/ Daily Collegian) By Ben Connolly, Collegian Staff April 30, 2019 Filed under Archives, Arts & Living, Headlines, Lifestyle Send email to this address Enter Your Name Add a comment here Verification “Finals are coming!” I’m sure everyone and their moms have reminded you (as if you somehow forgot).
Five ways to form useful habits
Tips for sticking with it (Collegian File Photo) By Ben Connolly, Collegian Staff April 18, 2019 Filed under Archives, Arts & Living, Lifestyle, Scrolling Headlines Send email to this address Enter Your Name Add a comment here Verification Earth Day is this week and finals are approaching, so it’s a great time to start taking up some useful habits. But habits can be difficult to stick to with; only eight percent of people report that they actually stick to their New Year’s resolutions.
Benefici mentali dell’ esercizio fisico e della dieta
Mangia sano e fai esercizio fisico Simon Nathans/Collegian By Ben Connolly, Alessia Guglielmi, and Eleonora Pellicano April 4, 2019 Filed under Archives, Italiano, Translations Send email to this address Enter Your Name Add a comment here Verification “Mangia sano e fai esercizio fisico!” È il consiglio dato così spesso che una rapida ricerca della frase su Google mostra più di un milione e mezzo di risultati.
Mental benefits of exercising and diet
Eat healthy and exercise Simon Nathans/Collegian By Ben Connolly, Collegian Staff April 3, 2019 Filed under Archives, Arts & Living, Fitness, Headlines, Health&Wellness, Lifestyle, Scrolling Headlines Send email to this address Enter Your Name Add a comment here Verification “Eat healthy and exercise!” It’s advice given so frequently that a quick Google search of the phrase pulls up over one and a half million results.
Trois bonnes raisons de s’essayer au yoga
En savoir plus sur les avantages de la pratique du yoga Simon Nathans/Collegian By Ben Connolly, Meg Beauregard, and Florent Charrier March 7, 2019 Filed under Archives, Français, Translations Send email to this address Enter Your Name Add a comment here Verification Le yoga a une longue histoire. Émergeant il y a plusieurs milliers d’années en Inde, il est aujourd’hui pratiqué partout dans le monde. Aux États-Unis seulement, 90% des gens ont au moins entendu parler du yoga.
Three reasons why you should try yoga
Learn more about the benefits of practicing yoga Simon Nathans/Collegian By Ben Connolly, Collegian Staff March 6, 2019 Filed under Archives, Arts & Living, Fitness, Headlines, Health&Wellness, Lifestyle, Scrolling Headlines Send email to this address Enter Your Name Add a comment here Verification Yoga has come a long way. Emerging several thousand years ago in India, it is now practiced all around the world. In the United States alone, 90 percent of people have heard of yoga.
Yes, you should get some sleep
Sleep deprivation and its effects (Jackson Cote/ Daily Collegian) (Jackson Cote/ Daily Collegian) (Jackson Cote/ Daily Collegian) By Ben Connolly, Collegian Correspondent January 28, 2019 Filed under Archives, Arts & Living, Headlines, Health&Wellness, Lifestyle, Scrolling Headlines Send email to this address Enter Your Name Add a comment here Verification A new semester is here and before you pull an all-nighter on your first essay, consider the potential side effects of depriving yourself...
选择生活方式，治疗抑郁症状
当今抑郁症的发病率高于过去的任何一个时代，最为严重的是，抑郁症导致的自杀倾向是致命的。值得庆幸的是，抑郁症是可以治疗的。不过，治疗中有一个问题: 很难确定个人最有效的治疗方式。目前还没有一种治疗方法表明这种治疗方法对某些特定人群有效，而对其他人完全无效。所幸，校园里提供了许多治疗方法及不同的生活方式，可供尝试。 认知行为疗法： 认知行为疗法（CBT）是被广泛使用的抑郁症治疗方法之一。CBT的广泛使用是基于其较高的成功率（CBT帮助参与治疗的约三分之一的患者恢复健康）及其持久效果（已证明CBT复发率低于其他相关药物）。然而，与所有其他抑郁症治疗手段一样，它也有自己的缺陷, 比如：治疗成本高。一些保险涵盖CBT，因为它是一种心理治疗，但并非所有保险都能让抑郁症患者承担得起CBT的费用。所幸，患者可在非正规治疗的情况下采用CBT技术进行自我纠正。例如，预防并改变消极思想，是常见的CBT之一。通常情况下治疗师可以协助进行，但没有治疗师的帮助抑郁症患者也可自主调节。当然，不加偏袒的审视自我的思想是很难的一件事，如需要技术帮助或想得到支持，可联系校园内相关团体提供免费帮助。 锻炼：...
Infernal resurrection: a short story
The birth of a new model Hang on for a minute...we're trying to find some more stories you might like. Close Email This Story Send email to this address Enter Your Name Add a comment here Verification Send Email Cancel Walking vacant New York streets at night, lights diffuse over tainted snowbanks. Towering silhouettes scrape into a claustrophobic red sky. Atmospheric silence echoes off the pavement. I turn down an alley and icy winds slice, whipping my bare back.
Treating depression symptoms through lifestyle choices
No generation before us has had such high of depression, a large problem because of its fatal association with . Depression is treatable. However, there is a significant problem with treatments: it is very difficult to determine which form of treatment will work best for an individual. There is no universal answer, as some treatments work better for some and not at all for others. Thankfully, there are many treatments available on campus and lifestyle treatments you can try.
Dark, brooding, rebellious. This is darksynth
In the age of the trending song, computerized music and recommendations based on number of views, many crave a different sort of sound than pop music. In the spirit of Halloween, I present a gritty, industrial sound to counter mainstream music. A sound that is recognized by few, and seen as its own genre by even fewer. A sound that is unique, contemporary and critical. This is darksynth; the music genre for today’s counterculture. So what is darksynth?
Violent video games might not be bad for you
Perhaps one of the most politically relevant issues in modern psychology is the debate over violent video games. Specifically for the purpose of this article, the effect violent video games may have on aggressive or antisocial behavior in adults. In 2015, the American Psychological Association said that violent video games do have a significant effect on mental health, but many have objected to this claim. One study published this year found evidence contrary to the APA’s claim.
Tôi đứng một mình giữa một căn phòng tối tăm
Một phản ứng với trầm cảm thời hiện đại(Flickr Creative Commons: glasseyes view…up&away) Tôi đứng một mình giữa một căn phòng tối tăm. Sự im lặng bao trùm. Tôi như rơi vào một vực sâu thăm thẳm. Thời gian trôi qua như thể khái niệm của nó bị lạc vào khoảng không. Bố nén lại trước tôi, thấp thoáng theo đó là sự thất vọng và hoài nghi. Một cơn phẫn nộ lấp đầy cơ thể vô định hình của tôi và phá vỡ mọi ảo giác. Thở một cách nặng nề trong cơn tỉnh giấc, tôi thấy ông ấy lại xuất hiện, dù chỉ là thoáng qua.
I stand alone in the middle of a dark room
I stand alone in the middle of a dark room. Surrounded by silence. An abyss filled only by me. Time passes such that the concept is lost in the void. My father condensates in front of me, followed by an aura of disappointment and lack of trust. A wave of rage fills my formless body and crashes into the illusion. Breathing heavily over the wake, I see him reappear, auras proven. It transforms into its own red wave, but 10 times stronger than mine, knocks me down to the floor. I attempt to hold the floor.
五个你今天就能做的减压方法
感到压力是学年开始后的正常反应，但有时候压力会变得难以驾驭。寻找缓解压力的方法是一个明智的抵御方式，但是即使是搜索它们也会耗费一些心神。通常来说，有些建议往往不是行使起来太困难、太耗费时间、就是不甚清楚甚至毫无帮助。瑜伽不是对每个人都有吸引力，冥想对精力的要求可能过高，性爱对对大多数人来说则并不是一种容易获得的减压途径。为了避免有些机会沦落为对你的折磨，以下是五个你今天就能做到的减压方法。 饮食规律，膳食均衡 虽然表面看来，不吃早餐来换取额外的懒觉时间，这好似具有非凡的诱惑力，但实际上这只会加重你早上的焦虑程度。膳食营养均衡有助于调节血压，让你元气满满地开始新的一天。饮食讲求的标准包括低钠、低饱和脂肪酸摄入、低脂肪乳制品饮食、还有食用很多水果蔬菜以及健康的不饱和脂肪。血压的升高会刺激你的交感神经系统，使你的身体做出应激反应，增加身体的负担。而在压力的雪球滚动之前便出手制止，能够让你更有效地启动一天的计划和行动。想想，当你饥肠辘辘的时候，你还会是你吗？ 睡眠...
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