The Psychology of Zelda: Linking Our World to the Legend of Zelda Series

by Anthony M. Bean (Contributor), Anthony Bean (Editor)

It's dangerous to go alone! Take this (book). For more than 30 years, The Legend of Zelda—which immerses players in a courageous struggle against the shadowy forces of evil in a world of high fantasy—has spanned more than 30 different installments, selling over 75 million copies. Today, it is one of the most beloved video game franchises around the globe.  Video game sales as a whole have continued to grow, now raking in twice as much money per year as the entire film industry, and countless psychologists have turned their attention to the effects gaming has on our confidence, our identity, and our personal growth. The Psychology of Zelda applies the latest psychological findings, plus insights from classic psychology theory, to Link, Zelda, Hyrule, and the players who choose to wield the Master Sword.  In The Psychology of Zelda, psychologists who love the games     • How do Link's battles in Ocarina of Time against Dark Link, his monstrous doppelganger, mirror the difficulty of confronting our personal demons and the tendency to be our own worst enemies?    • What lessons about pursuing life's greater meaning can we take away from Link's quests through Hyrule and beyond the stereotypical video game scenario of rescuing a Princess (Zelda)?    • What do we experience as players when we hear that familiar royal lullaby on the ocarina, Saria's spirited melody in the Lost Woods, or the iconic main theme on the title screen?    • How do the obstacles throughout Majora's Mask represent the Five Stages of Grief?    • What can Link's journey to overcome the loss of the fairy Navi teach us about understanding our own grief and depression?    • Why are we psychologically drawn to the game each and every time a new version becomes available even when they all have a similar storyline?  Think you've completed the quest? The Psychology of Zelda gives you new,  thrilling dungeons to explore and even more puzzles to solve.

Genres: Nonfiction, Psychology, Video Games, Audiobook, Gaming, Philosophy, Game Design

260 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 19, 2019

About the author

I am a Licensed Clinical Depth Psychologist, video game researcher, and the Executive Director at The Telos Project, a thriving nonprofit mental health clinic in Fort Worth, Texas which focuses on video gamers and their families. I have been consulted as an expert for CNN, Inverse, Polygon, and internationally for Gehirn & Geist, while also appearing on Radio, Podcasts, and being a sought after Keynote Speaker and conference speaker in the United States, Canada, and Russia. I hold a Doctorate in Philosophy in Clinical Depth Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute and specialize in the therapeutic implications of video games and gaming, working with children and adolescents, and the use of video game character identification as a therapeutic technique. I have also authored multiple academic articles, book chapters, and the two books Working with Video Gamers and Games in Therapy: A Clinician's Guide (Routledge, 2018) and The Psychology of Zelda: Linking Our World to the Legend of Zelda Series (Ben Bella, 2019) while being active on twitter with a following of around 2300 individuals (@VideoGameDoc).

Reviews

[The Captain · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ahoy there! I be a Zelda fan and loved studying psychology when I was younger so when I saw this title I had to give it a whirl. While I found parts of the book enjoyable, there was too much repetition and so I found meself skimming later chapters. It read as a primer of sorts for those not familiar with basic psychological history. Nice concept and glad to have tried it but it wasn't completely to me taste. I recceived a copy from the publisher in exchange for me honest musings. Arrr!

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before we get into the review, I should preface it with the fact that I am and always will be 100% a Legend of Zelda fan. I have fond memories growing up playing Ocarina of Time and Majoras Mask on my Nintendo 64 (of which I still pull out from time to time) all the way up to exploring the wondrous world of Breath of the Wild. So as soon as I saw this book I knew I had to read it. I thought I would note down a few thoughts I had below, while reading each of the essays.

Embodying the Virtual Hero

How does the silent hero allow us to project our own personality and psyche into Link? Do we enmesh ourself with Link more when the hero character gives us space to form our own narrative of what is going on in his head or how he would respond?

It’s Dangerous To Go Alone

How does the implementation of the typical heroic journey influence our connection to the series? Does the fact that we have personal input/control over the story make us more empathetic towards the heroes plight?

The Nocturne of (Personal) Shadow

In order to truly live an authentic courageous life, one must acknowledge, accept and work on both parts of the psyche. Light coexists with dark and two halves make a whole.

The Archetypal Attraction

How does working through issues in a fantasy setting assist in our ability to tackle these issues in our day to day life? As adults, who no longer have the freedoms or inhibitions of child-like play, do video games hold the key to allow us to unlock and mold our habit forming opinions?

Unmasking Grief

Wow. I have no words for this one. Probably my favourite essay of the book. My mind is completely blown at this concept.

The Protective Power of Destiny

Does playing as a character who exhibits healing and growth from traumatic events assist the player in reshaping their own personal experiences of trauma?

The Quest for Meaning in The Legend of Zelda

How does Viktor Frankl’s logotherapy apply to Link’s personal journey and how is it different to the hero’s journey? Does witnessing this theory of existentialism in a fantasy setting allow the player to ponder this theory and its applications in real life easier?

The Songs of the Ritos

The application of musical conditioning throughout the Zelda series is so well done that even when thinking about how this could be applied, my mind was already humming Zelda’s Lullaby to itself.

Triforce Heroes and Heroines

Does the relation of the Triforce to the identify of self assist the player in better understanding themselves? Does it give the player more of a personal connection to the idea of the whole and unified Triforce?

I enjoyed the highlights of the importance of femininity within the series – I thought this was really well explained and written.

The Legend Herself

Explanations of feminist teachings in The Legend of Zelda? Yes please.

All in all this was a highly enjoyable and thought provoking read. It has opened my eyes up to not before seen depths of my favourite childhood series and now I want to go and replay them all with a fresh set of eyes and my broadened mind.

---

*thank you to BenBella Books and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Garrett Goody · Rating 2 out of 5]

It would be hard for me to recommend this book as a whole. As someone who has played nearly every Zelda game, as well as someone who uses Video Games as a therapeutic tool professionally, I was very excited for this book. However, for the vast majority of the book it was either very obvious connections, treading over old territory, or just plain over analyzed (in my opinion).

If you had little to no experience with Zelda I feel like this would be a more interesting and enlightening read. From my perspective it was a lot of familiar territory mixed with a lot of stretching to make the games have more psychological meaning. It's possible I just haven't had these transcendental and emotionally heading moments the author's talk about, bit if that's the case, I can't imagine I'm the only one.

[Liz (Quirky Cat) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of The Psychology of Zelda through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The Psychology of Zelda is a collection of essays written by psychologists fascinated with the enduring nature of our love of Zelda. Together they delve into the psychology behind the game, some with a focus on Link, others with a focus on the plots or trials that Link goes through, and yet others choosing to focus on Zelda herself.
This novel is perfect for any fan of Zelda, from the casual to the dedicated. Anybody that’s curious about how one could break down the psychology behind the game would really enjoy this read. I know I did.
There are ten essays in total in this collection. Embodying the Virtual Hero: A Link to the Self by Jonathan Erickson; It’s Dangerous to Go Alone: The Hero’s Journey in the Legend of Zelda by Stephen K. Kuniak; The Nocturne of (Personal) Shadow by Louise Grann; The Archetypal Attraction by Anthony M. Bean (who is also the editor of the collection); Unmasking Grief: Applying the Kubler-Ross Five Stages of Greif Model to the Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask by Larisa A. Garski, F. Cary Shepard, and Emory S. Daniel; The Protective Power of Destiny: Posttraumatic Growth in the Legend of Zelda by Larisa A. Garski and Justine Mastin; The Quest for Meaning in the Legend of Zelda by Kelsey Klatka and Louise Grann; The Song of the Ritos: The Psychology of the Music Within the Legend of Zelda Series by Shane Tilton; Triforce Heroes and Heroines: Transcending the Opposites Through the Golden Power by Angie Branham Mullins; and the Legend Herself: From Damsel in Distress to Princess of Power by Melissa Huntley and Wind Goodfriend.



The Psychology of Zelda was an absolutely fascinating read. I’ll confess that I enjoyed some of the essays significantly more than others, but that was bound to happen. Psychology is a broad enough field where everyone still has room to have their preferred theories and experts. Apparently, that holds true even when analyzing video games.
The only downside to this collection would be that there was some repetition occurring. For example, several essays kept referring back to Carl Jung and his theories. I personally would have preferred only one essay focused on each theory. Though I will say that the different essays had different focuses and arguments for the use of Jung’s theories. I have to give them credit for that.
Other philosophies included Kubler-Ross and the five stages of grief, posttraumatic stress disorder, Viktor Frankl and Logotherapy, the mere-exposure effect, and benevolent sexism from Peter Glick and Susan Fisk.
Personally, my favorite essay had to be Unmasking Grief. It was so beautifully thought out, and you can tell that the writing team behind it really knew that they were talking about when it comes to Zelda. It was one of the few essays that focused on one game for their subject, instead of doing an overview of all of them. While the latter allows for a broader understanding of the subject, the former allowed for an in-depth look at the process in which Link was going through.
The Protective Power of Destiny was a close second for my favorite essay in the collection. I feel like this one touched on some very important points that many people tend to overlook. I enjoyed the perspective.
Honestly, though, all of the essays had important things to say. It does partially depend on what your preference is, and what you’re hoping to take away from this book. I think anybody that loves Zelda will enjoy this read. You don’t need a background in psychology to enjoy it (if anything, not having one will allow you to read this with a fresh perspective).


For more reviews, check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks

[Nathaniel Darkish · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though individual essays are quite interesting, as a book issues begin to appear. Primarily the issue is that many of the essays hit the same ideas and themes over and over, an example of which being how often Campbell's Hero's Journey or the psych taught by Jung come up.
One essay in particular shines above the rest-- the exploration of Majora' s Mask through the lens of the stages of grief. Even if you don't read the rest of the book, it's worth picking up for this one alone.

[Arianna S. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very redundant - probably because it is a collection of writings from multiple authors harping on about the same themes. Somewhat interesting but there were no revelations offered by this book, at least for me.

Also, I did not enjoy the end portion going on and on about “Link is too masculine” and “Zelda is too feminine.” While I do agree that women should not be “put in their place,” there is nothing wrong with teaching men to RESPECT women / treat them differently out of respect because they are special and gentler, not because they are weaker as psychologists like to say these days. I am a woman and I love to see men being polite and opening doors for me, etc. Link is not told to protect Zelda because it is not her place to protect herself. She is sought after by the forces of evil, why the heck wouldn’t you want a swordsman to help protect her?? Especially because she is not trained for fighting (I do agree here that if she wanted to be, she should have been, but maybe she did not want to be or simply did not have the time to do so if she was focusing on other duties and magical training. Her skills lie in other areas that are totally necessary such as overseeing the other Sages, guiding Link, and her sacred sealing powers. If Zelda and Link did not have these areas of mastery and strengths and weaknesses, there would be no story to tell. There is beauty in the differences between men and women and they should be celebrated. I think The Legend of Zelda celebrates these differences as Zelda and Link work together to bring down the forces of evil.

I am a hardcore Zelda fan since childhood and I would be very angry indeed if Nintendo decided to take the viewpoints of this book to heart and change Link’s defining characteristics. Make Zelda a playable character by all means, but please keep Link as is.

[Rudy · Rating 1 out of 5]

The Psychology of Zelda: AKA Videogames Via the Lense of Carl Jung.

I'll keep this short. There are a number of solid psychological theories presented throughout this book. But trying to use these theories to explain why I enjoy a game series is complete nonsense. Apparently, and unbeknownst to me, I've been playing through this series since 1986 to work through trauma and become the archetypal hero destined to overcome all obstacles in my real life. And all these years I thought I played the games because they were fun. Silly me.

This book is a classic example of trying to find meaning where meaning doesn't exist. Sure, some of the Zelda game creators have shared behind the scenes details as to why they made the characters and stories the way they did, but those are storytelling methods, not deep psychological studies.

The games are fun, the book is not. That's all.

[Sophie Roberts · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sometimes they ate this up, like there was a lot I liked in the chapter on dark link and the chapter on Majoras Mask, however, there were also multiple points where I had to wonder if they really analyzed the games. AND THEY MISQUOTED STUFF IN THE LAST CHAPTER!!! There was a quote attributed to breath of the wild that was from wind waker and a quote from breath of the wild attributed to wind waker and that bothered me.

[L E · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this as a Christmas gift from a friend of mine because he knows my loves of the original Legend of Zelda game and psychology. This book brought joy to my nerdy little heart.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A friend got me this gift knowing I loved the LoZ series and also liked psychology. This was a great gift!

This book did double duty by deepening my love for the LoZ games I’ve played while also making me see them in different lights. My favorite essay was the one on how the game Majora’s Mask demonstrates the 5 stages of grief. It was mind-blowing to see the connection since I last played the game when I was in my teens.

There were a couple of essays I more skimmed than read because they tackled aspects of the games and/or aspects of psychology I simply wasn’t interested in. However, all of the essays were well-written.

I recommend this book for any Legend of Zelda fan.

[Bismah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a huge Legend of Zelda fan and, having majored and gotten my master's in psychology, I knew I had to read this book. I loved all the references to prior Zelda games this book had. The analyses were also phenomenal especially the section about Majora's Mask (my favorite Zelda game). I definitely recommend it to anyone a fan of the series!

[Ben · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's a neat idea but not much depth. There is a lot of repetition which had me eye rolling numerous times throughout the book. There are some interesting perspectives and good analysis present here but you have to earn it by mucking through the standard Freudian and Yung psychology 101 class several times.

[Karim · Rating 1 out of 5]

Disappointed, I typically enjoy reading about psychology and topics related to it and I had high hopes for this book when I bought it.

FYI I've played Ocarina of time, Link's awakening, breath of the wild, and tears of the kingdom

Still I have 3 problems with this book:
1. Redundancy: too much of it, the same topics are highlighted again and again and it gets boring very quickly

2. Depth: The book is very shallow, I was hoping for some psychological depth or to be more impressed but I had too often the thought "tell me something I don't know". The book seems to be trying to overanalyze simple things which gets very annoying very quickly.

3. Vocabulary: Unnecessary use of complex words to describe simple concepts which makes the ideas drag way too long for what they're trying to get to. You know how teachers would say "write 200 words about..." and you've only managed 100? Yeah, this is how reading this feels, too much yapping.

I'm not a huge gamer so I was hoping for some decent psychology content but no, it's a book written for gamers, to tell them things they already know or that don't require an extensive analysis to figure out, about games they've already experienced.

Only good thing about the book was the section on grief which I found interesting, the rest was meh

[Denise Joanne 🎀 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was going to rate this book 2 stars at first, but the second half of the book deserved an additional star, so I bumped it up to 3 stars instead.

The cover is absolutely stunning and I’m happy to have it on my bookshelf. But as a life-long fan of the Legend of Zelda and a psychology enthusiast, I WANTED to love the contents of the book more than I actually did.

It was very interesting at first, but it soon became painfully repetitive. I love a good archetype theme, but after reading about it so so so many times in so many chapters, it becomes uninteresting quickly. Most of the stuff that was discussed are known facts if you’re familiar with the Zelda universe, like the stages of grief in Majora’s Mask, and the fact that Link is a silent and blank character, so the player can project themselves onto him.

The second half was better and less repetitive. I enjoyed the chapter about the use of music and aesthetics in the Zelda universe, and the psychology behind it. And it ended with a banger of a chapter about masculinity and femininity and how those aspects play into the characters and stories. That was eye-opening information, and something I hadn’t thought about before. Loved that bit!

[Ivy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection of papers about the psychology of Zelda are an alright read. Some of the papers are certainly better than others, however, and some of them are very repetitive of things that have been said in previous entries. So, I suppose that falls on the editor, for including some very similar articles in this collection. But it really took my enjoyment of the book down, as I found myself wanting to skip sections that seemed repetitive.

I did, however, feel like most of the articles were well written standalone papers. It is obvious that some have more knowledge of the Zelda franchise than others, and a lot of the concepts are very basic psychological concepts, but it was a very fun read. If you like Zelda and psychological principles, then it would probably be a fun read for you, too!

If you're looking for something more in depth on either topic, however, then I'm afraid this would probably fall short of your expectations.

[Claudia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
This was quite an enjoyable listen. Mind you, I say listen because I listened to the audiobook. I don’t think I would have been able to get through this book if I had to read it. The ideas that make this an enjoyable read regarding the different psychological and even sociological theories and principles found in The Legend of Zelda titles are truly interesting; even eye-opening in some cases. It was quick, less than 5:30 hours of book, and it touches on many different topics, which was refreshing.
On the other hand, it could get pretty repetitive sometimes, specially due to the fact that this is more a collection of essays rather than a book with one author. I could say that I listened to this as I would listen to a 5-episode podcast series.

[Roeland Struik · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book describes how players identify with Link as he goes on his hero's journey to self-fulfilment and overcomes the obstacles in his life. This is hinted at in his name, a link between the player and the virtual hero and the fact that Link never speaks.

Parallels are made between Links journey and other hero's journeys, such as Odyssius and Hercules of old.

It also explains the theme of the stages of grief in 'Majora's Mask' (denial, bargaining, anger, depression and acceptance) and how different aspects of the game represents these stages.

One of the strong points of the game is the in-game music. It adds to the atmosphere and hearing the music brings back memories and experiences.

The role of the powerful divine antifact, the Triforce, is discussed, left behind by the three godesses Din (power/fire), Nayru (wisdom/water) and Farore (courage/wind). The artefact relates to balance within oneself.

Lastly, the role of Zelda, the video games namesake and princess is discussed and how she relates to female gender roles and stereotypes.

Interesting book for fans of the video game series and the psychology of gaming.

[Gabrijela · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book encompasses a great collection of essays and papers, aiming to uncover the Archetypal and Existential Psychology behind the Legend of Zelda series. Unfortunately, it omits some of the recent, intriguing research on Zelda gaming community. I wish to include it as a possible extension to the read.
Find links below:

my link text
my link text

[A.D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a lifelong fan of the series, I knew I wanted to read this book as soon as I came across it. A collection of essays delving into the psyches of both characters and players? Examination into player response to the series' music, the meaning behind Dark Link, and the game's yin and yang of gender balance? Yes, please!
This book contains 10 essays spanning the series' more than 30-year history. My personal favorites were "Unmasking Grief: Applying the Kübler-Ross Five Stages of Grief Model to the Legend of Zelda" and "The Legend Herself: From Damsel in Distress to Princess of Power."
While Bean presents us with potentially weighty psychological concepts, they are addressed in language and with examples that make them wholly accessible to the layman.
Off the top of my head, I can think of at least four friends I will be personally recommending this book to, and I would further recommend it to any fan interested in delving a little deeper into their abiding love for the game-- a connection shared by millions.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

[Jason Leman · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone who has played Zelda games since the original came out in 1986, this book brought back a lot of nostalgia while also providing deeper meaning to the psychological meaning of the series. While the description of archetypes can be somewhat repetitive, different examples are used and so the topic remains somewhat fresh. A few chapters in particular are very insightful, and the comparison between Majora’s Mask and the 5 stages of grief was a favourite.

[Wael Mansour · Rating 4 out of 5]

When a writer brings Video Game Lore, phycology and Joseph Campbell in one book, be sure I will read it!

I might not be the biggest fan of Zelda series (never finished a single game), but I love the lore, story and history of the game, and with this book, the writer is talking about how LoZ handled the 5 stages of grief, how feminine representation in the game changed over the decades to reflect the real world, and more topics.

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was delighted by the psychological parallels drawn in this book. From dealing with death, to the fanciful whims of magic and the creation story of Hyrule, Termina, Lorule, and the several other locations that hold Link's adventures. The authors and psychologists decipher each individual notion of personhood and attachment that many of us grew up on with these game series.

You may gain a depth of understanding about why you grew so fond of Link, or you may say it's all phooey and you played the games for fun. There are certainly qualities though within the world of Zelda that are inextricably linked to ours.

[SM Greenhill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the comparisons

If you're a Zelda fan, this read is a must. The comparisons are spot on and how knowing what I know, I want to replay all of the games with the new perspectives!

[Cody Born · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re a long time Zelda fan, it’s fun to relive your experiences through this new lens. It can be corny at times and a bit repetitive, but enjoyable enough to listen to as an audiobook while going about your day.

[Vivian · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up

An interesting analysis of the Zelda games. Probably more enjoyable if you are more familiar with the games. Nevertheless, fascinating to hear about the game design of the series.

[Gaby · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are a fan of the franchise, and even mildly interested in psychology... this book is great. I am a psychology grad, but you don’t need to be to understand the concepts in this book. It is nice to see two things I enjoy put together with such respect and care.

[Elena Izquierdo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some chapters feel really obvious and overexplained but overall is a enjojable experience. I particularly liked the chapters about grief and loss.

[Jonathan Mariani · Rating 3 out of 5]

I audioed this book. Basically listening to a podcast. Made some interesting points about a video game series I hold near and dear.

[Eustacia Tan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was wondering if there were any Zelda-adjacent books so I did a search and found this! The Psychology of Zelda is a collection of essays that tie concepts in psychology to aspects of the game. The essay titles are:

Embodying the virtual hero: A link to the self
It’s dangerous to go alone: The hero’s journey in the Legend of Zelda
The nocturne of (personal) shadow
The archetypal attraction
Unmasking Grief: Applying the Kübler-Ross Five Stages of Grief model to The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask
The Protective Power of Destiny: Posttraumatic growth in the Legend of Zelda
The Quest for meaning in the Legend of Zelda
The Song of the Ritos: The psychology of music within the Legend of Zelda series.
Triforce Heroes and Heroines: Transcending the opposites through the golden power
The legend herself: From Damsel in Distress to Princess of Power
The topics covered here were really interesting, although the fact that I’ve only played Breath of the Wild hampered things a little. Still, I know enough of the series (thanks to my brother) that the game references made sense to me.

And by the way, the Rito people/birds aren’t actually discussed in The Song of the Ritos – the essay is more about how music is used in The Legend of Zelda.

I can’t comment on the accuracy of the arguments here because I’m not an expert, but I found the essays to be easy to follow along. If this is accurate, I can see this as being an interesting general introduction to certain concepts in psychology, for example, the five stages of grief; I didn’t realise they weren’t linear until the essay! I thought using Majora’s Mask was a good way to explain it.

The only thing I was a little disappointed in was the dominance of Western authors. I read through the author biographies after each essay and as far as I can make out, only one author is living in Japan (but not Japanese) and the rest are living in the West. I know that the interpretation lies in the player, but I would have liked to see a Japanese view on the game, especially when the essays were talking about gender roles and the change in Zelda through the games. Given that this is a Japanese game that is popular worldwide, it seems like a pity that this was so Western-focused.

Overall, though, I enjoyed this and finished it in a day. While I wish for more content from non-Western psychologists, I appreciated the introduction to various concepts in psychology through the game. It definitely made me want to return to playing it!

This review was first posted at Eustea Reads

[Hayden · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this up, curious about what it would have to say. It's hit and miss. There's a whole lot of Jung and Joseph Campbell 😐. But there were a few standouts in the collection, particularly music-aesthetics & feminism-"benevolent sexism."

Something none of the article chapters really did well was place the series inside of its Japanese culture re: development of the themes, symbolism, and values. It's all very Western-centric.