Long ago, the kingdom of Hyrule was but a glimmer in the Gods' eyes. Descendent from a distant nebula, Din - the Goddess of Power, Nayru - the Goddess of Wisdom, and Farore - the Goddess of Courage saw fit to create the world from which all our stories hail. As the legend goes, Din dyed the mountains red with fire and created land. Nayru created science and wizardry and brought order to nature. And Farore, through justice and vigor, created life.

Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda turns 20

The Legend of Zelda. Your story now spans 20 years. We've been there every step of the way. Steadfast. Your epic adventures we've helped you brave. Explore. Bringing light to the land and comfort to fellow man. Persevere. A legacy that only grows...

Needless to say, we thank you Miyamoto and Nintendo for providing us with such a endearing world. The original Legend of Zelda was released for the Nintendo Entertainment System (Famicom in Japan) on this day 20 years ago. Hard to believe.

Zelda creator Shigeru Miyamoto discussed his inspiration for the game in the book Game Over by David Sheff. "When I was a child, I went hiking and found a lake," he remembers. "It was quite a surprise for me to stumble upon it. When I traveled around the country without a map, trying to find my way, stumbling on amazing things as I went, I realized how it felt to go on an adventure like this."

Current Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma knows exactly what it takes to re-create The Legend of Zelda atmosphere. His The Legend of Zelda: Evolution of a Franchise speech at the 2004 Game Developers Conference discussed the magic required to manifest the Zelda aura into each game.

Finally, be sure to check out some gorgeous Zelda desktop wallpaper. Also, take a look at how Link, the hero of time, has likewise changed through time. Finally, check out this piece from 1Up.com.