Today, the Baylor Lariat published my latest essay. It is a nostalgic piece about the original Legend of Zelda, which was released for the 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System in 1987. Read my essay here.

My contribution is a companion piece to Huy Bui’s essay, which is about the game Bioshock.

The title of my essay, which does not appear on the site, is “Worshipping the Gilded Game at the 8-Bit Altar.” The game cartridge really was “gilded.” See for yourself below.

Below the cartridge are photos I shot on April 30th, 2012 in front of Game Nut Entertainment here in Lawrence, Kansas. If you look really carefully, you can see my stunning silver-blue Dodge Stratus reflecting off of the window in the background, as well as some of Lawrence’s downtown delights. In these photos, the land of Hyrule and the city of Lawrence blur together for a real-life video game spectacle. I took these photos in honor of blogger Alise Wright, who is as bold, determined, and honest a blogger as I have ever come across. She pulls no punches and, in this way, she reminds me a bit of Link himself. Follow her on Twitter here.

Enjoy the read, and let me know what you think. For that matter, I am curious: What video games evoke feelings of nostalgia for you, and why?