Preview
  • The Psychology of Zelda

  • Linking Our World to the Legend of Zelda Series
  • By: Anthony M. Bean PhD - editor
  • Narrated by: Joe Hempel
  • Length: 5 hrs and 22 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (299 ratings)

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The Psychology of Zelda

By: Anthony M. Bean PhD - editor
Narrated by: Joe Hempel
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Publisher's summary

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 us: 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.

Think you've completed the quest? The Psychology of Zelda gives you new, thrilling dungeons to explore and even more puzzles to solve.

©2019 Anthony Bean (P)2021 Tantor
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What listeners say about The Psychology of Zelda

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

True insight into a game I love

This is the first nonfiction audio book I've ever listened to before. The narrator delivers the material with crisp articulation, leaving me to solely focus on the contents of the book itself.This book got me back onto playing Breath of the Wild with renewed vigor, and I'm seeing the game with new tinted glasses. Good job to both the author and narrator.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

An in-depth and understandable analysis

A fascinating listen, covering many aspects of the beloved series. Highly recommended for fans of the series looking for a deeper understanding and meaning

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Excellent work

Loved the voice, content and examples. Any psychology aficionado will enjoy as long as they are familiar with the series. Otherwise it can become a hard read

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

bad last essay. rest was good

it was great until the last chapter. I can't be the only one who noticed it is "benevolent sexism" if it is a stereotypical female characteristic. if it is stereotypical negative male characteristics, it is just "a male roll" or "Male characteristics." The author of the last essay needs to check her sexism! It was worth the read but ended on a sour note.

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2 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars

As deep as lake Hylia

This series of essays on different themes is a deep dive into different psychological aspects and themes of the legend of Zelda series. And when I tell you it’s deep, I mean get your ‘iron boots’ ready, there is a lot to dive into.

From talking about feminine/masculine dichotomy in the games to the power of masks as a way to take on tasks we deem larger than ourselves. This book doesn’t disappoint, and the discussion will help you have a deeper appreciation for the series as a whole, and the separate games individually.

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    5 out of 5 stars

What an insightful book

As a longtime fan of the Zelda series, I was intrigued at the aspect of knowing more about the heroes and villains of this franchise. What I got was a deep understanding of the mental mechanics of a game that has been with me since the mid 80's. From learning more about the roles of each character to the mental structure and strain that they must endure, this book has taught me more about the series and myself than I would have known. Never again can I look at these games the same way, nor can I see just black and white concepts that most of us are used to when playing these games. If you are a fan of the Zelda series, then give this book a look. Your mind will be blown at what you thought you knew and what you will learn.

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Personal relevance

I was unaware how much the game had impacted me when starting to listen to this. I wanted entertainment, but the book insisted on distilling my own understanding of psychologically healing. It was very weird listening to the topic of archetypal attraction, in my green beanie, green shirt, and green pants, chosen independently that day. No one would have been able to convince me of its benefits personally pertinent to the way life has and is going for me at this moment.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Major eye opener!

As a long time fan of "The Legend of Zelda", I was intrigued over how a seemingly straightforward game series could be so deep!

From the ideas of the difference between male and female archetypes and positive and negative traits that make the heroes different from the villains, to the way Majora's Mask explores the 5 stages of grief, I learned so much more about my favorite game series than I thought was possible! It makes me want to play them all over again to see if I can catch what the narrator/person reading the story was talking about!

I highly recommend this book if you are a fan of LoZ in any way, or if the ideas of the human psyche and what makes people tick are fascinating to you! You will NOT be disappointed!

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insight

this surprisingly let me see a lot of insight to myself past and present and the growth I choose to make and also see the influence that both society and personal relationships have on personal growth. thank you

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Disappointingly Shallow

I hoped this might provide novel insight into the LoZ but it offered little beyond surface level analysis of the games, paired with consistent stretches to make the themes of the series fit physiological frameworks. It’s concluding treatment on the concept of masculine and feminine traits was particularly disappointing, advocating for a universally androgynous future. Zelda is critiqued for relying on wisdom rather than being as active as the Link, despite being a. Royalty that would be insulated from such tasks b. The wielder of the tri-force of wisdom and not courage or power and c. Not being the main character of the franchise. Zelda has been a consistently interesting and active character, and demonstrating traditionally feminine traits at times is not an inherently negative concept that has to be overcome in pursuit of sterilizing androgyny.

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