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

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

Interesting enough.

Feminist overtones in the end are unfortunate. The rest is ok, not but not grounded in as much scientific backing as I was hoping for.

Most of it was pretty good.

overall I enjoyed the book but the last essay not so much. it definitely subtracted from the rest of the work and contradicted many other authors. I really enjoyed the first half of the book and will return to several essays.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

Very Interesting, Insightful, and Informative

I absolutely love this!
I am a new fan to Zelda and I recommend this book 100 percent. The last few chapters really addressed the issues I had with Zeldas more traditionally feminine role and completely opened my eyes.