The original The Legend of Zelda made quite an impact on BioShock designer Ken Levine — so much so that it cost him his first serious girlfriend.
Levine had just graduated from college and moved to San Francisco. The lady friend was a few years younger than him, and at the end of the summer, she had to go back to university.
“In our last day together in San Fran, I for some reason picked up The Legend of Zelda,” recalls Levine. “As she stood by waiting for some romantic gesture to happen on our last day living together, she was instead treated to watching me obsessively plow through Hyrule for around 15 hours. By the time the cab showed up to take her to the airport, I realised if I had any hope of keeping her as my girlfriend, it was time to shut off the NES.”
Needless to say, Levine adds, the next summer was not spent together. Good thing he had Link to keep him company!
Gaming Made Me: Ken Levine [Rock, Paper, Shotgun][Pic]
Steven Bogos
July 14, 2009 at 5:04 PM
worth it
Report PermalinkCat Tactics
July 14, 2009 at 5:06 PM
a king among men.
Report PermalinkVoDKa
July 14, 2009 at 5:35 PM
champion
Report PermalinkJay
July 14, 2009 at 6:47 PM
I guess the real question is ‘Was she as hot as Zelda?’
Report Permalinkmikezombie777
July 14, 2009 at 8:23 PM
Truly the pinnacle of pathetic. This how you know gaming has become a problem.
Anyone who calls him a ‘champion’ is either gay or under the age of 18.
Report PermalinkDeath Duck
July 15, 2009 at 9:21 AM
“is either gay or under the age of 18″
Now that’s a mature comment. Accusing someone of being homosexual? Clearly you’re over 18 then. Because everyone over 18 knows that gay men prefer video games over sex…
Report PermalinkNath
July 14, 2009 at 9:47 PM
A true hero!
Report PermalinkNath
July 14, 2009 at 9:49 PM
@mikezombie777:
Haha, calm down mate. I’m 22, engaged to the most fantastic woman ever, and I still think this is a story worth saluting.
Report PermalinkJay
July 15, 2009 at 1:53 AM
Yeah, hey mike, chill the fuck out.
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