Music Monday – Kakariko Village

This week I wanted to take a listen to the themes that play in The Legend of Zelda’s Kakariko Village. Kakariko Village appears in multiple games with a musical theme that often stays familiar, but in a couple cases is drastically different. But I love all of the themes, and I think each fits very well with its respective game.

A Link to the Past

This is the first appearance of Kakariko Village. I think the track perfectly sets up the feeling of a calm, quiet village.

Ocarina of Time

Ocarina of Time’s rendition of the Kakariko theme has a much sweeter tone to it – it’s like a lullaby.

Wind Waker

This one’s not actually Kakariko Village, but it is a remixed, faster version of the Kakariko Village theme. I love what Wind Waker does with a lot of the music from Ocarina of Time. It takes so many familiar tunes and makes them feel fresh and it matches the tone of Wind Waker.

Twilight Princess

The first phrase of this piece is a nod to previous Kakariko Village themes, but then it goes in a different direction. It’s very western sounding. And while it may not be my favorite Kakariko theme, I think the new theme fits Twilight Princess’s version of the town better than the older theme would.

A Link Between Worlds

A Link Between Worlds steps back into the world of A Link to the Past and uses an orchestrated version of its Kakariko theme. And it sounds lovely.

Breath of the Wild

Wow is this one different. I’d love to take a look at sheet music for this track to see if there are any references to the original theme. I’ve listened to it many times, but I feel like I’m trying to make myself hear the original theme in there. It’s so different, not only from other versions of Kakariko Village, but from all the music in the series, and I think it sounds great.

What’s your favorite version of the Kakariko Village theme?