You'd be hard-pressed to find a single Legend of Zelda player who doesn't wish they had their own Pedestal of Time to whisk them back to the good ol' days. Back when blocky characters were the norm, when an open-world setting was a new concept, and when Hyrulian adventures were in their absolute prime -- the good old days.

Ocarina of Time was an entry in the Legend of Zelda series that is considered to be not only one of the best entries in the series, but one of the best video games of all time. Chalk it up to nostalgia if it helps, but this game was — ahem — a game-changer (not unlike it's most recent entry in the series).

That said, even if you've already spent countless hours exploring the many secrets within Link's epic world of fairies, Gorons, and Zoras, there's a solid chance you might have missed some behind-the-scenes secrets that have been hidden under the radar (and almost certainly far from your concern back when you were too busy fighting off Stalchildren to care). Keep reading to check out 15 Things You Didn't Know About Ocarina Of Time.

 Young Link Was Almost Never A Character

One of the most significant draws to Ocarina of Time (aside from simply being a Legend of Zelda game) is that the player can play as both Young Link and Adult Link. Is the dark future setting getting you down? Simply stick your Master Sword into the Pedestal of Time and wander around a much sunnier Hyrule Castle courtyard.

The thing is though, this concept didn't always exist. In the earlier days of production, it was going to be either one or the other. The game's creator, Shigeru Miyamoto, insisted that this is one element that the game would benefit from, but the game's developers had different opinions. Not because they were ageist or cared about putting a child into harm's way, but because it could turn out to be a technical nightmare.

So, every time you go back and play as Young Link, you can thank Miyamoto for sticking to his guns.

 A Whole New Perspective

One aspect of Ocarina of Time that stands out (as well as in all of the subsequent games that followed in the series) is the scenery. Adventuring through Hyrule is as majestic as it is perilous, and having an audience's third-person view makes it all the more cinematic. But as it turns out, that wasn't always going to be the case. At one point in time during the game's development, the perspective was originally going to be first-person, placing the player front and center in the action, as opposed to the bird's eye view it ultimately decided on.

A first-person view might have added to the coalescence of character and player, but with Link being such an iconic character, players would have been robbed of what makes modern Zelda games so fun to play. The Hylian Shield, the green (and sometimes blue, and sometimes red) tunic, the ability to watch Link ride Epona... this viewpoint of this game is perfect exactly as it is.

The Seaside Laboratory Shark

The world of Zelda is brimming with fantastical creatures. Wherever you roam as Link, you're bound to happen upon some imaginatively designed beings along your way. However, if you take the time to go out of your way (and slip into a pair of Iron Boots), you just might find yourself face-to-face with a creature all the more terrifying on of being actually real.

First, you'll need to collect all of the Gold Skulltulas. Next, head on over to the Lakeside Laboratory and navigate yourself to the diving pool. Utilize the Golden Scale, slip into those boots, and make your way to the bottom. Once there, Link will discover one of the less-fantastical creatures coasting around the pool's floor. Though not swimming in a tornado, as most modern sharks tend to do, it's still a shark all the same.

Link Almost Was Able To Jump - Almost

For all of the abilities that Link is capable of pulling off in Ocarina of Time, there is one feature noticeably missing from his physical skillset: he can't jump.

He can swim, tuck and roll, swing a sword, and yell. But the kid can't jump. And for a specific reason, mind you. It just didn't fall in line with the elements that the game's creators were trying to bring to the character. Jumping added too much of an action component to gameplay, one which didn't jive especially well with the the puzzle-solving/strategy elements.

Eventually, the ability was scrapped. But there was a point in time where jumping was considered. And whether or not it would have been a positive inclusion or not will be remain an unsolvable mystery (unless a remastered re-release ever plans on shaking things up).

Fixing Broken Signs

The focal point of Ocarina of Time is unsurprisingly Link's ocarina. With it, he can possess special abilities otherwise impossible to pull off, and furthering the plot of the story is reliant on learning new songs. It's simple, it's magical, and at times, it's incredibly helpful.

Take for instance any moment Link might accidentally break a sign. As the player, you're swinging your sword around willy-nilly, and boom! you've gone and broken a sign. If you were already lost to begin with; you've now especially screwed the pooch.

Thankfully, though, you have your handy ocarina. And while there may not be a song designed specifically for sign repair, players can reverse the damage inflicted upon an innocent sign by simply playing the game's most iconic song: "Zelda's Lullaby."

Drinkable Poes Russian Roulette

Poes aren't the most charming creatures in Hyrule, but that isn't stopping them from popping up and causing havoc at their disposal. They're described as "concentrated hatred," and when they show up, it's especially hard not to concentrate on their hate. Being nasty is what they do best.

Still, when luck is on Link's side, he can use them to his advantage. Fight one off and collect it in a bottle (just make sure you've got one on hand), and then make the decision to drink or not to drink. If you down one, one of two things will happen: it'll either deplete Link's health (in some cases, to nothing but a single heart) or it'll give one of his hearts a boost.

It's a gamble, but the choice is yours. Assuming you still have an N64.

"Epona's Song" = Free Milk

There is one true enemy in nearly all video games: the health bar. Even when you're fully-stocked on whatever component specific to whatever game you're playing is required to rejuvenate your character, the health bar is like a bladed pendulum. Slowly, but surely, it dwindles. And slowly, but surely, it'll be your undoing.

So, when there are game secrets that have the power to "beat the system," so to speak, it's best you jump on them ASAP and never look back. In Ocarina of Time, cow's milk can do wonders for Link's health bar. The only problem is that the quantity is limited.

Thankfully, assuming you know "Epona's Song," (which, don't worry, you will), Link can fill up on an unlimited supply of cow's milk — for however many bottles you happen to be in possession of, at least.

Navi Originally Had Romantic Feelings For Link

Gamers are very much split on Link's fairy sidekick, Navi. To some, she's an endearing personal assistant with wings, but to others... she's a pestering gnat. Nevertheless, she's a significant character in the story — and if the game's creators went with their original direction, Navi would have added "hapless lover" to her list of character traits.

That's right. Despite being nothing more than a ball of light with wings, Navi's original depiction had her crushing on Link. This certainly would have added more layers to the character, but it would also brought their relationship into a territory that didn't seem entirely necessary. Did anyone really want Navi to be more annoying than she already was?

Short answer: no. Long answer: no, please, and thank you.

Free Hylian Shield!

Even in video games, money can get you a lot. However, even in video games, money isn't especially easy to come by. Not in immense supplies, at least. So, for example, when Link starts to fill up on rupees, it's best to spend that money wisely, seeing as you'll never know when you might be in a bind later on in the game.

However, if you're really thirsting for a Hylian Shield, but you're not too keen on shelling out the 80 rupees that one of them costs, then you may want to consider exploring a brief career in grave-robbing — because that's the only other way you're bound to get one.

Simply find the special grave in Kariko Village, climb into the hole, and voila! One free Hylian Shield, and not a single wasted rupee in the process.

Lon Lon Ranch Was Almost Permanently Destroyed

Of the many locations scattered throughout Ocarina of Time's map, Lon Lon Ranch is one of the more low-key destinations. That said, it's still a classic. And not to mention that it's one that makes for some solid R&R whenever Link's adventuring can become a bit too stressful. It's a classic ranch that proves to stand the tests of time (what with time playing such a significant role in the series), so it's revisiting value speaks for itself.

As it turns out, though, Lon Lon Ranch didn't always have the chance to stand the test of time, seeing as Miyamoto originally wanted to turn the place into a pile of ashes.

Early on in creating the game, Miyamoto had a vision (albeit a dark and fiery vision) of having the ranch burn to the ground. However, once he realized that it served no positive purpose for Adult Link, denying players the chance to visit and ride around at their leisure, he changed his mind.