Are you, like me, waiting not-so-patiently for the next installment of Nintendo’s “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild“? I’ve been obsessed with these games since playing the very first one at my babysitter’s house one summer (never mind the year).

My sister, our neighbors and I memorized every bush you could burn to reveal secret stairs. We knew how to sneak into a particular dungeon early for the book of magic. We feared falling boulders.

There’s something special about “The Legend of Zelda” series. The epic music, the huge worlds to explore and so much more. I love them all (well, most of them,) but “Breath of the Wild” is one of the best.

You can play through however you want, and there is always something new to discover, like clever ways of defeating enemies. Did you know you can climb onto the back of a lynel? There’s nothing stopping you from skipping dungeons and shrines to head straight for the castle, but I prefer to take my time.

I think one of the reasons this series has endured is the continuity. While the games jump around in time, they retain key elements, characters and creatures. For example, the word “Zora” appeared as the name of an enemy in the first game. Later, a new kind of Zora were introduced as allies with their own story and lore.

Even the music gets reused. I got way too excited when I heard the old Death Mountain music in “Breath of the Wild.” And who could forget the familiar tunes you hear when discovering a secret or obtaining a treasure?

Another common thread is the dungeons, full of cool puzzles, keys and rewards. If I could ask Nintendo for one thing, it would be a game that lets me design and share Zelda dungeons (“Super Mario Maker,” but for Zelda! Why isn’t this a thing?)

Zelda games bring players together. Many of us share a cheerful hatred of water temples and creepy moons. We all know what happens when you pick on the cuccos. And I suspect most of us cringe when we hear, “Hey, listen!”

Whether you’ve been playing since the beginning or you just started, you can bond with fellow fans over these amazing games.