Norse Mythology in Video Games: Valhalla, Valkyrie, and Beyond:
While it is widely known that Japanese and American cultures are integral to modern video games, the influence of Norse mythology is often taken for granted.
After all, what fantasy game doesn’t include references to some Norse deity or creatures derived from the ancestors of the Vikings? Scandinavia is what I like to call “the forgotten Europe,” since people without ties to the region often know very little about Scandinavian countries, despite the fact that some of the most popular world phenomenons come from the Nordic people and culture – Ikea, fairy tales by Hans Christian Anderson (such as “The Little Mermaid,” “The Ugly Duckling,” and “The Emperor’s New Clothes”), Angry Birds, Minecraft, pacemakers, even zippers.
Many video games take great liberties with Norse mythology. One of the most renowned is Skyrim, including architecture, creatures, folklore, and anthropology from the Nordic world. Even Shin Megami Tensei: Persona (a very Japanese-sounding series) borrows heavily from the tales, complete with the ability to summon Nordic deities and use abilities relevant to ancient stories, most notably Odin’s Thunder Reign skill.
References to Midgar are made in the MMO the Dark Age of Camelot and the incredibly renowned Final Fantasy VII. In Nordic tales, Midgard is located in the middle of the ocean with the large sea serpent Jörmungandr who encompasses the span of the earth. Midgard literally means “middle enclosure,” a location used by Tolkein when he referred to “Middle-earth” in Lord of the Rings.
Where would our nerdy paradise be without Norse mythology? Beyond video games, we wouldn’t have Tolkein’s renowned tales, since much of his writing is based upon Nordic beings like elves and dwarves…That would basically eliminate all other fantasy writing as well, since most fantasy worlds include these creations of Nordic imagination. Even comic books wouldn’t be what they are today without the Norse – the popular Thor of the comic book universe comes directly out of Norse mythology. Anything having to do with Freyja, Odin, Valhalla, and the Valkyries are straight from ancient Scandinavian tales. In fact, many video games have Valhalla and Valkyries imbedded right into the title – Valhalla, Valhalla: Before the War, Valkyrie Profile, and Valhalla Knights.
(On a side note, did you know that even our days of the week are based upon Norse gods? Wednesday (Onsdag in Swedish, Danish, and Norwegian) is Odin’s day, Thursday (Torsdag) is Thor’s day, and Friday (Fredag is Freyja’s day).)
Norse mythology is not just a part of the gaming and fantasy worlds: it serves as the very foundation for many video games and the lore in fantasy novels. It is as influential as Japanese and American culture in the gaming community.
While it is widely known that Japanese and American cultures are integral to modern video games, the influence of Norse mythology is often taken for granted.
After all, what fantasy game doesn’t include references to some Norse deity or creatures derived from the ancestors of the Vikings? Scandinavia is what I like to call “the forgotten Europe,” since people without ties to the region often know very little about Scandinavian countries, despite the fact that some of the most popular world phenomenons come from the Nordic people and culture – Ikea, fairy tales by Hans Christian Anderson (such as “The Little Mermaid,” “The Ugly Duckling,” and “The Emperor’s New Clothes”), Angry Birds, Minecraft, pacemakers, even zippers.
Many video games take great liberties with Norse mythology. One of the most renowned is Skyrim, including architecture, creatures, folklore, and anthropology from the Nordic world. Even Shin Megami Tensei: Persona (a very Japanese-sounding series) borrows heavily from the tales, complete with the ability to summon Nordic deities and use abilities relevant to ancient stories, most notably Odin’s Thunder Reign skill.
References to Midgar are made in the MMO the Dark Age of Camelot and the incredibly renowned Final Fantasy VII. In Nordic tales, Midgard is located in the middle of the ocean with the large sea serpent Jörmungandr who encompasses the span of the earth. Midgard literally means “middle enclosure,” a location used by Tolkein when he referred to “Middle-earth” in Lord of the Rings.
Where would our nerdy paradise be without Norse mythology? Beyond video games, we wouldn’t have Tolkein’s renowned tales, since much of his writing is based upon Nordic beings like elves and dwarves…That would basically eliminate all other fantasy writing as well, since most fantasy worlds include these creations of Nordic imagination. Even comic books wouldn’t be what they are today without the Norse – the popular Thor of the comic book universe comes directly out of Norse mythology. Anything having to do with Freyja, Odin, Valhalla, and the Valkyries are straight from ancient Scandinavian tales. In fact, many video games have Valhalla and Valkyries imbedded right into the title – Valhalla, Valhalla: Before the War, Valkyrie Profile, and Valhalla Knights.
(On a side note, did you know that even our days of the week are based upon Norse gods? Wednesday (Onsdag in Swedish, Danish, and Norwegian) is Odin’s day, Thursday (Torsdag) is Thor’s day, and Friday (Fredag is Freyja’s day).)
Norse mythology is not just a part of the gaming and fantasy worlds: it serves as the very foundation for many video games and the lore in fantasy novels. It is as influential as Japanese and American culture in the gaming community.
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