Since launching with the Nintendo Switch just a couple of weeks ago, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is quickly making its case as a Game of the Year contender. Sure, Ganon has been beaten by numerous fans all over the world, and the speedrun to do so is already under an hour, but many more have devoted hours to finding all of the game’s shrines, koroks, and secrets … or just floating skyward on a DIY balloon-raft.

As rich and deep as Zelda: Breath of the Wild is, the road to the game’s development is just as storied. Nintendo has now released a three-part video documentary series that explores the making of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and reveals everything from the earliest concept, to ideas left on the cutting-room floor, and a whole lot more.

Some of the more incredible bits of trivia revealed in this video series include the fact that cattle-abducting aliens were just one unused suggestion by a game developer, that a 2D prototype of the game was created to test their open-world design full of interacting elements, and that Japan’s prehistoric Jōmon period provided the inspiration for the game’s Sheikah slate and shrines. That’s just the tip of the iceberg here, so if you’ve been a Zelda fan all your life or just since March 3rd, these videos are well worth your time.

For more on The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, be sure to read up on our recent coverage below:

Check out the documentary series on Nintendo’s YouTube page below: