A look back at Ocarina of Time

[Pike]

I played this game on release and immediately decided it was one of the best games I'd ever played - and I think a lot of people felt similarly. But I haven't played it in like 15 years and I'm wondering how well it held up. Has anyone played it or the 3DS version lately? How does playing it now compare to playing it when it was new?

[Pumpkin]

I just wrote a review on it yesterday. Haven't played the 3DS. It was like my first long game I actually played (the real first being Tekken 2)

I like it, I think it's a really good game, but I don't consider it the best the series has to offer. They did great at creting atmosphere though. The future times still scare the poop out of me

[Galuf]

i played both. the 3ds version is pretty much the exact same. with updated graphics. a more user friendly system ( Iron boots can be equipped at a touch of a button and ocarina is in its own slot. in additon to having another item slot) and thank god they did not change the music. overall great game. ( Zelda and FF are the 2 first games i was exposed to as i saw my sister playing them)

[Bubba]

I think the 3DS version just touched up an already classic game and it is definitely the best version. My most recent playthrough felt a little stale though and it was a struggle to get through. Out of the 3D Zeldas that I've played, Twilight Princess has been the one that I enjoyed the most.

None of the beat A Link to the Past though.

[Electroshock Therapy]

It's probably the most well-balanced Zelda game. Not too hard, but not too easy on the first try. The ratio of dungeons and side-quests seem fair, and there aren't really any obnoxious side-quests that I can think of. It's not my personal favourite, but I do think there's nothing really wrong with it.

[Wolf Kanno]

I never had any real love for Ocarina of Time. Playing the demo for it felt clunky back in the day and largely deterred me from wanting an N64. Years later I did finally play it on the N64 and those feelings didn't change much. I still feel it's a good game but a bit baffled by it's popularity, especially since I don't feel time has been very kind to the original. The 3DS port is actually better simply because it's interface is a bit less clunky and the Z-Targeting is updated to the later versions which finally got out some of the bugs out. I enjoy that version more but I still feel Twilight Princess is the better of the 3D installments.

[Electroshock Therapy]

I never had any real love for Ocarina of Time. Playing the demo for it felt clunky back in the day and largely deterred me from wanting an N64. Years later I did finally play it on the N64 and those feelings didn't change much. I still feel it's a good game but a bit baffled by it's popularity, especially since I don't feel time has been very kind to the original. The 3DS port is actually better simply because it's interface is a bit less clunky and the Z-Targeting is updated to the later versions which finally got out some of the bugs out. I enjoy that version more but I still feel Twilight Princess is the better of the 3D installments.

Z-Targeting updated? In what way? It's been the same as far as I remember for all versions and all 3D Zeldas.

[Wolf Kanno]

I never had any real love for Ocarina of Time. Playing the demo for it felt clunky back in the day and largely deterred me from wanting an N64. Years later I did finally play it on the N64 and those feelings didn't change much. I still feel it's a good game but a bit baffled by it's popularity, especially since I don't feel time has been very kind to the original. The 3DS port is actually better simply because it's interface is a bit less clunky and the Z-Targeting is updated to the later versions which finally got out some of the bugs out. I enjoy that version more but I still feel Twilight Princess is the better of the 3D installments.

Z-Targeting updated? In what way? It's been the same as far as I remember for all versions and all 3D Zeldas.

It's been smoothed, not necessarily changed. The reaction between choosing a target and the camera zooming to it is better not to mention enemies move faster in later installments making it feel a bit less like a dueling system and more of an actual targeting system.

[Electroshock Therapy]

It's been smoothed, not necessarily changed. The reaction between choosing a target and the camera zooming to it is better not to mention enemies move faster in later installments making it feel a bit less like a dueling system and more of an actual targeting system.

Oh, I guess I just never noticed the difference. My first Zelda game was Ocarina of Time, so the N64 targeting is what I was used to.

[Ayen]

I played the original game back in 2013 and mentioned how I felt it held up in my review (http://torijreviews.blogspot.com/2013/11/the-legend-of-zelda-ocarina-of-time.html). Shameless plug is shameless, but if you don't feel like going through all that (God, I came a long way since 2013) here's a blurb.


Even by today's standards the game still looks and sound great, maybe not as polished as today's generation of games are, but it certainly doesn't feel dated. Everything from the visuals, to the character design and straight down to the soundtrack does an excellent job of pulling you into this fantasy world you would expect from a fairytale book. If Zelda was a movie it would have been made by Walt Disney, it really does feel that magical.

I haven't played the 3DS version, though. I actually want to get that since I plan to review all the Zelda games in order starting with the original. If I can't get my hands on that I'd probably just look at the Master Quest version.