What Is So Great About Zelda ?

[Dreddz]

I dont own any Nintendo consoles ( except a DS ), and have always wanted to play Zelda, after hearing so much about the games I finally got to play OOT early last year. I borrowed my Friends Gamecube and the Disc featuring 4 zelda games. Well, I started a OOT file and played played played. I wasnt blown away by any means, I wasnt really hooked either, I kept playing to try and see whether the game suddenly got better ,but it didnt.
I got up to the water palace then stopped, I was pretty disappointed. I didnt bother playing the other games as OOT is apparantly the best.
I have played one of the 2D outings ( I forget ), and wasnt blown away by them either, games like Alundra ( which is very similier to the 2D Zelda games ) are very much superior.

So, what did everybody find in Zelda that I didnt :confused:

[a nirvana fan]

Well OOT is by far the best one. Zelda 1 is a true classic, nothing great about it I dont think personally, Zelda 2 is utter rubbish and the rest of the series are great games, also you wanna try Wind Waker, thats a great game.

[ljkkjlcm9]

I truly HATE HATE HATE when people go back and play old games, and try and compare them to more contemporary titles. You have to compare them to games of their own time. Yeah I'll be honest, no Zelda game really blows me away, but to be honest no game ever really has. They're fun games and take some careful planning and strategy to win against bosses, and have fun puzzle elements plys a lot of exploration. That is why I enjoy the Zelda games.... also why I enjoy most metroid games BTW, the exploration and strategy of bosses.

THE JACKEL

[Reine]

I like the GBC versions (Link's Awakening, Oracle of Seasons, Oracle of Ages)

The other's ive played werent that fun at all

Im waiting to see how Twilight Princess turns out though

[Zeldy]

Zelda is a lovely game. Its all that playstation. Its corrupted your mind Dreddz

[Levian]

I didnt bother playing the other games as OOT is apparantly the best.
I have played one of the 2D outings ( I forget ), and wasnt blown away by them either, games like Alundra ( which is very similier to the 2D Zelda games ) are very much superior.


How do you know? You've only played OoT, which is 3D. Taste is split, either you like it or you don't. There's a lot of people that hate Zelda and a lot of people that love Zelda. The word Zelda can be replaced with every other game in the world in that sentence. But here's some tips:

1. Don't play OoT on the Gamecube. The buttons ruins the gameplay, especially the C buttons. OoT is made for N64.
2. A Link to the Past is better than OoT, in my opinion.
3. Water palaces suck.


So, what did everybody find in Zelda that I didnt :confused:
I don't know what you didn't find, but here's what I found:

Great gameplay. Swordfighting, and other nifty gadgets.
A nice little predictable storyline with interesting twists for each game.
Tons of sidequests and collectibles.
Challenging dungeons, with memorable boss fights.
That sparkly sound when you open a treasure chest. :D

[Madame Adequate]

I truly HATE HATE HATE when people go back and play old games, and try and compare them to more contemporary titles. You have to compare them to games of their own time.

Hardly. Alpha Centauri, Fallout, Baldur's Gate, Daggerfall, X-Com, Civilization II, Final Fantasy VI and VII, Suikoden I and II - these games are all some years old, and remain some of the best there are. Better than most of the graphical l33tness we get these days.

And I have no idea what everyone sees in Zelda games. As you say Dreddz, for top-down stuff, Alundra is infinitely superior.

[XxSephirothxX]

I don't know what you were missing when you played it, but I don't think I've played a better videogame in my life than Ocarina of Time. Zelda is just an entity comprised of the perfect balance of everything that makes a fantastic game. I could try to list everything that I think is so awesome about it, but it's pretty pointless since the people who agree with me already know it and the people who disagree would never change their minds.

[Zell's Fists of Fury]

There's pictures of naked ladies when you beat the game. Honest.

[edczxcvbnm]

OOT is not the best one. The original is. The second quest is literally a quest of assholish proportions! Everything is in a differet spot and none of them are all that easy to find.

Not to mention the game play was simple but challenging unlike the rest of the series....aside from Zelda II. That game was....different.

[Spammerman]

Whats so great about Zelda?IMO, a lot. THe game has good levels, cool gadgets, Swords, and Epona, and Link.

[Tifa's Real Lover(really]

i really liked the story

[Sinar]

i honestly don't know. it wierd, i love OoT, one of the best games for N64 (that and Golden Eye are the best) but its hard to say whats so good. I think that it's probably one of the first games around its time to have good gameplay, good graphics and a really good story line.
*spoiler*
Except for the bloody ending. poor Link never gets Zelda. she just makes them all go back in time. So, not only does he not get her, he also goes from like 16 to 8.
*end spoiler*

but yea, either way its a really great game. i'd still recommend anyone to go back and play it. Plus, the Ocorina songs are addictive as anything. Just, i don't play Majora's Mask in my opinion. The storyline isn't to good and the gameplay is really aggrivating at time (you have to play in the same 3 day period over and over and over again)

[Agent Proto]

Well, Zelda: OoT is a great game back when Nintendo64 was still kicking it. Well, if you started playing it recently, you may not have been amazed by it since it may be "slow" compared to more recent games. I wouldn't blame you since you missed out when it was first out.

[Zeromus_X]

And you have to play Majora's Mask, at least to see the psychadelic final battle arena. :)

But yeah, I guess alot of the people who like Zelda naturally played the older games, and the other games as well. And of course, I suppose not everyone would enjoy Zelda, but I really do want to know what those people are taking. :cat:

[Angellights]

I always liked Zelda two because the game iteself was incredibly annoying and the death scene could easily induce someone into epilepsy..... ^_^

[NeoCracker]

I loved Majora's mask just as much as OoT. The water temple was a pain in both though. Of course I also love Wind Walker unlike most. Except the Ship part, it bothered me going from Island to Island.

[Yuffie514]

favorite things about each Zelda games i've played:

A Link To The Past...you should know what happens when you don't leave the chickens alone.

Link's Awakening...stealing from the first shop in town, xD and then getting stunned to death by the owner whenever i return to the shop.

Oracles of Ages/Seasons...planting Gasha seeds, ring appraisals, control over time/weather, etc.

[FallenAngel411]

The only Zelda game I've played that I enjoyed was OoT. It is also one of the first games I ever completed, and the first game I played that had a deep and immersive storyline, and felt just as real and dangerous as reality. Well, I was nine when I played it, so yeah. Basically, it showed me what a game could be. I still get chills when I enter the Shadow Temple. The shuffling corpses sucking out my life force were terrifying to me back then, and I'm still scarred to this day. But it's a good kind of scarring.

Try other Zelda games if you disliked OoT, they are all pretty different from one another.

[Zeromus_X]

Yeah,

Water Temple- Most irritating and tedious dungeon I have ever played in any RPG or Adventure game ever before. Ever. Except the Sphere Corporation, but that was just really long. :(

Shadow Temple- I've never had nightmares about a game until I went into this. Maybe I shouldn't have played it when I was ten, but still..

And I hate the Redeads!! :nonono: :cat:

[tenhitcombo]

i dont really like zeldas real look, i liked him in windwaker

[Lychon]

Yeah,

Water Temple- Most irritating and tedious dungeon I have ever played in any RPG or Adventure game ever before. Ever. Except the Sphere Corporation, but that was just really long. :(

Shadow Temple- I've never had nightmares about a game until I went into this. Maybe I shouldn't have played it when I was ten, but still..

And I hate the Redeads!! :nonono: :cat:

Seriously, the Water Temple! That shaved off like 10 years from my life, lol . I still can't wait for Twilight Princess, though- Ocarina of Time has got to be one of the best games ever made and I'm expecting no less from the next installment (not going to even mention Wind Waker here :eep: ).

-LYCHON

[Sinar]

yea, my bro got to the water temple and had to reset his game cause he couldn't find ONE key and he didn't follow the guide so he did it all over again and followed the guide to the t. i, fortunatly, only had to do it once but still, aggrivating as anything.

and by the way, Lychon, in your sig do you mean FFVII? cause i didn't think their was a move based on 8. unless its Spirits Within in which case i never saw it but i thought it had its own storyline.

[Zeromus_X]

I'm pretty sure it's just a joke. :cat: Gotta have three things, and all that.

Another Temple I hated was the Desert Temple, though they all pale in comparison to the sheer mind-numbingly tediousness of the Water Temple. I don't think I've ever seen a dungeon like that, and I hope I never have to again. :eep:

[cloud20747]

well hey it's not for everybody

[Lychon]

yea, my bro got to the water temple and had to reset his game cause he couldn't find ONE key and he didn't follow the guide so he did it all over again and followed the guide to the t. i, fortunatly, only had to do it once but still, aggrivating as anything.

and by the way, Lychon, in your sig do you mean FFVII? cause i didn't think their was a move based on 8. unless its Spirits Within in which case i never saw it but i thought it had its own storyline.

Yeah, I bought the guide after I beat the game, which was fun because it had a lot of interesting tidbits which I had missed when playing the game initially.

And no, I mean Final Fantasy 8 (VIII). The reason I said movie is because the entire game has so many FMV cut scenes, including beginning and ending cut scenes, that if they were put together it would seem like a nice little movie. Also, I sometimes felt like I was watching a movie when I was playing the game. One of the things I love about FFVIII...

-LYCHON

[Dreddz]

I truly HATE HATE HATE when people go back and play old games, and try and compare them to more contemporary titles. You have to compare them to games of their own time
Well, im not like that. I havent warped into a casual gamer who is only blown away by flashy graphics and OTT style of gameplay. Seriously, I play loads of oldies nowadays and still get blown away by them, FFIV for example.

[Crop]

The only Zelda I liked was one for the super nintendo. Al the others are rubbish IMO.

And I think that games now are worse than old classic games.

[bipper]

I honestly thought the games lacked challenge and story. Outside of those short fallings everything has always been beutifully executed in every installment I have played. Whether or not I liked the gernal game or not, they are always well executed (overall).

Bipper

[The Void]

The only Zelda game i've played is Windwaker. It was good but it could of done with more location's and NPC's. I've never played any others but i was gonna get the original, but then i saw the graphics and thought better of it.:eek:

[The Devourer Of Worlds]

I have never enjoyed a game as much as I did OoT. Everything else absolutely pales in comparison, including the FF series.

And despite how much crap it gets from Zelda fans, Majora's Mask is also a rather excellent game. Its non-linear game play is the perfect complement to OoT's more linear style.

[Leucant]

The biggest set back for people trying to pick up the older games today is that they're too old now. You can't replace that feeling when your 8 years old and you turn on the system and your in a massive adventure and all you have is a sword, a shield, and an assortment of gadgets. It's like your living the part. What 15 year old is going to feel like that?

Plus, when you grow up playing Zelda you always anticipate the next one and it just gets you deeper into the series. I was such a fan by the time Majora's Mask came out that I loved the hell out of that game(even when you had to turn into all those damn statues to set off the switches). They could come out with a game where Link was a taxi cab driver and I'd probably put in about 80 hours of gameplay. Oh and btw, Link to the Past owns all.

[Roto13]

I'm a huge fan of the series. It's my favourite video game series in the world. I have the whole collection, minus those blasphemous cd-i games. I think the main problem you had was listening to the hype. When you play a game that everyone says is perfect, and then it's not, it seems like crap. That's what happened with me with Final Fantasy VII and Kingdom Hearts.


Hardly. Alpha Centauri, Fallout, Baldur's Gate, Daggerfall, X-Com, Civilization II, Final Fantasy VI and VII, Suikoden I and II - these games are all some years old, and remain some of the best there are. Better than most of the graphical l33tness we get these days.

If you play any of those games for the first time now, they seem dated. Well, I can't speak for Alpha Centauri or Bauldur's Gate, and I played VI when it first came out (it's my favourite :p), but the rest are old and show it. Still great games, but they suffer from the same problem as Ocarina of Time in terms of age.

[Madame Adequate]

If you play any of those games for the first time now, they seem dated. Well, I can't speak for Alpha Centauri or Bauldur's Gate, and I played VI when it first came out (it's my favourite :p), but the rest are old and show it. Still great games, but they suffer from the same problem as Ocarina of Time in terms of age.

I first played Fallout 2 about four years after release, and Fallout 8 years after its release. I played Alpha Centauri about five years after release - at a time when we had games like Civ III around, and I still think it's the best turn-based 4X game there is. I've only started playing Daggerfall recently, and that's what, 10 years after release Sorry, but whilst your argument may hold water for a portion of gamers, you're talking to someone who gives games a chance based on their gameplay before graphics.

Besides which, I played OOT when it was brand spanking new and I wasn't terribly impressed with the gameplay at that time, either :p

[Roto13]

We need a poll. (Don't even hint that I may not be a hardcore gamer ;))

[Spiffing Cheese]

I LOVE Zelda. Ocarina of Time is my favourite game, ever. :D

[ff7+ff10 gurl 100]

I LOVE Zelda. Ocarina of Time is my favourite game, ever. :D

[Evastio]

I don't find Zelda so great either. Probably because I haven't played any of them past "Zelda: A Link to the Past".

[Dreddz]

The biggest set back for people trying to pick up the older games today is that they're too old now. You can't replace that feeling when your 8 years old and you turn on the system and your in a massive adventure and all you have is a sword, a shield, and an assortment of gadgets. It's like your living the part. What 15 year old is going to feel like that?
Stop assuming Im Like That.

This is the only response I can respect so far

well hey it's not for everybody

[Leucant]

well i guess he's right it isnt for everybody... only for ppl with good taste for games i guess....:D

[theundeadhero]

OOT was my least liked Zelda game, but I really enjoy the others. I can't stand any of the Alundra games.

[Roto13]

I believe I played Alundra 1 a little, but I didn't like it. I didn't really play it enough to form a valid opinion.

[oddler]

I have to admit, TLOZ series doesn't have much that other RPGs don't. It used to be my absolute fave when I was younger before I got into FF. ;) I'm still a fan... But there's one thing that bothers me about both series and that is this:

The storylines are fantastic and I like the way you really get into knowing the character(s) and the villain(s)... but after making so many sequels, where's the connections?! Some games I can pick out hints and inklings from the prequels but mostly they're just totally seperate games with one title. Confusion... :confused:

[ljkkjlcm9]

The storylines are fantastic and I like the way you really get into knowing the character(s) and the villain(s)... but after making so many sequels, where's the connections?! Some games I can pick out hints and inklings from the prequels but mostly they're just totally seperate games with one title. Confusion... :confused:

Uhm, yes completely true

THE JACKEL

[theundeadhero]

Zelda II on NES is a direct sequal to Zelda I.
Link's Awakening is a direct sequal to A Link to the Past
Minish Cap is a prequal to Four Swords.

[Avarice-ness]

I can't say it better than I just said on another thread.


The game ends for me in Zelda when I gain the ability to fish..
Conflict of Intrests.. Save Zelda.. Or fish?

[VorpalCyberWolf]

I always found it fun to play Zelda games just because the world is fun to explore, creating good gameplay. They do lack plot and story compared to most other RPGs IMHO though.

[Avarice-ness]

I always found it fun to play Zelda games just because the world is fun to explore, creating good gameplay. They do lack plot and story compared to most other RPGs IMHO though.
and you can fish.:D

[Leucant]

I have to admit, TLOZ series doesn't have much that other RPGs don't. It used to be my absolute fave when I was younger before I got into FF. ;) I'm still a fan... But there's one thing that bothers me about both series and that is this:

The storylines are fantastic and I like the way you really get into knowing the character(s) and the villain(s)... but after making so many sequels, where's the connections?! Some games I can pick out hints and inklings from the prequels but mostly they're just totally seperate games with one title. Confusion... :confused:

Well ummm first of all I'd just like to point out that Zelda isn't under the RPG category... I thought that was pretty obvious. I think any real Zelda fan(Not to mention Nintendo) would agree it's under like an action/adventure genre.

In fact most of them have connections. Like TheUndeadHero said earlier and also OOT and Majora's Mask are also connected and soon Twilight Princess should have some connection to those two although i don't know that's just what they said last year at E3. I can't see how they could be connected since Link turns into a flippin wolf.

[Zeldy]

The game ends for me in Zelda when I gain the ability to fish..
Conflict of Intrests.. Save Zelda.. Or fish?
Or ride Epona :excited:

[Cruise Control]

Or ride EponaDon't you mean to beat Epona to make it go faster

[Roto13]

Zelda II on NES is a direct sequal to Zelda I.
Link's Awakening is a direct sequal to A Link to the Past
Minish Cap is a prequal to Four Swords.
Majoras Mask, Wind Waker, and Twilight Princess are direct sequels to Ocarina of Time
Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons take place one after the other if you link them together
Four Swords Adventure is a direct sequel to Four Swords

[BatChao]

I wouldn't really call Wind Waker a direct sequel to OoT since it takes place so far in the future that whatever happened in OoT doesn't really matter, though events in the game are referred to.

I'm not really sure what makes Zelda so great... I myself like the series a lot, but am not a diehard fan on it. Honestly, I've only player a bit of 2, most of LttP, and all of OoT and WW. I think all the hoopla of OoT is because it was one of the pioneering 3D adventure games. It had an intuitive camera control, wide exploration (for the time), and basically showcased what a 3D game could really be like. OoT, Mario 64, and Tomb Raider are probably the three games that defined what 3D adventuring has currently become.

[Roto13]

Wind Waker is still a direct sequel, though. The events of OOT matter. Hell, the only reason Link dresses in green this time is because of the hero of time :p

[Avarice-ness]

I caught a really big fish once...

[black orb]

>>> Link.. and maybe the music..

[Markus. D]

Wind Waker is one of the greatest games I have ever played.

I dont really think anything of the others....

edit: my reasons why? well.
I played up to the point of completing the half sunken temple place with the castle frozen in time or something like that (only had it for a week).

all the trials I encountered (except the prison, I kind of hated that the first time, but liked revisiting it ;)) were amazing to explore scenicly and venture around.

and sailing on the sea scared me at times (*spoiling this* Sailing through the seas while Gannondorf has cursed you is scary... especially when a shark begins chasing you and you get knocked out of your boat, I think I instantly pressed the reset button (a me thing) >_<).

[Fire_Emblem776]

And did we forget the fans who argue over the vague timeline? Those are always fun to read. ^_^

[escobert]

The Legend of Zelda was the first game I EVER played so it has a special place in my heart, and A Link to the Past was the first game I ever beat on my own so I <3 that game also. THose are my favorite Zeldas, the rest were ok to me.

[fantasyjunkie]

My favorite thing about the Zelda games was how well they they worked out with the controls. I can't even begin to count how many games I've played with control issues but a Zelda game, they were aways right on track.

[The Void]

Does Link do anything else other than fight Gannon, rescue Princess Zelda and retrieve the Triforce?

[Fire_Emblem776]

He can fish, go bug hunting, grave digging, horse ridding..:eep:

[oddler]

And did we forget the fans who argue over the vague timeline? Those are always fun to read. ^_^

Just for fun, I would love to see that! If two people even remotely came close to the same timeline, I would die. And what's worse, if they actually did come up with the same order, I doubt they would have the same reasons.

And to add to the list, Link can go ghost-hunting, practice archery, and chop up signs then magically put them back together (my favorite).

[Roto13]

There are other important things for him to do. Like rescue Oracles and wake up a giant flying whale to destroy a dream island.

[Hawkeye]

You really have to play Zelda OOT when it first came out. Not many other games for the N64 could compare to OOT graphics.

[Dreddz]

If that was the reason why it was so great, then I dont think I would of liked it anyway.

[Roto13]

It's not the reason it was so great. It was just a huge game with lots of fun stuff to do.

[theundeadhero]

There is no "timeline" that all the Zeldas fall into, just like FF games don't fall into a set timeline. Not all of them are meant to be sequals.

[Fire_Emblem776]

And OOT is the first in the timeline. After that fans argue-_-

[Giga Guess]

*foams at the mouth* TEH SAGES ARE TEH AWESOME!

Seriously, though, the music, IMHO was the selling feature for me.

[Roto13]

*foams at the mouth* TEH SAGES ARE TEH AWESOME!
>_<

[oddler]

And OOT is the first in the timeline. After that fans argue-_-

Totally agreed.

[theundeadhero]

He's also a young kid in Link to the Past, Link's awakening, 4-swords, Minish Cap, Ages/Seasons, and Windwaker. They aren't meant to be in any kind of order.

[KentaRawr!]

He's also a young kid in Link to the Past, Link's awakening, 4-swords, Minish Cap, Ages/Seasons, and Windwaker. They aren't meant to be in any kind of order.

I am fairly positive that all the games are connected in some way. But that is beside the point.

What I see in Zelda... Well, OoT wasn't the best in my opinion. What I do see in OoT, however, is a pretty solid battle system. But I don't see much story. The story, to me, is like one big excuse to go from dungeon to dungeon. But I liked going from dungeon to dungeon, so I was all set.

However, while OoT brought the Zelda Games to 3D, the only real reason people consider it so great is because of how people percieved it at the time. Majora's Mask did not actually bring the Zelda Games to 3D. It had the same battle-system as OoT did, so people weren't as blown away. However, I consider Majora's Mask to be a much better game. The story is much more polished, and the ability to transform into other creatures is, in my opinion, a lovely idea. The story is about Link as he adventures through the land of Termina, trying to stop one of his current Fairy's best friends from destroying Clock-Town, as well as the rest of Termina.

The Wind Waker is different from the others. The battle system remains basically the same, but the battles are extremely easy when compared to Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask. The graphics, as you have probably heard, are Cel-Shaded, which for some reason is considered bad. However, even though many people do not like the Cel-Shading, I feel it brings out the emotions of the characters well. The dungeons are what one would expect from a Zelda Game after playing OoT. The story is about a boy who happens to be named Link. It's his birthday today, and so he must wear clothing very similar to the clothing the Hero of Time wore. It's a symbol of a boy turning into a man. Before the celebration can start, however, his sister is kidnapped. He joins a group of pirates, and sets off to where he thinks the kidnapper lies.

[Kyri]

I've never been a big fan of the series, sure, it's a good game but I can't see what's SO great about it. Like someone said earlier in this thread I think the game has a lack of challenge and story. Almost everyone I know who's into video games LOVES zelda and thinks I'm weird for not liking it not that much o.o'..um...yeah..

[Angel Heart]

I loved the cel-shaded look of windwaker. I thought the game was brilliant as well, my third favourite game, behind ff9 and tomb raider II.

[dirkdirden]

you are proably to young to enjoy an outdated game like zelda. and if you can play older games without thinking about only the graphics then you proably just don't like the games.

I didn't like OOT or Windwaker.

My favorite is Zelda 2. It is by far the best IMO. Followed by zelda 3, and zelda 1 started it all.

as for what the big deal is about them. Zelda 1 was the first game to use the save your game function, it was the largest scaled game of its time, had the first musical composer design the music, and without that game the NES would have never out sold the Sega Master system.

Zelda 2 was the first game to have both the over world veiw and side scrolling. It was Huge is scale, and it's graphics for the time were top notch. This game also gives link magic and the ability to level up his sword, Magic, and heart. and you fight your shadow the hardest fight in Zelda history.

Zelda 3 was a rebirth of zelda 1. No complants about this game except it wasn't long enough.

If you still don't understaind whats the big deal about zelda thats fine, just know that it is a big deal even if you don't understand it. Just like whats the big deal about E=mc2 you man not understaind it but that doesn't mean its not a big deal.

Damn I talk to much.

[oddler]

as for what the big deal is about them. Zelda 1 was the first game to use the save your game function, it was the largest scaled game of its time, had the first musical composer design the music, and without that game the NES would have never out sold the Sega Master system.

Good call on the save game function. I was going to say that. Passwords reek...

[Sally Nine]

The Zelda games are just fun to play. That's why they're so great!Some people like it, some people don't, it's the same for every game. :)

As a side-note, the Water Temple was one of the easiest in my opinion! You had to think a lot though ;_; I remember sitting down for about 20 minutes trying to figure out one stupid puzzle. Still, I preferred doing that than having to do the Shadow Temple. *shudders*

[Gau Dude]

So, what did everybody find in Zelda that I didnt :confused:

Never played OoT, but there must be a FREAKIN' REASON why the named it "Game of the Century" in Gamespot, and was the first videogame EVER to recieve a PERFECT 10 in all magazines. But hey, I haven't played it, and if the made the "Underworld 2", the proofs that the world may be wrong.
Yeah.
Of course.

[dirkdirden]

As a side-note, the Water Temple was one of the easiest in my opinion! You had to think a lot though ;_; I remember sitting down for about 20 minutes trying to figure out one stupid puzzle. Still, I preferred doing that than having to do the Shadow Temple. *shudders*

I don't dis like it becuase its hard I dislike it becuase its annoying gong up.....going down..... going up..... going down.....wait ... yep going up again.