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  • Final Fantasy

    12 92.31%
  • The Legend of Zelda

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Thread: Final Fantasy versus The Legend of Zelda

  1. #1
    Resident Critic Ayen's Avatar
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    Default Final Fantasy versus The Legend of Zelda

    Here are two long term game franchises that has nothing to do with each other, but are two of the most beloved series on this site, so I'm pitting them against each other. If you had to choose do you lie in the Final Fantasy camp (ignores the fact he's asking on a Final Fantasy forum), or the Legend of Zelda?

    When it comes to their first game, I choose Final Fantasy because I got father on it. When it comes to the second I choose Final Fantasy again. Now with the third I have to go with Zelda because Link to the Past is great. Fourth game I go with Final Fantasy again. Fifth game is Ocarina of Time, so Zelda. Sixth? Final Fantasy again. And it gets muddy from there.

    I guess I'll be predictable and vote Final Fantasy.

    Discuss.

  2. #2
    Memento Mori Site Contributor Wolf Kanno's Avatar
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    Statistically speaking, Zelda has a higher volume of good titles in percentage. FF is a bit like the band KISS and has slapped the moniker on anything they can make a profit on with varying results. So FF has had more opportunity to fail. I'll have to think about this.

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  4. #4
    Recognized Member Scotty_ffgamer's Avatar
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    Scotty Ffgamer (Sargatanas)
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    It all depends on my mood, honestly, considering how different they are.

  5. #5
    Jinx's Avatar
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    I'm with Fynn and Scotty, tbh. Not sure you can truly compare them at the end of the day.
    Quote Originally Posted by Fynn View Post
    Jinx you are absolutely smurfing insane. Never change.

  6. #6

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    Legend of Zelda is an overrated series. It's fun, but not top tier. The best Zelda games may be better than the worst FF games, but that's about it. Anything in the top half or so of numbered FFs (I'm not counting just any piece of garbage that bears the moniker) is better than any Zelda game.

  7. #7
    Memento Mori Site Contributor Wolf Kanno's Avatar
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    As has been stated, the series are way too different to really garner a fair match up. Not to mention that you really can't match up the series in a clean timeline either since FF has way higher volume of titles.

    I'd argue the original Legend of Zelda is better than all of the NES FF titles, but would turn around and say all three NES era FFs are better than Zelda II. Link to the Past is better than FFIV and V in my opinion, but not as strong as FFVI for me. Likewise, Link's Awakening is better than FFV but not FFIV. Ocarina of Time isn't as good as the four major FF titles released on the PS1, but I would concede that Majora's Mask is better than VII and VIII for me. Wind Waker is better than FFX and XI for me, but nowhere near as good as FFXII. Twilight Princess is better than any FF game released from the PS2 period onward. Skyward Sword isn't as good as any of them though. I have not played Breath of the Wild so I can't judge that one, and I'm unsure of where a lot of the handheld entries would fall though I would safely say that most FFs beat Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks. I'm still debating on where I would place Link Between Worlds among the actual Zelda titles, so I couldn't even begin to figure out where it would land among the FFs, but going by its time frame, it's competing with XIII and I hate that game, but both titles have different standards as well.

    Again, there is just different criteria for what makes both franchises appealing. If you only care about character and story then Zelda will almost always lose. Yet, if you're looking for a stronger gameplay that focuses on exploration and solving problems, then FF really doesn't hold a candle to Zelda. Zelda bosses tend to be more interesting and memorable due to a puzzle aspect to them, but FF bosses can be just as memorable for production values alone. The franchises are too different to make a fair choice and it really would come down to which style of game you prefer over which one is objectively better.

  8. #8

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    The only comparison I agree on there that favors Zelda is the original is better than the first three FFs, but then I consider the original one of the best Zelda games whereas I wouldn't put any of the first three FFs in the top half of numbered FFs. Ocarina I consider worse than any SNES or PSX FF and probably worse than some of the NES FFs. Heck, I consider it worse than FFXII, which is not a game I have any particular fondness for. Zelda II is worse even than FFII and you probably have a good idea of my opinion of that game by now.
    Link to the Past is good. One of the best in the series, but it also does not compare to any of the SNES or PSX FFs. Breath of the Wild is probably my favorite. Maybe it beats out FFV. Barely. Maybe.

    I don't particularly care that they're different games. I can compare FF with Katamari or Punch Out (FF is better than both) which are more dramatically different than Zelda games or apples and oranges (oranges usually but it may vary depending on type of each).

  9. #9

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    I just want to play with their love child.
    Jack: How do you know?

    Will: It's more of a feeling really.

    Jack: Well, that's not scientific. Feeling isn't knowing. Feeling is believing. If you believe it, you can't know because there's no knowing what you believe. Then again, no one should believe what they know either. Once you know anything that anything becomes unbelievable if only by virtue of the fact you now... know it. You know?

    Will: No.

    If Demolition Man were remade today

    Huxley: What's wrong? You broke contact.
    Spartan: Contact? I didn't even touch you.
    Huxley: Don't you want to make love?
    Spartan: Is that what you call this? Why don't we just do it the old-fashioned way?
    Huxley: NO!
    Spartan: Whoa! Okay, calm down.
    Huxley: Don't tell me to calm down!
    Spartan: What's gotten into you? 'Cause it sure as hell wasn't me.
    Huxley: Physical relations in the way of intercourse are no longer acceptable John Spartan.
    Spartan: What? Why the hell not?
    Huxley: It's the law, John. And for your information, the very idea that you suggested it makes me feel personally violated.
    Spartan: Wait a minute... violated? Huxley what the hell are you accusing me of here?
    Huxley: You need to leave, John.
    Spartan: But Huxley.
    Huxley: Get out!
    Moments later Spartan is arrested for "violating" Huxley.

    By the way, that's called satire. Get over it.

  10. #10
    Trial by Wombat Bubba's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fynn View Post
    They're not even the same genre. Apples and oranges.
    Doesn't mean you can't vote

    Apples.

  11. #11
    Recognized Member Scotty_ffgamer's Avatar
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    After a lot of thought, I still don’t think I can vote. I like both series a lot, and which I prefer playing just depends on my mood.

    Final Fantasy VIII is basically my favorite game of all time, and I admit nostalgia plays a big role in that. I used to play through the whole game once a year at least. That being said, I spent an embarrassing number of hours fishing in Ocarina of Time as a kid, and I probably played that game almost as much as VIII when it’s all said and done.

    I feel I also struggle more to enjoy newer final fantasy games whereas I haven’t hit that yet with Zelda.

  12. #12
    Memento Mori Site Contributor Wolf Kanno's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lord Golbez View Post
    The only comparison I agree on there that favors Zelda is the original is better than the first three FFs, but then I consider the original one of the best Zelda games whereas I wouldn't put any of the first three FFs in the top half of numbered FFs. Ocarina I consider worse than any SNES or PSX FF and probably worse than some of the NES FFs. Heck, I consider it worse than FFXII, which is not a game I have any particular fondness for. Zelda II is worse even than FFII and you probably have a good idea of my opinion of that game by now.
    Honestly, my only beef with Ocarina of Time, besides aging poorly in some places, is the fact the fans treat it as perfection. OoT is a mid-tier Zelda title for me, but I still get a kick out of playing from time to time. Whereas my love of the PSX generation of FFs has always been divisive for FF fans. I actually feel many of Squares non-FF titles were the real gems of that generation. Most of my issues with the franchise as a whole either began or were further exasperated that particular generation. The one element I can hand OoT over the PSX generation FFs is that the plot was more sound in execution.

    Link to the Past is good. One of the best in the series, but it also does not compare to any of the SNES or PSX FFs. Breath of the Wild is probably my favorite. Maybe it beats out FFV. Barely. Maybe.
    The one thing LttP has going for it over even the SNES FFs for me is that it's a game I'm still compelled to finish whenever I start it. Whereas the SNES FFs are games I can start, reach a certain point, and then never return to it again.

    I don't particularly care that they're different games. I can compare FF with Katamari or Punch Out (FF is better than both) which are more dramatically different than Zelda games or apples and oranges (oranges usually but it may vary depending on type of each).
    As I stated before, it's difficult for me to choose because I play both series for different reasons, so which is better really comes down to my mood at the time. I can see how some can do so because they like certain types of games more than others.

  13. #13
    Radical Dreamer Fynn's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bubba View Post
    Doesn't mean you can't vote
    You can't tell me what I can or can't do

  14. #14

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    To be fair, Link to the Past is shorter than any of the SNES FFs, so it's a bit easier to follow through on completing it. That said, I do not share the same experience. I often get bummed by the dull colors of the dark world and quit soon after. Also, there are only so many times I can deal with getting knocked off a ledge by Ganon, so sometimes I'll quit right at the end just because I don't want to go back and start over.

    As for Ocarina's plot. Well, I suppose it's not too difficult to execute a plot "well" when there are like what? Three plot points? I mean, let's be honest. There's more plot in some single scenes of the PSX FFs than the entire game of Ocarina.
    Last edited by Lord Golbez; 08-16-2019 at 08:11 PM.

  15. #15
    Memento Mori Site Contributor Wolf Kanno's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lord Golbez View Post
    To be fair, Link to the Past is shorter than any of the SNES FFs, so it's a bit easier to follow through on completing it. That said, I do not share the same experience. I often get bummed by the dull colors of the dark world and quit soon after. Also, there are only so many times I can deal with getting knocked off a ledge by Ganon, so sometimes I'll quit right at the end just because I don't want to go back and start over.
    Color palettes never bother me unless they are really atrocious. Of anything, I feel the Dark World is too bright and vibrant. Ganon can be annoying with the ledge thing, but I honestly had a bigger issue with that mechanic in OoT because of the clumsy lock on mechanic. Honestly, his pattern is pretty predictable and as long as you don't stray far during his darkness technique to light the lanterns, you can mostly avoid the ledge trap.

    As for Ocarina's plot. Well, I suppose it's not too difficult to execute a plot "well" when there are like what? Three plot points? I mean, let's be honest. There's more plot in some single scenes of the PSX FFs than the entire game of Ocarina.
    There is a bit more to the plot and story of OoT than three points, but it is certainly not as expansive as an FF. The issue for me is that FF plots started to get too unwieldy in the PSX era and beyond. It's annoying seeing how most of them can't do a decent job to tie up loose ends or coming up with some outrageous premise as a plot twist just to keep the story going. OoT has a lot of problems, but I wouldn't say the story is one of them outside of the first half being a Shaggy Dog story, and the overall plot was already known to anyone who read the manual for Link to the Past. I'll take the Hero of Time screwing up the space time continuum of Hyrule and damning three timelines over having to deal with all the red herrings about Cloud's past perpetuated by his lying "childhood friend", amnesiac orphans fighting time traveling witches, and dealing with the bat trout insane troll logic of the Alexandrian Royal family that is the crutch of IX's plot for the first half of the game. Zelda plots may never rise up to be a real page turner in the narrative department, but at least most of them have a sound story

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