The best Zelda game ever? [Archive]

Joshie

Jul 26, 2008, 11:17 AM

Kylie

Jul 26, 2008, 12:34 PM

I'm not that experienced with Zelda, so this might sound dumb. ^^; But I voted for Oracle Of Seasons. I really enjoyed that game. I've only played four others, and they were so long ago.

AlexCraig

Jul 26, 2008, 12:41 PM

There is that "best" again. What is with that word?

Pour moi, A Link to the Past. Bar none. I was started off on Link's Awakening, but when I heard that they had one for SNES when I was 8, I had to play it and get it. I did, and am now an uber Zelda geek. I have every game.

Now older, I know that ALTTP started MOST of what is in Zelda nowadays (not all, but most). I had a list somewhere, but hell if I know where to put it. So instead, I shall give the abridged version.
Some of the music (Zelda's song/Lullaby, Kakariko Village, Ganon's theme, etc)
Some of the areas (Kakariko, Lake Hylia, Hyrule Castle, etc)
Some of the inventory (Hookshot, empty bottles, Hammer, etc)
Some of the key items (Pieces of Heart, Master Sword, Mirror Shield, whirling blade technique, etc)
Some of the key plotlines (7 wisemen/sages, 3 pendants/stones, betraying council, light-dark worlds/past-future times, Link's family, etc)

The list goes on, but eh... I don't want to go Zelda geek at the moment. Leastways here.

Shadowpawn

Jul 26, 2008, 12:49 PM

I always enjoyed Wind Waker. The feeling of sailing across the world with just a small boat was always memorable to me.

Sayara

Jul 26, 2008, 01:22 PM

LTTP: For the soul fact Dark World Dungeons.

Stezan

Jul 26, 2008, 01:59 PM

I better post an answer myself.

I must say The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask.

This Zelda game... I can say so much about it. You really have to be into the Zelda series to get through this very complicated game. It maybe quite random at times but everywhere you go in this game has a story that ties in with what your doing. It is the feeling that your not the only one in the game with problems that makes it quite the experience.

If I had to compare this game to a movie, I would compare the story to The Dark Knight.

I'd definitely have to agree with you. The game has a darker mood than any of the "dark" themed Zeldas (LttP and TP) and it is because you get to know all the npcs and their problems and help them, though never completely fixing everything. At the end, the game leaves unanswered questions such as "What will the Gorons do now that I'm done playing dress-up as their leader whom they believe is still alive?"

Also, the Song of Healing is the saddest music in any Zelda game, I wish it were in Brawl.

UnderscoreX

Jul 26, 2008, 01:59 PM

Wand of Gamelon

Kizeragi

Jul 26, 2008, 02:23 PM

I love them all, I wouldnt really say what is best. But if had too...

I better post an answer myself.

I must say The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask.

This Zelda game... I can say so much about it. You really have to be into the Zelda series to get through this very complicated game. It maybe quite random at times but everywhere you go in this game has a story that ties in with what your doing. It is the feeling that your not the only one in the game with problems that makes it quite the experience.

If I had to compare this game to a movie, I would compare the story to The Dark Knight.

I would second this. Majora's Mask, to say the least, was extremely tough. I still laugh at that Moon's face though. xD

AlexCraig

Jul 26, 2008, 02:31 PM

Wand of Gamelon

Heh, I sure hope that was a joke. :lol:

Fure_Rakune

Jul 26, 2008, 02:39 PM

I voted for Legend of Zelda: Links Awakening.
The game itself was pretty impressive in scale for a hand held regular Game Boy game.
Aside from the original NES one, I found myself constantly replaying this one - the music was memorable, the dungeons were fun and the extra content through side quest was plenty imaginative for a hand held.
Add a little dash of nostalgia factor - it got my vote.

Libram

Jul 26, 2008, 06:23 PM

Majora's Mask

The best and most worthwhile reason? You can fight any boss at any time. There's no need to restart the game to replay through anything. It also takes a massive effort to run through everything in one day, and I am proud to say I managed to do just that the last time I played. *sigh* I just wish my copy still worked. I wonder if the Virtual Console version plays more like the original cartridge game or the somewhat choppier Gamecube version.

Eihwaz

Jul 26, 2008, 07:04 PM

The list goes on, but eh... I don't want to go Zelda geek at the moment. Leastways here.
Bit late for that, innit? :wacko:

I think that Twilight Princess is the best Zelda game, mainly for trying a few new things in terms of storyline, and having a massively epic world to explore through. The size of the game is a double-edged sword, of course: I've only played through it once, which is rare for me. I was pleased to not have to go through tons of sailing, but the "Hey let's hunt down all the light shards so this section of Hyrule can be saved from the Twilight!" sections really felt like artificial lengthening.

Ocarina of Time is a very close second, since it redefined the game and set the bar pretty high for all following action/adventure style games. I also feel that Majora's Mask is very underrated. True, it was rather on the short side, but the more engaging storyline, the innovative Mask system, and stylishly advanced (for its time) graphics more than make up for that.

eXo

Jul 26, 2008, 08:43 PM

The one with Link in it :smile:

Anduril

Jul 26, 2008, 08:48 PM

In terms of design and game play I would have to say Twilight Princess is my favorite, but I voted for the Oracle games because I had the most fun playing those.

Alastor_Haven

Jul 26, 2008, 09:22 PM

A Link to the past
Wind Waker

eXo

Jul 26, 2008, 10:02 PM

I really REALLY !! enjoyed windwaker also however I had to chose orcarina of time because it introduced me to epona and it was love at first sight.

amtalx

Jul 26, 2008, 10:23 PM

A Link to the Past. Next?

Leviathan

Jul 26, 2008, 10:33 PM

The one with Link in it :smile:

/Thread :wacko:

I like a lot of Legend of Zelda games, but Wind Waker is my favourite.

My vote: Wind Waker.
I loved everything about the art style. The explosions were magnificent, &EVERYTHING was vibrant. I loved it. <3 I think my favourite dungeon was when he had to retrieve Farore's Pearl. It was very refreshing from most games with 3-D, &this one was different. Music was great. I'm going to go play it now.

EDIT: I liked the Four Swords one too. I liked havnig people come together &work towards a common goal. &Yelling at each other. :wacko:

smatchimo

Jul 26, 2008, 10:55 PM

I loved Ocarina of Time! It was the first game that gave me that "epic" feeling inside. I remember the first Deku Baba that attacked me. It scared the crap out of me. But anyways, I just wanted to represent the first game that gave me that adrenaline rush.

SubstanceD

Jul 27, 2008, 10:04 AM

Wow, you pretty much listed all the Zelda games. I wasn't expecting that, kudos on creating a thorough poll.

I voted Link's Awakening/DX. It's hard to descibe why I prefer this Zelda game to all the others but I guess the most basic reason is that it all the other ones have certain elements which I don't like as much, Link's Awakening was the only one that I was 100% happy with. I loved the story, the world, the dungeons, the puzzles, the side quests, the bosses, everything.

DLShAdOw

Jul 27, 2008, 12:36 PM

LINK'S CROSSBOW TRAINING!
But seriously, it's a very close call between Majora's and Ocarina. I love them both so much!

Vitamin_D

Jul 27, 2008, 01:09 PM

I'll throw my vote into A Link to the Past as well. The game was and still is absolutely astonishing. I'll say though that right behind it is Ocarina of Time. Ocarina of time would have easily been my favorite if it wasn't for one hang up, it's much easier to finish than Link to the Past is. Still though both are fantastic games, but the SNES gem gets my vote.

Feelmirath

Jul 27, 2008, 04:01 PM

Majora's Mask. No further questions.

Monochrome

Jul 27, 2008, 07:36 PM

Link to the Past

It's so magical! *flies away on a Rainbow Pegasus*

shotsfired

Jul 27, 2008, 08:59 PM

the original Zelda for me. That game made me a gamer. a close 2nd is Ocarina, followed by Wind Waker. shame on me for not playing twilight princess..... yet

HeartBreak301

Jul 28, 2008, 03:22 AM

Have to go with Ocarina, it's got everything!
Nostalgia
Awesomeness
A post man who is faster than a Kenyan olympic sprinter
Friggin GANON, Ocarina has the coolest Ganon ever
GOSSIP STONES! Hit it with a bomb to make a rocket ship! (yeah they were in Majora too but Ocarina pioneered it).
---------------
For second place I'd vote Majora and Ages/Seasons plus A Link to the Past.
Majora just rules, Fierce Diety's mask and replayable bosses FTW
Ages and Seasons because they outdid themselves on it for a Gameboy game, link them for extra content? Rock on!
And if you don't like a Link to the Past you must hate Zelda games.

Syl

Jul 28, 2008, 04:36 AM

Something about Wind Waker really just caught me like no other Zelda game, as good as they all might be. I think it was just a combination of all its elements that I really enjoyed.

YB Obi-wan

Jul 28, 2008, 04:46 AM

Ocarina of time is a classic

Merumeru

Jul 28, 2008, 06:26 AM

A Link To The Past XD but thats just due to nostalgia, im sure, when i was younger, it was mindblowing X3

Split

Jul 28, 2008, 09:37 AM

WIND WAKER. Not only the best zelda game ever, but also the best game ever. I still play it a lot, and I have both 360 and PS3. Talk about replay value..also it and majora's mask tie for having the most original stories in the Zelda universe (and Twilight Princess gets the prize for having the least original one, and for taking the Wind Waker's combat system and making it significantly worse)

drizzle

Jul 28, 2008, 09:37 AM

The best one, that would have to be the only one I ever finished - Phantom Hourglass.

SuperChoco

Jul 28, 2008, 10:53 PM

A link to the past.
I liked it because it is the game all other zelda's have taken from structure-wise.
The thing that sold it for me was the ability to do many different stragedies on different bosses(you wouldn't understand unless you have killed a boss with a bee, it makes you fuzzy inside)

Delete

Jul 30, 2008, 03:25 PM

I cant really say which one i like best, but some of my favorites were seasons/ages, minish cap, phantom hour glass and the one for the original gameboy, forgot the name but its the one where the last boss is the shadow thing where you have to shoot arrows in his eye.
Also the one for super nintendo, i think its link to the past. Ill give reasons for why i like these after i go take a sh....shower.. lol, i was really gonna say shower..:smile:

AlexCraig

Jul 30, 2008, 03:32 PM

GB = Link's Awakening
SNES = A Link to the Past

Delete

Jul 30, 2008, 03:49 PM

Because i really like the zelda series, here goes..

Seasons/Ages:I liked this one because it had a cool ideal of making 2 games with different weapons and bosses. Almost like pokemon, you could also get codes from each one to get rings and to fight ganon, (whom i managed to beat without getting hit at all, i know..big deal).And just like most zeldas, the music was awesome, my favorite was the lava castle in ages, i think it was the 4th or 5th dungeon.

Minish Cap: Just when you think theres no more ideals, they pop another one on ya. Although it seemed shorter than others, it was still a classic. Bringing back old weapons, feather, bow n arrow, and also the new ones, gust wind thingy, etc, proved to be awesome.

Link to the past: If this is the one im thinking about, then the reason why i liked this one was because it was actually hard. Unlike the other zeldas, the bosses in this one were tough. I still love to play this one on my pc.

Phantom Hourglass:This was the last one i played and i enjoyed every bit of it. Some of the most clever puzzles ever,(the whole close your ds thing was crazy) that might be a spoiler for the ones who didnt play yet. Plus, the graphics were colorful and impressive. The only annoying thing about this was the fact that you had to keep redoing the temple stuff. It got really boring for me and it wasnt all that easy either. But overall, this game is one of the best games for ds.

Well, im done. I like other zelda games too, but my hands hurt.

Sharkyland

Aug 2, 2008, 12:38 AM

From 'all' the Zelda games I've played (meaning I haven't played them all): Link to the Past...

Being the predecessor for 'Four Swords' (another damn Zelda game I like), Link to the Past had some good gameplay. I just remember just not having a guide trying to figure out how to get to so & so dungeon though the only thing I didn't like too much about it was the magic (bombos, etc), I found it kinda... useless.

Best Zelda ending: Windwaker. ^_^

MikePWN'd(u)

Aug 26, 2008, 01:08 AM

Defiantly I think the most you have to think on is The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask becasue you have to go back in time all the time and find all those mask even the one you don't need to get the last master at the end, I could go on and on but I think everyone here knows what I'm talking about.

The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask is defiantly a one of a kinda game and their never going to make a game like this again.

Aug 26, 2008, 01:13 PM

my favorite is tied with majora's mask because of the last mask where link looked evil and ALTTP because those two was very detailed and big at the time because you could upgrade your sword several times in ALTTP which now it seems they don't do anymore in most of the games and for MM for it's darker story which I enjoyed a lot.

I found TLP to be a little on the easy side which seem to be true for a lot of the new games coming out or maybe it just me.

Outrider

Aug 26, 2008, 10:24 PM

Ocarina of Time, hands down.

OoT has pretty much one of the best designed worlds of any game on any system. Every area feels alive, every character has a personality. Each place you visit melds perfectly with the adjacent plain/dungeon/town/etc. There were times when I would simply walk from one end of Hyrule to the next, admiring the artistry of the game; I'd watch the sun set in Gerudo Village and rise over the peak of Death Mountain.

Ocarina of Time also gave us the first truly dedicated story. Certainly the other games had stories prior to that (which Link's Awakening having one of my favorite tales for the series), but OoT really fleshed out the characters and focused on the interpersonal relationships. This game is about Link and Zelda, Link and the Sages, Link and Ganon, and Link and Hyrule. As Link, you get to watch your actions change the future of the land and the people around you.

And then there's the gameplay. The lock-on feature, while not as revolutionary now as it was back then, makes combat easy to learn. The sword fighting was as exciting as the acrobatics. Each item was refreshingly re-imagined in 3D, making even old staples like the Boomerang or Bow & Arrow surprising and fun.

It might not have the style of Wind Waker. It might not be as streamlined as A Link to the Past or as experimental as Majora's Mask. The relative dark tone and in-depth combat don't really compete with the equivalent elements of Twilight Princess. Even with all this, the game wins in my book. The game is knitted together without a loose thread. The setting, the gameplay, everything - Ocarina of Time is as close to a perfect game as you can get, even 10 years later.

While we're at it, it was a pleasant surprise to see so many fans of Wind Waker (underrated by many) and Majora's Mask (it has a cult following, but it should be a mainstream gem). The disappointing thing is how many people seem to have missed out on the genius of the first Zelda Game Boy game: Link's Awakening. If you can find the game, get it. It's a great Zelda adventure that isn't afraid to break from the Zelda stereotypes in order to have some fun.

Xefi

Aug 30, 2008, 11:56 PM

I picked "A Link to the Past" because that was the most
epic adventure game i've played back in the old Super
Nintendo days; that game gave me the most joy.

My second favorite would be "Ocarina of Time." It was
also an epic adventure game with those hard puzzles.

i haven't play the new Zelda games yet, so i can't really
say much about them either.

edit: ha ha ha...wait. Those two Zelda games that i mention
were the only Zelda games i've ever played. :E

seph_monkey

Aug 31, 2008, 05:45 PM

my first zelda game was link to the past on the old snes and i would pick that one but back in the day i played that game over a bajillion (not an actual unit of number[i think]) times so it doesnt feel to special to me hahaha

my choice would have to be ocarina of time cause it brings back a nice feeling when i had no worries in the world hahaha

CupOfCoffee

Aug 31, 2008, 06:48 PM

I'm with Outrider; it really doesn't get better than Ocarina of Time. Although I shamefully have never played all the way through A Link To the Past, and Majora's Mask and Link's Awakening also have special places in my heart, I don't think I could ever call another Zelda game an overall better piece of work than Ocarina.

Mark87

Aug 31, 2008, 09:11 PM

Outrider

Sep 1, 2008, 01:49 AM

Twilight princess.
Loved the story line, and the dungeons were funner (<--- IT'S A WORD!!!)
then wind waker and ocarina of time not saying thought weren't good cus they were lol. I liked all the new items too.

I didn't read all the post so i dont know if som1 asked this but have ya'll heard of a new one coming out???

There's a new one coming out.

All they've said is that the team is working on something, but it's Zelda. You can assume that at any given point, they are working on at least one new Zelda game.

Shinko

Sep 2, 2008, 11:44 AM

A Link to the past has the most votes so far man wtf?

Sigh man i just don't get that. Yes i played ALL zelda games and Link to the past isn't all that great. Granted it is one of the better 1's but to say it's the greatest....... just no.

I'll say the top 1 is... Ocarina of Time That was just an over all good Zelda game.

I also kinda tooken a great liking to The Wind Waker.... I don't know i just love that one alot. It wasn't really that hard it's just it was a different feeling from a zelda game and i like that. I also like the chibi looking link and zelda XD

Oh and for them Majora's Mask ppl..... wtf again?

extremely tough?

Man... i was so upset with this game. The story was cool and i like the way the did the whole time thing (though sometimes it got annoying) but....
it was FAR too easy and quick. It was the fastest one to me. When i beat it i was like that's it. Even when getting all the masks it was still fast...... idk maybe i'm just too good..... i just dont get it.

Whitewarrior52

Sep 2, 2008, 11:51 AM

I picked LoZ: Twilight princess as my fav but LoZ: Phantom Hourglass comes as a close second due to the gameplay aspect. I liked how they used the stylus so well in that game.

thematesV2

Sep 2, 2008, 12:51 PM

i don't know about anyone else, but the amount of mythology built up in my subconscious was elevated about 100* when I was a little kid and I first laid eyes on that chrome gold nintendo cartridge.. "this game is a block of gold, a treasure waiting to be discovered/won...." nintendo told us with that simple action....

man, why can't video game companies make great statements like that now-adays... I guess halo 2's metal cased special reserve edition was kind of like the same thing.... but not nearly as affective.

Para

Sep 2, 2008, 02:18 PM

Quick hits:
I started Zelda with the originals on NES. Epic classics.
Then I played Zelda for SNES, A link to the past, also amazing game though I played Ocarina of Time first before A Link to the Past so the fun factor seemed a bit diminished but never the less I enjoyed it. Ocarina was amazing and definitely a game of its time that no other could compare. Majora's Mask was hard but very innovative.

Then Twilight Princess... best Zelda game of all time. I loved the implementation of wiimote, I always wanted to jump into a patch of monsters and do the slice and dice. The story was great with the addition of a new princess and switching from Wolf form to human. I also loved the soundtrack and some wonderful pieces that came back in Twilight Princess.

I also played Phantom Hourglass which was also an awesome game. Though it seemed a bit easier than its predecessors, I really enjoyed the story, theme and gameplay fit in together as a whole.

I wish I had a GC to play Windwaker but given with what's on my plate... not for a long time.