Favorite Zelda

[Moosferatu]

I'm right in the middle of playing A Link to the Past for my first time. It's awesome. It took me a while to get into it at first because I was taken a bit aback by its difficulty compared to the other Zelda games, especially after having just played Minish Cap, but I'm glad I gave it another chance. While I haven't finished it yet, I'd say that it's probably going to be my favorite of the series, though I haven't played the very first two or, unfortunately, any of the N64 or NGC games.

If I were to rank them it'd probably go: A Link to the Past, Oracle of Ages, Link's Awakening, Oracle of Seasons, and, finally, Minish Cap. I really love Link's Awakening, and it was the very first gameboy game I ever played (as well as first Zelda game). But, Oracle of Ages is also quite good, and it has some truly wicked dungeons in it. It's been so long since I've played either of them though. They really need a re-release that'll work on the DS.

Minish Cap I found to be a bit disappointing. It seemed to lack heart, and the dungeons weren't even that good, especially the bosses which were re-used in multiple dungeons with crazy changes like fighting two instead of one. This sucked since they really weren't that interesting the first time around.

Oh, one other thing, I think it's interesting that when you go to the Dark World for the first time in A Link to the Past the animal representation of Link is a rabbit, yet for Twilight Princess the animal representation of Link is going to be a wolf. I guess rabbits just aren't badass enough anymore.

[n0wak]

Oh, one other thing, I think it's interesting that when you go to the Dark World for the first time in A Link to the Past the animal representation of Link is a rabbit, yet for Twilight Princess the animal representation of Link is going to be a wolf. I guess rabbits just aren't badass enough anymore.

Well, I think the implication is that if you're a rabbit you're cute and harmless -- which was the whole point since you couldn't do anything unless you had the orb to retain your shape. I think the whole point of TP's transformation is so that you can attack and be more aggressive. In that context, I don't think a rabbit would work. Well, maybe http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabbit_of_Caerbannog

But yes. "Link to the Past". I've beaten that game more than all the other Zeldas combined.

[Jayel]

I can tell you which ones are my least favourite.

The Adventure of Link, because I don't know what the hell's going on in that one.

And Majora's Mask because I can never get to the first checkpoint.

[Roderick]

I haven't played all of them, but The Windwaker would probably be my favourite for reasons of setting, atmosphere and visual style. Also, it was on the easy side, so Miyamoto and his team wisely decided for once to abandon the at times frustratingly challenging design ethics of Ocarina and Majora. In both of the latter two games there was a period in the middle where I just completely lost interest. In Ocarina I prevailed and finally finished it, but majora sadly bit the dust in the third temple out of no-fun difficulty. Windwaker, on the other hand, completely captivated me with its wonderfully magical and fun setting, playful design and laudable first steps towards some more in-depth interactivity with the many NPC's (which is in my opinion tragically lacking in most Zelda games, coming across as shallow to me).

[BigJKO]

Link's Awakening is the only Zelda game I ever finished.

I got very close to finishing Wind Waker, but lost interest during the tri-force hunt. I wish I hadn't sold it. Really, really want to play it now.

Didn't get further than the fire temple, if I remember correctly, in Ocarina of Time. No, wait. I got further. Well, at any rate, that one I never finished.

A Link To The Past was awesome, but I never finished it. Got to the last boss, I think.

I love A Link To The Past, Link's Awakening and Wind Waker. For me Ocarina of Time seems kind of overrated. It's awesome, but it just falls short of being amazing for me. Must be because I can never get used to the N64's clumsy controller. Or maybe I'm just clumsy.

[miffy495]

I have played (and beaten) every Zelda game out there, with the exception of the CD-I ones. As ground-breaking and incredible as OoT was, Wind Waker wins for me because of one single moment during the game. When you're underwater, and you finally get to see Hyrule (the REAL Hyrule, dammit!) in all it's cell shaded glory. God, what I would have given to be able to run around that and check everything out. I didn't even want gameplay there, I just wanted to explore. It was beautiful, and all we got to see was the view from Lake Hylia. The only moment that OoT had that could compare was when you first reached the top of Death Mountain and had a perfect view of everything that the game had to offer you. But that wasn't cell-shaded. Also, it didn't have the added awesome of the shimmering under-water-y effects. Just gorgeous. As for gameplay, I hold the two games at about equal standings, but that one moment puts Wind Waker over the top.

[-MaSQuE-]

In my humble opinion the most legendary stories and situations were in Link to the Past. It's at least the best 2D one, and very probably the best one, period. For me OoT's handling seemed a little (too?) stiff whilst running around and collecting rupees.

(Even though I played all the Zelda games, I'm ashamed to admit that I still haven't beaten the original NES ones. So I can't totally confirm what I just wrote. This feels useless.)

[baconian]

The adventure of link on the NES was the first one I played and it was awesome, I don't care what you say.

I voted for OOT though, for it's sheer depth, and the

collapsing castle & ganon at the end.

[Aussie Ben]

Link's Awakening all the way. It was the game that first got me into Zelda, and always seemed to be the best. After that, I'd definitely say Majora's Mask. What an awesome game. Particularly the whole wedding mask business. It's funny, I seem to like the Zelda games that, you know, don't actually have Zelda in them.

Wind Waker was alright, except for the whole MS Paint bucket ocean business and the fact that you could leave the damn boat pointing in one direction, then would have to wait for ten minutes of monotony while you waited for the boat to arrive at its destination. Who's bright idea was it to remove dungeons at the cost of MORE OCEAN, that's what I'd like to know.

Not to mention the whole bit where Tetra is a kickarse pirate until she discovers that she's Zelda, then she's all "Oh no I have to hide out and wait now because I'm a princess and must hide because that's what princesses do despite the fact that I was a PIRATE QUEEN not five minutes ago. Seriously.

I'm done now.

[Roderick]

I liked the travelling. That palpable wind in the sail, the wonderful variant of the overworld Zelda theme... when travelling is this good, I'll take no less of it. I loved that in Shadow of the Colossus as well; just riding around to your destination in a beautiful landscape. When a game can bring me something like that with such momentous atmosphere, I always enjoy it.

[miffy495]

Hear hear! I always feel out of place when people are talking about how boring the sailing was in WW. I liked it too, man. The music to accompany it was fantastic as well. Just enough to evoke the original theme, but still original.

[Oath]

Yeah, thirding that. Sailing didn't feel boring and then all of a sudden you learned how to teleport. I think the amount of traveling you had to do was reasonable, if you spread the Triforce hunt out a bit.