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My Top 5: The Legend of Zelda
This week's blog topic was picked by my lovely Patreons! Hop on over to participate in polls, get sneak peaks of upcoming art, and thank you sketches!
I like saying that I'm as old as my favorite franchise. Although it didn't reach the States until 1987, The Legend of Zelda took over Famicoms in sweet, sweet '86, meer months before my birth. I remember watching my cousins play the original for hours, transfixed by the little green man and his adventures. Yet It wasn't until the Nintendo 64 era that I got to play on my own and, whoooo, was that a life changing experience.
Since the tender days of my youth, I've had the opportunity to love and explore the Zelda series. Not just as games, but as lore and stories. I've spent hours pouring over fan theories, and the official content and have some really deep feelings about the whole timeline thing. This week, I thought it would be fun to share my top five games in the series and why I love them.
Don't worry, I'll keep it all spoiler free as possible. As a bit of a disclaimer, there are still a few games I haven't beaten (*cough* Spirit Tracks *cough cough*). Like any franchise, not every title is going to be stellar or speak to me as a gamer, but that doesn't diminish my love for the series as a whole!
5: Link to the Past
This is, embarrassingly, a new addition to my list. Now, before everyone gets upset and throws things at their screen, allow me to explain: I NEVER HAD A SNES. And, sure I get it, virtual console releases and ROMs are entirely a thing and something I use frequently. So what was the holdup? I guess, because I read the Nintendo Power comic multiple times, I felt I didn't need to play it for the story.
Thankfully, I fixed the error of my ways this winter. One of my best friends not only nagged me until I played the majority of it (hey, now, a good nagging never hurt anyone), but he let me watch him 100% the game in one sitting. This game has not aged a day. The graphics are crisp, the music is spot on, and the puzzles are clever as hell too. If, like me, this one has slipped past your gaming radar, treat yo'self. Oh, and read the comic too--it's fantastic!
4: Majora's Mask
I understand the criticisms Majora's Mask has received over the years. It was quickly produced using updated graphical assets from Ocarina of Time. It only has 4 real dungeons and a final boss zone. The time travel mechanic puts a lot of stress on the player and you end up having to constantly manipulate time in order to do the simplest. damn, thing. And it has nothing to do with Hyrule. Yet, to me, all those flaws make it great. Look, not every game needs to a million dungeons to be good. Every zone and dungeon felt polished and accomplished its goal--to make the player feel as if they were fighting against time and fate itself. The mask mechanic was a great way to refresh gameplay and introduce new and more interesting puzzles. The Ocarina suddenly had a real purpose aside from "hey girl, check out my tasty jams." Majora's Mask was also unique in that it put interactions with NPCs as a core game mechanic. Instead of a few standard sets of dialogue, each major NPC had a story behind their actions. These characters were way more fleshed out than their Hyrulean counterparts, and it was great.
3: Twilight Princess
Okay, so there was this little game called Wind Waker that, shall we say, I am not a fan of. The visual style works well with the theme, the storyline is solid, and the dungeons are neat, but there was TOO MUCH SAILING. Islands and game mechanics brought interest to the endless ocean, but it wasn't enough to keep me visually engaged or, really, engaged at all. I actually prefer Phantom Hourglass to Wind Waker. Sacreligious, I know.
But then, Twilight Princess, with all of it's Shadow of the Colossus goodness was announced. Now this, THIS, is my kind of Zelda game. The visual details! The character backgrounds! The epic storytelling! Sumo Wrestling! THE CLEAR CALLBACK TO OCARINA AND ALL THE THEORY CRAFTING OPPORTUNITIES. This game made using the Wii tolerable. From the moment I turned it on, I instantly fell in love with Faron Woods and goat roping Link. They made it even better for the Wii-U re-release by listening to fan complaints, making the HD experience all that more amazing.
2: Breath of the Wild
I have 200 hours on this game and I still haven't beaten Gannon. Let that sink in.
1: Ocarina of Time
Maybe it's the nostalgia, or maybe it's the fact that it's such a damn good game, but I'm not sure if Ocarina will ever be replaced as my #1. Breath of the Wild got really close, but I find the overall story of Breath to be a bit lacking. It doesn't develop in the same way that other Zelda games do. You have the world, you have your mission, and that really never changes.
Ocarina changes. That bait and switch where you get a major glow up and a new mission was masterfully handled. For a child raised on a healthy diet of Tolkien and fantasy, this was the first game I played where the world felt real. It wasn't like Super Mario 64. You're not a hero in a world devoid of life. There were interactions between groups, there was politics at play, and there was the beautiful Gerudo Desert that made my heart yearn for home. I wouldn't love the franchise as much as I do if not for this game, period.
Honorable Mention: Freshly Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland
Tingle is a sex god and y'all need to show him some respect. But, no, really, this game is weird and fun in all the right ways. It never saw a US release, so you'll have to find a European ROM to experience the magic that is Tingle.
And there you have it! Do you agree with my list or wish to respectfully challenge me to a duel? That's only fair. I mean, you took the time to read my list, so why not let me read yours? Let me know in the comments your top five!
