Professor Beef
Banned
One is boring, the other is not fun.
-
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Kotaku: The Legend of Zelda Games, Ranked From Worst To Best
- Thread starter Kthulhu
- Start date
One is boring, the other is not fun.
Mr. Lemming
Member
I'll just do top 5 because it gets muddy after that
5. Zelda 1
4. A Link Between Worlds
3. Link's Awakening
2. Twilight Princess
1. Link to the Past
5. Zelda 1
4. A Link Between Worlds
3. Link's Awakening
2. Twilight Princess
1. Link to the Past
JeTmAn81
Member
You threw me for a second, I thought you were talking about one-time EVO appearing Pokken
Word. It just feels SO GOOD to play 2D Zelda.
Professor Beef
Banned
No, just the yawn-inducing (but passable) LttP and the cure for insomnia that is OoT.
Majukun
Member
it's easy in general,but if normal 3d zelda is "boy" level,wind waker is "infant"
More like Inner-city-middle-school-teacher Beef.
What about the games did you find boring?
LiveFromKyoto
Member
Given that nobody will ever agree on these lists, that one's pretty solid.
Of the games I've played, here's mine:
9. Zelda II
8. Majora's
7. Twilight Princess
6. Zelda
5. LttP
4.Ocarina
3. Oracle
2. Minish Cap
1. Wind Waker HD
Of the games I've played, here's mine:
9. Zelda II
8. Majora's
7. Twilight Princess
6. Zelda
5. LttP
4.Ocarina
3. Oracle
2. Minish Cap
1. Wind Waker HD
DragonGirl
Member
Sure, let's make a list.
2D Zeldas I have played in order of preference:
1: Link to the Past, Link Between Worlds
2. Link's Awakening, Minish Cap
3: Oracle of Ages, Oracle of Seasons
3D Zeldas I have played in order of preference:
1: Twilight Princess, Skyward Sword
2. Majora's Mask
3. Ocarina of Time
4. Wind Waker
5. Phantom Hourglass
6. Spirit Tracks
2D Zeldas I have played in order of preference:
1: Link to the Past, Link Between Worlds
2. Link's Awakening, Minish Cap
3: Oracle of Ages, Oracle of Seasons
3D Zeldas I have played in order of preference:
1: Twilight Princess, Skyward Sword
2. Majora's Mask
3. Ocarina of Time
4. Wind Waker
5. Phantom Hourglass
6. Spirit Tracks
VendettaRed07
Member
I understand ranking some games better than Ocarina.. but ranking it outside the top five is straight up contrarian nonsense.
Zelda's a pretty good video game series
lot of great games to pick from and people are unique
Mister Wilhelm
Member
It's really not. The game was revolutionary in many ways but it doesn't compare objectively to several other titles in the series.
2Smashed4U
Banned
It objectively compares to any game in the series.
We've been over this. Yes, it does.
Skel1ingt0n
I can't *believe* these lazy developers keep making file sizes so damn large. Btw, how does technology work?
Majora's Mask is my personal favorite. But how ANYONE could put ANYTHING other than OoT as the objectively best Zelda is just beyond me. That game will forever be a classic.
I've always found it interesting how opinions on this series so often differ in regards to what is and isn't enjoyable in a Zelda title, as well as which Zelda games would rank higher than others.
For example, the overworld - I've always personally loved the large open structure of Wind Waker and still believe the great sea offers more content than certain people tend to give it credit for. On the other hand, I never really could get into the more constricted, maze-like structure of the maps in games like Link's Awakening and particularly the Oracles.
That sort of subjective variation really does represent the beauty of the series though.
For example, the overworld - I've always personally loved the large open structure of Wind Waker and still believe the great sea offers more content than certain people tend to give it credit for. On the other hand, I never really could get into the more constricted, maze-like structure of the maps in games like Link's Awakening and particularly the Oracles.
That sort of subjective variation really does represent the beauty of the series though.
2Smashed4U
Banned
I think maybe everyone should just kinda pump the brakes on the "O" word here
OH, it's one of THOSE lists
Even though I generally think OOT is too dated to compare to anything great these days, it probably deserves a respect nod at position 5 behind LTTP, WW, TP, and whatever other one someone wants to insert in there.
I mean I'm not just going to let nostalgia cloud my judgement. I didn't think the game was amazing last time through or anything and the graphics were extremely tough to get through without a texture pack. Nearly impossible for me without a texture pack to be honest.
I played it ages ago when it was the new shit and then yeah it was something. But time has passed the N64 by and Mario 64 can barely even survive. I have played no major games from that era that hold to me graphically. A shame but whatever.
Ocarina will get remade someday anyway.
D.Lo
Member
Um...
And you're opinion is also pretty bad, Mario 64 still plays like a dream, and has simple graphics that haven't really aged at all.
2Smashed4U
Banned
Holy shit, why are you in this thread?
Your point has been beaten to death, you are a teenager and anything released prior to the Xbox 360/PS3 is literally unplayable trash.
I'm not so sure about graphics, but Mario 64's gameplay certainly still holds up.
How well Ocarina of Time has aged is a more interesting discussion IMO.
secretanchitman
Member
That is a bizarre list but to each his own.
My list would be as follows:
1: Ocarina of Time
2: A Link to the Past
3: A Link Between Worlds
4: Majoras Mask
5: Links Awakening
6: Wind Waker HD
7: The Minish Cap
8: Oracle of Ages/Seasons
9: Twilight Princess HD
10: Skyward Sword
11: The Legend of Zelda
12: Spirit Tracks
13: Phantom Hourglass
14: Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link
15: Tri Force Heroes
1-5 remain the best games in the series, with Ocarina of Time being the best game ever made IMO.
6-11 are great games but have their faults. Still absolutely worth playing.
12-15 are not very good games and can definitely be skipped.
My list would be as follows:
1: Ocarina of Time
2: A Link to the Past
3: A Link Between Worlds
4: Majoras Mask
5: Links Awakening
6: Wind Waker HD
7: The Minish Cap
8: Oracle of Ages/Seasons
9: Twilight Princess HD
10: Skyward Sword
11: The Legend of Zelda
12: Spirit Tracks
13: Phantom Hourglass
14: Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link
15: Tri Force Heroes
1-5 remain the best games in the series, with Ocarina of Time being the best game ever made IMO.
6-11 are great games but have their faults. Still absolutely worth playing.
12-15 are not very good games and can definitely be skipped.
Hyperactivity
Banned
They do have the best 3D zelda at the top
Tarextherex
Banned
Ok, here's my rankings. I played them all except for the coop titles. While this is obviously my opinion, it's still accurate as a global view on the series' quality, rather than pushing the internet hipster/egoraptor agenda of 2D>3D/dismissing great games by overblowing tiny issues. This is getting worse than RPG fanboys grabbing any occasion to complain about FFVII being overrated smh, give credit where it's due
None of these games are bad, but some are certainly more worth to play than others. Since this was the format used, let's do this in ascending order.
Skippable games
15. Phantom Hourglass
This game simply doesn't add much to the series. The problem isn't even the focus on the DS functions, they are actually the most memorable parts of the series, including the infamous map puzzle and that one where you find a cave in a certain island. The real issue is that the game simply feels like a watered-down Zelda, nothing from story, characters, level/world design, and items are as elaborate as they were in past games. Repeatedly going through the Temple of the Ocean King is the only actually annoying part of the series that deserves backslash, not things like intros or filler quests/minigames that aren't even that long. Not a bad videogame at all but very skippable
14. Spirit Tracks
A definite improvement in every aspect over PH, but still held back by the pretty boring DS Zelda structure(those games have no heart pieces btw). The one thing it does bring to the series is the presence of Zelda as an active character. Other than that, pretty skippable for not being as fun as the other games, but still a game that had a more elaborate creative process than...
13. A Link Between Worlds
This game doesn't deserve the hype because it's essentially a worse version of a game that came out over 20 years earlier. The merge mechanic is cool, but it never did anything better than ALTTP in the new things this game has. First off, they tried to emulate OOT by having sages to be NPCs instead of nameless maidens, but that didn't matter since those characters were simply the ones that had more than two lines of dialogue/an actual name/elaborate design. Compare that forest kid with Saria, which one had a better emotional impact in their involvement with the plot, this game's NPC interactions are only marginally superior to a game that was released in 1992. The game also has no memorable quests aside from things you did after the first dungeon to get the pegasus boots/flippers/ability to warp, there isn't anything like that afterwards. Doing dungeons in any order doesn't matter either, since you'll always want to do the thief's hideout which unlocks the desert temple to get the titan's mitts and sand rod so you don't have to do much backtracking to get missing mai mais. Doing things out of order doesn't matter when you get most of the meaningful rewards in the game through rupees, unlike past games that offered them to you via memorable scenarios or challenges(dungeons). Still a fun game, as the classic top-down structure is more fulfilling than the DS ones but absolutely doesn't deserve the hype, basically the fast-food of Zelda games
The classics
12. The Legend of Zelda
Amazing game for it's time, especially when everything offering a similar experience had horrible level design/no combat feedback at all. Good overworld. If you're a hardcore fan it's definitely worth to play to see how it all began, challenging game.
11. Zelda II: Adventure of Link
While this one has a weird gameplay structure compared to it's predecessor which was the first version of the standard used by the later 2D games, Zelda II is still a game that I put over the original for having many individual advantages. First game to have towns. Dungeons and bosses are definitely a step forwards compared to the original. Cool spell system. Combat where it matters a lot to know where the enemy is blocking(didn't expand on that until Skyward Sword!). While it's still a very obtuse game and sidescrolling Link doesn't feel as good to control as Mario, it's still a very good curiosity for hardcore fans that are interested in the evolution of the series.
Great games
10. Link's Awakening
First game in the series to have proper NPC interactions/a story that isn't about the Triforce/etc. The dungeons also have a better sense of purpose rather than only having a environmental theme, for example Face Shrine revealing the twist, Catfish's Maw with the recurring Stalfos mini-boss, Eagle's Tower being all about those metal balls, etc. Remarkable game for it's time, but it was outdone in most of it's best aspects by most later games in the series.
9. Oracle of Seasons
Having played Ages first, I was sure that a similar game with the very interesting power of changing Seasons would be even better... but no, this game isn't quite as elaborate as Ages. This is basically like TP but in 2D, you have very fun/interesting moment-to-moment gameplay with interesting dungeons and environments, great items(magnetic glove!) and abilities, but everything outside of that is pretty average. While Ages managed to transfer the complexity of 3D games in a 2D titles, this one opted for references to the older titles, featuring bosses from the original and a map structure that is a bit too similar to LA's. Not as mind-blowing as it seems but still a very solid 2D game
8. Twilight Princess
As mentionned above, TP is simply a game with very fun moment-to-moment gameplay, but lacks the nuances in the parts that aren't the dungeons in other games. It tried to replicate OOT's success but TP feels too formulaic. OOT had a bunch of interesting things to do between dungeons and overall amazing pacing but TP doesn't have much going on in that aspect. You follow story sequences, you do great dungeons with great items that you won't use ever again besides in some cave/part of the overworld that hides a heart piece, rinse and repeat, no particularly interesting sidequests or returning to previously visited places with twists in this game. Still a very fun, polished game
7. Minish Cap
The last truly great top-down Zelda, last game by the Flagship guys at well(most of which worked on Skyward Sword and the upcoming Breath of the Wild). It's fairly short for a Zelda game but it's still all-around great. The shrinking mechanic was well used throughout the game, it had only 5 dungeons but they were all great,very nice boss battles very interesting items, nice dense overworld and nice story. The kinstone system was a simple but efficient way of linking overworld/dungeon explorations with character-related sidequests: when you find them, you can combine them by talking to the correct NPC to then trigger an event in the world. It can be the arrival of a particular character in the area or simply opening a gave with a chest, depending of how rare the kinstone is. All-around great game
Cream of the crop, must-plays
6. A Link to the Past
I admit it, for this ranking I decided to not put it in the top 5 to give credit to a very underrated game, but while this one is tremendously overrated by certain fanboys lately, I have to give credit where it's due. It's an absolutely fantastic game, especially for the year it came out. It started a huge bunch of series staples, including the first memorable/themed dungeons, alternate world mechanic, diverse soundtrack, cooler items, Link actually swinging his sword, an actual plot, truly a giant step forward for the series. The overworld is very good and they did an excellent job in terms of finding items in the world. Most "flaws" in that game are in that it was outdone by later games in the series, but one I can adress for the time is the lack of character interactions. There is only a single town in the game and not much happens in it. If you compare Zelda games with regular JRPGs in that department, Zelda usually wins but not for that generation.
5. Oracle of Ages
This GBC game implemented a bunch of elements that were usually found in 3D games. The time traveling mechanic was used very creatively, even though you would expect that it got old by that point. It had a great story that often broke the monotony of the handheld Zelda structure of "go through 8 dungeons". Speaking of those, they were often as complex as 3D ones(you basically had the Water and Spirit Temples in there). It's simply a 2D game taking pages of the book of OOT and MM and it does it very well on it's own with the very involved gameplay/character interactions which are barely seen in the 2D entries. Most underrated Zelda game by far, also has the best linked game rewards out of the two Oracle games
4. Skyward Sword
The only truly apparent flaw in this game was the lack of connected world. Fi, the intro, short filler part and dowsing(???) are not really annoying at all. That being said, in what it does well, this game excels. Unlike several more traditional games that some people rank over it, this game brings a lot to the series, including an amazing implementation of motion controls, stamina meter/Link running, great presentation, amazing dungeons and bosses. It also adresses a lot of TP's issues by improving the balance in item usage and having much more memorable characters overall and a very good hub town with actual quests to do in-between.
3. Majora's Mask
This used to be the black sheep of the franchise, now it's pretty much unanimously great. The transformations compensated the lack of new items, the game's structure was innovative, overall best sidequests in the series. The dense overworld and area design was also very fun to navigate. Sadly, it's not my top favorite because the dungeons, while well-designed, are simply not as fun as the rest of the game(except Stone Tower), unlike other games where dungeons are usually culminations of each of their areas. Probably the best sequel ever created to a game
2. Wind Waker
Now, some of you people will go "this is overrated just because it looks good, it's not as good as other Zeldas in individual aspects like dungeons etc the great sea is empty". While it does not excel in many gameplay related aspects, this is one of the most well-rounded games in the series. Some people prefer Twilight Princess' formulaic, but "epic" structure, and that's fine but that doesn't make it clearly the better game. Wind Waker, despite some obvious shortcomings, simply feels very involving to play in every second. Yes, that includes the triforce quest, people say that it broke the pacing but it only proved that the game expected you to be interested in exploring the world and interacting with the characters rather than simply rushing through the dungeons. Speaking of those, while they aren't as flashy as the ones from other 3D games, they are still great for their unconventional themes and overall great design. This game really feels like a journey, there is a clear evolution in Link being some kid to a known sailor/Hero of Winds. The items weren't as flashy as TP's but they were very well-used. The sidequests are second only to Majora's Mask. Changing the direction of the wind isn't annoying, it's simply a mechanic present throughout the game that happens to be tied to your way of transportation. While some fans may find those aspects of the game "bloat", we must remember that Zelda isn't solely about the dungeons. Wind Waker does a fantastic job of rewarding you to play the game with its great level of interaction, despite what it seems to be on the surface.
1. Ocarina of Time
Greatest game ever made. While ALTTP was a huge step forwards after Zelda 1, OOT was an even bigger one with probably the best transition to 3D a series ever experienced(Mario 64 and Metroid Prime closely behind). This is when it became much more than simply exploring and clearing dungeons, this was when the world was fully realized , when every area has a clear purpose. Link's Awakening may have been the first to feature memorable NPCs and a more involving story, but Ocarina of Time has all of this and more in 3D, spanning two time periods. Later games improving certain individual aspects barely matters when this game is simply the most accomplished product of them all, with it's defining mechanic offering a very interesting duality that is present throughout the entire game. This is also the game that started the whole "but I just want to do sidequests instead", as you had a variety of compelling activities outside of dungeons, most of which are available at many times despite that the dungeons themselves are in a mostly set order. If you're skeptical and look for unbiased opinions of this game, look for freaking dunkey's video about this game rather than egoraptor's, this game is a must-play that will make you experience why so many people are in love with this series in the first place.
TL;DR ranking of games, separated in groups where the order is more debatable, no multiplayer/lolcdi games
skippable
15. PH
14. ST
13. ALBW
the originals: play if you really want to know about how it started
12. LOZ
11. AOL
all-around great, worth playing but not as must-plays as the others
10. LA
9. OOS
8. TP
7. MC
must-plays
6. ALTTP
5. OOA
4. SS
3. MM
2. WW
1. OOT
None of these games are bad, but some are certainly more worth to play than others. Since this was the format used, let's do this in ascending order.
Skippable games
15. Phantom Hourglass
This game simply doesn't add much to the series. The problem isn't even the focus on the DS functions, they are actually the most memorable parts of the series, including the infamous map puzzle and that one where you find a cave in a certain island. The real issue is that the game simply feels like a watered-down Zelda, nothing from story, characters, level/world design, and items are as elaborate as they were in past games. Repeatedly going through the Temple of the Ocean King is the only actually annoying part of the series that deserves backslash, not things like intros or filler quests/minigames that aren't even that long. Not a bad videogame at all but very skippable
14. Spirit Tracks
A definite improvement in every aspect over PH, but still held back by the pretty boring DS Zelda structure(those games have no heart pieces btw). The one thing it does bring to the series is the presence of Zelda as an active character. Other than that, pretty skippable for not being as fun as the other games, but still a game that had a more elaborate creative process than...
13. A Link Between Worlds
This game doesn't deserve the hype because it's essentially a worse version of a game that came out over 20 years earlier. The merge mechanic is cool, but it never did anything better than ALTTP in the new things this game has. First off, they tried to emulate OOT by having sages to be NPCs instead of nameless maidens, but that didn't matter since those characters were simply the ones that had more than two lines of dialogue/an actual name/elaborate design. Compare that forest kid with Saria, which one had a better emotional impact in their involvement with the plot, this game's NPC interactions are only marginally superior to a game that was released in 1992. The game also has no memorable quests aside from things you did after the first dungeon to get the pegasus boots/flippers/ability to warp, there isn't anything like that afterwards. Doing dungeons in any order doesn't matter either, since you'll always want to do the thief's hideout which unlocks the desert temple to get the titan's mitts and sand rod so you don't have to do much backtracking to get missing mai mais. Doing things out of order doesn't matter when you get most of the meaningful rewards in the game through rupees, unlike past games that offered them to you via memorable scenarios or challenges(dungeons). Still a fun game, as the classic top-down structure is more fulfilling than the DS ones but absolutely doesn't deserve the hype, basically the fast-food of Zelda games
The classics
12. The Legend of Zelda
Amazing game for it's time, especially when everything offering a similar experience had horrible level design/no combat feedback at all. Good overworld. If you're a hardcore fan it's definitely worth to play to see how it all began, challenging game.
11. Zelda II: Adventure of Link
While this one has a weird gameplay structure compared to it's predecessor which was the first version of the standard used by the later 2D games, Zelda II is still a game that I put over the original for having many individual advantages. First game to have towns. Dungeons and bosses are definitely a step forwards compared to the original. Cool spell system. Combat where it matters a lot to know where the enemy is blocking(didn't expand on that until Skyward Sword!). While it's still a very obtuse game and sidescrolling Link doesn't feel as good to control as Mario, it's still a very good curiosity for hardcore fans that are interested in the evolution of the series.
Great games
10. Link's Awakening
First game in the series to have proper NPC interactions/a story that isn't about the Triforce/etc. The dungeons also have a better sense of purpose rather than only having a environmental theme, for example Face Shrine revealing the twist, Catfish's Maw with the recurring Stalfos mini-boss, Eagle's Tower being all about those metal balls, etc. Remarkable game for it's time, but it was outdone in most of it's best aspects by most later games in the series.
9. Oracle of Seasons
Having played Ages first, I was sure that a similar game with the very interesting power of changing Seasons would be even better... but no, this game isn't quite as elaborate as Ages. This is basically like TP but in 2D, you have very fun/interesting moment-to-moment gameplay with interesting dungeons and environments, great items(magnetic glove!) and abilities, but everything outside of that is pretty average. While Ages managed to transfer the complexity of 3D games in a 2D titles, this one opted for references to the older titles, featuring bosses from the original and a map structure that is a bit too similar to LA's. Not as mind-blowing as it seems but still a very solid 2D game
8. Twilight Princess
As mentionned above, TP is simply a game with very fun moment-to-moment gameplay, but lacks the nuances in the parts that aren't the dungeons in other games. It tried to replicate OOT's success but TP feels too formulaic. OOT had a bunch of interesting things to do between dungeons and overall amazing pacing but TP doesn't have much going on in that aspect. You follow story sequences, you do great dungeons with great items that you won't use ever again besides in some cave/part of the overworld that hides a heart piece, rinse and repeat, no particularly interesting sidequests or returning to previously visited places with twists in this game. Still a very fun, polished game
7. Minish Cap
The last truly great top-down Zelda, last game by the Flagship guys at well(most of which worked on Skyward Sword and the upcoming Breath of the Wild). It's fairly short for a Zelda game but it's still all-around great. The shrinking mechanic was well used throughout the game, it had only 5 dungeons but they were all great,very nice boss battles very interesting items, nice dense overworld and nice story. The kinstone system was a simple but efficient way of linking overworld/dungeon explorations with character-related sidequests: when you find them, you can combine them by talking to the correct NPC to then trigger an event in the world. It can be the arrival of a particular character in the area or simply opening a gave with a chest, depending of how rare the kinstone is. All-around great game
Cream of the crop, must-plays
6. A Link to the Past
I admit it, for this ranking I decided to not put it in the top 5 to give credit to a very underrated game, but while this one is tremendously overrated by certain fanboys lately, I have to give credit where it's due. It's an absolutely fantastic game, especially for the year it came out. It started a huge bunch of series staples, including the first memorable/themed dungeons, alternate world mechanic, diverse soundtrack, cooler items, Link actually swinging his sword, an actual plot, truly a giant step forward for the series. The overworld is very good and they did an excellent job in terms of finding items in the world. Most "flaws" in that game are in that it was outdone by later games in the series, but one I can adress for the time is the lack of character interactions. There is only a single town in the game and not much happens in it. If you compare Zelda games with regular JRPGs in that department, Zelda usually wins but not for that generation.
5. Oracle of Ages
This GBC game implemented a bunch of elements that were usually found in 3D games. The time traveling mechanic was used very creatively, even though you would expect that it got old by that point. It had a great story that often broke the monotony of the handheld Zelda structure of "go through 8 dungeons". Speaking of those, they were often as complex as 3D ones(you basically had the Water and Spirit Temples in there). It's simply a 2D game taking pages of the book of OOT and MM and it does it very well on it's own with the very involved gameplay/character interactions which are barely seen in the 2D entries. Most underrated Zelda game by far, also has the best linked game rewards out of the two Oracle games
4. Skyward Sword
The only truly apparent flaw in this game was the lack of connected world. Fi, the intro, short filler part and dowsing(???) are not really annoying at all. That being said, in what it does well, this game excels. Unlike several more traditional games that some people rank over it, this game brings a lot to the series, including an amazing implementation of motion controls, stamina meter/Link running, great presentation, amazing dungeons and bosses. It also adresses a lot of TP's issues by improving the balance in item usage and having much more memorable characters overall and a very good hub town with actual quests to do in-between.
3. Majora's Mask
This used to be the black sheep of the franchise, now it's pretty much unanimously great. The transformations compensated the lack of new items, the game's structure was innovative, overall best sidequests in the series. The dense overworld and area design was also very fun to navigate. Sadly, it's not my top favorite because the dungeons, while well-designed, are simply not as fun as the rest of the game(except Stone Tower), unlike other games where dungeons are usually culminations of each of their areas. Probably the best sequel ever created to a game
2. Wind Waker
Now, some of you people will go "this is overrated just because it looks good, it's not as good as other Zeldas in individual aspects like dungeons etc the great sea is empty". While it does not excel in many gameplay related aspects, this is one of the most well-rounded games in the series. Some people prefer Twilight Princess' formulaic, but "epic" structure, and that's fine but that doesn't make it clearly the better game. Wind Waker, despite some obvious shortcomings, simply feels very involving to play in every second. Yes, that includes the triforce quest, people say that it broke the pacing but it only proved that the game expected you to be interested in exploring the world and interacting with the characters rather than simply rushing through the dungeons. Speaking of those, while they aren't as flashy as the ones from other 3D games, they are still great for their unconventional themes and overall great design. This game really feels like a journey, there is a clear evolution in Link being some kid to a known sailor/Hero of Winds. The items weren't as flashy as TP's but they were very well-used. The sidequests are second only to Majora's Mask. Changing the direction of the wind isn't annoying, it's simply a mechanic present throughout the game that happens to be tied to your way of transportation. While some fans may find those aspects of the game "bloat", we must remember that Zelda isn't solely about the dungeons. Wind Waker does a fantastic job of rewarding you to play the game with its great level of interaction, despite what it seems to be on the surface.
1. Ocarina of Time
Greatest game ever made. While ALTTP was a huge step forwards after Zelda 1, OOT was an even bigger one with probably the best transition to 3D a series ever experienced(Mario 64 and Metroid Prime closely behind). This is when it became much more than simply exploring and clearing dungeons, this was when the world was fully realized , when every area has a clear purpose. Link's Awakening may have been the first to feature memorable NPCs and a more involving story, but Ocarina of Time has all of this and more in 3D, spanning two time periods. Later games improving certain individual aspects barely matters when this game is simply the most accomplished product of them all, with it's defining mechanic offering a very interesting duality that is present throughout the entire game. This is also the game that started the whole "but I just want to do sidequests instead", as you had a variety of compelling activities outside of dungeons, most of which are available at many times despite that the dungeons themselves are in a mostly set order. If you're skeptical and look for unbiased opinions of this game, look for freaking dunkey's video about this game rather than egoraptor's, this game is a must-play that will make you experience why so many people are in love with this series in the first place.
TL;DR ranking of games, separated in groups where the order is more debatable, no multiplayer/lolcdi games
skippable
15. PH
14. ST
13. ALBW
the originals: play if you really want to know about how it started
12. LOZ
11. AOL
all-around great, worth playing but not as must-plays as the others
10. LA
9. OOS
8. TP
7. MC
must-plays
6. ALTTP
5. OOA
4. SS
3. MM
2. WW
1. OOT
J
JeremyEtcetera
Unconfirmed Member
Skyward Sword is in the bottom 5 like it's supposed to be. How the rest rank don't really matter. The biggest crime last gen were people who put SS on a higher pedestal than it deserves.
Edit: To explain, as much as it progressed in control and mechanics, it regressed in pacing, storytelling, world design and hand holding. It took the bad parts of TP and cranked them to 11.
Edit: To explain, as much as it progressed in control and mechanics, it regressed in pacing, storytelling, world design and hand holding. It took the bad parts of TP and cranked them to 11.
Eh - I'm going to go ahead and call bullshit on that. Your post makes you sound >20, which I hope is the case, because it would actually explain your argument somewhat. Same way you laugh off a teenager for dismissing a cinematic masterpiece because it's in black and white.
Nice to see the Oracle games get their proper due. Those games are so much better than anyone gives them credit for. As a whole, they're a great experience.
Other than that, Majora's Mask should be way lower. Phantom Hourglass a bit lower and Windwaker moved up, but not a bad list overall.
Other than that, Majora's Mask should be way lower. Phantom Hourglass a bit lower and Windwaker moved up, but not a bad list overall.
A Black Falcon
Member
Indeed, I was born in '82... though it is true I didn't grow up with LttP, if the poster actually meant 'if you grew up with it and now say it's not as good' instead of just an age comment.
Yeah, that's the thing -- LttP is a transitional game, a game which started moving the series, and genre, towards more modern design, but that also still hangs on to some elements of the old. That mixture does not entirely work well, unfortunately, as I went over in my thread. Compared to the NES Zeldas LttP feels "easy" (though it's plenty tough on its own), while compared to newer Zelda games it feels badly dated, with limited combat (no good shield being the big thing here), less use of key items in dungeons than later games have, less personality in the characters inhabiting the world, a bunch of required items you need to find with minimal or no hints, etc. LttP is not as good as the better modern Zelda games because those things it doesn't do, or just started to move towards, made this series better in my opinion, and what it has instead are things I dislike like "just wander around and find stuff" elements. LttP is a good game, but I like it a lot less than many people do.
As far as combat difficulty goes 3d Zelda games may not be as hard as the classic 2d Zelda games are, but even so there's a huge gulf between the nearly nonexistent "challenge" of Wind Waker and the moderate to tricky challenges of the other 3d Zelda games. I usually die a fair amount when going through a Zelda game the first time, but Wind Waker? The very first time I played it back in the mid '00s, I beat the game dying only once up to the final boss... a time where I was fighting a boss midgame after accidentally wasting my fairy.
So no, Wind Waker is a very easy game which barely takes off any health when you get hit and rarely presents any challenge. OoT and MM are not the hardest games around, sure, but they are significantly more difficult than WW is. As for TP, it's probably in between OoT and WW in challenge; it's not 2d Zelda for sure, but I've died in the game a fair number of times. Nintendo must have recognized that WW was too easy, and they corrected that in TP, thankfully.
Yeah. As far as puzzles go WW is righti n line with the other 3d Zelda games, apart from the limited number of dungeons compared to OoT or TP and the resulting reduction in dungeon puzzles, but combat difficulty was reduced to a crazy degree, unfortunately. I like Wind Waker, it's a good game and sailing around the seas was pretty fun. The story is surprisingly decent for a non-LA Zelda game, too. The complete lack of challenge and small number of dungeons, however, really hold it back.
to be fair Skyward Sword has some of the highest highs in the series, at least for me. it also has a story that really tugs on the nostalgia strings and has some cool things thrown at you towards the end. and then gameplay wise it turns some of the standard Zelda conventions on their head in interesting ways while still somehow feeling all too familiar.
too many annoyances and filler tho, much like Twilight Princess imo which also has some of the highest highs in the series that are lessened by poor pacing and filler
Professor Beef
Banned
OoT is such a slog to go through. I played it again recently to see if it held up from the one time I played it at release, and I truly dislike it. Enemies are a pain in the ass to fight since they ALWAYS block, even if you're standing around. I even had a Stalfos circle me for 30 seconds straight while I was standing still. What the fuck kind of enemy is that?
I don't find anything about OoT fun. Even the music for the dungeons is boring, which makes the mostly forgettable dungeons even worse.
I don't find LttP nearly as bad, but it's not thrilling either. It's just...there. That's all I can really say about it tbh. It exists. I guess I should thank it for ALBW, but that's about it.
cartman414
Member
Me finding FF7 overrated isn't hipster garbage. FF6 IMO did many things it did better already, plus with much less character interchangeability (which the Materia system did).
And agree or disagree, the 2d games are much more snappy than the 3d games. The 3d-ness slowed things down quite a bit, with tasks taking comparatively more time, making otherwise forgivable repeated step monsters repetitious due to all the waiting/latency.
Mario 64 is great and all, but sits even further along the adventure side of the adventure vs. platforming axis than Super Mario World did. Needless to say, the core Mario games have always been strongest at their more platform-y.
mordecaii83
Member
Pretty terrible list imo, but I see I'm not the only one to think so. It honestly reads like it's trying too hard to list the "hidden gems" and downplay the games that everyone considers classics.
We played it when we were like 8.
Also I'd say for it's time and at least on consoles it was pretty ground breaking. Just having extra juice to use for the basic Zelda template did a lot.
Astral Dog
Member
5hats...a pretty good list? :O
Though Link to The Past has aged compared to Between Worlds,if Zelda 1 is that low ALTTP should be lower too
Though Link to The Past has aged compared to Between Worlds,if Zelda 1 is that low ALTTP should be lower too
2Smashed4U
Banned
to be fair, how interesting would these lists be if they were all just some small variations of "1. OOT, 2. LTTP, 3. MM...." etc.?
Nocturno999
Member
I agree with their list. 2D Zeldas are the best ones.
Tarextherex
Banned
FF is a different example, I think 6 and 8 are better than 7 but that game definitely deserves the praise it gets, especially how disc 1 is a masterpiece and there's barely any RPGs that are even close in terms of hooking the player by the first hours
Your preference of faster games/platform games vs adventure in term of Mario and Zelda games is seeing them in a very narrow lens. Waiting to hit an enemy in a 3D Zelda game barely matters when they offer a variety of content not available in most 2D games. You may not like that term but it really is a hipster opinion, people spreading such ideas is pretty useless because it doesn't contribution in the evolution of the series. If we look at Mario, after Galaxy 2 they rehashed Super Mario World non-stop like you would like, and that lead to their biggest failures in years, no one cared about a 3D Mario game more limited than Mario 64. If more people disregarded the accomplishments of 3D Zelda games, we would get a lot more soulless cashgrabs like ALBW, essentially killing the series. However, we don't, because most Zelda fans prefer the 3D games, even if certain message boards or websites make it seem otherwise.
If Mario was only a platform game, it wouldn't have set the bar for every 3D game ever made with things like the hub world being a more engaging way of choosing a level, or the many clever level layouts that weren't necessarly platform-y. If Zelda was solely about fast action/open overworld/quick gratification in general, we wouldn't have many of the elaborate and memorable scenarios that so many fans of the 3D games hold dearly. Such a reductive view on game series and their genres and a total disregard of generation-defining classics is exactly how the game industry is much more bipolar these days: it's either AAA linear cinematic experiences/open world grindfests or quirky indie/nintendo games inspired by NES/SNES games with very little inbetween
A list with PH first would be "interesting", but not relevant. Even if OOT is first and it's expected or whatever, at least properly explain yourself as a videogame journalist instead of parroting internet comments as justifications. Some people don't even know the series but stuff like that is what makes people hate the Water Temple before playing it. OOT being great might be old news but there is much to say in that subject, especially when younger gamers don't know why
I agree with the last spot, almost everything else has thrown me into an uncontrollable rage.
My personal ranking of these 15:
15. Tri Force Heroes
14. Phantom Hourglass
13. Spirit Tracks
12. Oracle of Ages/Seasons
11. Skyward Sword
10. Twilight Princess
09. Ocarina of Time
08. Link's Awakening
07. Legend of Zelda
06. Minish Cap
05. Zelda II: Adventure of Link
04. Wind Waker
03. Link to the Past
02. A Link Between Worlds
01. Majora's Mask
My personal ranking of these 15:
15. Tri Force Heroes
14. Phantom Hourglass
13. Spirit Tracks
12. Oracle of Ages/Seasons
11. Skyward Sword
10. Twilight Princess
09. Ocarina of Time
08. Link's Awakening
07. Legend of Zelda
06. Minish Cap
05. Zelda II: Adventure of Link
04. Wind Waker
03. Link to the Past
02. A Link Between Worlds
01. Majora's Mask