Legend of Zelda thread - Lorefags GTFO!

Twilight Princess is my favorite but basically any of them are good. I'd stay away from Breath of The Wild or Tears of The Kingdom as your first one though since they're the furthest from the traditional "Zelda formula" of all the games, but they're still good in
Modern games scare me but as someone whose getting a switch maybe......
Is there some quality in particular you're looking for? If not, then start with the NES games and play them chronologically.
Or just start with Ocarina of Time because it's both the first 3D one and best one, either or.
Good question. The one I'm trying to find is a specific one for game boy color that was like a time change one and I needed a guide badly. But pretty much anyone that's not the newest ones. Is marjoras mask just as good as OoT?
 
Good question. The one I'm trying to find is a specific one for game boy color that was like a time change one and I needed a guide badly.
You're thinking of Oracle of Ages. It's paired up with Oracle of Seasons, so you're supposed to play them one after another and enter a code you get at the end of one into the start of the other so you carry over a few things and get some more story. If you want to play the GBC ones you should probably start with Link's Awakening first since the Oracle games have generally more complicated overworld progression.

Is marjoras mask just as good as OoT?
Yes. It's a direct sequel with some new gimmicks on top related to the time loop aspect, so you might as well play OoT first.
 
Modern games scare me but as someone whose getting a switch maybe......
The two biggest complaints that you'll hear about Twilight Princess is that it takes a long time to get going and it's overly linear, but if you're an oldschool Final Fantasy guy neither of those things will bother you, and it's hardly a new game, I think it's over twenty years old now.
Good question. The one I'm trying to find is a specific one for game boy color that was like a time change one and I needed a guide badly. But pretty much anyone that's not the newest ones. Is marjoras mask just as good as OoT?
Personally I don't like Majora's Mask but it's still a finely made game and it does stand toe to toe with Ocarina. The GBC games with time travel are the Oracle games. Oracle of Ages is the one with time travel and Oracle of Seasons is the sister game, you need to play both to get the full story since they tie into one another.
 
@Xavier Renegade Angel
Y'know what, I'm gonna write up a little summary of every game, as best I can keep it short, in case you really want to know about these Zelda games before you pick one out to play.

  • The Legend of Zelda (NES) - One of those games that's good for an NES game, but something you probably only play now for historic curiosity. Doesn't play as smoothly and is generally more cryptic without a guide.
  • Adventure of Link (NES) - The weird one that plays like an action sidescroller with light RPG elements (you get EXP for killing things or picking up bags of points, which lets you increase Link's HP, MP, or attack power). Another good for an NES game, but it can get pretty difficult at parts and is really punishing if you run out of lives.
  • A Link to the Past (SNES) - The one where they got the general formula down for the rest of the series, and the one boomers will tell you is the best one. Yeah, it's pretty good.
  • Link's Awakening (GB/C) - Personally, I think this is the overall best 2D Zelda. The design and pacing and everything all feels just right. Has interesting aspects to the story. Has a Switch remake with a graphical style I hate.
  • Oracle of Seasons & Oracle of Ages (GBC) - It's hard to talk about these separately since they're meant to be played back-to-back. Together, it's basically like LA but twice as long and with more demanding gimmicks. They're really good, but I always default to saying LA is the best since Oracle can start to feel kind of, bloated, I guess?
  • Minish Cap (GBA) - Clean, simple fun game. Kind of shorter than the SNES and GBC games though, and usually considered not as memorable.
  • Phantom Hourglass (DS) - Uses the DS touchscreen controls for everything and has some of the most baby easy dungeons. Also has a dungeon you have to keep repeating sections of each time you progress in the plot, and you have to travel between islands by boat in a rather tedious way. I mean, it's alright... Also, its story is a sequel to Wind Waker, so there's that.
  • Spirit Tracks (DS) - Same as PH, but improved a little. Dropped the repeating dungeon thing, and has you travel by train now. Better, but still just kind of okay. The story has interesting parts to the premise (which is a distant sequel to PH), but I can't say I remember the actual events that well.
  • A Link Between Worlds (3DS) - A sequel to ALttP which started as a remake of it, and it shows with how the overworld is almost identical and most of the dungeons are similar. Biggest thing to it is that you can do most of the dungeons in any order you want. It kind of feels like the most mid Zelda to me, like we're going through the motions to an extent, but some people who autistically hate linearity really like the free dungeon order aspect.
  • Echoes of Wisdom (Switch) - Kind of a side game. You play as Zelda instead of Link, and she can't use items or fight stuff directly (without using a special power tied to a meter anyway). Instead you can spawn in just about any object or enemy in the game, so long as you've gotten close to one to copy it as some point, and use those to solve puzzles or fight for you. Also kind of open world-ish after you get past the first dungeon. It's good in so far as it uses its gimmick to somewhere close to its full potential, but I would kind of rather just play a normal Zelda game to a point.

  • Ocarina of Time (N64) - Classic. Nailed the gameplay shift on their first try. Simple plot, but memorable characters.
  • Majora's Mask (N64) - Spin-off-ish sequel to OoT. Plays the same but has the time loop aspect and a bigger emphasis on interacting with NPCs due to their set schedules, which was complicated for an N64 game. Well designed dungeons, world that feels big because of all the stuff to do, and a neat story and setting. Only issue is not being able hard save your game except for when you reset the loop can make playing for the first time intimidating (the 3DS version lets you just save normally at save points, but it also has a bunch of other negative or needless changes).
  • Wind Waker (GC) - The cartoony one where you travel by boat between islands in a huge, open world-like sea. It's got nice presentation and story (which is a distant, but rather direct sequel to OoT), and generally plays well, but I'm not big on it since the boat travel gets tedious and it often feels like the most baby easy 3D game in terms of both combat and dungeon design.
  • Twilight Princess (GC/Wii) - The edgy one where Link can turn into a wolf. Also a distant, but direct sequel to OoT, but in another timeline (because of time travel shenanigans). Basically just tries to be OoT again but next-gen. Some people don't like it because it's too linear for them, or they don't like the wolf sections or something, but it's the 3rd best 3D Zelda for me. It's got interesting dungeons, and the best combat at least in a vacuum. You should play the GameCube version over the Wii version, it was made for it. The Wii version has lamer motion controls than the following game, and the entire game world and visuals are flipped horizontally just to make Link right-handed.
  • Skyward Sword (Wii) - The one where almost everything is done by motion controls. It's also a distant prequel to the rest of the 3D games. How much you'll like it will depend a lot on how much you jive with the motion controls. As someone who never thought they were hard to use, I think the game can be really fun. It's also got a nice story. Main issues are weird pacing and the game trying to hold your hand too much in a lot of places that it starts to get in the way. Also has an overworld that's designed more like a set of more linear areas to work through like dungeons, as opposed to being a free and open space, which isn't really a problem to me but some people really hate it.
  • Breath of the Wild (Wii U/Switch) - The super-duper free open world one. I don't like it. It got old really quickly after just the tutorial area. You have to play it with a really casual mindset (like someone who's content to mostly just aimlessly wonder around and mess with what they see, and is willing stop playing the game without finishing it when they start to get bored but will say it's a good game because they liked what they played before they got bored) or else easily starts to get monotonous with how samey so much the game is.
  • Tears of the Kingdom (Switch) - I haven't played with one, but it's basically just BotW again, same map even, but with a weird Minecraft, Banjo-Kazooie Nuts & Bolts, building system to it.

  • Four Swords (GBA) - You can only play this if you have 3 friends who each one a copy of the game and a GBA and you have a 4-way link cable. It's probably decently fun like that, but you probably can't set that up. You can play it single-player in the DSi port, but trust me, the game wasn't meant to be played like that, it kind of just sucks.
  • Four Swords Adventures (GC) - This one actually can be played single-player and it's fun that way. It's pretty good and is probably really fun if you can actually set up multiplayer with 3 other people.
  • Tri-Force Heroes (3DS) - It's relatively easier play this multiplayer with 2 other people, but this game is mostly just an unfun pain in the ass to play single-player.
  • Hyrule Warriors (Wii U/3DS/Switch) - It's Dynasty Warriors, but Zelda. The plot is basically a time travel crossover between Ocarina of Time, Twilight Princess, and Skyward Sword. It's fun if you played those games and care about the fan service.
  • Age of Calamity (Switch) - It's Hyrule Warriors, except it's just Breath of the Wild characters. Hitting stuff feels nicer than the first HW, but the maps aren't as interesting. How interesting the plot is depends on how much you like BotW.
  • Age of Imprisonment (Switch 2) - The same, but now it's just characters from Tears of the Kingdom's flashbacks. I haven't played it.
 
The story has interesting parts to the premise (which is a distant sequel to PH), but I can't say I remember the actual events that well.
It's somewhere between two to three generations after PH, since one of younger pirates from WW is still alive. But this also kind of cheapens the whole "save the world with the powers of the chosen one" bit.

Although shit doesn't exactly pick up until you're on the last leg of the game, unfortunately
 
Adding in my own two cents to this great effortpost.
Four Swords (GBA) - You can only play this if you have 3 friends who each one a copy of the game and a GBA and you have a 4-way link cable. It's probably decently fun like that, but you probably can't set that up. You can play it single-player in the DSi port, but trust me, the game wasn't meant to be played like that, it kind of just sucks.
You could play with 2 players, just like the Anniversary and Switch NSO versions. The levels generate based on the number of players. The Anniversary version also has a solo mode where you can swap between Green and Red.
Oracle of Seasons & Oracle of Ages (GBC) - It's hard to talk about these separately since they're meant to be played back-to-back.
I'd say each game can be described independently. Seasons began as a remake of LoZ and it shows through. It's much more of an "older" Zelda with less narrative, simpler puzzles, and a slightly more open world. Ages is much more of a "3D/Console" Zelda with it's narrative and puzzle emphasis. The games are both built on top of LA, and you're absolutely missing something if you don't play both. The games expect you to play First Game > Second Game, then there's a "Hero Mode" (that doesn't change much) which takes you back Second Game > First Game. I usually play them once, save the Hero Mode PW, and next time I play do Hero Mode.
Phantom Hourglass (DS) - Uses the DS touchscreen controls for everything and has some of the most baby easy dungeons. Also has a dungeon you have to keep repeating sections of each time you progress in the plot,
I want to mention that the dungeon becomes easier with subsequent runs, because you unlock shortcuts with new items. There's a timer of sorts built in, but you can earn more time and there's even a challenge to clear the dungeon with no time elapsed. There's a point where you can double dip and earn two of the plot related items in a single go, which saves time. I never found it as annoying as people make it out to be.
Skyward Sword (Wii) - ....Also has an overworld that's designed more like a set of more linear areas to work through like dungeons, as opposed to being a free and open space, which isn't really a problem to me but some people really hate it.
If you decide to tackle SS after the Oracles and TMC, you'll get what this means. Just as an example, the Eldin Volcano area is not this large volcanic, mountain zone you can freely explore. It's got a very clear and deliberate design that has you progress through the zone. Yes there are secrets to uncover, but you're very much on a set path with clear places to go and things to find. As I recall from interviews, when SS was being made they wanted the overworld to feel like the dungeons to a degree.
Age of Imprisonment (Switch 2) - The same, but now it's just characters from Tears of the Kingdom's flashbacks. I haven't played it.
I'd say the general gameplay is worse than AoC, but it runs a lot better and has a much better presentation.
 
Good question. The one I'm trying to find is a specific one for game boy color that was like a time change one and I needed a guide badly. But pretty much anyone that's not the newest ones. Is marjoras mask just as good as OoT?
OOT is a more straightforward game and I think it's better overall, but Majora's Mask is harder and has a much more interesting story and mechanics.
 
You could play with 2 players, just like the Anniversary and Switch NSO versions. The levels generate based on the number of players. The Anniversary version also has a solo mode where you can swap between Green and Red.
Yeah, that's what I meant. I played through FS via the Anniversary version, and it just did not feel like it was meant to be played that way. It wasn't fun, and felt really awkward, especially compared to FSA where they made controlling four Links at once feel seamless. FSA is the only multiplayer Zelda that's also fun to play singleplayer. With FS and TFH you really need friends to play them with or else it's just some combination of tedious and frustrating.
I'd say each game can be described independently. Seasons began as a remake of LoZ and it shows through. It's much more of an "older" Zelda with less narrative, simpler puzzles, and a slightly more open world. Ages is much more of a "3D/Console" Zelda with it's narrative and puzzle emphasis.
Oh, yeah. Saying Seasons is more focused on combat and Ages is more focused on puzzles is kind of a cliche simplification, but it's true enough. Seasons has you fighting lots of enemies more often, and has more bosses where you just to get in position to whack at their weak point, while Ages gets more complex with its puzzles overall and has more boss fights where you need to do more of a puzzle-solving action using whatever item you got that dungeon.
 
With FS and TFH you really need friends to play them with or else it's just some combination of tedious and frustrating.
Some of the challenges in TFH are legitimately impossible solo. It's a game you can easily clear by yourself, but it's clunky and weird to do. I thought it was a lot of fun with people, even randoms (mostly). I'd love for it to get put on the Switch for cheap.
 
Having the girly try the PC port of LA, it's super nice so far. At some point I'm getting her back on OoT, gang.
 
I want to mention that the dungeon becomes easier with subsequent runs, because you unlock shortcuts with new items. There's a timer of sorts built in, but you can earn more time and there's even a challenge to clear the dungeon with no time elapsed. There's a point where you can double dip and earn two of the plot related items in a single go, which saves time. I never found it as annoying as people make it out to be.
I don't see why people give Phantom Hourglass shit for that when there's so many things in Majora's Mask you're forced to redo. Need to get the Gold Dust again? I hope you enjoyed fighting that mechanical bull boss!

Oh, yeah. Saying Seasons is more focused on combat and Ages is more focused on puzzles is kind of a cliche simplification, but it's true enough. Seasons has you fighting lots of enemies more often, and has more bosses where you just to get in position to whack at their weak point, while Ages gets more complex with its puzzles overall and has more boss fights where you need to do more of a puzzle-solving action using whatever item you got that dungeon.
Ages had an annoying boss where you had to move blocks to make the boss' parts collide into each other. And honestly, I found Ages more annoying to play than Seasons was. The stolen items. The Goron Dance. The one dungeon with past and present versions. The underwater dungeon. None of these are dealbreakers in and of themselves but it led up to a much worse experience than Seasons.
 
I don't see why people give Phantom Hourglass shit for that when there's so many things in Majora's Mask you're forced to redo. Need to get the Gold Dust again? I hope you enjoyed fighting that mechanical bull boss!
Majora's Mask is on N64 which is the video game equivalent of a pussy pass. Gamers, especially older Millenial and younger Gen-X will give N64 games miles of slack for no good reason.
 
Majora's Mask is on N64 which is the video game equivalent of a pussy pass. Gamers, especially older Millenial and younger Gen-X will give N64 games miles of slack for no good reason.
Mario 64 is a good game and I think that the N64 is overrated just because it had a small handful of solid, memorable titles, but Majora's Mask specifically some special pass because the sheer amount of shit it pulls would get any other game, even a Zelda title, crucified.
 
I don't see why people give Phantom Hourglass shit for that when there's so many things in Majora's Mask you're forced to redo. Need to get the Gold Dust again? I hope you enjoyed fighting that mechanical bull boss!
Any repetition in MM is a side-effect of the game's central conceit, and a lot of it can be potentially avoided with good routing. The only egregious thing to me is how you have to do a lot of the Kafei & Anju quest twice because of the mutually exclusive rewards at one step (the Postman Hat and a bottle). Having keep redoing parts of the Temple of the Ocean King in PH just feels like they're padding the game out intentionally, even with you being able to speed things up some with later items. And PH isn't great in general, so it's hard to be forgiving towards any one particular flaw; it's not like fixing the repetition there by itself would suddenly make PH amazing. In contrast, MM is great in general, so it's easy to overlook any small annoyance it might have.
 
I don't see why people give Phantom Hourglass shit for that when there's so many things in Majora's Mask you're forced to redo. Need to get the Gold Dust again? I hope you enjoyed fighting that mechanical bull boss!
You can just warp to the bosses once you beat them, though. Far more convenient than slogging through the Temple of the Ocean King over and over and over again.
 
Ages had an annoying boss where you had to move blocks to make the boss' parts collide into each other. And honestly, I found Ages more annoying to play than Seasons was. The stolen items. The Goron Dance. The one dungeon with past and present versions. The underwater dungeon. None of these are dealbreakers in and of themselves but it led up to a much worse experience than Seasons.
I'll give you the Goron Dance being the inherently worse minigame, but what about any of the rest makes it so annoying to make it a bad experience? Mermaid's Cave doesn't even require you to swap that much.
 
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