“It's better than Ocarina of Time!”

[MW7]

Ocarina of Time is the benchmark because it is the most widely acclaimed game in the series. The game also happens to be commonly considered the greatest game ever made (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_video_games_considered_the_best#List). I once did a quick and limited analysis of game reviews of the various Zelda games for times other games in series are mentioned. No surprise I found that Ocarina of Time is mentioned probably about five times as often as the rest of the games in the series combined (don't quote me on that because I did this a while ago and don't remember the exact numbers).

Ocarina of Time will continue to be the benchmark until it is clearly surpassed. However, considering that the game has perhaps the best supported claim to being the greatest game ever made, even if the game is outdone by a later title, Ocarina of Time will remain a benchmark to some degree. To surpass Ocarina of Time, a game would have to be of excellent quality, be revolutionary to some extent, and capture the attention of people to a greater degree than Ocarina did. In my opinion every 3d Zelda game has been of excellent quality, and they have been revolutionary to varying degrees (arguably Skyward Sword is the most revolutionary imo). However, none of the games have commanded as much attention, critical acclaim, or cultural relevance as Ocarina of Time.

 

[Polychrome]

I think Ocarina of Time gets the nostalgia "getoutofcriticsfree" card.

Majora's Mask will always be better to me.

 

[Vanessa28]

It was and always will be a matter of personal opinion. It's just what suits the person. With every new Zelda game there will be people who like it and those who don't. I just don't think it really makes sense to compare games on forehand because people always differ (and heck they should!). I just like to play the game and judge for myself if I like the game or not and if OoT is better or not. In most cases I don't think about OoT. I just play the game and enjoy the experience.

 

[Salem]

People they shouldn't focus on being better than OoT.

 

[Ventus]

No Zelda can top OoT in terms of cultural impact. The Zelda that "beats" OoT is a reboot of the series from the ground up, that adopts Dark Souls tier combat and true puzzles.

 

[the8thark]

Every Zelda game is better than OOT (with the possible exception of the CD-i bull****).
Every Zelda game is worse than OOT.

It just depends on which aspects of the games you are comparing. OOT is just a standard cause all other Zelda games are compared to it. It's the measuring stick. OOT is far from perfect but it is the game all other Zelda games past and future will be measured against. Lets hope Zelda U changes this.

 

[HeroOfTermina]

Several of the arguments used against Ocarina of Time could be used against several other games on the N64. It was an era of innovation, and as such, was a bit rough around the edges. The game is impressive for the hardware it was developed for. That said, I feel that several titles in the series have surpassed it simply because its been used as the standard and has been given a little more polish than OoT. Does this make them better? That is up the player. But in terms of sheer innovation, OoT still comes out on top. If Zelda U came out before games like Skyrim or The Witcher, than it would be just as innovative as OoT. Unfortunately, ever since Skyward Sword, the series has felt a few years behind.

 

[Adventurer of Hyrule]

I believe both TP and SS are better games than OoT, or ALTTP for that matter.

 

[Farore's Chosen]

Ocarina is an excellent game and I like it alot, but I personally find other games in the series, past and present more enjoyable. This game may be better then, may be just as good as, may be the worst damn game in the series since SS.

We just have to wait, see and judge for ourselves.

 

[JGloverArtist]

The thing about OoT is that it set a standard for games back when it released in 1998. It was innovative and groundbreaking at that time, and there was nothing else like it.

I think you hit the nail on the head with that comment, and in order for a new Legend of Zelda game to be better than Ocarina of Time, they have to innovate again.

 

[TattooArtist]

Ocarina of Time is pretty damn cool with Link growing up n' all that but Nintendo have certainly improved on their Zelda games because I think Majora's Mask and Twilight Princess are pretty damn awesome since they have that "shiver up your spine" and gothic feel.

 

[Sheiken]

OoT is a great game, but sorry it is not the best. Nostalgia is a big factor here. I do not care about the bar it set during its time, I care about overall quality.

Both Twilight Princess and Skyward Sword are better than Ocarina of Time. In fact, in terms of quality I rank OoT somewhere in the middle. That said, I like all of the canon games so that is not a bad thing. I just feel like OoT gets more credit than it is worth these days.

 

[WindFishTacos]

I think best Zelda game is different for each person. A lot of people do say OOT is the best, I agree it is a great game, but it is not the best in my eyes. LA was my first Zelda game (which could be why I'm biased), but I believe it is better. OOT gets credited for being very innovative but people that played the 2D Zelda games realize a lot of what was done "first" in OOT appeared in LA years before. For example, LA started the trading sequence idea. Also, a lot of the iconic items that show up in the series like the hookshot appear in LA.

Some people (not myself) think MM is a better game than OOT. I guess what I'm saying is OOT is a great game but I don't think it should be the precedent for all other games to compare. Perhaps after BOTW comes out people won't make this comparison anymore.

 

[Adventurer of Hyrule]

It will depend on what each one of is looks for in a loz game. my favorite zelda is SS due a myriad of different factors that when out together make it feel like the best for me.

Story
Romance
Sci fi elements in it
Humor
Well animated
Fantastic dungeons
Dense world filled with creative gameplay opportunities
Art style
Music
Content
Accessibility

 

[Robert Jonas]

OoT is always going to be my favourite but I would still consider WW a better game and every other game has done aspects better. The history and importance of OoT means that people will always look at it for reference, which isn't really a bad thing as long as people can see what makes it and other Zeldas good and bad.