The Dashing Darknut
DD, the dashing one
Even… Gyorg?
Favorite/Least Favorite Zelda Games
- Thread starter Jimmu
- Start date
Have you played the n64 version? I hate Gyorg (and all the bosses) in the 3ds remake, but in the n64 version its not bad.
Actually everything I talked about here is about the n64 version.
The Dashing Darknut
DD, the dashing one
I was talking about the n64 and 3DS versions
- Joined
- Jun 16, 2022
Of the games i have played:
1. Ocarina of Time/Twilight Princess
(I love both of these games and can't separate them)
3. Breath of the Wild
(Breath of the Wild would have been top tier with good dungeons and bosses... everybody says its the journey not the destination... and the journey is great, but it's let down by the pay off... sometimes i imagine a game with BOTWs overworld and TPs dungeons)
4. A LInk to the Past
5. Four Swords Adventures
(I feel this is under appreciated, i had a lot of fun with this)
6. Link's Awakening
7. Oracle of Seasons/Ages
9. Majora's Mask (There's so much to like here, but i find it too stressful to enjoy)
10. Phantom Hourglass (Trmple of the OCean King does it no favours)
11. Skyward Sword
(Skywards Sword: Too repetitive, and maybe it was my controllers? but it just never really worked right or for very long)
12. WInd Waker (GC)
(Wind Waker: It has some charm but... Sailing too boring, yes there are islands but they're mainly uninteresting. Too many collect quests. Using the wind waker to change the wind over and over and over just not fun. Weak dungeons. Technically its probably better than Skyward Sword to me, but i just like it less)
13. Legend of Zelda
14. Zelda II
(I never really clicked with the originals.. should maybe take another look but not really wanting to)
1. Ocarina of Time/Twilight Princess
(I love both of these games and can't separate them)
3. Breath of the Wild
(Breath of the Wild would have been top tier with good dungeons and bosses... everybody says its the journey not the destination... and the journey is great, but it's let down by the pay off... sometimes i imagine a game with BOTWs overworld and TPs dungeons)
4. A LInk to the Past
5. Four Swords Adventures
(I feel this is under appreciated, i had a lot of fun with this)
6. Link's Awakening
7. Oracle of Seasons/Ages
9. Majora's Mask (There's so much to like here, but i find it too stressful to enjoy)
10. Phantom Hourglass (Trmple of the OCean King does it no favours)
11. Skyward Sword
(Skywards Sword: Too repetitive, and maybe it was my controllers? but it just never really worked right or for very long)
12. WInd Waker (GC)
(Wind Waker: It has some charm but... Sailing too boring, yes there are islands but they're mainly uninteresting. Too many collect quests. Using the wind waker to change the wind over and over and over just not fun. Weak dungeons. Technically its probably better than Skyward Sword to me, but i just like it less)
13. Legend of Zelda
14. Zelda II
(I never really clicked with the originals.. should maybe take another look but not really wanting to)
- Joined
- Aug 1, 2022
There's quite a few now that I haven't played, but here goes:
- A Link to the Past
- The Legend of Zelda
- Ocarina of Time
- Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
- A Link Between Worlds
- Link's Awakening
- Majora's Mask
- Joined
- Aug 1, 2022
Personal affinity mostly informed by how often I played them in the past and have been compelled to replay them again over the years, there's nothing particularly objective or technical about it. This definitely favors the older games as I was there when Zelda I & II were the biggest thing in the world and so I played those games a LOT and still do!
That said, I've yet to play a bad Zelda game and have very fond memories of both Link's Awakening and Majora's Mask! I remember quite liking the Oracle games (still can't remember which one it was, maybe both?) and Minish Cap, too, but 10+ years later the details are too fuzzy for me to accurately rank them.
- Joined
- Aug 1, 2022
WHOA I just realized I forgot Twilight Princess. And I ended up moving Link's Awakening up one (though that's a real close one for me) and decided to throw in Oracles and Minish Cap, too, though like I said it's been a long time for both and my recollection isn't so clear!
- A Link to the Past
- The Legend of Zelda
- Ocarina of Time
- Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
- Link's Awakening
- A Link Between Worlds
- Majora's Mask
- Twilight Princess
- Oracles of (whichever one I played back in the day)
- Minish Cap
My favorite: definitely Breath of the Wild. I'm a big fan of the less centralized structure that eschews a lot of the narrative and gameplay elements of Zelda that I think wore out years ago. I'm especially appreciative of the ability to find the Master Sword organically while also making it optional. I like that Ganon is always ready to fight you and visible from most of the map.
My least favorite: Skyward Sword.
**** this game.
My least favorite: Skyward Sword.
**** this game.
- Joined
- Aug 1, 2022
I just started up Oracle of Ages on 3DS and I'm realizing I don't think I actually had played either of the Oracle games. I think I actually played Link's Awakening DX and got them mixed up in my memory! I told you it's been a while....
Good news is I'm liking Oracle of Ages so far! Pretty nifty to see Capcom try their hand at a Zelda title.
Good news is I'm liking Oracle of Ages so far! Pretty nifty to see Capcom try their hand at a Zelda title.
- Joined
- Sep 22, 2022
- Location
- Inside the walls
I've played most of the games at this point (note: I've not finished a few of them), So I've got a pretty good idea of my favorites. (Having said that, I've only ever played a little bit of FSA at a friend's house, so I can't really pass any judgement on it-- from what I played, though, it was pretty fun. But if you see it omitted from the list, that's why). Numbers 1 and 2 are interchangeable. EDIT: I added spoilers to condense it because I'm incapable of being brief ;w;
Top Ten
Bottom 6
(Please note, I don't find these games bad by any means, they just got beaten by the other games, with a few exceptions.)
The Game I hate so much I forgot it existed until just now
... Wow, didn't know I was holding that in for so long. Uh, anyway, that's my list! I didn't include the spin-offs or the CDi games because I wanted to keep it brief, but if I had to rank the ones I've played, HW: AoC > HW Definitive Edition >>> The CDi fan remakes (they're actually kind of... fun? Because they fix most of the major glaring issues with the CDi games) >∞ The original CDi games
Top Ten
1. Breath of the Wild:
I've spent the most time in this game, and I'm still finding new things to do and see. I like exploration, so that's a big part of why I love this game so much.
2. Wind Waker:
The game I have the most fondness for, as it was the very first Zelda I actually beat all the way through. Unlike most, I really enjoyed the sailing aspect, though I do appreciate the Swift Sail in the HD version (which I consider the definitive version of the game).
3. Minish Cap:
One of the two most finely crafted 2D Zeldas, in my opinion. I love the little nods to other entries in the series, the music, and the story. It would be number 4, but I have a very strong bias towards Vaati, who is my favorite character, so it's here at 3.
4. A Link Between Worlds:
The other of the two most finely crafted 2D Zeldas. The music and the gameplay are top-notch, but HOH BOY the story. The story is excellent-- the ending makes me tear up every time.
5. Ocarina of Time:
You can't go wrong with a classic, and this is indeed a classic! A very enjoyable game in every aspect. In my opinion, the 3DS version is the best version of the game, and should be in any 3DS owner's library.
6. Link's Awakening:
The first portable Zelda! It's also a classic, and the Switch remake is downright adorable. My only problem with it is that I wish there was more of it, but for a portable adventure, it's a good length.
7. Oracle of Seasons/Ages:
Even though these are two distinct games, I like to count them as one, as you can only get the true ending of either if you play a linked game. I prefer Seasons to Ages, as it was my very first Zelda game.
8. Twilight Princess:
Another game with a fantastic story. Midna is very memorable, and probably my favorite female character in the series because of her character arc. The overworld is nice and big, though it feels a little sparse at times.
9. Four Swords:
Honestly, the reason this is so high up is because of the fond memories I have of playing this with my friends back in middle school. We had a blast throwing each other into bottomless chasms and fiery pits of lava, and we did it all for rupees! The Anniversary Edition was nice, though I wish it hadn't been available for such a short time.
10. A Link to the Past:
THE Zelda game, ever. It's a good jumping point to get into the series-- not too hard, but not to easy, either. I feel it shows its age some, however. A remake would be a lovely surprise one of these days, Nintendo.
I've spent the most time in this game, and I'm still finding new things to do and see. I like exploration, so that's a big part of why I love this game so much.
2. Wind Waker:
The game I have the most fondness for, as it was the very first Zelda I actually beat all the way through. Unlike most, I really enjoyed the sailing aspect, though I do appreciate the Swift Sail in the HD version (which I consider the definitive version of the game).
3. Minish Cap:
One of the two most finely crafted 2D Zeldas, in my opinion. I love the little nods to other entries in the series, the music, and the story. It would be number 4, but I have a very strong bias towards Vaati, who is my favorite character, so it's here at 3.
4. A Link Between Worlds:
The other of the two most finely crafted 2D Zeldas. The music and the gameplay are top-notch, but HOH BOY the story. The story is excellent-- the ending makes me tear up every time.
5. Ocarina of Time:
You can't go wrong with a classic, and this is indeed a classic! A very enjoyable game in every aspect. In my opinion, the 3DS version is the best version of the game, and should be in any 3DS owner's library.
6. Link's Awakening:
The first portable Zelda! It's also a classic, and the Switch remake is downright adorable. My only problem with it is that I wish there was more of it, but for a portable adventure, it's a good length.
7. Oracle of Seasons/Ages:
Even though these are two distinct games, I like to count them as one, as you can only get the true ending of either if you play a linked game. I prefer Seasons to Ages, as it was my very first Zelda game.
8. Twilight Princess:
Another game with a fantastic story. Midna is very memorable, and probably my favorite female character in the series because of her character arc. The overworld is nice and big, though it feels a little sparse at times.
9. Four Swords:
Honestly, the reason this is so high up is because of the fond memories I have of playing this with my friends back in middle school. We had a blast throwing each other into bottomless chasms and fiery pits of lava, and we did it all for rupees! The Anniversary Edition was nice, though I wish it hadn't been available for such a short time.
10. A Link to the Past:
THE Zelda game, ever. It's a good jumping point to get into the series-- not too hard, but not to easy, either. I feel it shows its age some, however. A remake would be a lovely surprise one of these days, Nintendo.
Bottom 6
(Please note, I don't find these games bad by any means, they just got beaten by the other games, with a few exceptions.)
11. Spirit Tracks:
The best of the DS games, with all the qualities of a good Zelda game. I feel it's held back by the touch controls, however.
12. The Legend of Zelda:
Some people don't like this one much, as it very much shows its age, but I like it. It's difficult, but fun-- I recommend playing it with a guide, though. It's the first Zelda, and it did a lot of cool things that laid the foundations for the series to come.
13. Phantom Hourglass:
A great game, and probably would be higher up if it weren't for two things-- mandatory touch controls, which are manageable, honestly, and... The Temple of the Ocean King. I've beaten this game once, but because of that temple, I don't particularly care to play it again, even though I really enjoyed the rest of the game.
14. Skyward Sword:
I've never beaten this one. I got near to the end of the game, put it down, and then... forgot about it? It's not bad, by any means, but the repetitive nature of the game wears on me pretty quickly. I haven't picked up the HD version because I'm not keen to do the Silent Realm trials again... The soundtrack is phenomenal, though!
15. Majora's Mask:
Hoo boy. Where do I begin? I've never managed to get further than the first temple. I just couldn't get into this one-- there's too many little things to remember to do in order to fully experience the game, and with my ADHD that's a nightmare. Add to that the time limit, and this is one game that I can't bring myself to finish. I appreciate what it tries to do, but it's just not my cup of tea. If you like it though, that's great!
16. The Adventure of Link:
This game. This game is the definition of cryptic NES title with unfair difficulty. It's nice that they tried to do something different, but I think it kinda failed in execution. I guess if you have the patience to keep chipping away at it, it can be fun, but it just doesn't do it for me.
The best of the DS games, with all the qualities of a good Zelda game. I feel it's held back by the touch controls, however.
12. The Legend of Zelda:
Some people don't like this one much, as it very much shows its age, but I like it. It's difficult, but fun-- I recommend playing it with a guide, though. It's the first Zelda, and it did a lot of cool things that laid the foundations for the series to come.
13. Phantom Hourglass:
A great game, and probably would be higher up if it weren't for two things-- mandatory touch controls, which are manageable, honestly, and... The Temple of the Ocean King. I've beaten this game once, but because of that temple, I don't particularly care to play it again, even though I really enjoyed the rest of the game.
14. Skyward Sword:
I've never beaten this one. I got near to the end of the game, put it down, and then... forgot about it? It's not bad, by any means, but the repetitive nature of the game wears on me pretty quickly. I haven't picked up the HD version because I'm not keen to do the Silent Realm trials again... The soundtrack is phenomenal, though!
15. Majora's Mask:
Hoo boy. Where do I begin? I've never managed to get further than the first temple. I just couldn't get into this one-- there's too many little things to remember to do in order to fully experience the game, and with my ADHD that's a nightmare. Add to that the time limit, and this is one game that I can't bring myself to finish. I appreciate what it tries to do, but it's just not my cup of tea. If you like it though, that's great!
16. The Adventure of Link:
This game. This game is the definition of cryptic NES title with unfair difficulty. It's nice that they tried to do something different, but I think it kinda failed in execution. I guess if you have the patience to keep chipping away at it, it can be fun, but it just doesn't do it for me.
The Game I hate so much I forgot it existed until just now
17. Tri-Force Heroes: It's funny. I didn't start out hating this game. It was fun the first few times I played it, in fact! But it absolutely failed to capture the core multiplayer Zelda experience (working together but also backstabbing each other for rupees). It quickly became boring, and then the playerbase dried up, and the singleplayer just wasn't implemented well at all. How did they mess up this badly? What were they even thinking when they made this game? "Let's take Four Swords, remove one of the players, make it so that you can't backstab each other, and take out the four iconic areas to replace them with a ton of unmemorable levels! Quantity is better than quality, right?" Yeah, that was a great decision! ...the music is pretty good though.
... Wow, didn't know I was holding that in for so long. Uh, anyway, that's my list! I didn't include the spin-offs or the CDi games because I wanted to keep it brief, but if I had to rank the ones I've played, HW: AoC > HW Definitive Edition >>> The CDi fan remakes (they're actually kind of... fun? Because they fix most of the major glaring issues with the CDi games) >∞ The original CDi games
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Mikey the Moblin
sushi is a suspicious hello
when the newbie has botw as their favorite but ww is their second favorite (and interchangeable)
- Joined
- Jan 11, 2021
- Gender
- man
I actually recently replayed Wind Waker and I appreciate it a lot more. I'm still not totally sold on the dungeon design, but I finally understood how vital the Great Sea is not just for atmosphere, which I'd always appreciated it for, but for gameplay and story. Though it is still kind of in what I consider to be unnecessary and excessive downtime, I think I'm gonna bump the game up to around TP in my ranking. It's still not as good as PH lmao but I don't consider it Skyward Sword tier anymore.
- Joined
- May 5, 2022
- Gender
- Non Binary
Favorite: Majora's Mask.
Least: Oracle of Ages/Seasons
I may feel like Skyward Sword held your hand too much, but at least I was able to play it. The Oracle games hurt my brain. And not like "I don't understand it", but more like "I'm a demon and the Oracle games are holy ice crucifixs banging on my head."
Least: Oracle of Ages/Seasons
I may feel like Skyward Sword held your hand too much, but at least I was able to play it. The Oracle games hurt my brain. And not like "I don't understand it", but more like "I'm a demon and the Oracle games are holy ice crucifixs banging on my head."
- Joined
- Oct 15, 2022
- Gender
- Male
1. Wind Waker: Love this game! I love the world, maybe a bit to big, but the ocean is amazing and I love seeing the little silouettes of the islands and sailing towards them. The sailing is just so nice. I liked the combat system to, although easy, very fast and fun. I love the art style, its really cute and has aged so well. The music is amazing, songs like Dragon Roost Island and The Great Sea are so memorable. It was also the first Zelda game I beat.
2. Majora’s Mask: This would be a super close 2nd favorite, maybe the same or better then Wind Waker depending on my mood. The 3-day time thing has to be my favorite Zelda “gimmick“, with just how well it ties into the games dungeons, the side quests, the atmosphere just everything. The masks are great, from rolling and stomping like a goron to swimming super fast as a Zora they have really cool abilities. Stone Tower Temple is my favorite Zelda dungeon, and Goht is my favorite Zelda boss. The side quests are much more detailed then previous games and tie in perfectly to the to the 3 day mechanic. The story is also something I felt this game did well, with more fleshed out characters. And the atmosphere and music are also great!
3. A Link to the Past: Wow, just wow! This was actually the first one I played when I was 7, but never beat until 6 years later. The overworld is filled with secrets, and I consistently love exploring the map. The dungeons are great as well as the bosses. The music and atmosphere are great, really making you feel like your on an epic adventure. Its also aged suprisingly well, and doesn’t feel overly dated.
4. Ocarina of Time: Probably my favorite 3d dungeons and 3d bosses overall, really great and memorable. The atmosphere and music in this game are also great, the kind of thing that really makes the 1st playthrough the best one. Hyrule field is pretty empty though, but theirs still lots of good secrets and stuff to discover. Overall really good.
5. Link’s Awakening: This Zelda game is really special. The world is unique, lots of secrets to discover and overall really interesting and unique with great characters. The story though is probably my favorite story in a Zelda game. The characters are memorable and loveable and have their own special personalities, especially Marin (my favorite zelda character). Discovering that this little world will fade away and that YOU have to end it or keep the false reality alive Its the only Zelda game with no hero, and I think this is what makes this game so special. Also, Ballad of the Windfish is one of the best Zelda songs ever.
6. Twilight Princess: This game does have its flaws, like the stupidly long intro, and the tears of light quests, and the empty overworld, and the plotholes, but it doesn’t change the fact that I like it. Great dungeons, the overworld still has some cool secrets and stuff (I liked the caverns, which it had more of those). The music is also great, kakariko village OST is so calming and peaceful. But yeah, good game, although somewhat forgettable.
7. Breath of the Wild: I like the free roam climbing and paragliding and the game is beautiful, and I like the sandboxy elements, but its not overall that great. Not much great content in the world, the Labyrinths, Hyrule Castle, Eventide Island, and probably some more stuff I forgot about were cool some of the shrines were somewhat fun but I didn’t enjoy most of the content. The divine beasts are boring dungeons and the bosses aren’t great either. Also, theirs no classic items. Also, its kind of forgettable.
8. Minish Cap: Great art style, dungeons, music, bosses and generally everything, but theirs one thing that lowers this down here, the KINSTONES. I really hate them, they are so annoyingly cryptic and you have to visit the same people over and its annoyingly cryptic to progress.
9. A Link Between Worlds: Feels like a more modern, but also somewhat more dumbed down ALTTP. The overworld is somewhat more open, but the dungeons and bosses are not very good. I don’t like the art style either. The item rental system is kind of frustrating, it makes the game a bit more open, but it also means there isn’t really a good item progression.
The rest I don’t like much or haven’t played.
2. Majora’s Mask: This would be a super close 2nd favorite, maybe the same or better then Wind Waker depending on my mood. The 3-day time thing has to be my favorite Zelda “gimmick“, with just how well it ties into the games dungeons, the side quests, the atmosphere just everything. The masks are great, from rolling and stomping like a goron to swimming super fast as a Zora they have really cool abilities. Stone Tower Temple is my favorite Zelda dungeon, and Goht is my favorite Zelda boss. The side quests are much more detailed then previous games and tie in perfectly to the to the 3 day mechanic. The story is also something I felt this game did well, with more fleshed out characters. And the atmosphere and music are also great!
3. A Link to the Past: Wow, just wow! This was actually the first one I played when I was 7, but never beat until 6 years later. The overworld is filled with secrets, and I consistently love exploring the map. The dungeons are great as well as the bosses. The music and atmosphere are great, really making you feel like your on an epic adventure. Its also aged suprisingly well, and doesn’t feel overly dated.
4. Ocarina of Time: Probably my favorite 3d dungeons and 3d bosses overall, really great and memorable. The atmosphere and music in this game are also great, the kind of thing that really makes the 1st playthrough the best one. Hyrule field is pretty empty though, but theirs still lots of good secrets and stuff to discover. Overall really good.
5. Link’s Awakening: This Zelda game is really special. The world is unique, lots of secrets to discover and overall really interesting and unique with great characters. The story though is probably my favorite story in a Zelda game. The characters are memorable and loveable and have their own special personalities, especially Marin (my favorite zelda character). Discovering that this little world will fade away and that YOU have to end it or keep the false reality alive Its the only Zelda game with no hero, and I think this is what makes this game so special. Also, Ballad of the Windfish is one of the best Zelda songs ever.
6. Twilight Princess: This game does have its flaws, like the stupidly long intro, and the tears of light quests, and the empty overworld, and the plotholes, but it doesn’t change the fact that I like it. Great dungeons, the overworld still has some cool secrets and stuff (I liked the caverns, which it had more of those). The music is also great, kakariko village OST is so calming and peaceful. But yeah, good game, although somewhat forgettable.
7. Breath of the Wild: I like the free roam climbing and paragliding and the game is beautiful, and I like the sandboxy elements, but its not overall that great. Not much great content in the world, the Labyrinths, Hyrule Castle, Eventide Island, and probably some more stuff I forgot about were cool some of the shrines were somewhat fun but I didn’t enjoy most of the content. The divine beasts are boring dungeons and the bosses aren’t great either. Also, theirs no classic items. Also, its kind of forgettable.
8. Minish Cap: Great art style, dungeons, music, bosses and generally everything, but theirs one thing that lowers this down here, the KINSTONES. I really hate them, they are so annoyingly cryptic and you have to visit the same people over and its annoyingly cryptic to progress.
9. A Link Between Worlds: Feels like a more modern, but also somewhat more dumbed down ALTTP. The overworld is somewhat more open, but the dungeons and bosses are not very good. I don’t like the art style either. The item rental system is kind of frustrating, it makes the game a bit more open, but it also means there isn’t really a good item progression.
The rest I don’t like much or haven’t played.
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