Game Help How to Play Zelda Games?

[jbt]

Hello everyone
this is my first post, so I'm truly sorry if this is in incorrect section of forum.
I'd like to ask You : how do You play TLOZ games? What is proper way of playing them ? I have this problem that I sometimes get stuck in the game , for example I couldn't get the green book from the shelf in ALTTP. I had to look it up , and when I entered one of Your walkthroughs I saw that I missed a ton of items like heart pieces etc. Now I don't know what to do : I would like to beat the game myself , because using walkthroughs on my first playthrough spoils the game for me , but at the same time I am new to the whole genre and as I said - I miss a lot of items and get stuck sometimes. What should I do ?
Thanks in advance for answers
jbt

 

[Sheik]

Well, for starters, there is no "proper" way to play Zelda because every player can have different strategies for how they tackle puzzles and enemies. But if you feel like you're ruining the games for yourself by using walkthroughs, perhaps you can try to the best of your abilities to go around using them, or maybe you could come to us and we could drop some small hints that might help you while not spoiling the games. c:

I personally don't mind using walkthroughs, as I feel like it's better to get some help and move on with it than to stay stuck for weeks at a time. (I really suck at solving Zelda puzzles.)

Welcome to the dungeon, btw!

 

[Justac00lguy]

I guess it's a case of getting used to the flow of the game. Zelda isn't an overly complicated confusing game by any means, but it does make you think than your average game. I know it can be easy to stop playing and to look over at a walkthrough, but it's much, much more satisfying completing a difficult puzzle on your own.

I think the biggest tip is to take your time. You need to take in every bit of detail, search every room and think of every possibility. You can't just go rushing in headfirst as you'll end up lost and have to start backtracking. Let's say you're in a dungeon, know which route your taking, remember your location, and throughly search each room. Also, try and think outside the box sometimes.

 

[jbt]

Thank You very much guys for Your answers I didn't get stuck that much times , maybe I'm a little bit overreacting because this is my first TLoZ game ( I'm playing A Link to the Past as I said before ) and I do stupid mistakes because I don't know how the game works and what tricks are usually used for solving puzzles. For example my most recent problem was in Dark Palace dungeon - I got stuck because I didn't think that I can drop down to the lower floor. Maybe when I'm a little bit more experienced I won't have similar issues.
I wonder about one more thing - do You usually walk around the whole map exploring between going into dungeons? I know there are many secrets that are out of the way , and I don't know if I will pass near them further into the game. I also sometimes come across secrets that are inaccessible for the time being , should I make a list of such things and re-visit those places later? I'm sorry that I sound like a mentally impaired person trying so hard to play a game , but I don't want to get stuck without a clue what to do just because I missed an item 5 hours earlier in the game

 

[misskitten]

I agree that there is no right or wrong way to play Zelda, just different ways to go about it. For the longest time I only really played the 3D games in the series, and they mainly play a bit different than the top down games, but then I tried A Link Between Worlds and got a proper tastenfor what a top down experience could be like. I agree with the others in the advice to just try and explore each room fully, be aware of the moves Link can do as well as the items he currently posesses. Be aware of any hints made by characters and/or signposts, and if all fails, do some exploration - maybe you don't have the right item just yet...

 

[Random Person]

Zelda takes common sense and applies it to video games. My mistake when I first started playing was thinking "that can't be the answer, it's too obvious" or "that can't be the answer, they wouldn't put that in a game" yet sure enough, I was wrong. If you think something might work, no matter how "obvious" or "stupid" it sounds, try it. This is a game not only about exploring the world you're in, but exploring yourself. Link is supposed to be a creative character who is able to solve any problem with the tools he has.

A thing to note about Zelda is that ANYTHING can be a clue to something. Zelda games incorporate sight, sound and touch to not only their reward system (like most games) but their hint system. My friends would play Zelda and they would miss alot of things because they would only focus on what was right in front of them. They didn't hear sounds that were telling them to leave the path, they didn't see the red words in the text emphasizing what to do, they didn't notice what items were given to them before they entered a boss area, they didn't find it odd that rocks were arranged in a perfect circle. Take mental notes of everything as you play. If something stands out even a little, it's probably worth investigating.

 

[Curmudgeon]

Your experience is not uncommon. Over time, you'll begin to develop an intuition about where to find hideaways where secrets are stashed. And if all else fails, use a walkthrough. I almost always miss a few items that I have to look up at the end despite playing these games forever (in fact, I'll always a little disappointed when I 100% a Zelda game by myself - I'm looking at you SS and ALBW).

I used to keep notes about suspicious areas or places that seemed to require a special item so I would remember to return later to investigate. You'll eventually learn series staples like heart container pieces being rewards for winning minigames or that stuff is often to be found by jumping in wells.

 

[jbt]

Thank You very much for answers I've noticed that the key is not to panic when I somehow realise that I've missed many items. The longer I play the game the more things catch my eye and I'm able to tell if there's a secret somewhere. I'm just not familiar with many actions / items that Link can perform/use , therefore I get stuck. Currently I'm tackling the third dungeon in Dark World , that makes 2 Dungeons in a row where I didn't need to use any tips/ walkthroughs. I think the next Zelda game I play I'll be able to beat it without any help Thanks again everyone !

 

[Azure Sage]

I usually start by exploring everywhere I possibly can at any given moment and talking to everyone at least twice. I make it a point to be very explorative when I play video games. I don't use guides or walkthroughs unless I'm hopelessly stuck. Sometimes I'll use them for gathering Pieces of Heart to make sure I didn't miss any, though. I also prefer to play without a shield, if that's an option. I rarely use potions, too, but I always have at least one fairy on hand. That's how I normally play Zelda games.

 

[Deleted member 14134]

Play it however you want, the guides are there if you need a hint or two but try not to abuse them. As for heart pieces, you can get through the game without obtaining every single one, as is the case with many collectible side items.

 

[Snow Queen]

Realistically there is no "proper" way to play the Zelda games. There isn't really a lot of variety in playstyle when it comes to games like this other than how you interact with your environment and explore it. For example, my younger brother tends to just do things all willy nilly, making decisions based on a whim, whereas I literally Resident Evil style scour every room methodically, imagining the dungeon layout on a grid, inspecting it cell by cell, exploring and discovering to the fullest. But yeah, I think the new Zelda will allow for more gameplay diversity, considering that now you have to plan and form a strategy on how you will tackle the dungeons, which you never once had to do in a Zelda game (aside from the first). Basically my point is there is no real proper way to play Zelda because there just aren't enough ways to play it.

 

[Wolf Sage]

You literally just walk around in search of clues to solve puzzles or find items. An assist character—such as Navi from Ocarina of Time—is usually there to help if you're ever in a bind. There also tend to be little hints placed on signs and stuff, or you can always ask citizen NPCs for help as well. As for gameplay, literally every item, weapon, action is mapped to a button. The Legend of Zelda is relatively easy to pick up, which is why it is so approachable to Zelda fans both old and new.

 

[Zizzy]

Didn't want to start a new thread so I'll post my question here.

I'm about to start a playthrough of the series (I've only fully completed 2 or 3 LoZ games..), just wondering if there's a "best" order to play through. Order of Hyrule Historia timeline? Order of release? Doesn't matter at all?

 

[Jamie]

Walkthrough when needed, and minimalist on the hardest difficulty. That is the only way to play Zelda.

 

[JuicieJ]

I'm a completionist by nature, so I always 100% Zelda games the first time around. I'll usually follow it up with a 3 heart run and a minimalist run afterwards.

Walkthrough when needed, and minimalist on the hardest difficulty. That is the only way to play Zelda.

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