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How Would You Rate the Popularity of Each Zelda Game?

Not Take Mirror

Sage of Ice
Joined
Dec 8, 2012
Location
Minneapolis, MN
This is isn't about what Zelda games you personally like or dislike the most. Rather it's what you see as being the most liked and disliked games by the Zelda community as a whole.

Which games do you see as being mostly liked by fans? Mostly disliked? Somewhere in between?


Legend of Zelda: Somewhere in between. I don't see it listed as a favorite among many but it's not a least favorite either.

Adventure of Link: Probably the one of the most disliked and complained about games.

A Link to the Past: Mostly liked. There's a few that dislike it but no game is liked by everyone.

Link's Awakening: In between or slightly more liked than disliked.

Ocarina of Time: One of the most liked games.

Majora's Mask: Even though I hear alot of compliants about the 3-day cycle it's still seems more liked than disliked by fans.

Oracle of Seasons: No idea. Probably in between.

Oracle of Ages: No idea. I guess in between.

The Wind Waker: I've heard strong opinions both ways but I'd say somewhat more liked than disliked overall.

Four Swords: Slightly more disliked than liked

Four Swords Adventures: More disliked than liked

The Minish Cap: More like than dislike

Twilight Princess: Mostly liked by fans in spite of some criticisms.

Phantom Hourglass: Probably the second most disliked game aside from Adventure of Link

Spirit Tracks: Somewhat better than Phantom Hourglass but still not that popular. Slightly more dislike than like.

Skyward Sword: In-between. Probably one of the more polarizing Zelda games. Strong opinions on both sides.
 

DarkestLink

Darkest of all Dark Links
Joined
Oct 28, 2012
I find any place where fans views on the games are totaled up and divided to find a basic score. While this is inaccurate for professional reviewers, fans have a high tendency to base their scores solely on how much they liked or disliked the game. After I get this score, I multiply it by the games sales.

OoT has a monopoly on the others. TP is next to it. After then is Skyward Sword. Wind Waker and Majora's Mask are both competing for 4th and 5th place.

Majora's Mask's place might surprise you, but in the end, it didn't sell too well. If I had to judge solely off Hardcore Zelda Fans, it could easily take TP's spot or even OoT's. But judging off Hardcore Fans is harder in terms of obtaining accurate information and, in the end, we're the minority.
 
Last edited:
Joined
Aug 21, 2012
Location
Termina
Popularity: 1-10
1 being unknown. 10 being very popular.

Legend of Zelda: I'd give it a 7/10. Because alot of kids nowadays find it too hard. Or "THE GRAPHICS SUCK!!!" (I enjoyed it though)

Adventure of Link: Very Disliked indeed. 4/10. The jumping and side scrolling scared gamers who are afraid of change. It was much more of a challenge compared to the original LoZ.

A Link to the Past: 9/10. Most old school gamers really enjoyed this one. With the sleek new graphics and the Light/Dark Worlds, what wasn't to like? I have read a review on Amazon from a customer who gave it a one star. They hated it because they couldn't figure out what to do after Link's Uncle leaves. Could have been a troll. Either way, I still really enjoy this game.

Link's Awakening: 7/10. Many haven't even heard of this game. But know that is has come out for 3ds, its getting more popular. This is my favorite Gameboy LoZ and I'm hoping for a 3d remake.

Ocarina of Time: Probably a 10/10. If anyone has ever play an LoZ game, it's more than likely this one.

Majora's Mask: Maybe an 8/10? Many have played this one, but the 3 day cycle really turns people off. Maybe some just didn't enjoy the eeriness throughout the game? Either way, this is probably 3 in my top 5 favorite LoZ games.

Oracle of Seasons: 5/10 mostly because many didn't think of Zelda as a handheld series. Except for the games on DS.

Oracle of Ages: 5/10 People didn't think of Zelda as a handheld series. Except for the games on DS.

The Wind Waker: 7/10. Launching with the gamecube, this game was beautiful. Many disliked how much traveling there was, but some just didn't like the "Cartoon-y" graphics. Either way, this is #1 on my top 5 LoZ games.

Four Swords: 4/10 Multiplayer Zelda seemed like both a great and terrible idea.

Four Swords Adventures: 4/10 Probably would have been more popular if you didn't need a gameboy player for it.

The Minish Cap: 5/10. From what I've heard, this is a skipped game. Many jumped it and waited for the DS games.

Twilight Princess: 8/10. New-Age fans really enjoyed it. But older fans thought it was a bit too dark for a Zelda game. Many weren't pleased with the wolf transformation either.

Phantom Hourglass: 5/10. I haven't heard many reviews on this one, but having Wind Waker style graphics and an annoying companion, it did not go over sol well.

Spirit Tracks: 5/10. More Wind Waker style graphics, but you got a train this time. It was fairly enjoyable, but Zelda being in a suit of armor was a little awkward.

Skyward Sword: 8/10. New Age gamers and Old gamers really enjoyed this. Despite being played with a Wiimote, the graphics were fantastically done and the characters were goofy as all hell. The way Zelda was intended. The birds were a bit annoying for some (including me) but it was definitely a change.

-MISSED GAMES-
The CDI Games (Wand of Gamelon, Zelda's Adventure, and Faces of Evil).
6/10, many aren't even aware that they exist, but die hard fans find these hilarious, mostly for the cutscenes alone. They were definitely a challenge, but saying you have fully beaten the CDI Zelda games is definitely an achievement.
 
I'll try and be brief here, and i'll rate out of ten how popular i think the games are within the community.

Legend of Zelda
The original one, everyone in the community that i've known likes this game to some degree, whether it be for starting the franchise or for it being the right kind of challenging, it definitely hasn't been forgotten and with downloads and re-releases on the GBC and virtual console as well as the GC collector's disc, a fair amount of fans late to the series will have also experienced it unlike other earlier Zelda titles. 5/10

Adventure of Link
Like LoZ, this one hasn't been forgotten, but it has remained in the community's line of sight because of how different it dared to be and how much of a pain in the arse it is to try and get through. Still it is a brave installment, some (me) would even say it was ahead of its time and deserves a remake (so that we can actually appreciate what it has to offer) 6/10

Link's Awakening
Personally, i love this one but i rarely ever catch people talking about it unless i bring it up. And the only other time I have seen it brought up without my help is when easter eggs and references are the topic of conversation which then brings in the conversation about the characters which look like Mario, the spikey enemies from Kirby and other nintendo characters which dropped in for this game. 3/10

A Link to the Past
Like OoT, this is the one that every 2D title is compared to and quite rightly so. It gets a lot of love from the community and is very important in almost every respect in reference to the more recent titles in the franchise considering both story and overworld of most games since have lead by ALttP's example. 7/10

Ocarina of Time
Need I say anything? The game that revolutionised the industry, broke records and boundaries and is still doing so today, even gamers who don't play Zelda know about this title, have seen it and know what its about. 10/10

Majora's Mask
The little game that could, people didn't know what to think of MM back in the day but more recently it has seemingly been upgraded from 'black sheep' to 'cult classic'. A game indeed ahead of its time. 9/10

Oracle of Seasons/Ages
These games are two that i thought had done well enough when they came out for the community to know them intimately enough to have an opinion but it seems that not many have actually played them. They come up in conversation when the prospect of a new interlink feature between two games is theorised but other than that there doesn't seem to be a unified interest in the community for these games over and above the topic of people wanting to play them. 3/10

Four Swords
As with the oracles, not many people seem to have played this game and whatever its story includes doesn't seem to have impacted on the franchise in any great way despite being part of a trilogy of games (MC, FS and FSA). the fact that you needed a lot of hardware and or the ability to download a limited edition version of it to play on your own may be the big factors in why this game isn't thought of too often. 2/10

Four Swords Adventures
See above. 2/10

Minish Cap
This one comes up in conversation a lot and is very fondly thought of, which isn’t surprising considering that the Minish Cap (barring the shrinking and splitting gimmicks) is little more than an updated ALttP of which this game shamelessly steal entire sections of ALttP such as the interior of Hyrule Castle. Nevertheless it’s a competent game that feels as if it means something to the series. 7/10

Wind Waker
Room splitter extraordinaire, like MM this one has come into its own years after its release, with Skyward Sword now existing alongside it, constant memories of this game are dragged up in comparisons to the travel systems, un connected overworlds, art-style and story love it or hate it divides the room but always inhabits the extremes, for that reason and its presence in the series… 9/10

Twilight Princess
An epic game with lots going for it, a little linearity and some amazing designs and memories. the art-style, like most recent Zelda games is a dividing point with fans but for the most part TP is loved for whatever reason and is one of the games which defines Zelda as a franchise more than most available. However, its flaws are glaring for most fans causing a lot of hate and distaste. 8/10

Phantom Hourglass
To me, a rushed mockery of Wind Waker, but nonetheless recent with a gameplay element/gimmick which defines it over the previously released games in the franchise. Its flaws are many but its charm and nostalgic play on its attempt at WW’s visuals seem to let fans forgive its shortcoming. 7/10

Spirit Tracks
A reworked and refined version of PH, with not a great deal separating them. New and intriguing story with some cute scenes and the gimmick of the DS’s mic for weapons and instruments make for a different but very similar experience to PH albeit with the same frustrations just in different places. Nevertheless, it’s a vibrant, bright, charming game which does weasel its way into the heart of the player. (even me, and I hate it)8/10

Skyward Sword
Like WW and TP, SS divided the room, but for many more reasons than just its aesthetic qualities and difficulty. This time round the flaws within the game were weird design choices and returning elements such as the compulsory travel system coming back in nerfed guises. The distaste for Ss is deeper than most indicating a chink in its armour that runs deeper than other releases, yet those who love it love it entirely. 9/10
 

Ventus

Mad haters lmao
Joined
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Akkala
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Hylian Champion
I won't assign numbers or go on a large tangent about the general community's perception of each game. Rather, I'll simply use the "greater than" system I typically employ. In that case, from most popular to least, I think it's something of this order:

OoT > MM > TP > SS > ALttP > LoZ > TWW > TMC > LA > CD-I games (not joking) > PH = ST > OoX > FS > FSA >>> AoL

There has been a recent surge of love for MM, but I don't know how many of that surge was love that was harbored deep in some fan's heart to be honest. OoT is easily the most popular Zelda title; it's the face of Zelda. AoL is the black sheep or the odd one out in too many respects; it's shot down because of its difficulty and never examined for what it is: a game made in the 80s.
 
Joined
Apr 10, 2012
I basically agree with you on everything except for a few points.

WW is the most hated and divided 3D Zelda from what I've witnessed. When unveiled, the fanbase was in a uproar. Not many people like the game when it finally released as well. This game is pretty much divided in terms of who hates the game and who doesn't. Like most Zelda games though, once TP came, that's when the fans started popping out. I would say it would be a 8.325/10

TP and SS should be switched. I've seen way more love for SS than hate. Sure there were some issues fans had with SS like Fi or the overworld. But overall the fanbase does love this game, and thinks its a step in the right direction. I would say that it would be a 9.5/10. TP was known as the butt of the 3D zelda series for a variety of reasons, I haven't really played much of it yet, but it seems like a 7.5/10
 

Curmudgeon

default setting: sarcastic prick
Joined
Dec 17, 2012
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grumpy
AoL is the black sheep or the odd one out in too many respects; it's shot down because of its difficulty and never examined for what it is: a game made in the 80s.

Yup. You could easily replace the spirtes and someone who had never heard of it would be unable to identify it as a Zelda game. The only lore it really contributes to the universe is printed in the instruction manual and what rolls in the title sequence.

Having played AoL in its original context, I can tell you that besides the final level, it didn't even come close to the ****storm of depressingly difficult games of the era. It fit in its contemporary setting, just not as a Zelda title. All that said, I love it to death.
 

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