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Which Zelda game featured your favorite gimmick?

twilitfalchion

and thus comes the end of an era
Staff member
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Jun 16, 2020
Location
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Most Zelda games have some kind of gimmick (gimmick here just meaning a mechanic that is prominently featured in the gameplay, e.g., WW's sailing, MM's 3-day cycle, etc., not being used in a negative sense).

Of these, which would you call your favorite? Not even which one you think was best executed or implemented, just which one you enjoyed or appreciated most?

For me, I'd say WW's sailing is still my favorite gimmick in the series. I honestly never agreed with the criticisms that it messed with the game's pacing on its own. It was a creative way for Zelda to incorporate a more open world (as limited as it seems now) and a joy to experience, if you ask me.
 

thePlinko

What’s the character limit on this? Aksnfiskwjfjsk
ZD Legend
The 3 day system by far. The ability to explore each event and learn exactly what happens when is one that still has yet to truly be replicated in any as far as I’m aware. No other game gives you such an in-depth look at each characters struggles in their last 3 days alive. The 3 day system is what makes MM such a masterpiece in game design.
 

MW7

Joined
Jun 22, 2011
Location
Ohio
I like most of the gimmicks used in the series, but the 3 day cycle in Majora's Mask is my favorite. Ravio's bracelet in A Link Between Worlds is probably my second favorite.

You didn't ask, but I think the worst game for gimmicks is Spirit Tracks with the train, spirit flute, and touch controls. To be even more specific the spirit flute is my least favorite gimmick. The train and touch controls I don't dislike, but I prefer most of the other games' methods of travel and control.
 

Uwu_Oocoo2

Joy is in video games and colored pencils
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I have to go with the 3-day mm mechanic. It's one of the most clever game mechanics in the history of gaming, and it makes the game extremely fun and deep. Some people find it stressful, but having that time flow I find makes it challenging in a positive way and makes you act with a lot more purpose.
My second favorite is probably Ravio's bracelet. Ordinarily making a game so similar to another would just be cheap and redundant, but that bracelet brought it to another level. It took a world that was once flat and created so many more layers and folds to explore, I love the creativity of it and how many new challenges it allows for.
Finally, I don't like the ww sailing. I mostly just found it tedious.
 

mαrkαsscoρ

Mr. SidleInYourDMs
Joined
May 5, 2012
Location
American Wasteland
the 3 day mechanic is amazing in the context of a playthrough, but it gets old and non-urgent after a while and just outright intrusive if you just want to explore or mess around, hence why I always promote the 4 day glitch

so I suppose my favorite is probably the wall merging in ALBW, just hug a wall press A and shimmy around
 

Hyrulian Hero

Zelda Informer Codger
Joined
Oct 6, 2016
Location
SoDak
The ring gimmick needs to make a return and hard. It was a way of adding a simple touch of RPG to a Zelda game. They weren't broken and they provided a small but meaningful prize with the added bonus of suspense before you got them appraised. Kind of like an early and not insanely expensive Amiibo mechanic.
 

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