Favourite Zelda

[Crescent]

Anyone here a (*longtime) fan of Zelda? If so, whats your favourite/s?

I love the Zelda franchise its one of the best videogame franchises out there along with Final Fantasy. In my other threads Im having a whine about pioneer games losing so much quality nowadays and wasting much needed time and capital (I think n..wait for it..SAKAGUCHI**HIGHFIVES*)...on petty visual aesthetics but with Zelda they're still consistently great n Miyamoto has still chosen to stick to his original formula incorporating excellent, creative gameplay and mechanics and fitting changes throughout each new release. I emphasise gameplay because the actual story well.. lil intriguing but ya standard "Defeat a bad guy who kidnapped Zelda or another important maiden"..but Zelda is more gameplay driven (I get my kicks from epic storylines from Final Fantasy but....NOT ANYMORE!!!XD)

Hmm My favourite Zelda game is "A Link To The Past" first one I ever played I was like 10 I finished it like 5 times then coming in second by the skin of its teeth is "Ocarina of Time". Man I spent so much time fishing than getting on with the main quest tho, Tryin to catch me a BIG oneXD. I only ask cause Im watching my lil sister play Skyward Sword so boredXD Shes so lost..

[Netrom757]

My Favourite Zelda Game...hmmm it's either Ocarina Of Time or Wind Waker

I love both of them so it's hard to Decide! xD

[Xanatos]

It really depends how you look at it, a franchise that constantly recycles all of it's elements (shallow and predictable story, same characters with bare if any depth to them, items, setting, hell even gameplay barely moved since Ocarina of Time) is far from a great one if you ask me. You could say why change the wining formula, well, it's not really fun to play same game over and over again.

As for my favorite Zelda, that would be Link's Awakening. Great game, one of few that broke standard Zelda formula and has huge sentimental value to me.

[Mystyrion]

It really depends how you look at it, a franchise that constantly recycles all of it's elements (shallow and predictable story, same characters with bare if any depth to them, items, setting, hell even gameplay barely moved since Ocarina of Time) is far from a great one if you ask me. You could say why change the wining formula, well, it's not really fun to play same game over and over again.

It's hard to bring change to a game that already has huge variations. Varieties of items, different suits, boots, weapons, shields. If the pushed it any further it would turn more RPG based than anything.

You look at something like halo or call of duty where a minor change like armor abilities change the entire system of the game. Add some new items in Zelda and its "just" another item you pick up and use in a dungeon or two.

I agree with the character development. I mean if they just made it something like mass effect where you could choose you choice of words but still don't speak an actually word we could still have our voiceless hero. It would be so much easier to add character development with that small change.
As far as a repeating story goes I do not agree. Yes basics, save the princess and hyrule, but I could point that out about almost every series out there. If your going to point out the basic story line. Is it still shallow? Yes

[Crescent]

I agree with the lack of character development but the creators have noticed this n attempted to address it in Skyward Sword. There is some noticeable detail to the dialogue, some serious effort in showing the characters change, it does explore Link and Zelda's relationship alot more than previous instalments but it still falls short of what can honestly be considered greatness. But Im not concerned at all. Thats not why Zelda is so popular and why I play and why the Zelda franchise has lasted this long, its the gameplay. I mean my lil sister (shes 17 btw) is not into videogames at all- more clubbing, shopping, getting her nails and hair done u kno girly shit yet Zelda n Mario are the only games shes excited to play..Its one of those games where the classic formula is what makes it sell as you can play one in the whole Zelda series and get hooked I think. Its light fun even with the puzzle solving where as if I want something more thought provoking and heavy as to evoke different emotions Ill play Final Fantasy...*cough*VII.

[Taco-Calamitous]

My favorite in the series is Zelda II: The Adventure of Link. I realize that's a very "unique" choice, but I love the gameplay, the world, and the enemies in that game. There's a great deal of nostalgia that I have for that game, moreso than any other Zelda game. It's the one we bought-we never owned the first one. So we "didn't know better," as my brother put it once, heh. But yeah; it was the most different of all the Zelda games. Had the most RPG elements. A lot of people complain that it's too hard, but it's not too bad if you know the right strategies (jumping and slashing at the heads of the iron knuckles, for example. Running the hell away from certain enemies is another.) Also, remember that there are a lot of hidden places in different spots on the overworld map.

As for whether or not the formula to Zelda doesn't change much... yeah. Not that I've played the newest one. But I don't mind that too much. It's not like there's a new Zelda game out every year. There's like two for every generation (except for the SNES. And I guess technically Twilight Princess was a GC game, not a Wii game.) And the games different enough, IMO. In fact, a lot of the handheld titles are very different, it seems. Anyhoo...

Wuv, Yer Mom

[Dodie16]

I didn't really get into the Zelda franchise until it went 3D, so I missed out on a lot of the classics.

As for right now, I'd say my favorite Zelda is WindWaker. I know it gets a lot of flak for being cartoony and the sailing, but I still enjoyed it all quite a bit. Great characterization with the expressive faces, and loved that Ganondorf got some sympathetic motivations for his actions. I think the King of Red Lions is my favorite "sidekick character" in the Zelda games. He's doesn't get on my nerves like a lot of 'em have. Hiimdaisy seems to have had a different opinion though. (link contains spoilers, you have been warned.)

[Mystyrion]

I guess I'll actually address the OP instead of derailing it this time

Twilight Princess.
I really enjoyed the changing of forms and having dark and light area's of the game. Although sometimes annoyed at being a wolf. I thought it was an innovative way to traverse the same area as is the norm with Zelda games. Though to be honest, the gameplay from any 3D Zelda could go here. TP really wins because of it having the best controller layout IMO. I hate the wii mote.

It also was honestly the story line that stood out from the normal for me. The darker attitude of the game. As doodie noted with the King of the Red Lions being his favorite. Midna was mine.

I really enjoyed the more realistic and darker graphics of the game as well. Not that I don't mind Skyward Swords, i just tend to prefer TP's.

[Crescent]

..I know it gets a lot of flak for being cartoony and the sailing..

WTF That was one of the best things about the whole game