There is nothing in video games I take more seriously than The Legend of Zelda franchise: a total of nine Zelda games are featured in my top 100 games list; my personal favorite is a Zelda game (A Link to the Past); the best game ever made is a Zelda game (Ocarina of Time).
In the December 2009 issue of Nintendo Power (NP), the NP staff collaborated on an article titled "Ultimate Zelda," in which they rank the thirteen Zelda games (excluding Ocarina of Time Master Quest and A Link to the Past/Four Swords) from worst to best and name a number of series' superlatives. This blog entry is a refutation of that article.
What follows are the NP rankings:
Best Zelda games:
13) Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
12) The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures
11) The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
10/9) The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages/Oracle of Seasons
8) The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
7) The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
6) The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
5) The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening/DX
4) The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
3) The Legend of Zelda
2) The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
1) The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
This list is wrong. It's certainly not the worst Zelda list I've read, but it has some serious problems. Most notable is number 11.
Majora's Mask is one of the finest entries in the Zelda franchise, one which improves on the graphics and play control of its immediate predecessor on the Nintendo 64, Ocarina of Time. NP explains its low ranking of Majora's Mask by describing it as "a different kind of Zelda quest that polarizes fans." The editors at NP of course refer to its unique 72-hour storyline, where players must make as much progress as possible in 3 game days before using a magical ocarina to return to dawn of the first day and start the cycle again. Far from being a detriment, this 72-hour cycle makes Majora's Mask one of the most unique and enjoyable games in the franchise, as well as one which requires a good deal of time management and strategy.
Similarly low on the list is The Wind Waker, although its ranking isn't nearly as criminal as that of Majora's Mask. NP echoed the complaints of some fans by calling sailing in The Wind Waker "incredibly tedious." I, for one, love sailing in The Wind Waker. Zelda games have always been about immersing the player in the game world; sailing across a vast ocean, traveling from island to island, goes a long way in absorbing the player.
The previous two games are too low on the list; the next game is too high. The first handheld Zelda game, Link's Awakening is a legitimately great game. Its spot on the list, however, is all wrong. There's nothing particularly faulty in Link's Awakening, but it's shorter and less innovative than many other Zelda games, including another superior handheld title ranked below it, The Minish Cap.
What follows is my list:
13) The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures
12) Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
11/10) The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages/Oracle of Seasons
9) The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
8) The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening/DX
7) The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
6) The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
5) The Legend of Zelda
4) The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
3) The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
2) The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
1) The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
The NP article also lists several superlatives:
Best hook: Light World/Dark World (A Link to the Past)
Best weapon: Bow (all games)
Best item: Double Clawshots (Twilight Princess)
Best Princess Zelda: (The Wind Waker)
Best boss: Twilit Dragon Argorok (Twilight Princess)
Best overworld: (The Minish Cap)
Best story moment: Beneath the Waves (The Wind Waker)
Best tune: "Overworld Theme" (The Legend of Zelda)
Best secret: Second Quest (The Legend of Zelda)
Best dungeon: Goron Mines (Twilight Princess)
Best enemy: Octorok
Best supporting character: Midna (Twilight Princess)
Best Ganon: (Ocarina of Time)
I have problems with several of the abovementioned superlatives; I'm especially surprised with so many coming from Twilight Princess, the most recent console Zelda game. The worst entries are BEST BOSS and BEST DUNGEON. Like many climactic battles in Twilight Princess, the encounter with the dragon Argorok is a very creative boss fight, but it's surpassed by fights in The Wind Waker, Ocarina of Time and The Minish Cap. Worse yet is NP's choice for BEST DUNGEON: Goron Mines. This is just plain inexplicable. The final two dungeons in The Wind Waker are far better, as is Great Bay Temple (Majora's Mask) and half a dozen dungeons from Ocarina of Time. One superlative which I was surprised to agree with is BEST OVERWORLD; The Minish Cap has an overworld packed with secrets and side-quests, many of which are accessible only by shrinking down to microscopic size.
My superlatives (unchanged entries are in bold):
Best hook: 72-hour cycle (Majora's Mask)
Best weapon: Biggoron's Sword (Ocarina of Time)
Best item: Hookshot (A Link to the Past)
Best Princess Zelda: (Ocarina of Time)
Best boss: Twinrova (Ocarina of Time)
Best overworld: (The Minish Cap)
Best story moment: Beneath the Waves (The Wind Waker)
Best tune: "Overworld Theme" (The Legend of Zelda)
Best secret: Second Quest (The Legend of Zelda)
Best dungeon: Water Temple (Ocarina of Time)
Best enemy: Stalfos
Best supporting character: Ezlo (The Minish Cap)
Best Ganon: (Ocarina of Time)
The great thing about the Zelda franchise is that it touches players in very personalized ways. Everyone has their favorite game, perhaps corresponding to their first experience in the Zelda universe. Comments, as always, are welcome below. What would your list look like? What's your personal favorite?
I'm still torn to what the best hook or enemy is...but the others you're dead on target! I don't know if I'd put Majora's mask at #3 or Windwaker at 4. My order would be OoT, LttP, LoZ, TP, WW, MM, MC, LA, AoL, PH, OoA/OoS, FS
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ReplyDeleteI'm re-playing Majora's Mask for the first time after completing Twilight Princess. I wouldn't place it as high as you did. It improves on game play and some slight enhancements to graphics. However I don't feel these are significant enough to make it a superior game especially in comparison to Wind Waker, The Legend of Zelda, and Twilight Princess. One area where the game lags where a majority of other Zelda games shine is the music. A majority of the music is recycled from Ocarina of Time and the overworld theme pales in comparison to other Zelda games. The size does not compare to other Zelda franchise games. When you play games like Twilight Princess, Wind Waker, and of course Ocarina of Time you really feel a sense of immensity especially when playing the overworld. Finally, I disagree with your opinion of the 72-hour cycle. I find it quite tedious. It would be significant if it was constant, but once you learn how to manipulate time it becomes just another task in your way before saving the game. It forces you to use the bank and schedule your game play allowing time to return to a bank and play the song of time. While in a crunch, most other games allow you to save on the fly and pick up where you left off. My top 10 agrees with yours on many levels however I’ve revised Majora’s Mask’s location to #6. I must also stress that while the last 4 game spots may seem like these are inferior games, they are far superior in comparison to a majority of the action/adventure genre.
ReplyDelete13) The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures
12) Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
11/10) The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages/Oracle of Seasons
9) The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
8) The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening/DX
7) The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
6) The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
5) The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
4) The Legend of Zelda
3) The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
2) The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
1) The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
My Superlatives are as follows
Best hook: The ability to manipulate time and space with the Ocarina of Time (Ocarina of Time)
Best weapon: Biggoron's Sword (Ocarina of Time)
Best item: Ocarina of Time (A Link to the Past)
Best Princess Zelda: (Ocarina of Time and includes Sheik)
Best boss: Twinrova (Ocarina of Time)
Best overworld: (Ocarina of Time)
Best story moment: Link pulls the Master Sword from the stone in the Temple of Time (Ocarina of Time)
Best tune: Ending Credits Music (Wind Waker)
Best secret: Angry guards and Nintendo characters window (Ocarina of Time)
Best dungeon: Water Temple (Ocarina of Time) Only because it is the MOST DIFFICULY DUNGEON EVER!
Best enemy: Iron Knuckle
Best supporting character: Midna (Twilight Princess)
Best Ganon: (Ocarina of Time)
You should have a superlative category "Character who makes me scream 'FUCK YOU LIKE-LIKE!!!' at the top of my lungs". The award would probably go to Like-Like because when that bastard eats my shield I get so pissed. I just saved up a shitload of rupees so I can buy whatever non-sensical item I need that somehow leads to me getting a quest that enables me to get another heart piece, and now I have to drop 80 rupees on another shield. Fuck you so hard, Like-Like, you soulless piece of monkey-shit.
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