Board 8 > My Rankings of Legend of Zelda Games with Write-Ups

(+) Yeah! (+)

15. Wii: Skyward Sword (November 20, 2011)
*Deep Breath* Here we go. Oh my God!!! Where do I begin with this one? Lets just get this first point out of the way. WHY THE HELL IS LINK RIGHT HANDED!?!!? Before you white knight this, I do actually know the answer to this one, so well touch back on it later. This was definitely the single biggest let down of a main title game that I can ever recall. I looked forward to this so much with all the hype it got. I dont know, maybe Im biased, but why is THIS the game Nintendo followed Twilight Princess with? This is what it would look like if Disney got a hold of Zeldas rights. Colorful, happy, cheerful, all things Zelda titles are not supposed to be (Wind Waker is a different breed). These are dark times for Hyrule, or in this case, Skyloft, why does everyone still seem so happy even though the Imprison is stompin around the sacred grounds? Gaeporas daughter is snatched out of the sky by this dark tornado thing and hes just moseying around Skyloft like its no big deal. The imprisoned is some serious shit, but whatever, Link will take care of it. What!?
Next, what the hell is this Zelda? An annoying and whiny teenager with a boy crush. Why does she seem so effing useless in this one? For me, she really was just a letdown as well. Zelda in other games seem to just have this presence about them that SS Zelda just didnt capture. I get its an origin story, but even Zelda IIs Zelda (who was supposed to be the original Zelda) had a more elegant poise to her and she was pixelated! Yeah, sure, Zelda is a damsel in distress, but the only game to make Zelda more annoying is Breath of the Wild, and thats just causewell, well get there in due time. I will say, however, the Beedle in this game is THE GREATEST! This guy never lets you down, except for when you dont buy anything in his flying shop.
Anyway, another really terrible aspect to this game was the GOD AWFUL motion controls. So Link is right handed now, this is why. This game would be a lot higher if not for these motion controls. I have old videos of me playing this game because it just looks ridiculous to get link to do what you want. Honestly, I would like to see a remake of this game with the Switch because I feel like motion controls have come such a long way, that I really would enjoy this game a lot more if the controls were better. For what it is now, on one hand you fought with the motion controls trying to get a slash to land the way you want it, on the other you fought with the new stamina wheel. I liked that the stamina wheel added a new level of difficulty to these games, but when link doesnt go where you intended half the time, you found yourself faltering for unnecessary reasons. Also, I felt the stamina wheel completely made the iconic spin attack useless as it just ate your entire wheel in one go. Not to mention, the motion controls made your spin attack go in all sorts of directions. In other words, its useless unless you want to take unnecessary extra damage.

If Im being completely honest though, it wasnt an awful game. I did enjoy the collecting of materials to level up your items. It made it feel more adventure-y. The dungeons were fun to get through, but omfg the imprisoned. I really dislike the repeating of bosses, so this guy was super annoying. I get his connection, it makes sense and fits, but I hate him and his stupid watery toes. I spent a lot of time yelling vulgarities at this guy. Honestly, I felt Demise was easier, even though I died a few times due to the motion control issue mentioned above.
On another note, I am a big fan of Pokmon, so the color and theme did eventually grow on me as I played on. It is a really pretty game for the time of Nintendos console power. I have a fond memory of the water dungeon and thinking how bright and pretty it was, however, it really just does not suit LoZs tone. I think I rank this so low just because of how much it felt like a chore to finish and the fact that the hype built it up so much that it didnt reach a fangirls expectations. So here, it sits, down with the baddies.

I am still a bit perplexed that they havent announced Skyward Sword HD as the next Zelda project to tide people over until the next new one

Maybe release it for Switch as a 3-pack (A Triforce?) with Wind Waker HD and Twilight Princess HD
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Jakyl25 posted...

I am still a bit perplexed that they havent announced Skyward Sword HD as the next Zelda project to tide people over until the next new one

Maybe release it for Switch as a 3-pack (A Triforce?) with Wind Waker HD and Twilight Princess HD

OMG YES!!!! THIS!!!

Lopen posted...

Zelda 2 does something unique which is going to make it far better than last place for a lot of people.

It's my second favorite behind LttP personally. For me it has a lot more replayability than most other Zelda games as the gameplay is a lot more skill based than the others which for me lose a lot of their charm after one playthrough once all the secrets and such have been discovered and the puzzles have been solved.

Exactly why so many love Skyward Sword. It holds your hand the entire game and praises you for completing the easiest of tasks.
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Jakyl25 posted...

Maybe release it for Switch as a 3-pack (A Triforce?) with Wind Waker HD and Twilight Princess HD

Nintendo can just release them separately and make way more money.
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Jakyl25 posted...

Beating it on GBA unlocks a new dungeon in ALttP right? Has anyone here ever done that?

Yes (#Siblings), and as Tazzy said, it's nothing special. Just a few boss re-fights (Blind, Helmasaur King and Arrghus iirc) with additional gimmicks, then another gimmick-filled Dark Link boss.
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Zelda II might be in my top 5
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Skyward Sword has a lot too it that's really awesome that sets it ahead of many Zeldas

...

but it also has the most flaws in a Zelda game ever, especially including minor annoyances

it's frustrating having so much good packaged with so mach bad

(PS: he lady phile)
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Skyward Sword's great parts are pretty damn awesome. Loved the final fights with Ghirahim and Demise, and some of the dungeons are amazing. It has some really bad stuff too though, yeah. What were they even thinking with the tadpole section? Easily the worst part of any Zelda game ever.
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I agree with GMUN. There are so many frustrating design choices with SS, but at the end of the day, I think the triumphs well and truly surpass the failures. It probably had the freshest approach to puzzles in series history, which is why IMO the dungeons felt quite a bit better than those in WW and TP.
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Adventure of Link is my favourite Legend of Zelda game
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I got Skyward Sword on release and still havent played it yet. I mostly got it because it was practically like getting a $20 game with a Wiimote >_>

Never really got why people claim SS had bad motion controls. Found it pretty fluid myself. I think most people just don't like heavy use of motion controls in general, and mistake that for the game having bad controls.
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SS's wii motion controls vary person to person, and often times it's basically worse for those who used more space to do everything. There are those who had really small space to work with, basically never moving their hand and only their wrist, had minimal problems.

I still would never want a remake for it, they'd never fix what actually needs to be fixed (4 hours of repetition as gameplay)
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Is there any option to switch Links hand in Skyward Sword? Im left-handed and everything being on the opposite hand on screen for motion controls seems like it would be somewhat annoying

swordz9 posted...

Is there any option to switch Links hand in Skyward Sword? Im left-handed and everything being on the opposite hand on screen for motion controls seems like it would be somewhat annoying

it doesn't affect anything
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Zelda 2 was close to being great, but instead it's too flawed. I guess I didn't really care for the way the overworld played at all. And too many enemies were annoying instead of fun. Like a lot of games from back then, once you get into a groove, you kinda forget how bad some of that stuff is. I like that they took a risk, and I'd probably really like the game if the enemies were more fun to fight. It's just not a well tuned game.

I didn't get into the handheld Zeldas very much.
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I liked SS a lot but I don't know that I'd ever replay it with motion controls and having to solve puzzles in the overworld. Those time orb dungeons were really good though.
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tag
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GranzonEx posted...

swordz9 posted...

Is there any option to switch Links hand in Skyward Sword? Im left-handed and everything being on the opposite hand on screen for motion controls seems like it would be somewhat annoying

it doesn't affect anything

Im not saying it will exactly, but its all gonna look backwards on screen compared to my irl hand motions and Im sorta dyslexic.

as a lefty it annoyed made me sad
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swordz9 posted...

Is there any option to switch Links hand in Skyward Sword? Im left-handed and everything being on the opposite hand on screen for motion controls seems like it would be somewhat annoying

I dunno try conforming to society ?
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CelesMyUserName posted...

as a lefty it annoyed made me sad

Sorry for poor English

Where we're u when link wrong handed

Friend rang said link right knob jockey

"But no"

Sadness
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dammit why do i do that a lot
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14. DS: Spirit Tracks (December 7, 2009)
I dont have very much to say about this one as I didnt beat it. The controls were bloody awful as you had to use the touch screen to make Link move. If the game was remade Id probably give it another whirl with new controls, but Nintendo tried too hard to capitalize on the DSs touch screen with this game (along with Phantom Hourglass). I feel like it could have been SO much better if they had normal controls. Theres a reason this is higher than SS, but well get to it later.

13. NES: The Legend of Zelda (February 21, 1986)
The game that started them all! I have really fond memories playing this on an old tube TV with my cousin using a printed out html guide from none other than GameFAQs back in the early 2000s. Our summers spent reading the guide to one another as we take turns playing will forever live on in my memories. It was so much fun trying to figure things out together, and I even plan on one day replaying this on my NES Classic if Zea ever agrees to it. We started it together when we first started dating, using just a map to figure stuff out, and I look forward to one day doing that again.
This game just seemed to bring about a whole new level of Nintendo that no one expected considering Mario had capitalized on the platforming games, so no one expected this amazing adventure game. I believe this game was the first of its kind, with many attempts to replicate its brilliant style. If I had to choose between Pokmon or LoZ, Id definitely have to pick LoZ. These games are so amazing that they can replicate a base story and make completely different games. Its really amazing how far this series has come.
This would be higher up, but the nostalgia for this game came a little bit later on and its the only reason its this low. It is a great game today, and was an even greater game for its time. It was almost not released in the US as the Japanese didnt think us Americans would have the patience for a game like this. Im so glad they changed their minds.

I don't get hating the DS touch controls... It's like... sure, it's annoying if you're right handed as Stylus and the buttons that do something are both active on the right side (and I'm right-handed, so I had that problem)... but it gave a new style of how to play the game that was actually somewhat entertaining.

Only problem is that I never beat either DS game because of things not working on the Final Boss fight in PH, and as for ST... Bringing up the pipe flute makes me vulgar.
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WickIebee posted...

I don't get hating the DS touch controls... It's like... sure, it's annoying if you're right handed as Stylus and the buttons that do something are both active on the right side (and I'm right-handed, so I had that problem)... but it gave a new style of how to play the game that was actually somewhat entertaining.

Only problem is that I never beat either DS game because of things not working on the Final Boss fight in PH, and as for ST... Bringing up the pipe flute makes me vulgar.

And aren't like 98% of people right handed or something close to that?
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I think its 90%
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doryphish posted...

I believe this game was the first of its kind, with many attempts to replicate its brilliant style.

Depends on what you mean by its kind.
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12. SNES: A Link to the Past (November 21, 1991)
The first Zelda title release that I was actually alive for, 5 long years after the original release. I have tried twice to play this on the original SNES I had, but the first SNES had a malfunctioning with the circuitry so I a bought a new one. The second one stopped working too when I had moved into an apartment and it ended up cracking during the transition. I eventually gave up and played a ROM so I lost out on the true experience. If it werent how long this game is for a SNES game, Id probably replay this game on my SNES Classic.
I did enjoy this game a lot, but it felt like it went on forever sometimes. The dungeons eventually felt repetitive to me with a lot of backtracking involved. I would LOVE to see this game remade for the Switch. I feel like all the remakes Pokmon gets, this game definitely deserves a Switch remake. Im looking at you Lets Go Pikachu/Eevee with its second R/B/Y remake!!!
Anyway, I liked the idea of the two different worlds, but eventually it did feel like a drag to keep playing. Dont get me wrong, it really was enjoyable for me, but I played it much later as an adult as we didnt own a copy when I was younger. I dont have the nostalgia for this game that most of you other Zelda lovers have, which is why this is so much further down than Im sure a lot of you would place it. Isnt that half the fun though? Finding someone with differing opinions and explaining why?

One of the things I hated most about ALttP was using the warp mirror thing or whatever to go to the other world, but then to go back you had to go to that EXACT same spot again. It was a pain in the ass going back to that spot every single time you used the warp. There were some other minor annoying things like Link not being able to break certain objects he could break in other LoZ games. I played the VC version so I dunno if the SNES is any different, but man every single time you get to that spot with the falling boulders the game starts lagging like crazy and makes you never want to go back there

swordz9 posted...

One of the things I hated most about ALttP was using the warp mirror thing or whatever to go to the other world, but then to go back you had to go to that EXACT same spot again. It was a pain in the ass going back to that spot every single time you used the warp. There were some other minor annoying things like Link not being able to break certain objects he could break in other LoZ games. I played the VC version so I dunno if the SNES is any different, but man every single time you get to that spot with the falling boulders the game starts lagging like crazy and makes you never want to go back there

I played a ROM so idk. The ROM lagged at that spot too. I definitely think as well that there were a few annoyances, but I think its just so low for me because of how long the game felt and the dungeons got a little boring for me. Killing enemies began to just feel repetitive.

Hmm, I guess it's not super short, but LttP's definitely not as long as any of the 3D Zeldas are. I don't think the dungeons have any more backtracking than the later ones do, though they do have more freedom with all the keys and such. I liked the non-linearity of the dungeons - makes the game feel different every time you do it.
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ALttP is great stuff!
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Sad to see LttP so low.
Granted it was my first Zelda game, but I feel that other entries should have been before it
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I had LttP on GBA, so didn't lose out on the true experience. I have my problems with the game, but honestly I'm just bad at video games can sometimes be my argument. The randomizer for LttP is just... fantastic and fun though.
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crazygamer999 posted...

Sad to see LttP so low.
Granted it was my first Zelda game, but I feel that other entries should have been before it

As I said, I dont have the nostalgia for it like other gamers. I played it when WW HD was the most recent release

11. GB: Links Awakening (August 1993) & GBC: Links Awakening DX (December 15, 1998)
I actually played this much later as a port on the 3DS from the Nintendo eShop. I hadnt really been interested in the GameBoy Zelda Titles thinking that they couldnt be that great due to the restriction of the technology back then. Damn, was I wrong! Links Awakening was so much fun! It was one of the few Zelda titles to not take place in Hyrule and it just seemed to have such a different feeling than any other Zelda titles I had played thus far. I didnt play the original Links Awakening, but instead the DX port, but from my understanding its the same game but better. It was originally supposed to be a port of Link to the Past, but it ended up becoming this great original game.
I dumped a ton of time into this game during my junior year in college, so around 2014-2015. It was probably one of the few Zelda games I just felt the need to explore in its entirety. I was just so impressed that a GBC game still held my attention for so long. The play style was fun, the dungeons were fun, and the story was new and exciting. I dont really have a reason for not liking this game. I think its just so far down because even though it was this really great game, I either have more nostalgia for, or just more enjoyment from higher up games.

crazygamer999 posted...

Sad to see LttP so low.
Granted it was my first Zelda game, but I feel that other entries should have been before it

It probably would have been much higher had I gotten it during the SNES' era

Nostalgia isn't the only reason someone could think LttP was one of the best Zelda games. Feel like the overhead style just doesn't appeal to you. Which is fine, but if you're the type of Zelda fan that it does it's hard to find much of anyone who would rank it so low.
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phantom hourglass over lttp is a joke

phantom hourglass over links awakening is a joke

hell, even phantom hourglass over skyward sword is a joke
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I mean, it's one person's rankings

Zelda II is one of my favorite games of all time

PrinceKaro posted...

phantom hourglass over lttp is a joke

phantom hourglass over links awakening is a joke

hell, even phantom hourglass over skyward sword is a joke

Hey, chill man. I have my reasonings for liking Phantom hourglass. I had a completely different experience with this series than you did and its why I rank the games this way. I didnt have as much fun with LttP most likely to do with when I got into the series. I didnt care for how the game played out and its because its one of the last ones I played.

LOL.

Stopped reading at the first writeup.

AoL is closer to Top 5 material than it is last place.
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redrocket posted...

LOL.

Stopped reading at the first writeup.

AoL is closer to Top 5 material than it is last place.

Thats just like, your opinion man

10. DS: Phantom Hourglass (Ocotober 1, 2007)
Ok, I know youre all probably thinking what the actual f***? Why is this game this high up and above all these other great games? The answer to this is strictly nostalgia and the amount of hours I dumped into this game, and I mean hours. I got this game when it released with the Zelda Edition DS Lite on a Black Friday sale. This was the early years of when I first REALLY got into the LoZ franchise, so the game itself, even though didnt play well, meant a lot to me. I waited in line for this and I was so excited! No way crappy controls would damper my enjoyment of my second Zelda game I would come to own. I got pretty far, but as most of you know, you get a limited amount of time in the dungeon with the phantom hourglass and I ended up not getting enough time to make it through. Needless to say, I eventually realized it wasnt worth trying to redo everything to give myself more time. I did retry the game later on, but I came to realize how bad the controls really were. I did really like the characters in this game though. I know Nintendo was just trying to capitalize on its touch screen abilities, but it really isnt that bad of a game if you got used to the controls. It is honestly, a very unique Zelda game.

Like really, complaining about the controls of PH means you didn't play it for actually that long. It utilizes the touch screen so entertainingly and fun, with things like the island that you have to draw a map for, all the items... so on and so forth. Which, by the way, at least works, unlike the number of times we throw a bomb instead of roll it, or take an exceptionally long time to make it actually want to be rolled.

Plus, the other complaint is just people that whine about going back to the Temple of the Ocean King and it's like... How many of you people that complain about progressing through this dungeon repeatedly, which gains new ways to progress as you get new items... praise games in the Tales franchise? Or other such games with a massive level of backtracking or repetitive gameplay that never changes over time.

Phantom Hourglass is actually a really fun game, and I hate to say it... but "haters gonna cry for hours about this game because they're salty bitches."
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Phantom Hourglass is bad because what are you even supposed to do at that part where you need to close the system to imprint a map when you're playing on 2DS?

Worst game ever
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