Do You Have Any Unpopular Gaming Opinions?

[Sarge]

Ocarina isn't my favorite Zelda, but there's no question it's absolutely an achievement in game design. By today's standards, the controls might be a little clunky, but they're solid, and this was in an era where so many franchises were trying to figure out how to transition effectively into a 3D space. Somehow, some way, Ocarina managed to take the Link to the Past template and transition it into a 3D space, and that's a big, big deal. Much like Mario 64 revolutionized the 3D platformer, Ocarina managed to take 3D combat and make it workable.

Really, all Wind Waker did was refine the formula. Heck, the controls for that game really aren't that much different from Ocarina.

(Now, granted, it wasn't the first game to have Z-targeting. Mega Man Legends probably deserves that honor. But if you want to talk about clunky, that's the game you need to talk about!)

EDIT: Also, yes to both Link's Awakening and LttP. Fantastic games, probably my two favorites in the series.

[Exhuminator]

But I totally agree with you about ALttP and LA - those two are probably the best games in the series.

I agree with you 100% on this statement.

I disagree with you 100% about Wind Wanker.

[marlowe221]

Ocarina isn't my favorite Zelda, but there's no question it's absolutely an achievement in game design. By today's standards, the controls might be a little clunky, but they're solid, and this was in an era where so many franchises were trying to figure out how to transition effectively into a 3D space. Somehow, some way, Ocarina managed to take the Link to the Past template and transition it into a 3D space, and that's a big, big deal. Much like Mario 64 revolutionized the 3D platformer, Ocarina managed to take 3D combat and make it workable.

Really, all Wind Waker did was refine the formula. Heck, the controls for that game really aren't that much different from Ocarina.

(Now, granted, it wasn't the first game to have Z-targeting. Mega Man Legends probably deserves that honor. But if you want to talk about clunky, that's the game you need to talk about!)

EDIT: Also, yes to both Link's Awakening and LttP. Fantastic games, probably my two favorites in the series.

Maybe we need to define what we are talking about when we say "game design" just in case we are talking about different things.

I take that term to mean things like the main gameplay loop, level design, game system interactions, and so on. Controls are a factor too - as are combat (if any in a given game), world building/interactivity, and setting/atmosphere/mood/etc.

OoT does nothing for me with regard to those things, particularly compared to A Link to the Past (which would be my personal pick for best Zelda game).

Now visually, it was really cool to see a Zelda game in 3D, regardless of how blocky the graphics might look today. And I agree that Zelda made the 2D to 3D transition far better than many other contemporary franchises.

But best Zelda game? Greatest video game ever made, like I have heard/read many make the claim? No way.

Gameplay-wise, world design-wise, and story-wise a Link to the Past stomps all over OoT and eats its lunch.

[Ack]

Eh, Ocarina of Time is still better than Twilight Princess, which is the Sonic Unleashed of the Zelda series.

[alienjesus]

But I totally agree with you about ALttP and LA - those two are probably the best games in the series.

I agree with you 100% on this statement.

I disagree with you 100% about Wind Wanker.

*Sigh* Time to reset the tally:

[SonicTheHedgehog]

I can't think of anything in OoT as boring and drawn out as wolf Link segments. That was a key factor as to why the second half of Twilight Princess got so much better to me because that stuff was gone.

Regardless, my HD copy of TP can't get here soon enough!

Oh my god, those Wolf Link segments were awful. I was so excited when Twilight Princess came out, but I just stopped playing because those Wolf Link parts completely took me out of the game.

I should really give that game another whirl, especially if it plays a less prominent role in the second half of the game. I'm playing Zelda because I want to play as Link, not a gimmicky wolf!

[marlowe221]

Eh, Ocarina of Time is still better than Twilight Princess, which is the Sonic Unleashed of the Zelda series.

Oh I'm in total agreement with this statement. And Skyward Sword is even worse if you ask me.

Maybe that's why there are so many people who say that OoT is the best (3D) Zelda game...

[Exhuminator]

Well, I guess I can stop dissing Wind Wanker and start dissing Skyward Bored nowadays. What a let down that was.

[Sarge]

I won't agree that it does all the core elements of LttP at an equal or worse level. It's LttP, in 3D.

However, I would argue, especially in those days, figuring out how to effectively transition those elements into a 3D space very much is part of the game design. Pulling it off as well as they did is an impressive accomplishment. In other words: It's LttP, in 3D! Mostly.

I will agree that its greatness in the pantheon of video games, and Zelda as a whole, is dramatically overstated. My appreciation for the game rose quite a bit, though, after playing the 3DS port. It's still not my favorite, but it might be the best-paced of the 3D entries. Still not the rocket-fast pacing of the 2D entries, but it's got a nice rhythm to it.

Just my two cents.

(Also, geez, am I the only one there that actually enjoyed all of them except Majora's Mask? And even that one wasn't bad, just... disjointed.)

[alienjesus]

Eh, Ocarina of Time is still better than Twilight Princess, which is the Sonic Unleashed of the Zelda series.

Oh I'm in total agreement with this statement. And Skyward Sword is even worse if you ask me.

Maybe that's why there are so many people who say that OoT is the best (3D) Zelda game...

I love all the 3D Zelda games and would rate almost all of them above most of the 2D entries in the series.

Ocarina of Time is probably my favourite Zelda game, as well as my favourite game of all time.

Skyward Sword is the reason I said Ocarina is only probably my favourite Zelda game.

Twilight Princess is the weakest of the 3D Zelda's but is still probably around the halfway point of a zelda ranking list were I to make one. Which I'm not going to because I feel we do that quite a lot anyway.

I adore Wind Waker and think it's a masterpiece, one of the best games for Gamecube and Wii U.

I love Majora too, but that one seems less contentious around here.



And seeing as this is the unpopular opinions thread:

3D Zelda is better than 2D zelda on average, even though I love both.

I think ALTTP is great, but I also don't love it as much as most people. It's decent, but there are better games on SNES. I don't even think it's the best 2D Zelda, as I reckon the Game Boy Oracles games are better.

The worst Zelda game by far, not including the CDi nonsense, is the original. It just hasn't aged well at all. Golden Axe Warrior blows it out of the water.