Games you WANT to like

[noiseredux]

Link To The Past = greatest game EVER.

[JordanPlayer]

Zelda: A Link to the Past

Please hear me out. I'm a huge Zelda fan, I absolutely love the games, but I've never really been able to get into this one, and it's arguably the best one if you ask a lot of fans. So that's kind of strange for me. It's not that I don't like it I guess, it's just that I don't like it as much as Link's Awakening or the 3D titles.

Maybe it's one of those things where you had to experience the game first before the one's that came after it to truly appreciate it, but I just think that Nintendo improved vastly on the series since that game.

I understand how you feel about this game. I own all of the Zelda series games (except for the CD-i games) including portable versions... the one game that I didn't own for the longest time was A Link to the Past. I just bought it this year CIB for SNES; although I have played/completed it on a friend's borrowed cartridge about 10 years ago. I played this game after I purchased OoT for N64 and loved that game to death... I even really like Majora's Mask for being different and the second "dark horse" of the series. I also love the original NES Legend of Zelda and grew to love Zelda II on NES. But for some reason A Link to the Past didn't sink in like the others have... maybe it's because I didn't personally own it when it came out, or the fact that I have spent the least amount of time with that game compared to all the others. I think it's time that I go back and play through that game again; see how it feels after giving it some more play time.

[Ack]

Zelda: A Link to the Past

Please hear me out. I'm a huge Zelda fan, I absolutely love the games, but I've never really been able to get into this one, and it's arguably the best one if you ask a lot of fans. So that's kind of strange for me. It's not that I don't like it I guess, it's just that I don't like it as much as Link's Awakening or the 3D titles.

Maybe it's one of those things where you had to experience the game first before the one's that came after it to truly appreciate it, but I just think that Nintendo improved vastly on the series since that game.

I understand how you feel about this game. I own all of the Zelda series games (except for the CD-i games) including portable versions... the one game that I didn't own for the longest time was A Link to the Past. I just bought it this year CIB for SNES; although I have played/completed it on a friend's borrowed cartridge about 10 years ago. I played this game after I purchased OoT for N64 and loved that game to death... I even really like Majora's Mask for being different and the second "dark horse" of the series. I also love the original NES Legend of Zelda and grew to love Zelda II on NES. But for some reason A Link to the Past didn't sink in like the others have... maybe it's because I didn't personally own it when it came out, or the fact that I have spent the least amount of time with that game compared to all the others. I think it's time that I go back and play through that game again; see how it feels after giving it some more play time.

A quick question for both of you, since you've played others in the series: how do you feel it compares to Link's Awakening on the Game Boy, and how do you feel about Link's Awakening in general? I ask because I've always found the two similar in terms of appearance and gameplay, and I enjoyed both greatly.

[noiseredux]

A quick question for both of you, since you've played others in the series: how do you feel it compares to Link's Awakening on the Game Boy, and how do you feel about Link's Awakening in general? I ask because I've always found the two similar in terms of appearance and gameplay, and I enjoyed both greatly.

agreed. I got both when they were first released. Link's Awakening felt like a sequel to Link To The Past.

[Reprise]

I find Link's Awakening to be the better game (edit: better might not be the right word, I mean I prefer it). Like I said in my post though, I have a much greater bias for it however, because Link's Awakening was the first Zelda game I ever owned, and first I've ever completed and had been engrossed in. I found the numerous side quests and little things in the story added (like the trade game etc) just really added some extra charm. Link's Awakening is one of my favourite games of all time and it's actually possibly my favourite Zelda games.

I don't know what it is, I just feel that because I wasn't there to experience Link to the Past properly when it first came out, that I can't grasp what it is some of you love so much about it. Don't get me wrong, it's a great game, it's just I mostly prefer the Zelda games that came after it (with exception for the Twilight Princess because I've only just got round to buying it, and a couple of the spin offs I've yet to play). It;s hard to appreciate the game as much as some of you might do, because I didn't play it until after playing a whole bunch of Zelda games that came after it.

Meh I really need to force myself to complete it and play it a lot more, so I can give a much more well informed opinion of the game. That's the problem though, I would kind of be forcing myself to complete it and be trying to like it more.

I hope my post makes some sense.

[JordanPlayer]

Now that's a tough question... I owned Link's Awakening DX and I remember playing it while on the road with my parents for vacation one summer. I liked the island setting with beaches, mountains, etc and I remember the story better as well. I think the gameplay was also a bit more varied (Roc's Cape and side-scrolling portions). HOWEVER, I still think that A Link to the Past is the better game. I seem to have much fonder memories of the Zelda series playing at home on CRTs with better colors and audio. I like the portable games but none of them have held a special place for me. I actually have the GBA version of A Link to the Past w/ Four Swords and I remember enjoying that with a friend of mine... but I still remember the SNES version's bright colors and presentation.

[Joeyg329]

I really wanted to like Silent Hill Shattered Memories. . . . i loved the first Silent hill and all the concepts seemed awesome. Story is good, the exploration is cool, interactions are great, but the damn "combat" engine (or running away engine) just sucks. They killed the game for me, i keep picking it up to try and beat it but i just dont want to.

All the FF's after 9 didnt do it for me

There are some others i cant think of right now

[Ack]

To Reprise:

Hey man, don't worry about it. I respect your opinion on the game, and if you feel it's a chore to complete, don't force it. Part of what I enjoy about Link to the Past is nostalgic, but I always enjoyed the graphics and gameplay as well. If you feel better about other games in the series, more power to you. I'm sorry your experience with this one hasn't been as positive as the rest of us. I'd argue it's still a solid game, but then again nearly all the Zeldas are solid games. If you have the equipment and can get the folks to do it, I'd suggest trying out Zelda Four Swords. Maybe you'll have a better experience.

To JordanPlayer:

I'd say go back and give it another shot as you suggested earlier, but even if you come out hating it, no shame in it. And if you end up really loving the experience, great. If not, it happens, and I won't criticize you for it.

[Reprise]

Ack, well to be honest, it's probably more to do with how I am as a person now to be fair. I seriously cannot get into games easily anymore. I've been like this for about 5 years now, where I just struggle to get into games as well as I used to. Adventure games and RPGs prove to be the biggest struggle for me now (which is a shame, because they used to be my favourite kind of games). This could definitely be a contributing factor.

A Link to the Past also offers an experience I've already experienced through the other Zelda games, so to me it's not offering me much new. This coupled with my first point, could be the main reason I fail to like it as much as the other Zelda games I've played.

Another thing with the game btw, sometimes I struggle to at times know what to do and where to go. Maybe that's my own ignorance, but it seems with the later Zelda games the story kind of carried you through the game and mostly I always knew roughly what to do next, or where to go. Zelda 3 seems a bit more random to me. But maybe that's just me.

Anyways while I said I'd be forcing myself to complete it, I do really want to complete it. It's Zelda man, I have to finally finish that game so I can say I've completed it and form a more informed opinion of the game. I can't leave it knowing so many people regard it as the best (or at least 2nd best). I will try and complete it one day, and I'll probably love myself for it and wonder why I ever doubted this game.

[Flake]

agreed. I got both when they were first released. Link's Awakening felt like a sequel to Link To The Past.

I think I read somewhere that Link's Awakening IS the sequel to Link to the Past. Can anyone else verify?