Everybody's favorite.... ZELDA!!!

[Gamerforlife]

Yes and if I had to suggest one it would be Zelda 2. That one I actually played through and somewhat enjoyed it.

I loves it too. It doesn't deserve smacktalk it gets.

I always thought Zelda 2 was underrated. I liked the new style and somehow it just seemed cooler than the first. Plus, I felt like the game had a greater sense of wonder and mystery to it. It was hard as hell as a recall, but back then I had so much free time I never cared how hard a game was(not that I've got anything against hard games now). I especially loved the last boss fight. That was awesome. I always disliked how Link to the Past went back to the top down approach, though I think still think it was an amazing game. I just never feel like I'm completely a part of the action with top down view games, but I can still enjoy them if they're well designed.

Ocarina of Time is when I started to have a problem with the Zelda games. Don't get me wrong, it was a fun game and I think the game's final act was simply incredible, but the game seemed small for a Zelda game. Plus, I couldn't stand that Link was a little kid. Maybe he always was in previous games, but I wasn't aware it. People are sitting back and letting some little kid save the world for them. WTF!?

I skipped Majora's Mask. I bought Wind Waker, played it for awhile and just lost interest. I didn't like all the sailing around and I hated the stealth gameplay in the first dungeon of the game. Twilight Princess brought me back to the series in earnest. I liked that Link was older and although I wasn't opposed to the visual style of Wind Waker, I preferred the more realistic approach. Overall, I liked Twilight Princess, though I think both Okami and Beyond Good and Evil have outclassed it in some ways. It spanks both of them though with its more complex dungeons and better boss fights

[Ack]

Technically the side-scrolling approach was done three times, if you're wiling to count Link: The Faces of Evil and Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon.

As for myself, I was a big fan of the art style of Link to the Past, and while at first I was hesitant, the style of Wind Waker really grew on me. I honestly don't care that much for either of the two NES titles, and I really disliked Majora's Mask. Ocarina of Time I liked, and Twilight Princess I felt was pretty good, if a bit gimmicky. I never got to play Minish Cap or Oracle of Seasons/Ages, but I will say that I thought Link's Awakening deserved more credit than I feel it gets. In general the title seems to get forgotten, which is a shame. I spent quite a few hours playing through it again and again. As for Four Swords, I'd say get some friends to play with you. Trust me, it's best that way. And then there are the myriad of compilations...

Ultimately, excusing the CD-I Zeldas, I'd say they're all worth trying.

[PharmaceuticalCowboy]

Well I noticed this thread got to 4 pages and I wanted to update you guys. I have strayed from Zelda as I haven't found much interest in any of the games that I have played and I wound up with Okami, which I read is very much like a Zelda-style adventure. I must say that I am far more captivated by this game than by going back and trying OoT again, I just don't get why people love that game! Anyway I guess I have just given up on Zelda and look forward to beating Okami.

[ott0bot]

Well I noticed this thread got to 4 pages and I wanted to update you guys. I have strayed from Zelda as I haven't found much interest in any of the games that I have played and I wound up with Okami, which I read is very much like a Zelda-style adventure. I must say that I am far more captivated by this game than by going back and trying OoT again, I just don't get why people love that game! Anyway I guess I have just given up on Zelda and look forward to beating Okami.

Haha! I think you made a good choice. Okami is one of my favorite all time games and definately the best Zelda "clone" out there. It's all the good parts of Zelda with a very unique battle system(so sumi) and story with fewer fetch quests. The only bad part is that I spent every day playing it until I conquered it. "I don't need to eat...."

[Gamerforlife]

Well I noticed this thread got to 4 pages and I wanted to update you guys. I have strayed from Zelda as I haven't found much interest in any of the games that I have played and I wound up with Okami, which I read is very much like a Zelda-style adventure. I must say that I am far more captivated by this game than by going back and trying OoT again, I just don't get why people love that game! Anyway I guess I have just given up on Zelda and look forward to beating Okami.

Haha! I think you made a good choice. Okami is one of my favorite all time games and definately the best Zelda "clone" out there. It's all the good parts of Zelda with a very unique battle system(so sumi) and story with fewer fetch quests. The only bad part is that I spent every day playing it until I conquered it. "I don't need to eat...."

I might as well add to the Okami love. The combat system is awesome...for the people who actually bother to experiment and get creative with it, which unfortunately many players didn't. Also, the selection of awesome enemies far exceeds the rather generic fair in Twilight Princess(bats and snakes, boring)The story was better than any Zelda games I've played, even though the characters have an annoying habit of often stating a simple idea in what seems like fifty sentences. Okami could have used some editing. I think story and character is where the Zelda series is really hurting compared to games like Okami and Beyond Good and Evil. Okami had some memorable bosses too, even though I give to the nod to Twilight Princess for the sheer epicness of its bosses, Okami's tend to have a better story build up making you really CARE about why you're fighting a particular boss

But man, TP can deliver some truly memorable moments. I loved just fishing in the lake, especially when the rain comes down and the horse riding sequences are epic(more so even than many of the game's bosses).

[Ack]

I was ok with most of Twilight Princess, but I did have one major complaint. Did anybody else think the bosses were all way too easy? I didn't feel challenged until the final fight, and then it was only for one part. Heck, all in all I'm having trouble remembering a lot from Twilight Princess. It didn't really stick out in my mind...

[marurun]

I'm probably going to offend everyone with this, but I don't really like any of the Gameboy Zelda games. I like the original and I like LttP, but the Gameboy titles all have too much of the fetch and trade questing and just feel more frustrating. I have never been able to truly get into them, even after beating Minish Cap and giving up on Awakening and Oracle of Seasons.

But Zelda 2 is probably my favorite, even though it's a different style. I really think that game needs to be revisited with a splendidly animated sequel.

[andrestereo]

It kind of saddens me to see "Majora's Mask" being so underrated. I loved it, loved the dark and gloomy atmosphere and also loved the fact that Nintendo took a risk with this game... I mean, only 4 dungeons? Transformations? You have to go back in time and restart the three day cycle just to save? The brilliance that is the Bomber's Notebook? I had so much fun following the daily schedule of all these people, and of course the Anju and Kafei sidequest, one of the best in the entire series (I loooooved the last scene with them, minutes before the end of the world).

If I had tho choose between Twilight Princes and Majora's Mask... well, the answer is obvious. (and sorry for my english )

[LoneCynic]

Well, the original question was "Which Zelda is your favorite?" I'll go ahead and attempt to answer that rather than try to convince someone to try a different game/series altogether. (No offense guys, but if you don't like Zelda, why bother responding in a Zelda topic? What are you hoping to accomplish?) That said, on with my response:

Picking a single game out of the entire series is quite difficult. Also, people sometimes like the same game in the series for entirely different reasons. Some of the game are what I call "Main quest" games, involving the search for the Triforce, and saving Zelda from Ganon. Then there are the "Side Story" games in the series, which often involve other lands, innovative gameplay concepts, and a lot of fetch and trade side-quests. Depending on which approach appeals more to you, various games may hold a higher position on your Zelda gaming totem pole.

(As a side note to those talking about Zelda II being the only side scroller, I would like to mention that Link's Awakening was a combonation of overhead and side scrolling. Many dungeons and caves featured side scrolling sections, which jumped out at me as a throwback/homage to Adventure of Link's original gameplay style.)

(Also, the CD-i titles absolutely do not count for jack. Everyone mentions those, because countless magazines never fail to bring them up every time a new Zelda game is released. I always wonder why the CD-i Mario games are never mentioned everytime a new Mario game comes out? Oh yeah, I remember, because they [CD-i Mario and Zelda games] were crapfest titles released only because another company was able to exploit a loophole in some agreement they'd signed with Nintendo back then that allowed them to use Nintendo's licensed characters. A mistake that I am certain made Nintendo's lawyers re-read the fine print on every other agreement they've signed to this day. Thus, preventing any further fiascos like that with their intellectual properties.)

Back to the original question, I will begin by saying that the "Main Quest" Zeldas have always been my favorites, each a different generation of Link's version of his struggle with Ganon. My top three favorite Zeldas are from among this gametype:

1> The Legend of Zelda (III): A Link to the Past
2> The Legend of Zelda (V): Ocarina of Time
3> The Legend of Zelda (X): Twilight Princess

I also really enjoyed The Legend of Zelda (1), Adventure of Link, and Link's Awakening. Majora's Mask, Oracle of Ages/Seasons, and The Wind Waker all had too many Fetch/trade quests and oddball stories that I never completed them, or even enjoyed them as much as the others. The Minish Cap and Phantom Hourglass I own, but have not played yet. I will reserve judgement on those until I give them a try one of these days. The bottom line is that each and every Zelda game ranks among the best Triple A action/adventure titles ever made, and you really can't play any of them without having at least a little bit of fun.