Zelda Topic

[Wraith]

I think you should give Skyward Sword a shot. It's my personal favorite despite all the heavy criticism it gets.

[Indigo Rush]

So I figured I should go into more detail about my thoughts on the game.

Honestly, Wind Waker was what I pretty much always wanted out of a Zelda game. I liked that Link was more expressive and wasn't just a "blank slate" for the player to project themselves onto, which I never felt since to me Link is Link. The colors and aesthetics were also a big draw for me, and it felt separated from the other 3D titles; it really makes the game feel somewhat more down to earth and less fantasy-like or foreign. I even enjoyed the sailing enough to go out of my way to chart every square inch of the map.

The Triforce piece hunt was something I was worried about before playing the game, but upon encountering it, I didn't mind it as much as I expected I would. I think it was mostly circumstantial because by that point, I've been doing a lot of treasure chart hunts and the Triforce quest basically amounted to that same thing, so it made no real difference to me. If anything, I was at least disappointed that it didn't involve something else like additional mini-dungeons, but it was easy enough for me to complete without feeling like it was a hassle.

And I really got caught up by the game's emotional depth. Stuff like the characters' facial expressions (a certain character's grin at the end of the game really surprised me), Ganondorf's more calculating personality and humanized motives, and even Link's own family all contributed to my attachment to the plot. The final boss was very dramatic and powerful - I can't imagine any other boss in the series topping it, because the build-up, execution, and aftermath were all in perfect sync.

I'd have changed some things if it were up to me, like having more things to do and to see while sailing. I kept thinking about how awesome it would have been to see whales leaping out of the water in the horizon, or to come across passing ships, with either passengers you can interact with or pirates you can fend off. Fighting enemies in the sea was a major pain in the ass due to not having first person aiming for your cannon, and the Big Octo fights weren't too interesting since it was just a matter of hitting all of the spots in a time limit, rather than doing actual battle with it.

Other than that, this is definitely my favorite Zelda game I've played. I honestly don't even know if I can ever go back to Ocarina of Time after this, and after playing WW I can understand better some of the criticisms toward that game, such as the pretty basic plot and lack of comparatively interesting characters. I think the next game I'll check out will be Majora's Mask, because even though I played about two-thirds of it before and didn't find it anymore impressive than OOT, I might think differently about it and I'd be willing to give it another chance due to enjoying WW's emotional depth. That said, I actually liked how WW was more of a direct sequel to OOT than MM was, and it handled that game's events in a really meaningful way.

Yeah, the key to getting into Majora's Mask is getting yourself deeply involved with the NPCs and side quests more than the main adventure. That's where the real meat and potatoes of the game is - you'll wish that more Zelda games used their cast like that.

At least, I do. MM and WW are my top two.

Edited September 13, 2012 by Indigo Rush

[Diogenes]

Yeah, the key to getting into Majora's Mask is getting yourself deeply involved with the NPCs and side quests more than the main adventure.

Yes, this. If you blast through the main quest MM is a pretty underwhelming game, but that's because the main quest isn't really the point. If you don't finish MM with all the masks (at least), you didn't really finish MM.

[Soniman]

Also in agreements with Indigo, MM and WW are my top two Zelda games ever (and all time).

I don't know what it is about MM, it just gives me certain feelings that I never gotten from any other game and it gave me a truly amazing experience. It's because of that, that I feel MM just barely wins out over WW.

And as Sean said, both games serve as sequels to OoT, but they handle the story in wildly different and unique ways. MM continues the personal story of Ocarina!Link leading into a whole new/unrelated adventure. WW continues the overall story of Hyrule and how Ocarina!Link's actions affected the world he left behind in the grand scheme of things.

Both games are sequels and both handle that angle masterfully. God I love these games, I seriously can't gush about them enough.

Edited September 13, 2012 by Soniman

[VO.SUPER]

To me, Majora's Mask and Wind Waker were both games that looked at Ocarina of Time in the right way. They used the most core of mechanics and structure and went fuck all to everything else and decided to twist it into their own vision.

Wind Waker is probably the closest game we've had to being a beautiful combination of Hyrule Fantasy (LOZ1) and Ocarina. Wind Waker is so much about exploration and discovery and inspires you to travel and immerse yourself in the world. And one thing I like about it versus the original Zelda, you're not trying to overtake or tame the world, you're just an audience member getting the grand view of it and understanding how it works. Since Wind Waker never really empowers you too much or turns you into a god trying to show the world who's boss. You're just a humble traveler being swept by the wind.

Majora's Mask is the perfect example of telling a story through game mechanics. The time travel aspect is something only a game could ever perform to the extent Majora does, and it takes full advantage of it. It's a story where the focus isn't on Link, but rather the world he's in. This focus on character allows for depth and enjoyment one just can't find in many games. The time travel aspect allows for the characters to feel alive, and allows for the player to care more and more about their plight by focusing them.

They are both fantastic games that went above and beyond Ocarina in my opinion by taking the old but twisting it for the new. Unlike a certain game from 2006.

[Gregzilla]

I didn't do that many sidequests on my first run of MM (though I'll probably get all the masks at some point), and I was STILL amazed by it. Idunno, even though the sidequests are awesome and add a lot to the experience, I think the barebones main story is still pretty great. It definitely has my favorite temples in the series so far. There wasn't really a time when I wasn't having fun, unlike other Zelda games.

...Well, the Zora egg mission was pretty tedious. But still slightly enjoyable.

[speedfreak]

One warning, if you do all the sidequests in MM before going to beat the game don't use the Fierce Deity Mask to fight Majora. It makes the fight WAY too easy and kinda ruins the finale of the whole journey you went on. At least on your first try beat the game without the Fierce Deity Mask.

[Sean]

I'm going to have to wait a while before getting MM since I'm a bit tight on spare funds now. Amusingly, I was considering it after my first copy of WW turned out to be defective and I wanted to get my Zelda fix somehow by buying a cheaper alternative (the only other games I had were PH and OOT, soo...). However, I relented due to it just being a fleeting impulse, and the very next day, I saw a listing for another copy of WW that was amazingly cheap, so I'm really glad I stopped myself that time, haha.

I still want to get MM eventually, it's just that Wind Waker was much higher on my "really want to play" list, and I don't regret it one bit.

[DarkDefeater]

Warning- just in case, some spoiliers about skyward sword, OOT, MM, and WW. Yes, I probabably don't have to say that, but I'm being safe.

I just finished hero mode in skyward sword without one game over. I'm rather proud of that. Yes, I was bailed out by having a fairy a couple of times and yes, it dosen't compare to some of the accomplishments of others like going through the entire lightning round without a bit of damage. But I'm still proud of it.

I was able to go through the entire lighting round, hard mode (after getting the piece of heart and hylian shield) without a game over as well, but I had to bail out early a couple times. Darn Horde battle. I never could go through the entire lighting round without using the guardian potion+ on the horde battle. I could go through the horde battle by itself just fine, but I would always take a little bit too much damage for me to be comfortable continuing. There was this one time where I got through the horde battle with just one heart left.

I feel skyward sword was a fantastic game, and will continue to be one of my favorite games I've ever played.

As I think about the stories of the other games though, some elements of the stories sadden me.

One such element is the shadow temple of OOT. The Link and Zelda of skyward sword would create the kingdom of hyrule, correct?

Many years later, the country would be torn apart by war. Thus, the shadow temple was made, a horrific structure made in remembrance of hyrule's bloody history. Skyward Sword's Link and Zelda would be devestated if they saw the country they founded having such a history.

I wonder how the founding father's of the U.S. would feel if their country would go through a civil war...so tragic.

And then there's the ending of the Wind Waker, where the kingdom is forever buried...sad. That's is why I very much prefer the 'child' timeline. Not to mention in the 'Adult' timeline, there is no stopping of majora's mask. Perhaps, the majora mask incident does not occur in the 'adult' timeline.

One final thought to my rambling. I heard this on youtube after finishing the game. When Demise spoke about his curse, about having an incarnation of his hatred bugging Link's descendants, Link could have used the triforce again to erase the curse.

Speaking of the triforce, in Wind Waker, when the king used the triforce and wished for the drowning of hyrule, the triforce flew away after being used. However, in Skyward Sword, after Link used the triforce, it just stayed on the statue. Link did not even have to touch it. Which was a huge point in Wind Waker. The triforce didn't fly away after being used in skyward sword either. I cannot offer a good explanation for the difference. But perhaps I should not think too hard on it, after all, with the Zelda games: gameplay first, story second.

Edited September 15, 2012 by DarkDefeater

[VO.SUPER]

Do it without a single fairy and I will forever be impressed.

What can you do man? All countries go through war once in a while.

Majora's Mask would have to have happened during Ocarina of Time because it's been seven years and the Happy Mask Salesman left Hyrule to wait in hiding. By that point he may have run into the Skullkid and sent the events of MM spiraling into place.

I believe the Triforce wishing only works once for the eternity of its bearer's lifetime. Once the bearer dies, a new wish can be made. That's why Ganon couldn't wish for the portal to the Light World to be opened automatically. Also, the Triforce will usually stay in one spot after the wish part has been granted, we must also remember that the Triforce is slightly sentient, so it probably predicted the danger in sticking around the sinking Hyrule and flew off to where it would be safe.

[DarkDefeater]

Okay, Link may have been unable to have used the triforce after using one time. But Zelda still could have.

But if Demise's curse was erased, we wouldn't have had a Legend of Zelda series.

[VO.SUPER]

It's one wish that can't be made again until the first wish-bearerer dies. So unless Zelda wanted to kill Link and there, she wouldn't have gotten her wish.

[DarkDefeater]

First wish-bearer dies? Hmm. I've never heard that about the triforce before, but I guess it's a possibility.

[VO.SUPER]

That's how it worked in A Link to the Past. Even if Link managed to recapture the Triforce, so long as Ganon lived he wouldn't have been able to undo his magic.

"The Triforce will grant the

wishes in the heart and mind of

the person who touches it.

If a person with a good heart

touches it, it will make his good

wishes come true... If an evil-

hearted person touches it, it

grants his evil wishes.

The stronger the wish, the

more powerful the Triforce's

expression of that wish.

Ganon's wish was to conquer

the world. That wish changed

the Golden Land to the Dark

World.

Ganon was building up his

power here so he could conquer

the Light World and make his

wish come completely true.

But now, you have totally

destroyed Ganon. His Dark

World will vanish."

[Kuzu]

http://www.terriblefate.com/

 

 

So why the fuck didn't anybody post about this, I hate you all.

[Teoskaven]

Yeah, but... what is it exactly? Jumping to the conclusion of Majora's Mask for 3DS i think it's a little rush: i mean, it is a fanmade site, isn't it?.

[Kuzu]

Disregard this post, my friend is an asshole.

Edited December 21, 2012 by Ragna Claus

[Indigo Rush]

It's a countdown to Dec 21, 2012.

 

You know, the whole Mayan calendar apocalypse hooplah.

[Nepenthe]

So why the fuck didn't anybody post about this, I hate you all.

 

Because the background stares into your soul and I recoiled the first time I saw it.

[Wraith]

No, it's legit. My friend just told me about it on Steam.

 

Also this:

http://media.tumblr.com/b57fac2144f4515149c0c28963c80466/tumblr_inline_mfbq0kI4tC1qzf2g4.jpg

 

 

Pretty sure this is bullshit.

[Soniman]

Not to mention that music that creeps up your spine and leave no hair un-standed on your neck.

[Kuzu]

Because the background stares into your soul and I recoiled the first time I saw it.

 

WIIIIMP

 

Pretty sure this is bullshit.

 

...and what makes you say that?

[Wraith]

...and what makes you say that?

 

No evidence of the tweet. It was apparantly "deleted" before anybody but this one guy on a forum saw it.

[krazystitch]

I'm almost sure that site has nothing to do with the announcement for a game, seeing how the Facebook link on the top right leads to the Facebook page of someone named "Theophany", a musical artist with the Description stating:

 

 

 

"Time's End" is a free Majora's Mask tribute album that will be released on Friday Dec 21. For years I have wanted to create an album that attempted to capture the beautiful and nightmarish world of Majora's Mask. While I am only releasing the first disc, the album will eventually cover the entire soundtrack. 12-21-2012 is only coming once. For Majora's Mask fans, I hope my small tribute can help commemorate this momentous occasion.

 

I think this is just a countdown to his album.

[Kuzu]

I must do research

 

 

FAREWELL