Sun 4 Nov 2007
I’ve never ever played a Zelda game. There, I said it. Phew, that wasn’t so bad.
Given the popularity (and significance) of the Zelda series, I’ve always felt a bit of “shame” by the fact that I’ve never played one - not even a little (unless you count watching over my buddy’s shoulder as he played the original Legend of Zelda).
Growing up, my brothers and I always veered towards Sega in the Sega vs Nintendo debate. So, as a kid I never had the chance to beg my mom for a Zelda game for my birthday, or whatever. As time passed, I suppose I felt too “intimidated” to get started so late in the series.
Well, an upcoming fifteen hour flight to Australia (FYI, I’m heading to Melbourne for Game Connect: Asia Pacific), motivated me to pick up Phantom Hourglass as my official timekiller. I’m very much looking forward to finally diving into the Zelda universe after all these years. I just hope that my lack of experience doesn’t hold me back…
November 5th, 2007 at 1:05 am
Jason, I know exactly how you feel. Growing up, I was a Sega/Sony kid. The Genesis and Playstation were my primary gaming systems.
My shame grew so great that by the summer of 2004, I got a Gamecube with The Legend of Zelda: “Collector’s Edition” and start playing the original Legend of Zelda. While it was revolutionary for its time, the game is quite hard by today’s standards. After becoming too frustrated trying to find where to go, I soon gave in: With a strategy guide in hand, I was able to play the game through to the end. I’m not sure how anyone could have played the game without a lot of help from friends. Could they have seriously expected us to run around burning every single bush in the game to find the hidden passages?
Next, I figured I would tackle Wind Waker, that being one of the newest Zelda games at the time. To my surprise, it was much more forgiving and enjoyable. I don’t care what anyone else says, I like the cel-shaded look. :P I played the game everyday for the rest of the summer. But by summer’s end, I had only completed a minicule percent of the entire game. Perhaps it is because the game is so vast and there is too much do, or maybe its just that really annoying animation that plays every single time you want to change the direction of the wind; but after that summer I lost my desire to finish the game.
So that’s my Zelda story. I discovered there will always be great games out there that you will never get to play. Just like there are so many great movies you haven’t seen and so many great books you’ve never read. To quote Dani (Dan) Bunten Berry: “No one on their death bed ever said ‘I wish I had spent more time alone with my computer!’”
-Rob
November 5th, 2007 at 3:08 am
please play ocarina of time. please.
November 5th, 2007 at 8:26 am
Thank goodness I’m not the only one! I haven’t ever played a Zelda or Final Fantasy game, even though Nintendo was the console of choice in the house, but we only ever had the 8-bit, my next gen wasn’t until Dreamcast, eep. I’m hoping to pick up both series in the near future…
November 5th, 2007 at 9:43 am
Ocarina of Time is a superb game. I was also a fan of Wind Waker as well. I always believed the cell-shading haters were the closet Halo fans.
The secret to Zelda and Metroid is:
That thing you just found? That will get you past the thing you just couldn’t get past a second ago. It’s a puzzle game where you have to run around.
The confusing part of Phantom Hourglass? Where was I instructed that blowing in the Mic was a game mechanic?!?!? Did I skip that somewhere?
Otherwise it’s pretty standard Zelda. I do love finally being able to take notes IN the game. Where to go next, where to use that thing I just found. Etc.
Apparently I wasn’t a very good game player until I got older and figured out some of the underlying structures that make games tick. I couldn’t stand Zelda until the SNES game.
November 5th, 2007 at 10:01 am
Yes! I am not alone.
I started on the Atari and Coleco…skipped the whole Nintendo scene. Went straight to Sega and Sony. Have never seen a Zelda game. They come into the site? I pass them on to another reviewer. I have no clue.
Same for Final Fantasy…
November 5th, 2007 at 10:23 am
I thought that the Zelda they did originally for the SNES platform and later for GBA was awesome.
Is it sad that I still have an original NES and after a 10 year break in playing the original (gold cartridge) Zelda that I still know the location of every level, hidden shop, and secret coin location in the game….in both the first and second quests?
November 10th, 2007 at 8:00 am
Do I get to repent too?
I’ve never played any Metroid games! I’ve never played any Final Fantasy games! I’ve never owned a console! I’ve only nearly finished a Mario or Sonic platformer!
All these franchises, so little time.
I’ve been a PC gamer, and the first time I got my hands on Zelda was “The Link To The Past” one on the GBA :)
Tell us how it is too, I wasn’t planning on getting the new DS Zelda, but it might be worth playing I guess.