Daily Debate: Did Your First Zelda Game Get You Hooked on the Series?

I always love hearing stories about how folks were introduced to The Legend of Zelda. Given not only how old the series is, but also how self-contained most individual entries are, there are just so many ways in which one can happen upon their first adventure with Link. Even then, the experimental nature of the franchise is such that certain installments may not resonate as strongly with some fans. You know how it is — one person’s least favorite Zelda game is another’s favorite, and vice versa. That’s the beauty of art, right?

With that said, I’m curious: did your first Zelda game leave a particularly strong impression on you, or did it take a couple entries for you to find “the one”? You know, the one that really brought you on board. Like many fans, I was introduced to Link through the original Super Smash Bros. From there, I briefly watched a friend ride Epona across Hyrule Field in Ocarina of Time. Admittedly, I didn’t actually play a proper Zelda game until I rented The Wind Waker from Blockbuster — rest in peace — in 2003.

In retrospect, this is crazy to think, but at that time, my experience with adventure games was limited to 3D platformers, Star Fox Adventures, and the movie-licensed Harry Potter titles. As such, I enjoyed my first trek upon the Great Sea, but having only rented the game, I didn’t get much farther past the Forbidden Woods. For some reason, I just wasn’t that inclined to rent it more than a couple times, so I didn’t end up finishing the game until a few years later. It’s too bad, too, because I adore Wind Waker! The game just didn’t fully click with me at the time, I guess.

Still, the seed had been planted, and my interest in the series piqued beyond thinking “hey, that’s the dude from Smash!” At some point within the next couple years, I would finally complete my first Zelda game: Ocarina of Time. Without question, this was the adventure I obsessed over long after that first playthrough. From there, I played a few other games in the leadup to Twilight Princess, which skyrocketed my fandom to even greater heights. Even so, Ocarina represents my transition from being interested in Zelda to actively being a fan.

What about you, though? Did this series knock it out of the park for you the first time around, or did it take some time for it to make a real impact on you? Let us know in the comments below!