Daily Debate: Have Any Zelda Games Surpassed the First Zelda Game You Played?
Posted on December 03 2023 by Nick Miller
The first game you play in a series is special; it will be the determining factor for if you dive into other games or set the series aside. The themes and qualities of that first game will subconsciously be what you compare all other games in the series against. It isn’t uncommon to hold the first game you play in a series in higher regard because that game carried with it a sense of novelty and wonderment that you can only get at first introduction. This is especially true with a series as long and storied as The Legend of Zelda. So, tell us, have any games in the Zelda series managed to surpass the first Zelda game you ever played?
The first Zelda game I ever played was Ocarina of Time and I would still call it my favorite game ever. It’s the game that made me a gamer and was my introduction to 3D gaming. It is what I consider the quintessential Zelda experience. It employs the classic Zelda formula masterfully and managed to perfect the 3D adventure genre on its first go (at least at the time). While I can recognize its faults now, it still has a very personal meaning to me that is going to be hard to top. There are, however, two Zelda games that come very close: Breath of the Wild and Link’s Awakening.
I have an immense amount of respect for Breath of the Wild. It reinvented the open world genre and was a breath of fresh air for the Zelda series as a whole. Next to Ocarina of Time, this is probably the Zelda game I have spent the most time playing. The map is humongous and is worthy of exploration. Every corner of Hyrule is unique and handmade, never feeling repetitive or procedurally generated, with personal touches scattered throughout the map. It’s devotion to player freedom is impressive by any objective measure and makes for one of the most repayable games ever made.
On the contrary, Link’s Awakening is so special to me because of how compact it is. It is the definition of a “dense” game. Everything in this game, from the items Link has in his arsenal to each and every tile of the map, has value. I’m constantly impressed by how much developers were able to pack into Link’s Awakening and the tricks they used to get the most traction out the game’s assets. Like Ocarina of Time, this is a game I would call nearly perfect, not because it’s the best game ever but because everything it does, it does well, and I have no legitimate complaints against it.
However, as great as these games are — and most Zelda games for that matter — none have managed to surpass the feelings I have for Ocarina of Time. It was my first Zelda experience and it will likely be my favorite forever, though time may prove otherwise.
So, what are your thoughts? Is your first Zelda game your favorite in the series? Which Zelda game managed to surpass your feelings towards your first game? Let us know in the comments.
Nick is a writer for Zelda Dungeon and a longtime fan of the Zelda franchise. In his free time, he enjoys fishing, archery, skateboarding, and some good ol’ fashioned family time. He’s an advocate for physical media and an avid video game collector. His favorite Zelda game is Ocarina of Time, though Breath of the Wild and the Link’s Awakening remake are close contenders.
