Daily Debate: How Do You Keep Multiple Playthroughs of Your Favorite Zelda Games Interesting?

I find that revisiting all-time favorite pieces of media time and time again can be a bit of a double-edged sword. When I look at my top five favorite video games, for instance, I’ve replayed all but one of them so many times that I can recite most of the dialogue by heart. Although this demonstrates how strong of an impact these games had on me, I occasionally worry whether I’ve played through them so many times that I’m on the verge of getting burnt out on them. At a certain point, there isn’t much new content left to uncover.

Certainly, replaying a favorite game — especially one as linear as Twilight Princess — can be comparable to re-watching a great film. That said, whenever I jump back into these classic tales, I do so with the intention of recapturing at least some of the magic from those early playthroughs. Everyone approaches media differently — perhaps this isn’t even an issue for you — but I’ve found that time itself is the best medicine for me.

I used to have games such as Twilight Princess and Ocarina of Time on near-constant repeat. Throughout the past decade, however, I’ve made a point to revisit them only once every year or two. This approach is just so much more refreshing, as it feels as if I’m catching up with an old friend. Even so, I would like to mix these playthroughs up even further next time. As ashamed as I am to admit it, I’ve still never tackled a three-heart run of any Zelda game. That’ll definitely be corrected next time around.

What about you, though? Assuming you even worry about potential burnout from your favorite Zelda games, what are some ways in which you’ve made revisiting them more interesting? Let us know in the comments below!