Daily Debate: Is Your First Zelda Game Your Favorite?

Posted on May 19 2020 by Judy Calder

My first Zelda game was Ocarina of Time. I received it at Christmas alongside my Nintendo 64 and a multitude of second-hand games. I remember that feeling I got in the first ten minutes of gameplay — it was magical! Cue the next six years of my favorite adventure in Hyrule. It actually took me until I was fourteen to beat Ganondorf, which stands as testament to just how well this game gripped me. I felt every moment of joy and fear that was intended, and my elation after finally getting the courage to enter the final battle was immense.

Majora’s Mask was my next game in the series, and it really was fantastic. It had everything I loved from Ocarina of Time, and then some. But for some reason, it didn’t quite evoke the same feeling that my first Zelda game did. Over the years came new titles in the franchise. I was introduced to grittier designs, motion controls and eventually an open world. After that, I went old-school and played the older titles as well. And yes, these games were great! They seemingly had all the necessary components to knock my favorite Zelda title from its top spot, yet, here it still stands.

As much as other Zelda games have impacted me, none have quite hit the mark as Ocarina of Time did. I can only put this down to one thing — sweet memories! I look back with such fondness as I remember the magic of my first adventure in Hyrule. This game was my first, it’s the reason that I entered the Zelda fandom, and it’s my absolute favorite.

What about you? Is your first Zelda game your favorite? Let us know in the comments below!