Daily Debate: To Fairly Judge a Retro Game, Should You Play It on the Original Hardware?
Posted on May 10 2024 by Leslie Jacobson
Fans of The Legend of Zelda are fortunate that they have 21 games spanning over 35 years to play and experience their favorite series. For those who start their Zelda journey with newer titles, they are lucky that most main games in the series are easily accessible via Nintendo Switch Online or through re-makes such as Skyward Sword HD and Link’s Awakening (2019).
Recently, I was playing Ocarina of Time through Nintendo Switch Online. I played the original on the Nintendo 64 many times and played the 3DS version when it came out. I found myself annoyed that the Nintendo Switch Online version was pretty much a straight port and did nothing to change the button icons to what they correspond to the Switch hardware. To me, the biggest pain is the mapping of C buttons on the right analog stick; it took me a long time to get used to it. I’m a bit embarrassed to admit this, but I didn’t figure out that pressing ZR turned the X, Y, A, and B buttons into the C button layout I was used to until Ganon’s Castle. At least in the 3DS version, the button mapping and screen icons were changed and made sense. While my nostalgic heart missed making the Triforce by playing “Zelda’s Lullaby,” I understood why the changes were made.
I wondered how much frustration this would cause for fans who entered the series in the Switch era. I’m sure most Zelda fans realize the pedestal Ocarina of Time gets placed on in the fandom. It’s been voted Best Zelda Ever by the staff at Zelda Dungeon since 2018. I could see newer fans wanting to see what Ocarina of Time is all about, try the Nintendo Switch Online version, and wonder what in the world everyone is talking about by labeling it the greatest game ever. It felt clunky and a pain to remember what the buttons actually did versus what I saw on the screen. If I were a newer player or fan, I don’t know that I would have liked Ocarina of Time at all if I based my opinion solely on the Nintendo Switch Online version.
Obviously, ports and remakes are very different. Remakes often take out the more annoying aspects the developers may not have known, such as making sailing in The Wind Waker much smoother and faster than the original. Skyward Sword HD did a complete overhaul of the gameplay and allows players to play without using the motion controls that seemed to hold back the original. I’m totally in favor of remakes and have enjoyed playing them, but I sometimes wonder if they should be judged as different games when compared to the originals.
I know it can be difficult to find the retro consoles and games at a reasonable price. I have seen the GameCube versions of Twilight Princess and The Wind Waker going for $100 USD. I often see the original cartridge for Ocarina of Time going for $60-70 USD, which is roughly the same price as Tears of the Kingdom! Ports and remakes help to make these games more accessible to more gamers, and for that, I’m glad. I wonder though, given that the controls can affect whether gameplay is enjoyable, should players judge the game by playing it on the hardware it was built for, rather than other versions of the same game?
What do you think? Should you play a retro game on its original hardware to judge it fairly? Does it matter how you play the game, as long you get to experience it? Let us know in the comments!
Leslie is a mom, a cosplayer, an educator, and a fervent fan of The Legend of Zelda series. She lives in an area of the United States that reminds her of the Akkala region in the fall and Hebra the other 11 months of the year. She owns The Legend of Zelda t-shirts older than most of her students.
