Daily Debate: What Is The Best Second Zelda Game For Somebody Who Has Only Played Breath Of The Wild?

Breath of the Wild is, by a Lon-Lon mile, the best selling title in the Zelda series. It also launched on Nintendo Switch, which will overtake the Nintendo DS as the company’s best selling system in a short time. Needless to say, more people have been exposed to the Zelda franchise through Breath of the Wild than any other single entry, many being newcomers who have only played that game. I personally have a few friends who have only played Breath of the Wild because of their general interest in open world games. They all loved it, but I’ve wondered how to get them to dive deeper into the classic titles. Which Zelda game is the best follow up for somebody who has only played Breath of the Wild?

My immediate thought was Ocarina of Time. Yes, I’m definitely biased. It is my favorite Zelda and my favorite video game, full stop. That said, I do think there are some merits to this thinking. Ocarina of Time is often seen as the quintessential, gold-standard of the series. Some may argue that to be A Link to the Past, but it’s fair to say that modern players are more likely to gravitate toward a 3D game. However, it’s also easy to see the gripes those players might have with Ocarina of Time. The controls, particularly the camera, diverge from the modern standard even in the 3DS release of the game. Some people may also see the visuals to be dated beyond appreciation. Ocarina of Time is a solid option, but there are definitely some drawbacks here.

I think the actual best answer would be Twilight Princess. Many people still have nostalgia for the era of gaming when this was released and I think it will appeal more to modern sensibilities. It’s a bit darker in tone, which lends a seriousness to it that many modern players look for. The controls are much improved (especially in the HD version) and the graphics, while somewhat dated, are more in line with acceptable standards. Like A Link to the Past and Ocarina of Time, it is a quintessential Zelda. It has Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf. It takes place in Hyrule and mostly on an interconnected landmass. It has a host of iconic items and tropes that would hint to other games in the series. The only stumbling block I could see for Twilight Princess is its accessibility (funny, since it’s on 3 different systems). The GameCube is a tad old to expect people to have lying around, as is the Wii and many people won’t want to use those controls anyway. The most practical option would be the Wii U release, Twilight Princess HD, but that console has fairly small install base. Those are more problems with preservation and availability, not Twilight Princess itself. Assuming it’s an option, I think this is the best bet.

What do you think? Which Zelda game would you show to somebody who has only played Breath of the Wild? Do you think it would sell them on the rest of the series? Let us know in the comments below!

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Sorted Under: A Link to the Past, Breath of the Wild, Daily Debate, Games, Ocarina of Time, Original Content, Twilight Princess
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