Daily Debate: What Zelda Game is the Most Overrated?
Posted on July 15 2021 by Chakell Herbert
As with a lot of things in life, the older I get, the more my opinions change. Take my list of top 5 Zelda games for example–that thing shuffles like a deck of cards every few years.
I’ve grown up with Zelda, starting with Ocarina of Time and playing every last one up until Breath of the Wild. But as the years have gone by, and as more games have been released, I’ve really considered whether I’m blinded by nostalgia. I’ve wondered if Ocarina of Time really takes the cake when it comes to masterpieces (it definitely does in my eyes). My opinions on specific Zelda games have gone through transformations equal to Groose’s character development (and if we bring up underrated, it’s definitely Skyward Sword in my book!)
As I’ve really pondered my stance on the series, I just have to come out and say it: I think Twilight Princess is overrated.
Don’t get me wrong, I adored the game as a teenager. Link was at his absolute coolest and just screamed teen angst in the best way when this game came out, and for a long time, this game easily became my favorite. But as the years have gone by, I’ve looked back and noticed quite a few elements I didn’t enjoy in the game.
For one, Midna literally takes the stage and shines in this game. She’s a fantastically written character. She has great chemistry with Link, she has amazing development, and you truly care about her as the game goes on. But with that in mind… where is Zelda in this game? She doesn’t make many appearances, and when she does, she falls flat when compared to Midna. As for the mood of the game? It just isn’t quite up to par with the rest of the franchise. Zelda is usually a perfect balance of quirky, epic, scary, and lighthearted, but this game is just such a mood.
Twilight Princess–with its fitting name–is dark in design and in story, and I think it lacks in the humorous and charming elements we see even in Majora’s Mask, which is by far the darkest game in the series. It’s just sort of too broody and edgy without enough of that Legend of Zelda charm that makes these games stand out from so many other series.
And I could go on with the gripes, but I think you get the point. We all have them about certain games in the series, right? Again, this is just my view, but what are your thoughts? What game do you think is the most overrated? Do you think Twilight Princess deserves the never faltering hype so many fans have for it? Or is there another beloved game that you’re just screaming to roast?
Let me know in the comments!
Chakell (pronounced shuh-kell) is an associate editor for Zelda Dungeon! She has loved The Legend of Zelda series since she was a little girl because of its equal mix of princesses, besting bad guys, and heartfelt stories. Chakell lives in the overall tame state of Utah, but holds onto her childhood hopes to find an adventure in her backyard one day. She has a degree in English and is a full-time editor for a magazine. You can usually find her gaming (obviously), laughing with her husband, taking a long time to tell stories because she keeps getting distracted; getting sucked into books and podcasts; or snuggling her cute Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.
