Does Acquiring the Triforce Make or Break a Game?

A lot of Zelda games have come out as of recent, and I have felt that I can’t become as connected to them as I have been able to in the past with previous games. So I replayed through every Zelda game in the series from The Legend of Zelda to A Link Between Worlds, looking for why I can’t connect to some Zelda games. And I finally found my answer after careful consideration of every aspect of the Zelda series. Read my thoughts and reasons for disconnection after the jump.

It took me multiple months to replay through all of the Zelda games, and it took me even longer to find what was different. So I looked at my favorite Zelda games and looked for what I liked about them specifically, and then compared them to my less favored games in the series. But it was A Link Between Worlds that showed me what I didn’t like in the newer games, and what I later found to be in older games as well. It was not gameplay, but the difference of obtaining the Triforce rather than finding it within yourself.

This was very odd for me. I took a step back and looked at all the games in the series. I looked at my favorite games, which are Majora’s Mask, The Minish Cap, Ocarina of Time, and Twilight Princess, and compared them to others. Here is a list showing which games require Link to obtain the physical Triforce, those where Link found the Triforce in himself, and games where the Triforce is not found nor obtained:

Oddly enough, all of my favorite Zelda games either have Link find the Triforce within himself, or the Triforce is not majorly a part of the game at all. But what does this have to do with liking the game or not? Well, I believe its an element of empathy. In any game where Link obtains a physical Triforce, there is no sense of personal discovery, no personal connection with Link. You are just going through the motions of killing enemies to obtain the Triforce, which is how the whole series started. But when this is compared to games where the Triforce is found within Link, there is definitely a difference in connection and players feel more empathetic to characters within the game.

Ocarina of Time was one the best games of all time, and is the favorite Zelda game of many fans. Why? Yes the graphics and long story line, but fans were able to connect with Link on a deeper, personal level. Ocarina of Time is a game of self discovery, Link is out to figure out why he is different from the Kokiri. And everyone in their life has had to some degree, a journey of self discovery to find something within themselves that defines them. Link finds the Triforce of Courage within himself through that journey. And because of that, people are able to connect with Link on a personal level and the game becomes a favorite. This also applies to other games in this category. In Twilight Princess, you are on a quest to find your friends, and the Triforce is found within yourself while playing through Link’s journey.

The same is similar with games that do not have the Triforce in them at all. Majora’s Mask was also a very well received game, even though it pulled away from the traditional Zelda. But if it doesn’t have the Triforce then why does it fit in? It’s because of the journey of Link in the game. Again, empathy. Link not only has another journey of self discovery, but the game touches on very personal subjects to everyone who played it. Some were touched by events in the Great Bay area, others were touched by the unforgettable transformation of a Gibdo to a loving father in Ikana Canyon. This game is so packed with personal events that a player can’t play the game and not love it. This also goes for other games that do not have the Triforce. In Spirit Tracks you are playing for an entirely different story line that what is normal for the series, and it keeps you drawn in because of that unique story line and the personal connection that is created between the player and Link. In these games, Link actually has an opinion and things that he is specifically looking for, rather than being told what to do.

With the games where Link obtains the physical Triforce, I believe there is a loss in connection. The story lines of these games are very straight forward and repetitive. You start out the game already on a quest to defeat the main antagonist, and you don’t develop as close as of a relationship with Link. I actually liked The Wind Waker and Skyward Sword at first because I could connect with Link and his personal journeys at the beginning of the game, but as soon as Link began to spend half of the game or more trying to find the physical Triforce, I lost interest in the game because I lost the personal connection with Link. But most of the other games in the category, such as The Legend of Zelda and Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, are very repetitive and boring because the story line is lost with the Triforce.

After figuring all this out, I determined that the story line is ultimately what will make a game great, or make a game break. But it was interesting to see that the better story lines do not include an adventure to find the Triforce. But this is only my opinion. What are your favorite Zelda games? Do you agree with me? Or is there a different reason games are better than others? Let us know in the comments.