General Zelda How Do You Classify Zelda Titles?

[ihateghirahim]

I know ZD has a system of classic, modern, and post-modern. I've played most Zelda games to date, and I classify them into generation going from I to VI. Zelda has largely evolved with Nintendo's consoles., so a system roughly correlating to them works out best. I find it a good way of tracking the series's evolution over the years, and seeing where it's come and where it's going.


Gen I- Legend of Zelda and Zelda II. The franchise begins and experiments

Gen II- A Link to the Past and Link's Awakening- Zelda establishes its formula with two classics

Gen III- Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, Oracle Games, and Link's Awakening DX. The series soars into 3D with two great titles while the old formula shines on GBC.

Gen IV- Wind Waker, Twilight Princess, Four Swords, Four Swords Adventures, OoT Master Quest. Minish Cap, - Zelda continues it's success with new experiments in setting, art direction, and gameplay.

Gen V- Phantom Hourglass, Spirit Tracks, Skyward Sword- The franchises has debatable results on DS, while Nintendo spends years making a great new home console installment.

Gen VI- Ocarina of Time 3D, Wind Waker HD, A Link Between Worlds, Zelda U (Hyrule Warriors?). Still unfolding. What we gave seen are some great remakes of old games and a truly great mix retro and new on the 3DS.



What are your thoughts on the matter? How do you classify the games of the Zelda franchise?

 

[Iridescence]

Retro Era (1986-1993)
Zelda I, Zelda II, Link's Awakening


Classic Era (1990-2004)
A Link to the Past, Oracle of Ages/Seasons, Four Swords/Adventures

Realistic Era (1998-2006)
Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, Twilight Princess

Cel-Shaded Era (2003-2009)
The Wind Waker, The Minish Cap, Phantom Hourglass, Spirit Tracks

Impressionistic Era (2011-current)
Skyward Sword, A Link Between Worlds, Zelda U

 

[PalaeoJoe]

PaleoJoe's Zelda Game categorization.

I would normally go with a system similar to what ZD uses With a classic, Modern and Post Modern eras, except until now I had not decided on a name for the modern and post modern Eras. Here is the classification that I usually use:

Classic: Original Legend Of Zelda to Ocarina of Time

Modern: Majora's Mask to Skyward Sword
I consider Majora's Mask the first Modern Zelda because of an article by Hanyou on the main site: Why Majora's Mask Was The First Modern Zelda Game

Post Modern: Skyward Sword and onward....
Skyward Sword is to me siting on a border of time as it is a relatively imperfect transition title.

That is my release date based categorization system but I also often think about a game play based system for categorization, the categories are 2D Zelda, 3D Zelda and DS Zelda. Here it is:

2D Zelda: These games all have the style of game play featured in the original LoZ, A Link To The Past, A Link Between Worlds etc. that is birds eye view and button pressing.

3D Zelda: All 6 of the 3D Zelda games that use a joy stick for moving, have a targeting system and us buttons along with other more specialized control methods. These games are Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask,
The Wind Waker, Twilight Princes, Skyward and the as of yet unnamed and unreleased title for the Wii U.

DS Zelda The Two sequels to The Wind Waker that appeared on the original DS, Phantom Hourglass and Sprite Tracks are basically 2D Zeldas with their primarily birds eye view perspective, but I think that with all the unique controls it still makes sense to give them their own category. Let me list these descriptive controls: minimal use of buttons and excessive use of touch screen (the most important distinction), a strange graphics engine that displays a pixelated/ primitive 3D, transportation focused over worlds not seen in traditional 2D Zeldas.

There is one game that I left from my game play based categorization system (and no I am not talking about the CDi games they are not true Zelda games), it is Zelda II: The Adventure of Link this is of coarse an odd one with its many RPG elements including over world exploration and its side scrolling sword play. I am tempted to categorize it with the 2D Zeldas (because it is definitely a 2D game) but without the Birds eye veiw it is just not the same, it is probably best to consider it its own category.

 

[DarkestLink]

Classic: LoZ through LA

Modern: OoT and onward.

Might make a "retro" section if they keep trying to emulate the classic titles.

3D : OoT, MM, tWW, TP, and SS.

2D : Everything else.

 

[Zorth]

Classic 2D - Legend of Zelda, Zelda II, A Link to the Past, and Link's Awakening
Classic 3D - Ocarina of Time & Majora's Mask
Modern - Oracle of Season/Ages, The Wind Waker, and Four Swords.
Post modern - The Minish Cap, Twilight Princess, and Skyward Sword.
Handheld 3D - Phantom Hourglass, Spirit Tracks, OoT 3D, and A Link Between Worlds.

(CD-i period - Wand of Gamelon, Zelda's Adventure, and Faces of evil.)

The first two are pretty self-explanatory, outstanding titles of their type which deserve a classic category. Even though it's only a year between OoX and Majora's mask I chose to keep MM in the classic 3D since it, like OoT, is a masterpiece of the N64 gen and I IMO felt that the first thought should be that it's a classic as opposed to the first modern Zelda game. I couldn't think of any other category than "modern" for OoX and FS since they were the first new 2D Zelda titles at that time. The Wind Waker got released on the more advanced GCN and felt obviously way more modern than the N64 couple. To this day the iconic art style & atmosphere feel pretty modern, the HD update just reinforced that. You could argue it's a classic, but I still can't quite compare it to the N64 couple. Post modern category is exactly what it says. A few years after the modern games and you got the ones listed there. Handheld 3D I made since we got the WW sequels on DS, PT & ST, which use 3D art style in a 2D perspective. Then we got the remake and the latest released Zelda game, OoT3D and ALBW. So all games here are handheld and in one way or the other; 3D.

Zelda Wii U I still haven't decided where I'd place. You'd think "post modern" but it's almost a decade since TMC released so it would feel more like "ultra modern". Maybe would have to go with Gen IV console. Although depends also what kind of a game it is. Might as well be RPG Zelda, here you'd have Zelda II and Zelda Wii U, or Cel Shaded Zelda etc.

It is fun trying to find connections between the games in this sort of way. Been a while since I had to refresh my memory and check up on some old gems. Great thread! :yes:

 

[youpster900]

Early days: Zelda 1 and 2
Improvement days : ALTTP and LA
3D masterpiece days: OOT and MM
Oracle days: OOS and OOA
Cel Shaded days: WW FS FSA and MC
Motion days : TP and SS
DS days : PH and ST
3DS days: ALBW
Wii U days : HW and Zelda u
Discrace days: WOG FOE and ZA

 

[Salem]

I don't.