Top 5 Zelda Overworlds

[EeveeChan]

5. Skyward Sword: the overworld is open & beautiful...execpt there's really nothing to do in the overworld but fly & land islands that are excluding 2, are only good for Goddess Cubes. The overworld on the surface isnt the best, but I love thinking that this uninhabited land is Hyrule. How cool is that?

4. Majora's Mask: This overworld isnt as big as most, but it has different enviorments everywhere. One minute you're on a beach, the next minute you're surrounded by snow. There's a good amount of places to explore, & discover, but not enough time to admire it when you need to save an entire dimension in a 3-day cycle.

3. A Link to the Past: the overworld is very big for a older game. Plus it has the main overworld theme, which I'm a huge fan of. Plus when you're in the dark world, it has a whole new feel to it! The Overworld is really fun to be in if the enemies don't kill you while admiring it.

2. Wind Waker: This overworld is huge! You're sailing on a boat to different, unique islands. Unlike SS, most of the Islands have a individual, unique purpose. Plus, it's really fun to sail around with the overworld theme for islands; who wouldn't feel adventurous with that going on? The only flaw in the overworld I see is the fact the it takes forever to travel to the desired island until you get a certain song to teleport. I also found my self lost at sea for a good while of the game until I develop a sense of direction.

1. Twilight Princess: Ok, who didn't see this coming? Seriously though, this overworld is amazing. The overworld isn't big enough to get lost in it, but not small enough to be incredibly linear. There are a few hidden caves & abysses here & there; just enough to explore ti hearts content. Not to mension the feeling you get when you're riding on Epona shooting arrow at goblins & then this awesome overworld theme comes on. And because you have to travel around the overworld for fairly priced items along with a few sidequest just to get another Malo Mart, you'll be seeing alot of the overworld, so why not enjoy it?

 

[r2d93]

5. TP
4. LA
3. WW
2. TMC
1. ALttP

Honorable mention for being the worst overworld of the series- SS.

 

[The Wanderer]

5 - Skyward Sword. It did a good job of turning the overworld into one big playground, and the visuals accentuated these areas. Too few secrets and the general linearity bring it down a fair bit.
4 - Ocarina of Time. Too much empty space in Hyrule Field, which is thankfully helped along with Epona and warp songs. The atmosphere of most of its locations is hard to beat, and its abundant secrets and sidequests make it one of the better-functioning overworlds in the series.
3 - Link's Awakening. The overworld itself takes a smidgeon too long to traverse, but frequent secrets and an awesome map system make it really feel like a dream island. Me being somewhat obsessive-compulsive and a bit of a perfectionist, filling in every square on the map grid is a good way to enhance exploration.
2 - Twilight Princess. Lots of emptiness in a similar vein to Ocarina of Time, but good visuals make it beautiful, and Epona and the frequent warp spots make it less annoying to traverse. Its occasional hidden caves mark one of the best ideas in the entire series, something that should return in every future game.
1 - Majora's Mask. Clock Town is probably one of the best hubs in gaming, brilliantly laid out and full of interesting characters and secrets. The world outside Clock Town is full of hidden grottos, treasure chests, mini-games, and new people; the 3-day time system makes certain areas inaccessible after awhile, which is a downside, but on the whole, Majora's Mask has a great and atmospheric overworld.

It should be noted that I haven't yet played games like A Link to the Past or The Minish Cap, so I can't comment on their overworlds. Of the Zelda games I've played, though, these probably stand out as my top five favorite.