Why Old Zelda Was Better - The Legend of Zelda (NES)

[@omeganappie]

Your takes validate me. It's so frustrating to be written off as a contrarian, but then here exists another person who GETS IT!

[@daserfomalhaut9809]

Same. I don't have quite the same views as Plinkster (Metroid 1 being bad is a hell of a statement) but the last 10 years of Zelda has been pretty painful.

[@EnjoySackLunch]

Violate*

[@davidaitken8503]

This is the problem with the internet. All of the crazy people find validation within their little bubble. The newer Zelda games have been amazing, and that"s coming from someone that grew up on and still plays the original, Metroid, and Kid Icarus. Rather than re-examine your perceptions with a critical eye, you turn to KZbin to seek out confirmation of your bad takes.

[@EnjoySackLunch]

@@davidaitken8503 sir this is a county morgue

[@omeganappie]

@davidaitken8503 The newer Zelda games have been DIFFERENT. And people are entitled to prefer different styles of games without someone swinging around their opinion as if it's a fact. I've looked at this series through a very critical, objective lens (recently completing every single game in release order, with some of my favorites dropping off and some games I was too harsh on becoming new favorites). So I'm capable of changing my mind without letting someone else formulate my opinions for me. I prefer the series to be a certain way, accept that I'm the minority and that it won't cater to my wants. Should discussion about what I loved just automatically cease? That notion, my friend, is truly what's crazy.

[@ChadSmith-ef4lu]

Not only did the game come with an instruction booklet, there were countless periodicals (not just Nintendo Power, newsstands were full of game guides) with hints, secrets, and walkthroughs.

[@gertytk5528]

Zelda 1 and 2 are still my favorites.

[@ninjaguyYT]

Good work, but stop showing the random pic of the magician. It makes no sense.

[@ThePlinkster]

@@ninjaguyYT first time I’ve ever been called a magician

[@pitshoster401]

Very good video. You went into more detail explaining how Zelda 1 is nothing at all like BotW than anyone else I've seen.

[@bgc1081]

Cinnamon Noir also does a great job on his video "the true heir to the Zelda crown"!

[@willmistretta]

This is why I keep coming back to Zelda 1 again and again. Thanks to randomizers, I can basically have endless "quests" with new overworld and dungeon layouts.

[@bitskit3476]

Finding secrets and unlocking new items or abilities is what makes exploration fun. Being able to do dungeons in any order you wish is great as long as you respect this golden rule of exploration. The caveat is that you probably shouldn't be able to enter a dungeon without having the minimal set of items required to complete it. A way to incentivize people complete a dungeon instead of just collecting the dungeon item and leaving is to require dungeon completion in order to progress the story and/or change the overworld. E.g. needing to collect 3 spiritual stones before you can enter the temple of time, or collect all 6 medallions before you can enter Ganon's castle. It shouldn't necessarily matter which order you choose to collect the mcguffins in as long as you collect them all. The lack of real-world effects is something that makes dungeon completion irritating. E.g. after you beat Morpha in the water temple, it should have been possible to unfreeze Zora's domain. Majora's Mask provides a good example of how to do this, where beating the Woodfall Temple would unpoison the swamp and beating the Snowhead Temple would bring spring back to the mountains.

[@MisterSG1]

Also, you CAN finish Level 8 right from the get go, you can’t get the magic key without the bow, but you aren’t blocked by any Gohmas to reach the triforce piece

[@King_Luigi]

1:45 - This hint on screen isn't actually an example of "poorly translated". It's worded a bit weird, but is otherwise accurately referencing a hidden game mechanic. Part of the issue is that they've got pretty limited space to try and explain it. ...though, I think a greater mystery is HOW the person who wrote that even knew about it. 🤔 (This hint only exists in English, the original Japanese hint was just "Search for the Lion Key.".) This was something fans weren't even aware of until a handful of years ago... and that was only after digging into the code of the damn thing!

[@ThePlinkster]

@@King_Luigi That’s interesting, I didn’t know that! I figured the weird wording was just a translation error, but if that hint didn’t exist in the original game then I guess not.

[@jamesg3843]

@@ThePlinkster It's fairly common knowledge (at least in Zelda fandom) by now that the Japanese version of Zelda NES used a strange Japanese writing system, so to Japanese players the dialogue reads just as strangely. The English localization is actually about as faithful a translation as you can get into English, without doing an outright transliteration. But then again, the misconception of it being a poor translation was so prevalent for decades, so a lot of people still don't know about this.

[@Riven321]

While I have enjoyed my time with Zelda 1, I think ALTTP is it's superior in just about every way. It seems to me like that was the game Zelda 1 would have been if they had the hardware of the SNES to work with at the time.

[@MaxRussel-m7t]

I started playing Dark Souls a few days ago and despite the game being from the 2010s and having modern graphics, it really has that Zelda 1 vibe. The game doesn't tell you where to go or what to do, and the various NPC dialogs and mechanics are vague and cryptic. For example, at the bonfire at Firelink Shrine I select "Kindle" and it says "cannot kindle while hollow". I select "reverse hollowing", and it tells me "hollowing cannot be reversed without humanity." Turns out you have to go into your item menu and you use an item to restore humanity and then you can reverse hollowing (but the game doesn't tell you to do this). But you are never told what "hollow" or "humanity" even is. So like Zelda 1, it's very vague, cryptic, and obscure and doesn't explain itself to the player or tell the player where to go or what to do or even what the player's objective is. So like in Zelda 1 you basically just have to keep moving forward with no direction except your own intuition and common sense. Heck, Dark Souls is even more obscure than Zelda 1 since Zelda 1 vaguely explains your objective at the beginning of the game (find 8 Triforce pieces, save Zelda) + gives you a map, whereas Dark Souls does neither of these things! I love this design philosophy because it makes these games so much more engaging than modern games which explain exactly what's going on, give you a map + minimap, put a point on the map and have your next objective spelled out on the screen at all times (literally "go do X" in the actually HUD as you are just running around or whatever). Just like modern Zelda!! Have you also noticed how much more overbearing tutorial sections are in modern games? heck, in the original FINAL FANTASY IX for the PlayStation 1 back in 2000, you just jumped straight into battle with no explanation of how the battle system worked (because it is self-explanatory, you have a list of commands on screen such as "Attack", "Item", etc.). But the 2016 re-release of FFIX included a lengthy text just before the battle explaining exactly how the battle system works (as though players cannot learn the game intuitively by actually playing it??)!! Edit: just finished the video. Yeah in breath of the Wild at first exploration is exhilarating - until you realize that no matter where in the world you go, there's nothing interesting to find! Ironically it feals suffocating!! i really miss stuff like the bomb-able caves, the little holes in the ground you'd fall into in Ocarina of Time, etc. in fact OOT in my favorite Zelda game ever. I love how each part of the world feels unique. At Lake Hylia there's a fishing pond, a scientist's laboratory, and a scarecrow you can teach songs too. In Kakariko village you have a creepy well, the Skulltula house, archery minigame (as adult link) death mountain trail, Goron city, etc. And so on. And each area has it's own unique feel or atmosphere, yet the world feels cohesive as a whole. BOTW's world by contrast feels like it was haphazardly put together and no area has a distinct character. It feels so empty and soulless whereas Ocarina's Hyrule feels lived in and has character to it. It's like each region of Ocarina's Hyrule is a character or embodies a personality. BotW is the exact opposite bascially. Editing advice: don't add the sharpness filter to the low resolution captures of Wind Waker, Twilight Princess, and Skyward Sword, it looks really jarring. Very interesting video - looking forward to the next one! Are you going to go through every Zelda game?

[@ThePlinkster]

@@MaxRussel-m7t I just played Dark Souls for the first time last year, and while I didn’t finish it I completely agree with everything you’ve said. It has far more in common with the original Zelda exploration-wise than any Zelda after Majora’s Mask. So fun fact, I didn’t add a filter to those captures, they’re just really bad captures. I did a marathon of the 5 classic 3D Zeldas on stream last May and I didn’t realize how poor the footage was until it was far too late. The only one that looked good was OoT, and that’s because I was playing Ship of Harkinian and didn’t need to run it through a capture card. I’ll eventually get better footage once I get around to making videos on those games, but I figured it’s not worth going out of my way to record more footage for a few 3 second clips. Yes, I am planning on going through each Zelda, though I might have to combine a few of them into one video if I can’t think of enough to say about them.

[@dylanchiaratti4496]

You and plinkster seem to have never played dark souls. What the heck do you both mean dark souls doesn't give you any information on where to go or what to do? They literally tell you to ring two bells, one is above and one is below. Then if you explore you find where to go. Dark souls doesn't hold your hand, but it doesn't just throw you into a world like Minecraft and tell you to survive. You sound like a child who is trying to relate to adults talking without knowing anything you're talking about please both of you should stop speaking on things you know nothing about lol

[@MaxRussel-m7t]

@@dylanchiaratti4496 Now that you mention it I do think I recall something about ringing the bells of awakening or something like that. I guess it didn't really stick with me because I didn't know where the bells were so I kinda forgot about them because I was just focused on whatever was in front of me. Also I don't know Dark Souls very well yet because I literally started playing just a few days ago.

[@dylanchiaratti4496]

@MaxRussel-m7t I wish the best of luck on your journey through lordran

[@ThePlinkster]

@ I'm not saying that it doesn't tell you anything, I'm saying that it told you just enough about the game and its mechanics for you to get a basic grasp while leaving the specifics of the game up to you to figure out, which is exactly what my praise of Zelda 1 is.

[@athorem]

Zelda was like a Metroidvania until ALBW. The modern games and their fans ignore this fact and consider the Zelda franchise to be about having a big world to explore. I have a feeling that a number of people never liked traditional Zelda for what it was, but rather because it was the closest thing Nintendo had to an open world game

[@Ep1cBramb10]

8:12 there's a second old woman to the southwest of the lost woods that also tells you the solution to the lost woods puzzle, and she's in an open cave.

[@ThePlinkster]

@@Ep1cBramb10 ah you’re right, I confused it for the level 5 hint. That’s a bit embarrassing.

[@DevinDamien]

You've somehow articulated my thoughts on the Zelda series better than I could! Take my Sub and keep making videos!! PS I'm 47, the O-est of G's.

[@BitHeroes]

Ive been playing this since I was 5 and never saw the manual. With no internet back in the 80s how did we figure the game out? Talked with friends at school and shared secrets we found...and spent a LOT of time just bombing/set fire to everything in the map.

[@bctalicorn809]

I played NES Zelda for the first time when NSO launched, and I could not believe how thoroughly I enjoyed it. It was seriously such a great experience, and I was captivated by it as if it had come out recently. There's something so engaging about the way it is structured that makes it truly special, even when compared to the rest of the series. Thanks for putting to words why I enjoy the experience so much.

[@crinklyonion1410]

Very enjoyable video to watch. I also really like the original Zelda, even though I personally prefer later games that follow the dungeon formula.

[@ThePlinkster]

@@crinklyonion1410 I certainly prefer the later dungeon formula too! I just think it’s important to establish that the lack of following said formula isn’t what makes the modern games so bad.

[@crinklyonion1410]

@ I’m watching your Link Between Worlds video right now. Most of the way through it and I’ve agreed with a lot of your points, but I have to mention that I find the dungeon design in Legend of Zelda and Link Between Worlds to be very similar. You are free to go at a good chunk of the dungeons out of order, but there are certain items hidden in a couple dungeons that are either required or just make the game significantly easier. The titan mitt is to the raft as the blue tunic is to the magic key. Plus, all the dungeons in both games follow a format that doesn’t depend on locking you out of rooms until you find the dungeon item which is the key, but instead you enter each dungeon with most if not all of the resources you need to beat it. What’s the difference between the two, then?

[@ThePlinkster]

@ 1. The dungeons in Zelda 1 have an element of resource management to them that isn’t in the dungeons in LBW. You don’t have to be careful about when and how to use your items in LBW like you do in Zelda 1. Instead the dungeons in LBW are designed like they’re trying to be similar to the dungeon formula in later games, only without the items gating that makes them work. 2. The unique items that you can get out of the lorule dungeons don’t have the same weight to them as the items in Zelda 1. Yes, the titans mitt exists, but it’s only ever required in the desert palace and for a single master ore. It doesn’t lock you out of progressing through other dungeons like the ladder does in Zelda 1. The blue tunic is certainly closer to something in Zelda 1, but there’s never a challenge in obtaining it in the same way that there is the magic key. As long as you know where it is you’ve already solved the puzzle of how to get it the earliest, as opposed to the magic key where you first have to recognize that it’s locked behind an item in Level-1.

[@crinklyonion1410]

@ Ok, I see now. Thanks for explaining that to me!

[@ethanmogaming]

Great video. Zelda 1 is my favorite topdown game in the series, and that mostly has to do with how rewarding/fun it is to replay again and again.

[@DiamondDM13]

I find 86 Zelda to be the best in the series, and I don't like the 3D ones, only 2D. I don't know how people can say with a straight face that Breath of the Wild if supposedly carrying the Spirit of the original game, when I got frustrated very early on with the inventory, durability and more importantly the amount of forced exposition down your throat. That was all opposite to the original game. If anyone wants to play a 3D modern version of Zelda, they can just play the Souls games. Games where exposition is not forcdd down your throat and you have to actively look for information if you want to understand what is actually happening.

[@nathannorris1933]

When are you going to talk about zelda 2? It’s got similar elements in terms of the order you play the game. The down thrust can be obtained before any of the first three dungeons and is well worth doing. The skeleton key is also very hidden but optional. Making it rewarding to go out of your way to get.

[@ThePlinkster]

I'm planning on talking about Zelda 2 next, actually!

[@OnlineVideoSurfer]

Yes, I think you hit on an important distinction that separates Zelda 1's choices from most other Zelda games. Grabbing later items in Zelda 1 is a kind of risk/reward calculation and the game is designed to incentivize players to consider those risks - especially I think in the second quest where it's very easy to hit roadblocks such as dungeon 2's Gleok and you're using prior knowledge of the first quest in order to make decisions even on your first playthrough. The modern open-ended later Zelda games on the other hand I think are (mostly, from what I've played) trying to reward creativity and incentivize open-ended problem solving through sheer volume of options. Which can be rewarding too, but it's a very different approach to game design, and like you said I think that approach has a lot of ripple effects on game balance and puzzle design. I don't dislike what I've played of the current games, but I do think it's telling for me that I've never revisited Breath of the Wild nor played Tears of the Kingdom while Zelda 1 remains my most replayed Zelda game, even though I barely played it growing up.

[@MaxRussel-m7t]

I think BotW betrays a fundamental misunderstanding of the psychology of decision fatigue.

[@bloogain]

This was very well done and spot on.

[@RoninCatholic]

The real way to do the spirit of the original Zelda with the refinement of most Zelda games (A Link to the Past through Skyward Sword) would be to have the intended structure and order, ALLOW sequence breaks instead of hard-walling them, and having checks in place that NPCs will acknowledge your accomplishment for doing something without the intended (and most convenient) tool for the job. Consider that in Ocarina of Time, you can beat the Fire OR Water temple in either order, and Spirit OR Shadow in either order. So basically that...but more so, instead of LESS so like Skyward Sword and Twilight Princess were structured.

[@ThePlinkster]

Absolutely. I think the only Zelda that ever does that post Majora’s Mask is Phantom Hourglass, which is a crying shame.

[@everythingisterrible8862]

What keeps me from enjoying it as much as Zelda 2 and Link To The Past is mostly the combat. The diagonal movement and wider sword arc make such a huge difference. Also I can't stand the slooooooooooooow screen transition. For something that happens constantly, I can't bear it. Mysterious Murasame Castle is orders of magnitude better when it comes to this front. It's a shame we were denied this one, and it's a shame there weren't more snappy action games that were more like it in the Zelda franchise. I do love not being railroaded nearly as much, though. I hate feeling like I'm doing a list of checkboxes like a chore, that everyone else has experienced the same way.

[@ric8248]

"Open world" doesn't mean that you can play the dungeons in any order, it means that you can explore a considerable portion of the map from the start. Zelda 1 is very much an open world game.

[@ThePlinkster]

that's certainly not what Wikipedia says

[@ric8248]

@ThePlinkster Wikipedia 🤣.. the same Wikipedia you criticised in this very video? the same Wikipedia that mentions Zelda 1 as an open world game?

[@ThePlinkster]

@ yes, the same Wikipedia that I criticized. That's... kinda the point. "Open World" is such a vague descriptor that it either applies to every Zelda or none of them, and if I can't trust what Wikipedia says about it why would I take my definitions from a random internet commenter?

[@ric8248]

@@ThePlinkster You can totally disagree of course, l just laughed that of all arguments you brought Wikipedia to do it

[@TheGameDisplay]

@@ric8248 He brings up Wikipedia in the video, and the video itself is an argument against what people would traditionally refer to as an "open world" game, so referencing the definition found on one of the biggest websites in the world makes sense.

[@nebuladog]

Fantastic video as always. Getting to see it early thanks to your Patreon was very cool! I look forward to your next upload.

[@A-Spoto]

1:20 I will fight (respectully) anyone who bad-talks Metroid on the NES

[@ThePlinkster]

It was a great game for 1986, I just don't think its aged particularly well, especially not since Super is basically a quasi-remake already.

[@voltron77]

@@ThePlinksterTotally agree.

[@Returnality]

There was little reason to play the original Metroid after Zero Mission came out.

[@Scape_The_Goat]

Of all the small channels youtube has been recommending too me this one might be a real gem. Buying stock in it before it blows up. And yes make a breath of the wild video

[@ThePlinkster]

I certainly will eventually, I just wanted to make some positive videos before I rip into that game.

[@marcusfridh8489]

What i like about Zelda 1 is that it plays almost like a tabletop RPG in the dungeons wich makes it easy to convert it into a real analog TTRPG dungeon crawler

[@ThePlinkster]

Now that you mention that I can sorta see the similarities there.

[@chrisp1601]

Good points. I recently finally completed Zelda after getting the game as a child, after understanding how it’s played I get its original appeal and why later versions substituted certain gameplay mechanics for “easier ones”… but somehow misses to capture the feel of the original.

[@HyrulianTimelineTraveler]

Yes, I’m also so tired of people saying BotW is like Zelda one at all. I feel like the two games approach exploration incredibly differently. BotW just gives you the world to freely explore with no meaningful rewards to find. In Zelda one I think exploration itself is a reward for getting better at the combat or earning items. In fact the whole exploration being a reward is something in most Zelda games. I do still love BotW, I just prefer Zelda before it.

[@venkelos6996]

This was a lot of fun! I do wonder, a bit, how much impact time had, of course; when I first played LoZ, I was a young child, somewhere around seven, and the 80s was, for the most part, a time before the Internet, or game magazines, so apart from my own experience, and maybe that of any trusted friends, who might also have been playing it, we had nothing, and nothing in the framework of hiw a young child's mind works. We didn't even necessarily know what was possible, much less where it was, and that was a lot of fun, prior to getting old enough that I realized I didn't like not knowing, and then useful information became more and more available, which might've changed how I liked to play. Sorry to go off on a side point, there. I do still really have a lot of fond memories of LoZ, AoL, and then LTTP, so it's always great to see someone dip back into my past, where my nostalgia lives.😊 Zelda has been my favorite series since the 80s, even if I can hold up several titles I never wanted to play (Four Swords, TFH, Spirit Tracks), games I didn't necessarily like as much (Tears), or games I legit hate (SS), but I'll always have MM, WW, the Oracle games, TP, and LBW, and my love for those started with two gold cartridges, for a machine, from a time now so long ago, that still makes me happy. 😊

[@ProjectionProjects2.7182]

This is a great video. I agree that the first Zelda aged surprisingly well considering its age. Also thank you for pushing back against the whole "BOTW is a return to form because The first Zelda game was open world" argument. I really do not like that argument as I feel that the people who say it ether never played Zelda 1 or don't remember it all that well. Also Im curious if you will ever talk about Skyward Sword? I would be interested in hearing your thoughts on it as it is one of my favorite Zeldas.

[@ThePlinkster]

Thank you! I eventually will make a video about Skyward Sword, but that won't be for a long time I don't think. I want to go through the pre-BotW Zeldas in order. I did talk about my thoughts on SS in the last video I released where I discuss the games I played last year with my friend though.

[@Chichirumiru]

It is actually worse then that, in BotW/TotK you don't even have to work to get your items. You get them all right at the start of the game in the tutorial. It would be as if you'd start with all items in Zelda 1 and only have the defense and health items to find...

[@VorpalBlad3]

Commenting to help with metrics. You've earned yourself a sub.

[@ThePlinkster]

Thank you!

[@doublemode4088]

To start out, I’m not exactly a “Zelda fan”. I played BOTW and wasn’t a fan, then finished OOT and Majoras Mask on 3DS and kinda had fun(not OOT). But your video on a Link to the Past made me want to try the older Zelda games, and I just finished Zelda 1 about a month ago. And I do agree that Zelda 1 isn’t “open world”, it just has a big world to explore. But I feel like BOTW was the developers leaning into the “openness” of Zelda 1. BOTW in a lot of ways feels like what Zelda 1 wanted to do but the technology wasn’t there. I’m mainly referring to the massive world and giving the players freedom to do whatever in the overworld. I do wonder if the Zelda 1 devs had the technology that the BOTW team did, would the devs just make a new BOTW, or would the structure still be there. But hey, what do I know? Great videos as always.

[@autumnmaru]

In ocarina of time you can slightly do the adult dungeons out of order and if it wasn't for the game crashing bug on the wii there was a section in skyward sword you could do out of order. (But if you like skyward sword at least a little and don't like botw or totk, I think I will like watching your videos)

[@ThePlinkster]

That's one of my favorite parts of Ocarina of Time, and it's utilized in a very similar way as Zelda 1. I enjoy Skyward Sword quite a bit, though it's not one of my absolute favorites.

[@autumnmaru]

@@ThePlinkster phew, ok good.

[@amandaslough125]

You can still do the Dragon song section in any order. It's just you couldn't do the desert first because of the glitch.

[@bradendubois3661]

I really need to go back to Zelda 1, great job on the video!

[@Miguemnaco]

Absolutely loved your video! I really hope you get all the subs and views you deserve bro. BTW, I couldn't help but think throughout the whole video that you'd love a game like Tunic. Have you played it? If you have, wouldn't you consider talking about it and how it might be a better successor to the original Zelda than BoTW? (if you haven't played it, oh boy, I can't recommend it enough if you like Zelda 1)

[@ThePlinkster]

I've heard a lot of really good things about Tunic, and it's been on my list for a while. I just havent had the time to play it yet.

[@JAGtheTrekkieGEMINI1701]

Omg I *LOVE* the Legend of Zelda!! And yeah NES Metroid S*CKS!

[@simoncobian2816]

Zelda 1 is still my favorite game of all time. I play it and Zelda 2 at least once a year.

[@frost8077]

That's a good way to look at it. I never liked the first game, and this is coming from someone who had an Atari 2600 and SNES as a kid, so it's not like the graphics were a shock. As much as I want to call A Link to the Past my favorite 2D Zelda, I kind of like Link's Awakening more in some ways.

[@firesideentertainment]

I recommend you try the Zelda 1 Redux hack, as well as the Zelda 2 Redux hack. They are both the definitive ways to experience both games.

[@ThePlinkster]

@@firesideentertainment I think I’ve seen a playthrough of Zelda 2 redux. It seems pretty interesting, though I think there were some questionable choices in it.

[@robertgamer3112]

Zelda 1 is not my favorite 2D Zelda, but I do like it more than most fans of the series. I think it has just the right blend of freedom and structure so that you have many choices and the choices you make feel very impactful. The Zeldas that came after gave you few or no choices and the new ones give you all the choice in the world, but your choices are not impactful because of how open they are. I'd be interested so a new Zelda game with the structure of Zelda 1 and dungeons like the traditional games.

[@ThePlinkster]

That would be my dream Zelda. Give me freedom, but unlike BotW make that freedom _matter._

[@connorscanlan2167]

Zelda 1 is one of my favorite games of all time. While I do prefer OoT and MM, what I wish they had that Zelda 1 does have is the incentive to explore and do things in your own way. (I haven't bothered with a Zelda game since TP, and BotW feels like it's got a lot of crafting and eating, stuff I'm not particularly interested in, personally. I did love TP, though.) What I wish I had was that feeling of being dropped into a living world, in which hints are cryptic and sparse, and it's up to you to piece together what to do... or just wander around and see what happens! Zelda 1 felt like having a little world in my pocket to jump into, while the other games feel like stageplays to act out. I don’t mind that, but I want to piece together the story through the environment rather than through cutscenes. (If I could have a game that has the exploration of Zelda 1 with the humor and cultural depth of Mystical Ninja 64, I'd be set for life. Maybe I should learn programming...?)

[@TonyTheTGR]

I'm still waiting for Zelda Party

[@religion15]

Hard disagree, Zeldas Post-OOT have nothing to do with Zelda 1. They got design philosophys so different than even MM could be perfectly a (Great and unique) Spinoff. Its not a case of "They took the formula to try new stuff while keeping the core", is about changing the core because their new director, Aonuma, didnt like Zelda 1 I do consider Demon and Dark souls better spiritual successors, why? Because the keep the true core of Zelda: Adventure, on their own way. 3D Zeldas are so focused on narrative, Storytelling, puzzles, and linear structure both inside to outside dungeons that "JRPG " could be a better label.

[@ThePlinkster]

I think the simple fact that all of the Pre-BotW Zeldas keep the same item gating structure as Zelda 1 is enough to say that they kept the "core" of the series, though I do agree that not all of them utilize that core in the same way that made Zelda 1 so great. I think that your example of Majora's Mask is interesting because I would argue that it has more in common with Zelda 1 than most other games in the series, including some of the games that came before it like Zelda 2. While I agree that Dark Souls has a lot in common with Zelda 1 (particularly the things I praise Zelda 1 for in the video), I don't think I would call it a better spiritual successor than, say, Ocarina of Time if only because it doesn't have the same focus on the Metroidvania-like progression that Zelda 1 has.

[@PloopChute]

"Open world" has long outlived its usefulness as a term to describe game imo. There are too many nitpicks that nobody can seem to agree with anymore. And I'd argue that in the purest sense, very, very few games truly meet the criteria of "Go anywhere, right from the start" While many games *technically* allow it, they will fight you every step of the way. That includes BotW and TotK. Sure, you can take off in any direction after the tutorial, but you'll quickly find yourself under equipped, lacking in stamina and heart containers, unable to carry enough weapons and supplies, and running into enemies that make it obvious that you're somewhere you shouldn't be yet. Hell, modern Assassin's Creed is quite literally the poster child of "bloated open world games", but a quick glance at the map literally says "if you go here and you're not not at this level, you will die." There may not be walls, stat or story progress checks, or any other barriers to physically stop you from going beyond a certain, but nearly all games are specifically crafted to keep you on a very directed path. There is a tightrope that needs to be walked with game design where you need players to feel a lot of freedom while also subtly directing them down a predetermined path. Like a path that they can't leave, but you make that path as wide as possible. They may zigzag from side to side, occasionally head backwards, or loop around all over the place, but they're still staying on that path and steadily moving forward overall. Some games do it better than others do for sure, but that seems to be the goal for most "open world" games: The illusion of total freedom. Rockstar has done an exceptional job delivering open world games that truly are wide open from the beginning. In GTA5 and RDR2, you can go basically anywhere immediately without hitting a wall based on your stats, equipment, or lack of resources to get necessary equipment. RDR2 is especially good at it. It's easy to spend hours just off in the woods, hunting and camping without ever feeling stagnant. After the tutorial, there's nowhere you cant go (except Blackwater for obvious narrative reasons). As for the original LoZ on NES, I think it's hard for modern audiences to appreciate it today. Looking at it now, 40 years after it's launch, leaves out a LOT of the original experience. Yes, it is obtuse as hell and without a guide or tips from other people, it's a very flawed experience. But that mostly boils down to poor translation, unavoidable limits inherent in the technology of the time, and some horribly dated game design and controls. At the time though, it would have been a much different experience. Miyamoto has said himself that his goal was to have people figuring it out together. Trading secrets, tips, answers, theories, etc. You and your friends all go home for the weekend, play as much as you can get away with, and come back to school on Monday excited to exchange everything you learned. You're making your way through the game seperately, but figuring everything out together. Brute forcing your way through a world overflowing with unintuitive, unreasonably obtuse design by simply having everyone playing and sharing. When an older player talks about how much they love the game, the biggest reason as to why is frequently the social aspect it. We may be able to play the game today, but we can't truly experience it in the way that was intended. It was never meant to be played in a bubble. Realistically, without a guide, or at the very least the ability to look up specifics when you hit a wall, the game is borderline unplayable today. I don't think anyone would argue with the statement that the gameplay and world design is extremely rough compared to later 2D entries. At least not without being incredibly disingenuous. Exclusively being able to move in 4 directions, the fact that the sword is a jab instead of a slice, having to literally bomb every wall and burn every bush because most of the secrets have no hints and and nothing to visually call attention to even the most observant player, and the list goes on. (Also, and this is just personal preference, but the complete lack of any puzzles alone makes this title substantially less fun or satisfying than any other title) It's a game that has not aged well at all imo. Hell, the information you do get from NPCs is sometimes complete nonsense and only leads to confusion when there is no way to use it in game. I do think it could be remastered with some basic tweaks and be seen as a much better game. There is a solid foundation there, for sure. If they just included more detailed and relavent tips from NPCs, 8 way movement, allowed you to tap your sword against walls to check if they're bombable. Atleast if theyre not going to make it visually clear, they can do something other than "just bomb everything and hope for the best". There's nothing fun or cerebral about that. If I didnt get a hint from an NPC to remember later, the game didnt reward me for being observant, or there was nothing that happened in game that would lead me to believe something was hiding behind a specific wall or under a specific bush, then that is objectively bad game design. Finding secrets should be rewarding because the player was able to put the pieces together or took the time to gather information from the world and people in it. Not because they spent countless hours mind numbingly going through every screen just bombing and burning until they happen stumble into something. That's just a poor substitute for immersive and complex gameplay. None of the issues with the game would be hard to fix or refine, but all of them are bad enough to ruin the game for anyone who wants to play through it for the first time without any assistance.

[@MisterXiado]

Ah, the days when kids were encouraged in school and at home, to use critical thinking and deductive reasoning to solve problems. I remember drawing maps in games to keep from wasting time running in circles, even stuff like Skate or Die 2. People in their eighties would draw entire maps of Zelda's first and second quests, though a free Nintendo Power information pamphlet contained a near complete map of the first quest anyway.

[@coolguychecker7329]

I get where you're coming from, I would also agree that BotW is not a return to Zelda 1 in anything but spirit. But I don't agree with your point that no direction in BotW is preferred over another. Ask a first time Zelda player to try BotW and go to Hebra immediately after finishing the plateau. I don't think you'll find their experience matches one where they instead would have gone to Lake Hylia or just followed the path to Dueling Peaks. The difference is that Zelda 1 has rudimentary mechanics in which the player discretely unlocks the world. BotW has a combinatoric set of mechanics in which multiple resources can be used to overcome the same puzzle or challenge. So in Hebra, the first time player will find the cold-mitigation resources they obtained on the plateau completely unsatisfactory, but they have many way to circumvent that if they explore somewhere else first. If they go to Gerudo desert, they can get a lot of warm cooking ingredients, while Rito village will have clothes that allow them to stand the cold. But if they go to Eldin, they might have a lot of flame weapons. If they explored a forested area, they could stock up on wood and just make a path of campfires. In every case though, Hebra is "locked" behind items obtained elsewhere, these locks just have many keys. I think you're perhaps conflating the exploration to find Zelda 1's levels with the main quest to find the Divine Beasts/Temples in BotW/TotK. The latter are designed to be accessed with minimal resources, they are all tutorials for exploring the rest of the game, i.e. finding shrines. TotK makes this very obvious, as you don't really need to build anything or use any Zonai devices from your inventory for any of its 4 returning dungeon quests. But if you want to complete the Depths and Sky shrines, you're going to have to and the paths to those dungeons will give you the tools/knowledge to do that more easily than if you hadn't. Zelda 1 only has its levels as the meat of its exploration, everything else is side content, but in BotW/TotK, you will spend far more time exploring for "side" content than finding and completing dungeons. In that sense, BotW is an inversion of Zelda 1, which cleverly uses its overworld to explore its dungeons, BotW flips that on its head and uses its dungeons as a way to explore its overworld. As a result, it's its world that is locked behind its resources, not its dungeons.

[@ThePlinkster]

@@coolguychecker7329 I’m not saying that there isn’t a preferred direction in BotW, I’m saying that there’s never a good reason to deviate from that preferred direction. Sure the experience might be “different” if they go to hebra first, but the end result is going to be no different than if they just went to Kakariko, if not worse.

[@coolguychecker7329]

@@ThePlinkster I don't agree with you there. As somebody who has played BotW about 3 times and the original 4-5 times including second quest, the experiences are similarly different with different choices. Both games are focused on resource management, and where you go first determines how you use certain resources. If you go to Hebra first, you can immediately go to Lanayru spring on your first visit to Hateno, while if you beeline to Hateno, odds are you don't have the resources to fully explore the mountain. Also if you go to Hebra first, you're not fully exploring it. You'll have different armor with abilities that will help with some sections later on and so on. Gerudo Desert isn't a challenge to navigate if you go there after Rito and Goron questlines, but the weather is a serious obstacle if it's your first area off the plateau. How you play the game is way different based on where you go first in BotW compared with the original Zelda, which is not that different outside of combat.

[@HorrorFanJoe228]

It would be awesome if they remade Zelda 1 on Nintendo Switch like they did with Link's Awakening.

[@TheOneFlyron]

To me the decision making in BotW and TotK felt just as complex and rewarding as how you're describing Zelda 1 (which I finished only once). As there are so many places to go and discover, I have a constant stack of vistas to go next. Only with some decisions lurking in the back of my mind to get to and possibly break that stack. For example climbing on a mountain, unlocking a shrine on the way, finding some koroks and finally at the peak seeing so many more places on the other side of the mountain and many more unique structures to visit, while remembering that I should go progress the fairy quest line to be able to upgrade my pitiful armor and maybe find more of those climbing gear armor parts to make ascents like this easier and it goes on and on. And there is a lot of replay value in the last two games for me. As knowledge that certain armor parts and items form how I tackle the game again. And while I know that I can go to the castle in BotW to just grab the strongest equipment, I'm not the one to optimize my fun away. I like the slow and steady progression. I can't wait to bust out TotK again this year, possibly when the switch 2 is out and I played through the first major releases.

[@dustinhatfield8373]

Imo the original zelda is indeed open world. To me an open world game is just a game that has one world map that contains all of its content and allows you to explore all or at least most of the world very early on and for most of the game. By that wikis definition RDR2 and GTA5 are not open world. Because their storylines are extremely linear even though the world map is not. The original zelda is an open world game because you can explore the entire map the second you hit start. It is not open world because of someone incorrectly assuming you can do the dungeons in literally any order you want. Wind waker is indeed an open world game, but so is ocarina of time and many other zeldas that came before it. Skyward Sword, however, is not open world because its world is segmented. You cant walk on foot from the woods level to the desert level.

[@BrownMan-gg7dx]

@7:32 it is open world. The definition here literally states onscreen "approach objectives freely" Zelda nes is a freely explored game. You're free to run around. you're not taken directly to the next dungeon when you complete one you're brought back out and given a chance to explore the world freely again

[@ThePlinkster]

@@BrownMan-gg7dx okay, but that applies to literally every Zelda ever, so my original statement of “at least no more than a handful of other pre-BotW Zeldas” is still correct.

[@BrownMan-gg7dx]

@ThePlinkster that's the point. Most of them were open world before botw and totk. Botw and totk are not the first open world Zelda games. They mostly have always had explorable worlds. The style breath and tears use is called sandbox which is very similar but slightly different. Sandbox is just more elaborate. A big map with a perimeter around it. Gta is a fine example of sandbox

[@ThePlinkster]

@ see, but usually whenever people call Zelda 1 "open world" they say it within the context of it being more similar to BotW rather than the rest of the series.

[@BrownMan-gg7dx]

@@ThePlinkster oh no. They both have similar aspects but anybody who played and experienced both can tell the difference.

[@ThePlinkster]

@ You'd think so, but I've spoken to more than enough people that consider them one and the same that I needed to make the distinction here.

[@rottencabbage2021]

Good video, I’ve always thought Zelda 1 was a really good first game and I like to go back to it from time to time. I really enjoy older games, which is weird because this game is about 15 years older than me and I didn’t grow up with it. But I like experimenting with different labyrinth orders. I’ll always tackle Level 6 last though.

[@ThePlinkster]

@@rottencabbage2021 I said it in my LBW video, but Zelda 1 was also long before my time and yet it’s still one of my favorites. I tend to do level 6 before 8 if only because I’m good enough at navigating that I never need the magic key. 6 is definitely the toughest dungeon combat-wise though.

[@davidm4566]

Metroid is fun. I just recommend getting a ROM hack that has a map.

[@ThePlinkster]

@@davidm4566 the map isn’t the issue for me, it’s really just the way combat and movement works.

[@Phrogg1es]

i completely understand and respect your opinion but the first game was my only experience with the series until recently and I always just found it tedious and didnt feel like studying the game forever to be able to beat it but when I played ocarina of time for the first time a few months ago I was immediately filled with a joy that no modern game has ever made me feel and I loved it so much I've played through every main game EXCEPT the first 2. I wish I could get into them because the pure exploration sounds so unlike anything else but I just can't

[@ThePlinkster]

I agree that the original game certainly isn’t for everyone. It’s one of those games that takes a while to really click with you. I wouldn’t blame you for using a guide or at least looking up a map.

[@RoninCatholic]

I actually think the NES Metroid is possibly the most fun the Metroid series has ever been.

[@ThePlinkster]

That’s certainly a hot take. I get liking the original Metroid, but more fun than Super or even Zero Mission?

[@RoninCatholic]

@@ThePlinkster Never touched Super Metroid. I'd probably still prefer the original if I did, but maybe not by a lot. I tend not to prefer 16 bit remakes of 8 bit games in general. Definitely the case for Super Mario Bros. 2 and 3 and Final Fantasy 1; likely wouldn't be the case with Metroid Zero Mission and based on footage Super Castlevania looks like an entirely different subgenre of platformer despite being an identical place in the timeline, but I could potentially see its more fluid controls feeling nicer.

[@ThePlinkster]

@@RoninCatholic Super isn’t so much a remake as it is a sequel that happens to take place on the same planet. It does take a few aspects from the original, but it’s definitely its own thing. Either way it’s generally considered the best game in the series.

[@RoninCatholic]

@@ThePlinkster Super isn't a remake, but an actual sequel. My not having played it for comparison of fun is more coincidence than anything. Zero Mission is a remake, and my experience with those is more miss than hit. The remakes of the NES Dragon Quest quadrilogy on later platforms are mostly positive, so I'm not going to dismiss it without trying, but unlike Fusion and Prime, I never had a chance to try it.

[@ThePlinkster]

@@RoninCatholic ah, okay. I’d definitely recommend trying Super then.

[@sestey]

Music is so loud I can't hear what you're saying

[@mikenorris2165]

I walked for 30 minutes in -25° weather to get wifi to download this. Definitely worth it!

[@Mike-F117]

I have tried to play the first Kid Icarus but it was not very fun and I also stopped playing it shortly after. But saying that the first Metroid is not fun is crazy. Maybe it’s because I had a full map that I could look at to plan my route, but I thought that it was still good. It doesn’t compare to later metroids but I do think it is still fun. I did not have a map when playing the original Legend of Zelda so I didn’t make it very far, and Legend of Zelda is my favorite franchise.

[@ThePlinkster]

I mostly just found the combat and movement really tedious. I don’t really have an issue with the map layout.

[@Mike-F117]

@ I agree but I think that’s just to be expected with games from that era. I have much more trouble hitting enemies in ALttP than in the original. Something about the way link swings the sword makes me feel like I should be able to hit them but can’t. I don’t like the “bomb this secret random unmarked wall” from either LoZ or Metroid because how am I supposed to know that. I can’t even find my way around those maps so how I’m I supposed to find those. I don’t love BotW or TotK, I think they could have benefited from certain aspects of the original game, as well as others. Sorry for the unorganized rant, but as much as I love the games, I also have issues with them. Keep up the good work!

[@zero1zerolast393]

Most older games are far better than what most people think. The problem isn't the quality, its the quality of life that people dislike. A great example is Kingdom Hearts Days. So many people hste that game because you walk with the d pad. So many people say its unplayable because of the d pad. It wasn't that bad. I played it on the DS, 3DS (Which has analog) and touch screen. The D Pad was a slight inconvenience. Nothing more.

[@kylehennkens9578]

Loved the video! Earned a sub from me, and I can't wait to see more! You really made me think about this all, and this comment got rewritten like 5 times just to get my thoughts in order, but I think I found it: BotW is a "return to form" because the progression is blocked by competency. The Wild era games choose to measure competency on combat, and a bit on macro-level exploration, literally all of the mechanics loop back into those two elements. The issue is that BotW's/TotK's combat structure is not difficult, and direct-line exploration is usually paced with a larger stamina vessel. Zelda 1 has item- and knowledge-based progression gating as you've shown, and I agree, but a first-time player is going to avoid areas they can't fight through, just like how a first-time Breath of the Wild player is going to avoid encountering a Lynel. The Zelda games that focus the game's pace on the story blocks progression with arbitrary flags or events at their most restrictive, or just on the previous dungeon's item at the least. Your analysis is valid, I really do like Zelda I in a lot of the same ways as you, and I don't like the structure of the Wild era games due to being so reliant on that combat, it's just not my jam. But I don't understand how you don't see that despite being very different games with very different focuses, the decisions behind Breath of the Wild do indeed match up with the spirit of Zelda I.

[@ThePlinkster]

The problem is that your progression in Zelda 1 _isn't_ blocked by competency. Your ability to do things out of order is, but that's a completely different concept from progression. Your progression in Zelda 1 is purely determined by which dungeons that you've obtained the triforce out of, which is in essence just as much of an "arbitrary flag" as obtaining each of the medallions in Ocarina of Time.

[@alexanderajgaonkar6825]

Really enjoyed the video and the in depth thought process tho I really only played twilight princess on the Wii lol

[@zedorda1337]

In the era of Zelda 1 and considering the games that were available at the time. Yes, Zelda was an early open world like game. Was it a pure and absolute open world game devoted to the concept that was not even in existence at the time it was made? No, Because at the time almost everything video game was a forced linear experience in design. The sheer fact you could leave the first screen in Zelda 1 from 3 sides was a very new concept. So Zelda 1 is considered part of the start of "open world" becoming a detail a game could use. "Open World" is not a controlling category that forces only one way to play/make a game. It is just one element you can use at varying degrees. I have to admit I have no idea what you are talking about with BotW being a return to form. It was the farthest thing from it and I don't think it is a widely held concept outside modern kids.

[@ThePlinkster]

For the longest time it felt like everyone was saying that BotW was the "most like the original Zelda" or something to that effect. It's absolutely a commonly held opinion, which is one of the biggest reasons why I wanted to make this video. To an extent you're correct. Zelda 1 certainly was about as open world as anything else was at the time, but when so many people are calling it open world in the context of being similar to BotW it's hard for me to sit there and use the same terms.

[@Anakunus]

I kind of disagree with the thesis of this video. The overworld structure is fine, but getting forfard in some of the dungeons is just too cryptic, regardless whether you read the manual or not. Here is an example: "Is it closed? Well, that must mean you either have to defeat all the enemies, remember to push a block or both." That is one of the reasons why I don't consider The Legend of Zelda in such high regard. It should be either one or the other - never _both!_

[@ThePlinkster]

@@Anakunus i only said both because in order to push a block in Zelda 1 you need to defeat all of the enemies first. I think that sounds pretty reasonable.

[@ricardocastro2410]

I didn't really like Zelda 1, mostly because, for my first (and only) playthrough, the lack of direction and hints really killed my enjoyment, when I had to see a guide on youtube every 30 minutes because I was stuck, with no idea on what item I could get, or where such an item was. From what I could see in your video and elsewhere online, the complex choices in the game mostly come from second playthroughs, as replay value. The first playthrough, for me at least, was just a confusing mess, and I was searching for guides online for basically everything, since I was wary of using my very limited resources to explore a screen that might just have nothing inside. From what I learned in your video, it is one of the best zelda games for replayability, and if you have the knowledge required to make complex decisions, it can be quite fun to play again and again. However, the first playthrough can be a turn off for the majority (including me), from how obtuse the game is without previous knowledge. Still, I am amazed at the game they were able to make on the NES, certainly ahead of its time (BTW, english is my second language, so I might have made some spelling mistakes)

[@ThePlinkster]

That's totally understandable, Zelda 1 can certainly get confusing for a lot of first timers. I always recommend people at least use an overworld map their first few times playing the game.

[@sumbodyshero]

THIS IS AWESOME. Now do Zelda 2 + 3.

[@ThePlinkster]

@@sumbodyshero I’m planning on doing those next!

[@robinpoe13]

Finally some good fucking food

[@caoistico669]

I'm recently finishing zelda 1 again, yeah im using a walkthrough because the guy who amkes then have great carisma, it's fun and really short, wich i like, i wouldn't say its my favorite, as links awakening exists, but i played Zelda 1 more then awakening (only finished both 1 time and am doing again recently, on the first dungeon) but sure more then links awakening, mostly by bow short it is, too big games takes too much time

[@Novastar.SaberCombat]

There are many styles, perspectives, and time-periods games fall into. 1986's original TLoZ was wonderful. When the second game arrived, let's all be honest here... the overworld graphics were abominable, that berserk "maze of caves" to get to the other side of things was ludicrously (and unnecessarily) irritating, and the map content was sparse and barren. OK, what about the side-scrolling? Better graphics, yes. But Link's little dagger was ATROCIOUS. We all know this. And that "beam" didn't do jack nor sheet--it didn't even have the range of a spit-wad. It was EMBARRASSING. :/ Moving on to Z3, or "A Link to the Past"... well, I think we can all agree that it was a masterpiece. Sure, it wasn't without some flaws, but none were as insane as Z2's. :) And as to all the other games in the series... meh, they're all different. Even the "Ys" series of games evolved, btw. Go look THOSE up if you've never heard of 'em.

[@dylanbailey4776]

I played through and beat zelda 1 recently, and I found it to be pretty boring. The dungeons blur together due to them having no individual identity. The color pallets are the only thing that changes between them as many enemies, puzzles, and even bosses are recycled over and over. I found the items to be especially disappointing, because while their were one or two cool items (magic wand and ladder) too much of them only were used for a single puzzle and have no utility or combat uses (recorder, raft, and power glove). It makes what impact a new item might have minimal compared to other better zelda games. The bow requiring rupees was especially a stupid design choice, because why in a game where rupees are so scarce and so many essential items like the blue ring are incredibly expensive would I ever use the bow? And outside of the ganon fight it doesn't make sense to use it as there is no difficult enemy that takes damage from it. The game also goes out of it's way to inconvenience the player. While I have no issue with a game being tough, the blue candle and negative rupee moblins take things too far. The blue candle having only one use per screen only slows the player down. It has no practical combat uses, so the limit doesn't endanger the player and make them use it stragically, it only slows them way down in a game designed around burning every bush you see on the screen. And the negative rupee moblins, which exist to only punish players for exploring in a game designed around exploration is straight up insulting to the player. Having the player respawn with 3 hearts is the final nail in the coffin. After dying, I want to jump back in and use the knowledge I gained to improve upon my last attempt, but in later dungeons where I can die in a couple hits with three hearts, I am forced to backtrack out of the dungeon and find a fairy fountain. Zelda really took a page out of metroid 1 with that mechanic. The game's "difficulty" is a relic of early nes games, as it tests not your reaction time or planning ability, but instead your ability to stumble around the map and farm rupees and hearts. While I can understand liking it, it objectivly is a very flawed game compared to the polished and more player-friendly modern zelda games. And all I want to say about your opinion that modern zelda is "bad" is that if a game sells 10s of millions of copies and gets 9s and 10s from reviewers it clearly doing something right lol.

[@KidPrarchord95]

1:20 Hey! Screw you! (Respectfully, of course!

[@ThePlinkster]

I've gotten a lot more comments about that little jab at Metroid than anything else in this video. It's kind of surprising, really.

[@mmgilbertson7642]

I beat this game back around 1990. It probably took me years off and on due to having a wife and a kid and a mortgage and a car payment etc, etc. Anyone remember making maps and bombing and burning ad infinitum and getting random hints from various sources which may or may not be total BS (BECAUSE THERE WAS NO INTERNET) until you got to the end and then it was like ok, cool, good job here’s a 2nd quest? (Spoilers) Well today at the age of 67 I completed it again on the WiiU which is not near as cool as that golden cartridge (THANK YOU INTERNET). And I did this because I just completed Breath Of The Wild so now I need to get back to my other Zelda games. Am I a fan? You decide. I gotta go. Thanks Ian.

[@1fightdragons]

Love your videos. Definitely get rid of that photo of you popping up. It's just very distracting and pulls you right out of the mood and flow of the video. Keep up the great work, you deserve a lot of subs.

[@ThePlinkster]

Thank you! I've been told by a handful of people that they don't care for it, but honestly its just something to put up there if I can't think of anything else or want to talk directly to the viewer about a point I'm making. Maybe eventually I'll think of a replacement.

[@ZuzNewsReviews]

You've spoiled the ending of Zelda 1!

[@mmgilbertson7642]

It’s all about the journey, baby

[@ThePlinkster]

@@ZuzNewsReviews shoot, I’ll get right on making that apology video

[@mmgilbertson7642]

⁠Not necessary

[@ZuzNewsReviews]

@ Nah it's okay, I was just teasing. Beat the game myself despite all the Darknuts and Wizzrobes.

[@ThePlinkster]

@@ZuzNewsReviews yeah I figured you were joking, I was playing off of that.

[@ARCWuLF]

I think that while the hype surrounding Breath of the Wild was due to its "open world," I prefer playing it to some of the more recent games because they had started to feel forced and formulaic by Skyward Sword. Though due to what amounts to repeated play patterns they perhaps traded one stale game for another. It still felt more fresh to me. Thanks for posting!

[@kerbehklobbah5790]

I tried playing Zelda I about a year ago and got bored of it rather quickly since it felt like there was absolutely nothing to do in the overworld and that I was just wandering in circles. Sure there was probably a bunch of secrets I missed, but that's kind of the problem, you're only rewarded for exploring if you get lucky and happen to bomb a tile that has something. And like you said in this video, bombs are a resource that you don't want to just waste on what effectively ammounts to a random chance of finding something that may or may not even be useful. I'm a busy guy, I don't have time to comb over every single rock or bush in this game just to see if the next one contains something actually valuable and not just a few rupees. And another thing, I feel like you using the manual as an argument as to why this game isn't confusing is kind of a cop out, I don't like having to constantly consult external media that I don't own just to understand what the hell is going on.

[@ThePlinkster]

Oh don't get me wrong, I agree that the hidden caves in the overworld suck if you don't already know where they are. I glossed over it in the video but that's the one part of this game that I will agree has not aged well. I don't think its a cop out at all. The thing about manuals is that they're _not_ an external piece of media. They come with the game and anyone playing the game for the first time in 1986 would have access to it. They were always intended to be an extension of the game itself, something that you were intended to own and use. Sure, over time fewer and fewer people have access to a physical copy of the booklet and map, but that doesn't change the fact that if you play without it you're not playing the game as it's intended.

[@amandaslough125]

The manuals of games were printed with the expectation that you'd read it. Modern games have suffocating tutorials _because_ people stopped reading the manuals and the industry decided to stop using resources to print them.

[@globalistgamer6418]

Yeah, the manual is part of the product. If you had the physical game, you would have had the manual as well, and if you obtained it by "other means" then you can and should download a PDF of it.

[@kerbehklobbah5790]

@@amandaslough125 Meh. I'm of the opinion that crucial information to understanding the game should be included in the game itself, I can see why it wasn't back in the day due to technical limitations (a game like Zelda I was probably already pushing the limits of what the NES could do) but we don't live in that era anymore. As for suffocating tutorials in modern games, I've only ever really found this to be an issue with shitty games not worth playing in the first place like Assassin's Creed, in a lot of the games actually worth playing the tutorial is fairly mild. Look at Breath of the Wild for example, the only real tutorial it has is some prompts the first time you pick something up that tells you what it is and some of the controls, sure you're limited to the Great Plateau at first but they designed this area in such a way where it doesn't feel like a tutorial level. Or look at a game like Shovel Knight, which tells the player absolutely nothing at first but through the brilliant design of the first level it teaches the player everything they need to know.

[@kerbehklobbah5790]

@@ThePlinkster If there was some sort of way to find hidden walls that didn't involve bombing every given wall or burning every given bush, then I think this problem of the overworld feeling empty and superfluous to the game experience would be fixed. Pulling some ideas from later Zelda games, I see three obvious answers, one in which there's some sort of item later in the game akin to the Lens of Truth that highlights secrets on the screen at the cost of some money. Two is the one you'd think of initially, which would be to have a cracked wall texture where you can bomb, though I'm of the opinion such a change would need to be quite subtle to not just immediately give away secret walls and would require you to really pay attention in order to notice. Third, and the suggestion I personally think would be best, having bombable walls make a different sound when you hit them with your sword akin to games like Ocarina of Time, this would fix the problem of having to waste resources and grind for more when you want to hunt for secrets.

[@sean-keykong5090]

The next Zelda game should be like the modern games TotK maybe better, but you can explore more difficult areas to obtain new abilities. You might already know that BotW and TotK both can be played the same way having your abilities in the entire game just like Mario 64 & banjo Kazooie. But it still hard to climb the towers fight the bosses for your first time the challenge to power up the master sword I can take awhile to obtain. So if the next Zelda was like TotK with special items and obituaries that make it easier and faster to move forward but risky to get in the early game. It would make for a good game. I remember that you can do lots of this in the new games cook food so you can fight, go to certain places and climb walls longer. Going into any sheikah shrine is possible from the start depending when you enter the shrines and which one you enter can determine the difficulty of the shrine. Major test of strength with sticks and 3 hearts good luck. Heading into the forgotten temple early can be both a mistake or an reward.

[@RyanJK88]

The background music is too loud and it's overstimulating

[@RIO-..]

I loved playing this game.. & still do occasionally...

[@papabaer6069]

This game is a vibe. That vibe culminated in A Link to the Past but seemed to dwindle after that. OOT was a fantastic game but didn't have the same vibes as prior installments. As for modern, open world Zelda... I hate it. I don't care that the series was "formulaic" because it was the perfect formula and had several fun iterations. Lastly, Windwaker was imo the last great Zelda game.