Zelda's Superiority

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	Back to the Realm Related PagesPrevious Editorial Editorial List Got any comments? You can tell me by using... The form Email Message Board The opinions on this page are those of the Mariner. Do not use any of this unless you get permission from him. Remember, you can write your own editorials on pretty much anything video game related. Just write to me Last Update 12 - 15 - 00			Zelda. A word that means a writer's wife to some, but a fantastic game for most. Why do we like Zelda? Great gameplay? Good characters? Graphics? Subliminal messages in their advertising? Nifty gold cartridges? Why? Other games have better graphics. Other games have good characters. Other games have nifty extras like different colors. So why Zelda? Because, in my opinion, it combines everything great about gaming. Start with a game. First thing it needs is gameplay. If the controls are bad, the playing is dull, or the enemies unintelligent, then you won't buy the game. Next, you need characters. Roaming around with Nameless Joe is no fun. You want a personality in your character; something that you can identify with. Non playable characters are good too. A goal is important. It's got to be something you want, but there must be side goals if it's too far away. A storyline is helpful as well. Something that draws you in and keeps you entertained. Graphics and sound come next. Sure, they aren't necessary, but poor graphics or annoying music certainly detracts from the experience. And little extras are nice as well. Really cool items, a nicely written instruction manual, or little easter eggs within the game shows that the developers care. There are a few more elements, but those are what a good game is made of. And Zelda incorporates all of these, and does so fantastically. No one can complain about gameplay. Each game makes efficient use of the controllers for each system, the games are fun to play, and there is a decent amount of challenge. As for characters, who's going to complain? Link is well developed, easily seen as a hero, and well loved. NPCs and enemies, from Sahasrahla and Rauru to Agahnim and Ganon, are all believable and work well. Goal- Triforce, the princess, peace- need I say more? And no one can complain about the story. The legends in Hyrule in all of the games are amazing. Zelda 1 had one of the most immersive storylines for its time, and it leads up to the epics of OoT and MM. Graphics are great, with excellent work on all systems and great cut scenes on the N64. And with memorable music like the Overworld theme and attention to details like the sounds of nature and echoes, the sound of Zelda almost cannot be topped. The overall mood is well done. Everything brings Hyrule to life as a medieval world. And attention to these little details? Gold cartridge. Read my nostalgia article for little easter eggs. Great items like the hookshot. And the Zelda 1 and Zelda 3 instruction manuals are two of the coolest I've seen. Yes, Zelda has them all. Perhaps much of the praise comes from the fact that Zelda is practically in a sub genre of its own. It is the blending of three of the greatest genres known to gaming- adventure, action, and RPG. It is an adventure, filled with exploring, collecting, and puzzle solving. It is an action game, filled with many intense battles. And it is an RPG, with great characters and a story of epic proportions. Each of these genres has its plusses and minuses, but Zelda only takes the best aspects of these games. Usually blending leaves something less than the sum of its parts, but Zelda makes it much greater. It is a style many are now trying to emulate, with Rare's Dinosaur Planet and Sony's Dark Cloud (Sony works so hard at making the game Zelda-esque that the main character wears a green hat!). It is a style that works, and it is a style that they should keep. And that, my friends, is why Zelda is the best. Others come close, but they all have their shortcomings. Final Fantasy made some good games and bad games. They have their good points and bad points. Mario has its ups and downs. Smash Brothers is fun but pointless. MGS is great, but ultimately does not have the magical feel. Only Zelda remains near perfect. I have yet to play a bad Zelda game. I have yet to play an average Zelda game. I have yet to play a decent or fairly good Zelda game. All I have played are great or near perfect Zelda games. And I loved every second of them.
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