A look at why The Legend of Zelda will always be my favourite set of games
When I was 12 years old, my mum handed me a plastic case with a game CD inside. ‘I think you’ll like this, you get to play as a wolf’, she said. I shrugged my shoulders and gave it an apprehensive try.
Neither of us knew exactly the level of interest she was sparking in that moment…
The game was The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. Ever since playing it, my very first Zelda game, this franchise has been a huge part of my life.
I’ve played a fair few Zelda games now, always keeping up with the new releases; I’ve bought the hefty encyclopaedia and compendium books; and I own many shirts and various paraphernalia with Zelda designs on.
Needless to say, I’m a fan.
But why do I love the Zelda games so much?
Personally, I think it boils down to three main factors: puzzles, adventure, and something that Nintendo are excellent at, wholesomeness.
I’ve always thought that these games have an excellent balance between story, exploring, puzzles, and battle. I mean, other than the dungeon bosses and mini-bosses, most enemies can be ignored if you feel so inclined. I like that. To me, there’s nothing worse than a game where all you do is kill stuff and you have no choice in the matter.
Additionally, the enemies are always well varied and interesting to fight. It's not just a group of bandits time and again. The bosses and the enemies ramp up with you, often requiring clever uses of newly obtained items in order to beat them.
Until the release of Breath of the Wild, Zelda games were platformers - they led you in one singular direction and the world opened up more with each level you completed. While these days I prefer open-world games, this has never really bothered me because Nintendo continually throw in so many extraneous tasks to do, bits of the world to explore, things to find… that it feels much more open-world than it is. I think everyone remembers their first time entering the vastness of Hyrule Field, whichever game that was in for them.
Finally, they’re so wholesome! Zelda games give me such a relaxed, warm, nostalgic feel when I play them. The games are made accessible to all - children and adults alike - so it’s unsurprising that they have this atmosphere to them. But still, I don’t know any other games that make me feel so happy and content. From the graphics to the characters, everything about a Zelda game is geared toward inducing happiness.
Let me know what you think in the comments! Are you a Zelda fan? What do you think makes Zelda games so enjoyable? Which is your favourite Zelda game?