Why so many people dislike LoZ these days

[Otterwuff]

The Legend of Zelda series is good.

I also find it hideously overrated. I don't really like overrated things, but I'm also not a fan of other big series, Mario, Sonic (even before the, uh, crap games? Like, when it was supposedly good), Halo, Heroes of Might and Magic, Final Fantasy and whatnot. The games aren't (necessarily) bad, but I don't personally care for them. Opinion and all.

I think it's more that people hype them up to be "TEH BEST GAEM EVEHHHHHHHHH" and when I play them all that happens is my brain goes "eh, this is just slightly above average." Because that's what happens. I just never found any of the games interesting, a slight lie with Final Fantasy there (and no, not VII, god no) but in retrospect I can mention quite a few older games that I enjoy so much more.

 

[AceDiamond]

Monkeyman you left out the story to Link's Awakening. For shame!

 

[Retroshotv1]

so its ok for EA to do it but not nintendo but i dont know why people hate wind waker it was looked completely different had the dodge but people dont like it scared of change i think, but want it, how strange

Edit people who think it is repetitive

 

[Gingerman]

What I find rather amusing is that people seem to be expecting a epic saga from a game created for children. Admittingly a good story would be good for children but they dont need to as their target audience eats it up. The age group that Zelda is aimed at are quite content with the Saturday morning stories of a evil villain kidnapping a princess and the hero saves the day.

I have enjoyed all the zeldas I've played (except phantom hourglass), yes its the same plot line most of the time but it brings me back to a age when I didn't have to worry about the troubles of life and I quite like the game play (Also Ganondorf is quite a good lookin bad guy but overused). I guess I never understood why people when playing Zelda expect it to be game with mind boggling puzzles, a deep rich dialogue and headbuttingly great storyline. Its a game for preteens and therefore should be treated as such although it would be nice if Nintendo went back to what they did with MM as that was a quite good twist in the series.

That said it would be nice if nintendo raised the age group their aiming at a tad because Zelda does have potential to having a solid plotline if they tried.

 

[AdambotLive]

I don't see any Zelda threads, and the only Zelda game I played for an extended period that I remember is Twilight Princess, which was good.

 

[AceDiamond]

The thing about Zelda, I find, is that yes, a lot of the same plot devices are repeated (i.e. Ganon is usually behind things, the Triforce is involved, you need the Master Sword, etc.). The thing is that all those things are, very often, essential to what makes the Zelda series. It's like how Command & Conquer can't exist without Tiberium (or at least, that's what the story would have been had EA not ruined it before trying to fix it). It's like how Mario can't exist without Bowser. It's like how Batman can't exist without his Rogue's Gallery. It's just how it is. Change too much from it and you lose what it's about. Hell just look at the Halloween movies. The third was such a radical change from the first two that it got panned universally.

Another thing to consider is more that the games are representative of the theme that what has happened in the past will continue to happen in the future, and there is no escaping that. The triforce is such a powerful artifact that there will always be strife over it, and Ganon is so powerful/evil with the Triforce of Power in his hands that defeating him once and for all may be impossible (although Twilight Princess made a good try and finishing him off for good)

However, having said all that I think that Nintendo could do with raising the maturity level of a couple of their franchises. Namely Zelda (which they did sort of go for when doing Majora's Mask in terms of how dark it was, as well as Twilight Princess), and the Starfox franchise (since that one's basically been the red-headed stepchild of Nintendo, foisted onto numerous devs who have no clue what they're doing with it, especially in terms of story writing). And the reason I say they can afford to make these two franchises more serious is because they have Mario and Pokemon, among other properties to stay appealing to the younger audience. Wheras both LoZ and Starfox could easily lend themselves to more serious themes given the amount of violence and darkness that the two series can easily fall into.

But of course, ultimately there is always Metroid for the Nintendo gamer looking for something a bit more mature, if not necessarily deeper.

 

[Inco]

Really, i want to see Nintendo go for a similar design to Majora's Mask going on. I mean, it is an old game, but it shows the world ending over three days and how some people flee the cities, others stay and lose hope while others just go nuts. It really felt like you were the only one who can stop it and that you did had to 'rush' to try and save it. It had a great feeling to it and though it had a time limit on it constantly i found it to be my favourite game of the series. (followed closely by ages and seasons.)

But nah, i dont think it is as badly disliked nintendo game as mario, or better yet, a disliked old school game franchise like the sonic one. Though they have me at a crossroads here, as i have played and loved almost every LoZ game that has been released but since learning about 'spirit tracks' i kinda feel a bit anxious that they may be going down the path of sonic, in which the franchise is just given random ideas and the company goes with it.

But, that poster for the Wii version of that new one seem to look good. I hope.

 

[Mordwyl]

You don't play Legend of Zelda for the story you fool, you play it for its puzzles. Any Zelda game that is lacking these is severely horrible in my eyes... That and A Link to the Past. I'm sorry, but that one was just boring compared to Majora's Mask and Oracle of Ages.

 

[StigmataDiaboli]

I like it. I started the original NES version the other day. Then two days later I found a gold cartdridge version of the market. SCORE!!

Here's a pic:
http://i3.iofferphoto.com/img/item/113/055/717/23Ss.jpg

 

[Et3rnalLegend64]

People have differing opinions, though I believe the guys who say it has no redeeming qualities whatsoever are complaining too much. The guys who hate a franchise and its company will always hate it. Neither group should really be playing in the first place if they don't like it. Like this guy.

I had a great time with Zelda. I just hope to see no more of the cell-shaded Wind Waker style of animation.

Really? I thought Wind Waker was the most beautiful game for the Gamecube and my second favourite 3D Zelda game. Each to their own I suppose.

Personally, I don't think there is anything wrong with Zelda, I just felt that Twightlight Princess didn't have much aside from the main story going for it. I loved the exploration and sidequests that were so prominant in Wind Waker, Majoras Mask, A Link to the Past and to a lesser extent OoT and Links Awakening.

People who hate Nintendo and their fans will hate the Zelda games regardless of how well made they are and whether they have actually played them or not. The result is usually comments like this:

Because it is horrible. It is another great example of Nintendo's suckishness. They release them frequently, the stories suck, most run solely on stupid gimmicks, the gameplay is terrible, and overall: it isn't fun.

I must add, that Zelda & Mario are the reasons I hate Nintendo. Zelda is not well made, people like it because it is considered a classic. I, for one, hated the original, and haven't enjoyed any since.

Not all of us like it because its a classic. I couldn't care less if it was or wasn't. I was 4 when the first one came out and was way too young to understand how to play anyway, so I never bothered. When I got Ocarina bundled with my Gamecube, I had no idea how popular it was. I just genuinely liked the game. The puzzles are a nice change of pace from all the twitch reaction FPS's that are taking the market. If you don't like the game, nobody is forcing you to play it. If for some reason you are playing them, I think you're just looking for reasons to hate it.

 

[DrDeath3191]

Because it is horrible. It is another great example of Nintendo's suckishness. They release them frequently,

No they don't: it took 5 years from Windwaker to Twilight Princess.

the stories suck

Many would disagree, myself included.

most run solely on stupid gimmicks

Could you identify those, please? I seriously have no idea to what you are referring.

the gameplay is terrible, and overall: it isn't fun.

I can't argue with that last point, since it is your subjective opinion.

For the record, I am a huge Zelda fan.

 

[rainman2203]

Whenever I steal someone else's handheld to play, I play Zelda if I can. It really is a great series aside from some of the more repetitive aspects. To murder a Yahtzee qutoe: "I wonder if I'll get the grappling hook or the bow first this time?"

 

[DrDeath3191]

People have differing opinions, though I believe the guys who say it has no redeeming qualities whatsoever are complaining too much. The guys who hate a franchise and its company will always hate it. Neither group should really be playing in the first place if they don't like it. Like this guy.

I had a great time with Zelda. I just hope to see no more of the cell-shaded Wind Waker style of animation.

Really? I thought Wind Waker was the most beautiful game for the Gamecube and my second favourite 3D Zelda game. Each to their own I suppose.

Personally, I don't think there is anything wrong with Zelda, I just felt that Twightlight Princess didn't have much aside from the main story going for it. I loved the exploration and sidequests that were so prominant in Wind Waker, Majoras Mask, A Link to the Past and to a lesser extent OoT and Links Awakening.

People who hate Nintendo and their fans will hate the Zelda games regardless of how well made they are and whether they have actually played them or not. The result is usually comments like this:

Because it is horrible. It is another great example of Nintendo's suckishness. They release them frequently, the stories suck, most run solely on stupid gimmicks, the gameplay is terrible, and overall: it isn't fun.

I must add, that Zelda & Mario are the reasons I hate Nintendo. Zelda is not well made, people like it because it is considered a classic. I, for one, hated the original, and haven't enjoyed any since.

Not all of us like it because its a classic. I couldn't care less if it was or wasn't. I was 4 when the first one came out and was way too young to understand how to play anyway, so I never bothered. When I got Ocarina bundled with my Gamecube, I had no idea how popular it was. I just genuinely liked the game. The puzzles are a nice change of pace from all the twitch reaction FPS's that are taking the market. If you don't like the game, nobody is forcing you to play it. If for some reason you are playing them, I think you're just looking for reasons to hate it.

Because it is horrible. It is another great example of Nintendo's suckishness. They release them frequently,

No they don't: it took 5 years from Windwaker to Twilight Princess.

the stories suck

Many would disagree, myself included.

most run solely on stupid gimmicks

Could you identify those, please? I seriously have no idea to what you are referring.

the gameplay is terrible, and overall: it isn't fun.

I can't argue with that last point, since it is your subjective opinion.

For the record, I am a huge Zelda fan.

Ah, you have opened my eyes. Clearly LoZ doesn't have a fanbase of rabid fanboys. I see now that my opinion is wrong. I will now go and pay my hard-earned money for Twilight Princess, since it isn't absolutely terrible!

I wasn't trying to change your opinion, I want you to elaborate on it.

 

[Et3rnalLegend64]

People have differing opinions, though I believe the guys who say it has no redeeming qualities whatsoever are complaining too much. The guys who hate a franchise and its company will always hate it. Neither group should really be playing in the first place if they don't like it. Like this guy.

I had a great time with Zelda. I just hope to see no more of the cell-shaded Wind Waker style of animation.

Really? I thought Wind Waker was the most beautiful game for the Gamecube and my second favourite 3D Zelda game. Each to their own I suppose.

Personally, I don't think there is anything wrong with Zelda, I just felt that Twightlight Princess didn't have much aside from the main story going for it. I loved the exploration and sidequests that were so prominant in Wind Waker, Majoras Mask, A Link to the Past and to a lesser extent OoT and Links Awakening.

People who hate Nintendo and their fans will hate the Zelda games regardless of how well made they are and whether they have actually played them or not. The result is usually comments like this:

Because it is horrible. It is another great example of Nintendo's suckishness. They release them frequently, the stories suck, most run solely on stupid gimmicks, the gameplay is terrible, and overall: it isn't fun.

I must add, that Zelda & Mario are the reasons I hate Nintendo. Zelda is not well made, people like it because it is considered a classic. I, for one, hated the original, and haven't enjoyed any since.

Not all of us like it because its a classic. I couldn't care less if it was or wasn't. I was 4 when the first one came out and was way too young to understand how to play anyway, so I never bothered. When I got Ocarina bundled with my Gamecube, I had no idea how popular it was. I just genuinely liked the game. The puzzles are a nice change of pace from all the twitch reaction FPS's that are taking the market. If you don't like the game, nobody is forcing you to play it. If for some reason you are playing them, I think you're just looking for reasons to hate it.

Because it is horrible. It is another great example of Nintendo's suckishness. They release them frequently,

No they don't: it took 5 years from Windwaker to Twilight Princess.

the stories suck

Many would disagree, myself included.

most run solely on stupid gimmicks

Could you identify those, please? I seriously have no idea to what you are referring.

the gameplay is terrible, and overall: it isn't fun.

I can't argue with that last point, since it is your subjective opinion.

For the record, I am a huge Zelda fan.

Ah, you have opened my eyes. Clearly LoZ doesn't have a fanbase of rabid fanboys. I see now that my opinion is wrong. I will now go and pay my hard-earned money for Twilight Princess, since it isn't absolutely terrible!

We're not gushing about the game. I just took down your point of "we only like it because it's a 'classic,'" that you don't have to play because you don't like it, and you still have yet to clarify what you mean by gimmicks instead of hating the fans.

Edit: Oh, and DrDeath did say whether you like the gameplay is completely subjective, so we're not bashing you either. Contrast that to your posts of us, thank you very much.

 

[MetaKnight19]

I love the Zelda series, the only one i didnt enjoy was Phantom Hourglass because of all the returning to the first temple business. it was just tedious. All of the console Zeldas are pretty cool, but I do think that Nintendo need to add something a little bit original to the series to keep fans happy. But I will always stand by Nintendo, even if they do mess up, because i simply remember that their first party games rule. (apart from Wii Music obviously)