The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

The Good
The first time I played this game and I saw the graphics I was stunned. When you start in Kokiri forest and you can see things flying through the air you can pretty much smell the dew on the leaves. The idea that you could go between adult Link and child Link was good also, it was like having two games in one. This is, in my opinion the best of all the Zelda games except for maybe the nintendo ones which are just classics.

The Bad
The only two things that annoyed me about this game was that there were about 4 towns and all together there were about 35 NPC's at the most, so there was not an extreme amount of interaction. And the fact that they show you this big castle that looks beautiful from the outside and you never actually get to go into the castle until it gets taken over by Ganondorf was quite disappointing.

The Bottom Line
In you have played any of the other Zelda games then this game is a definite must. I saw the graphics of the Gamecubes new Zelda : Windwaker i think it was called because I looked at the graphics and it just put me right off. I think this game is well worth playing if you have the time to go through it.

The Good
You start out as an 8 year-old kid and then grow up into a 16-year old and you must transfer between ages in order to complete the game. There are tons of castle's, each one unique and extremely challenging. You never two that are alike. You must collect a large variety of weapon's in order to beat the game as well as interact with a lot of character's. There are as many or more bad guys in this game as there are in "A Link to the Past". The graphics are extremely good for it's time, better than "Super Mario 64". Apart from the main journey, which has an incredibly good story-line and it very touching, you have many side journey's with the masks and delivering items to people and horse racing and collecting Gold Skellata's ect. There's always something that you can explore, and the music is outstanding, perhaps the best I've ever heard in a game - at least on par with the Mario music.

The Bad
Z-Targeting can be a bit tricky at first.

The Bottom Line
If you like video-games and own a N64 this is the game to get.

The Good
This game's wonderful; and even with its already impressive legacy and its age (almost 21 years old as of this review's writing) adds to the game's rather impressive legacy.

The Bad
Sometimes the frame-rate is a little choppy. That doesn't deteriorate the game's splendid graphical fidelity and dungeon-crawling immersion.

The Bottom Line
It's Super Mario 64 meets The Lord of the Rings. It's really that simple and it's that effective.

The Good
Zelda on the 64 was a masterpiece in every aspect. The time this game was released was perfect as well, there was no game out there that had the gameplay and vastness that Zelda ocarina of time had. I remember getting this for Christmas from my father and almost ran off every wall. I popped it in the first time and I was glued for days to months, after school it was Zelda time!

The best thing about this game was its 3D aspect and the way you could handle link. The target locking system was also very fun, the ability to lock on a target and perform a left/right dodge and a forward to downward sword thrust was "Epic". I liked how they had the Little Link and Adult Link, and how you could change between both later on in the game it made the game never boring really...if you were bored as little link just switch on over to adult. Another option that added so much to this game was the customization of link, you could customize the sword/shield/clothing he was wearing based on the fights he encountering (((I mean come on dude - how EPIC is that...lol))). The mounted combat and the ability to ride on a horse was breathtaking, it added a whole new feature to the game. The ocarina included another part to the game as well allowing you to make musical tunes to buff you or help along your quests - or to even have fun and make your own tune's up. The boss fights put you into the seat of a massive controllable movie where you had to try to keep your sanity while you trying to dodge and fight this 60 foot thing as the camera pans left to right.

Zelda 64 for its time...with the mounted combat/Character customization/targeting-epic fighting system/smooth character game play/vastness of weapons-items. This game was just straight up amazing - and I think anyone who calls themselves a gamer really isn't one unless they have played one of the games that started everything - Zelda Ocarina of Time

The Bad
There were parts in the game that you wanted to just chuck the controller at the wall because you couldn't beat it, since it was so dang hard. Especially the last fight with Ganon, if you didn't know what you were doing it was a constant lose for you. But once you got past that part of un ending annoyance the feeling of getting farther in the game was nothing like you feel in games today.

The Bottom Line
Zelda 64 is still the best game of all time and if you haven't played it, you need to play it. Being 2009 Zelda 64 still surpasses every game I have played currently. Why? because all the current big companies aren't, looking back into what gaming really is - Fun. Everything is a grind fest now or feels like one big linear point system or the game just gives to much freedom that I find nothing to do or any point to doing it. There are some good games out there today -no doubt- but they don't have that click to them like Zelda 64 has.

To conclude...

Everyone needs to look back at history before they can go forward into the future and I hope gaming companies take Zelda 64 into consideration with games to come.

(I have played Zelda ocarina 4 - 5 times through as well as its brother expansion Majoras Mask)

The Good
The jump from 2D to 3D, which many have failed in the past, comes so easily to Nintendo. Ocarina is an amazing game to look at and to play. There is so many things that you can do in this game. Really, you'll take forever trying to finish this just because of all those little things that litter Hyrule. The masks are an interesting addition, as is the two different age stages (young Link and teen Link), which add to the challenge.

The Bad
Nothing at all. There's just so much to like about it, that any bad things that are there are only minor glitches, that you'll never notice.

The Bottom Line
A triumph in every department, this is a must buy game for any RPG fan.

The Good
The most beautiful, alive, inventive game I've ever seen, and the fictional universe I'd most like to step into. The interface and gameplay are perfect, and every puzzle and monster is creative, but the best thing here is the overwhelming imaginative rendering of the game's 3D universe, the landscapes, towns, and dungeons, each with its own music and atmosphere and personality, in which, to some extent, you can wander around at will and take your time.

The Bad
The game has an ending. It should go on forever. Also, a little too much running.

The Bottom Line
A total masterpiece fantasy adventure game.

The Good
OOT is held in high regard by all Zelda fans as the best game is the series. While it certainly one of the better games in the franchise, it's far from the best. The graphics, at least in 1998, were top-notch. The world of Hyrule is colorful and detailed, making exploring the land even more enjoyable. The music is equally phenomenal, with the game having memorable Zelda tunes such as the Song of Storms and Zelda's Lullaby. The gameplay's high note is the playability of the game, having a workable (yet flawed) control scheme, a decent-sized overworld, and fun, yet complex dungeons, featuring somewhat easy puzzles (with a few exceptions) and a pretty cool storyline for the time.

The Bad
While the game is mostly a fantastic game, but it's quite flawed. The biggest issue with the game is the camera. I understand that it really was the first 3D Zelda game, but time has been harsh to OOT, especially with The Wind Waker gracing the GameCube. You will be fighting the camera alot, constantly recentering it and wrestling with it to get it where you want it to go. Another is how the items work. In some dungeons, you are required to switch between alot of your items in your inventory, leading to some tedium. The game is a little on the easy side, I had little trouble completing the game within about a whole day. The puzzles can be hard, but the combat is very simple, involving you blocking, attacking, and then blocking again. Not much strategy involved, of course. Epona, your horse, has little use except for fast travel which is important for certain side-quests, making the stupidly easy race to get her basically a waste of time.

The Bottom Line
Now, I'm not saying that OOT is a bad game, on the contrary, it's a fantastic game that you must play, but it is NOT the best game in the Zelda series, and it certainly isn't the best game ever. It really is a amazing game that you'll absolutely love, but you probably won't call it the best game around, especially when A Link to the Past and The Wind Waker available. A great game? Certainly. Best game ever? I just don't think so.

The Good
Well, A LOT? Ocarina of Time was in many ways a revolutionary game. It's not only a great game because it translated the extremely polished gameplay of earlier games into 3D, but also because of the way it does so.

The story is as follows: In the Kokiri forest, a young boy called Link, has the same dream every night; an evil looking man on horseback approaches, then Link wakes up, shivering with fear. All his Kokiri friends have a fairy, except Link, but then that all changes as Link is summoned by the Forest's guardian spirit, the Great Deku Tree, to break a curse cast upon him by an evil man who seems to fit the description of the man on horseback from Link's nightmare. Link and his new fairy friend Navi are ready to go on en epic quest that will take them through the vast land of Hyrule.

While the story is not that much different from earlier games, the large, stunning and vibrant 3D world, memorable characters and lovable music made it much more epic than before. This is the main reason why many people find it the greatest game they ever played, I personally am one of them.

The way OoT translated 2D gameplay into 3D might seem awfully logical by today's standards but back in the late 90's it was revolutionary. The most notable example of this is the way you can target your foes, keeping them in your sight while still moving around. Not only is this very simple, hitting Z once is enough to lock on to enemies, but also very effective. By repeatedly hitting the Z-trigger, you can switch between different enemies if you are fighting multiple ones at a time. In later years many games, such as Metroid Prime, copied and refined this mechanic but OoT was the pioneer of this system that still works fine today.

Targeting is done with Navi the fairy's help, who points at foes. But it is not just foes that Navi can point at, there are also many other things such as people and objects that you can target at. This usually gives you some valuable hints about solving puzzles. If you dawdle around for a while, not knowing what to do, Navi calls you. A simple press of the upper C-button will then make you talk to her. she'll give you a hint as to were you should go next.

The world still has an overworld with lots of side-quests that you can freely take part in, if you feel like taking a break from the main quest. Not only are they fun, they also aid you because you can win items that enhance your main quest such as weapon upgrades and hearts. It is, however not just the stuff you can find in this world, but also the sheer scope of it. In 3D it is even more inviting to explore the fascinating regions of Hyrule.

There are lots of secret areas to find and explore and the regions are all different with their own themes, races, cultures and monsters. There is the quiet village in the forest of the Kokiri, the forest children and the treacherous waters of the fish-like Zora people. Then there is the volcanic slopes of Death Mountain, inhabited by the rocky Gorons and the bustling towns of the Hylians as well as the vast Lake Hylia and the desert of the Gerudo tribe. Another important place is the, for that time, HUGE Hyrule Field, a large plain that just begs to be explored. You can get a horse and then quickly ride it around this vast place, which feels awesome. This 3D rendition of Hyrule was quite simply the most immersive video game world ever conceived back in 1998, as well as one of the largest and it is still is a lot of fun to explore it nowadays. While not as vast as later games in the series, it is still one of the most varied and lovable gaming worlds ever.

Another important factor why this game is so epic are the characters. This is one of those few games that actually make you feel emotionally attached to the characters. They make the otherwise cliche hero-fights-evil-and-saves-princess story much more interesting. While Link and Princess Zelda are mostly the same, the evil Ganondorf now has much more personality and is actually seen in a much more human form. There's a much bigger emphasis on the different peoples of Hyrule ranging from Gorons to Zora's, Gerudo to Kokiri and from Hylains to Sheikah. One of the most important characters is the mysterious Shiek. The revelation of his true identity is a memorable moment.

A clever and much loved mechanic is the Ocarina of Time that this game got its name from. You can play special tunes that allow you to manipulate objects or warp to a certain location. You can even manipulate time by travelling to the next day or night in mere seconds.

Speaking of time travel, that is another important and original element in this game. After a while you will be able to travel between your childhood as a 12-year old boy, and your adulthood as a 19-year old warrior. While perfected in Majora's Mask (OoT's direct sequel), it allows for some stuff that is still pretty interesting today. It is a system that is comparable to the Light/Dark World in A Link to the Past on the Super NES. An example of just how clever it really is, are the Magic Beans. If you plant these as a child, they will have grown into plants that can be used to reach ledges you previously were unable to reach.

There are numerous examples of the contrasts between the two ages, some characters have grown up or even died when you are an adult and the evil Ganondorf has taken over Hyrule when you are an adult. While Hyrule Castle Town has a busy marketplace during Link's youth, it is a place haunted by the undead under Ganondorf's rule when Link grows up. Thankfully you can freely move between the two. If you cannot gain entrance to a dungeon at one time, you can travel to the other to get inside or find an item that will allow you to do so the past or future. This allows for some seriously clever and interesting puzzles. There is even a dungeon you need to visit in both stages of your life in order to complete it.

While many of the stuff you will find is very similar to the 2D games, the transition to 3D is done so well, you will not care since it feels fresh and new. It's done in a clever and accessible way. You will still be crawling through dungeons solving puzzles, looking for items that will give you access to new areas, battle monters and explore a large overworld full of secrets bringing it all together. Everything still feels great in 3D. In fact, it makes the classic Zelda elements that much more fun. Battling enemies is now much more epic and the dungeons are much more thrilling to explore.

Speaking of those, OoT has some of the most memorable and creative dungeons in any Zelda title. From the inside of the Great Deku Tree to the volcanic caves of Death Mountain and from the belly of a giant whale to the puzzling halls of the Water Temple at the bottom of lake Hylia, this game has some of the best ever.They are full of cool enemies and truly epic boss battles. Who could forget the witch sisters Twinrova in the Spirit temple or dragon volvagia in the Fire temple and eventually the awesome battle against the evil Ganondorf himself.

The sound is some of the best the Nintendo 64´s MIDI could produce. There are some memorable tunes including the epic Hyrule field theme, the creepy Shadow Temple theme and the cheerful Saria´s Song. As mentioned before, playing music is very important on this game. This way, not just the music is of a high quality, but also the way it is incorporated into the actual gameplay. OoT most definitely has one of the greatest soundtracks ever.

To make it even better, it all looks amazing. While the textures may look rough by todays standards, it still looks nice. OoT is also still as atmospheric as it was more than a decade ago. This definitely shows the lasting power of this epic game.

There is a great replay value, too. Even after completing it you'll want to come back to find all the secret stuff such as heart pieces, secret caves, fairy springs and weapon upgrades. But it is not just the sufficient replayability that will make you want to go through this adventure again and again, it is above all its epic and magical feel, its beauty, its fantastic gameplay, the wonderful soundtrack and just about everything else that make up this games' epic grandeur. This game shines because it has so many memorable moments making it timeless. That's why you will want to come back to it now and then.

The Bad
As I said some textures just look rough even if you remember this is an old game.

Some music sounds really midi-ish, and thus dated, showing that Nintendo's preference for cartridges had its disadvantages. Thankfully most of it still sounds great so only at certain moments this will be annoying.

Some far-off flying enemies such as birds and bats are hard to lock on to until they get up close to attack you, when they are almost impossible to avoid.

The Bottom Line
I could go on for hours how amazing this game is, but let's just say that the first game on the NES laid the framework of the series. A Link to the Past refined it on the SNES and Ocarina of Time proved that it could sustain all the fun elements of the series while translating it into a vast, immersive and stunning 3D world. Everything just seems to blend together as flawlessly and somehow feels like it should.

While some of the later later Zelda games seemed to have little innovation, Ocarina of Time was all that fans hoped it would be, and more! OoT brought many innovations making it the blueprint of modern 3D action adventures, just as the first game on NES was for 2D action adventures. Because of the 3D transition, there might not be a Zelda game that will ever top it when it comes to innovation, an immersive world and the epic feel. Later games such as Twilight Princess had the same feel as OoT but not really anything innovative on top of that. That is why none of those were a milestone in gaming like this one is.

Still available for ten euros/dollars on the Wii Virtual Console, there is no reason not to play it. This is one game that survives the test of time remarkably well and is just as awesome as it was more then a decade ago. It is quite simply the best (Zelda) game ever. This game is truly timeless!

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is not just a game, it's an epic experience!

The Good
First of all, the revolution that this legendary game represents. Second, all the challenges from the very start until the end of this incredible game. Final verdict: Perfection

The Bad
Nothing. The game is just perfect in every meaning.

The Bottom Line
Definitely the most amazing game ever developed. A game that can not be called anything but perfect. Simply the best game ever. Best of all ages and times.

The Good
The N64 was made specificaly for two games: Zelda : Ocarina of Time. And Mario 64.

Sure, Nintendo intended other games, but these two games were designed in tandom with the console. The console, in particularly its controll pad, was designed for these games. And these games, of course, were designed for the console.

Ocarina of Time stands as an unbeaten masterpiece, every aspex of its gameplay is finely tuned to perfection. A perfect game is not a game that has no improvements possible, a perfect game is one that couldnt have been made better given the same resources and the same time. This is such a perfection.

I could list indivual elements that make this game so good, but then i would go on all day. The fact that this game is 10 years old and is still the benchmark used for this type of game says a lot. The only games that come close are its sequals, and even they fall short (due mainly to shorter length)

The Bad
Nothing. Ok then, one minor thing, the tradiational Zelda themetune wasnt included. But then, the music in the game is also superb, so thats not a problem.

The Bottom Line
The only games remotely like it are "LBA1 & 2" for the PC. And even they are completely different.

You can call it an RPG, but it isnt. Its Zelda. A blend of puzzles and sword fighting set in a lush world. Minigames that blend seamlessly with the world, spectacular boss's and an epic plot.

The Good
Why So Serious?

Released in 1998, and almost too late to the N64 party, Zelda 64, was the 3D Zelda adventure we all knew was coming. What we did not know was it would take half a decade before it would be released. Due to many false starts and silly ideas.(Remember the ill fated N64 Disk Drive?-MM-)

I would like to make special mention of my take on Zelda. Some Moby Gamers seem to be under the impression that I dislike the Zelda series, this simply is not true. While I am far from a hardcore fan of the series, there are several games in the series that I actually enjoyed. Such as: Zelda II,( A cruelly underrated adventure.-MM-) and Zelda: Link’s Awakening, among others.

Some overzealous Zelda fans and Nintendophiles, have even accused me of being a “hater” of the series. One such case occurred here on Moby. Some deluded fan boy, actually had the testicular fortitude, to send me a private message, declaring that I was a stupid head, or some such silly thing, for just expressing my honest opinion, about a particular Zelda game.

How did I respond you ask? Well, as any borderline psychotic might, I laughed at the poorly written and conceived attempt, to change my mind on the matter. And then I sent the dingus, a harshly worded response. And no, I never heard back from the belligerent fan boy.

Now I know what you are thinking. What in the nine bloody hells does any of this have to do with my review? Well, the short answer is, that without calling attention to the fan boy, I hereby dedicate this review to you. In the words of Pink Floyd: “Shine on you crazy diamond.”

And I was going for the longest intro to a review in Moby history record.(Did I win, if so what did I win? Cash?-MM-) Or does Jazz Oleg, Lasttoblame, or Classic Nigel, still hold the honor? Without further ado, here is my review for Zelda 64: The Ocarina Of Time.

Of Elves And Swords….

Zelda 64, begins like many fantasy yarns, with the advent of the hero. We find Link, a pint sized elf lad, living in the forests of the Kokiri. Link as it turns out is the joke of the nationhood, yet he cares not for he is feeling good. And one particular morning he makes a new friend. A little pixie, Navi who is not unlike, Landstalker’s Friday.(Only unlike Friday, she is very annoying.-MM-)

She tells Link, of what he must do. His first task is to help the magic tree, of his village.(All fantasy worlds have talking trees, don’t you know?-MM-) And then for the first time in his young life leave behind the only home his has every known.

For here his quest gets more and more complex. And without giving too much away, I will say that out of all the Zelda games that I have played this one has one of the better stories. And it is the little things that make it worth you time. Link is an outcast in his own home. Yet once he leaves his home he will make new friends, and he is the only one that can save Hyrule. This is also by far one of the most realized Zelda incarnations. And he will find that some things are worth fighting for. Or perhaps he just wants to bang Zelda?

What is a great story with out gameplay? The answer is most likely not a videogame. I can say however that the gameplay in Zelda 64 is actually well done. And fun to play. The huge difference is that the game is now 3D not 2D. But that makes more if a difference than you might think.

The dungeons, combat, and just about everything else have been overhauled for the new engine, For the most part it works for the better. With a few exceptions. More on that later, now I would like to talk about the ways that it works better.

The dungeons are much larger and involving than they were in the 2D days. And as it turns out this is both a good and a bad thing. The good includes that it makes the dungeons more difficult. But not unfairly so. Not that all 2D games had easy dungeons, any one who has played, Phantasy Star II, Zelda II, or The Immortal, can attest to that. But they are more complex and often fun in Zelda 64.

The bigger dungeons also mean bigger boss fights. In cool retro fashion some of the classic bosses make an appearance here.(In many ways this game is a retelling of the original.-MM-) Fighting the dragon, and Gannon, in particular is pretty damn sweet.

Speaking of the combat. I think that you will find that the combat system is Zelda 64, is far better and more refined and quite frankly more fun. You can slash, hack, and thrust your way to victory. And now you can even lock-on to a target. And this is very effective. Unlike some games. Link, can also perform special moves, downward slashes, and leaping stabs among others. Great stuff.

And Link, has other weapons at his disposal. As a child, he can use a sling-shot. And as an adult he can use a long-bow. And did I mention he can shoot some punk ass monsters while on horse back? And did I mention that Link can now ride a horse? I pretty sure I did, yes definitely.

“In the country side I wander far and wide….”

The exploration is also improved because, of the new engine. I actually had more fun traveling and exploring Hyrule in 3D than I ever did in 2D. This is due to a few things. First off, in the old Zelda games of the 2D persuasion, if you saw a heart container, some where in the world it was fairly easy to figure out who to obtain it. In Zelda 64, due largely to the use of a 3D engine, it can be much more challenging, to obtain the hidden life-ups. And I enjoy a good stiff challenge.

In addition, to exploring of foot. Link, can now ride a horse. This not only makes travel faster, but it also allows you to deliver death from the saddle, via your long bow. Unfortunately, you cannot use you sword from the saddle. The horse, also allows you to partake in a racing mini game. If you are into that kind of thing.

As per Zelda tradition, there are tons on mini games, and side quests to undertake. And a great deal of secrets to uncover. Overall, they are a nice diversion, from the main quest.

Hyrule is big….that is for a game from 1998. On a console. Compared to Fallout 3, Oblivion, and even Gothic II, it is pretty damn small. So keep this in mind. That means you nintendophiles.

The graphics are good, for the time and for the N64. As at the time it had the most raw power of any console…until the Dreamcast anyhow. There is very little pop-up. Which plagued PSX and Saturn games, and the game looks pretty crisp and colorful. But not to colorful, like some other Zelda games.

For MIDI music, a device first devised in the 1980’s the score in Zelda is decent, that is to say it gets the job done, but is a far cry from one of personal favorites. But I am sure that others will disagree, and that’s all well and good. The sound effects on the other hand, well you will have to see the “bad” section for that.

I would also like to make a mention of the controls in Zelda 64. As they are very well designed. And work almost perfectly. The only downside would be that you would have to play this on an N64, on an emulator, it plays like crap, unless you hook your N64 controller to your PC, which can be done. But that is neither here nor there. Hell, the controls are so well plotted that a similar control scheme was used in Shenmue 1 and 2.(You know the boss, but criminally underrated Dreamcast games?-MM-) And it was also effective in those aforementioned games.

The Bad
Accusations And Ruminations….

Even as I write this, I realize, full well, that some Nintendo fans, will curse me and burn effigies dedicated to me. But I will speak my peace anyhow. I think that Link, is one of the lamest heroes ever. There I said it. And I know what the opposition will argue, ’He is supposed to be the pure eternal hero.’ But to that I say that is why he fails, he is too boring. He lacks the complexity of Landstalker’s hero Nigel. Or the dark decadence of Kain, from the Blood Omen, games. And those are just two better protagonists from other action RPGS, let alone films or books.

He also has zero personality. I also realize full well, that this is intentional, but it still is stupid. In Gothic you ARE the nameless hero, but at least he actually has a personality, he is not just an automaton.

The sound effects are to but it mildly annoying as hell. From the cacophony, of Navi’s, “Hey lissssten!”. To the once and former annoyance of the sirens warning that your health is low, like I can’t bloody see that. And how could I forget Link’s piercing cries of HUH! WAAH!, etc. It is like listing to nails being dragged across, a blackboard.

I am having trouble putting into words how annoying Navi is. And it is so unnecessary. I understand that Nintendo, wanted to help the gamer, remember what they were supposed to be doing, but why does she have to wail like a bloody banshee, every 30 seconds? When all they had to do was to take a page from Phantasy Star IV, and let the gamer “talk” to Navi via the in game menu.

Hyrule’s sheer size is also a huge disadvantage. In some ways. For starters Hyrule seems dead. There is hardly a soul around anywhere. Except monsters and Link. And some of the monsters have a silly designs, not unlike the B-Film, “The Creeping Terror“. At least getting lost is almost impossible.

This game is so long, that there is little chance of second play. At least for me. Especially since I did all the extra stuff the first time. It may also be to easy for some people tastes.

Some complain, that Zelda 64, is childish. And while I can see there point, I have to disagree. It has some adult theme’s they are just often obscured, by silly situations. In many ways this is one of the most mature Zelda games.(Aside from Zelda II.-MM-) And many Zelda fanatics, themselves tend to misunderstand there own favorite game series, I won’t into why here as it pertains to a spoiler. I can tell you that some reviews for this game I have read and even a few on Moby, clearly do not understand some of the plot devices. Perhaps there own perceptions and or biases have colored there perceptions?

The Bottom Line
This may be the silliest review I have every written, shall I end it?

When all is said and done, Zelda 64 is a fun game. But not without it’s flaws. I would recommend it to others. If they can put there predeterminations aside. And yes this applies to both camps. Those that love Zelda and Nintendo, and those that wrongly accuse it of being childish.

The Good
A fantastic venture into a world so imaginative, so brilliant, it could only come from the minds of Nintendo. A rock-solid, intuitive control scheme backed with the trial-tested gameplay style of the Legend of Zelda series; a vast, vividly surrealistic world whose threads are bound together by a emotion-stirring soundtrack and a memorable cast of characters......believe the hype. This game is perfect.

The Bad
At times, the dialogue seems stilted, and uninspired. Visually, the characters' personalities are much more remarkable, however.

The Bottom Line
The Ocarina of Time is a game that can be enjoyed by ALL ages. It is not a "children's" game, and if there is even such a thing as one, I'm sure the genre much more closely confined to the realm of Blue's Clues and Rugrats than swashbuckling, time-travelling adventures to save a princess from a sorceror who, according to the lore of the game, seems to be spawned from Satan himself. Pity the person who might be too absorbed in their own "adulthood" to take time off to play an amazing game with an amazing storyline that DOESN'T involve twisted pyschological motives, guerilla warfare/and/or/prostitution. Perhaps that sort of person is too "grown up" to see past the very end of their nose. This game is highly recommened to anyone who isn't so jaded as to not experience beauty in a fairytalish, medieval world as told in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

The Good
Altough it's been a while since the initial release, I'm gonna say a few words about this beacon of light anyway. "Ocarina of Time", as the first true 3D-game in the serious, stands out even now as maybe the very best game of all times in my book. Even today I instantly say "Zelda to the 64" when people ask what the best game I've ever played was.

The weeks it took me to complete this game was ABSOLUTE pure magic. I was literally lost in front of the screen from the opening credits and to the final fight with Gannondorf. When the end-sequence slowly faded away fon my screen - and the game was over - I almost started crying. This is a masterpiece through and through, nothing less. I guess it's the friendly gameplay that cought me, as well as the (then) beautiful graphics and polished mechanics. The puzzles got harder and harder, the story more and more intense - and the areas you explored got more and more interesting. I wasn't bored for a second ... a true gem from Nintendo this.

The Bad
I actually thought hard about something negative to say, but I honestly can't think of anything. It would have been fun with a larger selection of armor, gadgets and weapons - but I didnt really miss it at the time, which means the ones I got was enough to keep me happy. Not really anything else to say ...

The Bottom Line
I've been a gamer since ... well, as long as there have been games to play - and I can honestly say this game stands out, even today, as the best game I have ever played. (Rivaled by World of Warcraft and The Curse of Monkey Island)

The Good
Zelda: Ocarina of Time, gives you your money's worth. There are endless side-quests to complete, such as destroying the "Gold Skulltulas", collecting the heart-pieces, and completing the trading process.

The Bad
There isn't really anything bad about Zelda: Ocarina of Time. It has been as much of a success as its predecessors.

The Bottom Line
Zelda: Ocarina of Time is aimed for all ages, all though it is a little juvenile at times. A must-have game for RPG lovers and Zelda fans.

The Good
The most important aspect of any adventure game is that playing it actually feels like going on an adventure and that is what Ocarina of Time nails perfectly. As I fight your way through temples, go on side-quests and explore the beautiful Hyrule Field I always feel this unique feeling that feels like a mix between excitement, determination and a slight bit of fear. I haven't played any other game, not even within the adventure genre that has made me feel exactly the same.

Another interesting thing this game managed to do was making me care a lot about Hyrule and those who lived in it. I first noticed this very clearly when I had to return to my childhood as part of a temple (thus going back to Hyrule before it got ruined) and I just had to visit a few locations to check up on them. I wanted to hear their cheerful theme songs and watch the people in those places wander around carelessly before I would go on with my adventure. The whole time travel fiasco was used in a very good way to give the story some emotional weight.

The characters are also very good, not because they have some brilliant writing to back them up, but because their physical design is very appealing and they are very friendly or have interesting personalities. Nintendo has never been too good at handling their stories and characters arcs very well, but Ocarina of Time keeps it rather simple and benefits because of that choice. Saria, Malon, Darunia and all the others became some of the most popular characters in video games history and they got quite a cult following behind them.

What this game is remembered the most for is its amazing soundtrack and the way it was implemented into gameplay; A few times throughout the game you will have to rely on the soundtrack to help you solve a puzzle, but the most common use is the Ocarina, which allows you to play a few songs in order to use the magical powers they contain. Using songs you can teleport to locations all over the world, call your horse, trigger events during puzzles or open up parts of the map that are off-limits.

There are moments in the game where Nintendo really reached out to the veteran players, old fans who have been with the franchise since they were kids in the 80's, but have now grown up into adults. A certain temple that showcased Hyrule's dark and gruel past is perhaps the best exception, but there is also some well implemented sexual innuendos hidden here and there and a few very good character lines and rhymes that always made me feel like I was receiving a little present.

Even though this imagery and adult stuff is around, the game still manages to keep it mostly kid friendly, having the innuendos pass way over their head and not going too far with the darker style of the second half of the game. By doing so and maintaining a very well structured difficulty curve they managed to make this game both child/family friendly and add another great title to the family console everybody remembers as the Nintendo 64.

The puzzles are very good and they proved to be amusingly challenging without reaching the point where you just shrug it and boot look up a walkthrough (although I had to do that once or twice). Repetition is kept to a minimum which is also very nice and like always you are required to make creative use of your items and weapons in order to solve them.This format has proven quite successful, but this is the Zelda game were it worked out the best.

The Bad
The graphics haven't aged very well and the way the world is presented is rather shabby. 90's polygon graphics are one of those things from the past you look back at and feel slightly ashamed off, but it's the presentation that worries me the most. Very little effort has been put into making the world feel like a living whole and that already becomes obvious when you first arrive in the first area and see a whole race of children sitting around in one spot, constantly repeating a single animation. Those kids should be playing and laughing, don't have them just sit there and occasionally talk to you.

It is also quite annoying that the character Link is kind of a boring tool, not any more interesting then a kitchen knife and functioning almost exactly the same. He barely ever shows any emotion at all except for whenever he does something that astounds himself (like learning a song). There is a memorable scene very early on where he leaves his home village and says farewell to his childhood friend, but as she empties her hearth, Link suddenly backs off in a way that makes it looks like he is cowering away from the possible emotional response he feels coming. A lot of characters do the same, but Link just takes the crown for this kind of uncanny behavior.

I am sure we can all agree that Nintendo 64 controllers were never really good with smooth controls. Most controllers have a terrible analog stick, but even if they don't it sometimes feels like playing R.C. Pro-Am, where you switch between different directions instead of a smooth 1:1 response. This is especially annoying during moments where you need to platform around dangerous areas such as the Fire Temple. There was one point where I had to walk over a very narrow path within a short time limit where falling to the right would place me back at the start of the dungeon, this part will be remembered among networking classes as situations that just never seemed to end.

Talking about the temples, there is a bit of a problem with those two. In the sense that I am wondering how many more times I am going to have to play through a series of temples/dungeons that use the elements as their themes. The one thing I learned from Psychonauts is that a game becomes much more easier when you base key areas around something else, in that games' case around the physiques of the people you met during your adventure. Another problem is that the game is a little too eager to tell you about their clever ideas, such as how they used people you met during the the first part of the game Sages in the second half, but this means the game almost always spoils who the next sage is going to be before you enter the temple. That stuff should be an interesting mystery up until the point you finally find out who it is.

By doing a very annoying side-quest you can unlock a two-handed sword that for some reason does more damage than the Master Sword. Not to ruin your clever ideas Nintendo, but combined with the overall story this is just a really dumb idea because it causes the story about the legendary blade trip and break it's skull on a rock. Why would you put a weapon in the game that is better than the one of legends you can't stop banging on about in this series? Go sit in the corner, you're staying after class Nintendo.

The Bottom Line
Having replayed Ocarina of Time has been an interesting experience to me, on one hand I discovered the many rocky mistakes that slipped past me the first time around, but on the other hand I also noticed a lot of great things that I missed just because I was too absorbed into the story. Overall though, the balance between good and bad things hasn't changed in my opinion, though I still look at this game from a very different perspective now.

As I mentioned before, Ocarina of Time is a game for a lot of people; the hardcore crowd will enjoy it's great gameplay and action scenes, the Zelda fans will love it for some of the mature themes it has and the improvements it has brought into the series, the casual/family members will enjoy the excitement of a big adventure on the Nintendo 64 and the kids will simply love the style and mystery that surrounds this title.

The Good
The graphics were pretty good for its time. I remember the first time I played it thinking the world around me looked so lifelike, surreal almost. There were game features I enjoyed, such as riding a horse, using the bow, rolling, etc. The story had some okay parts, with some nice cinematics. The ending, while I didn't really care for, was still very epic.

The Bad
God, everything. I don't know why people love this game so much. Maybe you have to be a huge Zelda fan or something...I never was. Hey, I loved "A Link to the Past"...that was arguably my favorite SNES game. But this game was just crap to me. I never liked the idea that an eight year old "fairy boy" (that's not a joke -- that's what you're called) can stop evil and what not. It's obvious this game is geared toward a younger audience, but wasn't A Link to the Past as well? And I enjoyed that one immensely.

I guess what I really hated about this game was the way it pushes the childish bit at you. In ALttP, you presumably played as a kid, but it was never a huge part of the game. That's what this game is all about, so I guess if you're an eight year old kid, this game is like an orgasm or something.

While the dungeons are a rather enhanced "Zelda" style design, they just didn't appeal to me. The very first dungeon is the worst, and in the three times I tried playing through this game, it was trudging through that awful mess that made me stop playing it.

The graphics, while good for their time, are too damned childish and have a huge anime overlay to them.

The Bottom Line
I don't get it, really I don't. Grown people play this game and idolize it, yet when I look at it, I see an eight year old "fairy boy" with his wooden sword going around and pretending to be a hero or something. If you're a huge fan of Zelda, I think you could enjoy this game. And if you're a kid, well, you'll undoubtedly love it.

But I'll stick with A Link to the Past and pretend the series ended there.

The Good
I loved almost every single aspect of this game. The music, the graphics, the story, the characters, everything. This is the only game I've ever bought right when it came out and even though I could pick it up for much cheaper now, I don't regret it. This game is incredible. It's not very hard to learn how to play and it's definitely hard to stop playing. One of my all time favorites.

The Bad
I sat here pondering for a few minutes and couldn't come up with anything. Maybe if they had a wider variety of weapons and armor.

The Bottom Line
If you own a Nintendo 64 you can't live without this game.