The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

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
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
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.