Topic: Complete Zelda Game Playthrough

[Rubber Band AI]

I finally picked up a New 3DS yesterday and, with the big Zelda E3 blowout today and the promise of a new game on the horizon, I've decided to play all of the main Zelda games in the months prior to the new game's release.


I want to beat them in order of release. I've always wanted to do it since I've only beaten a handful of them (OoT, WW, TP, ST).


Right now I plan on replaying the ones I've already beaten and playing the remasters where available.


My plan is to go it slow and immerse myself in each game and I haven't decided whether or not I'll use guides. I'm particularly intimidated by the first two games.


Here's my list, in order of attack:
(1) The Legend of Zelda
(2) Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
(3) A Link to the Past
(4) Link's Awakening
(5) Ocarina of Time
(6) Majora's Mask
(7) Oracle of Seasons
( Oracle of Ages
(9) The Wind Waker
(10) The Minish Cap
(11) Twilight Princess
(12) Phantom Hourglass
(13) Spirit Tracks
(14) Skyward Sword
(15) A Link Between Worlds


optional side quests - Four Swords, Triforce Heroes


Am I crazy? Should I use guides? Urgh.

[Khushrenada]

Hey, man. Play the games you want to play and play them the way you want to play them.

[TOPHATANT123]

The older games were designed to be played with things like Nintendo Power or by sharing knowledge between friends. I'd play as far as you can without a guide but don't feel too guilty about it.

[Mop it up]

Remember that games like the original Legend of Zelda included paper maps inside the box, which showed most of the overworld as well as the first few dungeons, plus it explained things like what items do. They aren't as obtuse as they may appear when played blind on the VC, so I'd suggest at least looking up the original materials included with the older games.

[Louieturkey]

If you play the second quest on Legend of Zelda, I highly suggest a map.  I had tried playing it blind, but found maybe 2 dungeons (including the first one which is the only one in the same place).  It's near impossible.  They made them extremely hard to find.

Good luck with your journey. Keep us updated on where you are at a given times.

[Rubber Band AI]

Hey, man. Play the games you want to play and play them the way you want to play them.

Yep, I'm already backing off a bit from my original, arbitrary plan.


I started The Legend of Zelda yesterday and didn't make it 5 minutes without a guide. I went to zeldadungeon.net to use the handy maps they provide and that's made it more enjoyable. I don't really care about maintaining some sort of purity, but in the past I've just tried to tackle the first game with a walkthrough but it became a slog because I was just trying to follow steps. Going with a happy medium this time and it's going much better.

Also I think I'm going to change up the order because the more I think about playing the GBC and DS games back to back the more I want to shoot myself.

I may also back off on my plans on replaying the ones I've already beaten. I could live forever and never play Spirit Tracks again. I liked it and it had fantastic dungeons, but it was a bit overlong and the stylus controls aren't my favorite.

[Rubber Band AI]

Finished The Legend of Zelda on Saturday and was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I've started it countless times over the years but always got frustrated with the overworld and combat and gave up early. This time around I finally hit a groove and went from dungeon to dungeon pretty rapidly. Beat it in about 7 hours.


Since Nintendo was throwing a pretty great E3 sale, I picked up the Zelda games I didn't own yet: Majora's Mask 3D, Minish Cap, and the two Oracle games. I decided to play Majora's Mask 3D next, solidifying my stance of aborting the whole order thing altogether.


You can follow my exploits on Miiverse, username Wanderhope.


https://miiverse.nintendo.net/users/Wanderhope

[rygar]

I'm doing something similar, but only with the games available on the 3DS. I had beaten the LOZ and AOL on the NES when they came out, but I'll be experiencing the rest for the first time. I was about half way through the LOZ second quest when LTTP was released for the 3DS VC, so I skipped ahead to that. I'll play the rest in order of realease before finishing the first two. I don't have a ton of time to play, so I'm only about a third of the way into LTTP. My existing Zelda experience is open world hack n' slash, but my understanding is that the series has drifted away from that over the years to more linear and puzzle based games. So as the series is returning more to its origins, I'll be trying out the "new" Zelda, which seems to be the core experience for the majority of the fan base.

[UncleBob]

I wish I could have my memory of Link's Awakening erased so I could play it again for the first time.  I am jealous of those of you who get to.

[KeyBilly]

I played the original again a while ago to see if it would hold up, and it was surprisingly fun.  I think it is best without a guide, other than the manual and map to add some context.  Since the world is so small, it isn't hard to just try everything everywhere.  The main thing I did differently than I would have on the NES was to use save states for bombs and some dungeon area.  Bombing everything to look for secrets is a lot more fun when you can just get your bomb back when nothing is around.  I like the new system in ALBW with unlimited item use.

[Kairon]

I'm actually giving serious thought to replaying The Legend of Zelda, so you're my hero right now!

[Order.RSS]

Wow that's some real dedication and patience right there. Personally I could never do something like this, I'd be so burned out by the time Breath of the Wild came out haha. Good luck though! It might be doable if you focus on it the entire time until March!

Just out of curiosity, do many of y'all binge series like this? I almost always take a break by playing an entirely different genre even, can't do several platformers in a row for example.

[sudoshuff]

I had a similar idea last year, but ultimately decided to only play the ones I had never played before, but had heard a lot of fanfare about.  For me, these were Majora's Mask and Link's Awakening.  The 3DS version of MM is totally beatable without a guide using the new Sheikah Stone "help" feature.  You will probably need a few hints every so often with Link's Awakening until you learn the unique language of that game. 


Ultimately, these two titles became my favorite 3D and 2D entries in the series.

I wish I could have my memory of Link's Awakening erased so I could play it again for the first time.  I am jealous of those of you who get to.

Ditto.  Maybe I can live vicariously through my son in a couple years when he's old enough to play it.