GAMEPLAY
I wanted to skip around the levels or something for this second session, but I realized that I can’t actually do that. It’s either the endgame, where all there is to do is fight Ganondorf, or you just play through it again. This game doesn’t have all that much replay value, though. It’s not like I enjoy re-doing a puzzle that took me five hours the first time I tried. I mean, there are some spots that I forgot about, and it made me happy to see those places. Actually, come to think of it, I think that’s why Zelda is a good game. It’s all in the discovery of the game, unlocking everything and finding the secrets that makes it fun to play, but I went ahead and fought Ganondorf for this session anyways.
Yeah, Ganondorf isn’t hard. At all. I mean, he’s the guy with the most health, but it’s not like you don’t have a bunch of hearts just sitting in some pots waiting for you to scoop them up. I remembered a few fairy bottles, too, so there’s just no way I could screw up enough to die. Even if I fell off the tower, I think I would just reappear with one less heart. Now, although the boss is easy, I still like doing it because of the cinematic quality it has. It’s a pretty epic battle. I don’t know how the entire castle folded in on itself to make a battlefield, but I’m not complaining because it’s awesome. Also, the ending cinematic is really cool, although the story itself makes little sense. I watched a video that explained the Zelda series and how they all connected, and I must say that it sounded bogus, but I’m not complaining.
DESIGN
So, the levels themselves are actually pretty big for an N64 game. I like how each level forces you to think in a different way. Each level also provides you with a different tool, like the hookshot, that you have to use in order to access other parts of the level. This is why Zelda is really cool. Every level is like playing a new level. Every boss is different. You practically never just swing your sword around. Instead, you have to use your tools in combination with good timing and accuracy in order to win.
I live for the secrets of these games. When I find a piece of heart, it’s like putting a piece into my own. But seriously, not really. My point is that this game is one big mystery. It does an excellent job hiding stuff from you, but that’s where the game is kind of lost. I mean, if you’ve already beaten the game, there’s no point in finding the rest of the secret hearts other than to have the “perfect character”. Also, going back to dungeons is a real drag. It’s kind of eerie, too, because you’ve probably gutted the place already anyway.
Now, I have a few complaints about the Zelda games, although this game in particular isn’t quite as bad as some of the others. If you’ve played a lot of Zelda, you already know what the entire game is going to be like. You’re the courageous hero who is destined to overthrow the evil king of darkness. There’s always something like eight levels, and at the end of each level, you get some holy relic that’s supposed to help you win the fight against evil. Of course, many games are like that, but Zelda in particular is very formulaic. Boss fights are a disappointment in most Zelda games because once you’ve figured out the thing’s weakness, it’s all over. It’s not that hard. If you’re an experienced player, you might die only once or twice throughout the whole game, and the only reason you died was because you were doing something silly like looking for pieces of heart where there are none.
Now, some people say that this is the best game ever made. I can’t say it’s the BEST game, but at the time of its release, it was definitely my favorite game, and as far as video games go, I had more fun with that game than I have had with many others. Looking back on the game from a 20th century perspective, I would say that this game set the bar for 3D RPG’s. I mean, it was just that good. The 3D environment totally changed the game. Of course 2D Zelda games are just as good, but the mechanics are really different. I think the 3D environment draws the gamer into the world better than a 2D one.
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SUMMARY
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is a fantasy RPG. Basically, you fight through dungeons, defeat monsters, and solve puzzles. What makes this game unique is that it was the first Zelda in 3D. Also, it is rated as one of the greatest games ever made.
GAMEPLAY
I forgot how slow things start out in this game. It’s so weird not having a sword at first, or anything for that matter. Actually, I’ve forgotten a lot of things since the last time I played. I can’t really remember how I got all those pieces of heart and all those secrets. They’re actually pretty hard to get to.
Anyways, I like how the game starts. You’re nobody in particular, just a forest elf minding his own business, then you slowly realize your destiny as you pick up a sword, a shield, and make your way into the first dungeon. Do I remember the graphics being better than this? Well, I guess that would be because when this came out it actually had pretty good graphics for a video game.
It seems all you really do in these Zelda games is solve puzzles. Actual fighting is secondary. The puzzles can take a while, but you get it eventually. Hell, most dungeons are just one giant puzzle where you have to solve smaller puzzles to solve the big one. The game itself isn’t actually that challenging, but you stay interested for a number of reasons. Personally, the story line keeps me interested. You have to get the master sword, travel into the future, and defeat the evil king Ganondorf. It’s pretty awesome.
So, I got through the first level and it was kind of disappointing. I mean, I’ve done it before, but back when I was a little kid playing it for the first time, the boss was actually kind of hard for me. Now that I know how to Z-target, it’s a piece of cake. Just shoot the spider in the eye, and somehow you kill it. It seems with Zelda that you only do things three times, though. Later bosses might have three different sets of three hits you have to perform, but it’s kind of obvious what you have to do.
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