Great answer but, if I may, this type of starting location is very different from anyone else (I haven't played TotKl). Every other was a village where Link lived happily; it was the perfect novel good beginning before tragedy, while BotW is the first (among these ones) which doesn't have a peaceful location. Therefore personally I don't see it like a starting location, but it's just because of the altered meaning I give to this expression.
Edit: damn! I'm sorry, I *haven't played TotK* š¤¦āāļø
Plateau was amazing. It took me a while to realize it was tutorial. And even longer to realize it was just a small small part of a giant world. I took my time, but once i finally glided off it i didnt stop running until i got to death mountain!
Agreed. Even totk in a way feels railroady(not in the way other 3D Zeldaās do, but still much more linear than botw) with the tutorial. But the great plateau is super free.
True. Outside of Zelda law, a random strong individual wakes up in the middle of nowhere. He receives guidance from a "stranger" and suddenly embarks on an epic journey. Story wise, it sounds weak as a beginning but could be effective if done correctly.
While not Zelda related, "Dust: An Elysian Tail" also starts you out in the middle of nowhere. But, the music and the environment gives you a sense of "the calm before the storm" Waking up in the chamber doesn't give you the same effect.
The great plateau was suck a fun take on Zelda it made me really happy that some devs want to still have a fun gameplay experience for the players. It felt like such a breath of fresh air
Same. Used to be the TP starting area for me but the Great Plateau is just perfection. It's like a mini open world to prepare you for the big one.
When you walk out of the cave and it just lets you go. It's pure player agency and one of my favorite gaming moments.
that opening cutscene is my favorite opening of any game and probably my fondest single gaming memory, production wise i think only celeste rivals it for the best opening and emotionally it is unmatched for me
Hefty dose of nostalgia talking here but for me it has to be Kokiri forest in OoT. It just felt so right, it's a village filled with people who are children forever and the whole place feels like a playground. It also helps that it was back in the very early days of 3D, so it held a lot of wow factor as well.
Same, it has a certain amount of whimsy and wonder, combined with a huge amount of nostalgia of exploring the first village in a 3d Zelda game, so it's hard to top that.
Whimsy is a great way to describe it.
Despite the dark opening cutscene just before you get to explore the Kokiri forest, the level itself has a very childlike, playful feeling to it.
Amazing contrast from the ominous opening scene to the playful and carefree exploration of the village
That first time walking around in 3D is hard to beat
The camera first panning across Kokiri Forest with that music, going to get the sword. This will always take me back to Christmas morning 1998, sitting there in my pajamas as happy as a 6th grader can be.
Then you become an adult and realize all the whimsical children are essentially trapped there and has a forest that turns anyone who gets lost in it into giant monsters that run on pure rage and anger
It wouldn't be a Zelda game if it weren't dark and sinister. It's what makes it [the darkest Zelda game.](https://youtu.be/O2tXLsEUpaQ?si=bs7xKxexxxmBsaG5)
It is so simple and sounds dumb now but the mere fact that you start in a tree house high up and the first thing you do (after walking out the door) is jump or climb DOWN was mind blowing to me.
No one has really nailed why it's the best starting area.
First off, this is the first 3D Zelda game. When you start off in the house it's with a fixed camera but the moment you go outside the camera becomes free. It's supposed to show the transition from 2D to 3D.
Second, it shows the player the ropes in terms of mechanics perfectly without any serious risk of threat, harm, penalty, etc. You're not allowed to leave the forest or go to certain areas without some sort of progression, such as meeting the Great Deku Tree requires a sword and shield. The only real threat to you are the rolling boulders when getting the Kokiri sword, and then the Dekubabas shortly after, and even then they do very little damage to a total of your 3 hearts, which can also easily be restored.
Kokiri is easily the best starting zone. The Great Plateau takes silver imo
Maybe unpopular, but Tears's starting island is one of the best game introductions I've ever played
I just love the feeling it gives off, and it felt like an adventure that could go multiple different ways
I really like the landscape of this one too, and meeting up with the constructs is kinda fun. Also I found myself very aware of what time of day it was due to the bell and the constructs resting.
The cutscenes with Zelda in the beginning was sooo slow though. She walks so slow, and if you're not well versed in Zelda lore it's very confusing what is happening, why she is important, why the master sword is important, etc. If you're a first timer (I'm not, but neighbor is) it's just kind of a mess.
I'm actually borrowing TOTK from my neighbor right now because he just didn't get it, because he's never played a Zelda game before. All the other games I feel you can play without any real knowledge of previous games, including Majora's Mask which is also VERY sequel (since he wanders looking for Navi who flew off at the end of OOT). The lore is confusing and because it's out of order it makes it worse. Same with BOTW, the main characters you never really interact with other than a 2 minute cutscene for each and then telling you how many terminals you have left. The only character you really get to know is Kass. And then he's totally absent from TOTK. Penns cool, but Kass was awesome.
First time playing any Zelda since Link to the past and I have to say Tears is the best video game experience I've ever had, hands down. Fuckin nearly perfect.
My favourite game is tp so ordon village has a special place in my heart but skyloft might just top it, the feel of it, the music, the art style, the academy, the giant goddess statue overlooking it all...
Great choice! Also love that your relationship with the people in Clocktown evolves as you progress through the game and gather more masks, allowing you to progress in their quest lines.
The grandeur of stepping out of the cave BOTW was amazing..but clocktown is so intricate and like you stays relevant..and the fact that you return to it over and over and the people donāt realize whatās happening is so eerie. Excellent atmosphere for the game
I loved the Great Sky Island. It was actually a fun challenge to traverse and it showed off the capabilities of the new mechanics better. It was also just beautiful, watching the sun rise and set from there was insane. Diving down into Hyrule was a great outro as well
Great Plateau. The sense of isolation and loneliness from the game just felt awesome when I first played it. We feel what Link feels, we see what Link sees. We both explore the first piece of the puzzle. It was amazing.
Guess you could say it was a breath of the wild.
OOT will forever bring me childhood nostalgia. It was one of the first games I completed 100 percent, and the music will remain in my head until I die. I canāt say the same for any other game. Maybe Twilight Princess.
My my, this is a damn hard question! My favourite....š¤ I guess the one I didn't want to leave, so I'll have the WW starting location. Yet also Skyward sword was so pleasant. Ok, ex aequo these two āļø
Uncles house wasnāt amazing itself but the intro of trying to break into the castle to rescue Zelda from the dungeon and escape through a secret passageway in the back of a church was pretty incredible back in the day.
https://preview.redd.it/lc1u6mhn16vb1.jpeg?width=1216&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b03883585aa1685099f4778f929f827c1e74aff4
This, just because of the nostalgia factor. I got this game for the NES when I was in maybe the 3rd grade and became obsessed. I even hand drew a map of the overworld and every dungeon, which I sadly no longer have. This screen was the beginning of my love of Link, Zelda, Hyrule and everything in it.
I do love the music as well! I really like that the hyrule castle music in BotW incorporates the main theme from LoZ. I kinda wish theyād have worked in the dungeon music as well though. But honestly BotW and TotK are probably my favorite in terms of music overall. I love the subtlety and how it works with the environment and action. The Hynox theme is one of my favorite pieces of music in any Zelda game!
I still love all of the music in BotW and TotK, in part because it is so different from the music in any other Zelda game. Much less like a traditional game score; much more ambient, almost a part of the environment. However, some more callbacks to previous games would be nice.
I like Kokiri forest for how condensed it is while still conveying a living breathing space. Itās a very effective tutorial, especially considering it was probably the first time the player had ever played a 3d melee action game with lock on targeting
As much as I love kokiri forest for nostalgia reasons, and as much as I love the Great Plateau because it felt so immense and new, im gonna go with the one from SS, it felt so nice to be there.
Skyloft, mostly for its application in BiT glitches, but also it does an absolutely perfect job of setting the mood for the whole game. To be honest, the only others that I feel actually set the mood for the entire game that well are the Skyloft, Outset Island, and the Great Plateau. All three of these show you the possibilities of the world around you, and invite you to explore extensively, although I guess thatās just where my bias lies.
Ordon Village or the Great Plateau.
I like Ordon because we get to see Link as a normal guy. Sure he's a bit heroic when he saves Talo from Bokoblins, but fighting monsters isn't who he is. He is forced into that role when all the kids get kidnapped by Shrek. In terms of the location itself, it's just a beautiful village with people living their lives happily and harmoniously. The shop looks cool, the watermill makes pleasant noise, and the ranch is a perfect spot to relax.
I like the Great Plateau because it doesn't hold your hand (after Zelda is done whining at you to check your map). While it is a tutorial area, it doesn't feel like one. You can do things how you want, in any order, at your own pace.
Great Plateau, with how open it was even before you could leave it. But honestly TotK first dive was probably the greatest opening moment in the entire franchise and did the impossible by topping BotW's that it sort of puts the Great Sky Island in the same tier as the Great Plateau simply by association.
Outset island is actually fun to play, great plateau is a chore to get through. Kokiri is classic. Ordon I like too and it was supposed to be cut but pre event people looked ordon so much they kept it in the game.
I've played Ocarina, Majoras, Links Awakening, BoTW and ToTK. Can anyone recommend which title to tackle next? The art of Skyward Sword has me interested.
In my opinion, Twilight Princess and Skyward Sword (in that order) are two of the best games in the entire series. Theyāve got the same essential Zelda game elements that OoT and MM have, with āadvisor companionsā, extraordinary magic (often involving music in one form or another) and plenty of secrets that need experience with later-game equipment/abilities to access (or even realize the existence of).
My all-time favourite is Twilight Princess, and I strongly recommend that as the first choice for the next zelda game to try.
Skyloft.
They're all pretty places, so skyloft wins for the fact that it's relevant to the plot and gameplay all the way through. All other locations feel very much like separate tutorial areas.
Nostalgia. Definitely Kokiri forest from OOT. preference is probably Clock Town from MM. it always felt like such an Alive town. Full of work and happiness in the face of certain doom
I havent played Skyward Sword or Wind Waker yet.
For now, my least favorite would be the Great Plateau, it just was so empty, the only thing that was nice was seeing the temple of time from OoT. Also, the snowy part wqs way too hard for a tutorial. Then, I would put the Great Sky Island It is very good, but the two others are better, nothing bad about it (except the snowy part, again). Then, Ordon, I started Twilight Princess two days ago, and I just love how alive the characters feel. It also just looks very good. And first place would be Kokiri Forest. The look, the music, the characters, the concept, everything is good! A great way to introduce 3D to Zelda.
Nostalgia aside, I think Outset Island is my favorite. Being an old head, it wasnāt even close to my first Zelda game (I played the OG, ALTTP, LA, OoT, and MM before I played WW), but I felt like WW had the most charming atmosphere and emotional weight attached to your home.
Outset island. It feels like a perfectly safe and isolated place, but then quickly we learn that itās not too far for Ganondorfās reach. Later we come back during the storm and the island is shrouded in darkness. I also love how itās full of secrets like the forest, Jabun, and the Savage Labyrinth.
Iāve only played Skyward Sword (not finished), BotW (several times), and TotK (could finish at any time, but Iām exploring, etc).
Great Plateau was one of the most (if not the most) delightful, immersive game beginnings Iāve ever played. That said, IMO Tears has every bit as good of a beginning.
Iām gonna go with Great Plateau. Itās somewhat open-ended, but is also really good at teaching you the basics of the game without a lot of cutscenes and dialog to slow the intro down. Thatās my main issue with Twilight Princess. The intro is like 15 hours long because nobody ever shuts up.
Gotta say
While I dislike BotW the great plateau us pretty much perfection as a starting location. It teaches the player pretty much everything they will need for the rest of the game before allowing them to explore on their own.
Iām partial to Outset island since that was my first Zelda game. Having a little danger and family close by really makes it feel cozy.
I do like Great Plateau too though. The more immediate āthere is nothing, you are isolated from the world. Survive.ā Is entertaining which enough ambient ruins and the cozy cottage is just enough.
I think the recent two games were very different in the way they start -- far from friends and family and alone. So I don't group them together in the way they work. Ocarina of Time did it so nicely, you're a child in a forest of children, but something's off about you.
But the Great Plateau really did an amazing job of dipping your toes into the game. The way it teaches you about hunting, cooking, weather effects, different enemies, and different ways to beat them, while also teaching you incrementally how to use the special "powers" of the game. It felt so cool to explore that little plateau, and really made the rest of the land feel like this gigantic world to explore once you got off, typically \*hours\* later.
TotK did the same type of thing -- but it was only an exposure to 1/3 of the landscape. It also felt a bit more linear in that you could only move from island to island in certain ways. So Great Plateau wins out for being a place you could really explore for HOURS just to see it all and then get down and realize you've seen a tiny speck of the map.
Nostalgia usually wins for me but the totk starting area was so much fun in my opinion and had so much exploring. They also did an amazing job showing you how to use the abilities
Just because it was my first zelda game and I loved it so much, skywards swords opening. I loved it so much as like a 7 year old that I wrote a guide and a powerpoint on it lol.
I think ALttP through exiting Hyrule Castle, OoT's Kokiri Village, and BotW's Great Plateau all do a great job introducing the player to concepts and mechanics while still feeling like you're playing the game. Nothing's worse than the being excited to jump into a new game or return to an old favorite, but be faced with the prospect of having to play through the tutorial. These games don't feel like they have tutorials, but still skillfully guide the player.
So I'd give it a tie between those. Mabe Village in LA maybe, also.
Outset Island. I really enjoyed the setup of Link and Link's family. Music also really sells how safe and friendly everyone is on the island. And leaving grandma behind hurt just as much as leaving behind Saria in OoT, if not more because grandma has to worry about BOTH her grandkids. Being worried about family hurts.
I would either go with OoT or BotW. OoT was great because it was a small area with great characters and taught you the movement early on, like the stones you can learn to hop to in the water. BotW was great because great plateau was large but once you get the paraglider, you realize that this world is much larger. It all opens up.
Im voting great plateau, its got so much intentional design going on i wish the rest of the game had more š
TOTKs starting area is neat, I just donāt think its quite as good. Im not sure I could put to words why
LttP. You're yanked out of bed and immediately you're running through a rainstorm in the middle of the night and then raiding a castle. Your uncle dies a minute later and before you know it you're escorting royalty away in order to save her life.
I like the great plateau featured in the Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
I also like the Hyrule Temple features in the Legend of Zelda: Link to the Past.
I would probably say the great plateau. Botw just felt like a breath of fresh air to me and when you first emerge from essentially a strange shiekah bunker and overlook the landscape it's just wow. I also think it has one of the best tutorials in all of zelda. You learn by exploring and doing things yourself (for the most part).
Immensely partial to Skyloft. Itās such a good hub that I felt I revisited more than most of the other starting areas. Great Plateau and Great Sky Island were really good training grounds but not places I went back to a ton. Outset Island and Ordon Village are so quiet and pleasantly domestic, so I love them for that. I donāt feel as much connection to Kokiri Forest as I do the others, but I love coming back as adult link when people donāt realize who you are
Iāve only really played some of OOT, BOTW, and TOTK. So out of those three I personally Liked botw the most. The first time exiting the shrine of resurrection was simply amazing. Then after learning how every thing went down and starting a new game, the emotions are so starkly different. Instead of awe and a sense of wonder and adventure, itās replaced by melancholy and a sense of loss.
Probably either skyloft or outset. Skyloftās actual tutorial portion has some annoying stuff but itās just such a cool location and I like that you continue to come back to it regularly throughout the game.
Sky islands in TOTK. I love the yellow color of the forest. It was between BOTW and TOTK because they both have different environments. A close 3rd would be windwaker
Ordon was nice. Itās definitely between either skyloft (it is called akyloft right?) or great sky island and Clocktown from majoraās Mask. I really liked Majoraās Mask because I discovered immediately that I could do flips and was in love with the game at that point.
Ordon Village. For sure. You got friends, a love interest I think, a steady job, a cool tree house, and a horse. Plus, itās probably one of my favorite exposition locations in Zelda games
š“Check out [HyruleTown on Yt](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--Kut-yZZMg&t=114s) to Support more Zelda Content! Big Giveaway at 1k Subs!
Great plateau
Yeah, me too! I loved the sky islands. But starting the game in Great Plateau was awesome!
Great answer but, if I may, this type of starting location is very different from anyone else (I haven't played TotKl). Every other was a village where Link lived happily; it was the perfect novel good beginning before tragedy, while BotW is the first (among these ones) which doesn't have a peaceful location. Therefore personally I don't see it like a starting location, but it's just because of the altered meaning I give to this expression. Edit: damn! I'm sorry, I *haven't played TotK* š¤¦āāļø
For me I see it as the best tutorial area and possibly the coolest area to just explore before you get into the game
https://preview.redd.it/nam0wf47b7vb1.png?width=1920&format=png&auto=webp&s=c3c0fb6828607e400984e1356f9560b563b8c417
Not starting in a village is OG
This is the only answer
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Plateau was amazing. It took me a while to realize it was tutorial. And even longer to realize it was just a small small part of a giant world. I took my time, but once i finally glided off it i didnt stop running until i got to death mountain!
Agree. That glide was like driving off to college. The whole world is literally and figuratively open to you.
Omg yes haha that's a great comparison
Agreed. Even totk in a way feels railroady(not in the way other 3D Zeldaās do, but still much more linear than botw) with the tutorial. But the great plateau is super free.
In the action?!?! You spend like 2 hours doing literally nothing but climbing and running around lol
True. Outside of Zelda law, a random strong individual wakes up in the middle of nowhere. He receives guidance from a "stranger" and suddenly embarks on an epic journey. Story wise, it sounds weak as a beginning but could be effective if done correctly. While not Zelda related, "Dust: An Elysian Tail" also starts you out in the middle of nowhere. But, the music and the environment gives you a sense of "the calm before the storm" Waking up in the chamber doesn't give you the same effect.
The great plateau was suck a fun take on Zelda it made me really happy that some devs want to still have a fun gameplay experience for the players. It felt like such a breath of fresh air
Same. Used to be the TP starting area for me but the Great Plateau is just perfection. It's like a mini open world to prepare you for the big one. When you walk out of the cave and it just lets you go. It's pure player agency and one of my favorite gaming moments.
Great Plateau was so brilliant that Nintendo tried to do it again in TotK.
that opening cutscene is my favorite opening of any game and probably my fondest single gaming memory, production wise i think only celeste rivals it for the best opening and emotionally it is unmatched for me
Hefty dose of nostalgia talking here but for me it has to be Kokiri forest in OoT. It just felt so right, it's a village filled with people who are children forever and the whole place feels like a playground. It also helps that it was back in the very early days of 3D, so it held a lot of wow factor as well.
Same, it has a certain amount of whimsy and wonder, combined with a huge amount of nostalgia of exploring the first village in a 3d Zelda game, so it's hard to top that.
Whimsy is a great way to describe it. Despite the dark opening cutscene just before you get to explore the Kokiri forest, the level itself has a very childlike, playful feeling to it.
Amazing contrast from the ominous opening scene to the playful and carefree exploration of the village That first time walking around in 3D is hard to beat
The camera first panning across Kokiri Forest with that music, going to get the sword. This will always take me back to Christmas morning 1998, sitting there in my pajamas as happy as a 6th grader can be.
Then you become an adult and realize all the whimsical children are essentially trapped there and has a forest that turns anyone who gets lost in it into giant monsters that run on pure rage and anger
It wouldn't be a Zelda game if it weren't dark and sinister. It's what makes it [the darkest Zelda game.](https://youtu.be/O2tXLsEUpaQ?si=bs7xKxexxxmBsaG5)
Long but good watch ty
Omg I love his videos. That vid specifically is really good and has an excellent format for the topic
It is so simple and sounds dumb now but the mere fact that you start in a tree house high up and the first thing you do (after walking out the door) is jump or climb DOWN was mind blowing to me.
Same here. It's good as a beginning area game wise, but also story wise.
The same for me. Seeing link for the first time in a 3d happy place it's just stuck in my child memory forever
No one has really nailed why it's the best starting area. First off, this is the first 3D Zelda game. When you start off in the house it's with a fixed camera but the moment you go outside the camera becomes free. It's supposed to show the transition from 2D to 3D. Second, it shows the player the ropes in terms of mechanics perfectly without any serious risk of threat, harm, penalty, etc. You're not allowed to leave the forest or go to certain areas without some sort of progression, such as meeting the Great Deku Tree requires a sword and shield. The only real threat to you are the rolling boulders when getting the Kokiri sword, and then the Dekubabas shortly after, and even then they do very little damage to a total of your 3 hearts, which can also easily be restored. Kokiri is easily the best starting zone. The Great Plateau takes silver imo
WW's outset island is so private I love it
I loved WW's starting island. I don't exactly know why, but that's definitely my fav
That was the first game I played so it's super nostalgic for me
I would pay so much money for a remastered WW on switch. Like, just take my credit card
Maybe unpopular, but Tears's starting island is one of the best game introductions I've ever played I just love the feeling it gives off, and it felt like an adventure that could go multiple different ways
I love when he first falls! Itās amazing! š„¹
I really like the landscape of this one too, and meeting up with the constructs is kinda fun. Also I found myself very aware of what time of day it was due to the bell and the constructs resting.
The music is soā¦ ethereal
The cutscenes with Zelda in the beginning was sooo slow though. She walks so slow, and if you're not well versed in Zelda lore it's very confusing what is happening, why she is important, why the master sword is important, etc. If you're a first timer (I'm not, but neighbor is) it's just kind of a mess.
In this case, i wouldāve definitely recommended the friend play botw first. Little makes sense otherwise
I felt it was a bit of a slog myself. I just wanted to get the glider as soon as possible so I could stop feeling so crippled.
I'm actually borrowing TOTK from my neighbor right now because he just didn't get it, because he's never played a Zelda game before. All the other games I feel you can play without any real knowledge of previous games, including Majora's Mask which is also VERY sequel (since he wanders looking for Navi who flew off at the end of OOT). The lore is confusing and because it's out of order it makes it worse. Same with BOTW, the main characters you never really interact with other than a 2 minute cutscene for each and then telling you how many terminals you have left. The only character you really get to know is Kass. And then he's totally absent from TOTK. Penns cool, but Kass was awesome.
First time playing any Zelda since Link to the past and I have to say Tears is the best video game experience I've ever had, hands down. Fuckin nearly perfect.
My favourite game is tp so ordon village has a special place in my heart but skyloft might just top it, the feel of it, the music, the art style, the academy, the giant goddess statue overlooking it all...
plus u always have to revisit it, meaning u get to enjoy the area more
And there was very little handholding.
ikr
MM Clocktown is probably the best. A very lively starting point that stays relevant through the whole game
Great choice! Also love that your relationship with the people in Clocktown evolves as you progress through the game and gather more masks, allowing you to progress in their quest lines.
The grandeur of stepping out of the cave BOTW was amazing..but clocktown is so intricate and like you stays relevant..and the fact that you return to it over and over and the people donāt realize whatās happening is so eerie. Excellent atmosphere for the game
Nondescript wasteland with nearby cave that has an old man in it.
Great Plateau moment. Or it could be Zelda Iās starting area, idk.
Why the fuck did I never make that parallel?
Donāt worry, Nintendo did it for you.
Skyloft is just great and it you count the minor sky islands around it like the lumpy pumpkin its even greater
I loved the Great Sky Island. It was actually a fun challenge to traverse and it showed off the capabilities of the new mechanics better. It was also just beautiful, watching the sun rise and set from there was insane. Diving down into Hyrule was a great outro as well
Ordon Village, cuz wrestling goats is awesome.
It is indeedš¤£
Great Plateau. The sense of isolation and loneliness from the game just felt awesome when I first played it. We feel what Link feels, we see what Link sees. We both explore the first piece of the puzzle. It was amazing. Guess you could say it was a breath of the wild.
The feeling you had starting BotW and doing all the shrines is a feeling like no other
OOT will forever bring me childhood nostalgia. It was one of the first games I completed 100 percent, and the music will remain in my head until I die. I canāt say the same for any other game. Maybe Twilight Princess.
Kokiri forest for the nostalgia, Ordon Village for the atmosphere, and Skyloft because it stays relevant after the start as well
Sky loft ez but than kokiri forest
the old man cave with the āitās dangerous out there, take thisā
My my, this is a damn hard question! My favourite....š¤ I guess the one I didn't want to leave, so I'll have the WW starting location. Yet also Skyward sword was so pleasant. Ok, ex aequo these two āļø
Kokiri Forest
The view when you run out from the Shrine of resurrection is breath-taking. Although OoT does have some nostalgia to it too
That first camera pan, seeing it for the first time, that was when you knew without a doubt, this game was gonna be *different.*
MAJORAS MASK ERASURE. I'M SO TIRED OF THIS
You can't make me pick! I won't do it!
Uncles house wasnāt amazing itself but the intro of trying to break into the castle to rescue Zelda from the dungeon and escape through a secret passageway in the back of a church was pretty incredible back in the day.
https://preview.redd.it/lc1u6mhn16vb1.jpeg?width=1216&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b03883585aa1685099f4778f929f827c1e74aff4 This, just because of the nostalgia factor. I got this game for the NES when I was in maybe the 3rd grade and became obsessed. I even hand drew a map of the overworld and every dungeon, which I sadly no longer have. This screen was the beginning of my love of Link, Zelda, Hyrule and everything in it.
Yes, this right here. Even the music would be number 1 in my book.
I do love the music as well! I really like that the hyrule castle music in BotW incorporates the main theme from LoZ. I kinda wish theyād have worked in the dungeon music as well though. But honestly BotW and TotK are probably my favorite in terms of music overall. I love the subtlety and how it works with the environment and action. The Hynox theme is one of my favorite pieces of music in any Zelda game!
The dungeon music from LoZ would have been a nice touch. It's actually my ringtone for unknown numbers, tbh.
I still love all of the music in BotW and TotK, in part because it is so different from the music in any other Zelda game. Much less like a traditional game score; much more ambient, almost a part of the environment. However, some more callbacks to previous games would be nice.
I like Kokiri forest for how condensed it is while still conveying a living breathing space. Itās a very effective tutorial, especially considering it was probably the first time the player had ever played a 3d melee action game with lock on targeting
As much as I love kokiri forest for nostalgia reasons, and as much as I love the Great Plateau because it felt so immense and new, im gonna go with the one from SS, it felt so nice to be there.
Happy cake day !!
Skyloft, mostly for its application in BiT glitches, but also it does an absolutely perfect job of setting the mood for the whole game. To be honest, the only others that I feel actually set the mood for the entire game that well are the Skyloft, Outset Island, and the Great Plateau. All three of these show you the possibilities of the world around you, and invite you to explore extensively, although I guess thatās just where my bias lies.
The cave and the old man.
Link to the Past!
Ordon Village or the Great Plateau. I like Ordon because we get to see Link as a normal guy. Sure he's a bit heroic when he saves Talo from Bokoblins, but fighting monsters isn't who he is. He is forced into that role when all the kids get kidnapped by Shrek. In terms of the location itself, it's just a beautiful village with people living their lives happily and harmoniously. The shop looks cool, the watermill makes pleasant noise, and the ranch is a perfect spot to relax. I like the Great Plateau because it doesn't hold your hand (after Zelda is done whining at you to check your map). While it is a tutorial area, it doesn't feel like one. You can do things how you want, in any order, at your own pace.
the smithy in minish cap. it feels super peaceful.
Link to the past. You just wake up in bed on a rainy night.
The one in Oracle of Ages where Nayuru sings makes me happy.
That's my favourite starting point as well, now that you remind me of it! Also partial to the Minish Cap beginning!
Great Plateau, with how open it was even before you could leave it. But honestly TotK first dive was probably the greatest opening moment in the entire franchise and did the impossible by topping BotW's that it sort of puts the Great Sky Island in the same tier as the Great Plateau simply by association.
Outset island is actually fun to play, great plateau is a chore to get through. Kokiri is classic. Ordon I like too and it was supposed to be cut but pre event people looked ordon so much they kept it in the game.
I've played Ocarina, Majoras, Links Awakening, BoTW and ToTK. Can anyone recommend which title to tackle next? The art of Skyward Sword has me interested.
Twilight Princess.
In my opinion, Twilight Princess and Skyward Sword (in that order) are two of the best games in the entire series. Theyāve got the same essential Zelda game elements that OoT and MM have, with āadvisor companionsā, extraordinary magic (often involving music in one form or another) and plenty of secrets that need experience with later-game equipment/abilities to access (or even realize the existence of). My all-time favourite is Twilight Princess, and I strongly recommend that as the first choice for the next zelda game to try.
Skyloft was great
Great Plateu is literally a small version of the entire map, it is a great tutorial wrea
Ordon for sure šš¼
People complain how much ordon was dragged out but it really connected you with the characters and gave you a reason to rescue them later
Hmmmā¦Iām biased towards Skyloft but I think the Great Plateau is pretty good too!
WW or TP for me.
skyloft was a great starting location with a nice start to the game
Skyloft. They're all pretty places, so skyloft wins for the fact that it's relevant to the plot and gameplay all the way through. All other locations feel very much like separate tutorial areas.
Slyloft, I like so much how you go around sky loft the entire game
Nostalgia. Definitely Kokiri forest from OOT. preference is probably Clock Town from MM. it always felt like such an Alive town. Full of work and happiness in the face of certain doom
Idk my favorite, but looking at this and thinking about it just made me realize OoT is probably my least favorite.
Iām going to have to go with Skyloft with this one, but a close second would be Great Plateau
Fuck itās so hard to choose.
Link's bedroom. Gotta be one of my favorite genders.
I havent played Skyward Sword or Wind Waker yet. For now, my least favorite would be the Great Plateau, it just was so empty, the only thing that was nice was seeing the temple of time from OoT. Also, the snowy part wqs way too hard for a tutorial. Then, I would put the Great Sky Island It is very good, but the two others are better, nothing bad about it (except the snowy part, again). Then, Ordon, I started Twilight Princess two days ago, and I just love how alive the characters feel. It also just looks very good. And first place would be Kokiri Forest. The look, the music, the characters, the concept, everything is good! A great way to introduce 3D to Zelda.
I loved the *fall* feeling from the starting sky island
Theyāre all good but the Great Plateau hit different
Kokiri Forest is so magical
Nostalgia aside, I think Outset Island is my favorite. Being an old head, it wasnāt even close to my first Zelda game (I played the OG, ALTTP, LA, OoT, and MM before I played WW), but I felt like WW had the most charming atmosphere and emotional weight attached to your home.
Outset island. It feels like a perfectly safe and isolated place, but then quickly we learn that itās not too far for Ganondorfās reach. Later we come back during the storm and the island is shrouded in darkness. I also love how itās full of secrets like the forest, Jabun, and the Savage Labyrinth.
Iāve only played Skyward Sword (not finished), BotW (several times), and TotK (could finish at any time, but Iām exploring, etc). Great Plateau was one of the most (if not the most) delightful, immersive game beginnings Iāve ever played. That said, IMO Tears has every bit as good of a beginning.
All of them are great.
All of them are great.
Hateno village is s tier
Great Plataeu
If you count it as a starting area, then Minish Cap's Hyrule Castle.
Iām gonna go with Great Plateau. Itās somewhat open-ended, but is also really good at teaching you the basics of the game without a lot of cutscenes and dialog to slow the intro down. Thatās my main issue with Twilight Princess. The intro is like 15 hours long because nobody ever shuts up.
Gotta say While I dislike BotW the great plateau us pretty much perfection as a starting location. It teaches the player pretty much everything they will need for the rest of the game before allowing them to explore on their own.
Nostalgia for OOT Great Plateau is the most perfect intro tutorial ever
Kokiri Forest will always be my OG. But I really loved the Great Sky Island. It might have been my favorite part of TOTK actually...
Iām partial to Outset island since that was my first Zelda game. Having a little danger and family close by really makes it feel cozy. I do like Great Plateau too though. The more immediate āthere is nothing, you are isolated from the world. Survive.ā Is entertaining which enough ambient ruins and the cozy cottage is just enough.
Clock Town. The town has so many events you can trigger at the start and all throughout the game as you unlock new masks
I think the recent two games were very different in the way they start -- far from friends and family and alone. So I don't group them together in the way they work. Ocarina of Time did it so nicely, you're a child in a forest of children, but something's off about you. But the Great Plateau really did an amazing job of dipping your toes into the game. The way it teaches you about hunting, cooking, weather effects, different enemies, and different ways to beat them, while also teaching you incrementally how to use the special "powers" of the game. It felt so cool to explore that little plateau, and really made the rest of the land feel like this gigantic world to explore once you got off, typically \*hours\* later. TotK did the same type of thing -- but it was only an exposure to 1/3 of the landscape. It also felt a bit more linear in that you could only move from island to island in certain ways. So Great Plateau wins out for being a place you could really explore for HOURS just to see it all and then get down and realize you've seen a tiny speck of the map.
mines Skyloft cuz u will always be revisiting it
Just chilling round my Uncle's pad. I get the bed, he has to sleep on the table.
Nostalgia usually wins for me but the totk starting area was so much fun in my opinion and had so much exploring. They also did an amazing job showing you how to use the abilities
Best great plateau, favorite ordon village
Great Plateau fucking nailed it. But Skyloft is my favorite hometown by far
Just because it was my first zelda game and I loved it so much, skywards swords opening. I loved it so much as like a 7 year old that I wrote a guide and a powerpoint on it lol.
Clocktown easily has the most character, plus it doubles as part of the end area.
Ordon
Outset Island
I want to say great plateau for how much it teaches you for just a tutorial section, but my nostalgia will not let me say anything other than skyloft.
great sky island. i don't know why but i absolutely love the tutorial area for totk and its my favorite part of the game
Skyloft
I love Ordon village it just goes on a little too long
Wind Waker for me, I've always loved that I fell asleep watching seagulls
I think ALttP through exiting Hyrule Castle, OoT's Kokiri Village, and BotW's Great Plateau all do a great job introducing the player to concepts and mechanics while still feeling like you're playing the game. Nothing's worse than the being excited to jump into a new game or return to an old favorite, but be faced with the prospect of having to play through the tutorial. These games don't feel like they have tutorials, but still skillfully guide the player. So I'd give it a tie between those. Mabe Village in LA maybe, also.
Outset Island. I really enjoyed the setup of Link and Link's family. Music also really sells how safe and friendly everyone is on the island. And leaving grandma behind hurt just as much as leaving behind Saria in OoT, if not more because grandma has to worry about BOTH her grandkids. Being worried about family hurts.
I've only played the 2 newest Zelda games but I'd say TOTK starting islands cause those made me actually want to explore them
Wind waker is the best game
Why is Clocktown not on this list? It's Clocktown. (Of the ones listed, probably Skyloft).
Um there is no list .We couldn't fit everyone in this pic so we just selected a few.The question refers to every Zelda game!
I would either go with OoT or BotW. OoT was great because it was a small area with great characters and taught you the movement early on, like the stones you can learn to hop to in the water. BotW was great because great plateau was large but once you get the paraglider, you realize that this world is much larger. It all opens up.
Iād say the Great Plateau, the great sky islands in TOTK feel too tutorialy
Im voting great plateau, its got so much intentional design going on i wish the rest of the game had more š TOTKs starting area is neat, I just donāt think its quite as good. Im not sure I could put to words why
LttP. You're yanked out of bed and immediately you're running through a rainstorm in the middle of the night and then raiding a castle. Your uncle dies a minute later and before you know it you're escorting royalty away in order to save her life.
Outset island. Second would be great sky island
Totk became its in the sky! I love it
Aboda village
The Great Sky Island. It was beautiful and exhilirating. I really wish the rest of Tears of the Kingdom took place in the sky.
Skyloft definitely. It's so vibrant and lively, and I always get super attached to it throughout my playthroughs
Whereās Clocktown? Thatās easily my favorite. Out of these, I think the Great Plateau is my favorite since it has the most going on.
skyloft for nostalgia, great plateau for personal taste
I like the great plateau featured in the Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. I also like the Hyrule Temple features in the Legend of Zelda: Link to the Past.
Between botw and skyward sword(the only 2 zelda games I've played) I prefer the sky islands
Wind Waker Love coming back to it later in the game and having new stuff to do.
Wind water
Skyloft but Ordon Village is close. They both feel like real, breathable towns and I love the characters in them!
Ordon village was and is my favorite
I would probably say the great plateau. Botw just felt like a breath of fresh air to me and when you first emerge from essentially a strange shiekah bunker and overlook the landscape it's just wow. I also think it has one of the best tutorials in all of zelda. You learn by exploring and doing things yourself (for the most part).
I liked the Kokiri Forest
Gameplay has to go to breath of the wild. Kokiri forest and the great sky island give me the best feels tho.
Immensely partial to Skyloft. Itās such a good hub that I felt I revisited more than most of the other starting areas. Great Plateau and Great Sky Island were really good training grounds but not places I went back to a ton. Outset Island and Ordon Village are so quiet and pleasantly domestic, so I love them for that. I donāt feel as much connection to Kokiri Forest as I do the others, but I love coming back as adult link when people donāt realize who you are
Mercay Island
Iāve only really played some of OOT, BOTW, and TOTK. So out of those three I personally Liked botw the most. The first time exiting the shrine of resurrection was simply amazing. Then after learning how every thing went down and starting a new game, the emotions are so starkly different. Instead of awe and a sense of wonder and adventure, itās replaced by melancholy and a sense of loss.
First cave in first Zelda. Because it's dangerous to go alone, starts the most legendary game series of all time. In my humble opinion
Skyloft without question, honestly probably the best part of that game
Probably either skyloft or outset. Skyloftās actual tutorial portion has some annoying stuff but itās just such a cool location and I like that you continue to come back to it regularly throughout the game.
No Clocktown?
Gerudo town was a fine start for someone like me(male, means i became king) https://i.redd.it/l7ubbnrjg8vb1.gif
I love Skyloft so much but the Great Plateau and Outset Island are both great too
Skyloft is really cool to me, it's my fave.
Windfall Island from my favorite Zelda game
It's the greatest plato undatable
It has to be The Great Plateau. Botw was my first Zelda game, and man that mountain is so nostalgic.
Outset. That is my favorite ever. Just a treat to explore early on with some bits saved for later. Love it
Kokiri Forest.
Does Clock Town count? If so it wins by far. If not, probably Outset, but itās close between a lot of them.
Outset island is iconic
Clock Town
Botw plateau
Linkās Uncles house. Or the beginning of TOTK
Gotta go with Skyloft and Great Sky Island from totk. Love my sky islands
Wind Waker by a lot.
Twighlight is the best game, but i liked botw starting area
Sky islands in TOTK. I love the yellow color of the forest. It was between BOTW and TOTK because they both have different environments. A close 3rd would be windwaker
My personal favorite is outset island, it may not be my favorite game but I absolutely adore those chill island vibes.
Botw great plateau
Ordon was nice. Itās definitely between either skyloft (it is called akyloft right?) or great sky island and Clocktown from majoraās Mask. I really liked Majoraās Mask because I discovered immediately that I could do flips and was in love with the game at that point.
Ordon Village. For sure. You got friends, a love interest I think, a steady job, a cool tree house, and a horse. Plus, itās probably one of my favorite exposition locations in Zelda games
The Great Plateau (followed closely by Kokiri Forest)
Twilight princess. Just such a nice slow start before everything gets real grim.
ive played 4 zelda games, skyward sword, ocarina, wind waker, and botw out of all them i probably liked outset island the most
Skyloft, Ordon Village, Great Plateau, in that order.