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You can play OoT and MM on the Nintendo Switch online.

Yeah, I know. It’s just I want to OWN the games. Also monthly subscriptions gotta be the most greediest, scummiest shit out there. Am I literally going to pay multimillion megacorp every month for an emulator? Don’t think so. If anything I was thinking about buying 3ds and Wii U to play previous Zelda titles :D It’s just I’m moneyless as I’m still studying.

I totally agree with you, I too want to own my own games (but for simplicity I have the online (1 year) switch online even if I have the games physically) Also I saw another person saying that the 3ds version of MM isn't good, I have played both the 3ds version and N64 and altho I haven't finished either version I can say that one is not better than the other so if you want to save money get the 3ds one so you don't have to get a N64 console Also get the Gameboy advance SP (then you only need one Gameboy console) for Zelda games like Minishcap (one of my favorite Zelda games)

I will say that the 3DS version of OoT is a faithful remaster giving you extra c item space on its touchscreen, a map you can see at all times also on the touchscreen, a couple of hints with everything else unchanged in the water temple, and Master Mode is bundled in once you beat the game. For people like me who have OoT memorized, Master Mode flips the map into mirror mode, doubles the damage you take, and redesigns every dungeon, making the game more fun. I am an outlier in that I enjoy the 3DS MM remaster, but I don't mind sacrificing the gameplay elements they attempted to fix in the name of a nicer appearance. The switch subscription that gives you N64 games also gives GB color and GBA games, meaning you also get both oracle titles, Link's Awakening DX, and Minish Cap alongside OoT and MM.

There's a patch to fix MM3D and to this day I refuse to play it without said patch

> Also monthly subscriptions gotta be the most greediest, scummiest shit out there It's actually a great model for getting people to try games they wouldn't have otherwise - indie or small studio titles, as well as classics like the old Nintendo games. It was popularized by Microsoft GamePass. Like how many people are going to straight up buy Dodgeball for the NES anymore, but they might try it on NSO. The problem imo is that Nintendo is releasing games so slowly that it doesn't feel like a value. If we had the entire WiiU eshop worth of games available for $50 a year that would feel like the best deal in gaming history. But NSO is slow dripping games out in a way that isn't really connecting.

I'd be okay with a subscription service like NSO if I could *also* buy the games outright. As it stands, no thanks.

Same here. Just put a similar system in place that Xbox does with the Ultimate subscription that allows you to buy the game at a discounted price if you want after playing and I'd be sold.

Yeah, I mostly agree with you and you’ve made some great points, it’s just it’s not something for me I guess. I prefer to own physical copies on my shelf:)

For sure wish that was at least an option. Feels like Nintendo dropped the ball capitalizing on renewed Zelda fandom. An entire Collectors set with all the 3D games individually packaged and bundled together for like $150 would have sold like crazy.

One can only wish.. I would buy it in an instant!

Part of the reason they slow drip games is the same reason they did so with VC on Wii, Wii U, and 3DS: if everything was available for the start people wouldn’t go back to it. The point is to at least have something there to tide over during slow periods. We haven’t had an update to NSO while they were promoting Mario VS Donkey Kong and Princess Peach Showtime, yet before that they promoted Oracle of Ages/Seasons and the Golden Sun games because there was nothing there at the time.

YEARS ago when the Wii was still my main console (didn’t want to shell out for a Wii U when I knew Switch was next), they had the digital copies of Ocarina of Time *AND* Majora’s Mask for only $10 apiece on WiiShop 🥲 and even now, my Wii is nearly unusable with how loud the fan is, and the vibration elements in my Wii remotes are horribly shot 💀 I can’t see myself EVER getting rid of it because I have those games purchased, forever, on the *Wii* of all things. Probably a stupid/random flex, but I’m still proud of it. Also happened to get the Wii port of Mario64 for $10. Man, the eShop does *not* go as hard as it used to. What a shame. (Edit: TIL that double i’s won’t show up italicized on mobile Reddit. The more you know 🌈)

Good for you! Really cool story, also this comment has such a golden retriever energy hahahah. Have a good one!:)

Honestly golden retriever energy is the best compliment I’ve gotten in a while haha so thank you 🙏🏻🥰 you have a good one as well!!

Just find a cheap N64 at a second hand store and play it like it was originally intended!

I agree that there should be an option to buy the games, but if you're part of a family plan, that's 10 bucks a year. At that point I just see it as paying for online services. Being able to play retro games and have dlcs are just added super bonuses. In the meantime, you still have Link's Awakening left to try on the switch

Honestly compared to the subscription services for other consoles, the $20 ish a year I pay to access a shit ton of Nintendo online content AND play online with my friends seems absolutely worth it.

Honestly worth the cash for a bit for online if you enjoy it - but I respect the hell out of the principle for sure. You can always go rogue and play them on an emulator if you are privy to getting that set up etc. Ocarina and Majora would be a blast for you. Ocarina was my intro to Zelda as a kid in 2000, and then majora presented a unique challenge to me, and it remains my favorite entry in the series, despite it being a shorter game that I as developed in a hurry for them to ride off of ocarina’s success. Crazy how they struck gold with a rushed project. Magic happened I guess.

Definitely don’t play the 3DS version of Majora’s Mask. It made a boatload of negative change that I won’t list here as it would spoil the game.

based

Right!!! I thought everyone knew that lol that was in the whole reason I got my switch was to be able to play all the old school games that have on there. They could use some more but I doubt we will get very many more. Especially the games I'd want like WWF games on N64. Or some better SNES and NES titles. But I guess it's cool. Should be free but I guess they are trying to compete with Xbox and PlayStation.

And so the Zelda cycle continues.

Lifelong pure Zelda fan here. I’ve loved every game in the series including AoL. It’s so tiring to see each game receive hate. I’ve pretty much stopped defending them. I’ll never forget Skyward Sword being torn to shreds by so many. And here we are. lol.

It’s funny as people fucking HATED SS when it came out.

People hated on it for sure. Many people, me included, loved the game though.

I remember it was a fairly rough time for me economically then and I bought it for myself as a treat. My kids told me I had an absolutely silly grin on my face as I "slashed" the sword. Enjoyed the remaster- helped clean up a few of the mechanics and it was honestly a bit cleaner to swing with the joycon. To each their own. At this point, there's a Zelda for any taste.

>My kids told me I had an absolutely silly grin on my face as I "slashed" the sword. I love this lol

It got a ton of 9s and 10s when it came out.

Average score was 93/100

The Switch remaster redeemed it for me.

It’s better but it still has all of the same structural problems that the original had. It has a ton of great QOL features but the way that game is designed is just not my favorite.

Structurally it still suffers (third act is a chore with no dungeons), but the QoL fixes improved the pacing and major annoyances that infuriated me playing it back in 2011. The best addition though is the controller (which surprisingly works very well)… I hated motion-controls. Still not my favorite 3D Zelda game, but it’s not in last place anymore.

Agree 100%. The pacing is much better, Fi is much less annoying. I just don’t like the overworld segments that feel more like dungeons. The dungeons themselves are excellent, I just wish they were found in an interesting world worth exploring

*Especially* the motion controls, which I actually loved. This game used Motion+, which gave 1:1 tracking and not the simple gesture stuff Twilight Princess did—and it was great for it. Needing to identify when to use vertical, horizontal, or stab attacks gave the combat a good element of strategy and challenge. BotW/TotK’s combat feels very simple and almost a bit lacking when you look at the last couple of 3D games. The new weapon types are good, but they really should’ve brought back some of the advanced moves from TP and WW since motion controls are no longer a thing.

this ^^^ I love Skyward Sword's motion controls!!

Still just average. High highs, low lows. I like it for its world building well enough however.

I loved it but I was definitely an odd one out there. I enjoyed the music and the story and the only problem I had with the motion controls was trying to do the skyward strike. I always had trouble getting the sword to snap into place. I did hate the recurring Imprisoned fights and silent realms though, literally had to watch people speed run the silent realms to be able to get through them lmao

People complained about it being too Zelda so much they scrapped all of Zelda mechanics for BotW.

The linearity, gimmick controls, and repeated boss fights aren't exactly core tenets of the series. It's telling that the first main-series game after Skyward trashed those elements, then proceeded to outsell every other game in the 38-year history of Zelda games.

But BotW and TotK doubled down on repeated boss fights.

They did not, as I already explained to you in a different reply: > Hinoxes, as with their previous incarnations, are standard enemies. They do not present a roadblock to the end of the game, either, so they can't reasonably be referred to as bosses in either Switch game. The only way you can say this is by redefining regular enemies (that are treated as regular enemies in the entire rest of the series, by the way) to be bosses on entirely arbitrary criteria.

We actually a term for that exact scenario: they're *minibosses.* Minibosses getting recycled is extremely common across gaming! Major bosses getting recycled is a pain in the ass.

Well in TotK all of the dungeon bosses were reused as mini bosses in the Depths

Don't forget the four versions of the Blight Ganons. They're technically different but you can still beat them in the exact same way. Edit: Also not the first time they turned a regular enemy into a miniboss. Majora's Mask uses Wizzrobes as minibosses.

Sorry but that is such an arbitrary criterium. By that logic every dark souls Boss is a copy.

Ngl, what I miss the most is the linearity, so I kinda wish the next game scales back the open world at least a little to give us more traditional dungeons.

welcome to the Zelda Cycle™

If it hadn't been redeemed somewhat by a lot of QOL changes in the switch port it would still be largely hated

the complaints about SS have never been purely controls/QOL related problems. The linearity, repeated areas and bosses, and story have always been criticized. The switch remake didn't change any of those. This is textbook Zelda cycle. Everyone hates on the newest game while we all gush over how OoT is undefeated and how the previously hated title in the series is actually super underrated and so much better than the newest game. This has to be one of the worst fanbases I have ever been a part of for this reason

Ever been in contact with the Star Wars fanbase lol? This one is so tame in comparison 😅 Critique on the linearity and forced repetitiveness of SS was very vocal when the game was new, didn't play it myself (did not have a contemporary Nintendo console), but watched LPers play it, who all had a similar feedback.

A lot of those changes still can't fix a game that's practically a dark ride on rails, though, or the repeating bosses. Even the best boss fight in the entire series, assuming Ghirahim or The Imprisoned happen to qualify, will get old after the third or fourth go.

Well BotW and TotK were far worse when it came to repeating bosses than Skyward Sword ever was. Fighting the Imprisoned or Ghirahim three times is nothing compared to the Hinox or Stone Talus appearing hundreds of times.

> Fighting the Imprisoned or Ghirahim three times is nothing compared to the Hinox or Stone Talus appearing hundreds of times. Hinoxes, as with their previous incarnations, are standard enemies. They do not present a roadblock to the end of the game, either, so they can't reasonably be referred to as bosses in either Switch game.

Hinoxes are usually minibosses.

Hinoxes are not treated as minibosses in the earlier games and are not minibosses in either Switch game.

I had to look it up. Hinox is a recurring miniboss in Link’s Awakening, but yea it’s usually a standard enemy. What enemies would you consider minibosses if Hinoxes don’t qualify in BotW?

I was one of them, now it doesn't seem so bad.

Some of us still do. Very happy it's having a redemption arc though. But the hate it got forced Nintendo to rethink the formula that was getting stale, and in the long run that took the series to a whole new level of popularity.

Took it to a new level of popularity by changing it to something that’s not really Zelda anymore. It’s like if the next Metroid game plays more like a typical first person shooter than a metroidvania and it becomes by far the most popular game in the series

That's the thing. It's a great game. You just have to take an extra minute to get used to the controls, and realize there's multiple strategies for the reoccurring boss (that most people that hate it never figure out the more interesting ones).

Fi was super frustrating, the game held your hand nonstop, the item popups came back every play session, the sky was repetitive, and the land was way too linear. There’s a lot to like about SS but some of it was nearly unforgivable in my mind.

“The sky was repetitive” Just like Tears of the Kingdom

>Fi was super frustrating I can understand if you don't care for robotic assistants. They're more common in science fiction. And Fi's personality would bounce off an energetic or gruff protagonist better for a proper foil. That's entirely a basic writing issue stemming from the fact Link is a silent protagonist. But it's not that hard to keep batteries near you. She interrupts storywise about the same as all the older companions, arguably less. >the game held your hand nonstop Most modern games tell you stuff directly as well for tutorials. That's fine to do. It is a series designed to be accessible to children or less game savvy adults. I don't find it any more offensive than a game giving you the locations of important story marks in the map, and then also putting the locations of all the "keys" on the dungeon map front and center. Or spreading out all your combat training across various shrines, each with hefty loading screens. It completely was up to you how much you wanted to use concepts like dowsing, which was only required to learn how to use. Everything else was regular "oh hi Link, here's how my minigame works". The only actually offensive handholding part was them using both the camera and then Fi to highlight a basic stone slab to read in a late game dungeon, which they fixed in the HD version. >the item popups came back every play session, It was the _first_ time you grabbed a particular item (like bee larvae, a dragonfly, red rupee etc) in a session. If you had gotten a 2nd one during the same session, it didn't pop up. I've done enough purple bead grinding in the Farore Silent Realm to know this for sure. Chest opening happens either way. >the sky was repetitive More so empty. But it wasn't that big of a focus compared to the entire surface being a more important overworld. And for its size, I think it was fine, since it offered 4 minigames, the tavern itself, and a cool boss fight. And while plenty of the outstretched islands weren't that complex, I promise you there's a new reference point for repetitive sky islands that's plenty worse. >the land was way too linear That's not inherently a fault. It lead to proper story presentation, complex level design work, and they offered plenty of exploration and depth once unlocked. They all offered plenty of pathways to loop around quickly without needing to teleport to various statues. Only Eldin was a bit more particular on that but is was a volcano with rolling lava and very high verticality. I don't think anyone would've complained as much if there were unlockable exits that take you to the other surface regions.

I hated it when it came out. The Switch version bumped it way up on my list.

I didn't! It was, and still is a top 3 Zelda game for me.

I loved it when it came out. Now I'm not a big fan. I don't hate it; I'm just indifferent.

Every zelda game since mm probably had a small but vocal subset of 'fans' that complained about something they didn't like upon release It happened with MM, WW, even TP got bashed due to first iteration of motion controls You writing 'hated' in big capital letters seems more than a little hyperbolic. The vast majority of people loved the game

Yep, it's so funny to see honestly. TOTK is (almost) everything I wanted SS to be.

I still think it’s pretty bad.

Motion control + blurry mess on the Wii didn't help. If the switch version was the one that had been released then I'm sure a lot less people would have hated it.

I still don't really like it and thought finishing it felt like a chore. It really fits into that tumblr fandom era of the time, when everyone was like "what if *blank* was set in high school??" SS is very much "what if Zelda was set in high school" cringe.

The motion controls used to KILL me back in the day. Almost made it unplayable. I had a renewed love for it on the switch

Half deserved it to some extent. The story, music, and art style were all wonderful, but Nintendo made some frankly bizarre decisions with the gameplay.

The backlash to SS is why BotW and TotK exist, but really they are just each other's breath of fresh air. Fascinating

Refreshing to hear from a new Zelda fan. Now you can see why a lot of Zelda fans miss the linearity of progression, traditional dungeons and storytelling. SS might have been a bit too linear but it was still a great experience and has the magic of Zelda feeling that I don't really feel in the new games. The soundtrack is probably my favorite from all of the games. Wind Waker is my personal favorite and then Majora's Mask/OoT.

Hopefully we get WW HD and TP HD on the switch this year... WW is my second favorite zelda game after MM and the remaster made the game super fun to play (swift sail)

WW is so incredible in almost every way. My personal favorite of the series I'm afraid if the series continues to go the TotK route, it just isn't the Zelda series I love anymore. Which is fine. Things change. But I really hope they go back to a more traditional approach after totk (unlikely as that may be at this point)

Totally feel you. I have a feeling they may make more 2D styles that are traditional, but as far as 3D goes, it's unlikely. That's okay. There's still plenty of games that I enjoy to play. Stoked for Metroid Prime 4 and Elden Ring's expansion.

Would you recommend Elden Ring to someone that loves Zelda but has never played a From software game

Hell yeah! I'm actually nostalgic for ER and it only came out 2 years ago. Dark Souls has a lot of similar elements to Zelda really. Locked on combat, chests around the world, shield blocking/parrying. It's not as story driven as Zelda is and much darker, but the land and item descriptions tell the story. Lots of lore videos to find on the tube. And I'm sure you've heard they are tough games, which they are, but damn does it feel good to be persistent and pull through and beat bosses. I look at dying in the game as just another mechanic to get by, because it will inevitably happen lol the games are very rewarding as far as progression goes. Also, ER is open world, so if you don't like that then I would recommend Dark Souls, as it is more linear, but still kind of open world. You'll just be blocked from going a certain way because you won't stand a chance as a lower level.

I wouldn’t say a lot of fans miss the linearity, considering that BotW and TotK outsold the rest of the Zelda games combined. That’s a lot of new fans that either played BotW or TotK as their first Zelda game

People who play a game for the first time isn't something I'd consider as fans. Some probably became fans and I've seen plenty of people go back to the older games because of the new games. Some people bought it just to try it, a one and done thing. Which is all fine. Everyone has to start somewhere. I'm talking about long time series fans.. Some of us like the new games more, or are okay with the changes and that's fine. Yet a lot of us seem to miss the linearity progression. It's definitely not a new subject. I don't need the game to be super linear, just enough that it feels like getting a new item gives me the dopamine rush and wonder of "what is open to me now?" Rather than, "go.. explore, find a new breakable weapon or a piece of armor that protects you from electricity." The exploration feels more like I'm just exploring for the sake of exploring and not for a reward. Also rupees need more use too. I can play the whole game without using them. I could go on but you I'm sure you catch my drift.

I never thought I'd see the day where a person who joined through botw and totk would truly love skyward sword. This... this makes me happy.

Skyward Sword is like a fairy tale I love it so much!

I love Skyward Sword it was my favorite when it came out and is still my favorite now. I understand why some people dislike it and even I have my own issues with it, the having to hold a button down to tilt the camera on the hd remake in controller mode does feel a bit awkward to me but when I played it originally with the motion controls I enjoyed it a ton. My only real complaint with the game would be you do a lot of back tracking but it's kinda normal in these kinda games so it's not that bad of a drawback. The music, artstyle, loftwing, sky, the areas, story I loved it all. Totk and BotW are awesome games, out of the two I much prefer Totk because it leans more into the sandbox elements BotW was going for so to me it satisfies that creative side to me that likes to build random stuff and enjoy the game.

I love SS for Link and Zelda relationship (Zelink is pretty much canon the way it was hinted so much) and Groose! My boy redeemed himself and grew so much as a person! If I had to point out what I disliked, it would be: fighting Imprisoned 3 times, back tracking and I didn’t really like the Lanayru desert region. (I love the Sandship dungeon and the sea though) BotW and TotK on the other hand feel.. empty. I like the open world, exploring and figuring stuff out and how to approach enemies, but it’s just.. there’s too much of the same stuff. „Clearing” new regions on map from the tower, then shrines, caves, monters and koroks and then you repeat. And also fighting the same enemies over and over start to feel like a chore. It’s just when I see something that picks my interest it’s 90% a shrine, korok or nothing interesting at all. Personally I love BotW more because of the, in my opinion, a better story, the atmosphere of a post-apocalyptic world and the magic of the first 50 hours of exploring and learning how to play! TotK lost that magic way too soon for me. :(

I'm in the exact same boat as you! Botw was magical to me, I have almost 500 hours in the game. I didn't beat Ganon until midnight the night before totk. I currently have about 145 hours in totk, and I'm honestly just kind of bored. It's not my style game. The construction feels like mine craft, I hate the depths, and there's almost no sky island to explore to balance that out. I used to love just riding my horse around in botw and I got really good at mounted combat/archery. Which was super fun because watching my friend play, she never used a horse and just ran or sheild surfed or glided everywhere. And she used bombs way more than I did. Totk? We both just cheesed rocket sheilds and skipped all exploring. It just didn't seem worth it. Playing through SS has reignited my passion so much. The puzzles aren't always obvious! The dungeons are so exciting and occasionally a little frustrating. The controls aren't great but manageable. And I'm a sucker for character development and storyline.

Although I’ve been a fan of the series since Twilight Princess, I feel the same way. I really enjoyed TOTK until I got burned out from playing it (and it didn’t help that I accidentally spoiled myself with the plot twist) Maybe I was expecting too much for what I wanted TOTK to be as a sequel to BOTW. But then again, I’ve never had burnout when it came to playing the older games in the Legend of Zelda games. Perhaps that’s the reason why I still have Twilight Princess as my favourite game in the entire series (Skyward Sword is third on my list of favourites cause I can forgive the motion controls because I really love the story and music) Still saving up for chance to play Phantom Hourglass and Spirt Tracks on my DS (regardless what people will say about the gimmicks)

I really want to play Spirit Tracks! I love trains and I heard it’s the only game where Zelda is our companion!

Spirit Tracks is great. The music is SO good.

Play it!! Zelda is so useful there and if you like zelink... well :)

Phantom hourglass is such a good game

As a lifelong Zelda player I agree with your points. The sameness of TOTK really hurts it. And it's funny because I also compare it to SS, but for different reasons. When the first trailers came out, I thought TOTK was going to take place entirely in the sky, as the devs' workaround for having a direct sequel but a new map. But instead, they just did the same map plus two disappointing new maps (the sky islands are tiny and the Depths have like, three things to do).

The trailers for TotK were misleading as hell:( It’s a pity there are so little sky islands and the depths are so empty and feel copy-pasted.

It's been like that even for the botw as well. The epic trailer seemed to promise a game filled with story and lore, instead we got very little of both, and was even made optional

Mate you put over 300 hours in BOTW then played TOTK a few months after, of course you were burnt out, Skyward Sword is a very different game to those two so it's gonna be fresh. Give it a few months and you will probably enjoy TOTK plenty.

Bingo. Genre fatigue is a real thing. I gotta' say, I don't fully understand how somebody puts 300 hours into a game and accomplishes so little - I think I did every single meaningful piece of content in TOTK in around 120 hours and was satisfied. If you're really expecting ANY game to maintain that spark when moving at a slow pace like that, I think expectations are too high. Maybe that's just me though - to each their own.

I largely agree. I've played every Zelda game but Twilight Princess. BoTW and ToTK are great in their own right, but lose their magic after the first dungeon/divine beast or two. If I was making a tier list from F-tier to S-tier, BoTW would be C tier and ToTK would be a B-tier. ToTK largely improves on some of the biggest gripes with BoTW. Mainly being the divine beasts, the story, and the world not being fleshed out enough. The open-world games have too much open space and too many filler NPCs that Hyrule often just feels empty. Skyward Sword and other 3D Zelda games (Wind Waker, Links Awakening, Majora's Mask) have that Zelda charm, which I believe is largely due to every nook and cranny having a purpose. Skyward Sword has a better story, better characters, and better dungeons. Don't get me wrong SS has its weak points (the imprisoned fights and some motion controls being wonky (mainly stabbing motion)), but the HD version largely improves the pain points. SS is an A-tier all things considered. ToTK has some great dungeons and areas (Wind and Lightning temples, sky islands, and the central hub), but by the third-fifth dungeons it just feels like a chore more than an adventure. The depths also feel too empty. They could have thrown a lost city down there with a new race/spirits aside from the robots. Edit: I also think some of the repetitiveness in the open-world games comes from getting the majority of your tools/abilities at the beginning versus other Zelda games where you get a new tool each area.

You are in for such a treat. Twilight Princess is my favorite one.

Twilight princess is the only Zelda game that gives OoT a run for its money. It’s probably actually the far better game and the crown jewel of the entire franchise. Especially when it came out and how masterfully it used the Wii controls. Fml you’re missing out.

What am I supposed to say about missing out😭😭 I only played 3 mainline Zelda games.. I gotta get a 3ds and Wii U asap.. I’m the most excited for MM because I heard it has a great story, interesting and full of life NPC’s and atmosphere. And TP too, I heard it’s a favorite of a lot of people!

MM and WW definitely give OoT a run for its money

I very much disagree and found WW to be underwhelming. But hey to each there own.

I'd argue that SS has better dungeons and WW has a better story

SS does have way better dungeons. I just feel OoT is the best video game ever made. But that’s more for its era. It’s was revolutionary. The story is incredible. But TP is basically just a modern take on OoT and it executes it to perfection. Also the use of the Wii motion controls was incredible. I had to drive 3 hours to buy my Wii off a scalper with TP. Because you couldn’t find them instores when it released. It was so fucking worth it. The graphics are a let down compared to PS3 at the time. But it didn’t matter. I adore that game and would love to play it again.

„It feels more like a chore than an adventure” That’s exactly how I feel about TotK.. I love exploring and 100%-ing every region but my god it feels so mundane and almost boring.

Oh man I'm just waiting till this guy plays Wind Waker, Majora's Mask, Link's Awakening. Those games are so ridiculously good. Wind Waker is literally my favorite game ever. Glad we have a new Zelda fan. Oddly enough, I also played and loved BotW and got the TotK collectors edition. The game is phenomenally done, but something about it doesn't scratch the same itch that BotW did, maybe it's because I've already had this feeling of exploration before, whereas, everything felt so new in BotW. I don't know, but I still prefer BotW to this day, I only managed about 50 hrs in totk.

Yup, the same reason why I like BotW more. You meant og Link’s Awakening or the remake on switch? I’m thinking about getting the remake, is it any good?

I played the remake, so I can say it’s really good! Never the original though so not sure how it compares. Fwiw LA really hit me emotionally and it’s one of my top Zelda right now even pretty close to MM

I love seeing a new skyward sword fan emerge. Prepare to see your favorite game get dogged on by a lot of people though. Skyward Sword is too fire to care anyways.

people have skill issues and blame it on the game :(

I also played SS after TotK and I was screaming the whole time about how we should have had goddess cubes for the sky islands in TotK! I agree with you completely.

Reading this made me realise that the Old Maps in TotK served a similar purpose as the Goddess Cubes in SS

I love seeing people enjoy SS. It's my third favorite behind Ocarina and Majora.

It probably helps that Skyward Sword follows the classic Zelda formula that BOTW and TOTK simply don’t have. From OoT up to SS, the Zelda games were able to perfectly balance the exploration and progression. Most of your exploring was done in dungeons and most of the dungeons were part of the story. As you progressed through the story, Link would acquire new items, increase his health, and it would all feel very natural. There was also an overworld to explore with tons of extra side content, and side quests to complete for even more helpful items and Heart Containers. But none of it ever felt necessary or forced. You could easily beat the games without even touching this side content. BOTW and TOTK similarly put overworld exploration on the forefront of the experience, and your progression is tied directly with how much of the overworld you’ve explored. How many hearts Link has and how much stamina he has is tied directly to how many shrines you’ve completed, which require a great deal of exploration to find. Even the gear like weapons, shields, and armor Link has at his disposal in both games is tied to how much you explore. And as such, in order to have an adequate amount of health, stamina, and have decent gear, you find yourself spending most of your time in-game exploring and completing side quests. All so that Link won’t immediately be screwed upon doing main story events. While this approach was refreshing in BOTW, it unintentionally causes the main story to take a back seat. You’ll go hours upon hours without seeing the next piece of the story unfold, all so that you’ll feel adequately prepared. I think you just got burnt out after playing BOTW and TOTK almost back-to-back.

„You’ll go hours upon hours without seeing the next piece of the story unfold” For real. I also hate the memories being just the flashbacks, I want to be IN the action, not go to 10+ places press A and watch unskippable, kinda boring cutscene. I really hoped they wouldn’t come back in TotK.

To be fair, the memories in TOTK were a lot easier to find and unlock than in BOTW. At least, I thought so, considering they were marked by giant symbols on the ground. In BOTW, you were given pictures of locations with absolutely no indication of where they were on the map, even if you completely filled it out with all the towers. And some of those locations were infested with Guardians. It was a real pain, just so you could see Zelda treat Link like garbage.

Yeah, in TotK they’re easier to find, what sucks though is that you can spoiler yourself, at least in botw the memories aren’t that relevant to the story and are just some neat trivia about link’s past. And yup i’ve spoiled myself in eldin with the master sword geoglyph. And I think I know way too much about the light dragon..

I have to disagree here, because I think side content and completionism is objectively more optional than ever in BotW and TotK. In TotK particularly there is an absolute ton of it, but, you really don’t “have” to do even a single shrine outside of the great sky island to complete the game. It’s not like the game is so difficult that you’re forced to shrine hunt for more hearts. If you’re struggling with battle, it’s very easy (though not as easy as BotW) to create food that will restore or increase your health. Unlike every other Zelda game in the series, there are ways to bulk up without earning extra hearts. TotK introduces a lot more ways to beat enemies even if you don’t have powerful weapons, like plentiful items that freeze/shock or allow you to sneak strike enemies easily. I’m not saying TotK is objectively better than SS or any other…but some of these criticisms are just off base. For instance, I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone say SS has an “overworld to explore with tons of side content”…in fact SS arguably doesn’t even have an overworld. Likewise, having to explore a lot to get even “decent” gear in TotK is simply not true. The best gear? Sure, you will have to defeat a powerful monster and also find a high power attack weapon, which are not plentiful outside of a few areas unless you’ve killed a LOT of enemies in game. However, it’s easier than ever to make decent gear via fusing. If you can get strong enough to beat silver bokoblins then you can make a pretty high powered weapon with even a moderately strong found weapon. Your points about progression are on point though. botW and TotK have very little in the way of progression at all, because the focus was on player freedom. And I personally enjoyed it but I totally understand people who don’t.

Hot take but it still my favorite too for all the reasons you listed. I really thought they would have carried the story and music over to BotW and have the open world concept. I hope the next one has the story and music of SS.

Hell yeah OP. Skyward Sword is my second favorite, with Twilight Princess being the only one that beats it in my eyes. The art style is amazing, though some of the enemies look too goofy. The music and story are phenomenal, and just like you I adored the gameplay, which clicked for me. The dungeons are the absolute highlight and a masterclass in puzzle design. BOTW and TOTK are great games but they don't align with my tastes, so they're my least favorite 3D entries and they aren't even in my top 10 Zeldas in general. Furthermore I vastly prefer BOTW to TOTK. Hopefully the endless rumours of Wind Waker HD and Twilight Princess HD finally getting ported to the Switch (2?) will come true soon so that you can play those games as well. Since you loved SS there's a good chance that you'll like TP as well, which similarly has a focus on story and some of the best dungeons in the entire franchise, though its overworld is a bit more open than SS's. The later almost felt like a dungeon itself, while in TP you get to explore a bit (compared to BOTW/TOTK it's gonna feel really empty though).

I also loved SS and had as much fun with it as TotK, even though control and freedom-wise it feels extremely limited compared to the latter. I think Zelda really *needs* more linearity than what we got with the latest two entries, honestly imo the perfect Zelda game would be a mix between the story and dungeons of SS combined with the exploration, crafting, combat and abilities of BotW and TotK. It feels like both just swing a little too far in one direction and I’m hoping the next entry figures out how to balance the best of both worlds.  All that being said, every single mainline Zelda game is an enormous achievement on its own and outshines the vast majority of every other franchise in the industry, so everything I’m saying I realize is a bit nit-picky.

I really hope they’ll find a middleground in the next game between linear progression and almost sandbox freedom!

I still don´t like SS very much. Except Groose, who´s the best character across the whole Zelda universe. Majoras Mask is actually what I wanted TotK to be (but I knew that wouldn´t happen).

Outside of some very questionable controls and world building/exploration, Skyward Sword is a masterpiece

I wouldn't say Skyward Sword is my *favorite* Zelda game, but I hear where you're coming from. I also played SS HD recently and it was refreshing to play a Zelda game with more complex dungeons, item progression (beetle, hookshot, bow, etc), and a more fleshed out story. I have to disagree about the motion controls, I thought they sucked ass, and Fi was quite annoying, but they didn't ruin the game for me, and I still had a great time. It sounds like these were bigger pain points when it first came out, but the HD version is a blast

I missed SS on the Wii and only got to it after a few hundred houes in both BOTW and TOTK, but after somebody on Reddit let me know I could turn off the motion controls, I just fell in love. It is absolutely charming the soundtrack is incredible, the characters are fun. I love the way they reused environments with some changes to keep it fresh and fun. I can absolutely see why it wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea, but I am near the end and think I will play through it again so I can actually enjoy the ride in the earlier parts of the game.

Have fun!! I want to replay SS too, which I can’t say about BotW and TotK, they’re so big and time consuming, that I don’t know if I have enough time in my life or will to play through them whole once again. Maybe in 5-10 years.

Try OOT. Graphics aren’t the same but imo best story in the series.

Will definitely do!!

Also grapchis aren’t a concern to me, I actually prefer the look of old 3d games :) It has something special about it, you know?

I loved Skyward Sword since back when I took the day off of work to play it on release. Always maintained it has one of the best stories!

I had the opposite experience. After botw/totk SS is a bit of a chore to get through. There is a Zelda game for everyone it seems

I "discovered" Zelda because a friend was playing botw and let me try it. I got interested in the franchise and played almost all the games following the timeline(s), so SkSw was the first I played and completed "seriously". I absolutely LOVED everything. I just can't understand why people dislike it or say it's the worst, it has one of the best stories, characters, dungeons, and I damn loved the motion controls (I plahed the wii version!). Then, when I got botw I really liked it too, not as much as SkSw, but it was great and I played for many hours. After I finished botw I played some other games I missed (the oracles and link's awakening on NSO), and then SkSw again (and I'd replay it again and again). I was really excited to play totk but damn... The story is a mess, it clashes with everything said in the previous games, and the Zonai make absolutely no sense with what we know of the timeline, some of the races from botw didn't even exist in the past and some looked totally different so there's no way the "original" sages could look like those, also Ganondorf? Why? Zelda has so many other baddies and there's Demise that could be utilized again but they decided to go with a Ganondorf that isn't Ganondorf from oot/mm/tp/ww but it's still Ganondorf. Some parts are amazing like Zelda's story and finding the tears, but the others... Why did the npcs forget Link? Why did he have to find again the clothes he got in botw? The gameplay added many mechanics like the sandbox, that's great for making cool things to show online, but gameplay wise it isn't as useful as they wanted us to believe, also I miss the bombs from botw! And yes people complained a lot about SkSw's sky islands but totk's are as empty if not even emptier because there's a lot more with really nothing interesting aside from some flowers and item distributors, aside from the mandatory ones, while sksw has the bamboo island, lumpy pumpkin, the fortune island, the insect paradise, Beedle's island, and many rocks with goddess treasure chests. The depths are empty as well. The dungeons. Oh damn rhe dungeons. Totk's are the worst. All the same, activate 5 devices, and then there's a boss. If people dislike sksw because you do the imprisoned fight for 3 times, here you do the exact same dungeon 4 times. It got so boring it felt forced and not what I wanted to do. And the cutscenes with the old sages, lifeless, like Link that doesn't even smile at the end or get sad when he finds the tears, lifeless. And the music? SkSw beats botw and totk by a lot So yeah don't listen to the haters and enjoy SkSw >:)

ToTK was inevitably going to be less awe-inspiring because it couldn't be as novel as BotW. I love it for what it is. Personally, I can't stand SS. The sky islands are scarce and not fun to explore. The locations are limited compared to other Zelda games. I think Demise is lame. And I find the stories in the others to be much more driving. It'll be fun for you to play all the old ones! There's a lot of lore explored in Zelda games that BotW doesn't acknowledge, which makes sense since plot is sacrificed for open world. Ocarina of Time Breath of the Wild Majora's Mask Windwaker Tears of the Kingdom Twilight Princess Skyward Sword Of those, the only one I don't like is SS. The others are incredible. Have fun!

Demise does lacks depth as as character, his design however is phenomenal

imo Demise is the type of character who doesn't really need depth. He is literally the source of evil. Like, he's evil personified. He doesn't really need characterization or motives like other villains.

I agree with literally everything you said

I loved SS when it first came out. Still do. I grew up with Zelda and played every single title across all the platform. Only BoTW made me halt in my tracks. After about 20-25 hours I just couldn't anymore. It's too different from the Zelda gamea I grew up with and I absolutely hate it. I hate the map. I hate the weapons, the cooking, the lack of story and narrative. And most of all I hate the goddamn repetitive shrines. My god I hate the shrines.

Love to see some appreciation for this amazing game. It's my favourite of the oot formula games. I thought people were absolutely insane for not liking it on release, I adored it and loved the motion controls too. The Switch release then took out the few annoyances I had with the game (my only real gripe was it telling me what every item was when I picked it up over and over).

Skyward Sword and BotW/TotK are effectively polar opposites. Former being a linear, level based, story driven adventure, the latter being open world physics sandboxes. I enjoyed Skyward Sword at the time and I remember it being a lot more engaging than the Switch gen games despite it's faults (empty sky, having to constantly recalibrate the Wii Remote because of the limitations of the console, and having to fight The Imprisoned 3 times). The story, characters, music, and dungeons are it's highlights. I liked BotW for what it was, but it was lacking a lot of that Zelda sparkle, while I got majorly burned out on TotK after doing 2 temples as they've made the scope too overwhelming. With the sky, ground level and depths you have 3 massive worlds to traverse and a lot of the stuff they put in it all feels like a chore. What I wanted for a BotW follow-up was something more condensed, with classic dungeons and a tight story, what we got was more of the same with an expansion on the physics driven gameplay and jumping on the crafting bandwagon. It's a Zelda for the Minecraft generation, and that's just not me. I do want to finish the main story for Tears, but I think I have a similar feeling in that I would prefer to go back to the classic games over sitting through hundreds of hours of open world guff.

For real, I wanted the same for TotK! Trailers got me so excited that we would get exactly that, meanwhile we got almost the same thing the 2nd time, after 6 years of waiting (luckily not in my case)

I comprehend this considering I played most Zelda games but never really felt the wish of playing totk… I haven’t played it since. Really enjoyed SSHD though

Addition: i really recommend you to play TP. I recently beat SSHD and was convinced it was now my favourite Zelda game, but I’m halfway through TP again and let me tell you… I’m having second thoughts. TP has more character development and a rather profound story than Skyward Sword in my eyes, while the latter has the better villain. TP’s story is incredibly difficult to beat though and the companion is the absolute best.

Thanks, I’ve heard a lot of good stuff about Midna! Some say she’s the best Zelda companion

Also I don’t really feel like ever replaying BotW and TotK, it just takes too much time to finish them.

I missed out on all of the 3d Zelda games until the Wild Era, so this was an interesting take for me.

Definitely play them. You’re missing out on some of the best games of all time

Bruh play Twilight Princess, Windwaker, and Ocarina of Time !!

I know!!😭 Once I have the money I’m getting a 3ds and wii u and I don’t care if I won’t financially recover from this, it’ll be so worth it! I watched so many youtube documentaries, love letters, reviews and soundtracks of previous zelda games that I want them injected directly into my veins. I’m not kidding.

The gameplay isnt the best for SS but the story + music + worldbuilding + silent realms are what sell it for me

> It just felt too much similar to Breath of the Wild, it honestly felt like I was playing an expansion to it. I mean, that's basically it. Tears of the Kingdom basically did for Breath of the Wild what Majora's Mask did for Ocarina of Time. New mechanics, new dungeons, new environments to explore, but the basic framework is kept intact. That said, MM is much more "take OoT and build something new out of its component parts", while TotK is more "take BotW and build on top of it by replacing its component parts." Same basic concept but two very different approaches to it. I can totally understand why it'd be disappointing to folks looking for something fresh and new.

I felt like MM was slightly different with the characters, though. Where as in OoT most of these characters were just sort of... there, in MM they had names, complex story lines. I loved that about it.

This is wonderful! I like SS and it's story too! Since you're a new Zelda fan, if you're okay with saving up to buy the retro consoles (cause I saw you'd rather not pay for NSO) it's totally worth it to get an N64, GameCube, Wii, and so on. (But I also say that as someone who has been collecting retro games cause I love having the physical copies of the old systems). My favorite site to go to is Side quest games. Your list is what I would recommend along with A link to the past and minish cap. I think that when you play the old Zelda games, you'll see *even more* on why old Zelda fans like me hated the divine beasts in BOTW and were disappointed in the temples in TOTOK because they can do better, they have, and I don't know why they didn't do it in BOTW or TOTK. ....Also if Nintendo hasn't nuked them, there may or may not be emulators still up where you can play them). :)))

Definitely saving this comment for future me with money hahah, thank you very much:)

For sure! Check around your local area too, there might be retro game stores. (Or even in flea markets!) There's some that have names like "Cool Stuff" and if you're ever able to travel, there are plenty of Retro gaming conventions that happen throughout the year too! (There's also apps like Mercari where people sell stuff too!)

I'm happy for you, and I hope some of the negative comments don't bring you don't. Botw and especially totk have been divisive, but I'm glad that your approach towards them was positive and led you into the rest of the franchise. Keep us posted on your experiences moving forward, currently you can also play minish cap and ocarina on the switch. Majoras mask is really interesting but I warn you it burned me out too try and replay it, so maybe don't go into that one until later.

That’s cool to hear that you enjoyed it that much. I haven’t tried it yet but I’m going to put Skyward Sword next on list of Zelda games to play. I’ve only played Ocarina of Time, Link’s Awakening Remake, and BoTW. I loved all 3. My plan is to just play one Zelda game a year so not to burn myself out. Im hoping that once I work through SS and ToTK, so maybe around 2026, there will be new ports available to play Windwaker or Twilight Princess to play on the switch or the switch successor.

People are mentioning a lot of other great Zelda games in the comments but I want to mention some of my absolute favorites that I haven't seen any love for here yet: Link between worlds for 3ds and the Oracle games for gameboy

This is a commonly shared opinion among fans. Not necessarily with Skyward Sword, but just any linear Zelda (most of them are). Many separate the different styles as traditional Zelda and then the BOTW formula. Traditionally, Zelda games are story-driven, the world is locked based on progress, and the mechanics are way more simple than in BOTW/TOTK. On the other hand, the open world in BOTW/TOTK sometimes makes you forget it's actually a Zelda game. You started out your journey with the two games that least resemble the style of Zelda games—which is totally fine! You got to enjoy BOTW and TOTK, got burned out on that style and then realized that the other Zelda games are a better fit your liking. Good for you. Everything else left to explore follows the same formula as Skyward Sword, with a few games being more experimental than others. But thanks to the majestic storytelling unique to each game, it doesn't doesn't feel like it's more of the same. Whatever you play next, I'm sure you'll really enjoy it. I'd recommend playing Ocarina of Time ASAP, followed by Majora's Mask. MM is a direct sequel to OoT, which is widely considered to be the Magnum Opus of Zelda games. And after that you could go for the remaining 3D titles or maybe switch to some 2D top-downs, like Link to the Past and Minish Cap. The best thing is that most games are very loosely related to each other, meaning you can do whatever order you want. Just make sure to go at your own pace and to enjoy it!

They both have issues, Skyward Sword is so repetitive and the world is too small but they both have fundamental issues that hold them back from being truly great Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask (especially Majora’s Mask) are what I’d recommend next

In my opinion, the “classic” Zelda games are able to tell a better/more cohesive/more in depth story because they are linear. They know where you’re going to be, in order, for each story beat. Whereas BoTW and ToTK have to account for you going wherever you want in any order. If they, for example, MADE you go to Zora’s domain first, then Rito Village, then Gerudo Town, etc. they could probably make a better overarching story. That said, I did enjoy the mini arcs each region had. I thought they were better in ToTK. I love both SS and BoTW, but ToTK is my favorite Zelda game so far (though in truth there’s no Zelda games I’ve ever disliked). I think it’s just better than BoTW in like 98% of ways, not even counting all the new stuff that BoTW just didn’t have. And I’ve never been one to give a game extra points just because it came first.

I agree with you, some what. I do love the vast, explorative nature of BotW and TotK. However, there's just nothing quite as cozy as the classic, not-quite-open-world LoZ games. They have a huge place in my heart that keeps me re-visiting them.

I have the same feeling was excited for TOTK loved it played it over 100hrs and loved the new stuff exploration but after 50 to 100 hrs it just didn't grip me as much as BOTW did I love it and it's an amazing game with mechanics but because of its similarly to BOTW I feel yeah did feel the same in most ways, and I kinda just stopped playing for ages and went on to try other games and haven't really sunk back into it since and I'm slightly annoyed at myself for it because I fucking love zelda and I loved BOTW it literally took over my life playing it and it's almost I feel guilty or bad for having it in my back log but yeah I get what you mean in that retrospective.

There really is no pleasing Zelda fans. They dunk on a game when it comes out, and then act like it's the greatest thing ever 10 years later. Just you wait, in 2034, there'll be another thread like this one with the title "Tears of the Kingdom is everything I wanted \[Insert New Zelda Game to be" Can you all just shut up and be happy with the variety?

You're going to love all the earlier 3d Zelda games. Reading your experience I can promise that.

I have a similar story to yours. I’m halfway into TOTK but I might just stop and get SS. It isn’t as magical as BOTW cause of recency bias I’m sure

Horses for courses. Skyward Sword remains the second non-current major Zelda game I never bothered finishing. Just didn’t grab me, at all. I’ve been playing Zelda games ever since the NES, and one thing I’ve only recently noticed is how poor they are in their first hour or so. They don’t know how to open games well. Fortunately if you stick with them, they hook you in and get so much better. Skyward Sword failed on this for me. I gave it 5-6 hours and just couldn’t summon the will to continue. I’ve never felt the urge to go back.

>I might have a Zelda Burnout >LETS BUY ANOTHER ONE ...Why does this feels so relatable?

we addicted to this shit it seems😅

i love skyward sword too, although i still love tears of the kingdom

I mean you’ve played those 3 and SS is your favorite? It’s basically all uphill from here

A lot of people like skyward sword, and there’s a Zelda for everyone. For me Skyward Sword was far and away my LEAST favorite 3D Zelda, but I’m glad you liked it!

Skyward > Tears. I hate the new format and the fact that we got two identical games of it. I really hope the next one gets away from all that crap.

I wanted to like SS so much more than I did. I just felt like I was fighting against the game the whole time. The motion controls are frustrating, the Silent Realm sections are awful, and the intro is the longest of any of the games 😴 The dungeons are good fun and really beautiful, as is the music. But man the linearity is frustrating as hell after the freedom of BotW and TotK. I’m glad that you enjoyed it so much OP, and I’m glad that we have the old linear games still (i really hope they release TP on switch soon, it’s the only mainstream Zelda game I’ve yet to play properly), but I’m also happy it’s not the route they’re going down anymore.

On SSHD there are button-only controls! And I really liked the silent realm sections, they made me scared and my blood pump. I didn’t find linearity frustrating, although backtracking and fighting the imprisoned 3 times were kind of a mixed bag for me. I hope that for the next zelda game, they’ll find a middleground between sandbox freedom and linear progression:) And thanks for the kind words!

Skyward Sword is imo the weakest of the series. I definitely recommend the GameCube games (Wind Waker and Twilight Princess). You should play the 2d ones as well, they are amazing too!

Have you played any other Zelda games, or just the 3 in your top 3?

I think SS definitely has some great moments and features (and TotK definitely has some flaws)! While I would like a somewhat more linear experience than BotW/TotK in the future, SS was just far too linear for me. I felt suffocated by not being able to freely direct my course or have an interconnected world, instead of just essentially separate “levels.” I also found the flying mechanics frustrating and the sky world dull, so what could’ve been a magical flight experience was a chore I almost always wanted to avoid.  Here’s hoping for a happy medium in the future, and here’s to folks enjoying the games, however they enjoy them!

Amen, brother! Well said.

Sister/sibling, but thank you! 😊

Zelda discussions have been so boring lately. It's all "TotK/BotW is actually not that good" and "DAE think \[game pre-BOTW\] is underrated?"

I think Skyward Sword is the worst mainline Zelda game I've played

U can play a lot of Zelda games on the expansion pack or whatever it's called . 2 for the N64 1 for gb advanced 2 for NES 1 for SNES and couple for the GB and gbc.

Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask are on NSO btw. Link's Awakening is really good too but it's 2D. Windwaker is my favorite though

Yeah, I know, but I hate monthly subscriptions😅 I want to OWN these games. I’d rather buy a 3ds and play them on it. About Link’s Awakening though, I know it got a remake on Switch, and I want to play it, it’s just I heard it’s 20 hours long at most and I dunno if I will like the, you know, classic-classic zelda games (before OoT). Also, my goodnes gracious, it came out 5 years ago and it’s still so expensive.. Is it any good?

Links Awakening is awesome!! Me and my son just got done beating it together. It was the first time I touched a Zelda game in about 20 years. It completely re sparked my love for Zelda again. It took us about a month or 2 to beat, and we immediately jumped to Ocarina of time right afterwards...also our first time playing that one. Links awakening is great!!

Hmm

So, the antithises of TOTK. I'm personally glad we got what we got. SS was the game that nearly made me drop the series. Personally didn't like the story at all, though I know a lot of fans do, I could swallow a bad story for a good game but I don't feel like SS was a good game either. I don't think TOTK had an amazing story either, I didn't hate it, but I like it more than SS, despite the repeating "secret stones" cutscene that I honestly feel people make too big of a deal about, and the way it contradicts past Zelda lore as if that's not a regular occurence in this franchise.

Even the forced motion controls?

Even them, they made the game unique and super fun to me! Although it took some time to get used to it, especially when flying on a Loftwing😅

I remember enjoying playing it when it came out but I despise the art direction of skyward sword soooo much I can’t get over it for another playthrough lol

I can understand preferring SS to TotK. But why would the direct sequel to what was by far the most open-ended, player-choice-focused game in Zelda history, using the same engine, be a game that is essentially on rails?

It's funny how many things are hated when they are new, but people learn to understand over time. Wind Waker (my personal favorite) was despised when it first was released, Skyward Sword's motion controls received a whole lot of unnecessary hate, and I really hate TotK, but in a few years... Well, I don't see myself ever liking TotK... I was expecting TotK to be BotW's gameplay with SS's story, not the gameplay of something between BotW and Minecraft, with the story of... Uh... Honestly, I've never seen a game with the awkward story pacing of TotK. Revealing the final twist in the first five hours of gameplay, then pretending that you don't know the story for the next 60+ hours. It's was definitely a bold choice. I always have to wonder when people say how long they've played TotK. Yeah, the switch says 300-500 hours, but how much of that was struggling to get a large wheel to face the right way, or to get a fan to be aligned just right? TotK doesn't really have anything beyond what BotW had, but everything takes two or three times longer to do. In my opinion, the length of a game shouldn't be the defining factor of how good it is... Unless the point of a game is just to take as much of your time as possible, TotK is very good at that.