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Flare's Game Reflection #1

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MacroBlazikenSilver's avatar
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A Link to the Past vs. Ocarina of Time.

I never played either of these games as a kid, and am playing through them now on their respective consoles. (No emulators here bitches) From what I can see, everyone always conflicts when it comes to what Zelda game is better. Well... personally, I'm not too into the Zelda series as a whole, seeing as I'm not too great at them. I watched JonTron's top 10 overrated games of all time. While I can kinda agree with some of the things he says, the way he presents them is very matter-of-factly, as if he's right, and everyone else is wrong. I can really see why he took it down, but it got me thinking about this, since Link to the Past was #1 on the list. You can watch it for yourselves, but I warn, your favorite game may be on the list. (Honestly I'm really REALLY surprised there was no Call of Duty or Halo. I've played them... nothing.) Back to the matter at hand, I know for a fact that both A Link to the Past and Ocarina of Time are FANTASTIC games. Nobody can really deny that. They're well put together, challenging, but not overly difficult for the most part, the control is solid, the pacing is great, the gameplay is top-notch and memorable, and the series itself is just creative. One of the most rewarding things about these games is getting a Heart Container after beating a boss. There's no better feeling than picking up a heart from a dead boss's carcass and having it add to your max health. (I'm ALL OVER more health... I get hit a lot.) Obviously, these games differ quite a bit when it comes down to it. From the story line, the environments, even to how many dimensions the game has. But which one is better? Well... Technically, you can't say for sure. The reasoning behind this is they're from two totally different eras of video games. Link to the Past is back in the 16-bit, 2D era, while Ocarina of Time is a full-fledged 3D adventure. So... the better question is really "which do you prefer?".

Personally, I much prefer Ocarina of Time over Link to the Past. Don't get me wrong, I like them both. I really do. Been playing them both for hours on end lately. But there's something more... frustrating about Link to the Past. I don't know what it is, but I just take WAY more damage than I do in Ocarina of Time. Couple that with the very little amount of hearts they seem to give you, and it makes for a very enraging experience. I know the game is supposed to ramp up in difficulty, but somehow, 7 hearts just isn't enough for me. I admit, I suck at Link to the Past. Really. But, CAN I PLEASE GET SOME MORE HEARTS? How many enemies do I have to kill before I get a heart to spawn? And aaaaalll those pots... Its so unsatisfying when you kill a room full of enemies, and all they give you are rupies, which by the way I have 999 of. While playing last time, it seriously just dawned on me that you could buy potions. Call me stupid, but in Ocarina of Time, hearts are plentiful, at least from what I've seen, and I just don't get hit as much, so I don't need potions. Potion thing aside, the game just seems harder, which I appreciate. I just need to learn how to adjust to it.

With that said, Link to the Past does something very well that Ocarina of Time doesn't. The map. I can't figure out Ocarina of Time's map system for the life of me. I'm talking about the map of the overworld. Not the dungeon maps. Link to the Past's map is so easy to use. Shows your position, and all the items you're looking for at the moment. Fantastic. Ocarina of time just gives you a vague area with some dots. It doesn't show your current position, nor does it show the location of the items you are searching for. Only major landmarks, which I suppose is all you can expect since the world is so much larger in comparison to Link to the Past. To make up for this, you have everyone's favorite character Navi to help guide you. I actually find her quite helpful and not as annoying as everyone claims.... Am I just waiting for a shitstorm or something? (as a note, I just got the Master Sword, and am on my way to the Forest Temple.) Back on topic, the map just doesn't seem to be of any use in Ocarina of Time, and no I'm not talking about the mini-map in the bottom-right corner of the screen. Most useful shit ever. I'm talking about the map in the pause menu.

On the issue of control, Ocarina of Time takes the cake once again. (No Silver not a cheesecake.) I always seem to press the wrong button when I'm playing Link to the Past, and no matter how long I play, I keep doing it. I go to swing the sword, and open up the map, or use whatever is assigned to Y. I really wish I could re-map the controls, because B being the sword button just doesn't work for me. Again, it's probably an adjustment issue, but its still an issue none-the-less. In Ocarina, I have no such issue. Occasionally, I'll press the wrong C button, but that can be fixed with a simple reassignment of what item is there. Every control is easily viewable in the HUD, something I tend to take for granted. When its not there, I play like a retarded monkey, as shown in Link to the Past. I do get the hang of it eventually, but every time I start the game up again, I am met with the same issues. You'd think I'd learn. (this only happens with Link to the Past by the way. Every other game is just fine. Probably because freakin' B isn't the button I go to by reflex. That honor goes to X. Hence why I keep opening the fucking map. OH GOD AN ENEMY IS CHARGING AT ME! Hold on lemme check the map. yep. that's how it works.)

This isn't to say that I can't control Link to the Past. I can, just not very well, and that's my fault, not the game's, and is most likely why I can't go 5 feet without dying. But even when I do remember which button swings the sword I still can't make it connect with an enemy. The swing just never seems to connect with an enemy, not to mention you have to be two pixels away from your target. (STUPID SQUIBBLY SQUABBLY WORMS) I'm not very good when it comes to close encounters, even in Ocarina, and this leads to me being hit by even the simplest of enemies. Flying enemies are my worst nightmare in Link to the Past. I can NEVER seem to hit them. No matter what. I guess for me it really all comes down to skill. I have a lot more experience in 3D games, and apparently can maneuver and control them a lot better than 2D games. Seems odd but it's true.

There's also the story in both games. Link to the Past just kinda sends you on your way with very little or no explanation as to why. I kinda like this since I don't have to sit through four years of cutscenes, but I'd still like to know what's going on. Instead the story is kinda told through NPC's, but talking to them is dull and boring, and not very rewarding. Not to mention they say the same thing no matter how many times you talk to them. Ocarina of Time does have cutscenes you have to sit through, when you do get a full-blown cutscene, its usually pretty freakin' sweet. It even competes now in the ranks of Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy. Yeah, I said it. They're just freakin' enjoyable, and there are no annoying voices to ruin it. (LOOKING AT YOU SORA FROM KH1). Yeah, reading all that dialogue in non-motion-picture-goodness is dull and boring, but I'll never NEVER forget when you get the Master Sword and turn into adult Link. You learn that you've been absent for 7 years, and Ganondorf has taken over the world. Now you walk out and kinda as you'd expect everything is dark and desolate. Honestly, one of the most chilling experiences in Ocarina of Time is seeing Castle Town turn from bustling, thriving city, to desolate wasteland filled with nothing but a few ReDeads. Fuckin' ReDeads. Hate those things. That scream. bleh. Even though I KNEW it was coming it still sent a chill up my spine. Probably because I was actually playing it instead of just watching. Its still unsettling when you go out and everything seems to continue as normal. Its just so bizarre. (And yes, when I first encountered a ReDead, it scared the hell out of me. Didn't expect to see ReDeads in the Royal Tomb.)

These are the basic reasons I prefer Ocarina over Link to the Past, and really they're the only reasons. Every Zelda game seems to be its own universe, and that's something I really enjoy. You get a completely different story line every game, instead of one long story line where plot holes have to be filled with every new release. (LOOKING AT YOU KINGDOM HEARTS) Yeah, when you try to connect them, its a headache, but I prefer to think of them as separate games, each with something different to offer. So to me, there is no Zelda that's better than the others. Just the ones I enjoy playing more. Its always difficult when a game makes a jump into the 3D world, as you have to completely revamp the way you do things, not only visual-wise, but also gameplay wise. Graphically, I actually prefer Link to the Past, even though sometimes, I don't know what's going on with Link's sprite, and his hair looks pink, but the graphics on the N64 look very dated, and polygonal. I know that's to be expected, and for the time they were stunning, but that doesn't change the fact that now they look blocky, and in some cases just awful. Ocarina is still good-looking though, don't get me wrong, but its as if its been in the sun too long and the colors have faded. Its like your favorite shirt that you've had for years, and no matter how battered it becomes, you still love that old thing. Both of these games are simply fantastic, but I just happen to enjoy Ocarina of Time way more. (even if it is more cryptic.)


And with all that said, where do YOU stand on the matter?
(And yes, I LOVE Kingdom Hearts. It's an awesome game series, but the story has just gotten so convoluted its not even funny anymore.)
Since I love video games so much, and have a wide range of experience with them, I thought I'd share my thoughts on the whole Link to the Past vs Ocarina of Time matter. Everyone always claims that Link to the Past is one of the best. This is all based on my personal experiences. I noted that I never played either of these as a kid to avoid the whole "nostalgia-blindness" thing. So I just kinda wanted to give my input, and maybe see where you guys stand on the matter. If you guys maybe like this, perhaps I can do some more.

(YES I'M STILL WORKING ON LEGEND OF THE LONELY LUCARIO. I SWEAR)
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You swear Huh...? C: