Zelda - Where to start?

[Ayeun]

Morning all..

So, I have never played Zelda ever. I know, that's bad. I was just wondering where I should start? Is there a 'current' generation of games where I can start from, or am I going to have to get an emulator to go back to the original NES games?

[kurai]

the original NES games are really only thematically similar... just skip them since they aren't very fun without nostalgia

otherwise with zelda games you have a split between 2D and 3D and so you have two historical origins

if you want to start 2D,
A Link to the Past: available on snes, gba, wii virtual console

it's a really great game to which, until recently, later 2D games mostly lived up to through imitation

if you want to start 3D,
Ocarina of Time: available on n64, gamecube, wii virtual console, 3ds

really all the games after a link to the past are built on a specific gimmick
if you do not like the gimmick, you will not like the game
ocarina of time is pretty light in this respect

but really you can start anywhere, they don't have a particularly important plot continuity... just elaboration on the general zelda theme through a particular gimmick for a given game

if you want a fast introduction to the series, the minish cap (GBA) takes like a day to complete

[Mikachu Yukitatsu]

Well Ayeun, you are quite in the same situation as I was in 2009 (http://www.pokemasters.net/forums/showthread.php?t=18852). There I was told that I shouldn't worry about spoilers but that the game mechanics in some Zelda games provide a better understanding of the system than the others.

So I went to shops to look for Zelda games. Now I have three Zelda games myself, Ocarina of Time, Phantom Hourglass and Twilight Princess, the only ones I was able to find at the moment. But to be honest here, I sort of gave up, haven't touched those games for a long time. I don't know why, but somehow Link doesn't appeal to me that much.

[classy_cat18]

I agree with kurai. You can start from just about anywhere; it won't matter. The only downside is you won't get the references from any of the other games but the gameplay and story is what you're after.

I wasn't very good with Zelda as a kid, and even now I can't get very far without a game guide (doing okay playing Skyward Sword blind though). I keep coming back though.

[Blademaster]

Kurai pretty much nailed it, but I wouldn't discount the NES games - they haven't aged well, but if you like a challenge, they're damn fun even without the nostalgia.

[Ayeun]

Thanks for that guys.

So my best bet is to get a 3DS, and Ocarina of Time then.

[ChobiChibi]

I liked the more recent games better? I have the collector's edition of Windwaker, with the GC ports of the previous Zelda games, but I just couldn't get into them. After seeing Link to the Past being played on the Snes, it has made me want to try that again.

But then, I started with Windwaker... So yeah...

I'm playing Skyward Sword too, and mostly I miss Midna :( I know it's got nothing to do with Twilight Princess, but I loved Midna's humour and her back story. Fi just seems so mechanical. Maybe something will happen with her later on, who knows...

[Link]

Thanks for that guys.

So my best bet is to get a 3DS, and Ocarina of Time then.

Or, get the collector's editiion zelda 3ds bundled with oot.

[Leon-IH]

Link to the Past is so much better than Ocarina it's not even funny.

[DivineAll]

I'd recommend any handheld Zelda games before moving on to the console ones if you want to just experience a Zelda game and not go 100% in a Zelda game.

[classy_cat18]

Fi just seems so mechanical.

That's what I like about her. She's got that Spock feel; she's a lot different from the other Exposition Fairies.

[Master Rudy]

Well as others have said the original NES game has not aged well. However it can still be a ton of fun. I do suggest skipping Zelda 2: The Adventures of Link however. Nintendo opted for a blend of side scrolling with an RPG level up system. It's not a bad game in it's own right but it's not like any other 2D Zelda game at all.

With that being said bear in mind that the Zelda timeline tends to get more and more screwy with each new entry in the main series. Each time the fanbase thinks they've got things figured out things get reconned yet again. Originally you had the first two games on the NES. When they released A Link to the Past it was called a prequel to the first game but later on it was said to be a sequel. With the release of Ocarina of Time and the timeline split however things only got more complex. At this point about the only thing that can be agreed on is the fact that OoT is without question first in the series.

While the game do not have to be played in order I would personally suggest starting with OoT despite the fact that I feel that Twilight Princess is a much better game. It'll at least flesh out the main backstory and lore of the series as a whole since games in the 80's and early 90's weren't as good at doing this.

As far as the two timelines go anything featuring the cel shaded Link seen in Wind Waker is suppose to be the future Hyrule seen in the second half of OoT. Excluding OoT any game that features a more realistic looking or adult Link is the present day timeline from OoT (it all makes sense in context)

As far as the actual timeline goes the only direct sequel in the main series is Zelda 2 on the NES (I don't have a Wii so forgive me if Skyward Sword is indeed a direct sequel). The main series includes any game that debuted on a console. Also be aware that unless a game is a direct sequel that the Link and Zelda featured from game to game are actually different people. Gannon is the only character in the series who is literally the same person from game to game. It's not clearly explained why he keeps coming back to life but since the main plot of Zelda 2 is his resurrection it's generally assumed that either his minons revive him or that the Triforce of Power somehow brings him back.

With all that being said the three main games in the series that I would highly suggest are Ocarina of Time (due to being first in the timeline), Twilight Princess (due to being the best 3D Zelda IMO) and A Link to the Past (due to being generally considered the best Zelda game of all time and not nearly as overated as OoT)

In any case enjoy ^_~

[Link]

I like your points, and agree with most of those points, Master Rudy. However, I have a Wii and the Skyward Sword game is going to be my first Zelda game for the Wii, and it's an origins style game, so it may be the beginning of it all or a prequel, but either way it looks to be an amazing game on its own, and it's gotten high reviews from a lot of different sites and magazines.