What defines the Zelda experience?

[blunty51]

Farmageddon said:

blunty51 said:

Farmageddon said:

blunty51 said:

P.S. Those who say that zelda 1 for nes didn't have puzzle elements, and that it was only "push random block and burn random tree" are living too much in the present. There wasn't much they could have done (with the tech) at that time and they did a fine job. It wasn't random btw, it was the very same tree/wall/block in every play through that could be manipulated. Watch what you say.

There were games with actual puzzles even back then and, to the player, the bombing/setting on fire/pushing was basically random. There was basically no thinking involved, so I wouldn't count it as a puzzle on any level. Anyway, they sure did a fine job :)

Sure...there were games with 'actual' puzzles back then, but that's because they were...you know..puzzle games (like q-bert). This was an adventure game with lots of secrets to be found. Wasn't straight puzzles but "puzzle-like-elements", like the lost woods, finding the master sword, and the other area where you go continue going up. Combine that with the  supposedly "random" stuff and you got some puzzle-like stuff. I still stand by the fact that ppl are comparing this too much to present-day stuff. Just saying..

Oh, you do have a point with the riddles. Still, to me, and I believe to others on this thread as well, many of these elements felt like they were more, much more, about exploration (like looking for suspicious bushs, trying to get to some place, searching for a dungeons, the general finding of secrets as you point) than actual puzzles.

So I think the puzzles were not what brought players in and amazed people, but much more the sense of exploration coupled with the open world mechanic, challenge and sheer scope and sense of adventuring. Small riddles may have been a part on these things, but they were much more accessory than essential, at least this is how I see it. These "puzzles" were much less of a defining point of the experience than they are in the newer games, and exploration and even combat were much more in the spotlight.

But yeah, you are right, there was a bit of light, basic, simple puzzling as part of the exploration in the form of the riddles, I indeed didn't think that through.

Yea, i guess on that light level. It certainly was a vast brilliant open world wasn't it? For me the puzzle-like stuff/secrets was really the topping on the cake for an already great game...and really accentuated my memory of it. I guess playing games like Metroid/Guardian Legend/even TMNT beforehand, which had fairly big overworlds with lots of exploring, soughta made that aspect of Zelda a little less impactful. This is why i guess everyone here has different views...but hey..it all points to one thing...greatness!