When I was a kid and first saw my aunt and uncles Nintendo and they were playing SMB I was so in awe and wanted one. Then a year later I was at their house and my aunt was playing this new game that was amazing to watch and had a golden cart. It was Zelda and I begged my parents to get it for my birthday.
Zelda is my all time favorite IP. It has easily garnered more of my time than any other game platform. It is the reason I buy Nintendo before anything else... and most the time only Nintendo consoles.
I played and replayed the original more than SMB. I figured out the lost woods by simply wandering. I drew my own map of every dungeon. I gasped at how easy Gannon was to defeat as compared to every other boss in the whole game. I bombed and burnt everything in the over world.
At every release of every iteration I eagerly waited to gain my first sword as a young lad in green tights.
I ate the cereal. I watched the cartoon. I pretended to be Link. I bought 3D Dot Heroes just because it is so much like Zelda. (it really is, though with many many flaws) I've been overjoyed by how much my kids like the watch the cartoon on Netflix.
Now that I'm an adult I no longer need to beg for a game. I will own ZeldaSS on day one. I will own the next Nintendo solely for the eventual release of Zelda.
My top 5 ... wtf.. they're all great. All shine as great as the others.
1. Zelda, Zelda II, ZeldaLTTP, ZeldaOoT, ZeldaMM, ZeldaWW, ZeldaTP, ZeldaSS, Zelda[enter acronym].......
2-5 fucking Legend of Zelda!
