Top The Legend of Zelda Games!

[S.Peelman]

I'll say again that Link's Awakening is brilliant. No other 2D Zelda can touch it, not even A Link to the Past or A Link Between Worlds.

And about the Wind Waker discussion, I know I'm hard on that game more often than not, and I don't miss any opportunity to say it's my least favorite of the 3D Zelda games, but yes, it's still a good game. I like the lighthearted style and the graphics accompanying it, the storyline and it's characters and the final boss-fight. The game also probably has the greatest soundtrack in the entire series.

However, it seriously lacks in the areas that count most to me; dungeons and the structure of the world. There is little of interest to find in it's large world. Which isn't actually very large but just made to seem that way because of the sea. The dungeons are too few. It's glaringly missing a dungeon for Farore's Pearl, I was let down by that even back then. The dungeons that are there are also too short and not very original or inspired, barring a handful of aspects across the game. No boss fight, aside from the final ones which I mentioned, is very memorable and one is even recycled. Ocarina of Time, Twilight Princess and Skyward Sword completely obliterate Wind Waker in the "dungeon-departement".

Lastly Wind Waker is way too easy. Twilight Princess isn't very difficult either, but unlike that game even the Wind Waker's version of the Cave of Ordeals, which is actually challenging, is mindnumbingly easy. In all the playthroughs of Wind Waker I had, I think I only saw the Game Over screen once, early in WWHD Hero Mode playthrough. I think it's the easiest of the entire franchise, maybe only beaten by The Minish Cap.

Speaking of WWHD, that remaster did do the game some favors, probably in this contest, but to me personally as well. The improved Sail improved navigation and made the world less tedious and the Triforce Quest was fixed in a good way. I do look more favorably at the game now.