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It's the dungeons, you've just got to love those dungeons.
Every Zelda game had had them, and they seem to have developed something of a template, yet they are all very different.
Let me talk you through the basic set up for a dungeon. After struggling just to find a way in there, you'll find that there are a number of rooms you can wander through, and certain areas you can see, but just can't get to. Your wandering will lead you to keys, a dungeon map, and a compass. No doubt there will be hidden rooms, found by bombing cracks in the wall, but you'll no doubt miss these at first as you explore. There's almost certain to be some push-block puzzles too, which when solved will either reveal a chest, or another exit from the room.
Soon enough you'll wander into a new room, and the door will slam shut behind you. The regular dungeon music will fade out, and on comes the mini-boss tune. Thankfully mini-bosses are usually simpler than regular end of dungeon bosses, but they can still be quite a challenge. You also find many familiar faces as mini-bosses, such as ones you've faced in past games. One I've seen a number of times is the one that throws the boulder at you, then hops after it. I love it when I have to face that one, he's become a bit of a favourite!
Anyway, once the mini-boss is disposed of you start to think that you've nearly finished it. You check the map, and it looks like you've been in most of the rooms. You soon find a new item in a chest somewhere, maybe the hook-shot, the bow and arrow, or something. Whatever it is, you'll find that you can use it to get into all sorts of new areas of the dungeon.
This is the point in which you realise that you need another key, so you go about searching for chests. But the first one that you find will contain Rupees, and even it's alot, you can't help but feel disappointed that it wasn't the key. Eventually you'll get it though, and make your way into one of the few remaining unexplored rooms to discover the boss key.
SO now you're thinking that it's just a simple case of wandering in and defeating the boss, only then you remember that you haven't even seen the boss room. You check the map, and it's shows you've been there, so you back-track, only do discover that it's across a huge pit, next to some steps, so you'll have to now go looking for a different way to find the room. You thought you were there, but not quite, there's still more work to do. Bu you'll get there, no doubt after smashing your head against the wall, wondering how you could have missed something so obvious, and when you do get there, you'll wish you hadn't! The frantic music will kick off, and it'll come running at you. You don't have time to think, you just run for it. You have to take a while to regain your composure, look for weaknesses in your enemy,, but it's all part of the fun.
The thing about Zelda's dungeons is that there's so much packed into a small area. When you find the map, you don't think it will take long, but there are so many puzzles and secrets that you spend a long time in there, working through it all. Also, when you get stuck, it's always because you haven't seen something, a crack in the wall, or another clue, it's never because it's stupid, or doesn't make sense.
Also, the amount of enemies in a particular room is well balanced. Early on you'll find few enemies, but as you progress through the game, you'll find a number of different ones all after you at the same time, but as you've developed through playing the game, it's never more than you can cope with.
The one dungeon that sticks in my mind from all of the Zelda games is one from Link's Awakening, on the GameBoy. I believe it was the seventh dungeon, and it was a tower with 4 or 5 floors. The basic idea of it was to knock down four pillars on one floor, to bring the floor above crashing down into it, combining the two, and making the path to the boss clear. A couple of these pillars were an absolute doddle to find, but there was one which I could see, but I simply couldn't get the ball that I had to throw at it any where near it. Once I figured it out it was so satisfying.
I guess that's why I don't care what the new Zelda game looks like, there was magic there on the Gameboy, and the games ruled on the NES. It's never been about the graphics, but about the genius in level design, the feeling you get from making progress, and fantastic adventure. I'm looking forward to getting stuck in many, many more dungeons!
Every Zelda game had had them, and they seem to have developed something of a template, yet they are all very different.
Let me talk you through the basic set up for a dungeon. After struggling just to find a way in there, you'll find that there are a number of rooms you can wander through, and certain areas you can see, but just can't get to. Your wandering will lead you to keys, a dungeon map, and a compass. No doubt there will be hidden rooms, found by bombing cracks in the wall, but you'll no doubt miss these at first as you explore. There's almost certain to be some push-block puzzles too, which when solved will either reveal a chest, or another exit from the room.
Soon enough you'll wander into a new room, and the door will slam shut behind you. The regular dungeon music will fade out, and on comes the mini-boss tune. Thankfully mini-bosses are usually simpler than regular end of dungeon bosses, but they can still be quite a challenge. You also find many familiar faces as mini-bosses, such as ones you've faced in past games. One I've seen a number of times is the one that throws the boulder at you, then hops after it. I love it when I have to face that one, he's become a bit of a favourite!
Anyway, once the mini-boss is disposed of you start to think that you've nearly finished it. You check the map, and it looks like you've been in most of the rooms. You soon find a new item in a chest somewhere, maybe the hook-shot, the bow and arrow, or something. Whatever it is, you'll find that you can use it to get into all sorts of new areas of the dungeon.
This is the point in which you realise that you need another key, so you go about searching for chests. But the first one that you find will contain Rupees, and even it's alot, you can't help but feel disappointed that it wasn't the key. Eventually you'll get it though, and make your way into one of the few remaining unexplored rooms to discover the boss key.
SO now you're thinking that it's just a simple case of wandering in and defeating the boss, only then you remember that you haven't even seen the boss room. You check the map, and it's shows you've been there, so you back-track, only do discover that it's across a huge pit, next to some steps, so you'll have to now go looking for a different way to find the room. You thought you were there, but not quite, there's still more work to do. Bu you'll get there, no doubt after smashing your head against the wall, wondering how you could have missed something so obvious, and when you do get there, you'll wish you hadn't! The frantic music will kick off, and it'll come running at you. You don't have time to think, you just run for it. You have to take a while to regain your composure, look for weaknesses in your enemy,, but it's all part of the fun.
The thing about Zelda's dungeons is that there's so much packed into a small area. When you find the map, you don't think it will take long, but there are so many puzzles and secrets that you spend a long time in there, working through it all. Also, when you get stuck, it's always because you haven't seen something, a crack in the wall, or another clue, it's never because it's stupid, or doesn't make sense.
Also, the amount of enemies in a particular room is well balanced. Early on you'll find few enemies, but as you progress through the game, you'll find a number of different ones all after you at the same time, but as you've developed through playing the game, it's never more than you can cope with.
The one dungeon that sticks in my mind from all of the Zelda games is one from Link's Awakening, on the GameBoy. I believe it was the seventh dungeon, and it was a tower with 4 or 5 floors. The basic idea of it was to knock down four pillars on one floor, to bring the floor above crashing down into it, combining the two, and making the path to the boss clear. A couple of these pillars were an absolute doddle to find, but there was one which I could see, but I simply couldn't get the ball that I had to throw at it any where near it. Once I figured it out it was so satisfying.
I guess that's why I don't care what the new Zelda game looks like, there was magic there on the Gameboy, and the games ruled on the NES. It's never been about the graphics, but about the genius in level design, the feeling you get from making progress, and fantastic adventure. I'm looking forward to getting stuck in many, many more dungeons!
Zelda 2 on the NES was not a very good game, i know its hard to believe it was'nt good but it wasnt. The world map had a birdseye view like the first but then when u went into a town or dungeon it turned into a 2d platformer like Mario. The best thing about Zelda dugeeons is that they never become similar, in other games where you find a key, open a door such as silent hill 2, it can get quite repetative. Zelda don't.
Apparantly the Zelda game on the GC doesnt exist
Yeah, the Dungeons are definitley one of the best parts, and they bring out the true meaning of 'adventure' in all Zelda games!
Controlling and being Link also has to be one of the best parts of the game, just like in any other RPG. It's not only due to each character's moves and capabillities, but 'playing' the 'role' of a hero is something no-one can fail to enjoy!
I haven't really had any doubts over the next Zelda except graphically, and now that i've read this, I simply cannot wait!
I'm sure you'll love the Ocarina of Time re-make Meka, with all the Dungeons that were for one reason or another 'left out' of the original adventure.
And if it is true that you can control the sword with C-stick and Link with the other, then this will be one heck of an incredible RPG adventure!!
Controlling and being Link also has to be one of the best parts of the game, just like in any other RPG. It's not only due to each character's moves and capabillities, but 'playing' the 'role' of a hero is something no-one can fail to enjoy!
I haven't really had any doubts over the next Zelda except graphically, and now that i've read this, I simply cannot wait!
I'm sure you'll love the Ocarina of Time re-make Meka, with all the Dungeons that were for one reason or another 'left out' of the original adventure.
And if it is true that you can control the sword with C-stick and Link with the other, then this will be one heck of an incredible RPG adventure!!
I dont know why I like them but I like them, Im not good at them though
Personally i like the puzzles as it always a challenge to solve some of them, especially at the end of the game, but the big problem is that in most of the big bosses once you know how do defeat them it is almost no longer challenging. I find that reduces the replay value of the game, as it also means that you know how to solve the puzzles, and it would help if it got more challenging or you could unlock a 'hard mode' or something...
you are soooooooooooooooo right!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nice post Meka, I love Zelda games but for me it is just taking the role of Link and in some ways a sense of freedom within the game. For example you might chill out and just ride Epona around Hyrule field or go fishing near the lake. With the rupees you can go and play on any of the many mini games, my favourite being the shooting range!
Again nice post Meka
The BIGMAN :-)
Again nice post Meka
The BIGMAN :-)
It'll be nice to save mid dungeon this time.
Majora's Mask sort of rushed you to do the lot in one shift.
You COULD go leave to get to the owls but that would be a pain.
And when you saved at an owl, there was always the danger that your little brother would open your file, realise he'd made a mistake and switch of the machine without going back to the owl.
As you all might remember, this would mean your owl save would be lost and you'd go back to your last "Song of Time" save, losing all the progress you'd made in getting into that dungeon!
Majora's Mask sort of rushed you to do the lot in one shift.
You COULD go leave to get to the owls but that would be a pain.
And when you saved at an owl, there was always the danger that your little brother would open your file, realise he'd made a mistake and switch of the machine without going back to the owl.
As you all might remember, this would mean your owl save would be lost and you'd go back to your last "Song of Time" save, losing all the progress you'd made in getting into that dungeon!
It's the dungeons, you've just got to love those dungeons.
Every Zelda game had had them, and they seem to have developed something of a template, yet they are all very different.
Let me talk you through the basic set up for a dungeon. After struggling just to find a way in there, you'll find that there are a number of rooms you can wander through, and certain areas you can see, but just can't get to. Your wandering will lead you to keys, a dungeon map, and a compass. No doubt there will be hidden rooms, found by bombing cracks in the wall, but you'll no doubt miss these at first as you explore. There's almost certain to be some push-block puzzles too, which when solved will either reveal a chest, or another exit from the room.
Soon enough you'll wander into a new room, and the door will slam shut behind you. The regular dungeon music will fade out, and on comes the mini-boss tune. Thankfully mini-bosses are usually simpler than regular end of dungeon bosses, but they can still be quite a challenge. You also find many familiar faces as mini-bosses, such as ones you've faced in past games. One I've seen a number of times is the one that throws the boulder at you, then hops after it. I love it when I have to face that one, he's become a bit of a favourite!
Anyway, once the mini-boss is disposed of you start to think that you've nearly finished it. You check the map, and it looks like you've been in most of the rooms. You soon find a new item in a chest somewhere, maybe the hook-shot, the bow and arrow, or something. Whatever it is, you'll find that you can use it to get into all sorts of new areas of the dungeon.
This is the point in which you realise that you need another key, so you go about searching for chests. But the first one that you find will contain Rupees, and even it's alot, you can't help but feel disappointed that it wasn't the key. Eventually you'll get it though, and make your way into one of the few remaining unexplored rooms to discover the boss key.
SO now you're thinking that it's just a simple case of wandering in and defeating the boss, only then you remember that you haven't even seen the boss room. You check the map, and it's shows you've been there, so you back-track, only do discover that it's across a huge pit, next to some steps, so you'll have to now go looking for a different way to find the room. You thought you were there, but not quite, there's still more work to do. Bu you'll get there, no doubt after smashing your head against the wall, wondering how you could have missed something so obvious, and when you do get there, you'll wish you hadn't! The frantic music will kick off, and it'll come running at you. You don't have time to think, you just run for it. You have to take a while to regain your composure, look for weaknesses in your enemy,, but it's all part of the fun.
The thing about Zelda's dungeons is that there's so much packed into a small area. When you find the map, you don't think it will take long, but there are so many puzzles and secrets that you spend a long time in there, working through it all. Also, when you get stuck, it's always because you haven't seen something, a crack in the wall, or another clue, it's never because it's stupid, or doesn't make sense.
Also, the amount of enemies in a particular room is well balanced. Early on you'll find few enemies, but as you progress through the game, you'll find a number of different ones all after you at the same time, but as you've developed through playing the game, it's never more than you can cope with.
The one dungeon that sticks in my mind from all of the Zelda games is one from Link's Awakening, on the GameBoy. I believe it was the seventh dungeon, and it was a tower with 4 or 5 floors. The basic idea of it was to knock down four pillars on one floor, to bring the floor above crashing down into it, combining the two, and making the path to the boss clear. A couple of these pillars were an absolute doddle to find, but there was one which I could see, but I simply couldn't get the ball that I had to throw at it any where near it. Once I figured it out it was so satisfying.
I guess that's why I don't care what the new Zelda game looks like, there was magic there on the Gameboy, and the games ruled on the NES. It's never been about the graphics, but about the genius in level design, the feeling you get from making progress, and fantastic adventure. I'm looking forward to getting stuck in many, many more dungeons!
Every Zelda game had had them, and they seem to have developed something of a template, yet they are all very different.
Let me talk you through the basic set up for a dungeon. After struggling just to find a way in there, you'll find that there are a number of rooms you can wander through, and certain areas you can see, but just can't get to. Your wandering will lead you to keys, a dungeon map, and a compass. No doubt there will be hidden rooms, found by bombing cracks in the wall, but you'll no doubt miss these at first as you explore. There's almost certain to be some push-block puzzles too, which when solved will either reveal a chest, or another exit from the room.
Soon enough you'll wander into a new room, and the door will slam shut behind you. The regular dungeon music will fade out, and on comes the mini-boss tune. Thankfully mini-bosses are usually simpler than regular end of dungeon bosses, but they can still be quite a challenge. You also find many familiar faces as mini-bosses, such as ones you've faced in past games. One I've seen a number of times is the one that throws the boulder at you, then hops after it. I love it when I have to face that one, he's become a bit of a favourite!
Anyway, once the mini-boss is disposed of you start to think that you've nearly finished it. You check the map, and it looks like you've been in most of the rooms. You soon find a new item in a chest somewhere, maybe the hook-shot, the bow and arrow, or something. Whatever it is, you'll find that you can use it to get into all sorts of new areas of the dungeon.
This is the point in which you realise that you need another key, so you go about searching for chests. But the first one that you find will contain Rupees, and even it's alot, you can't help but feel disappointed that it wasn't the key. Eventually you'll get it though, and make your way into one of the few remaining unexplored rooms to discover the boss key.
SO now you're thinking that it's just a simple case of wandering in and defeating the boss, only then you remember that you haven't even seen the boss room. You check the map, and it's shows you've been there, so you back-track, only do discover that it's across a huge pit, next to some steps, so you'll have to now go looking for a different way to find the room. You thought you were there, but not quite, there's still more work to do. Bu you'll get there, no doubt after smashing your head against the wall, wondering how you could have missed something so obvious, and when you do get there, you'll wish you hadn't! The frantic music will kick off, and it'll come running at you. You don't have time to think, you just run for it. You have to take a while to regain your composure, look for weaknesses in your enemy,, but it's all part of the fun.
The thing about Zelda's dungeons is that there's so much packed into a small area. When you find the map, you don't think it will take long, but there are so many puzzles and secrets that you spend a long time in there, working through it all. Also, when you get stuck, it's always because you haven't seen something, a crack in the wall, or another clue, it's never because it's stupid, or doesn't make sense.
Also, the amount of enemies in a particular room is well balanced. Early on you'll find few enemies, but as you progress through the game, you'll find a number of different ones all after you at the same time, but as you've developed through playing the game, it's never more than you can cope with.
The one dungeon that sticks in my mind from all of the Zelda games is one from Link's Awakening, on the GameBoy. I believe it was the seventh dungeon, and it was a tower with 4 or 5 floors. The basic idea of it was to knock down four pillars on one floor, to bring the floor above crashing down into it, combining the two, and making the path to the boss clear. A couple of these pillars were an absolute doddle to find, but there was one which I could see, but I simply couldn't get the ball that I had to throw at it any where near it. Once I figured it out it was so satisfying.
I guess that's why I don't care what the new Zelda game looks like, there was magic there on the Gameboy, and the games ruled on the NES. It's never been about the graphics, but about the genius in level design, the feeling you get from making progress, and fantastic adventure. I'm looking forward to getting stuck in many, many more dungeons!