The Legend of Zelda - Ultimate Challenge?

***Dorbin*** · 06-04-2003, 09:53 PM

I purchased the Wind Waker Sunday night, and I must say it is a well made and fun game, but what it is not (at least thus far...I am at the castle in the sea) is challenging; I have heard similar complaints from other sources.

Many of you may have forgotten, or are too young to remember, the original two entries in the Zelda series, which were both very challenging games. In fact, on the front of the "Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link" original box are the words "Another journey of ultimate challenge in the fantasy world of Hyrule." On the back, the second paragraph begins with, "In the tradition of the Legend of Zelda, The Adventure of Link is one of the most challenging video games we've ever created."

Now, may I ask, what exactly happened? Clearly, the "ultimate challenge" was sacrificed for a broader appeal to a more casual gaming audience, and in more recent years, perhaps a younger audience as well. I can understand this to some extent: there was much frustration associated with the original games, as many people struggled to complete the game. I remember my two older sisters playing for months just to advance past a certain point(s) in the adventures.

However, with the challenge of the game drastically diminished or thrown away altogether, we lose some serious game longevity, as well as the satisfying reward of being able to finally defeat that boss, or complete that puzzle.

It's interesting to see that The Legend of Zelda series was seemingly initially meant to be a collection of games for hardcore gamers looking for a true challenge...I personally sorely miss that.

What are everyone's feelings on this? Do you like the changes in the series, or do you long for the good old days like me? Discuss!

**conker!** · 06-04-2003, 09:56 PM

you speak of the truth ,
enjoyable though , lots to do , but it ain't that hard .

**KamiKaZe** · 06-04-2003, 09:56 PM

*sniff* i remember playin Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past...that was one of, if not, the best Zelda i've played. it was a lot more challenging in comparison to the zelda games now. they need to stop worrying about the kiddies so much and give us "real" gamers a challenge!

**TheGreenElf** · 06-04-2003, 09:58 PM

I love the game, it get's more challenging as you go (though there's no OoT Water Temple type challenge and that's kind of a relief). It is easier than most Zelda games though and it's hard to die.

***Dorbin*** · 06-04-2003, 10:06 PM

Originally posted by KamiKaZe
*sniff* i remember playin Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past...that was one of, if not, the best Zelda i've played. it was a lot more challenging in comparison to the zelda games now. they need to stop worrying about the kiddies so much and give us "real" gamers a challenge!

Ditto. It's nice to know they look out for gamers of all skill levels, but a difficult game is almost always preferable over an easy game, in my opinion.

Challenge me, Nintendo! shall be my new battle cry...

**JHudy11** · 06-04-2003, 10:34 PM

Originally posted by KamiKaZe
*sniff* i remember playin Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past...that was one of, if not, the best Zelda i've played. it was a lot more challenging in comparison to the zelda games now. they need to stop worrying about the kiddies so much and give us "real" gamers a challenge!

Its hard to outdo the best

**the poe collector** · 06-04-2003, 10:41 PM

In an interview with EGM( Rogue Squadron 3 I think ), either Miyamoto or Aonuma said they cut TWO dungeons so that the casual gamers could complete the game, which PISSED me off to no end, I am wondering if it was really about disk space though, since I doubt very few casual gamers would play the game a second time, they could have unlocked the two dungeons when you beat the game the first time, which I definitely think would've added challenge, but they didn't, I loved WW, but it was far too short and easy, I hope the sequel has many more dungeons, and more challenging as well

**Serene Samus** · 06-04-2003, 11:21 PM

It was very easy. Too easy. And short.

**Pigobenus** · 06-05-2003, 01:15 AM

I think they have substituted the difficult dungeuns that the old Zelda games had, with difficult collecting, example
Ocarina of Time = Gold Spiders
Majoras Mask = collecting all the heart peices, masks, & fairys
Wind Waker = collecting all the maps and heartpeices

It used to be that the Zelda games where hard because of the monsters, bosses, and dungeons. Now I think they made those easy so that children can play them, and adult gamers can play it also, but they can collect all the hard to find stuff that seems to be just threw in at the end it increase difficulty and game replay. Especially the last two Zelda games MM and WW look at the lack of dungeons there.

Same thing with Mario, Mario 64 and Sunshine are easy to beat, but not easy to get all 120 stars, I think this is Nintendo's strategy to make games able for all ages to play, and I think it sucks.

**smellslikenintendospirit** · 06-05-2003, 02:10 AM

The original two zeldas were easy, and short too. But Link to the Past - now there's a hard game.

**Prince** · 06-05-2003, 02:25 AM

Wind Waker was easy as hell. Too easy that it was no fun. I never died the whole game.

**HolyPaladin** · 06-05-2003, 01:58 PM

I wish people would stop crying over the game not being hard enough. If the game isn't too hard, everybody can enjoy it, but if it is too hard, only some will enjoy it, because others will get frustrated with it, and frustration is never fun. My girlfriend actually got frustrated at Wind Waker and quit in the second dungeon, and then only got that far by me reluctantly offering hints, which I hate to do.

**TheGreenElf** · 06-05-2003, 05:30 PM

Originally posted by Prince
Wind Waker was easy as hell. Too easy that it was no fun. I never died the whole game.

Prince, shutup, it was possibly the best one yet. We all know your an xbox fan so we don't want your opinion on something as great as Zelda lol.

Just admit it, you like it.

**Notedog** · 06-05-2003, 07:54 PM

I hate xbox and I love Zelda but I hated the wind waker you dont seem to understand that this was the easiest game Ive ever played

**BrokenLink** · 06-05-2003, 08:23 PM

^ You obviously haven't played many games. There are so much easier games.

I think the reason it's easy is because of the rushed development time. Undoubtably somethings had to be cut out because of time. I don't care how easy people say it is. It's an amazing game.

**Notedog** · 06-05-2003, 10:45 PM

Ive played tons of games and I think two+ years was more than enough time considering the simplistic graphics

**The Gunslinger** · 06-05-2003, 10:54 PM

Man, sure has been a while since i last posted, i thought i was kicked out. Anyway. People will *excuse my language* bitch and complain when it is too hard and bitch and complain when it was too easy, like you are now. Nintendo can't get the difficulty to a perfect level, as there are too many opinions on how difficult a game is and how it isn't. Now, if Nintendo put a easy, medium, hard, option in there, maybe this post would have never come up, but for some reason i just don't think that goes in with Zelda being an adventure game.

**Notedog** · 06-05-2003, 10:59 PM

true but is it realy that hard to make a hard game people say that the new graphic style allowed for more enemies in a room wich may be true but keep in mind 4 swords had barely any enemies and that game was although short hard and not in a bad way