Ocarina of Time
Ocarina of Time is one of the most iconic Zelda games and basically started its method of storytelling going forward. Almost all the 3D Zeldas onward learn lessons from Ocarina and find new ways to innovate on what Ocarina started.
Ocarina has not aged well, and yet is still one of the best, if not the best, 3D Zelda out there. It’s an epic storyline that doesn’t get in the way too much. It’s got fun and interesting items to help in your adventure and secrets hidden everywhere in a compact overworld.
The part that hasn’t aged well is mostly in the controls and camera. The whole Z-targeting system isn’t great, as you are basically constantly tapping the joystick and Z to get the camera to cooperate. This system coupled with all the goddamned bats everywhere leads to a frustrating experience throughout the game.
The Ice Cavern is quite possibly the worst mini-dungeon in the Zelda franchise. On the other hand, Beneath the Well is quite possibly the best mini-dungeon in the Zelda franchise.
I hear some people say the graphics haven’t aged well. I disagree. Sure they’re low poly, but honestly they look good and it’s impressive how the game uses a ton of low-lighting to convey a dark atmosphere nearly everywhere. IMO the remaster for the 3DS looks significantly worse.
The reality is when you play Ocarina, it’s still taking its cues from the 2D games. There’s almost no story-locking in the game. You just go about your business finding cool stuff and progress through. Most of the games after Ocarina have lost this sense of adventure and progression, overloading everything with story and text and cutscenes. On the flipside, enemies like the goddamned bats and spinning blades don't work well in 3D, which are notably absent or altered in future 3D Zeldas.
The focus in Ocarina is interesting dungeon design and that feeling of progression. It’s notable that Ocarina has 8 dungeons and 4 mini-dungeons and so many of them are iconic and memorable. There was a ton of effort in making each dungeon interesting, from crashing through the floor in the Deku Tree to hunting down Poes in the haunted Forest Temple to Jabu Jabu’s Belly. It’s inventive. It has a lot going on. And there's a lot of it.
The camera is often frustrating but it’s actually worth it to work through. Ocarina of Time is still a joy so many years later. And with Master Quest and the development of randomizer (also known as ZOoTR) you can continue to experience how awesome this game is long after beating it.
