Category: Daily Debate

A Zelda game’s final dungeon is the capstone on the entire game’s experience. Among the best are those that put every skill you’ve developed to the test, and those that revisit themes from across the game’s many regions. Expect the toughest combat challenges and the trickiest puzzles, as they will be the only thing keeping you from a confrontation with the main villain, whether it Ganondorf, Vaati, or others. So, which one of Zelda‘s final dungeons is the best? Which…

While a lot of conversations and debates in video games are focused on the best or most popular games, sometimes discussing games with noticeable flaws or design problems can be an extremely fruitful and revealing activity. Fan and critical feedback can be a valuable tool for developers as they continue their journeys in the industry or as they refine a game. Speaking openly and honestly about criticism of game after its launch can potentially lead to improvements in future projects…

Every family seems to have that one problem child, the black sheep, if you will. Video games are no exception to this rule. Banjo Kazooie has Nuts & Bolts, Batman: Arkham has Blackgate, and Metroid has Other M. The Legend of Zelda even has its fair share of black sheep. Many would consider Four Swords Adventures a black sheep for its emphasis on multiplayer and episodic gameplay while others may point to the CD-I games for, well, too many reasons…

From the Raft to the Lens of Truth to Remote Bombs, Link’s arsenal is as varied as the challenges he comes across in his adventures. Some may have a very specific purpose, such as the Book of Mudora, while some can be handy in many situations, such as Magic Powder. Other items can be both fun and useful, such as the Hookshot or Clawshots. In seeing how Link uses many of these items to overcome challenges, I’m sure I’m not…

If you were to step into my house you’d see a variety of decorative items, photos, books, and memorabilia from my husband’s and my favorite series. We both love The Legend of Zelda and over the years we’ve collected games, books,  amiibo figures, and other odds and ends  from the series. So, what is your favorite item in your Zelda collection? When I started to write about this Daily Debate I was going to say my Zelda manga collection, but…

I’ve been playing through Majora’s Mask a bunch lately, and trying to ask myself questions about a game that has already been well-discussed, even to the frustration of some. I recently came across a Reddit post that asked a relevant question I had never thought much of before: What are the Snappers saying? If you’ve never played Majora’s Mask, Snappers are the turtles that exist as enemies in several different locations throughout Termina (the world in which the game is set)….

In the Legend of Zelda series, a handful of towns make appearances in multiple games, with each version having its own unique aesthetic and charm. Hyrule Castle is a commonly occurring location in Zelda, but the adjacent Castle Town doesn’t always appear with it. When it does, it is often a market square for buying goods, a hub connecting multiple key regions, and/or filled with non-playable characters (NPCs) for mini-games, side quests, or informants advancing the game’s narrative. In my…

Something Zelda games almost always get right is their endings. An epic clash with the big bad is typically preceded by a series of challenges that put everything you’ve learned to the test. These include grueling fights with the biggest enemies in the game and puzzles that require the use of nearly every item you’ve collected on your journey. Even open-ended games like Breath of the Wild or Tears of the Kingdom have the path to the boss littered with…

Nintendo doesn’t release direct 3D Zelda sequels very often. While The Wind Waker technically got Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks, those games had 2D style perspective, and only released on Nintendo’s handheld console of the time. Thus, Majora’s Mask and Tears of the Kingdom are the only full scale, big release 3D sequels in the series. Both games have copious merits in their own rights, but as we live in the age of comparison, I must pose the question: Is…

One of most intriguing aspects of the Zelda series is the developers’ resistance to making direct sequels. While there have been a handful of Zelda sequels, most of the games can stand on their own in terms of art style, game world, and narrative. Even the direct sequels in the Zelda series like Zelda II and Majora’s Mask play remarkably different from their predecessors or take place in exciting new worlds. The resistance to sequels is part of what makes Tears…