The Best Legend of Zelda

"And in a surprising turn of events, with 75 last-minute points, in first place, it's... The Adventure of Link!

(forum burns to ground, natural order of things dissolves, the mutated form of Chris Scullion roams the wreckage, roaring/crying in madness and pain)"

"This is probably nostalgia: it was the first NES game I ever saw, and made any home computer games I had look like shit-sandwiches. However, in retrospect, it's a little obtuse, and deviates from what we would now call the "Zelda formula". But the music brings me back to my childhood, where I obsessed over this game; the title theme immediately sets of an internal gasp of adventure-y joy."

"One of them - The Adventure of Link - is genuinely mince, down there with the likes of Altered Beast and Super Thunder Blade for being completely gash. One of the worst games I've played."

"This really does not feel like a Zelda game. Side scrolling combat, a weird overworld, actual levelling up... There's always the big “is Zelda an RPG?” debate, but this is absolutely an RPG, without question. And I really like it! The combat is surprisingly tactical – squaring off against Iron Knuckles, working whether to attack high or low and blocking their hits in return is really rewarding, and deciding where to put your next level towards really makes your progress feel worthwhile. It's still a bit guff – platforming sections can bugger off – but I rate this one."

I was going to do the Game and Watch game as my joke winner, but then there was the whole chat about Zelda II and when I asked my special guest for comment on their favourite, this is the one they said!

Chris Scullion says:
"It may divide opinion – and that's a polite way of saying loads of people think it's shite – but I've always legitimately had a love for Zelda II: The Adventure Of Link. It's the only canon side-scrolling Zelda game (we don't talk about THOSE ones) and it's the only one where Link gains XP. When it starts it's one of the most difficult games you'll play but as you build Link up you feel yourself getting more powerful as he does. It may have looked basic and the odd translations may have made the story a little disjointed, but I genuinely felt more attached to Zelda II Link than any other in my life."

"If you ignore the triforce hunt this is a wonderful world to explore with a great set of dungeons and items."

"The story of the little boy who left Outset Island (extraordinarily well-named place, wouldn't you say?) and came back a man, armed to the teeth and ready to kick ass after sailing the Great Sea to hell and back. The cast is charming and the tale actually brutal. Finally, the elements of the final boss battle are the best in the series."

"I wasn't one of the people who whined about the cartoony graphics at the time; any new Zelda, after the era-changing N64 games, was very welcome. At the time, I might've been a bit down on the game itself; after Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask, it felt like it was re-using a lot of the ideas that those games had introduced. But what I didn't appreciate then (and I do now) is how much more character the game has, in both the major story elements, and the little details on the characters and the environment. Some of the side bits are a bit disappointing (oh good, this square has another reef in it..) but there's a hell of a lot to see here."

"They say your first Zelda will likely be your favourite - in this instance, it's absolutely true. Wind Waker was my first exposure to Zelda - I'd seen Link and Zelda in Smash Bros., and now I wanted to explore their world in earnest. What unfolded was a beautiful journey - sod what people say about the seafaring exploration... I bloody loved it. There's something truly exciting about seeing the silhouette of an island pop up on your horizon and then hopping off your boat to see what lies on said island. It still holds up graphically today and in retrospect, I don't see anything wrong whatsoever with the change from “realistic” Zelda to cel-shading. Factor in some of the best tracks in the whole series and you've got a classic Zelda game, and my personal favourite."

"Was it ever in doubt what would be my Number 1 game that in my Top 10 games of all-time and I've voted highly in other votes that my first Zelda remains the best, due to it's charm."

"One of the best Zelda "experiences", even if it drops the ball a bit on gameplay.  The Fast Sail of the HD version was ever so welcome, as were other tweaks, but they couldn't hide where dungeons had been stripped out.  But as well as being absolutely beautiful, having the most expressive characterful Link (and Ganondorf) of any Zelda, and inspiring a real sense of adventure, it's the only game in the series to feature a giant friendly pig.  That alone makes it a must-play."

"A piece of art in every sense of the word, from the beautiful graphics to the brilliant story it tells, I enjoyed every moment (yes even the Triforce Hunt). It might throw the usual Zelda formula out the window with islands to discover rather than galloping across a vast field but it helps add so much more character to the game, every island is unique which is what makes this so special, there's always something new to see and when that something new is painted in such a lovely picture you have the bext Zelda game yet."

A thoroughly deserving winner. For my part, I didn't play it much on Gamecube, but when the Wii U version arrived I sat down and sunk hours into it. What a beautiful game, in every sense of the word. Tugging at the heart strings almost as much as a tree, Link's face is so full of expression the player is pulled along on the adventure in a very meaningful way.

There were stretches of the game that felt a little directionless, but sailing the seas and exploring for the sake of it is such a lovely experience, and so rewarding in and of itself, I was content to just stumble across the story on the open water.

The graphics are a testament to the power of art direction over fidelity, the music is wonderful and the combat is so visceral. How very NGamer of us to award first prize to the game the world expected to be an oddity and a misstep.

John Cena says:
"Sometimes, just because you know the winner is coming the journey can still be fun, and the victory can still be something to celebrate. Plus, people forget how hard Wind Waker worked to get where it is, and how much the kids love it. This metaphor is stretching thin. I should have tried harder to get a real quote for number one."