Ocarina of Time

[Systemshock]

I started playing this (on my GC) as a stop gap about a month ago, just every now and then. I was also playing a couple of other games at the same time but I'm now so hooked by OoT, the others have gone by the way side.

I'm not a long long way in yet (I have all three spiritual stones so far) but I have seen so many things that I want to unravel and the main quest to get on with I can't see any new games getting a look in for a while.

Best bits so far:

Setting a dungeon in a huge fishes belly

The diving competition in Zoran's Domain

Realising that I can buy new shields (after trying to proceed for a while thinking the game had lost my previous one)

Landing a 10 pounder in the angling competition

I'm at one of those between dungeon stages at the moment when everything is rosey and I'm restocking and 'side questing' before getting on with the next main thing. I may feel a little different once I get in the next dungeon, whatever that is.

[TheSlugFormerlyKnownAsNap]

Ah, the Ocarina of Time. Without a shadow of a doubt one of the finest crafted pieces of videogaming ever conceived. Even though it aged rather well, can you imagine what the experience was like in 1998?

[Ebisumaru]

Ah, the Ocarina of Time. Without a shadow of a doubt one of the finest crafted pieces of videogaming ever conceived. Even though it aged rather well, can you imagine what the experience was like in 1998?

'Twas bloody excellent back in 1998.

[jimmbob]

I was thinking about this, this morning, as I'm currently battling through Master Quest.

Some of my fave parts are when you race to win Epona and jump over the wall of the ranch.

The mask side quest is brilliant, and very funny.

The first time I had a boss battle my face was like , massive screen filling bosses didn't get any better until Prime came along.

It's also a bit of a laugh when you put a bomb under one of those stones that tells the time...

[DJ Sack]

Stop it you lot, your going to make me play this wonderful game again, it really has a truely brilliant atmosphere that just makes you want to play, unlike wind waker whcih feels a bit souless.

[Davros sock drawer]

I started playing this (on my GC) as a stop gap about a month ago, just every now and then. I was also playing a couple of other games at the same time but I'm now so hooked by OoT, the others have gone by the way side.

I don't know why you're so surprised. There still hasn't been a better game than this, in my humble opinion.

Oh man. I wish I could go back and recreate that feeling of not knowing what was coming next. If you've just got the 3 stones you're in for a treat - the game gets much better from this point on...

[Sprite Machine]

Yeah, its rather good!

[esar]

I'm playing through the Master Quest at the moment and its taken over my life.

Luckily my memory is shit and i've completely forgotten playing it the first time so the magic is fresh again.

The Master Quest gets bloody hard later on though!

[Jack]

Majora's Mask is better. OOOOOOOOOOOOH

No, really, it is. Termina feels more real than Hyrule does. Possibly because the people do different things each day.

[Shoes]

unlike wind waker whcih feels a bit souless.

Negative.

I'll be playing both OoT and MM again when my VIP disc comes (January, probably). I'm lookiing forward to both of 'em, especially Ocarina. Although I did play and complete it when it was first out, I wasn't the game fan I am now. So it will be great.

[Systemshock]

Some of my fave parts are when you race to win Epona and jump over the wall of the ranch.

Just did that!

[rjpageuk]

I am the biggest Nintendo fanboy about, yet I never understood the universal praise OOT received.

Strange that.

I guess I could say the same about Metroid Prime though...

[fasteasyfree]

This is easily the best game that I have ever played. Easily.

There are so many more things that you are going to experience, you'll feel like crying with joy, and I mean that. I can feel the tears of nostalgia creep up on me now.

EDIT: The original content of this was a bit.... extreme, so modified.

[Davros sock drawer]

I think the atmosphere is one of the key reasons why I love it so much. The echoey sound effects, the Christmassy colours, the music, the fireflies. Also, it was the first Zelda game I had ever played, so the progression of weapons and abilities was all new to me.

Oh man, I'm going to play it again over the Xmas holidays. Then I'm going to play Shenmue!

[DJ Sack]

I think the atmosphere is one of the key reasons why I love it so much. The echoey sound effects, the Christmassy colours, the music, the fireflies. Also, it was the first Zelda game I had ever played, so the progression of weapons and abilities was all new to me.

Oh man, I'm going to play it again over the Xmas holidays. Then I'm going to play Shenmue!

Agreed, its the music that makes this game, like when you walk into the tiny village before the fire mountain, its just so happy and bright and really feels like a small area where people live and work, or when you go to the grave yard and its dark and the rain is splashing down. Its loverly.

[fasteasyfree]

Or when you go into Gerudo valley and suddenly feel the need to wiggle your whole body to the tune.

Or maybe that's just me B)

[squirtle]

As someone said earlier, MM is better. Just.

[Davros sock drawer]

Agreed, its the music that makes this game, like when you walk into the tiny village before the fire mountain, its just so happy and bright and really feels like a small area where people live and work, or when you go to the grave yard and its dark and the rain is splashing down. Its loverly.

Oh, I loved the graveyard. I used to stand at the the far end of it at night and just look back at the Windmill as the lightning cracked behind it.

It's also the first game I had played where there was never any question in my mind about playing it. No "I'm bored", no leaving things unfinished, no rock un-bombed, no mini-game left unplayed, in fact no question of my not scouring every inch of the game world.

Key to this are the excellent collectables (is there any sound more satisfying than sword meets Gold Skulltulla?) and the tantalisingly out of reach areas which can be reached with so much satisfaction once you've fought hard for the relevant new weapon.

[Davros sock drawer]

As someone said earlier, MM is better. Just.

I don't know about 'better'. It's different, and just as good, but the thrill of the new was missing. Still great though, some real spine tingly moments.

[fasteasyfree]

I used to try and make it to lake hylia just as dawn was breaking to see the mist across the lake, the cockerel.....cocking and then THAT music kick in.

Spellbinding.

Did anyone find a way to kill those helicopter-things that chase you on hyrule field?

[squirtle]

As someone said earlier, MM is better. Just.

I don't know about 'better'. It's different, and just as good, but the thrill of the new was missing. Still great though, some real spine tingly moments.

I see what you're saying about it not feeling new (using the same engine as OOT), but, IMO, they got around this with a far more cohesive game world, some excellent effects (best use of motion blur in a game, IMO), a far better story and a much better and more interesting game design. And with only four real dungeons, it was the world around it that came to the fore much more. It also, again IMO, had more "WOW!" moments than OOT and the bosses were better too. It also had you leading a load of baby chicks in a march so they could all grow up. Genius.

[TheSlugFormerlyKnownAsNap]

Majora's Mask was great in atmosphere, depth and had some novel ideas, but I still prefer OOT. I didn't like the groundhog-day thing of MM, and I didn't really like the sidequests involving the villagers either. It started off pretty well, but I got bored somewhere halfway through the game. The joy of OOT was that you could just go and do whatever you wanted without the pressure of moving on. With MM I was watching the clock all the time...

[Davros sock drawer]

It also had you leading a load of baby chicks in a march so they could all grow up. Genius.

Ha! I'd forgotten about that! D'oh, now I'm going to have to play this one again as well.

I did love MM, but Termina Field was a little symmetrical and obvious. It was a bit like - "Over here is the Ice World, and over here is the Desert World.." if you know what I mean.

Nonetheless, the things you actually get to do in the world are pretty amazing. I loved defending the ranch from Flying Saucers, and I don't know how they mangaged to make such a silly sequence so creepy. Also, my two favourite bits of Zelda music (The Clock Tower music at the start and the Music in the Wizard's observatory) are from MM.

[Zathras]

Also, my two favourite bits of Zelda music (The Clock Tower music at the start and the Music in the Wizard's observatory) are from MM.

Yep, although I prefer OoT to MM, that music is fantastic. Also, I love the way in the second day (I think), the clock tower music is just that bit darker and more ominous. Just the whole constant reminders of time running out. And that last 5 minutes...

[ryodi]

Ocarina of Time is my favourite Zelda game and I really must get back to it having stopped at the Forest Temple on my last run through. A quick note to anyone awaiting the Collecters Edition disk from Nintendo, the WW OOT save file and Collecters Edition OOT have different save files so you cannot continue a game with one using the other disk.

Just in case anyone is intereted.

Two of the things I loved most about Ocarina of Time are:

Fishing - I spent hours by the lake just relaxing to the ambient music and watching the (virtual) days go by.

Gerudo Valley - The music, sneaking around with the bow and arrow and of course diving off the bridge.

[timgp]

Booted this up tonight on the GC Collectors Edition (NTSC). The main thing that's struck me so far is the speed, once you've got used to PAL Link, NTSC Link fairly whizzes about the place; the whole thing is so much smoother. 1 hr a day for me until the Wii comes. Tonight I finished the Deku Tree.

[daveodeth]

Half the fun of getting the first game was getting hold of the bloody thing, bless virgin and their no pre-orders. Never have i been so happy that i can beat middle aged old women over 30 meters to the till to get a copy.

[Alex W.]

Got out of Jabu Jabu last month. Was now old.

Stopped caring.

[partious]

I got stuck in the Fire Temple and got bored so decided to take a break from the game.

3 years ago

[Asura]

This is one of those great gaming Christmast memories for me. I remember getting it on Christmas morning, along with my Voodoo2 12mb graphics card and Rogue Squadron for the PC. That was one of my best Christmasses, normally my parents wouldn't spend anywhere near as much on stuff so frivolous.

My Dad wanted to play Rogue Leader though.

I remember booting it up on Christmas morning and playing it till I got out of the Deku tree, before we had to go out and see people as a family.

I seem to recall it was about February when I finished it; this of course was long before the days of online FAQs for me so I did it myself. The only part I remember that was really challenging was the water temple boss - though once I figured it out it was easy enough.