It just made Game of the Year but personally I felt Super Mario Odyssey was a little better but that's my opinion. I guess I'm a little bias because of the Wii U tech demo that was displayed before the release of Skyward Sword. I was really hoping it was the next Zelda game. Then when Nintendo finally announced the next Zelda game, it turned out to be another cartoon game in an open world. Ugh, I thought. As it turns out, it's fun to explore in the open world even if it does take a million years to get to one end to another without the assistance of a horse. The shrines are fun to solve but frustratingly hard later on. Exploring the towns are pretty cool too. However, I can never figure out for the life of me why a Mario game has more epic music than Zelda. Shouldn't that be the other way around? The music in this one just feels more quiet and oftentimes lazy. There is a story to the game and it features a different Ganon (Calamity Ganon) but it never feels like anything big. It's essentially save the world. There is a story arc to follow, but it's nothing really amazing. However, it's a fun game to explore and definitely worthy of a Zelda title. I just hope they eventually go back to basics.
4) Ocarina of Time
This is the one of the very few games where I got everything on (Mario 64 and Mario Galaxy are the others) and although I don't think the game holds up as well today (definitely could use a remake in maybe that Wii U tech demo fashion) it does have an involving story. It takes some getting used to at first. I felt the controls were a little cumbersome and takes some practice. I always remember how incredible the graphics were the first time playing it and I guess nostalgia puts it on a pedestal today. The ability to change from adult Link back to young Link was ahead of its time. It opened up a whole new realm of awesome. This game had been considered as one of the best games of all time and even though I don't feel the same way, I can see why.
3) Link to the Past
Although its been years since I invested any time in this game, I would still enjoy it immensely if I ever got back into it. It basically took the original format of Zelda into 16-bit and bumped up the ante as most games did back in the day. Still to this day, I loved the rendition of the Zelda theme with those midi cymbals. Also, to be able to transverse between the light and dark world was also a cool feature. There is even a new villain... for awhile. Then it's back to Ganon. I guess Nintendo was scared to alienate their fan base with their villains. This game is loads of fun and especially fun to knock your enemies down into pits. Love it!
2) Legend of Zelda
Yeah the original is still at the top of my list. I always remember when this game first came out and my friends and I would study the Nintendo Power and share secrets with each other. That was what Nintendo wanted. Would this flame reveal a staircase in the tree? Would this bomb blow a hole in the wall? Then hearing that familiar Zelda jingle is one of the best sounds in video gaming. Sure it doesn't have much of a story (rescue the princess from Ganon) but it got the exploration right.
1) Twilight Princess
I was hooked on this game when it first came out. I got the Gamecube version and glad that I did because I hate motion controls anyway which is why I didn't care for Skyward Sword. The graphics, for one, are spectacular and it was something I wished Nintendo would stick with because it felt like it was what Zelda should have been. The temples are very clever. I spent hours trying to figure them out and when I did, I felt stupid because I should have figured it out hours ago. The storyline during the game is incredible. There is a new villain in it named Zant and he's cool as hell. It made some real defining moments in the game. Midna was pretty cool too which brings me to the wolf mechanic. I thought I would hate it and ruin my enjoyment of the game but it turned out that I really enjoyed it. I was surprised. Unfortunately the game never had a full orchestral score like they promised and the music in the game desperately needed it as it was too cool not to have one. Also the beginning of the game is mind-numbingly boring. The whole Faron town scenario in the beginning of the game should have been cut down. If you can get past that, then you are in for one hell of a ride.