Defining games for the main trio

For each of the big three, which individual game do you think best defines them? In the sense that through this one game we get the clearest picture of who this character is and what they're all about.

My picks:

Link: The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (Runner-Up: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess) Surprisingly, I don't think the defining LoZ game is also the defining Link game. Although it is a strong third.

Zelda: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Runner-Up: The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker) My favorite Zelda is actually the one in TP, but I can't pretend she got as much depth in that game.

Ganondorf: The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (Runner-Up: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time)

What do you all think?

Link gets either majora's mask or or Ocarina time

Zelda get's OoT for sure

Ganondorf get's TP

Twilight Princess for Ganondorf, really? I'm surprised. I loved Twilight Princess, but I've often heard the top criticism for it being that his role in the story felt sort of tacked on and out of nowhere.

Originally Posted by SlyFoxDeveraux

Twilight Princess for Ganondorf, really? I'm surprised. I loved Twilight Princess, but I've often heard the top criticism for it being that his role in the story felt sort of tacked on and out of nowhere.

we really get to see more of Ganondorf personality in TP more than any other game to me. In OoT he was a baddie, given, but other than that not much is seen as to why he is a bad guy. Told not seen. In TP, specifically the execution scene, we just just how evil he really is. That scene made TP for me.

Link: TP IMO TP comes the closest to giving Link a character through his facial expressions.

Zelda: OoT (runner-up TP) I think OoT developes her character best, but TP gives a look at Zelda as a ruler and not just an ousted princess.

Ganon: For me it's a tie between OoT and TP. OoT shows Ganon's backstory, while TP gives you a look at just how evil he is (the execution scene).

For Link, I would probably say either Majora's Mask, or Twilight Princess. The facial expressions in Twilight Princess were great, and because of this and a few relationships that Link held with important characters, he seemed the most animated and defined in this title. However, Majora's Mask definately was about Link's, and the player's development, with a focus placed upon helping others and triumphing over the most sparodic of challenges. Can't really decide which I prefer, although Twilight Princess only really contends with Majora's Mask because of innovations expected of a generational advance.

Zelda was perfect in Ocarina, really. Playing her most active role in the story, and certainly not merely being a damsel in distress. Although, I havent really liked her character much in any of the games, but Ocarina tops the list.

Ganondorf was best portrayed in the Wind Waker, by a considerable stretch. Still dangerous, and villianous to the core, but with a motivation in the end that was pitiable and enducing of sympathy. In Ocarina and Twilight Princess he was a strong, somewhat typical foe, but in this title his desires were humanised. What player didnt lament Hyrule when it drowned? Ganondorf played a great role in explaining the ultimate failure of regret and inability to embrace change. His appeareance in this this title was nothing short of FTW.

Link - Majora's Mask: He fights evil and he helps people in need.

Zelda - Twilight Princess: She cares deeply about her kingdom and she'd give her life to protect others. Also, she spends the majority of the game imprisoned in a dark tower, waiting to be rescued.

Ganondorf - Twilight Princess: This incarnation of Ganondorf wasn't particularly "deep", but I think that it best reflects who he is as a character. He's manipulative, he has god-like powers, and he's evil for the sake of it.

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Link: OoT
Zelda: TP
Ganondorf: WW

Link: The Wind Waker - He just apeald to me so much more than the others ;] his facial expresions said it all of what he's thinking.
Zelda: The Wind Waker - Once again she just apeald to me as much as link did but i did prefer tetra <3 Tetra and link forever. not much definition here
Gannondorf : Twilight Princess - he was the best one ever ;P no questions not much definition

Link: Wind waker... because his expressions and emotions are more visible...

Zelda: Twilight Princess... As it shows that she is deeply concerned about Hyrule's destiny...

Ganondorf: Wind Waker... he tried to flood the entire Hyrule, and it was simply remarkable...

This may seem...odd, but Link, Zelda and Ganondorf are still best defined by OoT for me.

Link: Majora's Mask hardly describes Link's Character... I am surprised no one has said Link's Awakening where Link has to find out why he does, what he does. What tells us more about Link then his own dream?
Zelda: Twilight Princess... We are shown Zelda is a leader. We are shown she is ready to fight. The game doesn't tell us much, but from the cut scene and the short time we do see her we are shown she is strong. She gives up her ability to stay physical in the Twilight to save Midna. We are not shown a little girl or a damsel in distress, well, I guess she is captured, but only because she is weak after sacrificing herself.
Ganondorf: In the Wind Waker we definately see a unique Ganon. I think he lost it after being trapped in the Sacred Realm because he was crazy. His laugh in this game at the thought of Link and Zelda finding a new land both shows a lot about him and will haunt my memories forever.

You guys got it all wrong.

Link - Adventure of Link: The entire game, the story, really revolved around him a lot.

Zelda - The Wind Waker: You interact with her throughout the entire game and get to really see her true personality.

Ganondorf - The Wind Waker again: This is really the deepest story available for Ganondorf to date. OOT provides a nice little "history" lesson, but TWW really shows you his personalty. For the first time you get to see his side of things, and it's to the point where you almost feel sorry for him. He wants more then anything to bring back the Hyrule of old, and there is just something about it that shows that Ganondorf may not be as evil as we assume he is. He has feelings, a heart. Really, anyone that missed this in TWW missed one hell of a story arch for him.

Current Consensus:

Link: The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (Runner-Up: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time)

Zelda: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Runner-Up: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess)

Ganondorf: The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (Runner-Up: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess)

So all the winners right now are what I picked, but with different runners-up. Really, I'm okay with Twilight Princess being Zelda's runner-up just because she was so cool in that game, we just didn't see her much.

Majora's Mask defined everyone BUT Link. Similarly spoken for Zelda in Twilight Princess; a more fitting character position didn't make her any less a minor character whereas there's yet to be a game that Link is as much of an actual character than in TP.

Ganondorf, I've yet to think.

Link: The Legend of Zelda: The Adventure of Link (Runner-Up: The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask)

Zelda: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Runner-Up: The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker)

Ganondorf: The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (Runner-Up: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time)

Originally Posted by Navi the Fairy

Link: Majora's Mask hardly describes Link's Character... I am surprised no one has said Link's Awakening where Link has to find out why he does, what he does. What tells us more about Link then his own dream?

Majora's Mask described Link's character Link's character less than all the other characters in that game, yes, but we learn more about Link from that one game than any other game in the series. It shows us that he didn't make any friends outside what we see in Ocarina of Time, it shows how much he clings onto his past by taking Epona and searching for Navi and not, it shows that he is afraid of large crowds and physical helplessness, it shows his selflessness in extreme situations, and it shows actual character developement despite his silent protagonist state. That's a hell of a lot more about Link than we've gotten before or since.
And Link's Awakening told us nothing about Link except that he writes his name all over his stuff and objectifies women (literally objectifies Marin, holding her above his head like when obtaining an item). We could analyze the dream if it were, like you claim, his. But anybody who's played Link's Awakening knows exactly whose dream that was.

I agree with your other choices but this was totally wrong.

I'm curious about exactly how Nintendo are going to approach Link's character in future -after all, isnt he desribed as the connection between the player and the gameworld, and in what way does this apply also to emotional scenes? For instance, in Ocarina and Majora's Mask, I often felt that I was Link in a sense, because of the fact that he wasnt particularly animated. This is despite what we do learn of his character in those games, Majora's Mask being quite notable of the two.

However, The Wind Waker and Twilight Princess showed Link reacting to others in a more casual, consistent manner, and that did change the way I viewed him, especially in Twilight Princess, where there was quite a bit of definition in terms of facial expression. I hope Nintendo at least keep some of the quality that Link retained in the N64 titles - the ability for our reaction to sort of be Link's as well, although this will no doubt become more difficult as the series progresses.

For Link I think it would be Link's Awakening. It's a journey to adulthood by understanding that you can't hold on to illusions and dreams. And the story begins on Link wanting to go find adventure outside Hyrule whereas Majora's Mask just makes him run after someone else and not what he actually wants for himself.

I think OoT or WW Defines Zelda as the guardian of the Royal blood who has her duties to follow as royalty and not the heroine. In WW She abandons her pirates because she knows she is the princess and then returns to above the sea to fulfil her duty to find a new Hyrule to rule over. So I say WW over OoT for Zelda. But you have to remember her role in Adventures of Link where she is the sleeping princess that needs to be awakened. That particular Zelda is the reason why every princess in Hyrule is called Zelda: because of the one that forever sleeps.

Ganon had the most depth ever in WW too. And that defines him well as a character and not just your basic greed and anger.