Playing through my first zelda game completely, should I use a guide?

Sorry for wall of text! There is a tl;dr at the bottom.

So first a bit of background on myself.

I'm 20 years old. My first Zelda game was A Link to the Past on the SNES when I was about 5. I really sucked at the combat in it so never got very far from what I remember (remember going along a river or something and getting some gloves or boots). I then had Ocarina of Time on my N64 when I was 7-8 and never bothered getting past Lord Jabu Jabu's belly. A few years back I got a 2nd hand copy of Windwaker and played that until Tower of the Gods then frankly just forgot about the game/was too busy or whatever (guessing the save file is still on my GC memory card actually).

Anyway for some completely random reason I was inspired to actually play a Zelda game and complete it (as I have never done this) so I've been playing Ocarina of Time on my Gamecube (on the Windwaker special edition 2nd disc). So far I have been using a guide, I am just about to enter Jabu Jabu (and get further than I ever have before!) and I already have 8 hearts, adult wallet etc.

Comparing this to my past experiences of the game (repeatedly playing the Deku Tree and Dodongos Cavern when I was younger) the guide has made the game really simple and I actually feel hugely overpowered from already having so many hearts etc. It feels like without a guide or some other form of instruction I don't see how you can be expected to find all of the hidden stuff in the game and consequently the game will be MUCH MUCH harder. Like if I hadn't been using the guide I would maybe have 6 hearts now? I think you get one at the end of the Deku Tree and the end of Dodongos cavern and I guess I would have, with no knowledge of the game, perhaps gathered 4 pieces of heart by now.

So yeah basically referring to the guide definitely makes the game easier but I feel like I'm hugely cheating the game by being overpowered with so many hearts and so much ammo (have the bullet seed bag from the woods and biggest bomb bag from bombchu alley already). It feels like I'm hugely taking away from the challenge of the game but at the same time I feel I would have no idea how to deal with enemies or find any secrets (other than luck or literally checking every tree, every hole, talking to every npc etc). I remember as a child I think I didn't really bother progressing with A Link to the Past and Ocarina of Time because I literally felt scared that I had no idea what to do or expect in the games dungeons (plus I wasn't great at combat) and I guess a feeling of that remains now, adding to why I want to use a guide.

So after this long wall of text (apologies), the question is should I use a guide, yes or no? Do you think it will ruin the game for me? I think now is really the latest I can change my mind as I think I can easily manage Jabu Jabu without a guide, then its on to being an adult and I would love to complete all the temples on my own but they seem like they will be really complicated. I've already gained a good advantage so far with a decent amount of hearts etc so I think that will make the huge challenge a head a little easier.

Also another smaller question, if I continue from now without a guide, how will I know where to go next as an adult? Is there still lots of guidance from navi/the owl (whatever the hell it is called?!). How will I know if I need a certain item to progress and where to get it?

Thanks!



Tl;dr - I have never got very far in Zelda games in the past, I am now playing Ocarina of Time using a guide, I am at Jabu Jabu's belly. Should I continue using the guide or will it spoil the challenges adult links faces in all the temples, sidequests etc? If I don't continue using the guide, does the game still offer good guidance or is it just luck in figuring out I need a certain item to proceed and where I can go to get that item?

You definitely don't need a guide for a Ocarina. I beat the game myself when I was 12 without one, that's not to say though that I didn't get any outside help from friends, older brother, etc. Just not a guide. Navi and other NPC's give you PLENTY of direction as to what to do next. Some of the side quests are a little tricky if you don't know what to do but you can figure them out. I think the game will be much more fun for you if you don"t use a guide. I'm 23 years old and I recently beat skyward sword, and I hated how much information the game gave you. It would have been much more fun for me to figure this stuff out on my own, as I suspect it will be for you to beat Ocarina on your own. Hope this helps!

Use a guide only if:

You get seriously stuck. There's two different types of stuck, "haven't figured it out yet" stuck, and "I'm seriously stuck" stuck. Use a guide only for the latter reason.

You are playing for a complete 100% and don't want to spend 300+ years finding everything out yourself.

I recommend playing without the guide. I like to play games for the first time with as little help as I can get. Except for when I really get stuck, I have a lot of fun figuring out what to do next. Even during a second playthrough I'll find things that I missed before. Later I'll go online and find out those things that I didn't.

Echoing what others are saying, use the guide only if you are really stuck and to go back and grab stuff you missed. Most areas in the game (and Navi) will gives hints along the way.

No. Just no. I could give you 101 reason why not, but most important of all is the 'feel' the game will give you when you look back over it. You don't want to think back to the hardships within the game and remember running straight through them without any hassle whatsoever. Enjoyment level is going to diminish VERY fast using a guide.

I would say, just use a guide when you want to.
I played through Ocarina of Time the first time only using a guide when it was absolutely necessary.
When I played through it a second time I used a guide and got 100%.
So, I think using a guide is up to the player.
A guide can make the game very simplistic and easy, but extremely fun.
Playing through blind is much more surprising and a bit more difficult but extremely fun.

In reality though, it is truly up to the player.



P.S. Doing the Biggoron Sword side quest makes the final boss hilariously easy, so I suggest trying the final boss first and then if you cant beat it doing this side quest.

Errm...using a guide in order to simply not think about what you have to do next is wrong, but I guess if you're going for 100% and don't want to waste way too much time searching for Skulltulas or whatever, it's okay. Just remember: If you use the guide for every little thing, you'll never get that sense of accomplishment that comes with solving a difficult puzzle.

I'd say unless you're absolutely stuck, don't
For me at least, it gave an extra sense of adventure when you'd find the item, or figure out the puzzle/boss all on your own.

A few parts of the game are tricky, but easily beat if you concentrate.

I beat the game when I was about ten years old so this should not be too difficult for you.

If you are absolutely stuck, you can buy one but CCCentral has quite a few guides.

Yeah you all seem to be saying the same thing and that is the thoughts I had about it too so thanks for the replies!

I didn't have to use the guide at all for Jabu Jabu's belly, there was a bit where I couldn't keep a switch pressed down so quickly looked it up and found that there was some wooden crate thing I could pick up and use to keep it held down in the room behind, other than that simples.

Now an adult and just got the hookshot, the guidance to go to Kakariko was a bit vague. I figured it would be the hookshot that I would need to get into the forest templed (remembering the broken staircase and the overhanging tree in the sacred meadow place). At first I thought it had to do with waking Talon with a mini cuckoo but that didn't go anywhere (even wasted time going to the ranch and seeing if there was something to do there to help Malon so I would get a reward from him) but then talked to other people and they kept talking about the ghost of Dampe so I checked out the graveyard and all became clear after pulling a ton of random gravestones aha.

Going to make an effort to do the forest temple on my own. However am I right in thinking that if I don't complete it in one go, if I save the game and go back to the temple I will pretty much have to do all the stuff I had already done all over again? Will it save having the dungeon map etc and having unlocked doors etc?

Yeah everything you have done will be saved you'll just start at the beginning of the dungeon and have to go back to where you were. The only game this isn't true for is majora's mask.

No. Using a game guide right from the start may tempt you to look at it simply because its there and may ruin your gaming experience. Puzzles are common in Zelda games and they call for the player to think a little. So play the game even if you have to use your brain. Discover the game entirely on your own.

If anything, I'd rather have you ask questions of thoughts you have about the game, or ask questions for hints, to other members, or myself if you'd like. I won't spoil and tell you exactly what you need to do the way guides do, but I'll give you some guidance if you want. =P

I would choose the middleground: Use the guide (if you want and need to) to pass Jabu Jabu's belly, the place you weren't able to topple before.

After that, let the guide be. You shouldn't need it anymore, there aren't many stuckworthy places on the way -- perhaps maybe the water temple. Which isn't too hard but it is frustrating.

A guide for OoT isn't really necessary. Some parts might take you longer than others, but you should be able to get through. Unless you're absolutely stuck, don't use a guide.

I've only had to use a guide on Link's Awakening and Majora's Mask.

*EDIT: I should also say that after you beat the game on your own, feel free to use a guide for 100% completion.