What makes Zelda Zelda?

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I was just thinking, what makes Zelda games so special, so unique, one of your favorite video game series. Is it the story line? The characters? The game-play? Or something else?
Why have you fallen in love with the series? Just wondering.
I for one am unsure, it's just I was playing a Zelda game once and for some reason had fallen in love with it all the way from begining to end. Maybe the epic adventure Link takes gets you hooked.

The atmospshere hooked me. The atmosphere is something
I can't describe in words but thats what got me hooked to Zelda.

I don't know. The plotline is amazing, and the occasional romantic streaks cause a good atmosphere. That makes for an awesome experience.

It's a mixture of those things that got me hooked. The character of Link is really nice to play, the different environments you get into, the lots of people you can meet, the weapons and items you can use (I just love swords!), the numerous enemies, helping the cute Princess Zelda... and the epic adventure that Link starts....it's full of magic. I especially like the funny elements in Zelda. And it's a good mixture between puzzle- solving, sword- wielding and doing side quests. Somehow it never gets boring because there are always things to discover and I always like to go back to Hyrule, even if I already finished the game several times.

You said it. Now that I think about it that's probably exactly why I became hooked. The games are just too amazing for words.

I like Zelda, becouse it is fantasy, I like all thing with that theme.... (my first game was OOT)
And, also, before I wasn't so interested to learn English. but then I tried Zelda, and then I wanted to learn it.

And I like the feeling in the beginning pf OOt. so mysterious and unknown.

Also like to dream away to other wolds, (Oops, did I really say that) :/

The games are more than just games. Each one is a full blown adventure. You FEEL stuff for the characters, the world and you grow to care about it. It becomes a part of you.

Link is also a character who you 'grow up' with throughout the story. Despite the fact he says nothing, and he shows very little emotion, he is well fleshed out and fully explored as a character. Come to think of it, the game doesn't need to do that because you actually BECOME link throughout the journey. That sort of connection is really indescribable and magical. And it makes each person's experience of Link different and special.

There are titles that have come close, but no other game has made me feel as involved as a Zelda game. Ah that Zelda magic, I can't get enough!

The thing that makes Zelda Zelda. It's that fact that it makes you think, it makes you use your brain which many games doesn't(The puzzles). The surrounding story which emerge you in the game. The atmosphere as someone said. And most of all the used to be unique gameplay of the game.

I say used to be, beacuse many game developer hava copied the TLoZ gameplay, but it was the first game with it kind of gameplay. And even if other have tried to copy it, they can't because it's still unique.

All of you said some good things but I think the one major part that gets me hooked is the story or adventure.(that also goes for movies). The other thing would have to be the characters. A good game would need many characters (unless its a quiet type of game like metroid) and I think the Zelda games have definetly acomplished that.

Every person has said somting very true, and things i agree with. The puzzles, the adventure, the fighting, the fantasy, and several others.

But what I can conqur, is that Zelda IS what it is because of the realisticness of it all.
Obviously nobody walks around with faries hovering over their shouldres, and fish dont talk, and not to mention Giant Owls dont fly around giving you advice. But its so real because of the fact it can get intune to our natrure. I dont think shooters, or sports or movie based games can do this at all. (not that they arent good)

What makes Zelda Zelda, is it is a legend. NOT a game.
It has a history, a present and a future. When we play Zelda, we get attached to it. Why? Because so many of us can more or less relate to what is happening. Us playing as Link, magnifies this even more. We picture ourselves and can relate to Link (and many of the other characters) in many ways because of this.

Normaly, games are made to entertain, and Zelda does this. But it does more than you think. At least in my opinion.

What makes zelda zelda? The puzzles, challengeing and mind-boggling, the uniqueness, all sorts of different creatures, there are so many things I just can't name them all. It's just everything good rolled up into one game series.

I say it's the traditional hearts at the top of the screen, all the dungeons with their bosses and treasures, the Rupees... and the beautiful music. These are most of the basic ingredients that make Zelda what it is to me.

man it´s tuff. I got hooked on it because of the caracters, the hero of time, the whole eternal battle between good and evil. But mainly because zelda games reflect all the good qualities in life, helping others, beeing humble, good always prevails over evil and having the right balance in your life: courage to take a step, wisdom to make the right desicions, and the power to help others.

The zelda games have a certain ambiance, a certain feeling that keeps you hooked. Sadly only a few games have this atmosphere. The only games that have this feeling are La, Oot, WW and alltp.

When you play a zelda game you get a certain feeling that fills you with awe, fear happiness etc.... The general feeling of this almost legendary series is what makes it the best series.

Well, it might help recogize the qualtites Zelda games have that others don't by comparism. Let's compare Zelda Games and the classical Mario Series...No, I'm not critizing Mario games in any way, but here goes nothing... Well, first of all Zelda games usually have a huge overworld! From volcanoes to lakes to forests to desert...Mario games usually have a tiny overworld, sometimes no overworld, just levels. Zelda games also have good stories. Mario: Peach captured; Mario must kill bowser.... Now Zelda games have lots of twists and story. Zelda games have character development. You get to know the characters. Mario; some games you don't even talk to certain characters!!! Zelda games have items; Mario just has mushrooms and warp pipes...

Overall, it's just the little things in a Zelda games that make it a Zelda game.

It sounds pointless but the reason I like it so much now is because of OoT, when I would always play it with family and friends; it creates a great atmosphere.

Why I am hooked is its the only game that ever had good difficulty and a awsome story. At the end of OOT an MM I ALMOST cried. I also like that you could use all kinds of weapons and you could set it to any button you wanted. Plus it is just the kind that makes you fall in love with it.

I'm sorta writting an article on this subject right now. As far as I'm concerned, Zelda tells a classic fairy tale. And what we want is that old classic fairy tale. And as we get older, yes, the story will change, but we will always have that classic fairy tale princess and hero.