Which Zelda Game is the "Darkest"?

I haven't played Majora's Mask so I can't really comment on that.

I have to go along with Ocarina of Time.

I'm surprised at, of the people who haven't played MM, voted TP over OOT. If you discount Majora's Mask, I think OOT is the obvious choice. The majority of the areas in TP are fairly happy and optimistic after being saved from the twilight. Even though Kakariko is desolate, all the people are all, "HOPE AND LOVE LOL", and the people of Castle Town are apparently too stupidly ignorant to notice there's something wrong with the world ("There's a giant golden pyramid surrounding Hyrule Castle? LOLWUT"). TP had some dark ideas, but like many things in that game, they were not executed very well. OOT, on the other hand, has a hero who's a social outcast who must save a world that's been completely plagued with darkness. I think seeing the before and after versions of Hyrule alone is enough to make OOT way darker than TP.

Seeing as the only game I have finished outta those three is TP, I went with that. Also, Link is able to stop the moon, just as he can stop Ganondorf. And I'd be scared if some guy wanted to take over the city in which I lived, especially someone evil. I'd also be freaked out if a moon crashed on top of me aswell. But, yeah, voted already and I can't change.

Hmm, Majora's Mask perhaps?
Twilight Princess?

It's a hard choice, but I generally got a darker feeling from Majora's Mask

I say Majora's Mask. Everything just seems apocalyptic. The moon is over head, the creepy music on the third day in clock town, Skull Kid causing mischief and ruining the four lands, it's pretty dark I'd say.

Originally Posted by IkanaGeneral197

Twilight Princess just isn't dark. It was trying too hard at something MM could do in it's sleep.

I really don't know. I never really thought of OoT as a creepy game. But I do think it's darken than TP. It tries to be dark, with all the "people from the twilight", being transformed into a beast and all that. But it's not nearly as dark as MM is.
Actually, both OoT and TP are more "happy" than dark games. MM is, with no doubt, are more dark than happy.
I'd say, in order of darkness: Majora's Mask > Ocarina of Time > Twilight Princess.

Majora's Mask is H.P. Lovecraft meets Zelda. That's as dark as it gets. The atmosphere, the characters, even the most miniscule aspect of the game adds onto the overall substance of the story and the environment you roam through. What is the story and the environment? The apocalypse. So, it's obvious that MM wins without a doubt.

People always go "Majora's Mask was so dark, I love that." That always pissed me off, because it isn't "dark", it's just ****ing emotional.

Originally Posted by Alex

People always go "Majora's Mask was so dark, I love that." That always pissed me off, because it isn't "dark", it's just ****ing emotional.

There is a lot of darkness in Majora's Mask. For instance, there's the sense of impending doom, knowing that everyone in Termina will be doomed on the following morning when the moon crashes into the land, unless Link saves them. One of the saddest moments for me was seeing Romani and Cremia on the final night, in which Cremia tells Romani that she can finally drink the ranch's Romani milk and become an acknowledged adult...in reality, she just knew her little sister would never get the chance to be an adult, because she would die the next morning. That's both dark and emotional.

And there's also the fact that not everyone is even saved at the end...there's the Deku Butler's son, and his grieving father, mourning him right at the end of the game.

So what are people basing their votes on? Literal darkness, scary stuff in the games, bad stuff happening, general atmosphere, or statements the games make about life?

Originally Posted by Alex

People always go "Majora's Mask was so dark, I love that." That always pissed me off, because it isn't "dark", it's just ****ing emotional.

If you think impending doom is not dark, than I really don't know what you consider to be dark.

Originally Posted by Hylian Dan

So what are people basing their votes on? Literal darkness, scary stuff in the games, bad stuff happening, general atmosphere, or statements the games make about life?

The general atmosphere. You know, the fear of getting your head smashed by the moon and such.

Originally Posted by Asta

There is a lot of darkness in Majora's Mask. For instance, there's the sense of impending doom, knowing that everyone in Termina will be doomed on the following morning when the moon crashes into the land, unless Link saves them. One of the saddest moments for me was seeing Romani and Cremia on the final night, in which Cremia tells Romani that she can finally drink the ranch's Romani milk and become an acknowledged adult...in reality, she just knew her little sister would never get the chance to be an adult, because she would die the next morning. That's both dark and emotional.

And there's also the fact that not everyone is even saved at the end...there's the Deku Butler's son, and his grieving father, mourning him right at the end of the game.

It just annoys me when people go "OMG THE GAME IS SO DARK AND STUFF, SO GUD."

It is more than that.

Originally Posted by Alex

It just annoys me when people go "OMG THE GAME IS SO DARK AND STUFF, SO GUD."

It is more than that.

Feel free to discuss, I'm interested in knowing what you think of Majora's Mask
Of course Majora's Mask is more than just dark.

Lol, have you noticed that despite of Majora's Mask colorful surroundings, story-wise, it's still the darkest game?

Visually, TP was the darkest game, but that's about it.

i think majora's mask was the darkest of the three choices. link gets jumped by a punk kid in the begining of the game. that punk kid goes around just screwing with people. there was that "impending sense of doom" that keeps getting brought up. i think between the two villains [ganondorf, and majora] majora was more evil. ganons ascension to power was fueled by desire to rule. majora just went around messing up peoples lives for the enjoyment he\she got from it. but the atmosphere of utter despair that was portrayed through virtually every character is what really makes it seem darkest to me. [granted i realize there was plenty of this in twilight princess. the people of kakariko were actually hiding in a bunker.]

and, Alex, just so you dont think i am bias, it is my least favorite of the three games. my favorite game is Ocarina of time, then Twilight princess, then Majoras Mask.

Originally Posted by maian

I'm surprised at, of the people who haven't played MM, voted TP over OOT. If you discount Majora's Mask, I think OOT is the obvious choice.

I got to agree, OoT has some very nicely executed dark moments that have a special kind of impact. Suddenly being turned into an adult and thrust into a world which the bad guy has taken over is in itself dark, but its execution was what made it so powerful: So many of the items you've depended on are now useless, all the places you remember have changed (almost always for the worse), nobody remembers you, you feel alienated, lost, horrified etc. It's a lot to take in at once.

The bottom of the well was really, really creepy, not just because of the atmosphere, the fake walls and floors, the scary monsters, but because now, for the first time in a long while you are playing through a dungeon as young Link, meaning you feel severely depowered and a lot more vunerable. Of course, the Shadow Temple is very dark as well.

Contrast that with TP and you'll notice that twilight hits places you haven't had time to really become emotionally attatched to, making its impact on the player limited. Some moments are as I said in my previous post quite dark, like the frozen Zoras and the cut-scene with Ilia, but lack the impact of the dark moments in OoT (the cut-scene in particular, instead of being profound and really moving the story along felt like it was there just to be cool).

Originally Posted by Severian

i think between the two villains [ganondorf, and majora] majora was more evil.

I also think Majora was more evil than Ganondorf. And it's final form (Majora's Wrath) was scarier than Ganon. At least to me.

Originally Posted by Olympion

I got to agree, OoT has some very nicely executed dark moments that have a special kind of impact. Suddenly being turned into an adult and thrust into a world which the bad guy has taken over is in itself dark, but its execution was what made it so powerful: So many of the items you've depended on are now useless, all the places you remember have changed (almost always for the worse), nobody remembers you, you feel alienated, lost, horrified etc. It's a lot to take in at once.

The bottom of the well was really, really creepy, not just because of the atmosphere, the fake walls and floors, the scary monsters, but because now, for the first time in a long while you are playing through a dungeon as young Link, meaning you feel severely depowered and a lot more vunerable. Of course, the Shadow Temple is very dark as well.

Contrast that with TP and you'll notice that twilight hits places you haven't had time to really become emotionally attatched to, making its impact on the player limited. Some moments are as I said in my previous post quite dark, like the frozen Zoras and the cut-scene with Ilia, but lack the impact of the dark moments in OoT (the cut-scene in particular, instead of being profound and really moving the story along felt like it was there just to be cool).

I have to agree with just everything you said. I never thought about that thing about the bottom of th well, how we feel more vulnerable because we are playing as young Link again. Good point.

And yes, since you didn't feel emotionally attached to those places in TP, twilight covering it wasn't as "powerful" as evil taking over a land you've known before. Yes, that cut-scene with Ilia was scary, but it was there just because it was cool, it didn't really interfere the story.

Originally Posted by SixaxiS

Lol, have you noticed that despite of Majora's Mask colorful surroundings, story-wise, it's still the darkest game?

Visually, TP was the darkest game, but that's about it.

MM mask is like an acid trip, color-wise.

Now that I think about it, all 3 games are both dark and light.

For example, in the beginning of OOT it is pretty bright (not every second is though). But when you are an adult it gets darker. The Gorons are being executed, Zoras frozen, evil creatures roaming everywhere.

Majora's mask while dark is also bright. The whole idea of the game is uniting everyone in Termina together to face the evil and believing in yourself and your abilities no matter how many times you fail. (I think we all know why it is dark).

In TP many parts are dark and make you feel isolated. You are the Hero of Time and you can't tell anyone about it or your adventures and powers. Everyone in Hyrule has lost hope, many races are almost extinct. But by the end of the game it feels incredibly epic and bright as well.

I've never played MM but, woah o_o. That sounds incredibly depressing and dark.