Which Zelda Game is the "Darkest"?

Before making your decision, think about all the Zelda games, all the situations, and the BIGGER PICTURE. (Don't forget to think about the introduction and the conclusion of the game)

And by "Dark", I DO NOT MEAN black colors and "omg-i-cant-see!" situations.

According to the dictionary, Dark's definition is...

"...relating to grim or depressing circumstances"
"gloomy; cheerless; dismal"
"evil; iniquitous; wicked"

So which Zelda Game do you think is the Darkest?

Please Vote in the poll I'll post my opinion once I hear others xP

(Oh, and I only posted those three games because they seemed to be the most argued as "Darkest." If you have an argument with a different game, please post below =) )

I think Majora's Mask. It definatly had that dark feature to it. Even though there were bright colours in the atmosphere, the story is dark. The moon is about to crash with the world in 3 days, everyone's going about their days as normal, and people are panicking as to if they should hold the Carnival of Time or not. Every place you visited had some sort of curse or problem with it. The swamp was filled with poisonous water, in the mountains it would never stop snowing, the water in the Great Bay was murky, and Ikana Valley had the dead roaming around.

I have to agree that Majora's Mask was the Darkest.

Not only was it unique and scary (something different from the drab link vs. ganon storyline), but it delivered a sort of different concept of evil.

Ganondorf is an Evil King who wants to control Hyrule, whereas Majora is an evil entity who wants to destroy it.

Woops, i voted for TP, but i meant MM. When you said dark, i put the "o-m-g- i cant see" choice. But story depressing (but fun and challenging) wise, i put majora's mask.

Haha, it's okay. I'm playing Majora's Mask right now. I'm getting goosebumps

I've never played Majora's Mask completely through. I'm working on it at the time, so I can't really say right now. But, so far, from the games I've played Ocarina of Time seems pretty "dark". And that's really only coming from me because I thought that the Well, and the Shadow Temple were pretty dark, and they freaked me out.

xD yeah Ocarina of Time was pretty freaky. Before I entered the well, I watched the Ring so I couldn't finish that part of the game till a few months later ;x

Definitely MM. Its the only game where the world really can be destroyed.

Ocarina of Time is my favorite game ever made, but Majora's Mask was definitly the darkest!

Majora's Mask had that moon which keeps getting closer as the days go by, and also if 3 days pass the world is destroyed.

Majora's Mask. There is always the threat of the falling moon... Enough to listen the Day 3 theme of Clock Town

Probably Majora's Mask. Everybody in the game is all worried about dying... Anju and Kafei die in each others' arms. Cremia has to take care of her sister and the ranch since her father died, and the guy she loves is marrying her best friend. Lulu and Mikau are in love, but Lulu's offspring are kidnapped, and Mikau dies trying to save them. Darmani dies and leaves his child behind. Etc, etc.

That game was pretty dark.

Originally Posted by Nesi

Majora's Mask. There is always the threat of the falling moon... Enough to listen the Day 3 theme of Clock Town

Also, don't forget the theme of Clock Tower at the final 5 minutes.

I currently am playing MM but I don't see how it is very dark. I mean, yes, the moon crashing into Termina is sort of dark but TP is way more gloomy. Yes I know this topic is not about "omg I can't see" situations, but think about it. When you were Wolf-Link roaming around in Kakariko you cannot say that's not dreary. Seeing Renado, Barnes, and the kids all huddled together, scared of the shadow beasts was much darker than a poisonous swamp (which TP also had. Remember when the monkey stole your lantern. Yeah, there). And the whole City in the Sky deal, the Oocca's city being ravaged by the Kargoroks and Argorok is dark, although the dungeon is bright and airy. Almost all of the Zora's died, the Gorons were in panic due to the loss of Darbus, the Kokiri, Gerudos, and the Sheikah were wiped out (except for obviously Impaz, and in the Gerudos case, Ganondorf). That's why I voted TP as the darkest as opposed to MM.

I kind of voted for Majora's Mask because..well..you have sense of dread when you play the game. Yes, it's basically solid that the moon is falling and the people are scared. But what makes it dark, I think, is how the humans reacted to the falling moon that really made the game dark.

The guards, having no choice but to stay, faced the moon with dignity (you can see this on the third day when they're saluting or something).

The kids (bombers) are TOTALLY oblivious to what is happening, and it's sad how Link can't tell them to run away, and is forced to watch them walk around, knowing that soon the moon will crush them.

When you complete the Anju/Kafei (sp?) quest, they faced the oncoming death, knowing that they couldn't flee in a mere 5 minutes.

Not only that, but when you use the "Song of Time", you aren't really restarting. You're just leaving that timeline, going back to the beginning, and leaving the citizens to their doom and to a time that you yourself created.

But the darkness of Majora's Mask doesn't really come until the last day when it hits midnight. Listen to the music, talk to everyone around, and imagine that you can't flee. See how they react, and you'll realize that "Dark" isn't enough to describe Apocalypse.

Not to mention the deaths and souls that had to be used to save Termina.

Originally Posted by Exinitrix

Not only that, but when you use the "Song of Time", you aren't really restarting. You're just leaving that timeline, going back to the beginning, and leaving the citizens to their doom and to a time that you yourself created.

You're also whipping out everyone's memory of what's happening. So, they won't remember you. Your re-playing the same 3 days over and over again until your able to stop Majora.

I think the darkness kicks it up a notch when you strick midnight of the 3rd day and the music plays. It's telling you to hurry up or everyone might die. Somewhat, anyway.

If you do the Anju and Kafei sidequest, and you see them hug, you can't help but feel happy for them. But if your unable to get to Majora (or Skull Kid) on time, they're going to be killed. Same with Link. I think this is the only game that makes me feel emotional for the characters, since they have so much depth.

I mean, you aquire the first 2 masks (not including the Deku mask) by healing the souls of somebody. For the Zora's mask, you have to heal Mikau's body and help him pass on. For the Goron's mask, you have to put Darmani's soul to rest and tell him to not worry. That cutscene (when your putting him into his grave) always seems to make me feel sad, I don't know why.

Majora's Mask by far. Death and sadness are very prevalent in it.

What I meant is that you're leaving that Timeline.

Think of it like this: every time you play the Song of Time, you're creating another timeline, starting at that three day point. But when you "leave" that timeline you created, you're also leaving the citizens to their doom.

So basically, if you play the Song of Time 32 times the whole time you played, 31 of those "restarts" the world had ended, and only 1 of them came up with an exceptional ending. (I won't say happy because people are still dead, cursed, and forever scarred with the memory of the moon.)

The fact that navi and link know that things have restarted, but the rest of the citizens don't only proves this


***

Goron = Darmani :>

I think the impending doom of Termina brings the darkest atmosphere to the table. the Clock Town Day 3 and the song at the final moments were far more sinister that Kakariko or Castle Town Market ever got. Majora's Theme had a much darker feel to it than any previous end boss music too. and seeing the fireworks at the end of the final day was almost like a knife in the back or something - it's supposed to be a time of great celebration and bustling activity, but instead the town is silent, and the people you meet are terrified or boldly facing their death... and the stories...Anju and Kafei choosing to die together...everyone panicking and fleeing...The poor postman! and Gorman, getting drunk off milk. Mikau. The little girl and her father in Ikana Valley, Sharp and Flat...well, hell, all of Ikana Valley XD The Deku Butler and his son... etc. etc. The stories are very sad and full of suffering. The other games lack that - well, they lack the character depth to even get that far. it's just, "oh hey, let me help you out on your journey."

so yeah. Majora's Mask, undoubtedly.

Oot, WW, and LA had darker endings than MM and TP. In substance more than style. I mean especially LA. As an idiot kid, I felt like "Aww man, I kinda wish I hadn't done that". Yea I got hooked by storylines so easily then :p

I don't understand how Ocarina of Time would have a darker ending than Majora's Mask o-O. I mean, you're basically with Zelda again and you've saved everyone....so..