1) The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
I know. I know. Throw stuff at me all you like for picking “the most overhyped Zelda evar” to take the throne. I deserve it. …Wait, no I don’t!
I’ve elaborated upon my reasons for picking this game in the Zelda Roundtable and my MOSAIC piece. I say a lot of things there that I won’t go repeating here. But beyond being a game I grew up with (I did not grow up with A Link to the Past; you’ve gotta keep that in mind), it’s the game that single-handedly redefined Zelda and helped define the three-dimensional action game. Anything that came after, both in Zelda and outside the franchise, is just an attempt to capture this game’s lightning in a different (empty) bottle. I tend to grow bitter about the infamy surrounding certain “timeless classics” (look no further than our Final Fantasy Roundtable for evidence of that), but…I make an exception when it comes to Ocarina. The top game in my list of Zelda isn’t just a testament to nostalgia (I agree that it plays a huge part in it being this high; I wasn’t born yesterday!), it’s a testament to it being a staple in the life of so many Zelda fans like me. And Ocarina of Time 3D is just…so, so pretty. So pretty.
Go ahead, ladies and gentlemen; I’ve earned it. Want to tell me your personal Zelda Top 10? Want to say mean-spirited things to me for not including Majora’s Mask in my list? Sound off in the comments below! I look forward to hearing from you all.
