Top 5 Favorite Legend of Zelda Games

With the remake of Wind Waker and a new Legend of Zelda game coming out soon, I thought I ought to do my next top 5 about my favorite LoZ games.  So... here's my top 5 favorite Legend of Zelda games!

5. Link to the Past
There are many who love Link to the Past.  In fact, some may hate this list already for it not being number 1.  Although Link to the Past is an incredible game (like nearly every other Legend of Zelda game), I didn't get "into" this game like others.  The amount of adventuring needed to be done was satisfying, and all of the things you could do was awesome.
The Light and Dark world split was a really nicely added feature into the game, making it much more challenging, and more adventures to be had.  It's a no wonder why so many people enjoyed this game so much, and it was no different to me.
Reason why it is not number 1 in my list MIGHT be because it has been a while since I last played it, but that might be it too.  With the newer Zelda games that came out, I just enjoyed them more, as well as what they had to offer.  However, that does not mean that Link to the Past is a game I would not go back on... just not AS often as others out there.

4. Ocarina of Time
Ocarina of Time not #1?  What is this madness?  I'm not mad, just... well, maybe I am.  But, that's not the main reason.  Ocarina of Time is an incredible game and step up since Link to the Past.  For one, it's a 3D Zelda game, and beautifully done.  The story?  Incredible!  The graphics?  Great!  The music?  Awesome!  It's a game that many Zelda fans love, and place it so high because of how great it was!  ... obviously, I am not as such.
I love this game for where you all can go to.  Each place felt like an adventure (otherwise, it wouldn't be a Zelda game), and a new challenge to overcome.  From collecting the Spiritual Stones to obtaining the Medallions and awakening the Sages to take out Ganondorf - all felt like a new challenge and... well, felt as if I were part of it.
Ocarina of Time had a lot to offer when it came out, and still does.  I mean, it was rereleased on the Nintendo 3DS, and I personally enjoyed it on that over the Nintendo 64 (mainly because I love Handheld consoles so much).  This goes to show just how popular the game was, and still is.

3. Twilight Princess
Now this might agitate others even further, but there are reasons why I do like Twilight Princess over Link to the Past and Ocarina of Time.  Put simply, I loved Hyrule for how it was, as well as all that you can do.  The items you get were great, and I enjoyed the music in it.
The biggest things I enjoyed in Twilight Princess were riding the Horse, and exploring Hyrule.  With the Horse, the mechanics for it were bigger, and served as an important part in the game.  For one, you have to ride your horse to take on the giant ogre monster thing ("insert name here"), and basically strive to knock him off of the bridge.  Not only that, but prior to that is simply taking out other enemies riding and shooting you with arrows.  And you're not using a bow as a sole weapon (like in Ocarina of Time).  What I hoped for in this game was to use my sword while riding... and that's what I got.  And boy, was I satisfied!
Exploring and adventure have always been a big thing for me!  It seemed like there were new places to go to - to explore!  Ocarina of Time had that, but I felt like Twilight Princess expanded that even further (hence why I love it so much).
Items are big too, and the few I loved were the Bow (especially bomb arrows and zooming like you were sniping), the Claw Shot (especially when you get two - man, that was awesome), and the Ball and Chain.  Traditional Zelda games received a giant hammer, but this took it a step up, and in a good way!  I loved using this item so much!  And you can still use it as a weapon afterwards (not as much as the sword, but it was still fun to bash enemies with).
And finally, you could gain more sword techniques, all of which I thought were unique, and awesome!  Originally, Link's main sword technique was the jump attack and the commonly known Spin Attack, but TP added more unique sword skills into that factor.  My favorites are the shield bash and helm splitter, the jump strike, and the mortal draw.
Overall, I felt like I was improving as the game progressed, and that there was more to be seen.  Like I said, Ocarina of Time had that, but I felt like Twilight Princess stepped up further on it!

2. Skyward Sword
In terms of story, Skyward Sword is my number 1 favorite in a Zelda game.  Obviously, not over all, but still!  The story was well put together, and incredibly interesting!  In addition, this took part before Hyrule came to be, so it was great to see how it all started!
Unlike in previous games, Zelda is best friends with Link, and a lot cooler too.  But my favorite has got to be Groose!  He's pretty much Link's "rival"... except Link doesn't view him as such.  Groose is kinda a bully to Link at first, but in time, they become better friends and Groose ends up becoming a key role in helping Link a few times.
This game was released on the Wii, so it would be obvious it would be motion controlled (like Twilight Princess)... and it was - except better!  With the introduction to the Wii Motion Plus, it made the gameplay feel fluent and "life like".  Swinging the Wiimote around may look a tad silly to others, but not to the gamer (at least me).  I loved it!  I felt like I was actually wielding the Master Sword and taking on evil head on!  Speaking of...
The best parts I thought were the development of the Master Sword and obtaining all of the Triforce!  It became something... more!  The sword you receive is the Goddess Sword, with a spirit residing in it named Fi, who will be your partner along the way (like Navi from Ocarina of Time and Midna from Twilight Princess).  The Goddess Sword will later be forged and become the Sword of Evil's Bane we now know as the Master Sword.  In addition, you will be searching for all three pieces of the Triforce, which was awesome!
Searching for these was one thing, but the story was pretty awesome and epic.  I wish I could traverse more like I could in TP, but the story alone was well worth it.  I especially enjoyed several of the bosses, especially the last boss!
The only thing I wish was added was more adventuring to be had, but the incredible story and controls more than make up for it!

1. Wind Waker
Now, I'm sure I know what some are thinking: "What the heck?  Why Wind Waker as #1?  It wasn't even that good!  All of that sailing, and..." blah blah blah.  Well, this is MY top 5 favorites, and it is my own opinion.
Yes, Wind Waker is my favorite Zelda game.  Some Zelda fans are not too... intrigued with the graphics and the colorful cartooney style of the game, but I am.  In fact, that kinda reflects my personality a bit... maybe that's why I like it so much?  I thought the style was a new and great step up from the former Zelda games, which were more "life like".
The land?  What land?  ... except for the islands, it consists mostly of fast oceans.  And, to be honest, was a new thing to us.  Some didn't like it (mainly because there were A LOT of sailing), but I didn't mind it as much.  In fact, I enjoyed it.  There was always a new place to go to (and treasure to find).  I love to just explore and experience new things, and that is what I got out of Wind Waker.  I like to keep my feet on the ground, but this is one of few games where I actually enjoyed being in the water.
The story and plot, I thought, were nice and awesome!  I enjoyed it, and all of the dungeons you had to go to (and some of the bosses were fun to fight against).  I always did wonder what happened to Hyrule... and you do (eventually).  The characters were pretty cool.  Some were silly, and in a good way (to me).
Speaking of characters, I always wondered if we would ever meet the King of Hyrule... well, we got that too.  And especially, later on in the game, you obtain the Master Sword... in its powerless form... but, you eventually go out and reawaken it, making it the Master Sword again... in it's full power to slay evildoers!
Aside from the Master Sword, the items you obtain are interesting and fun!  I especially like the Deku Leaf, the Skull Hammer, and the Mirror Shield.  The return of the Fire, Ice, Light arrows for the Bow was good too, since I loved using those kind of arrows in Ocarina of Time.
And after beating Ganondorf and all that good stuff, a second play through was to be had, and I liked it.  For 1, instead of playing in the traditional Link costume, you get to play the game in your Blue Crab Shirt and Orange Pants get up, and you obtain the Delux Picto Box when you start, which was awesome!
The only thing I did not like about Wind Waker was the tedious searching for the pieces of the Triforce of Courage.  It became a hassle to deal with, but it did not bump it down from #1 (I hope they fix that in the HD remake for the WiiU).  Speaking of... I am excited for that.  Just thought I throw that out there!

So that's my top 5 favorite Zelda games.  What's your favorite Zelda game?  I hope you leave it in the comments section (if anyone DOES comment... haha!).  So, uh... yeah, later!

999: 9 Hours, 9 Doors, 9 People - Video Game Review (Nintendo DS)

Do you want to know how I got this game?  No?  Well, I'm gonna tell you anyway!  I was watching one of my favorite gaming channels to watch on Youtube (PeanutButterGamer), and on an episode of Minecraft Hardcore: Season 2, I heard the piece called Morphogenetic Sorrow, and I was intrigued.  I am sometimes drawn to video games based on the music, and this was no different.  I looked up the piece, and it directed me to the game we know as 9 Hours, 9 Doors, 9 People (I'll be referring it as 999 in short).

I looked at some reviews off of Amazon and such, and heard good about it.  I tend to lean towards adventure and fantasy games, but this one was definitely going to be different.  I was interested in it because it was more of a puzzle solving game - where you had to solve the puzzle to move on.  The catch was that your life was on the line in this game.  In addition, you had to make certain choices that would lead to different endings in the game.  And so, I was sold, and went to Gamestop to buy the game itself.

Before I dig into this review, I want to point this out - this game is rated M for Mature for a reason.  I do NOT recommend this game to people younger than 17.  I know that this means little to those today, but nonetheless... well, while I do like the game (spoiler alert), it is a pretty graphic game (the narration does go into great detail about the deaths, psyche of the characters, etc.), and it could affect some people's... mentality?  Dunno what word to really use, but it is quite emotional and effecting... so, just thought I throw that out there.

Now, with that said, I will do my utmost best not to spoil it at all.  You (Junpei) find yourself in a room that you have no recollection of knowing.  You find yourself wearing a watch-like band around your left wrist, with the number 5 on it.  You also discover the same number on the door that you see in the room with you, which won't open.  The window in the room breaks and water starts to poor out (where you figure you are in a ship).  You come to a situation where you have to escape (or else you're gonna drown).  Eventually, you remember what happened - that you were kidnapped by a disguised person (gas mask, hooded cloak).  Once you do figure out the puzzle and escape, you eventually find yourself in a big room, and find 8 other people joining you in the room.  You don't know any of them, except for one, who's name is Akane (a childhood friend you know).

After some time of attempting of opening doors and escaping, the mastermind of what's going on, who goes by the name of Zero, explains that he is the "host" of this game that the 9 will partake in, and will "go over" and explain "why" you are there.  The event is called the Nonary Game, and the objective is to go through the different numbered doors to find the door that will lead you out.  About the doors, there's a thing called the RED (Recognition Device), which you must use to open the doors.  How?  Simply by adding up the people's numbers that they have on their wrists (like the one you have, which is 5).  Only 3 to 5 people can verify their numbers on the RED, and if the number matches the door's number, then you can enter (it goes by digital root, which is the result of finding the sum of several digits until there is only a single digit remaining.  For example, let's say the door number is 9.  If you add the numbers 5 + 6 + 7, then you will get 18.  Then, you will then make 18 to 1 + 8, which will be 9, meaning that the door will open.  5 + 6 + 7 = 18 = 1 + 8 = 9.).  After the door opens, then you have to search for the DEAD (Deactivation Device), which looks just like the RED, except it is blue.  Once you enter (within 9 seconds.  Once 9 seconds pass, then the door shuts), you will hear a beeping noise.  If you do not verify the numbers again to the DEAD in under 81 seconds, the bomb inside of you will detonate, and you will explode.  In short, those who participate (verify their numbers for the RED) must enter, and those who enter must leave (verify their numbers on the DEAD).

The time limit is 9 hours, and if you have not escaped by then, then whoever is left in the ship will drown. 

After Zero's announcement and explanation, then the game begins.  Everyone then shows their numbers, and gives each other code names (except for you, which everyone knows your real name).  They are:
1: Ace

2: Snake

3: Santa

4: Clover

5: Junpei (You)

6: June (Akane)

7: Seven

8: Lotus

9: 9th Guy

What happens afterwards I will leave to you to find out, as I don't want to spoil any more of the game (it's plot and characters).

My thoughts?  Well, it's a lot of narrative and story, but in a GOOD way.  Heck, in a GREAT way.  I'll get to that in a minute though.  But first, let's talk about puzzles.  Each numbered door you go into, you have to solve about 1 to 2 puzzles... maybe more?  And to be honest, some of them are rather difficult to solve (at least to me).  If you do not cheat , then I almost guarantee you that you will feel pretty smart and accomplished on solving said puzzles.  I felt as such, and I don't get that kind of satisfaction much anymore except from a few games (such as the Phoenix Wright and Legend of Zelda series).  If there's one complaint I have about the puzzles is that there is no real time limit, you can take your time with the puzzles.  I was honestly expecting to have a certain time limit for each puzzle I was doing, especially if your life is on the line.  But, even without it, the puzzle's challenge itself is worth it.

Aside from puzzles, it's pretty much the story.  However, you do chose what doors you would like to go through, as well as how to respond on some topics and such.  Depending on your choices will determine the kind of endings you will get.  There's a number of "bad endings", one ending called the "safe ending" (which isn't technically a "bad ending"), and the one "true ending".  After your first complete playthrough, you get to save your "memories", which means that you can remember what choices you made and make different ones.  In addition, you can fast-forward through the dialogue (only ones you already have been through with), and a separate option within the menu to play the puzzles you have already done in the story mode.

The music was fantastic!  It felt like each piece fitted perfectly well on each scene you were in.  When the scene got spooky or creepy, the music fitted that tone.  When it got tense or exciting, the music was in unison with that scene.  I can not think of any better soundtracks to fit the atmosphere for 999 than what the composer created for the game.  He (Shinji Hosoe) did a fantastic job on the composition of the music.

My thoughts on the story overall?  I honestly got into it and LOVED it!  Especially the True Ending, which is well worth the work for.  When I say I got into it, I mean I got INTO it.  It was emotional, heartbreaking, and very well done.  You get to know the characters more in depth (The characters and their development throughout the game were phenomenal.  I really did like them, especially Seven, who was awesome (to me).  I also liked Junpei and Akane, who shared a deep bond towards one another, which will be very important later on in the game, especially for the True Ending.), and how all nine contestants for the Nonery Game connect to Zero.  The story is bind gripping, and interesting and emotional in every aspect of the word.  In fact, this has got to be one of the best stories I have ever played in a video game (if not the best on my list).

Here's my ratings:

Gameplay: 10/10

Music: 10/10

Graphics: 9/10

Story: 10/10

Overall: 9.5/10

In conclusion, if you are someone like me who mostly plays adventure games (or plays one particular that isn't mainly puzzle solving, deciding on a "certain" path, and a lot of story), then I STILL recommend getting (or trying out) this game (people who are 17 or older.  I did mention that I do NOT recommend this game to those younger than the game was intended for... yeah, I still stand by that statement.  Not forcing anyone not to get the game, but just FYI.).  Honestly, I made a "gamble" between getting this one game I have heard little of for $20, and another good game I have heard a lot about for $50, and I went for 999 (obviously).  I have no regrets, and I would play it over and over again... in "healthy" doses naturally.  The puzzles are great, the music's great, the characters (most) are great, and the story is phenomenal!

UPDATE: I just played through all of Virtue's Last Reward.  I will be posting a blog about my thoughts and experiences with the game in the near future.