So.... Given what happens to Zelda in TotK.... Does that mean that the Zeldadragon have been flying through the sky's of Hyrule all this time without anyone knowing?
Easiest solution they could have given TOTK would have just been that no matter the order of the dragon tear interacted with, then it would play the next cinematic in sequence. You could argue that the icons presented would mean nothing to the story portion is it related to, but wouldn't hurt anything as far as gameplay goes.
@@Ryan64yt keep the cinematic of link reaching for a falling Zelda, but once the hit the water, Zelda manifests into thin air and link is left all alone. That way it’s actually Zelda’s sacrifice but link gets to give a goodbye hug or something
Majora's Mask teaches you service. Teaches you that people may not remember your service, unless they're close to you, and maybe even then. But the satisfaction you feel on a bit by bit phasis is what counts.
Also, Sheik is weird. It seems to be the case that (at least in some games, not the manga) Zelda was transformed into a female Sheikah, who then tried to pass herself off as a male Sheikah. So she changed (or had someone else, e.g. Impa, change) her race through magic similar to that of the masks, but couldn't change her gender, possibly being another explanation as to why Link's transformations in Majora's Mask were all male, despite being of all different races.
I'll never forget being 5 and playing majora's mask for the first time. Seeing everything in that game's story at that age... goddamn. That's all I got
"Convey my words to my men, who in death, remain loyal to me. *Tell them the war has ended* ." At 8-ish years old, watching a young boy like Link bearing the burden of a war's aftermath being entrusted to him... That somber moment will always stick with me. I salute you, Captain Keeta.
This video really dispels the idea the zelda stories aren't good. There have been some not great ones but overall most of them are beautiful. Even some of the simpler and shorter stories have enough moments to stick with me forever.
One of the first tears I found in TOTK was Mineru mentioning how draconification is forbidden and can't be undone......so, yeah, I knew there and then that Zelda was going to do it 😂😅
im replaying it right now, interesting how at the very start, you hear Zelda "find me, Link, find the Master Sword" exactly when her dragon form appears, but obviously players don't make the connection on the firs tplaythrough
Twilight Princess is probably my favorite Zelda game. The story, characters, and soundtrack was really memorable. I remember being really invested with the game in my childhood. It is the game I think of when I think The Legend of Zelda.
It easily had the best companion and supporting cast. Especially with characters like Bo, Ilia, Colin, Telma and her group, and Renado. Even the Yetis in Snowpeak were an absolute treat every visit. Probably the only downside is how Zelda was handled, but you kinda run into a similar situation with A Link Between Worlds as it seems they focus on a different ruler from a different kingdom. So personally, I'm open to how they handled her here.
Hey there. I finally watched the video till the end. Damn, what a video, I might say, the best TH-cam Video I've seen in a long time, maybe ever. What a journey. Nostalgia hits very hard here. The outro part had me, a 36 year old familyfather, nearly crying. Thank you very much for this experience and keep up the good work. Greetings and love from Hannover, Germany.
I’m glad you enjoyed the video! I really appreciate the kind words. That’s my goal with these videos, if I can make people remember how much they love this phenomenal franchise as much as I do then I’ve succeeded! Sending it right back from Canada :)
Couldn’t agree more with the order of memories in TOTK/BOTW. Playing it in order on my second play through was a million times better. It should have been the case from the get go that we were guided to each memory and not a free for all. That’s honestly my one single gripe with those games story.
@@LifeOnSet This is exactly true. I’m currently doing a play through already knowing the order in which I should see everything and it’s so good. This is how the story should have been presented, I would have loved the game so much more if I first viewed the story how I’m seeing it now
for me the concept actually worked very well for BoTW, but much less so in ToTK (besides it just felt like recycling the same idea - an issue with much of ToTK, sadly)
@@charliez077 I feel like it worked for BotW because even though there is a linear order to the memories most of them can still feel somewhat independent and it makes more sense considering the fact that Link just woke up after 100 years and has amnesia. He doesn’t remember anything. But the only reason they did it like that in TotK was because they wanted to do exactly like the previous game and not ruin their open world philosophy. Tears of the Kingdom story is much more linear and they should have waited until after you did all the dungeons to collect the memory tears.
Gotta say, I REALLY like your editing style, the little intro in the beginning and the final little hurrah at the end there are both really well crafted.
I mean... ALTTP's story is UBER basic and only serves as a means to an end set piece. A *gameboy game* that came immediately after it had more and better plot than ALTTP. ALTTP is easily one of the best *games* in the franchise, but it's story has very little to do with that., Ocarina, on the other hand... Ocarina is a strong third. Twilight Princess does everything Ocarina does but better, and Majora's Mask just took the mold and shatters it.
I love this series, and at first i was frustrated with Skyward Sword not being higher as its my favourite game in no small part because of its story. But after seeing each of the games that placed above it my mind would just go "alright understandable, yeah fair enough, okay yeah those are some damn good stories" I tip my green cap to you sir
Skyward Sword is one of my favourite Zelda games despite its flaws because of its story. Zelda and Link's relationship was so adorable and how the story split them apart multiple times and finally reunite for good at the end felt so rewarding. Yes, I'm a sucker for romance
skyward sword is the Zelda game i've felt the most raw connection to, and I can't explain it well. I just felt like I was part of the story, and I remember bawling my eyes out when it ended
Wind Waker for me... love this game. It's my no. 1 childhoof game. When I finished it and the story something in me changed. It's an ending happy yet kinda depressing too and very rich and deep. It helped me grow up.
I still think the way Tears of the Kingdom handled its story makes it a perfect thematic sequel to Breath of the Wild even if its not a fully polished narrative. Though at the end i do think it makes sense that after defeating Ganondorf, Rauru and Sonia are able to channel their purifying light and time travel abilities into Link's recal ability and pull Zelda's form back thousands of years and make her human again.
I love how you narrate the events of the games and the usage of music. TLOZ is one of my most beloved franchises ever and my best story will always be Twilight Princess's. I find such admiration in the excution, presentation, how Link and Midna evolve together that whenever I want to experience the game again, I feel I enjoy it even more each time I play it. This is a detail I've been missing from the recent games but I wish they made triumphant fanfares for when you defeat bosses like in Twilight Princess and Wind Waker. The happines that invades my heart when I see the monsters struggle until they cease to exist while the trumpets and joyful music plays is such a fulfilling emotion these games will never take away from me
We will probably never get another Midna, or another Zelda game with *strong* thematic dungeons like TP. Nintendo is all in on the open air design and will *never* come back to it. And well, I dunno why the fuck Nintendo seems to hate Midna. I sometimes think that the staff that works on Zelda resent the fact that they got forced into making TP.
you deserve so many more subscribers man. i know you just started, but you are by far my favourite zelda youtuber and i wish there was more content to watch from you! keep up with the amazing uploads because you’ve very much reinstated my love for this beautiful series
wind waker by some distance. For a cartoon aesthetic is has easily the most adult and poignant story and underlying themes about letting go of the past and living with regret. All this was possible as it the most direct sequel of all the games as a straight successor to ocarina of time and the whole story is of those living in the shadow of the events of that games' adult ending....... This is a ganondorf who unlike in many of the other games, remembers being defeated by the hero of time and a king who expected the hero of time to return, but he never did. Those 2 characters at the end with their own speeches made for a powerful ending.
I really feel that Spirit Tracks deserved to be higher, and am especially disappointed that Byrne went unmentioned, especially since you mentioned both Ralph and Linebeck stepping up in their respective games. Edit: There seems to be some favoritism here. You went into a lot of detail about A Link to the Past's smaller moments for example, but only mentioned the big beats for Spirit Tracks. Nothing about the Tower of Spirits being broken, nothing about seeking the other Lokomos to restore the tracks, nothing about getting the Bow of Light and Compass of Light, and again nothing of Byrne's character arc.
Wow, neat. I didn't think this would line up so much with my own favorites. Checked out the Skyward Sword section first since I wanted to hear what you had to say about it. Definitely agree on that version of Link and how much emotion he shows, along with Zelda. I wished Breath and its sequel had more of that same quality for that version of Link, since there's a lot of room for character in him. Adding further to this later on: I think that Majora's Mask and its impact comes from its unique temporal arrangement. Normally, NPCs tend to be frozen in a state where their own time frame does not advance outside of your interaction with them, or your actions progressing the story, if at all. It normally just isn't practical to have the player's time frame match in-game characters. Majora's Mask, however, finds a way for the player to experience the events in the world playing out on a fixed schedule, and that means a lot for how you experience the characters. Like you pointed out, you see NPCs reacting to a lot of differing situations, which already gives you a fleshed out understanding of their character, but on top of that, you have the unique situation Termina finds itself in. Because you're in this time loop before the end of the world, the things they're going through, and the reactions you're seeing are explicitly one-time occurrences, and very potent ones at that. Knowing you're the one skipping around in time, while their reality remains stable has a weird way of making the whole thing feel more convincing.
Absolutely love your videos. I enjoy your approach and the way you out them together. Although there is a wealth of Zelda content on YT, yours is up there as some of the best. Keep it up and thank you!
Watched the whole thing beginning to end! I don't agree with all your choices (I don't find OoT as compelling as others do, for example), but I really appreciated you making this list! As much as TP and WW are among my favorites, I can't deny that MM has a better story - I'm pleased (and agree with) TP being so high on the list! As you said in the outro, there are so many excellent stories, and so much to gain from all of them. Thanks! God bless and guide you!
Seeing Majora's Mask in the top 1 (My favorite video game in the world) made me feel very excited and nostalgic... the best game ever. Thanks for this video, a big hug.
Twilight princess was my third Zelda game and I single-handedly remember, enjoying every single second of it from the emotional storyline to the amazing soundtrack that was single-handedly one of my favorite Zelda games of all time next to skyward sword, I also thought of the dungeons were so innovative, and the way that you were led onto each different one was very impactful
It gladdens me that we both share the same opinion for the top 3 games in exactly the same order. As for the rest. I personally think that Totk has a better story than Botw since it's an actual story and nothing that already happened.
I think that the story of Totk and BotW are great, but its in the delivery where they drop thr ball. They just aren't as satisfying having most of the story happening in the past through unplayable cut scenes. However, these games aren't putting their focus on their stories, same way The LoZ had a very simple story, mostly told through sources outside the game. I don't think thats a bad thing, and hating the games because theirs stories are weak is so silly to me. Im glad to see you rate totk so high! I enjoy the story itself a lot
I haven't played TOTK yet but I thought the delivery was fine in BOTW. It makes sense for the story to be told in that way because of Link losing his memory. Shame they seem to do them in TOTK.
Yeah, I'd just find myself disappointed when I'd exit a memory and find myself back in the future world where none of that was happening anymore. I think only the Zora, with their long life spans, really made that connection work.
While I agree the stories in BOTW and TOTK aren’t as great as some of the older entries in the series, I think they are a fair trade off to get more nonlinear gameplay. I love that after the introduction you can go explore wherever you want and the game doesn’t force you to specific locations. It makes you feel like you’re actually discovering the world on you own rather than following a scripted series of events.
@@solarsailor1534 exactly! Plus the trade off was mostly intentional. They knew the story would be affected, but they out the focus on the open world and atmospheric storytelling in the present. I think people also ignore that the "story" isn't just what happens during cut scenes in the past, but it's also what is doing in the present during your playthrough, and that's where the developers put their energy
@@solarsailor1534 : The one caveat with that is that they could have applied a variable to your memory progression and linked that to which scene plays. I'd have loved this to be done with the Shrines too, linking them in sequences (such as all the equipment-less shrines) getting progressively tougher. That way they could compound challenges and mechanics in the shrines further into the sequence.
Twilight Princess is the best Zelda game to me and Midna is best girl ever in the Legend of Zelda series and Zelda is second but still just as great... I'd love for them to make a classic 3D Zelda game but sadly i don't think we'll ever see a game like that again...
I'll admit I didn't actually watch the whole video, but seeing The Legend of Zelda majora's mask, my all-time favorite make it to number one legitimately surprised me. I know not many people like the idea of having to replay the same 3 days over and over. But honestly you don't have to do everything in one single cycle. That's just a self-imposed challenge. But for me personally, this is my favorite game because it actually got me to think and care for every NPC. plus the replay mechanic of having to do the same 3-day. It means you're free to make it as easier as hard as you want it to be. There are even some challenges even to this day of yet to try. Even after 20 years I did attempt to beat majora Mask while keeping my heart containers down as low as possible where one single hit Would finish me.
I think you would be surprised to learn that majoras mask I'd one the highest regarded games from the franchise to the zelda community. It wasn't when it first came out but as everyone has grown and has been fully able to grasp the deep meaning it grew a massive following. It is constantly being ranked I the top 3 of all time now
You’re so talented for making this video and compiling everything so clear to understand and follow! Keep it up, you’ll get the follow base you deserve.
I first played Majora’s Mask 7 years ago, my first ever Zelda game (my first official game was Triforce Heroes but we don’t talk about that). Hurricane Maria left Puerto Rico with no power for months. So I picked up MM my 3DS and played to kill time and boredom. That decision led The Legend of Zelda to be my favorite video game franchise, and MM to be my favorite Zelda game ever.
I unfortunately felt nothing in the story of TP. After beating it, I stopped thinking about the game lol. Love to see others love it so much. WW is my definite favorite. That link felt the most real to me and like an actual character lol. Great list!
This was such a cool video and I really enjoyed it. I'm glad that it was recommended to me. While I may not agree with some of the placements, overall a fantastic job!
Two notes: 1. I completely agree with your assessment of Groose. One of the greatest character transformations in the series, and an amazing part of Skyward Sword's story. 2. After saving Colin, he's little monologue about courage, and the song that accompanied it, were tear inducingly good
your channel is so underrated man. keep em coming while the upper few picks definitely resemble mine, I'm not sure how high botw and totk can even score given the interesting bulk of the story in both (!) games takes place in flashbacks. tbh, instead of totk, I'd rather have wanted to play a prequel to botw which takes place 100 years prior also I never really thought of the extent of what you could call the "story" of Majoras Mask, given around 70-80% of the game consists of sidequests and is therefore optional. the thing that makes it so immersive is the world, the setting, the characters, the doomsday scenario and the themes, not necessarily the story, since that gets outshined by the things mentioned before imo.
The biggest problem with Tears for the story is simply that it zelda story, not links. Not only that but the fact you can collect any of the memories in order thus spoiling yourself of latter stuff
@@dupersuper6516 : That might be what bugs me the most. The story had good reasons for Link to react even more than in past games, but he doesn't. It's far less apparent in Breath where Zelda is there with him in a lot of scenes, so she balances him out, but in Tears, it feels way more apparent in certain parts.
TOTK’s story would’ve been better if we get to see more of Zelda’s journey in Hyrule’s distant past. After reading parts of the Master Works, I was completely shocked of the revelation of the history of how Hylia entrusted the Sacred Stones to the Zonai and the Age of the Gods. Let alone the mural of Ganondorf. I wish this was included in the actual game. It would’ve help better the story where Zelda is living in the Era of Hyrule’s Founding. Let alone providing characters (like Rauru, Sonia, Mineru, and the Ancient Sages) more screentime. If Nintendo does come to reconsidering their decision after Echoes of Wisdom, would you all agree for a playable Princess Zelda in a Torna-esque DLC Story expansion?
I've been saying since the beginning that this would be the coolest thing, and I'd also put Rauru as an option to be playable. As is I don't think the past story needed that much more coverage since I see it more as a clearer depiction of Metroid Prime-esque lore than a typical Zelda narrative, but having a side campaign detailing the events and allowing them to fit into the present plot would be awesome. Imagine that final battle where you'd have to fight hard to weaken Ganondorf just enough to inflict the sealing blow.
Majora's Mask is my favorite, but I didn't expect it to be your top 1. Out of all Zelda games, I wish I could experience that one for the first time, the most. I would rate Link's awakening a bit higher, but that means putting one of the other top 5s lower. Makes you think just how many great games this franchise has spawned. I think I'd swap Skyward Sword and Link's Awakening, simply because it departs from the "Hero's journey" formula, which makes it more unique and memorable.
I 100% agree with the TotK memory's, but the game does actually give you the order at the start with the stone map in the ruins. It was super tedious, but I went out of my way to do them in order so every emotional beat hit at the right time
I for one like the story of totk.I love the idea of Zelda going back in time and bonding with her ancestors.And that scene where she transformes into the Ligh Dragon is sad and beautiful at the same time
Great list. Personally I've got Skyward Sword slightly ahead of Wind Waker, and Twilight Princess and Majoras Mask are a 1A 1B situation. Really hoping future games can get back to the quality of storytelling the series had become known for.
Great list! My personal favorite story is still the Wind Waker. It usually doesn't matter to me how much stories from other games connect to each other, but the connection to Ocarina of Time and the implications that presents really adds weight to the whole thing. I remember being blown away seeing the stained glass windows of the sages. It also just does a great job with the themes of letting go of the past and making your own future. And that ending still hits hard.
I could honestly see myself putting Breath of the Wild higher, because to me story isn't just plot, it's also setting and, more importantly, characters. The setting is obviously the main reason why BotW was so good, and the characters just have so much depth, especially in the champion's ballad. This is also why I disliked the Tears story more than BotW, the sages just aren't even close to as relatable and intricate as the champions. W video
Also, with TotK, many characters from BotW were reduced to either Zonai Survey Team members or Cece fashionistas. Most egregiously was Nell and Savelle. Soldiers in BotW, but Zonai Survey Team members in TotK? They're even at the same place, Outskirt Stable. In a time when many people are becoming fighters. Hoz, BotW's only other soldier, became a captain. Even Toren, BotW's Great Fairy simp, became a captain. But these two become random researchers?
@@xinpingdonohoe3978 Honestly I don't remember any of the people you just mentioned from Breath of the Wild, they are such minor characters. But you could say that after peace returned to Hyrule (before Ganondorf came back in TOTK it was relatively peaceful), many people and soldiers were able to follow different paths in life, and Zonai research could be used to help the kingdom. Plus you have Link running around, whose basically Hyrule's Superman. So yeah it's not like any major supporting characters got assassinated or anything.
What I also like about Majoras Mask is that you play as the Hero of Time. Who arguably has one of the saddest stories of all heroes in the franchise. Which to me, makes the game just that much better.
Okay time for the biggest Ghirahim fanboy of all time to speak for his glorious demon lord. Man I love Ghirahim so much and he's my favorite character in all of gaming. As a villain I think he's so entertaining, both in his fights and personality. When I first saw him I thought he resembled Fi for some reason, and then I met him at the skyview temple and he left quite the impression on me. He is a servant, much like Fi, but unlike her, he's so charismatic. He's arrogant, flamboyant, sadistic and cruel, definitely someone you just love to hate... and I love him for that. Before his second battle, he says something that hints to his true identity, his purpose. As the servant of Demise and counterpart to Fi, he's a sword, a weapon. Right before fighting him for the second time, he tells us the one thing he lacks is mercy. Weapons do not have mercy because they are made to kill, that is their purpose. And yet, he's more than that, and being more than that ultimately leads to his downfall. He could've killed Link several times throughout the story, but because he believed our hero is below him, not worthy of being dying by his hand, he let him live time and time again. Had he committed himself to being nothing more than Demise's servant, a weapon to slaughter everyone that gets in his way, he would've won for sure and the world would've been doomed. In the end, he did succeed in his mission, but the mistakes he made along the way cost him, and his master, everything.
Majora's Mask at #1? You get me, my friend. These lists are always very personal, but I also agree. MM literally changed my life. With the 3 day system, each NPC literally felt like a real person I wanted to save. They had time to flesh everyone out more and make the dark and happy moments stronger.
Did no one realize that they used recall on Zelda. Everyone complains that it doesn’t make sense that she turned back to normal when Minaru said it was impossible but she wasn’t transformed back, she was recalled back so it was as if she never was a dragon. In the ending cutscene after the credits she says she doesn’t remember being a dragon, that’s because her body and brain have been recalled so she has no memory of it.
Honestly my top favorites are a toss-up between Majora's Mask, Ocarina of Time and Twilight Princess. But all of the games are beyond amazing and I can't wait to see what the new Zelda game will be like (yes I know there is a new one coming soon)
Imagine a game with the grit and atmosphere of Twilight Princess, the hardware potential of Botw and Totk, and the story of Twlight Princess again because Twilight Princess is the best.
Why are people so confused/annoyed by the ending of TotK? It's well established throughout the game that Sonia is a master of time magic and Rauru is a master of light/purifying magic. There's even a flashback where Sonia explains how her own ability works and how a power s amplified when combining abilities (when Sonia and Zelda use their respective gifts to amplify Rauru's attack against the herd of Molduga - wiping them out in one shot). All that's happening in the ending is the couple combining their abilities and not only curing Zelda's draconification, but giving Link is arm back (I.e. - reversing time and purifying/healing the pair).
If you succeed with the lon lon ranch side quests, head to the ranch during the end of final day and holy shit….. the dialogue between the sisters is heartbreaking
You could call any of the top 3 of this list the best Zelda plot and I wouldn't disagree with you; they're all really really good storytelling. (TP is my personal favorite.)
A better atmosphere and tone, a better companion character, a more interesting and fleshed out world, stakes handled better, two incredible villains, better thematic elements that tie into the story. it’s definitely better than the still really good stories of WW and SS
@harikohli541 Very much disagree. TP's tone is 2000s try hard edgy, I never cared for Midna, the Hyrule of TP is nearly as boring as SS it's just connected, they ruined Zant to force Ganondorf into the story, and the thematic elements are up for debate. I'm probably alone but aside from the dungeons (which are admittedly the best batch in the series) I just don't think TP is that good.
Ok wow so I mentally ranked all the 3D game stories before starting the video, and we have them in the exact same order. TotK < BotW < OoT < SS < WW < TP < MM
![The Evolution of Hyrule [Part 1] - Zelda Theory](/img/n.gif)
Thank you to everyone who watched :)
Reminder that I will be streaming Echoes of Wisdom on release so make sure to tune in during the stream!
another great vid as always
congrats on 7k!!!!
So....
Given what happens to Zelda in TotK....
Does that mean that the Zeldadragon have been flying through the sky's of Hyrule all this time without anyone knowing?
Easiest solution they could have given TOTK would have just been that no matter the order of the dragon tear interacted with, then it would play the next cinematic in sequence. You could argue that the icons presented would mean nothing to the story portion is it related to, but wouldn't hurt anything as far as gameplay goes.
Preach 🗣️
@@Ryan64yt keep the cinematic of link reaching for a falling Zelda, but once the hit the water, Zelda manifests into thin air and link is left all alone. That way it’s actually Zelda’s sacrifice but link gets to give a goodbye hug or something
Majora's Mask teaches you service.
Teaches you that people may not remember your service, unless they're close to you, and maybe even then.
But the satisfaction you feel on a bit by bit phasis is what counts.
(not hating on Shiek) Naming a shiekah character Sheik is like naming a mexican character Mex😂
Ikr I always found the name choice hilarious 😭
"My name's Sheik, I'm a Sheikah."
"Hi, my name's Hy, I'm a Hylian."
I guess Zelda wasn't the best at coming up with a clever alias... Ganondorf must have felt really dumb when he finally found out it was her. XD
Also, Sheik is weird. It seems to be the case that (at least in some games, not the manga) Zelda was transformed into a female Sheikah, who then tried to pass herself off as a male Sheikah. So she changed (or had someone else, e.g. Impa, change) her race through magic similar to that of the masks, but couldn't change her gender, possibly being another explanation as to why Link's transformations in Majora's Mask were all male, despite being of all different races.
Was she deliberate posing as male though, or was she permitting Link (and presumably others) to assume she was male in that guise?
I'll never forget being 5 and playing majora's mask for the first time. Seeing everything in that game's story at that age... goddamn. That's all I got
"Convey my words to my men, who in death, remain loyal to me. *Tell them the war has ended* ."
At 8-ish years old, watching a young boy like Link bearing the burden of a war's aftermath being entrusted to him... That somber moment will always stick with me. I salute you, Captain Keeta.
same
Ok you just made me feel old as a person who played the OG Zelda at 5 lol
This video really dispels the idea the zelda stories aren't good. There have been some not great ones but overall most of them are beautiful. Even some of the simpler and shorter stories have enough moments to stick with me forever.
Seeing twilight princess in second was so nice- it really is one of my favorite stories to witness(completely unbiased ofc)
Lol I agree funny thing is that Majora Mask is number 2 to me and Twilight Princess is number 1 .
Haha it was vindicating to me, MM and TP have always been #1 and #2 to me and they both get written off as "edgy" which is totally unfair.
One of the first tears I found in TOTK was Mineru mentioning how draconification is forbidden and can't be undone......so, yeah, I knew there and then that Zelda was going to do it 😂😅
Yeah that was one of the first memories I found too, and needless to say the big reveal did nothing for me emotionally lol rip
@@PrismOpal64 I had a bit of a reaction...but not surprise so much 😅
im replaying it right now, interesting how at the very start, you hear Zelda "find me, Link, find the Master Sword" exactly when her dragon form appears, but obviously players don't make the connection on the firs tplaythrough
I found that tear first and was sad cause it was within the first 5 hours...
@@BlueThunder1988 “yeah so that was a f***ing lie” 😂😂
Twilight Princess is probably my favorite Zelda game. The story, characters, and soundtrack was really memorable. I remember being really invested with the game in my childhood. It is the game I think of when I think The Legend of Zelda.
It easily had the best companion and supporting cast. Especially with characters like Bo, Ilia, Colin, Telma and her group, and Renado. Even the Yetis in Snowpeak were an absolute treat every visit.
Probably the only downside is how Zelda was handled, but you kinda run into a similar situation with A Link Between Worlds as it seems they focus on a different ruler from a different kingdom. So personally, I'm open to how they handled her here.
Absolutely it is the best Zelda 🙏
Best story, best characters, best dungeons.
No contest.
Hey there. I finally watched the video till the end. Damn, what a video, I might say, the best TH-cam Video I've seen in a long time, maybe ever. What a journey. Nostalgia hits very hard here. The outro part had me, a 36 year old familyfather, nearly crying. Thank you very much for this experience and keep up the good work. Greetings and love from Hannover, Germany.
I’m glad you enjoyed the video! I really appreciate the kind words. That’s my goal with these videos, if I can make people remember how much they love this phenomenal franchise as much as I do then I’ve succeeded! Sending it right back from Canada :)
Couldn’t agree more with the order of memories in TOTK/BOTW. Playing it in order on my second play through was a million times better. It should have been the case from the get go that we were guided to each memory and not a free for all. That’s honestly my one single gripe with those games story.
@@LifeOnSet This is exactly true. I’m currently doing a play through already knowing the order in which I should see everything and it’s so good. This is how the story should have been presented, I would have loved the game so much more if I first viewed the story how I’m seeing it now
for me the concept actually worked very well for BoTW, but much less so in ToTK (besides it just felt like recycling the same idea - an issue with much of ToTK, sadly)
@@charliez077 I feel like it worked for BotW because even though there is a linear order to the memories most of them can still feel somewhat independent and it makes more sense considering the fact that Link just woke up after 100 years and has amnesia. He doesn’t remember anything. But the only reason they did it like that in TotK was because they wanted to do exactly like the previous game and not ruin their open world philosophy. Tears of the Kingdom story is much more linear and they should have waited until after you did all the dungeons to collect the memory tears.
33:00 Destroying the "Link Between World"
Absolute cinema
😭
Gotta say, I REALLY like your editing style, the little intro in the beginning and the final little hurrah at the end there are both really well crafted.
That means a lot, thank you! 😊
Any list which breaks the "rule" of "Ocarina of Time or Link to the Past MUST BE BEST" is a good thing.
MM is also still my favorite Zelda game.
As much as I love those games, I gotta see things without the bias goggles on. MM is a phenomenal game!
@@Ryan64ytthey definitely set the standard, but pretending LttP is a better game than BotW or TP just because it's older is nuts.
I mean... ALTTP's story is UBER basic and only serves as a means to an end set piece. A *gameboy game* that came immediately after it had more and better plot than ALTTP.
ALTTP is easily one of the best *games* in the franchise, but it's story has very little to do with that.,
Ocarina, on the other hand...
Ocarina is a strong third. Twilight Princess does everything Ocarina does but better, and Majora's Mask just took the mold and shatters it.
"With his girlfriend" Indeed
OH LORDIE MAN YOU DONT GOTTA COOK SO HARD WITH THE FINALES OF THESE AUAHASUHUAHUAHUAHH *cries and dies*
I love this series, and at first i was frustrated with Skyward Sword not being higher as its my favourite game in no small part because of its story. But after seeing each of the games that placed above it my mind would just go "alright understandable, yeah fair enough, okay yeah those are some damn good stories"
I tip my green cap to you sir
I think that you’re bringing a new perspective on YT Zelda in general. I really like your videos and hope you keep going!
Love seeing Twilight Princess this high😊
This was one of my favorite videos on the series so far! You went into so much detail about every game! Loved every second of it! 💙
Skyward Sword is one of my favourite Zelda games despite its flaws because of its story. Zelda and Link's relationship was so adorable and how the story split them apart multiple times and finally reunite for good at the end felt so rewarding.
Yes, I'm a sucker for romance
skyward sword is the Zelda game i've felt the most raw connection to, and I can't explain it well. I just felt like I was part of the story, and I remember bawling my eyes out when it ended
Wind Waker for me... love this game. It's my no. 1 childhoof game. When I finished it and the story something in me changed. It's an ending happy yet kinda depressing too and very rich and deep. It helped me grow up.
I still think the way Tears of the Kingdom handled its story makes it a perfect thematic sequel to Breath of the Wild even if its not a fully polished narrative. Though at the end i do think it makes sense that after defeating Ganondorf, Rauru and Sonia are able to channel their purifying light and time travel abilities into Link's recal ability and pull Zelda's form back thousands of years and make her human again.
That closing montage was BEAUTIFUL - very, very well done!
Happy birthday 🎂🎈
I love how you narrate the events of the games and the usage of music. TLOZ is one of my most beloved franchises ever and my best story will always be Twilight Princess's. I find such admiration in the excution, presentation, how Link and Midna evolve together that whenever I want to experience the game again, I feel I enjoy it even more each time I play it.
This is a detail I've been missing from the recent games but I wish they made triumphant fanfares for when you defeat bosses like in Twilight Princess and Wind Waker. The happines that invades my heart when I see the monsters struggle until they cease to exist while the trumpets and joyful music plays is such a fulfilling emotion these games will never take away from me
We will probably never get another Midna, or another Zelda game with *strong* thematic dungeons like TP. Nintendo is all in on the open air design and will *never* come back to it.
And well, I dunno why the fuck Nintendo seems to hate Midna. I sometimes think that the staff that works on Zelda resent the fact that they got forced into making TP.
you deserve so many more subscribers man. i know you just started, but you are by far my favourite zelda youtuber and i wish there was more content to watch from you! keep up with the amazing uploads because you’ve very much reinstated my love for this beautiful series
This means so much I really appreciate it! We’ll keep working for it!
Happy birthday 🎂🎈
Nice intro bro ur vids really good u gained a sub today
wind waker by some distance. For a cartoon aesthetic is has easily the most adult and poignant story and underlying themes about letting go of the past and living with regret. All this was possible as it the most direct sequel of all the games as a straight successor to ocarina of time and the whole story is of those living in the shadow of the events of that games' adult ending....... This is a ganondorf who unlike in many of the other games, remembers being defeated by the hero of time and a king who expected the hero of time to return, but he never did. Those 2 characters at the end with their own speeches made for a powerful ending.
Everything about this video was amzing! Cant believe it only has 23 thousand views, it should have way more.
I really feel that Spirit Tracks deserved to be higher, and am especially disappointed that Byrne went unmentioned, especially since you mentioned both Ralph and Linebeck stepping up in their respective games.
Edit: There seems to be some favoritism here. You went into a lot of detail about A Link to the Past's smaller moments for example, but only mentioned the big beats for Spirit Tracks. Nothing about the Tower of Spirits being broken, nothing about seeking the other Lokomos to restore the tracks, nothing about getting the Bow of Light and Compass of Light, and again nothing of Byrne's character arc.
Wow, neat. I didn't think this would line up so much with my own favorites.
Checked out the Skyward Sword section first since I wanted to hear what you had to say about it. Definitely agree on that version of Link and how much emotion he shows, along with Zelda. I wished Breath and its sequel had more of that same quality for that version of Link, since there's a lot of room for character in him.
Adding further to this later on: I think that Majora's Mask and its impact comes from its unique temporal arrangement. Normally, NPCs tend to be frozen in a state where their own time frame does not advance outside of your interaction with them, or your actions progressing the story, if at all. It normally just isn't practical to have the player's time frame match in-game characters. Majora's Mask, however, finds a way for the player to experience the events in the world playing out on a fixed schedule, and that means a lot for how you experience the characters.
Like you pointed out, you see NPCs reacting to a lot of differing situations, which already gives you a fleshed out understanding of their character, but on top of that, you have the unique situation Termina finds itself in. Because you're in this time loop before the end of the world, the things they're going through, and the reactions you're seeing are explicitly one-time occurrences, and very potent ones at that. Knowing you're the one skipping around in time, while their reality remains stable has a weird way of making the whole thing feel more convincing.
Absolutely love your videos. I enjoy your approach and the way you out them together. Although there is a wealth of Zelda content on YT, yours is up there as some of the best. Keep it up and thank you!
Watched the whole thing beginning to end!
I don't agree with all your choices (I don't find OoT as compelling as others do, for example), but I really appreciated you making this list!
As much as TP and WW are among my favorites, I can't deny that MM has a better story - I'm pleased (and agree with) TP being so high on the list!
As you said in the outro, there are so many excellent stories, and so much to gain from all of them. Thanks!
God bless and guide you!
Happy birthday 🎂
Piece out
This channel has been a godsend
Seeing Majora's Mask in the top 1 (My favorite video game in the world) made me feel very excited and nostalgic... the best game ever.
Thanks for this video, a big hug.
Glad I could bring that love back to you! I really appreciate it!
Twilight princess was my third Zelda game and I single-handedly remember, enjoying every single second of it from the emotional storyline to the amazing soundtrack that was single-handedly one of my favorite Zelda games of all time next to skyward sword, I also thought of the dungeons were so innovative, and the way that you were led onto each different one was very impactful
It gladdens me that we both share the same opinion for the top 3 games in exactly the same order.
As for the rest. I personally think that Totk has a better story than Botw since it's an actual story and nothing that already happened.
Agreed!
I think that the story of Totk and BotW are great, but its in the delivery where they drop thr ball. They just aren't as satisfying having most of the story happening in the past through unplayable cut scenes. However, these games aren't putting their focus on their stories, same way The LoZ had a very simple story, mostly told through sources outside the game. I don't think thats a bad thing, and hating the games because theirs stories are weak is so silly to me.
Im glad to see you rate totk so high! I enjoy the story itself a lot
I haven't played TOTK yet but I thought the delivery was fine in BOTW. It makes sense for the story to be told in that way because of Link losing his memory. Shame they seem to do them in TOTK.
Yeah, I'd just find myself disappointed when I'd exit a memory and find myself back in the future world where none of that was happening anymore. I think only the Zora, with their long life spans, really made that connection work.
While I agree the stories in BOTW and TOTK aren’t as great as some of the older entries in the series, I think they are a fair trade off to get more nonlinear gameplay. I love that after the introduction you can go explore wherever you want and the game doesn’t force you to specific locations. It makes you feel like you’re actually discovering the world on you own rather than following a scripted series of events.
@@solarsailor1534 exactly! Plus the trade off was mostly intentional. They knew the story would be affected, but they out the focus on the open world and atmospheric storytelling in the present. I think people also ignore that the "story" isn't just what happens during cut scenes in the past, but it's also what is doing in the present during your playthrough, and that's where the developers put their energy
@@solarsailor1534 : The one caveat with that is that they could have applied a variable to your memory progression and linked that to which scene plays.
I'd have loved this to be done with the Shrines too, linking them in sequences (such as all the equipment-less shrines) getting progressively tougher. That way they could compound challenges and mechanics in the shrines further into the sequence.
Twilight Princess is the best Zelda game to me and Midna is best girl ever in the Legend of Zelda series and Zelda is second but still just as great... I'd love for them to make a classic 3D Zelda game but sadly i don't think we'll ever see a game like that again...
Thank you Ryan. These videos feel so damn good to watch.
I'll admit I didn't actually watch the whole video, but seeing The Legend of Zelda majora's mask, my all-time favorite make it to number one legitimately surprised me. I know not many people like the idea of having to replay the same 3 days over and over. But honestly you don't have to do everything in one single cycle. That's just a self-imposed challenge.
But for me personally, this is my favorite game because it actually got me to think and care for every NPC.
plus the replay mechanic of having to do the same 3-day. It means you're free to make it as easier as hard as you want it to be. There are even some challenges even to this day of yet to try. Even after 20 years I did attempt to beat majora Mask while keeping my heart containers down as low as possible where one single hit Would finish me.
I think you would be surprised to learn that majoras mask I'd one the highest regarded games from the franchise to the zelda community. It wasn't when it first came out but as everyone has grown and has been fully able to grasp the deep meaning it grew a massive following. It is constantly being ranked I the top 3 of all time now
Great video! And fantastic Outro, very well done with the scenes and timed music!
Twilight princess was the perfect zelda game to me. Sadly I doubt we'll ever get another game like it. 😢
Dang man this was your best video yet. Gotta say the outro made me a little emotional lol. Keep up the work ryan64
Tp is goated on sum real shi👀😤
You’re so talented for making this video and compiling everything so clear to understand and follow! Keep it up, you’ll get the follow base you deserve.
I first played Majora’s Mask 7 years ago, my first ever Zelda game (my first official game was Triforce Heroes but we don’t talk about that).
Hurricane Maria left Puerto Rico with no power for months. So I picked up MM my 3DS and played to kill time and boredom.
That decision led The Legend of Zelda to be my favorite video game franchise, and MM to be my favorite Zelda game ever.
I unfortunately felt nothing in the story of TP. After beating it, I stopped thinking about the game lol. Love to see others love it so much. WW is my definite favorite. That link felt the most real to me and like an actual character lol. Great list!
Your hard work on these videos is APPRECIATED!!!
A Link between Worlds was satisfying, the other World rescued. It is a good Ending for me.
Fantastic video. Just subscribed. Absolutely love The Legend of Zelda, and I'm glad to see Twilight Princess ranked so high!
This was such a cool video and I really enjoyed it. I'm glad that it was recommended to me. While I may not agree with some of the placements, overall a fantastic job!
finding your channel gives me joy, great video, and the outro just beautiful
Two notes: 1. I completely agree with your assessment of Groose. One of the greatest character transformations in the series, and an amazing part of Skyward Sword's story. 2. After saving Colin, he's little monologue about courage, and the song that accompanied it, were tear inducingly good
Can't wait to see where you will put echoes of wisdom in!
what an amazing video, im shocked to see you arent super famous bro
your channel is so underrated man. keep em coming
while the upper few picks definitely resemble mine, I'm not sure how high botw and totk can even score given the interesting bulk of the story in both (!) games takes place in flashbacks.
tbh, instead of totk, I'd rather have wanted to play a prequel to botw which takes place 100 years prior
also I never really thought of the extent of what you could call the "story" of Majoras Mask, given around 70-80% of the game consists of sidequests and is therefore optional. the thing that makes it so immersive is the world, the setting, the characters, the doomsday scenario and the themes, not necessarily the story, since that gets outshined by the things mentioned before imo.
Dude didn’t have to go that hard on the closing montage. That was fantastic!
My man is addicted to ballad of the goddess 😂
Jokes aside it was a great video as always
The biggest problem with Tears for the story is simply that it zelda story, not links. Not only that but the fact you can collect any of the memories in order thus spoiling yourself of latter stuff
isn't the game called the legend of zelda for a reason ? i will admit that watching those cutscenes out of order is annoying
A story out of order can work but ya totk didn't exactly do it well.
Link is completely unexpressive and I think it's Nintendo being completely opposite from their previous games where link had a complete personality.
@@dupersuper6516 : That might be what bugs me the most. The story had good reasons for Link to react even more than in past games, but he doesn't. It's far less apparent in Breath where Zelda is there with him in a lot of scenes, so she balances him out, but in Tears, it feels way more apparent in certain parts.
@@theoaremevano3227 When Link discovers that Zelda was the light dragon he has no reaction at all and shows no emotion whatsoever 😂😂
masterpiece outro holy fuck. what a video. rewatching this for sure
Banger videos man keep it up, I'll be watching!
Really loved having this all in a row, and agree with most of the list for sure! Especially Majora's mask, man am I glad with its placement
Omg that ending was edited in such an epic way??
I agree with top 5, I really fell in love with majora's mask very quick with the side quests
TOTK’s story would’ve been better if we get to see more of Zelda’s journey in Hyrule’s distant past.
After reading parts of the Master Works, I was completely shocked of the revelation of the history of how Hylia entrusted the Sacred Stones to the Zonai and the Age of the Gods. Let alone the mural of Ganondorf.
I wish this was included in the actual game. It would’ve help better the story where Zelda is living in the Era of Hyrule’s Founding. Let alone providing characters (like Rauru, Sonia, Mineru, and the Ancient Sages) more screentime.
If Nintendo does come to reconsidering their decision after Echoes of Wisdom, would you all agree for a playable Princess Zelda in a Torna-esque DLC Story expansion?
I've been saying since the beginning that this would be the coolest thing, and I'd also put Rauru as an option to be playable. As is I don't think the past story needed that much more coverage since I see it more as a clearer depiction of Metroid Prime-esque lore than a typical Zelda narrative, but having a side campaign detailing the events and allowing them to fit into the present plot would be awesome. Imagine that final battle where you'd have to fight hard to weaken Ganondorf just enough to inflict the sealing blow.
Congrats on 7k, man! You earned it.
Majora's Mask is my favorite, but I didn't expect it to be your top 1. Out of all Zelda games, I wish I could experience that one for the first time, the most. I would rate Link's awakening a bit higher, but that means putting one of the other top 5s lower. Makes you think just how many great games this franchise has spawned. I think I'd swap Skyward Sword and Link's Awakening, simply because it departs from the "Hero's journey" formula, which makes it more unique and memorable.
Another fantastic video, and that outro! Wow
Twilight Princess, Skyward Sword, and Majora's Mask are some of my all-time favorites and I now realize it's because of the story
Ocarina of time?
@aaronfeliciano9768 I honestly don't like it as much as some others such as the ones I mentioned as well as Breat of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom
@@Potato-Cherry-Jerryahhh okay the 3 you mentioned are top tier games
I 100% agree with the TotK memory's, but the game does actually give you the order at the start with the stone map in the ruins. It was super tedious, but I went out of my way to do them in order so every emotional beat hit at the right time
I for one like the story of totk.I love the idea of Zelda going back in time and bonding with her ancestors.And that scene where she transformes into the Ligh Dragon is sad and beautiful at the same time
Great list. Personally I've got Skyward Sword slightly ahead of Wind Waker, and Twilight Princess and Majoras Mask are a 1A 1B situation. Really hoping future games can get back to the quality of storytelling the series had become known for.
Great list! My personal favorite story is still the Wind Waker. It usually doesn't matter to me how much stories from other games connect to each other, but the connection to Ocarina of Time and the implications that presents really adds weight to the whole thing. I remember being blown away seeing the stained glass windows of the sages. It also just does a great job with the themes of letting go of the past and making your own future. And that ending still hits hard.
Tbh would rank Spirit Tracks story a lot higher
Obviously not top 5 but it is better than some of the stories ranked above it
I could honestly see myself putting Breath of the Wild higher, because to me story isn't just plot, it's also setting and, more importantly, characters. The setting is obviously the main reason why BotW was so good, and the characters just have so much depth, especially in the champion's ballad. This is also why I disliked the Tears story more than BotW, the sages just aren't even close to as relatable and intricate as the champions. W video
I agree 100%
Also, with TotK, many characters from BotW were reduced to either Zonai Survey Team members or Cece fashionistas. Most egregiously was Nell and Savelle. Soldiers in BotW, but Zonai Survey Team members in TotK? They're even at the same place, Outskirt Stable. In a time when many people are becoming fighters. Hoz, BotW's only other soldier, became a captain. Even Toren, BotW's Great Fairy simp, became a captain. But these two become random researchers?
@@xinpingdonohoe3978 Honestly I don't remember any of the people you just mentioned from Breath of the Wild, they are such minor characters. But you could say that after peace returned to Hyrule (before Ganondorf came back in TOTK it was relatively peaceful), many people and soldiers were able to follow different paths in life, and Zonai research could be used to help the kingdom. Plus you have Link running around, whose basically Hyrule's Superman.
So yeah it's not like any major supporting characters got assassinated or anything.
Great, as always!!
While I don't agree with some of these choices, I cannot exactly fault them. This was a lovely video. Thanks 🙂
An hour long zelda video? As a great man once said, "My body is ready."
The way Skyward Sword stay with me is that I can ear Zelda voice on the intro music of the video even when it's not the version where we ear her sing
What I also like about Majoras Mask is that you play as the Hero of Time. Who arguably has one of the saddest stories of all heroes in the franchise. Which to me, makes the game just that much better.
You made me travel through time with nostalgia, thank you❤️
Another Amazing vid from u! 🥳
Okay time for the biggest Ghirahim fanboy of all time to speak for his glorious demon lord.
Man I love Ghirahim so much and he's my favorite character in all of gaming. As a villain I think he's so entertaining, both in his fights and personality. When I first saw him I thought he resembled Fi for some reason, and then I met him at the skyview temple and he left quite the impression on me. He is a servant, much like Fi, but unlike her, he's so charismatic. He's arrogant, flamboyant, sadistic and cruel, definitely someone you just love to hate... and I love him for that. Before his second battle, he says something that hints to his true identity, his purpose. As the servant of Demise and counterpart to Fi, he's a sword, a weapon. Right before fighting him for the second time, he tells us the one thing he lacks is mercy. Weapons do not have mercy because they are made to kill, that is their purpose. And yet, he's more than that, and being more than that ultimately leads to his downfall. He could've killed Link several times throughout the story, but because he believed our hero is below him, not worthy of being dying by his hand, he let him live time and time again. Had he committed himself to being nothing more than Demise's servant, a weapon to slaughter everyone that gets in his way, he would've won for sure and the world would've been doomed. In the end, he did succeed in his mission, but the mistakes he made along the way cost him, and his master, everything.
Bro cannot stop putting out banger videos
Majora's Mask at #1? You get me, my friend. These lists are always very personal, but I also agree. MM literally changed my life. With the 3 day system, each NPC literally felt like a real person I wanted to save. They had time to flesh everyone out more and make the dark and happy moments stronger.
Did no one realize that they used recall on Zelda. Everyone complains that it doesn’t make sense that she turned back to normal when Minaru said it was impossible but she wasn’t transformed back, she was recalled back so it was as if she never was a dragon. In the ending cutscene after the credits she says she doesn’t remember being a dragon, that’s because her body and brain have been recalled so she has no memory of it.
Honestly my top favorites are a toss-up between Majora's Mask, Ocarina of Time and Twilight Princess. But all of the games are beyond amazing and I can't wait to see what the new Zelda game will be like (yes I know there is a new one coming soon)
Love your videos man❤
Imagine a game with the grit and atmosphere of Twilight Princess, the hardware potential of Botw and Totk, and the story of Twlight Princess again because Twilight Princess is the best.
That was a SICK outro 😭
Why are people so confused/annoyed by the ending of TotK? It's well established throughout the game that Sonia is a master of time magic and Rauru is a master of light/purifying magic. There's even a flashback where Sonia explains how her own ability works and how a power s amplified when combining abilities (when Sonia and Zelda use their respective gifts to amplify Rauru's attack against the herd of Molduga - wiping them out in one shot).
All that's happening in the ending is the couple combining their abilities and not only curing Zelda's draconification, but giving Link is arm back (I.e. - reversing time and purifying/healing the pair).
im so glad i waited for this awesome vid
If you succeed with the lon lon ranch side quests, head to the ranch during the end of final day and holy shit….. the dialogue between the sisters is heartbreaking
Love the great videos man! Keep up the good work!
I strongly agree with the Top 5! They're peak Zelda! 😎
There is barely a series that hooked me so much like tloz
You could call any of the top 3 of this list the best Zelda plot and I wouldn't disagree with you; they're all really really good storytelling. (TP is my personal favorite.)
Hey Daddy great video👉👈. But seriously these videos are getting better and better every upload.
You’re wild man but I appreciate it a lot 😭
I feel like I'm the only Zelda fan that doesnt overrate Twilight Princess. There's no way it has a better story than WW and SS.
A better atmosphere and tone, a better companion character, a more interesting and fleshed out world, stakes handled better, two incredible villains, better thematic elements that tie into the story. it’s definitely better than the still really good stories of WW and SS
@harikohli541 Very much disagree. TP's tone is 2000s try hard edgy, I never cared for Midna, the Hyrule of TP is nearly as boring as SS it's just connected, they ruined Zant to force Ganondorf into the story, and the thematic elements are up for debate. I'm probably alone but aside from the dungeons (which are admittedly the best batch in the series) I just don't think TP is that good.
I agree with you. Its a great game but (aside from tears) its probably my least favorite 3d zelda. Still love it though.
Ok wow so I mentally ranked all the 3D game stories before starting the video, and we have them in the exact same order. TotK < BotW < OoT < SS < WW < TP < MM