Topic: Zelda - Where do I start?

Hey everyone, I'm new to the forums and I'm looking for some help. Believe it or not, I've never really got into the Zelda games. I have played The Wind Waker but even then, I never finished it. I'm trying to get into the series and I don't really know where to start. I was going to download the original Legend Of Zelda on Wii's Virtual Console but I've heard mixed reviews about that game so I didn't buy it. In your opinion, where is the best place to start for a new Zelda player? Any help is greatly appreciated.

Hmm, well it is a good game... if you grew up in the NES era and you have a tolerance for these old games (you'll know what I mean if you did), it should be a good choice. Even so, you may prefer Ocarina of Time, ALttP, or Minish Cap, which stand much better today than the original.

Hmmmm depends. These are my opinions:
If you are a good seasoned gamer, than twilight princess or link to the past would be great fun.
If you are new to gaming/very young i believe minish cap is the easyest to get into
The original i think cannot be truely appriciated until you have played the others, because to be honest, its not really like most other zelda games today.
Not to mention the fantastic ds zelda titles are amazing! (Phantom hourglass + spirit tracks) but once youve played spirit tracks, phantom hourglass will be a little slow....
Orcarina of time is not on here only because I find the 3d very dated and confusing.
ive never played zelda 2, but its not like the others, so someone else will have to tell you how awesome it is.

Whichever one you play, it will be a good investment. Its hard for me to decide because they are all so good! zelda games are fantastic!

Oh, and welcome to the forums!

EDIT: another fact to consider is your nostalgia level. Like, if you appriciate the genius of old dated games.

A Link to the Past is the one and only starting place in terms of balancing accessibility and fun. Let no one tell you otherwise. It's also the best-looking and -sounding Zelda game to date.

I'm 17 and grew up playing the NES, SNES and SEGA MegaDrive so I can appreciate old games. I've just rememebered that I still have a free NES game to download on Virtual Console too. I suppose if I don't like it, no money is lost.

I'd have to say Twilight Princess. As a beginner to the series myself, I have found every other Zelda game hard to play through. Twilight Princess gives you just enough information each time so you know exactly where to go - with the previous titles, you'll find yourself lost on numerous occasions with no idea of what to do next.

I had to abandon Ocarina of Time as had no idea what to do, needed a guide for Wind Waker and I'm struggling through Link to the Past as we speak. If it wasn't for Twilight Princess I'd have completely given up on the series, however now I have a general idea of how the games work I'm finding the older titles easier than I would have tone if I tackled them first.

Oh and don't bother with the NES ones until you have finished everything else. They're so primitive that I can't see anyone being that interested in them without the nostalgia value. Get them at the end once you have finished the others.

Well, I would say ALttP.

I have to agree! But If u want to start with a 3D game, start with twilight princess. It's the most accessible 3D Zelda, let no one tell u otherwise ( just joking, i would never say such a silly thing).

As it seems you can take Link to the Past, buy it now you wont regret it

I always thought Minish Cap was a nice place to start on the series, but go with what you want.

@Retrobuttons I would actually suggest the same, about Twilight Princess. I was disappointed in it but only because I was tired of the formula by that point, and the wolf didn't do much for me. However, he's already played Wind Waker, so it seems like he doesn't need to be introduced to the 3D series, and if he wasn't interested in that part of the series, I think the only other place to start is Link to the Past.

If you want to start with a 2D game, ignore ALttP, Link's Awakening is much better. (Seems this is regading VC so this isn't so fitting...)

I suppose ALttP would be one of the best places to start, partially because the original would be to bare bones for many, and because playing Ocarina first makes ALttP not fun.

That's your personal opinion, but you're wrong. Besides, that's a gameboy game, you can't get it on virtual console which is what's on the subject here.

Ignore the NES games(1,2) and start with link to the past(snes) then play ocarina of time(N64). Windwaker while still good in it's own right pales in comparison to those 2 games.

Well, he didn't say he would only buy the game on VC, but LttP would definitely be the easier game to attain either way. Never understood why people liked Link's Awakening so much to begin with, personally. It's all right, but I don't recall that it did much new, just forced the same kind of experience on a tinier screen with less color and worse sound.

@Adam

I agree with u on A Link To The Past. This is the best Zelda game to start with. I just think Wind Waker isn't the best representation of a 3D Zelda (even though i think it's a great game on it's own).

@Stoner (I know it's storer)

So if u want to start with a 3D Zelda go for Twilight Princess.

I've never understood what people liked about ALttP so much, I've just never been able to get into it

Actually, if you have a GBA, try to find Minish Cap. It is a very good 2-D Zelda. Otherwise, ALttP.
As for 3-D, I would probably go for Twilight Princess (I still haven't played it myself, but judging from what I see/here). Ocarina would not be a good place to start. I do kind of share your feelings about Windwaker, it is a little long winded

Me too. Also, I second Link's Awakening, it seems simple compared to the others yet there's so much depth...

I'm fairly new to Zelda, I played Ocarina of Time when I was pretty young but didn't like it that much. Then, almost ten years later I picked up Twilight Princess and now I can't get enough of the whole series (or at least the ones that I've played, which is all made in the last ten years). It may be different for you, but I think starting with Twilight Princess worked pretty well for me.

In terms of accessibility, I think Link's Target Practice is the easiest to get into. It's the most radically different in terms of formula too .

All kidding aside, I'd say, to echo the sentiment of those on this topic--start with A Link To The Past. It's awesome, it's considerably shorter than Twilight Princess, and it covers most of the nostalgic ground. It would still be worth looking into Zelda 1 and 2 just to see where the series started, though....Zelda 2 is quite a breath of oddly fresh air, especially these days.