Tech: "Mulliga's Sense of Zelda" - A Retrospective

Worst. Zelda. Ever.

I've played almost every Legend of Zelda game ever made. Yes, I even saw that crappy CD-i Zelda game on an infomercial. Starting out with that first golden NES cartridge, Zelda games have been on tap for nearly two decades. To commemorate this, and to distract me from studying for my exams, here's some of the highlights and lowlights of my experience with the Zelda series:

The Legend of Zelda - Still one of the best games ever made. I beat this twice as a kid and twice as an adult (the adult playthroughs were swordless and on the Gamecube Zelda compilation disc). I still remember scribbling notes on that neat map they included in the package. The NES is capable of better graphics, though, so I suppose it isn't perfect. Rating: 9.7/10

The Adventure of Link - A more challenging and very different Zelda game, considered to be the dark horse of the series. I rented it for my NES (big mistake - no way to finish this sucker in three days if you only play off and on) and found it too complex for my tastes. Even as an adult, I just couldn't get into it. Oh well.

A Link to the Past - Again, one of the best games ever made. Everything good about the original is expanded here in beautiful graphics and sound. The element of story, which made a nascent appearance in Zelda II, is developed even further here (you uncle is felled in the opening minutes, which is enough to make anyone angry). Rating: 10/10

Ocarina of Time - Many consider it to be the greatest game of all time. I still think the original and LTTP were better, especially as Ocarina's really just a fancy version of LTTP. The Z-targeting system revolutionized how action adventures are made. Rating: 9.5/10

Majora's Mask - Another dark horse Zelda. I never got into this one, either - a bit too strange and off-putting for my tastes, plus the time limit puts a stop to the careless meandering I love so much in Zelda.

Wind Waker - The "cartoony" Zelda. Doesn't deviate far from the Ocarina template, except for that huge ocean. Best combat in the entire series - you can steal a weapon from an enemy, for example, and then either whack them with it or hurl it right back at them. The game was too short, the fetch quests at the end were a drag, and the game was way too easy (I beat it without even collecting any heart containers from bosses). Rating: 8.8/10

Twilight Princess - The most recent Zelda, and the one that's currently killing my free time. Again, sort of an Ocarina clone, but with better graphics. The dungeons thus far have been excellent (just finished the second dungeon), and I estimate the game will take a good 35-40 hours to finish, which is about right in my book. Rating: ???