The First Diverse Zeldiverse
So here's a fun little exercise you can do if you're extremely bored - write a list of all the Zelda games you've played and for each take 60 seconds to list all the elements that apply to that game only, or failing that (it's harder than it sounds) anything that stood out or originated from that particular game. You're prohibited from talking about the art style, the system they were on or new characters, since those at least seem to change quite often.
The idea is twofold: To see which Zeldas tried to innovate the most, and which Zeldas were memorable enough that you're still able to recall a lot of interesting things about them (without confusing them for another).
I thought this up after writing a bit about the announcement of the LTTP sequel and how the original SNES game, as quintessential as it is, doesn't really have the personality of its scions. Later Zelda games have all tried to set themselves apart with crazier gimmicks and idiosyncrasies, presumably because that's an easier route than trying to improve on its nonpareil gameplay (or that of Ocarina of Time, depending on which you believe is the better game). Try it yourself!
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