So I've never played Ocarina of Time, which when it comes to games is an absolute crime apparently. So I'm sort of interested in this 3DS re-release and think it's probably better time then ever to check it out with refinements made to the overall experience. People speak so highly of this game that I feel I can't really call myself a gamer if I don't play it at least once. But I'm just not sure, all the reviews I've read have been very positive and it appears to be the best game currently on 3DS. But part of me can't help but think many of these reviews are written in a cloud of nostalgia and that I might not 'get' what makes this one of the greatest games ever made in 2011.

I've never understood why Zelda is so beloved to be totally honest, and I think that is as much due to never having played Ocarina of Time as anything else. Don't get me wrong, Windwaker was a colourful experience that I enjoyed somewhat but I wasn't a fan of the most recent Zelda offering on the Wii. There lies my problem, if I wasn't blown away by some of the most recent Zelda games will I be with Ocarina of Time? I'm fascinated to see if Ocarina of Time was like many much loved past games where you at to be there to appreciate it or if it still holds up today as a great game.

Anyone have thoughts on this?

If you've never played Zelda before, then go for it; have a wonderful time. If you have played Zelda before, you have played this also.

It's basically like every other Zelda game you've played, but on a hand held. So if you weren't keen on them, you prolly won't enjoy this much either.

I heard the 3d was messed up in some spots, I'm considering getting this too as I am too lazy to get the n64 out the attic.

Play it.

ive only ever played 2d sprite based zeldas and im thinking of giving it a try as well but to be fair unless its a golden gift from god it cannot live up to the hype that people with nostalgia play it to be

ive only ever played 2d sprite based zeldas and im thinking of giving it a try as well but to be fair unless its a golden gift from god it cannot live up to the hype that people with nostalgia play it to be

If you're interested in video game history and the importance of certain games, it's one you have to play. It was a pretty revolutionary game at the time and if you're interested in that sort of stuff you should check it out. Just don't expect it to be the greatest game ever or anything, most of the mechanics will be pretty dated by now.

I have not played it, but I'm sure it is still a wonderful game.

I didn't play it during it's hey-day, so I'm grabbing it for the 3DS as well just so I can be A REAL GAMER

Play it

It's fucking Zelda.

It already sounds like you want to play it, just that you're afraid that you might play it and still not 'get it'.  Which is fine.  I say go for it.  Assuming money isn't that much of an issue, there's no real reason not to go for it in my book.

It is one of the highest rated games of all time... :P

Granted, that was back in the 90s. If you have a 3DS, I don't see any harm in picking it up.

I think it still holds up very well, nothing in it is particularly dated and I still find it a lot more enjoyable to play through than Twilight Princess, especially with the new graphics. But if you weren't a fan of other Zelda games, this one probably won't do much for you either.

It's basically like every other Zelda game you've played, but on a hand held. So if you weren't keen on them, you prolly won't enjoy this much either.

I think anyone with a 3DS should buy it at this point. I know my 3DS has been collecting dust for a while now, and considering the other options available, if you want to actually use the 3DS you adopted early, you should get Ocarina of Time 3D.

It's a game that everyone who posts on a website dedicated to videotapes should play.

I'm wondering how this release is going to affect traffic at N64 emulation sites, for those who are now reminded of what a kick ass game this is but don't want to shell out for the system.

It's not nearly as good as you hear on the internet, but you should definitely play it. There's nothing else to play on the 3DS afterall.

 
Buy it, it will be great pleasure, believe me.

It's a game that everyone who posts on a website dedicated to videotapes should play.

Not really. Especially not if you weren't a fan of the other 3D Zeldas.

Check out A Link to the Past though. It's way better than any of the 3D stuff.

If you're not a fan of the other Zelda games, you probably won't like Ocarina.

Zelda was pretty revolutionary at the time

All the Zelda, the one on the Nes, SNES and N64 were pioneers for the respected console

Nostalgia does indeed cloud judgment, but in Ocarina of Times cases, it was/is the bencemark for 3D adventure games, it was so well done for the time. And even to this day it still holds up as a fun game

You might not enjoy it to be honest, but if you have a 3DS its no doubt the best/probably only game on the 3DS worth buying,

You might as well, there's nothing really else out for the 3DS.

What is great about Zelda anyway? I might have to pick up this game to find out... or you can just tell me. xD From what I've played it seems good but not sure why it's so popular.

What is great about Zelda anyway? I might have to pick up this game to find out... or you can just tell me. xD From what I've played it seems good but not sure why it's so popular.

I think anyones enjoyment of Ocarina of Time will depend on if they've played recent Zelda games. Wind Waker and, to a larger extent, Twilight Princess borrow heavily from Ocarina of Time, so if you've played both of those games, I don't think that Ocarina will hit you as hard (in that good way). I think it could end up being quite boring, actually. I know that half the reason I never finished Ocarina of Time is because I started playing after Wind Waker and a little bit of Twilight Princess (which I also didn't finish). The story in Ocarina was great for its time, but I also feel like it wouldn't strike the same cord in this day and age, but I think that again depends on your tolerance for Zelda games. 
 
With all that said, I came dangerously close to buying a 3DS off Ebay yesterday because of this game (and obviously the E3 announced games influenced my thoughts). I really want to finish Ocarina sometime, as the "definitive" Zelda game experience. As it stands now, my favorites are Wind Waker followed by A LInk to the Past, followed by Link's Awakening. 

"So I've never played Ocarina of Time, which when it comes to games is an absolute crime apparently. "
 
How are you still alive? Death Penalty for such crimes!

Have to admit, after I saw the Robin and Zelda Williams commercial, I'm tempted to hook up my Gamecube and play the Master Quest again. That damn ocarina tune triggered something, and I'm itching to save Hyrule once more.

I bought it back in '98 without knowing anything about it, and was blown away the instant I turned on my N64. Back then it was, for me at least, a game close to perfection, and I played it 12 hours a day for 2 weeks (yay for Christmas holiday). The sheer amount of stuff you could do and the amazing dungeons, combat and quests, combined with a, for the time, huge living world and incredible music just blew me away.

Yeah, I need to dust off my Gamecube.

Definitely try it out. I don't think I completed it for the first time until something like 2004-5 and still then it was an amazing enjoyable game. I played a bit of the Master Quest on GC recently and it still holds up quite well.

Never really played it myself (only like 10 minutes at a friends house) but I was always meaning to. Even got it from the virtual console on the wii but kept putting it off. Like Duke nukem I need to play this game and unlike Duke, I'm betting on enjoying it.

Who knew after all these years I'll finally play it and on a handheld no less. Oh btw, I think its worth checking out.

What is great about Zelda anyway? I might have to pick up this game to find out... or you can just tell me. xD From what I've played it seems good but not sure why it's so popular.

@Vortextk said:

@NekuSakuraba said:

What is great about Zelda anyway? I might have to pick up this game to find out... or you can just tell me. xD From what I've played it seems good but not sure why it's so popular.

No offense, truly, but how old are you? There's a difference of not liking zelda or having not played some specific titles of the series, but we're talking about never really playing any game in the series here, correct? That seems kind of crazy to me in a way lol, moreso than someone that hates every zelda game. They're massive honking adventures when "adventure" wasn't even truly a word designed for games, a.k.a nes days. Between the nes-snes-n64 titles(and to some extent the handhelds one in that era), they were bar none some of the best games out as well as massive pioneers in the industry. Since then they've been quite excellent, but we're pretty much just replaying the 2d/3d games with updates, nothing earth shattering. For instance I really liked twilight princess but the game plays pretty much like ocarina of time with a few different items and the puzzles scrambled in a different order. In ocarina of time, at the end of the quicklook that was just posted is like one of the most classic and awe-inspiring moments of my gaming history personally. I was hoping they'd push the video further to that point, I felt just like brad and vinny and wanted to see it again. I can see someone that started playing games in like the ps2/gamecube/xbox days and beyond not having a massive soft spot for zelda. They're good games and classic nintendo but not quite the standout classics that pushed gaming forward like the earlier entries. I mean some of my first gaming memories were zelda on the nes in like '88-89, we're talking barely past toddler phase though, I played with my parents back then.

I've played games in the series but I see nothing special about them. Sure they were great and innovative back then but how about now? besides being pretty good games I haven't seen anything as special or innovative recently.

Who said "now"? I didn't, I specifically answered that question already in my first reply.

Yes, it is the best thing to play on the 3DS right now.

yes play it, it's a good game regardless of it's namesake.

If you didn't like Windwaker or Twilight Princess then you won't like Ocarina. Twilight Princess and Ocarina are pretty much the same game. As you suspected, this game is pretty much a nostalgia cash-in.

I actually think OoT is the best game ever but I didn't really like TP. So I say: Get this if you want one of the most epic games in history.

I actually bought an N64 and a load of games for myself as a house warming gift which had Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask and I still never played them. I'm sure if I get really bored with the current games coming out I'll fire it up. From what I heard it's fantastic. Go for it.

It holds up well, and is the best Zelda game in the franchise.

I didn't care for Twilight Princess, but Ocarina of Time is one of my favorite games ever.
 
If you already own a 3DS, then you might as well get it--what else would you play on the thing?

I've played only bits of it at friends houses, since I never owned an N64, so I'm very interested in getting this game. I'll probably pick it up this week.

Gameplay mechanics are basically the same as every other 3d Zelda game, but this one had the benefit of being first. As an old school gamer, ALTTP is my personal favorite, but OOT is a close second.  I'd can't imagine having never played this game, but with that said if you don't like Zelda I can't see this changing your mind.