If there was any other game that set the grand scale for the conversion to 3D, it had to be the Legend of Zelda series. Ocarina of Time couldn't have come at a better time as console power was on the rise and expectations for new games was skyrocketing. Control and movement in these games were stellar, and when it came to expectations for movement in this title, that was really saying something.
Ocarina of Time was another example of why platformers need precision in their movement, as well as a good targeting system when it came to sword fighting and archery. If you're not facing the right way when it came time to throw those bombs, it could result in catastrophe! The game is an adventure in its purest sense. Where Mario stays pretty much the same throughout his games, Link goes through many changes as he goes on his journey. You start with a low level sword and shield, as well as very few hearts. You can collect rupees no problem, thanks to the pottery respawning when you leve and go back into buildings, so buying the initial shield is no problem.
The enemies range from spiders to mummies and the dungeons you face become more and more dangerous as the game goes on. Visiting villages and castles throughout the entire world as well as the ranch in Hyrule where you ride the horse, all of it is a beautiful experience, even with just 64 bits. Going through the temples of the elements is also one of the bigger parts of this game, along with the shifting from past to present in order to finish missions in a timely manner. Yes, timely manner, I said it!
Getting the new costumes and upgrading your equipment has to be some of the most rewarding parts of the entire game. Find new locations and discovering new and exciting magical items can be some of the highlights of playing. Saving Zelda and defeating Ganon is actually some of the easier parts, as his boss battle is just an extended version of another boss battle with a few twists and turns mixed in.
While it is not really the longest game there is, especially if you know exactly where to go and what to do, but that doesn't stop it from being a beautiful piece of art. Ocarina of Time is among the best in its genre and while Majora's Mask is often seen as equal in terms of quality, this is the piece of the pie I'd prefer. It even got a much better 3DS port, when compared to Mario 64 on the regular DS. Another feather in this title's hat is the Master Edition released on the Gamecube. While it is rare, it is worth finding for the different experience it provides to a fantastic game. Defeating Ganon can be very difficult after the longrun, but always remember to lead your horse to water.
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