Gamertell

Sci-fi and fantasy have always run hand in hand. Why, they’re such good friends now that they like to be referred to collectively as SyFy, I’m told. But that doesn’t mean they’re always the same. Metroid, which we looked at yesterday as the #3 entry in Top 5 Hardcore Wii Franchises is sci-fi. Today’s entry is fantasy and it’s as good as fantasy can get.

The Legend of Zelda series is the reason we own Nintendo systems. That’s right, I’ve said it. You can keep your Mario. It’s the Zelda games that keep us enthralled for weeks—even months at a time as we work our way through amazing adventures in Hyrule. Mostly action/adventures played from a third-person perspective these days, the games of the Zelda franchise generally all follow the same premise: You’re a young hero from a modest upbringing with modest skills but you’ve been chosen to fight a seemingly unbeatable evil to save the princess and/or the land. Sometimes the adventures stand on their own, but they are often tied closely together, at least in timeline (Ocarina of Time to Majora’s Mask or Wind Waker to Phantom Hourglass to the forthcoming Spirt Tracks, for example.

Zelda games generally boil down to two elements: exploration/puzzle solving in the land of Hyrule and dungeon crawling/fighting within numerous dungeons along the way. Multiple side quests and skill tests keep you busy and allow you to improve your character’s strength and abilities but it’s the dungeon exploration and those glorious boss battles that keep us coming back for more. Without fail, the games in the Zelda franchise have been epic in scope (well, CD-i games not withstanding), which is why we wait with baited breath at every Nintendo press conference for the announcement of a new Zelda game.

Is it hardcore?
Yes, in a kid-friendly way and that’s the only reason it didn’t reach #1 in this list. The games are challenging but never really difficult and never frustrating. All the boss battles are a blast, for example, you’re almost always told exactly how to beat them. As a result, you’ll usually find working your way through the dungeons is a greater challenge than beating the monsters at the end of them. Adventure gamers can complete the games without too much trouble; the hardcore gamer will instead find satisfaction in obtaining every heart piece, every treasure and every obtainable object (be they bugs, skulltulas, whatever) hidden in the game. No matter what level of gamer you are, you’d have to hate fun and satisfaction to not enjoy the Zelda franchise.

How deep does it go?
Very. Zelda games have been with us since the NES and, surprisingly, most are playable on the Wii. Twilight Princess is currently the only Wii-specific title but the Game Cube games—Wind Waker and Four Swords Adventures are still available and easily found. In addition, the majority of the games for the NES, SNES and Nintendo 64 are available through both the Virtual Console and promo discs for the Game Cube. DS owners also have access to The Phantom Hourglass and the forthcoming Spirt Tracks, as well as numerous GBA titles like The Minish Cap and A Link to the Past.

Next Up: With Zelda at #2 and Mario not included, what could possibly hold the top spot? Quite simply, the only game in this list that’s so hardcore it can’t be contained by Nintendo.

Top Five Hardcore Wii Franchises:

Series Introduction
#5: Fire Emblem
#4: Trauma Center
#3: Metroid
#2: The Legend of Zelda
#1: Resident Evil

Read [Metroid]