Legend of Zelda - Ocarina of Time is one of the best Action-Adventure / Platforming games of all time. It is considered the best by many as well, receiving some of the greatest praise a game could possibly get. At the time of it's release, everything about the game was perfect and innovative, living up to (and for many exceeding) the hype the name Zelda had created. The creation of "Z-Targeting" was one of the games biggest strengths, and is a concept still used in many games to this day. Z-Targeting is when the camera would focus on a particular enemy (or a certain body part of bigger foes), and would also auto aim arrows fired in it's direction and always keep your character facing them. Not only was this new for the time, but also made the 3D combat aspects of the game so much more immersing and fluid.

Graphics - The graphics in this game are breathtaking. Considering the game was pre-Expansion Pak era for the N64, it pushed the system to show everything it had in it. I loved how every detail down to the color of the character's eyes looked spot on. One of my favorite animations was using the Mirror Shield for a boss fight to absorb and reflect fire and ice magic, and also simply reflecting light for certain puzzles. I was not a fan of the Great Fairies blocky design, but most of the character's looked great and proportional, plus the bosses looked incredibly realistic for it's day. Even the water animations (which developers struggled with since the beginning of gaming) looked amazing. I loved the fact at any time you could even look at the world through a first person perspective, and everything seemed to look more beautiful than before through Link's eyes. Even though everything was rendered through polygons, it all looks fantastic. Keep in mind this score is based on what the system could handle at the time. The Graphics get a 10 / 10.

Sound - Love it. Love everything about it. The one downside here is there is zero voice acting, but that wasn't exactly uncommon for the time. The soundtrack is among my favorites in all of gaming, especially the Ocarina tunes you play manually. Serenade of Water is truly something special, and my favorite track of the game. I feel like every individual track of the game is composed beautifully and sets the tone just right. The sound effects are on the same level. My favorite of these would be when Link jumps from a height beyond his limit, and screams on the way down. I love the fact they gave Link voice effects, even though he remains without dialogue through out the game. Most every effect in the game sounds spot on for what it's matched with. Navi's constant yapping can get old really quick, but aside from that it's all pleasing to the ears. The Sound gets a 9 / 10.

Addictiveness - The game doesn't offer a lot of replay value, but many people love to play it again and again regardless. That's not to say there aren't things to replay it for, just not in huge quantities. Between the main game and the possible side quests, the game is incredibly fun to try and conquer. One of my favorite things in the game is the fishing side quest, which takes a great deal of time to actually nail the prize fish of the pond (which is bigger than Adult Link, believe it or not). Another thing many come back for is the Biggoron Sword, which is a two handed sword that is one of, if not, the most powerful weapons in the game. It requires a huge trading side quest, a few parts of which are timed and quite challenging to complete. If you're not using a guide for this game's "extras" then it will definitely be a daunting task to find everything the game has to offer. Collecting Heart Pieces (four will increase your maximum health) is another optional aspect, although many you can find along the way. There's plenty to love here to keep you coming back, even if the game has already been mastered before. The Addictiveness gets a 9 / 10.

Story - The story is pretty cliché for the most part, but it makes up for this with presentation. Ocarina of Time was one of the first games to really make you "feel" what was happening in the story. For example, during a key moment in story progression, the music tenses, the sky blackens with thunder and rain, followed by the hero and villain meeting face to face for the first time. For it's time, these elements in story presentation were incredible. Also the way each important character's individual story is told, and how they all weave together in some way, is beautifully written. The characters each have such unique personalities, and interact with Link in interesting ways, resulting in many outcomes, most positively influencing his quest to thwart the evil present in Hyrule. I personally loved how near the beginning of the game, the story of the three Goddesses is told to Link by an important figure. I'm a huge fan of "Time Travel" stories, and while it's not done in excess, this game plays on it quite well. And who can forget the overlooking owl who helps you on your way? The story is somewhat cliché overall, but more than makes up for it in how it's told. The Story gets a 9 / 10.

Depth - This game has tons to offer when looking at everything as a whole. Not only does the main story line provide a lot to do, but there's just as much, if not more, to do for a perfect completion. The main story entails 3 minor and 5 major dungeons. There are also a few other "mini" dungeons that are required to complete, although they can be more challenging than some of the main ones. Even beyond that, a lot of these dungeons require a good deal of effort just to gain entrance to them in the first place. There are also numerous side-quests, which can include collecting bottles, obtaining new sub-weapons (and increasing their carrying capacity), finding Heart Pieces, or increasing your wallet size. My personal favorite among these is the archery challenge on horseback (and standing still), which both increase your quiver's arrow limit. The other one would be Bombchu Bowling. Bombchu's are bombs shaped kind of like a mouse, which follow the ground in a straight path from where you set it, even up walls and ceilings. The mini-game is where you try to hit specific targets in a "Bowling Lane" full of obstacles. I'm rambling, I know, but the mini-games in the game are worth raving over. The Depth gets a 10 / 10.

Difficulty - Overall, the game is pretty balanced in difficulty. Other than some spots here and there, nothing tended to be so difficult it was frustrating or too easy to be enjoyed. Obviously I have to mention the universally hated Water Temple, since as a kid it was the bane of me actually finishing this game. I would recommend that everyone who plays this use a guide for that part on their first time through, because it's the most confusing maze I've ever dealt with. Most of the combat is fast paced, but never overwhelming. The bosses are challenging and extremely well designed in terms of how to defeat them. Other than the previously mentioned pain in the Temple (heh, get it?), most of the puzzles are good food for thought, but nothing over the top. The biggest overall challenge of the game would be going for a perfect completion, since some of the side quests like fishing or the Biggoron Sword can take some real practice and patience to get down. As far as the main story goes, it has your typical advancing in difficulty formula, which is scaled perfectly in my opinion. This score is a combination of how difficult the game is in every aspect, not just the main story. The Difficulty gets a 8 / 10.

This game is truly a masterpiece, and should be tried by everyone at least once.
Hope you enjoyed the review

I've always liked legend of Zelda games. But sadly I never got to play like a lot. The only ones I have played is linked to the past. And twilight princess which is on my wii. I was thinking if I should go exploring more in that area. I think I should give that a try who knows it may expand my likeness more for the game in the near future. Anyways this is again good review and I look forward to seeing your next one.