Legend of Zelda What's with the hate towards puzzles?

[Quillion]

Seriously. Not only is it a reason that non-fans give for not liking the series, but even Zelda fans say that puzzles are terrible. It's the entirety of the hate towards Skyward Sword and growing dissent towards other 3D Zelda games.

If you really hate puzzles in Zelda, you should have stopped playing in 1998. Puzzles are what makes Zelda Zelda.

 

[finalark]

I think people are just tired of the same six or so puzzled being recycled in each game. Although LoZ seems to be moving back towards exploration as a driving factor, so we'll see where that goes.

 

[Quillion]

I think people are just tired of the same six or so puzzled being recycled in each game. Although LoZ seems to be moving back towards exploration as a driving factor, so we'll see where that goes.

What same six or so puzzles? Finding a target and shooting it? Those things are reserved for the beginning of every Zelda game, and no puzzle is as simple as that later on.

 

[finalark]

What same six or so puzzles? Finding a target and shooting it? Those things are reserved for the beginning of every Zelda game, and no puzzle is as simple as that later on.

Or "the move the boxes" puzzle. Or the "puzzles" that are little more than "find dungeon item and rub it on everything to progress."

Don't get me wrong, there are a few legitimately challenging puzzles like the master sword statue puzzle from Twilight Princess.

 

[Quillion]

Or "the move the boxes" puzzle. Or the "puzzles" that are little more than "find dungeon item and rub it on everything to progress."

Don't get me wrong, there are a few legitimately challenging puzzles like the master sword statue puzzle from Twilight Princess.

The "block pushing" in later Zelda games is seriously exaggerated by people who hate it. Stop propagating this myth.

 

[finalark]

The "block pushing" in later Zelda games is seriously exaggerated by people who hate it. Stop propagating this myth.

I don't have the block puzzles, it's just that they show up in every game and are never particularly challenging.

 

[Quillion]

I don't have the block puzzles, it's just that they show up in every game and are never particularly challenging.

And? The game has never focused on block puzzles since OoT. They're mainly used for Doors to Before nowadays.

 

[finalark]

It still doesn't mean that they're not eye rolling when they show up. Not to mention the aforementioned rub dungeon item on everything to proceed "puzzles" that are in most games, which is the real concern for me. Don't get me wrong, it's amazing when we get a puzzle outside of that but usually it's little more than "get item, win dungeon."

Although, to be fair, we do get some games that use the dungeon item in creative ways.

 

[Quillion]

It still doesn't mean that they're not eye rolling when they show up. Not to mention the aforementioned rub dungeon item on everything to proceed "puzzles" that are in most games, which is the real concern for me. Don't get me wrong, it's amazing when we get a puzzle outside of that but usually it's little more than "get item, win dungeon."

Although, to be fair, we do get some games that use the dungeon item in creative ways.

I don't really see this besides the arrow targets that are in every dungeon that introduces the Hero's Bow. Aside from that, every item that is introduced in a dungeon is used pretty creatively.

 

[Conda]

I think it's because the puzzles take away from the core adventure gameplay and incorporate independent mechanics that don't really tickle the reason you'd want to play a freeform zelda title (something like zelda 1 or, at times, how LttP felt).

 

[Quillion]

I think it's because the puzzles take away from the core adventure gameplay and incorporate independent mechanics that don't really tickle the reason you'd want to play a freeform zelda title (something like zelda 1 or, at times, how LttP felt).

I chalk that up to Early-Installment Weirdness more than anything.

Could you imagine what it would be like if Mario never got a brother, never got put in the Mushroom Kingdom, and never fought the Koopas? This is what anti-puzzle fans are asking of Zelda.

 

[Conda]

I chalk that up to Early-Installment Weirdness more than anything.

Could you imagine what it would be like if Mario never got a brother, never got put in the Mushroom Kingdom, and never fought the Koopas? This is what anti-puzzle fans are asking of Zelda.

Eh I think it's valid enough. It's not anti-progression and evolution. If the game started as a very linear puzzle-based game and started to become more freeform and less guided, then people would understandably still prefer one over the other. No problem with that.

 

[Warlock*G]

https://seanmalstrom.wordpress.com/2011/07/27/email-finally-hands-on-skyward-sword-videos/

 

[Quillion]

https://seanmalstrom.wordpress.com/2011/07/27/email-finally-hands-on-skyward-sword-videos/

So Malstrom here wants Zelda to be a repetitive Koei Warriors sort of game...

Oh wait, that did happen.

 

[Warlock*G]

So Malstrom here wants Zelda to be a repetitive Koei Warriors sort of game...

Oh wait, that did happen.

Sure. Whatever interpretation can help you discredit a whole post.

If you really hate puzzles in Zelda, you should have stopped playing in 1998.

Exactly. I should have, but I kept giving the series chances. However, I'm done with that; I have ceased playing Zelda a while ago. This series is dead to me, and I can't bring myself to be excited for whatever garbage Aonuma and co. will churn out next.

Besides, the "puzzles" in Zelda are mere formalities; if I want actual puzzles, I'll play Myst or something.