We are not in a debate here about which game had the largest impact on the industry, or how many individuals play it. Each of these conditions is subjective to the time in which we study. Due to the fact that there are far more gamers in the world today as there were even when Ocarina of time was released, the number of players is irrelevant. The industry has evolved to such a degree that the impact Mario once had is also irrelevant to the current issue. What we are trying to figure out here is what game can be given the label of "Best Game Ever". This label is quite a powerful one and thus has many unique properties to it. First and foremost is pure entertainment value. Ocarina of Time was a game that kept players absolutely enthralled for as long as they played. Whether it was battling inside of the Great Deku tree as a young Link or fighting for your life, and Zelda's, against Ganon as an adult, this game kept people excited to the very end. There is also the factor of how engrossed in the game a player becomes. This is largely determined by the story. Zelda: Ocarina of Time is a twisting tale that is as appealing as a book as it is a game. The story puts gamers in the character's shoes, whether they be the De facto standard Kokiri boots or the troublesome on stairs Hover Boots, and keeps them there throughout the story. There are a great many parts that go in to making an effective game from sound and music to visual representation, but in order to garner the title "Best Game Ever" all of these segments must be handled with great care. If any game deserves this prestigious label I feel that it is Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Then again it is merely a label, and each and everyone of us tends to apply our own labels to our environment. Thus, this issue will be debated until the end of time... or until we accept that we all have our own views.
Slashdot Mirror
We are not in a debate here about which game had the largest impact on the industry, or how many individuals play it. Each of these conditions is subjective to the time in which we study. Due to the fact that there are far more gamers in the world today as there were even when Ocarina of time was released, the number of players is irrelevant. The industry has evolved to such a degree that the impact Mario once had is also irrelevant to the current issue. What we are trying to figure out here is what game can be given the label of "Best Game Ever". This label is quite a powerful one and thus has many unique properties to it. First and foremost is pure entertainment value. Ocarina of Time was a game that kept players absolutely enthralled for as long as they played. Whether it was battling inside of the Great Deku tree as a young Link or fighting for your life, and Zelda's, against Ganon as an adult, this game kept people excited to the very end. There is also the factor of how engrossed in the game a player becomes. This is largely determined by the story. Zelda: Ocarina of Time is a twisting tale that is as appealing as a book as it is a game. The story puts gamers in the character's shoes, whether they be the De facto standard Kokiri boots or the troublesome on stairs Hover Boots, and keeps them there throughout the story. There are a great many parts that go in to making an effective game from sound and music to visual representation, but in order to garner the title "Best Game Ever" all of these segments must be handled with great care. If any game deserves this prestigious label I feel that it is Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Then again it is merely a label, and each and everyone of us tends to apply our own labels to our environment. Thus, this issue will be debated until the end of time... or until we accept that we all have our own views.