I ask this because Ive just started playing Windwaker again, a few days ago, and I know of 3 other clickers who have also just started playing it. I like it so much more than twilight princess, in fact it's my favourite out of all the Zelda Series, although I haven't had the chance to play Phantom Hour Glass yet.
The character animations are probably some of the best Ive seen in any game, although to be honest I'm not that experienced I guess. I just wish they'd release another zelda game in this style for the Wii
I started playing Twilight Princess again to see if component is all that. And it is. Both of them. In decending order;
Twilight Princess - IMO the first Zelda to really feel epic. Wii controller arrows ftw
Links Awakening - Beautiful and faultless.
Ocarina of Time
Windwaker - Fantastic art but I still don't like sailing and the collection quest at the end.
The Oracle games
Minish Cap - a bit short but theres just some charm with the music and graphics.
Can't stand Phantom Hourglass. Hate the level design, boat is rubbish and I hear it gets very repetitive towards the end (big turn off for me).
I also loved the sailing! And going around filling in the map and finding the secrets on all the islands!
What i didn't like is the way the boat slided unrealistically around islands when you crashed into them. I'd rather it made a sort of "thud" and bounced back a bit.
I liked sailing at first since the atmospheric effects are stunning. But it just got boring especially on the hunting quest. I'd rather they had 4-5 giant islands than the 30 or so smaller ones.
Also didn't like the lack of area variety. But a brilliant game nonetheless. Better than any other adventure game I played last gen
And they need to make a proper Pokemon DS or Wii game with the Windwaker art style
Ocarina of time/Link to the past/Majora's mask are my favourites.
I liked Links awakening and the Oracle series as well.
I found Windwaker too easy (the final fight with Ganon was very anticlimactic) and the sailing part was mind-numbingly dull.
Not a big fan of The adventure of Link, and haven't really played the first one, or the newer handheld ones (minish cap/phantom hourglass)
As for Twilight Princess, I've stated before that the first time I picked up the wiimote to play it, it was against a boss... which I defeated without being hit once.
Now that to me screams easy. I havent played any other bit of it, just that boss. But the boss disappointed me (it was the dragon thing in the sky). Now whether I'm just used to Zelda games, or it really was too easy I don't know, but I don't have a wii so I can't play through it to see if the game itself is good.
I like Minish Cap, but I can't get past the sky dungeon at the end... mainly because they give you hardly any hearts, yet in the other dungeons they provide you with plenty. Not cool.
1. A Link to the Past - I felt that this game had the best story and introduction to any zelda game. You get straight into the action, unlike Wind Waker where you have to stealth around a fortress and Twilight Princess where your transformed into a wolf and locked in a cell. I thought the introductions to those games were pretty bad.
2. Twilight Princess/Ocraina of Time - I just can't decide which I like better. As James said, Twilight Princess is the most epic of the lot, but there are thigns about the game I don't like. The introduction, the amount of essential side quests and as strange as it sounds; how orange the game looks. Like the sun is constantly setting.
3. Oracle of Ages - A stange choice, yes? Why would I put this game so far up the list? Well, I've no idea really I just thought it was very fun to play. Probably because it reminded me of the Light/Dark world from LTTP. Also I had carried my data over from Seasons when playing through it and I thought that technolgy was incredible.
I wont list any more but overal I must say that I really, really do not like the introductiosn to a lot of the games. Even Majora's Mask - I thought that was a great game with a slightly darker theme than usual, but once again the introduction was by far the worst of them all. Hate that darn skullkid
I really don't like the origional Legened of Zelda. It's much harder than the newer ones. I agree with Slėnk, some of the intros take too long. Still, Zelda is one of my favorite series of games.
I liked Wind Waker and TP, would love to see a sequel to both on the wii. Phantom Hourglass was ok, but it's not as good as I thought it would be. I also hated having to redo the one dungeon over and over. It was relatively easy though...
I really REALLY need to buy Oracle of Time on virtual console... I feel incomplete as a gamer with all the praise it gets.
But for the moment, Twilight Princess stands at the very top, the characters are wonderful, combat is highly satisfying (beating that endless dungeon thing was epic!), and the sword battle at the end with Ganondorf was perfection. The dungeons were the most fun I've ever been through in a Zelda game, too. That hefty ball and chain is my favourite item in any Zelda game, it's just so ridiculous Oh, and Midna is by far the greatest helper/tutorial character ever, her personality is just right, and she's never annoying (except maybe the laugh on the wiimote, but that can be turned down!). Link should've hit that at the end, Zelda obviously isn't putting out.
Next is Link's Awakening, though I haven't played it in a very long time. First game to give me 'the chills'. James knows what I mean... why does it keep coming up recently?
Then either Minish Cap or Link to the Past. Minish Cap was just solid and fun all the way through, real smooth animation too. Link to the Past is great, it's challenging, you get right into killing stuff from the get-go, and the dungeons are thrown at you one after the other before you can blink. The only problem is I keep getting stuck at this one part Much more action-oriented than the other Zelda's.
I liked the Oracle games, too, but they weren't really outstanding. Fun, but didn't get the drive to complete them.
I want to play Wind Waker, especially after using Toon Link in Brawl. He's just a cool little guy :]
Heh, hate to be a perfectionist, but it's ocarina of time. (wait, unless you meant the gameboy game, but I haven't heard that much praise for it.) I loved that one... He looks cooler in brawl in my opinion, but I guess a whole game in that style would be a different thing... I could go for a game where he is transported to another world, where things look like what he did in brawl... Both art styles. NINTENDO! LISTEN!
EDIT: Now that I think about it... There wasn't even a gameboy game called that.