User Score
9.0

Universal acclaim- based on 8290 Ratings

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  1. CatF.
    Apr 5, 2003
    7
    It's an enjoyable game that offers at most two plays through. However, the game is too easy and offers little action at points. Personally, I got bored of walking across the large Hyrule Field without finding anything to fight. What ever happened to the constant barrage of foes that was present in the previous Zelda games. The game has an excellent interface and the fighting is It's an enjoyable game that offers at most two plays through. However, the game is too easy and offers little action at points. Personally, I got bored of walking across the large Hyrule Field without finding anything to fight. What ever happened to the constant barrage of foes that was present in the previous Zelda games. The game has an excellent interface and the fighting is strikingly fun when available. The other area where Zelda fails is the plot. When the first Zelda came out, the whole "rescue the princess" cliche was overused enough in games. Nintendo added time travel into the third Zelda, and here we are doing the same thing over and over. The plot is the same, the towns have the same names, and the music is the same! Overall, I agree that this game is a lot of fun and is definitely worth playing. Unfortunately, it fails to reach the level of enjoyment it could have been. Expand
  2. Lev
    Aug 23, 2009
    7
    I played this game only recently, 11 years after it's release, to see what the Zelda hype was about. And I have to say I was satisfied, more or less. The story is very generic and very weak, but I found the gameplay so much fun that eventually I couldn't put it down until I finished it. There are just so many things to do in this game,that, despite the lack of story or character I played this game only recently, 11 years after it's release, to see what the Zelda hype was about. And I have to say I was satisfied, more or less. The story is very generic and very weak, but I found the gameplay so much fun that eventually I couldn't put it down until I finished it. There are just so many things to do in this game,that, despite the lack of story or character development, it never really bored me. It lacks real depth, but who cares when it's this much fun to play. Expand
  3. Dec 11, 2010
    7
    A l'instar du Zelda II sorti sur Nintendo, Majora's Mask est un épisode qui se pose en porte à faux vis à vis de la série. Point question de sauver la princesse Zelda. Le héros prend place dans un monde totalement neuf, un univers parallèle à Hyrule. Enfin totalement neuf, mais plus pourA l'instar du Zelda II sorti sur Nintendo, Majora's Mask est un épisode qui se pose en porte à faux vis à vis de la série. Point question de sauver la princesse Zelda. Le héros prend place dans un monde totalement neuf, un univers parallèle à Hyrule. Enfin totalement neuf, mais plus pour très longtemps, car il est au bord de l'apocalypse, proche de l'implosion, si Link ne remets pas la main sur un petit lutin masqué, nommé Skull Kid, qui fout la pagaille aux quatre coins de la planète. On est ainsi balancé dans un nouvel environnement, qui change de nos bonnes vieilles habitudes. Enfin, pas tout à fait. Car, fidèle à ses préceptes, Nintendo a farci le jeu de références aux épisodes précédents. Majora's Mask ressemble même au meilleur cross over de la série. En premier lieu, le jeu est une refonte assumée d'Ocarina Of Time. La plupart des personnages de ce dernier sont recyclés, dans des rôles parfois différents, souvent différents même et des noms changés. Je pense aux sorcières, boss du Temple du Désert dans le précédent épisode, reconverties en marchandes de potions. Les relations qu'entretient Link avec ces différents personnage sont ainsi totalement inversées. Expand
  4. Jan 15, 2011
    7
    I still don't see why this game is so good. You literally beat it the exact same way every one else who played it beat it; what's the point? It obviously didn't age well but I would rate Paper Mario and Shadows of the Empire way above this on gameplay anyway.

    HEY.

    LISTEN.
  5. Jun 18, 2013
    7
    Not very challenging. Very good story and innovative gameplay for the time. It has really good atmosphere. It's just not the best Zelda game. I can think of at least 5 that are way better. But seriously the puzzles and dungeons aren't challenging at all.
  6. May 27, 2017
    7
    Extremely overrated if you're looking at it in 2017+. Of course I won't give it less than 7 because the game isn't bad per se but it hasn't aged well at all. The camera being non-controllable with the exception of the enemy targeting function, the battle system being still glitchy since it was the first attempt at 3D battle for Zelda so half the enemies can't even be targeted well withoutExtremely overrated if you're looking at it in 2017+. Of course I won't give it less than 7 because the game isn't bad per se but it hasn't aged well at all. The camera being non-controllable with the exception of the enemy targeting function, the battle system being still glitchy since it was the first attempt at 3D battle for Zelda so half the enemies can't even be targeted well without annoying the player (granted, that hasn't been totally fixed even in BotW) and the graphics being almost entirely bitmap based, have not done it any favors.

    In short the game is extremely badly aged. The graphics are extremely badly aged due them being low res and bitmap (vector graphics age better, which is why even A Link to the Past looks better better due to its simplistic flat colored 2D). The gameplay has aged badly too since it feels quite limited and at times cumbersome, especially due to enemy targeting even if that part of the Zelda gaming has not been perfected even today.

    All in all: if you are a timetraveller from 1998: 9/10+. If you are looking at it today, do not expect more than 7/10. You will find it very ugly visually, you will be annoyed by the gameplay at times, be certain of that.
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  7. Oct 30, 2013
    7
    Yes I will not deny this is a good game.Maybe even a great game,But I think a lot of people talking about this game are blinded by nostalgia and it simply came out at the right time.
  8. Jan 7, 2014
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. okay I'm no hater but... Ocarina of Time is OVERRATED! im not saying it's bad but it's not too good either. I'm no hater I really do like this game it's just people have only been criticizing Zelda games ONLY to this game! Majora's Mask came oh no one liked it because it was only compared to OoT! And Majora's Mask is MUCH better than Ocarina. The Oracle games come out, it's only compared to OoT. AGAIN. Wind Waker, Four Swords, Minish Cap? All such underrated games cuz OoT. I understand that people love this game but it's been 18 years since this game came out. Also it wasn't original. Oh. Same villain as the last 4 games, oh look time travel, seven sages, a princess that Link has never even met before. Also they really just made it REALLY obvious on what the sages are. The first and second they just tell you, the third is trying to take your place and save his people, the fourth you know who it is she's a water lady going to the water temple, the fifth is also given to you, the sixth the Gerudos tell you, and the seventh was pretty obvious. I mean CLEARLY Shiek was Zelda. Expand
  9. Dec 11, 2013
    7
    I know you won't believe this, it's hard to accept i know, but this game does not get a 10/10. I know the gods of gaming will smite me where i stand, but that's just how it is.
    Browsing the scores on this site, i get the feeling the hardcore fans don't understand what a 10/10 means. "despite it's flaws, its a great game. 10/10" this is not at all what a 10/10 is for. a 10/10 signifies
    I know you won't believe this, it's hard to accept i know, but this game does not get a 10/10. I know the gods of gaming will smite me where i stand, but that's just how it is.
    Browsing the scores on this site, i get the feeling the hardcore fans don't understand what a 10/10 means. "despite it's flaws, its a great game. 10/10" this is not at all what a 10/10 is for. a 10/10 signifies perfection, a word lost in a language that overuses powerful words to the point of them becoming meaningless. A perfect game has no flaws, so if some review site or some person gives a game a 10/10, I completely ignore them and all they have to say about the game, because rational thought has left their brain pan before the conversation started.
    "but what about the game, you blasphemous old crone?" you watch your tongue, you. I'm getting to that.
    lets start this by saying I'm new to the N64 and the Zelda franchise, I bought my console and a bunch of games a couple of years ago because i wanted to know what all the fuss was about, "ocarina of time" this, "goldeneye" that. I thought i was really missing something, and i was! i have N64 parties and just play games all night, its loads of fun to just mariokart and goldeneye all night.
    But this ocarina, I don't know about it. I was struggling to stay focused, the camera angles and ambiguous graphics, not to mention the outrageously laughable controller really takes it's toll on the fun-o-meter. i simply can't have fun when I'm frustrated with the basic elements of game design.
    The point of a good game, i think, is to be good regardless of age. ultima 4, super mario bros. and populous weren't just good in the 80s, they are still classics and staples of good game design. nostalgia is not an adequate reason to be a great game. i played some games i thought were awesome as a child, and replaying them, I still enjoy them. But as i got older, i started breaking the mechanics and general game structure down and analyzing them, those games wouldn't really hold up. If i gave someone a copy of that game and told him it's the best game of all time, i don't think he would agree with me.
    But anyway, aside from the obvious problems with camera angles and the god awful controls, which were far better than most N64 titles, i went on my way. I found the plot hooks very weak and unattractive, and the villain had very poor motivations. The dungeons were fairly easy, but there were some "WTF that's what i supposed to do?" moments, which are never good in any game. the combat mechanics, are surprisingly good! the programmers could wrestle with this beast of a controller and actually accomplish something nearly usable with it. so i appreciate the effort for that. most of the puzzles are fine, but some require trial-and-error to accomplish, which defeats the purpose of a puzzle, you may as well roll a die if that's how its going to work. the jumping puzzles sometimes like to bite you in the ass, but overall i've seen worse.
    It's not that the game is bad, its not, its just not that good. its just OK. its just a run of the mill psuedo-rpg that lots of people happen to have nostalgic connection to. its got a charm to it that is matched by other games. The datedness of it gives a sterile and bland aura to it, buts that's just it. bland. I simply couldn't be bothered playing it anymore, it just got too unengaging and i just stopped playing and that was it.
    overall It's worth a try, maybe you will be one of the many followers of it, but this game has not aged well at all. But what do i know, go out there and find games you do like and stop reading this silly review.
    but seriously, i enjoy listening to the music more than the game.
    9/10 music
    6/10 visuals
    8/10 game play
    6/10 story
    4/10 re-playability
    5/10 atmosphere
    6/10 controls
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  10. Apr 14, 2014
    7
    The game is pretty good. I will say that. But it really isn't the best game of all time. I'm not going to criticize the graphics, because although they look primitive now, they were good at the time. To be honest, the graphics were amazing for the time, and are still usable today.The music is brilliant and really fits in with the game."But!" I hear you scream at me from a passing car: "WhyThe game is pretty good. I will say that. But it really isn't the best game of all time. I'm not going to criticize the graphics, because although they look primitive now, they were good at the time. To be honest, the graphics were amazing for the time, and are still usable today.The music is brilliant and really fits in with the game."But!" I hear you scream at me from a passing car: "Why have you given it a 7 out of ten then?" And I will tell you why.
    1: The inventory system. Now, sure, it is good that the game even HAS an inventory system, but it is incredibly slow.There is nothing more annoying than when fighting an adorable deku shrub, you have to pause the game, and equip something. Surely there could have been an easier way to do this?
    2:The dungeons. The dungeons are awful. Lots of people will disagree, but The dungeons seem to repeat themselves. Solve a puzzle with a torch, open a door. Solve a puzzle with a moveable block, open a door. And the water dungeon? Wow. That was just an awful level.You have to agree on this.Possibly one of the worst levels ever.
    3: The age rating!! I remember playing this when I was about 5, the game being a 3+, or an E for everyone.So, I happily ran through kokiri village, trying to get to the deku tree. I was cautious when I got in. The music was pretty creepy, to say the least. I progressed, though, and slowly creeped my way around . Then, guess what? a huge spider jumped down from the ceiling! I sprinted downstairs! My Dad had to do the level for me! I was also scared of the stalchild.But, anyway, the village next to hyrule was my favourite place. I loved it. I wasn't bothered about the poe's that used to come out to the graveyard at night. I was curious, and decided to enter a house. House of skulltula. It was dark and quite creepy. Ominous music played. I had the courage to move forward. Suddenly, a 5 meter long skulltula Popped down from the ceiling! I screamed and wouldn't play it for days! Make it a 7+!
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  11. Oct 18, 2015
    7
    This game is not as special as people say it is. Graphics, even if kinda basic, have aged decently, but the story is heavily borrowed from A Link To The Past and the gameplay is as vanilla as a 3D Zelda game gets. The dungeons are also not either as interesting as other Zelda games, but some of the puzzles are well designed. I think you can skip this one.
  12. Apr 18, 2016
    7
    Best game on N64 and One of the best Nintendo games . This game brought popularity N64 . This game One of the First good game from Nintendo . This is best The Legend of Zelda game with The Legend of Zelda Wind Waker and Twilight Princess on GameCube . Beatiful graphics for 1998 , Best Levels on the N64 and Amazing Gameplay . 7/10 .
  13. Jan 2, 2017
    7
    Best game of all time? PAH! Don't let critic reviews fool you, this journey through hyrule is FAR from perfect, but it's still pretty darn good! The story is immersive and lovely, the graphics are great...for 1998, and Link (the name of the hero but you can name him whatever you want) controls tightly and is pretty responsive, whereas Mario is pretty slippery. But the dungeon designs areBest game of all time? PAH! Don't let critic reviews fool you, this journey through hyrule is FAR from perfect, but it's still pretty darn good! The story is immersive and lovely, the graphics are great...for 1998, and Link (the name of the hero but you can name him whatever you want) controls tightly and is pretty responsive, whereas Mario is pretty slippery. But the dungeon designs are pretty dated and the gameplay can get...repetitive to say the least. Also, any "rek th0s n00bs" Call of Duty kid who just so happens to have and N64 will be put off by the dated graphics. If your one of those whiny little jerks who thinks a game is the spawn of satan just because the characters look like a mess of triangles, I reccomend the 3DS remake. While I don't think this game is as good as everyone says, I still think it's a solid puzzle/adventure game and it's worth checking out if you have an old N64 collecting dust Expand
  14. Jan 14, 2017
    7
    I enjoyed this game, but I did not get much play time out of it. sadden :( memememememememememememememememememememememememememememememememememememememe
  15. Jun 15, 2017
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. personally i enjoyed the game it is a fun game of progression and knowing Zelda is stuck in her castle is always a motivation throughout the game that really makes you forget it is just a game. but it does have its flaws. half of the puzzles are easy along with the combat but there certainly are difficult parts but some of the difficult parts are either tedious or just out right annoying (water temple). And while this part I'm about to mention gets better when you become an adult but it is still a flaw of the game, all i can remember from the part of the game where you are a child is side strafing and rolling across Hyrule field because there was nothing to do in Hyrule field. It just felt like an empty space made to make the game feel bigger.

    Now don't get me wrong this game is still great but it is just little bit nostalgia based fun.
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  16. Nov 8, 2017
    7
    Ocarina of Time is NOT a bad game by any means, but it is EXTREMELY overrated. After playing through every single 3D Zelda Game, Ocarina of Time is my 2nd to last favorite, in front of Skyward Sword. The controls and everything are fine, but the fact that the world is so empty, the story is short and has no depth, and the fact that each boss is extremely easy compared to others in theOcarina of Time is NOT a bad game by any means, but it is EXTREMELY overrated. After playing through every single 3D Zelda Game, Ocarina of Time is my 2nd to last favorite, in front of Skyward Sword. The controls and everything are fine, but the fact that the world is so empty, the story is short and has no depth, and the fact that each boss is extremely easy compared to others in the series. I never felt connected to Link because he had no emotions or connections to other NPCs like in Majora's Mask. Personally, Twilight Princess was the superior game. Expand
  17. May 12, 2018
    7
    First of all, the game is great and was very revolutionary. It is very fun and has a pretty great story. But there are a great number of problems with the game. First, the game does not look good. Even for an N64 game. For 1998, this does not look good, especially considering that games such as Spyro the Dragon, and Banjo-Kazooie released the same year. Also, some of the dungeons weren'tFirst of all, the game is great and was very revolutionary. It is very fun and has a pretty great story. But there are a great number of problems with the game. First, the game does not look good. Even for an N64 game. For 1998, this does not look good, especially considering that games such as Spyro the Dragon, and Banjo-Kazooie released the same year. Also, some of the dungeons weren't the best(cough, cough, water temple and shadow temple). Also, Hyrule Field is way to big for it's own good, and it is pretty boring and long to run around in. Also, the kid section is pretty slow and the cut-scenes are long, visually uninteresting, and unskippable. Luckily, the 3DS port fixes most of these problems and streamlines the experience. Expand
  18. May 4, 2019
    7
    Sure The Game Is Great But It Has Flaws. People Say The Graphics Are Great When (Of Course) The Game Has Poorly Aged In That Sense. Yes It Was Made Back In The N64 Age But Many Other GameCube Games Exceed It In A Graphical Sense. Another Serious Issue Is That The Dungeon In Some Area Of The Game Kinda Suck. The Water Dungeon Is Absolutely Horrid, And Many Other Dungeon Have Issue CorrectlySure The Game Is Great But It Has Flaws. People Say The Graphics Are Great When (Of Course) The Game Has Poorly Aged In That Sense. Yes It Was Made Back In The N64 Age But Many Other GameCube Games Exceed It In A Graphical Sense. Another Serious Issue Is That The Dungeon In Some Area Of The Game Kinda Suck. The Water Dungeon Is Absolutely Horrid, And Many Other Dungeon Have Issue Correctly Guiding You And Makes The Player Feel Lost. Also Seriously Please Take Off The Nostalgia Glasses And See It Has Issue And Deserve's Too Be Remembered Fondly But Not Remembered As A Perfect Game. Now As For The Good Of The Game (Which Is A Fair Amount) The Bosses And Enemy Are Well Designed Even If They Don't Look The Best. The Sound Track Is Pretty Solid, And Navi (Is That How You Type Her Name?) Isn't Too Annoying. The Puzzles Have A Good Variety Of Them. The Game-play Is Of Course The Best Part Of The Game. The Combat Could Be Slightly Better And The Story Is Not Anything Special But Overall The Game Has Flaws But Is A Good Game. Expand
  19. Sep 21, 2018
    7
    Overall a solid Zelda game, but not as spectacular as many say. Many of the dungeons are streamlined, easy, and predictable, the story moves very slowly, and combat against normal enemies is mostly waiting. Yes it was revolutionary for its time, and yes, it's core gameplay is what all sequel Zelda's have built off of, but now it does not hold up against later installments in the seriesOverall a solid Zelda game, but not as spectacular as many say. Many of the dungeons are streamlined, easy, and predictable, the story moves very slowly, and combat against normal enemies is mostly waiting. Yes it was revolutionary for its time, and yes, it's core gameplay is what all sequel Zelda's have built off of, but now it does not hold up against later installments in the series such as Wind Waker, Twilight Princess, and Majora's Mask. Expand
  20. Nov 21, 2021
    7
    bleh, kind of over rated. it's a good first step, but majoras mask is the better game
  21. Jan 4, 2019
    7
    Ocarina of Time WAS possibly the greatest game ever made. What I mean with that is that due to this game being on the Nintendo 64, the controls were bound to be horrible, and also there are some parts of this game that REALLY relied on Nintendo Power (or the internet) to be beaten (especially that temple, you know which one).
    But besides these techical issues that diminished the chances
    Ocarina of Time WAS possibly the greatest game ever made. What I mean with that is that due to this game being on the Nintendo 64, the controls were bound to be horrible, and also there are some parts of this game that REALLY relied on Nintendo Power (or the internet) to be beaten (especially that temple, you know which one).
    But besides these techical issues that diminished the chances of this game standing the test of time, it's still really fun. The characters are distinct and alive, the world was groundbreaking for the time, and still manages to be ok in the current age, some of the scores on this will really get stuck in you head for some days, the graphics are great for N64 standards and the game has plenty of extra content to keep you busy if you get bored of the main story.
    Even though Ocarina of Time is a masterpiece burdened by some flaws due to hardware issues or Nintendo's need to sell Nintendo Power, you should definitely give this game a try on the new 3ds remaster, or if you're old school, just play it on the N64 and look past the annoyances that come with this version
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  22. Feb 12, 2019
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I will not disagree with you that Ocarina of Time (Oot) is one of the most influential games ever mad. Is it an amazing game? Yes. Is it extremely fun? Absolutely. But is it perfect? Hell. No.

    Oot came out 20 years ago, and yet there are many things people flat out refuse to admit. The game is repetetive, often seeming like a fetch quest most of the time. The dungeons are under whelming if you ask me. The game often becomes boring at times, and most of it is due to one thing: the story.

    The story has a whole ton of potential. It could have been a touching story about a boy growing up too early. What we get is nowhere near that. The story is a halfassed string of coincidences. The pacing is terrible, as the game isn’t about exploring. Instead, its about dungeons. It’s linear as heck, the overworld is a barren husk, and your actions have very little impact on the world around you.

    However, the game for the most part is loads of fun. The areas and characters are very memorable. The music is for the most part great, at its worst being boring, and at its best been used in nearly every single Zelda game since.

    The best part of Oot is not the game itself, but instead, its impact on gaming. An aspect from your favorite games, if it came out 1999 onward, was likely started in Oot.

    It is a phenomanal game, but not the greatest game of all time. I love this game, but it would not be warrented any higher than a 7. I can’t do that. Great game with several flaws
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  23. Jan 8, 2022
    7
    The pass from 2d to 3d was almost flawless in terms of mechanics, but sadly the world feels extremly empty(i am looking at you hyrule field) and the story is nothing to celebrate.
  24. Jun 9, 2019
    7
    Nice, nice ! But why 99 for me this game not ideal! Yes it good but no 99 metacritic
  25. Apr 20, 2020
    7
    great game at the time.
    This brings back many memories.
    To be number 1 on this site, I can see that.
  26. Oct 24, 2019
    7
    Ever being one of the most rated 64's games the screen and the mechanics doesn't help at gamplay time, but the history compensates the game controls and limitated mechanics
  27. Dec 7, 2021
    7
    Глупая игра на сотни вечерков, сюжет и характер недораскрыты. Ещё и самая лучшая игра за всю историю. Да пошли вы
  28. Jun 11, 2020
    7
    The year is 2020, and yes, "Ocarina of Time" is not the best game ever made. With visuals well below the standards of it's own time, many dated mechanics, often overly obtuse progression, awkwardly written dialogue, pacing issues, etc, etc, ETC. I can go on with the many poorer aspects of the game. Looking at it 20+ years later, the issues with the game are far more noticeable. Even withThe year is 2020, and yes, "Ocarina of Time" is not the best game ever made. With visuals well below the standards of it's own time, many dated mechanics, often overly obtuse progression, awkwardly written dialogue, pacing issues, etc, etc, ETC. I can go on with the many poorer aspects of the game. Looking at it 20+ years later, the issues with the game are far more noticeable. Even with all of that though, the great dungeon design (particularly in the adult half), an amazing soundtrack, effective story, engaging atmosphere, some fun side activities, and much more allow this one to still stand tall as a fun but very flawed game, and one that every gamer absolutely NEEDS to play for its undeniable impact alone. This one is still a keeper. Expand
  29. Oct 9, 2020
    7
    Over rated at best OoT has aged a lot and it shows if you still enjoy playing this title on this day and age then it's time to take off those rose colored glasses. And if think I'm full of it? Replay the original water temple. Yeah that's what I thought.
    But don't get me wrong this game did a great job with quests and mechanics especially for it's time.

Awards & Rankings

1
1
#1 Most Discussed N64 Game of 1998
1
#1 Most Shared N64 Game of 1998
Metascore
99

Universal acclaim - based on 22 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 22 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 22
  3. Negative: 0 out of 22
  1. Mar 24, 2016
    94
    The player will be drawn into the Zelda fantasy world from the moment the opening sequence bursts onto the screen, and the game won't let go-not even after finishing the quest.
  2. Happy Puppy
    Mar 24, 2016
    90
    Realism is one of the major reasons this title is so amazing. After playing for a while it feels as though you have actually been to Hyrule.
  3. Mar 24, 2016
    95
    Featuring unparalleled 3D environments, a deep and involved quest, brilliant and intuitive play controls, and a well-developed cinematic quality that enhances rather than overwhelms the whole game experience, Miyamoto's latest soon-to-be-classic title deserves to be played by each and every person who might deign to consider themselves a fan of great games.