[Val]

Well, I was thinking... So many people like Mario, and yet so many people like Zelda... So, here's the poll to end all polls: Mario Or Zelda???

Mario is a true classic, with lots of gameplay, secrets, and it's just plain fun,
Zelda is a game with tonnes of gameplay and replay value...

I'd have to vote Zelda...

[gofer-chan]

i like them both and this is a hard poll, but i'd have to say zelda. because there's only one shitty zelda game i can think of (not counting CD-I games and no i don't think Link's Adventure is shitty so you can SHUT UP Link's Adventure haters ) but there are a few recent mario games that are subpar. but all the zelda games except for wind waker have been really damn good.

[Torte]

I agree with gofer... not that I don't fail at those games (like everything else), but at least every Zelda (apart from WW) game is more enjoyable than any of the Mario games.

[duvel]

Zelda. I'd really vote neither if their was a choice since I prefer a few other franchises. I chose Zelda becuse I think that all the Zeldas(except Wind Waker, which Nintendo got really lazy on) were better than all the Mario games. By the way, I also don't think Link's Adventure was bad. In fact, it is one of my favorite Zeldas(#5 or so on my list).

[Pyro1588]

zelda, because of the oracle games and OOT.

[Tixus]

I really don't like the way either of them turned out in this day and age--Mario cleaning up with a squirtgun? Puh-leeze. And don't get me started about Wind Waker. ...but I'd have to go with Mario, simply because of Mario 3.

[commodorejohn]

Tough call, but I gotta go with Mario. Zelda's good, but I'm just much better at Mario. Link's Adventure wasn't bad, for the time, it just wasn't much like the Zelda that we know and love. The overworld graphics were ugly, but we've gotta remember that this was the early days of the NES; the year after save RAM was introduced.

[hob nado]

As much as I think Zelda 2: Link's Adventure is the best thing ever, Mario's still my man. Mario 3 takes the cake for me as best sidescroller ever, and plus, the games had a great premise (the early ones, at least) and a nice feel-good atmosphere.

Also, I thought Wind Waker looked pretty good...better than those God-awful N64 ones, anyways o_o

[LostOne]

Both. Mario+Zelda=MELDA. Or Zario. Or Zerio. Or Malda. Or Marda. Or Meldio. Whatever. They both rock.

[RoSS]

Esdemo1, on Jun 24 2004, 10:45 PM, said:

Also, I thought Wind Waker looked pretty good...better than those God-awful N64 ones, anyways o_o

Did you ever play Ocarina of Time? At least a little bit into it (say... past the first dungeon?), because I consider it to be one of my top 10 games of all time. However, Majora's Mask sucked heavily.

Anyway, this is a hard decision. But, I have to admit I'm not a big fan of either the nintendo Zeldas (1/2) nor Link to the Past (waits to be shot =( ). I thought OoT and Link's Awakening were great, and WW was decent... if it hadn't been for all the stupid sailing around for half the game, I would've liked it more.
As for Mario, the NES games are still enjoyable to me (along with the Megaman games), the SNES game is also as great, Super Mario 64 is an incredibly innovative game that I loved, and SMS is ehn. And that's just the main series. Mario has been in something like 70+ games, many of them quality, including Super Mario RPG, one of my favs for SNES.

[Razerboy]

DOES MARIO HAVE RUPEES?
DOES MARIO MAKE KICKASS "HAAH" ATTACKING NOISES?
DOES MARIO HAVE A SWORD AND SHEILD?

I THINK WE KNOW THE ANSWER.

This post has been edited by Razerboy: 25 June 2004 - 02:50 PM

[gofer-chan]

Esdemo1, on Jun 24 2004, 11:45 PM, said:

...better than those God-awful N64 ones, anyways o_o

YOU DID NOT GO THERE

Both of the N64 Zelda games were great, man. I won't argue about if Wind Waker looked great or not, that's a matter of taste (it didn't look great BTW!) but dude Majora's Mask and Ocarina of Time were great.

[zombieguy]

Mario.
I had Mario AllStars and Zelda on my snes many years back, and I much prefered Mario... and, uh.. still do.

[Dr_Dos]

Mario 3 and the original Zelda were like the two games i wanted to win the gamefaqs thing. But you can't choose between them. However I've liked most mario games but only like 3 zelda's. Mario wins.

[smilymzx]

zelda II rulez! (for a good platformer with a mix with zelda 1)

[Val]

smilymzx, on Jun 25 2004, 12:01 PM, said:

zelda II rulez! (for a good platformer with a mix with zelda 1)

smileymzx, everytime you post i get a sick feeling in my stomach :(

[Micah]

Wow, it's a tie...8-8. I have to go with Mario, simply because I have had more history with Mario. I'd say that a world-known hero is much less interesting than a plumber who beats up big ugly dragon brutes. One more thing about Mario that totally rocks out Zelda: He has an arch-nemesis, and a girlfriend .

[gofer-chan]

Micah, on Jun 25 2004, 02:44 PM, said:

One more thing about Mario that totally rocks out Zelda: He has an arch-nemesis, and a girlfriend .

what about ganondorf? i'd say he's an arch-nemesis. and link doesn't NEED a girlfriend. he's a playa'. don't believe me? take a look at ocarina of time.

saria (girl from the village). princess ruto (that weird fish chick). malon (the hot redhead on the farm). princess zelda. navi (YES SHE COUNTS).

link wins

[weasel]

Oh, come ON! The games are totally different! If I had a choice, I would probably say something else, like Metal Gear or whatever I'm currently playing. I haven't played a Mario or Zelda game in a while...

[hob nado]

Heheh, I knew that would stir up some controversy...objectively, I'm sure the N64 Zelda games were just fine, but man, did I have a severely averse reaction to how they played. I could not stand it for ten minutes.

I didn't make it past the first dungeon in OoT, because by then I had given the controller to Eagle, completely disgusted. Ocarina would probably have been better for me if it didn't fill up 68% percent of the screen with the damn meters and buttons and the fairy (worse than the Microsoft Word paper clip.) I know it's the thing to do these days to put those graphics over the main screen instead of having a separate, unobstrusive bar along the bottom, but man, they just got in the way. Also for some reason, I absolutely couldn't stand how the main button would change functions dependent on situation.

Ocarina of Time compared with two of its classic-game-gone-3D-platformer peers, Mario 64 and Megaman Legends...





Granted, Mario has a lot less STUFF than Zelda that requires monitoring, but I believe Megaman's a fair comparison - and that's even being generous, since the MML screen has a boss health meter that's not even there most of the time.

In addition, I really can't stand most 3D platform games to begin with, especially on the N64. I suck with that joystick; gimme the direction-pad any day. After like ten minutes of falling off that damn narrow bridge that goes over the rooftops in the town just trying to find the shield and sword and such, I knew this platformer wasn't going to be any different for me.

[Dr_Dos]

BUT WHAT IF WE REMOVED THE...

Health Meter - Time to charge that boss! Oh wait, I just died in one hit. I thought I had more health than that, and I'm not going to pause after every conflict.
Magic Meter - I shall defeat the boss with DIN'S FIRE! Or not now I am dead.
Keys - It doesn't take up much space. But yeah it's not a big problem if they weren't there
Rupees - Same as keys
Map - Dude, you need a map in Zelda. We used to make our own for the NES original, it's nice to have an idea where you're going.
Sword - Now by presisng the A (?) button I will pull out my sword and kick some ass! WHOOPS I FORGOT I STILL HAD THAT BROKEN GORON CRAP EQUIPPED! (also I am dead)
Action - I will now hit this button to prevent from falling to my death. WHOOPS I WAS IN A POSITION THAT HITTING THE BUTTON MADE ME FALL RATHER THAN CLIMB UP A WALL!
C Weapons - I will now hit C-right, switch to arrows, and kill this boss! OH NO I ASSIGNED THE BOW TO C-DOWN! Once again I have died.

Honestly I think you just sucked at it and that was your excuse. If it's that bad it'd be like watching a movie in letterbox, where you start it and you're like OH MY GOD BLACK BARS! Then like 10 minutes into the movie you forget all about them.

[hob nado]

Well, I honestly don't know how I was at the game - I wasn't fantastic, but I wasn't terrible (except for the fact that I can barely make Link even walk a straight line with the N64 controller. I'm just not good with that thing.) I didn't really give myself enough playing time to figure out one way or the other - really, I just didn't like anything about the way the game was set up, and so I stopped playing it. It's just an issue of personal taste.

Edit: Oh, and yeah, I'm not saying we should take all the meters out. Just find some way to get them from taking up half the screen okay guys =|

[Tixus]

I dunno. Whenever I played it, I never got distracted by the meters/icons...I've never heard any of my friends (aside from you) who've played it complain about it...and I'm sure most of the millions of people who did enjoy the game didn't find it too obtrusive, either. I think it's just you. o_o

[Micah]

I found all those meters distracting...but I never complained about it. If I don't like something about a game...well...I just won't play it.

[zombieguy]

I know how you can play Zelda without the meters filling up the screen, just download the rom and play it in a window!
[/reallybadjoke]
...

I don't believe they ever distracted me, for the few seconds I played Zelda along with 67 other downloaded roms. :P
I would've played it more, but I never really liked Zelda. (...and prefer Mario, as I've already said)

[T-Bone]

Can anyone guess who I voted for? hehe

[commodorejohn]

My problem with Zelda 64 is that stinkin' control scheme where the joystick moves you relative to the camera. Games would be far easier if they kept the camera behind you all the time so that pushing up on the stick always means forward motion. Also, although the meters are indeed necessary, they could have shrunk them. Those icons are HUGE, man.

[hob nado]

Micah, on Jul 1 2004, 04:15 AM, said:

I found all those meters distracting...but I never complained about it. If I don't like something about a game...well...I just won't play it.

You make me sound bad; I did stop playing it =|

I shut up now, I guess.

[Koji]

Eh, everyone's entitled to an opinion, and I would agree with Es, Crowding the screen with a half dozen meters icons maps and diagrams is just bad game design.

I think Mario sunshine took care of the meters the best way, if the content doesn't change they simple regress off the screen. Of course if you forget what you have equipt thats your problem. Seriously people, if you need them take your ADD pills!

My thoughts
Maps should be toggleable.
life meters magic meters should regress untill you get hurt again.
Keys should only display in area's where the keys would be used.
Rupees only are displayed when you find some or are in an area where you can use them.
Button diagrams should only be displayed when you change them and then after some time they regress.
Etc etc etc.

Supply on demand is how this garbage should be handled. Chronostodian's battle engine treats this rule like the freak'n bible. Meters (unless you activate the etc window in the menus) will only display when they are affected. Money is only displayed when possible use is apparent or when finding money. The time is only displayed when you ask for it or you look at a clock (Yep, clocks in the game will display the actual world time, wowzers!). Supply item status on demand, ONLY ON demand. Theres nothing I hate more than a jumbled screen.

Also I find alot of these fancy meters in these games we're talking about are HUGE, and fancy. They don't need to be big, yet they are. WHY?

[Nytar]

I don't see any problems with meters and icons crowding the screen. Most of the time I play, my eyes are focused on the character I control, so I don't get distracted by anything along the edge of the screen.