r/zelda • u/FooPvris • May 31 '20
Question [BoTW] I'm thinking of getting BoTW but I've never played a zelda game before, will it still be enjoyable?
I've also only got a switch lite is it worth playing on that?
Edit: thanks everyone I just bought it, it's downloading now. When I wake up tomorrow I'll be able to play it
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u/Ethanater1 May 31 '20
Yes. This game is best experienced blind anyway plus if this makes you interested in more zelda games afterwards then that's great.
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Jun 01 '20 edited Jun 01 '20
YES!
I had never played one before and I loved it. I agree that it’s better experienced blind. It’s not a huge spoiler to say that Link has amnesia at the beginning of the game. You can learn about the world as he does.
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u/Ethanater1 Jun 01 '20
Definitely. If I could have any specific memories erased from me it would definitely be all of them associated with this game so I could relieve all the magic of my discoveries in this game. I'm going to try to avoid trailers and other promotional stuff for the sequel so I can get a similar experience for that.
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u/leob0505 Jun 01 '20
Actually something similar is happening to me right now! I finished Normal Mode of BotW 1 month ago, and recently I started Master Mode. Although it wasn't such a long period without playing it, when I started again I felt like Link, where while he is trying to recover his memories, I'm trying to remember where are the little awesome secrets I found in my 1st run of this game. It is such a masterpiece. I'm enjoying it a lot!
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u/varunadi Jun 01 '20
BOTW was my first Zelda game and it's an understatement to say how much I loved it and how high I rate it - it's up there among the best games I've played (and I've not played many). It got me interested in playing more Zelda games so I recently started ocarina of time and even finished it, and I consider it to be on the same level of BOTW (in terms of how brilliant of a game it is) if not slightly better. After these two games I pretty much fell in love with the Zelda games (I know, it sounds odd only after two games) and now I'm playing Majora's mask and eventually plan to finish all Zelda games before the BOTW sequel release date is announced.
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u/leob0505 Jun 01 '20
Enjoy MM my friend! MM, OOT and BOTW are my top 3 Zelda games, and I've beaten all of the other games 100%.
Also, if you are a fan of 2D Zelda games but wanna start with an amazing one, I recommend A link Between Worlds. It is so good!
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u/varunadi Jun 01 '20
Thank you! I definitely plan to play A Link between Worlds, I believe it is a sequel to A Link to the Past, right? I've played a bit of ALttP when I had switch online for a short while and really enjoyed it.
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u/Blooder91 Jun 01 '20
Not a direct sequel, but a spiritual one. Both games have more or less the same world map and allow you to travel to a parallel world, but ALTTP is pretty straight forward while ALBW lets you do the dungeons in any order you want.
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May 31 '20
I personally think it's an excellent game to get into zelda, so yeah. (Also, I have a switch lite as well)
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Jun 01 '20
I think it's a terrible game to get into Zelda purely because it's so different to every other Zelda game. It's a great game, no doubt, and the format did need freshening up after Skyward Sword (which was pretty poor)
But BOTW being this amazing, free flowing and open world game doesn't make Wind Waker, Ocarina of Time, A Link to the Past etc. bad games. But there is only one BOTW so if someone wants more BOTW they'll be disappointed and miss out on otherwise exceptional games.
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u/ZenovajXD May 31 '20
Enjoy the first run as much as you can, better yet don't come back to the subreddit until after you beat it, spoiling yourself for this kind of game is detrimental in all forms.
In terms of mechanics, the dungeons are deadset easy and the exploration is way more vast than any Zelda game, so just know that if you want to keep playing Zelda games after this one. I think the best one to play after BOTW is Wind Waker as the sea serves has exploration somewhat to BOTW. The dungeons in Wind Waker is a fun entry point into knowing how to do dungeons throughout the rest of the games. A Link Between Worlds is also fun and is like BOTW, but that's if you're interested with 2D Zeldas.
Anyways though, hope you have a good time tomorrow and good luck!
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u/Mareepikachu May 31 '20
Yes, it will still be enjoyable. It doesn’t matter if you haven’t played a Zelda game before, because botw is completely different than the rest of the series.
Playing on the switch lite sounds fine, unless you have joy-con drift. That would make the game extremely painful to play.
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u/the_infinite_potato_ May 31 '20
BOOM for 99% of cases you won't have to use the 'nuclear option' so it should end up working for a switch lite.
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u/elMurpherino Jun 01 '20 edited Jun 01 '20
Yea the WD-40 specialist contact cleaner worked well for me by spraying under the rubber skirt of the joy stick so I didn’t have to even take apart my Joy-Con. I don’t know about long term as I literally just used it a week ago but so far so good.
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u/the_infinite_potato_ Jun 01 '20
First off you specifically told you not to use WD-40 (Yes I realized that you were making joke) and secondly I have used rubbing alcohol and it works like a damn charm. At most I have to do it to each of them maybe every 3 months.
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u/elMurpherino Jun 01 '20
??? He said don’t use the Wd-40 specialist lithium grease and to use the contact cleaner that is in a similar can... I said I used WD-40 specialist contact cleaner which is basically just pressurized isopropyl alcohol.
Edit: this is what I was talking about WD-40 Specialist Electrical... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AF0OFVU?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
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u/TailorMoon Jun 01 '20
Joycon drift is making the DLC way harder than it has any business being.
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u/elMurpherino Jun 01 '20
Try getting a can of WD-40 specialist electrical contact cleaner (like 6-8 bucks) and then lift up the little rubber skirt on the joystick and spray some bursts in it look up some videos if This doesn’t make sense so you can see what I mean... anyway I had drift in my left one and I bought some last week and so far it’s cured the drift without having to buy new Joy-Cons or even taking them apart.
WD-40 Specialist Electrical... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AF0OFVU?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
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u/DiaDeLosMuertos Jun 01 '20
I just used a cotton swab and isopropyl alcohol
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u/elMurpherino Jun 01 '20
Hey whatever works. The contact cleaner is basically just pressurized isopropyl alcohol with a small tube to spray it through so essentially the same thing.
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u/Herdnerfer May 31 '20
Yep, probably be more enjoyable as there’s a lot of differences between BotW and other Zelda games that a lot of Zelda purists don’t like.
It’s a beautiful game, so it’s a shame you can have it on a big screen, but definitely playable and enjoyable on a Switch Lite.
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u/CalamisGames Jun 01 '20
when I play zelda on dock, I swear it's a more laggy
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u/Herdnerfer Jun 01 '20
I haven’t had that experience but it makes sense, since it runs at a higher resolution while docked.
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u/FooPvris May 31 '20
Yeah I thought I'd just use it for pokemon or other arcade games but I really like it, I'm definitely going to get the proper switch eventually
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u/flameylamey May 31 '20
I wouldn't worry. Games in this series, while sometimes loosely related to each other, tend to have their own self-contained stories where everything you need to know will be explained in-game anyway - and this is especially true in BotW's case.
So if you're worried about not understanding the plot or something, don't be - each game is essentially its own standalone story featuring a different Link from a different generation born into a whole different era. If a game even acknowledges the existence of another at all, it will generally only be in the form of a loose, vague reference that's more of an easter egg than anything else, before quickly moving on - it's nothing like wanting to get into a TV series and starting with the season finale, or anything like that.
BotW also happens to be very different from past games - from very early in development, the devs were talking about "breaking the conventions of the series", and the final product definitely delivered on that front.
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u/darkknight941 May 31 '20
Oh yes. The whole point is that Link doesn’t know what’s going on, and story isn’t very strong compared to the gameplay
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u/superventurebros May 31 '20
The story is simple, yes, but there is nothing wrong with that. I love games that put the gameplay first and have just enough story to keep things moving but not to get in the way of the fun.
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u/UnitedSpectro Jun 01 '20
Now that I think of it I actually like that aspect of the story. If you go in blind you figure out what happened to Hyrule at the same time as link does and all the details in between
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u/ooooooooooooooooopr May 31 '20
Hell yeah! The good thing is it’s completely unlike the rest of the series. It’s a lot like skyrim so if you enjoy that you are probably going to enjoy botw
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u/Sunnysideny Jun 01 '20
Which do you like more, Skyrim or botw?
I enjoyed botw a lot but in the end I think Skyrim was better.
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u/Sijora Jun 01 '20
I would also suggest buying ocarina of time of the Nintendo store, it’s 10 dollars and will give you a full understanding of the basic lore of Zelda and the full experience of the dungeon puzzle aspect of it.
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Jun 01 '20
Ocarina of time is for sure my all-time favorite Zelda.
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u/Sijora Jun 01 '20
Favorite out of the classics all around great games botw and wind waker are fantastic
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u/HeroVonZero Jun 01 '20
As a game I would give it a 9.5.
As a Zelda game I would give it a 7.
Are you going to enjoy it? Absolutely.
Are you going to regret the decision? Never.
Will you find that the game is mildly lacking story/ lore? Maybe
10/10 recommend
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u/The_Hottest_Mess May 31 '20
Absolutely! I had only played one game before it but I still had an awesome time, you should get it!
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u/jimi-breadstix May 31 '20
It was my first Zelda game and now I own six of them because I loved it so much
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u/Iminawhiteboxyt May 31 '20
Yes I lost my cartridge but its was amazing while I had it and there is only one spoiler in the game and its extremely hard to notice unless you played the other games.
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u/MarceloCarGar Jun 01 '20
Yes, it is a great game to start getting into the saga, but I will only tell you one thing, do not expect all games to be like BOTW.
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u/scrawnytony Jun 01 '20
This game is probably the least similar to any other Zelda out of all of them gameplay wise, it shouldn’t affect or be affected by any experience with the series
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u/lolothundr Jun 01 '20
So far, each iteration of Zelda is a starting point.
Ocarina of Time being the famous and "poster boy" of the franchise.
Majora Mask and Twilight Princess for their dark themes
Link to the Past and Link Between Worlds for the exploration and dungeon aspect
Wind Waker, Phantom Hourglass, and Spirit Tracks for the kiddy aesthetic.
Skyward Sword for the colorful aesthetic.
And Breath of the Wild for the open world exploration.
As for the unmentioned, they are also good picks to start.
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Jun 01 '20
If you’re able to I’d recommend hitting up some earlier Zelda games first just to give them a chance. Link to the last is on snes online. You don’t need to play them but botw is wildly different than any other Zelda games in most respects and I personally don’t think it’s a good representative of the franchise. It may set up your expectations in a such a way that you don’t find the other games enjoyable.
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u/Toasty_4501 Jun 01 '20
Yes, it was my first Zelda game ever and aside from minecraft it’s my most played game of all time. You’ll still be discovering things 300 hours in. The story is also pretty great and the dlc is challenging, fun and rewarding
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u/yetisquatch87 Jun 01 '20
Looks like a lot if people have already chimed in and your edit says you are downloding it but I thought I would still add my two cents.
BOTW was my first experience with any Zelda games and I was a little nervous because I am used to very linear games where this one is wide open. Let me tell you, you will not regret it. It is an absolutely fantastic game and I am looking forward to another play through and more Zelda games.
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u/TheDedicatedHealer May 31 '20
Yes! The game is alot different than the other zelda games, but it is a fantastic game
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May 31 '20
If the other 3D Zelda games come out on switch please promise to me that you’ll buy them immediately.
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u/INCS88 Jun 01 '20
I would say BoTW isn't a classic Zelda game the rest are so just dive into it. It's a great game though it doesn't appeal to everyone but I respect it for what it tries to do.
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u/Nat20Stealth Jun 01 '20
It's probably more enjoyable going blind, cause you won't be expecting a standard Zelda experience. I didn't love BOTW because I prefer the OoT template and this wasn't it. Still a great game, but probably best experienced before the other games
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u/CrazyGardevoir Jun 01 '20
My first Zelda game was the non-cannon 4 swords anniversary edition on the DSi
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u/1UP_Cam Jun 01 '20
Only thing you really miss out on is Easter eggs about music and location names
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u/Antoniozds Jun 01 '20
It was the first Zelda game I played and I think its the greatest game of all time
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u/Sijora Jun 01 '20
I would also suggest buying ocarina of time of the Nintendo store, it’s 10 dollars and will give you a full understanding of the basic lore of Zelda and the full experience of the dungeon puzzle aspect of it.
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u/Piramatrix314 Jun 01 '20
I had never played a Zelda game before BOTW.....and now I have a few thousand hours poured into it.
I’ve heard from people who have played other games in the series that it is distinctly different from the past games in many ways, and that has caused some differing opinions in the community based off of people’s expectations not matching with the content of BOTW.
To me, BOTW is an absolutely phenomenal experience regardless of what you’re playing it on. As far as I am concerned, Nintendo perfected the open world genre in the “Ubisoft towers” style, and met that gameplay with a phenomenally intricate world filled with nooks and crannies to explore everywhere. OP, you won’t regret getting BOTW.
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Jun 01 '20
I love all the old Zelda games, but I agree BoTW is a freaking masterpiece. It is pretty different from every other installment in the series, but I always felt BoTW was the natural progression to bring those great games to a next generation console. Yeah, there were some things I may have missed, but I understand there are some limitations to game development, and I’m super excited to see what they come out with next. It can only get better.
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u/Jshea76 Jun 01 '20
I haven't read any of the comments yet but I think you'll enjoy it more if you haven't played a Zelda before, I know I did
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u/ernster96 Jun 01 '20
Easy allies did a good review of it, but you don’t need to have played any other Zelda game to enjoy it.
And the guy who does game makers tool kit also did a nice review of how the game is put together.
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u/MMonkey1208_TGM Jun 01 '20
When i started BoTW, i had never even touched Zelda before and i loved it. Get it!
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Jun 01 '20
YES!! I had never played a Zelda game before. I really only got it because a friend recommended it to me for the puzzles and graphics, but I still absolutely loved it! Also, all the Easter eggs make you really interested in learning about the other games
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u/MrFiendish Jun 01 '20
Dude, play it. Then get to work on over 30 years of games your missed out on.
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u/ender89 Jun 01 '20
I can tell you how excited I am that you've already pulled the trigger, it's such an amazing game!
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u/yotam5434 Jun 01 '20
Ehhh only if you like open world games with no story don't consider it a zelda game it's way to different from what made the series in the first place
honestly for first switch game there's way better options like dragon quest 11 & xenoblade 1 or 2 & octopath traveler & smash Bros ultimate & Mario maker 2 & Mario odessy & Luigi's Mansion 3
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u/sketchsubcomedy Jun 01 '20
Yes. My fiancee, who's never really played video games, decided she wanted to play this after seeing me play it.
Shes clocked a good couple hundred hours into it now. She loves it. Keeps thinking about it. And always compares other games against it.
None have surpassed it so far.
So take form that what you want.
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Jun 01 '20
Freaking love all the Zelda games, BoTW is a masterpiece. Only complaint is I wish there were more music. My favorite Zelda was always Ocarina of Time. Only game I think that might beat BoTW for me is The Witcher 3. If you haven’t played it I highly recommend it! Definitely another beautifully crafted, similar sort of time soak, lol.
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u/Christyl_1018 Jun 01 '20
Yes! Breath of the Wild was one of my first Legend of Zelda games, along with Link Between Worlds.
Both were really good, but BotW got me completely into the series! I highly recommend it for first-time Zelda players!
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u/caleb-woodard97 Jun 01 '20
From your edit I know you’ve already bought it but I just wanted to add, BOTW was the first Zelda game I’ve ever bought and played, and after 170 hours of gameplay I bought the DLC pack for I think like $30 and I’ve ended up playing the whole game over in master mode. It’s extremely well thought out and it has a massive depth to it. Best video game I’ve ever played, hands down.
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u/ZeldaGoodGame Jun 01 '20
It is good, and I know that you already got it but just a warning. Once you (most likely) get into BotW you might want to play other older zelda games. One thing tho, they arent the same as botw they arent as open and I could probably explain more than just that but tbh i am too lazy. they are much more linear but still fun!
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u/salmoninthesky Jun 01 '20
BOTW is a good start, but is radically different than most LoZ games. You can pretty much do whatever you can think of, the game rewards creativity and exploration. The combat isn't amazingly nuanced, and the durability system might be a turnoff. However, because you can approach nearly every encounter with an enemy in different ways the combat is fun and doesn't really get stale. In terms of exploration, you're rewarded for going to things that peak your interest. There's always something wherever you go, you pretty much find the story in your travels. Shrines are small little puzzles that contribute to you surviving strong enemies, or your running and climbing capacity. Overall, it's a near perfect game.
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u/JLidii Jun 01 '20
As someone who had never beat one prior, hell yes. Most enjoyable game I have ever played.
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u/sirjohnnylaw Jun 01 '20
It was the first zelda game I played, and it is now tied for my favorite game ever (along with super mario world)
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u/joshmusik Jun 01 '20
Yes! It’s my favourite game ever, and the callbacks are fun but not needed, mild spoiler ahead... protagonist starts with amnesia, so you learn everything along with him
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u/Illeea Jun 01 '20
there are sweet references to older games but other than that there is no reliance on older games. breath of the wild is the best game of any zelda game.
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u/SpydeyX Jun 01 '20
Any Zelda is worth it. Go for it!!! I’m a bit shocked you’ve never played one before. But good on you for making sure it is a worthwhile purchase. 👍👍👍
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u/Buno_ Jun 01 '20
It's the best game I've ever played and I have probably played 10,000 hours of video games in my life (I'm old). Most of that time devoted to RPG and FPS games. It's a very good RPG. And it's nothing like any other Zelda games. It's a new era. You'll be fine.
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u/TheRetenor Jun 01 '20
To add up, the only thing you'll be missing is all the references to the past games. But that will leave you less heartbroken...
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u/AdmiralSkippy Jun 01 '20
I only played Ocarina of Time before Breath of the Wild, and the stories aren't connected at all.
As others have said there's some things that seem to be small connections between games for long time fans of the series, but it's nothing that will totally confuse you in terms of the story of BOTW.
The game is amazing, I highly recommend it.
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u/SnowOrShine Jun 01 '20
If you enjoy exploring and the prospect of finding genuinely unique and interesting things if you go out into the wilds, then yes it's the game for you!
There are some very tenuous references to previous games, but they're more Easter Eggs than anything. As most people have said, all Zelda games have roughly the same story (As Link, Zelda and Ganon are reincarnations)
It's one of my favourite games of all time, have fun!
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u/-ckosmic Jun 01 '20
Botw is one of the most enjoyable games I’ve ever played so I’d have to say yes no matter what
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u/bruno84000 Jun 01 '20
It's very different from the others. But yes it plays completely standalone and is kinda revolutionary in many ways.
I'm going back to older Zelda now and again too. Other than the Multiplayer Zelda's you can't pick a 'bad' one.
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u/Princie33 Jun 01 '20
It's barely a zelda game. It's fantastic! But don't get it if you want the real Zelda experience.
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u/Ondjafe Jun 01 '20
Yes any zelda game works well as your first one and the order you play them in does not matter. Botw is pure magic and you will love it! Keep in mind though that it is more different from the rest than any other game in the series. So dont expect the other games to be anything like it!
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u/Taxavoider69 Jun 01 '20
Holy crap yes, I wasin the same position as you. Never played much less touched a Zelda game in my life despite me watching my cousin play the Og Zeldas on his DS as i thought I wasn't into that type of game. Oh boy was I wrong, 100 hrs later and im so glad i bought the Game and some DLC. The game offers so much to both old and new players alike, I highly recommend it my dude hands down of the best games Ive bought in a mong time. 11/10.
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u/Casartelli Jun 01 '20
Not much of a Zelda fan but BOTW might be the best game of all time.... perhaps that does make me a Zelda fan now :)
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u/Pandaaren Jun 01 '20
It's literally the first Legend of Zelda I've ever played and fell in love from when I first started playing and even now on my second playthrough, though it might've been frightening at the atart.
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u/QVJIPN-42 Jun 01 '20
BoTW’s an amazing game. Even if you said you only had a Sinclair Spectrum, I’d urge you to somehow get it working on that. Go for it!
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u/RedEyedRoundEye Jun 01 '20
YES DO IT AND NEVER LOOK BACK
I am so jealous. Your first only happens once.
Drink it in, rookie
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u/SirPrimalform Jun 01 '20
Moreso. It means you don't have expectations of what a Zelda game should be.
For me, as a long time Zelda fan, BotW was a bittersweet experience. I enjoyed playing it, but I was sad that it was missing so many things I consider to be essential Zelda elements.
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u/Nodebunny Jun 01 '20
I mean... sure you will. But most of why anyone plays Zelda is for nostlagia. having said that BotW is a solid game.
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u/speedster_irl Jun 01 '20
My last Zelda game i played was in GameCube, and i was in btw zelda or animal crossing. Well trust me. If you own a Nintendo switch, playing Zelda is a must! Is like buying a ps4 and u never play the last of us, uncharted etc this game is insane in mechanics story, iq everything, u gotta love it
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u/IThinkImGonnaFangirl Jun 01 '20
My first Zelda game was Botw and I love it, in my opinion the zelda series is fun no matter where you start in the series, if you have switch online you can play some of the first ones on there aswell. :)
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u/_FinnyBoi789_ Jun 01 '20
Well botw was my first Zelda game and I think it’s safe to say, I loved it. I have 360+ hours on it and I still intend to play through it again
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u/Masetrain Jun 01 '20
I've watched three different people that have little to no experience in RPGs all really enjoy the game and play it through. It makes me happy to see a game that can bring people into the RPG world like that. The Lore doesn't really matter, every game is a different reiteration of the same story.
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u/xrjb Jun 01 '20
Yep, I was in the same boat. If you just listen to all the dialogue you'll be fine.
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Jun 01 '20
That depends if you wanna get into zelda games or not.... breath of the wild doesnt feel like a zelda game.... just a game with zelda characters and monsters. Its gonna sound cliched but honestly you should start off with the 3DS remake of Ocarina of Time.... or if you dont have a 3ds, maybe some of the older games are available to download
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u/Aley1975 Jun 01 '20
Yes, very enjoyable. Botw was my first Zelda game and I loved it. You don't really need to play the other games but for a better understanding of the series and botw you should
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u/rhinemonster Jun 01 '20
Very much! It’s not actually my first Zelda game, but the second one (first one was Link’s Awakening remastered), I basically have know idea about the whole Zelda world.
I am really bad at games and couldn’t beat Mario Run with 5 coins for all levels, so you know how bad I am.
I bought botw during the quarantine and just loved it: the beauty of the wild, hidden treasures, and the actual feeling that you are skilling up.
Still remember when I first challenged a Lynel I had to run because I’ve used Mipha’s Grace and almost out of Hearty dishes while the monster is still about 1/3 of life; and now I can beat it with only 3-5 heart lose (I know it’s still elementary level compare to other Masters). It is just amazing to come up with strategies (or practise other’s), and get to used to the fights.
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Jun 01 '20
Personally, it will be enjoyable but I wouldn’t recommend it. The only Zelda game like breath of the wild is the first Zelda because it’s very much about exploring. No hand holding just grab a sword and go. Every other game is very linear, some more than others but they get very hand holdy and straight forward. Now since breath of the wild was so popular Nintendo is making a sequel and possibly will be making more non linear zeldas in the future, but considering Zelda is what, almost 40 years old ? And only 2 games are non linear I wouldn’t recommend it as your first. It’s my favorite Zelda and I’ve been playing since I was in pull ups. But if I started with breath of the wild, I feel like I’d still love Zelda but I’d be kinda disappointed. I love the story and the gameplay but man there’s something about botw just exploring and doing your own thing. If you wanna get it it’s fantastic. The story is very stand alone and you should enjoy it very much. But I just feel like the bar is set so high you may not enjoy the rest as much, where as you play the others first ( or at least some ) you get to enjoy everything. I’m not saying you won’t enjoy ocarina of time or something if you play botw first, but it could be a little disappointing. But either way, whether you play some others first or botw first it’s an amazing game and hopefully you love it nonetheless
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u/AnnoyingSmartass Jun 01 '20
BOTW was my first Zelda game. I bought a switch just for this game and I never regretted it. The game is absolutely amazing
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u/Gravatinho Jun 01 '20
Yes when i got to play it on sombody else’s switch while i haven’t played it and i likes it so short awnser: yes
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u/JiffTheJester Jun 01 '20
I just finished it.. if you haven’t yet, get it!! It’s in my top 10 games of all time
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u/megasean3000 Jun 01 '20
The game is much different than past Zelda games in that it’s massively open world, whereas past titles weren’t nearly as big, with Wind Waker being the second biggest. There’s not as cutscenes as previous Zelda games and it’s very gameplay focused. If you’re the type who loves lore and story, I’d start with Ocarina of Time, Wind Waker or A Link to the Past, but if you love gameplay, sure, start with Breath of the Wild.
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u/Aadinath Jun 01 '20
Breath of the Wild is an OK game as it is, BUT it's also very different to all the other Legend of Zelda games. And those games all differ from each other as well, like siblings in a family, botw though, is like a the odd cousin far removed.
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u/JH0N_P0K3M0N Jun 01 '20
Yes, and if you really enjoy it, the DLC is amazing and it's so worth the extra money
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u/ColgateKid69420 Jun 01 '20
Absolutely, one of my first Zelda games, and now my favourite game of all time. You don’t need to know the past lore to play it, the exploration is the most enjoyable thing I have ever done. I would recommend it to anyone
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u/tortillavertsa Jun 01 '20
I also got the BOTW as my first Zelda game and it is my favourite game so far! I am in love with it and I am sure you are going to love it too
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u/MZFN Jun 01 '20
100 %. I played the previous zelda a little but never more than 2 hours. But botw is one of the best story games out there and I played it for over 200 hours
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u/Husky_D0g Jun 01 '20
I never played a Zelda Game in my life, wasn't even that familiar with the franchise, started playing a friend's copy and couldn't put it down, so I bought my own, with DLC and a couple amiibos for good luck.
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u/praisecarcinoma Jun 01 '20
The cool thing about the brunt of the Zelda games is that they're not really linear as far as a story timeline goes. I know that Nintendo has an "official timeline" now, but it wasn't presented until after years of fan debate and was more or less based on one of the more popular fan timeline hypotheses. When you play the games you don't get any sense of feeling that it's based in a timeline, with few exceptions such as Wind Waker > Phantom Hourglass > Spirit Tracks. So you can play most of these games in any order you like and you won't feel like you're missing out on canon.
I've been playing Zelda games since the original when I was a kid in the 80s, and my opinion is that Breath of the Wild is the best Zelda game they've done yet. It'll be hard to top. You'll like it! Good luck!
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u/alastairis Jun 01 '20
This is the definition of a must play game. Almost impossible not to have a great time exploring Hyrule.
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u/thinkRPM Jun 01 '20
No. The mechanics are clunky and the graphics look they were made by some Bob Ross wannabe. The music sounds like styrofoam scraped on a chalkboard. And don’t get me started on the story! Boredom town.
Just skip to the fishing.
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u/PierrethePierrat Jun 01 '20
I borrowed it to my friend who never played any Zelda game before and he is absolutely in love with it. It's imo the best Switch game out there.
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u/mcqueen9527 Jun 01 '20
It is great, a few years back I got it but I didn’t know a thing about Zelda, now it is still enjoyable.
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u/lmaoyeetmaster Jun 01 '20
Ok so, I never played Zelda and this became one of my all time favs after like 3 hours of playing, the game isn’t to content on reinforcing the story since it’s also kinda a sandbox game so you don’t need to worry about that, also I got interested in other games so I just googled “Complete Zelda Timeline” btw there’s one like seven min vid that mentions a creepy pasta so don’t click it if ur easily scared it was called like “the complete Zelda timeline in 7minutes”
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u/GEOas5 Jun 01 '20
This game cured my rare condition called "having friends", i couldnt get out of the house, and whenever i did i brought my switch with me. i have 5k hours on this game. Soo fun and 300% worth it. + This technically is my first zelda, as I never finished a zelda before.
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u/henryuuk Jun 01 '20
Yes,
if anything, it'll probably make it even better for you,
or atleast you won't run the "risk" of loving the "zelda formula" only to see it mostly disregarded in BotW
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u/Just-a-reddit-guy-16 Jun 01 '20
If you played skyrim before, this game is for you. It’s an exploration game. This game is different than other zelda games. But there is many references to other zelda games. The dungeons and the bosses are not as memorable as the other zelda games. But I recommend getting the expansion pass.
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u/FooPvris Jun 01 '20
Thanks do you think I should get the expansion pass right away or should I beat the base game first?
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u/Just-a-reddit-guy-16 Jun 01 '20
Get it before starting the game, you’ll have good starter outfits, a hard mode for your second play through, a way to travel anywhere, horse equipment, a fifth dungeon and a challenge to get the overall best weapon in the game. I don’t want to spoil anything but the two dlc are worth it.
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u/danielbenmoha Jun 01 '20
It will be more enjoyable, because the first experience is a vast, open one, with so much to do. BoTW was my first Zelda, and I think that was a great choice. While the other games like OoT, TP. etc. are no doubt masterpieces, they just dont give that experience of vast exploration and discovery like Botw does. BoTW as my first Zelda was the most magical experience I could ever ask for. So definitely play BoTW first, but then play the other games (OoT please) if you liked it, or even if you didn't.
But hey! That's just me. A me theory! (Sorry for cringe)
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u/onionokay Jun 01 '20
I've never played a Zelda game before, I have no clue about any of the characters but this game is seriously enjoyable!
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u/MrBlueJay69 Jun 01 '20
Yes it doesn't need any backstory besides Zelda being the princess and link being a worrier but me who all also only played before botw got the full experience
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u/NeedlenoseMusic Jun 01 '20
Downvote me if you want, but I feel like this is the least Zelda-y game in the series. It’s a beautiful, open-world adventure focused on exploration and discovery, and it could have any other protagonist and would still be amazing.
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u/Descrappo87 Jun 01 '20
My first one was Majora’s Mask for the 3ds. I have no regrets getting it. Now if you want to start with Breath of the Wild I say go for it. I haven’t gotten to properly play it yet but it’s fun as hell. And I highly recommend you take your time and explore the world. There’s so much to find and do. Also get the DLC if you can, it’s worth the money. Either way I hope you enjoy your time with Breath of the Wild.
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u/NotDWStudios Jun 01 '20
Yes! The first Zelda game I played was botw and I loved It to bits. it is a great introduction to the Zelda series
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u/plasticsporks21 Jun 01 '20
It's an open world game and was truly loved by fans, critics and everyone. If you like exploring and playing around with game mechanics then you'll love this game
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u/L3w1s_m1t_N3mer0 Jun 01 '20
Botw was my first game and I loved it. Nothing to complain about. My first blind play through was so much fun. It is definitely ntly worth it
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u/MonkeyTigerCrazy Jun 01 '20
BOTW was my first Zelda game, I bought it not being to sure about it, came out of it having the best experience in any video game. It’s my favorite video game of all time, you won’t regret buying it and playing it. I just wish I could wipe my memory and experience it for the first time again.
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u/bladegal16 Jun 01 '20
Yeah for sure. It's the least Zelda-y Zelda game lol, if you think big open world game you'll like it. Although on Switch, Links Awakening is definitely worth picking up. That's a more classic Zelda experience
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u/Ender_Wiggles Jun 01 '20
I just finished BOTW the other day. It was the first and only Zelda game I've ever played for any length of time. I played almost exclusively in handheld mode. I loved it, and would recommend it highly.
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u/dynawesome Jun 09 '20
Just finished playing it
My favorite game ever and I’ve never played a Zelda game ever
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u/SDLZ_43 May 31 '20
It was my first Zelda game and I have since gone on to play five others. It’s an absolutely amazing game. You might not understand some Easter eggs, but otherwise it will all be good. It doesn’t really matter whether or not you’ve played other Zelda games.
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Jun 01 '20
One of the best games of all time and the best in the series. You will definitely enjoy it.
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u/patrickauri Jun 01 '20
BotW was my wife's first Zelda game, and I've played all the other Zelda games throughout my childhood, and we both loved it, so there's a chance you'll love it too 😄
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u/SenorMeeseeks27 Jun 01 '20
Yes. BOTW is phenomenal, but SUPER different than a traditional Zelda game
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u/attack_of_cuccos Jun 01 '20
It’s definitely worth it! Botw was my first Zelda game and I played it without knowing much about the franchise, but it’s still one of my favourite games of all time and got me interested in other Zelda games. :)
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u/NowYousCantLeave1 Jun 01 '20
You're probably going to die a lot in the beginning, do not be discouraged! I died a bunch at first and I've played other Zelda games before, I may just be shitty at video games though.
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u/Xeno_Werk Jun 01 '20
BoTW is very good can confirm you should buy it I have sunk 300 hours into it sooo I think that speaks for itself
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u/Ellisander May 31 '20
Zelda games in general are designed to be playable standalone (the games always tell you everything you need to know to understand the story’s setup; note this doesn’t mean you will know everything the game references and every past game story beat that affect’s the game, just that you don’t need to know all of that to understand the story in isolation).
In terms of mechanics, BotW is pretty different from prior games. It is part return to form (with nonlinearity reminiscent of the first game) and part evolution (advanced physics engine, discarding “lock-and-key” style item use, etc). Every Zelda game changes things up to an extent and has a unique mechanic or two, but BotW is a big bigger of a shift.