Do you enjoy the "creepiness" in Zelda games?

[Ikagura]

I adore the creepy aspects of Zelda, but honestly I've always loved when non-horror games include horror elements. If a game IS horror it's... expected. But if you're playing through some high fantasy adventure, just running around exploring with your dog, and suddenly find this cozy little winter cabin...

It just helps accentuate it and make it really impactful and memorable.

I do agree with the first part except when indies started to bring the whole "cutesy looking game for childs that is secretly filled with blood and dark secrets" that FNAF (and Undertale to a lesser extent) kick-started so it kinda made that less impactful over the years.

But this was quite nice to see that in Zelda before all of this came to be.

I love when Zelda is a mix of cute and creepy.

As mixed as they were I've always felt that the two DS ones had that feel.

Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks both got Phantom and Spirits in their title, I feel that there's a common them around ghosts and death in the sequels to Wind Waker.

I love how you casually talked to the spirit floating of people that just died in the main dungeon of the game

And that Spirit Tracks had Zelda's ghost following you akin to curse.

This is probably the only canonical occurrence of Zelda being dead in the clinical sense of the word.

 

[trickybus]

I do agree with the first part except when indies started to bring the whole "cutesy looking game for childs that is secretly filled with blood and dark secrets" that FNAF (and Undertale to a lesser extent) kick-started so it kinda made that less impactful over the years.

Mascot horror is a blight upon indie gaming

 

[Ikagura]

Mascot horror is a blight upon indie gaming

Yep, I'd rather see another cozy life sim game over that with mascots like an AC clone rather than "my first horror game".

To be honest I am indiferent about that one game about the raccoon. Yet I do enjoy fanarts and talking about the fav characters. I think I got tricked in the very intent of these lol.

But yeah, I'm more interested in the story and lore than playing them at that point (whether it's FNAF or Undertale).

Post automatically merged: Feb 15, 2025

I also love when the antagonist is more or less a nondescript being rather than seeing Pig Ganon (although he could still look scary).

Spoiler: Zelda antagonists

Majora is a heart shaped mask, Vaati is a big eyeball with wings, Bellum is an otherworldly squid and null is a corrupted Tri looking thing

Spoiler: Vaati

Spoiler: Bellum

Nintendo has a thing with big eyeballs lol!

 

[trickybus]

Yep, I'd rather see another cozy life sim game over that with mascots like an AC clone rather than "my first horror game".

To be honest I am indiferent about that one game about the raccoon. Yet I do enjoy fanarts and talking about the fav characters. I think I got tricked in the very intent of these lol.

But yeah, I'm more interested in the story and lore than playing them at that point (whether it's FNAF or Undertale).

The character designs can be cute (likely because they're designed with marketability in mind) but I just feel exhausted when I see yet another mascot horror trailer. Hell, I've seen two new trailers just last week. Shit's getting out of hand.

I did play Undertale because I was curious about what it did to warrant the hype and honestly? It was okay. Not great, not terrible. Just very, firmly mid. But it was clearly aimed at a certain demographic and it did that extremely well.

 

[Ikagura]

The character designs can be cute (likely because they're designed with marketability in mind) but I just feel exhausted when I see yet another mascot horror trailer. Hell, I've seen two new trailers just last week. Shit's getting out of hand.

Absolutely, I wish they could vary styles and genres.

Like a post-apocalyptic exploration game instead of just horror? Or even racing game? The sky is the limit in video games.

But alas, trend chasers are still there.

I did play Undertale because I was curious about what it did to warrant the hype and honestly? It was okay. Not great, not terrible. Just very, firmly mid. But it was clearly aimed at a certain demographic and it did that extremely well.

I expected a normal RPG or at least a bullet hell but this is just a game that tried to subvert expectations.

It works the first time but in the long run the novelty fades out.

 

[psvitaforever]

Just the cover from "Majora Mask" on 3ds with the creepy moon with teeth kept me away from the game I'm not a real Zelda fan, but I've enjoyed "A link between worlds" because of its nice graphics, and I've also played "Ocarina of time" (though with a guide, or else I would still be lost in the temple of water).

 

[Ikagura]

Just the cover from "Majora Mask" on 3ds with the creepy moon with teeth kept me away from the game I'm not a real Zelda fan, but I've enjoyed "A link between worlds" because of its nice graphics, and I've also played "Ocarina of time" (though with a guide, or else I would still be lost in the temple of water).

ALBW is really good (but a bit too easy for me).

I love how Lorule is basically a decaying world that you are trying to save.

 

[miguk]

Zelda started to get weird after the devs got really into Twin Peaks (as much of Japan did) and decided to incorporate that feel into Link's Awakening. Since then, the people of Hyrule have been some really odd individuals, sometimes to the point of being uncomfortably creepy.

I'm fine with it, but I'm disappointed that I can't make some cherry pie and a damn fine cup of coffee in the recent games.

 

[Anim8rDude]

Nice thread, and there's really nothing more to add since I basically agree with everyone here.
Zelda is best enjoyed with a hint of quirky & horror, but as much as love Ocarina of Time as the next guy, horror was precisely why I dreaded playing the game as a kid.
Bottom of the Well has no reason for being the way it. Why all in 1 location, you have to be treated to

 

[VampireLord1024VampireLord1024's icon]

Just the cover from "Majora Mask" on 3ds with the creepy moon with teeth kept me away from the game

Did it really?

 

[trickybus]

Nice thread, and there's really nothing more to add since I basically agree with everyone here.
Zelda is best enjoyed with a hint of quirky & horror, but as much as love Ocarina of Time as the next guy, horror was precisely why I dreaded playing the game as a kid.
Bottom of the Well has no reason for being the way it. Why all in 1 location, you have to be treated to

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I know he's technically not in Well when Link gets there but he was a long-time resident, so you can't leave out my boy Bongo-Bongo

 

[Ikagura]

I think I didn't expect that kind of thing in Zelda II

It's not that "creepy" per se but showing the silhouette of the main antagonist and telling you what will happen to Hyrule if Link fails his quest really set the stakes.

While the game itself isn't that creepy the Royal Valley in Minish Cap was quite the whiplash too (especially because of how colourful the game is).

Oh and I forgot about the fog in PH.

 

[pasin7ru]

Nice thread, and there's really nothing more to add since I basically agree with everyone here.
Zelda is best enjoyed with a hint of quirky & horror, but as much as love Ocarina of Time as the next guy, horror was precisely why I dreaded playing the game as a kid.
Bottom of the Well has no reason for being the way it. Why all in 1 location, you have to be treated to

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the deeper underground, the closer to the underworld, that is why
a fledgling soul must brave horrors alone

 

[Comster]

No, I do not enjoy the "creepiness" in The Legend of Zelda games. The Moon in The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask for the Nintendo 64 is scary-looking. I have had dreams about that Moon over the years. My most recent dream about that Moon was on March 1, 2025, earlier that morning. That Moon is bad-dream fuel.