1. Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
Gathering the predominant opinion from a group of people is never usually an atomic process. That is, there's often a great diversity in opinion. As I write these words and display them on this page, it's ultimately the reader's interpretation that remains. Seeing how vastly different we all are, it's rare to find something with which everyone is aligned. But once in awhile, usually during physical interaction (shudder!), we can get a perfect pulse of the community. I had such an opportunity awhile ago.
While attending Video Games Live at the Beacon Theatre in New York last April, the program inevitably led to a Zelda medley. And as with the other pieces, accompanying video footage of the game being played appeared on-screen. But when the opening strains of that dungeon music that I love so much filled the room, my heart was squashed like a freakishly large grape. Murmurs of disapproval arose from various pockets in the crowd. When another brief shot of Zelda II reappeared later, the man in front of me said "hey, go back to the good Zeldas." How could this be? How could the same group that just cheered Sonic Heroes be dissing Zelda II?
My response was more hurt feelings than passing judgment on those individuals, as Zelda II is one of my all-time favorite games. Understanding the difference between a list of "favorite games" and "best games", I still feel as though The Adventure of Link is a solid title that receives only a fraction of the respect it deserves.
The common thread amongst all of these games is that they were different from their predecessors. While disappointment is certainly understandable, we mustn't let our own expectations cloud our judgment. Creating expectations for what others ought to do will often lead to disappointment. Life is much better when one learns to roll with the punches, embrace the new, and judge each for what it is, not what one expects it to be.
