Game SERIES Debate to the Death: Zelda VS Final Fantasy

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Last week‘s debate turned out pretty close considering each series has opposing goals, but there was plenty of Dtoid Army support on both sides. Here’s are the racing results:

  • Twisted Metal series (37 votes) — Winner!
  • Gran Turismo series (23 votes)

I’ve been noticing in the comments lately that some of you are wondering why on Azeroth some of these debates are being chosen. There’s a simple answer and a complex one. The simple answer is not just that we’ve already covered many of your suggestions in previous debates over the past three years, but more importantly that the goal from day one has always been to step outside our comfort zones and tackle debates you wouldn’t find on any and every other forum on the net. Doing this forces you to think less like a gamer and more like a game designer, which helps produce even more interesting discussions.

The complex answer is that — not only as a game design graduate but also as just a guy who loves games and movies and all forms of entertainment — it’s my belief that any two works of art can be compared and contrasted with one another. Can we not compare the detailed works of Da Vinci with the abstract works of Picasso? Is it really impossible to talk about a comedy and horror movie in the same discussion by showing how a few film techniques from one genre could benefit the other? You can’t tell me that you don’t love songs by two drastically different bands, and often give thought to which group you like better if forced to choose. Why is it that we’re more accepting of comparing paintings, music and movies to one another regardless of their complexities, timelines, and art styles, yet we’re so resistant to comparing any two games to one another? Just some food for thought; feel free to poison my food in the comments.

Despite all of what I just wrote, I’m still a big fan of revisiting epic-scaled cliché debates each year to look back and see how opinions have changed as games/series continue to age and expand and stand or fall against the test of time. This week we have two of the most well known and highly praised series in the entire industry, and I’m eagerly awaiting the outcome.

Which series do you like better as a whole, and why? What aspects or individual games of the series made up your mind? Is your choice mainly due to support for that series, or your dislike of other series? Give it some serious thought, share your thought process with all of us, and then get some Legend of Zelda and Final Fantasy gaming friends to join in on the fun.

New Bonus Questions! Hit the jump to see not one, but all of the bonus questions. From now on I’m going to try a slightly new format to encourage more discussion!

Let’s try something new! Feel free to just skip all of this part, and only answer the debate as usual, but for the sake of even more discussion, each week I’ll be posting multiple bonus questions. They’ll be after the front page fold, and also posted as the first comment on each debate as a reminder. Again, this is just optional, but jump in and have fun exploring any/all of these reasons why you loved or hated each game/series!

BONUS QUESTIONS:

BQ1. What are you hoping to see in the future from the series you voted for? Feel free to get very detailed and long-winded!

BQ2. Who was your favorite character(s) in each series? Why?

BQ3. Who was your least favorite character(s) in each series. Why?

BQ4. What was your favorite item(s) in each series? Why?

BQ5. What was your least favorite item(s) in each series? Why?

BQ6. What was the moment(s) in each series that emotionally affected you the most?

BQ7. Which series had better music? Which songs stand out the most to you?

BQ8. What is your favorite level or environment in each series? Why? 

BQ9. Pretend you were the creator of each series. What are some things you would have done differently?

SUBMIT YOUR OWN QUESTIONS: 

Each week I will post what next week’s debate will be, and allow you to all post your own “bonus questions” in the comments for next week’s debate. I’ll choose the best of the bunch (I can’t catch’ em all, this isn’t Pokémon) and then we can get some serious feedback from all different gamer perspectives on not just each game/series, but also a few individual aspects of those games/series. Have something you’re dying to know what other games thought of in the game or series? Post your question in the comments and find out what the response is!

NEXT WEEK’S DEBATE:

Halo series VS Half-Life series. Yes, Halo 3: ODST and Half-Life episodes are included. No, Counter-Strike and all other mods are not counted.

As usual, there’s always an open door policy on suggesting future game debates in the comments. Don’t be shy!


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