Results[]
Ulti's Analysis[]
| Division | Division 8 |
|---|---|
| Match # | 35 |
| Match Date | Saturday, May 8th, 2004 |
| Vote difference | 54,634 |
| Oracle Expectations |
The Legend of Zelda - 78.64% 63 for - 0 against |
| GameFAQs Prediction |
The Legend of Zelda - 87.68% (35,896 brackets) |
While Mario 3 was getting ready its next bid to stake claim as the favorite in the division, Zelda 1 was waiting in the wings with a counterattack to cement Zelda's place in this division, as well as this contest. The Zelda games were the most convincing games in round one, and the board hype for an all-Zelda Final Four was running rampant. Zelda didn't just own the first round, it owned the first round. The only games that looked like they could take down Zelda titles after the first round were Mario 3, Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy 7, and the clusterfuck within Division 128. In fact, it almost seemed as if the Wind Waker was the only one that could lose (save my belief that OOT was doomed after the first round, but we're not getting into that argument again).
And in the second round, it seemed like Zelda was going to roll all over this contest even more. An 80-20 win over Metroid is nice if you're Mario 3, but how do you feel if you're watching Donkey Kong get his TJF handed to him (he clearly had exposed breasts in that picture) under silver platters with fillet mignon on the side? Killing Adventure is one thing, and Donkey Kong may be the most unreliable character and/or game in these contests, but an 87-13 victory for Zelda 1 in this match? If there was ever any doubt that Donkey Kong was one of the weak links of the Nintendo franchise, this match ended them. This match was a complete domination from the start, and even DK Junior felt this one. But that's Donkey Kong for you. He has a close match in all of these contests, followed by him getting his ass kicked next round. Well, save the fact that he lost to Tommy Vercetti, but Mega Man would have owned his ass. His matchup with Duck Hunt was legendary, but this was the single worst followup Donkey Kong has ever had after a close match. He'd be better off actually losing the close calls; he would have more respect that way. Instead, he's made into someone's bitch every year.
Back to Zelda for a minute. Five Zelda games had appeared in the contest to this point, and they were a resounding 5-0. And when I said that Zelda was the most convincing force in the contest to this point, I wasn't being biased. It's just that FF6 was unimpressive, Chrono Trigger isn't Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy X could have been labeled a bust, and Final Fantasy Tactics Advance is in the contest. Zelda, to this point, had absolutely no issues whatsoever save for a 'meh' win against Skies of Arcadia. But Skies is a Sega title, and Sega fans are among the most loyal in gaming.
For those who didn't think Zelda was going to dominate this contest, were you the least bit worried after this match? It's almost as if they were unstoppable, and even the legendary Mario 3 looked like the underdog going into its match against Zelda 1. And if you weren't worried after this match, were you worried after the next one? That match was as shocking as any match in this contest, but we'll get into that later.
Match Trends[]
