10 replies to this topic

[Anthus]

This is a very serious poll and I need to know for research purposes.

[Twilight Knight]

I chose the first simply because I've never played Phantom Hourglass 

 

So that'd be a new experience for me! Forsaken Fortress is cool, but so slowwwww (on first visit)

[The Satellite]

I mean, what's the metric? Whole thing a single time? Or taken their respective number of visits into account?

 

There's legitimate argument for Temple of the Ocean King, because new upgrades allow for faster or alternate traversal of previous floors, as well as having the checkpoint eventually. That alone can be someone's argument for enjoying it—it was mine, after all—but the problem is that you're still playing a DS Zelda game.

 

Forsaken Fortress may not be as interesting mechanically, and true, it's the reason I didn't get far when I first rented it so long ago. But there was something about the feeling of returning later, blasting down the doors and making my way through on my own terms that felt really satisfying. Sure, Helmaroc King can be a pain in the ass when he doesn't cooperate, but that's all I got. Forsaken Fortress is shorter, sweeter, and you only have to return to it twice.

 

So I voted for FF. "Final Fantasy?" No. "Fatal Fury?" No. "Final Fight?" Nope. "Fatal Frame?" No. "... Family Feud?" Forsaken Fortress, you assholes!

[Jamian]

I love Phantom Hourglass, even though I consider that the multiple visits to the Temple of the Ocean King are the game's one weak point. 

 

Still, I'll take that any day over even a single visit to the Forsaken Fortress... strange idea of WW to have its worst dungeon by far as the starting dungeon.

[Rambly]

I don't even think Forsaken Fortress is that bad and was genuinely not aware it was so widely reviled. It doesn't even have the worst stealth in a Zelda game by far.

[Moosh]

Forsaken Fortress by a mile. Even the weakest Wind Waker dungeon has immaculate vibes and decent pacing. Temple of the Ocean King actually isn't as bad as people say, but it does suffer from being in Phantom Hourglass and having DS controls and that iconic DS trying to do 3D level of crust to the visuals and having non music play for the whole thing. It hasn't aged gracefully.

[Tabletpillow]

The stealth in the Forsaken Fortress is awful because you are forced to go back when spotted. At least in the TotOK you get a chance to get to a safe spot. That alone seals the deal for me.

Edited by Tabletpillow, 18 December 2025 - 08:28 PM.

[Shane]

I voted for the Temple of the Ocean King as it's one of my favourite "stealth" dungeons. I like taking notes on optimal routing and coming back with new items and doing the new, quicker routes, referencing the notes I've took. I like that you can go for the fourth sea chart are getting the third one, making Phantom Hourglass even more nonlinear in the second act. Even when I was an idiot for hating this game, it was never because of this dungeon, I always thought it was the highlight of the game.

 

Yes, the music is a serious flaw, but it's got too much cool stuff going for it to be the deciding factor against it here. The DS Zelda games are hugely overhated, and I never got the hatred for the concept of a central dungeon. But then again, I don't get the mind of an average Zelda fan, so!

 

And this isn't to say my preference here means I hate Forsaken Fortress. It's probably not the first thing I think of when I think Wind Waker, but it has a lot going for it. It has the best hammer in the series, it feels satisfying to take out Miniblins with it. The bosses are cool, especially Helmaroc King. The music is on point and the story beats that happen here are great. It would've been a great dungeon had the stealth elements been better and the second visit made more use of the Skull Hammer.

[Moon]

Temple of the Ocean King is a far better "stealth" dungeon. There's a lot more risk/reward at play which makes planning your way through it far less dull.

Repeating it so many times may have been a bit much, but I don't think it's as bad as people make it out to be, considering you get a checkpoint to the halfway point early on and the first couple visits are nothing.

[Haylee]

Temple of the Ocean King haters when I throw them in the ocean

 

i love how DS zeldas control on actual console, so even though I haven't beaten either games, I love ocean king temple more under that metric

[Mani Kanina]

I chose the first simply because I've never played Phantom Hourglass 

 

So that'd be a new experience for me! Forsaken Fortress is cool, but so slowwwww (on first visit)

Same here. I played a little bit of PH, but not very far. So I'd be much more inclined to take this dungeon for a spin.