I liked Sholazar Basin, I think that zone was good because it provided a much-needed break from all the other cold icy zones and just a simple change of scenery does wonders!

Scholazar Basin was a titan creation by Eonar or Freya I think, as was Un Goro crater in Vanilla. Thats why it is so lush and kinnda unusual for the northrend theme.

I love Storm Peaks. Everything about it is near perfection. The environment, the looming mountains and the fact that flying isn't just a convenience, but a requirement to move around. Not to mention the absolutely beautiful music. Definitely one of my top five zones, if not the first.

Dragonblight is perhaps the most lore-dense zone in the game. The quests and landmarks contain such important, fundamental lore for all the dragonflights, arcane magic in general, Malygos, Arthas, Aegwynn, the Scourge, taunka, nerubians, Forsaken, Scarlet Crusade, and even the politics between the Alliance and Horde. That's why I love it, plus the openness of the zone is fun to fly through.

I liked Sholzar basin, was my favorite zone next to grizzly hills and howling fjord.

I always used to choose Borean Tundra over Howling Fjord to level (before Chromie time allowed me to revisit Pandaria for every single alt 😜). It's spacious in an enjoyably Barrens-esque kinda way and the quests are kinda quirky and just more my flavour. Big agree on Icecrown. That zone was a triumph of storytelling through questing and overall atmosphere.

All of these zones were fun the first time through. Some maybe just weren't as replayable as others.

You couldn't be more wrong about sholazar, that zone is all about being able to take a breather from the endless amounts of snow and ice, to enjoy the Hemet nezingwary quest which you just totally forgot to mention

Thank you for doing these short and sweet retrospectives! Can’t wait for the next installment!

Sholazar Basin is the best leveling zone in Northrend. It also has the best music. What makes it really stand out as amazing is that it’s a break from the northrend theme, not that it’s bad but it’s a total pallet cleanser after 6-8 levels you’re thrust into this total curveball of a zone before returning to the bleak northrend theme in storm peaks (which is a way better and more coherent zone than Icecrown) all while listening to that amazing flute.

Blizzard has said that they had plans for Crystalsong but Dalaran being there meant they had to make questing there minimal because of the lag that would have happened if players had been massed in Crystalsong. Dalaran lagged sometimes from player density without questing. Wintergrasp was the most fun there in my opinion. I remember all the players sitting in Dal hoping they would get into the battle. Best battleground ever.

I would change Sholazar to fun, I really liked the quests and general theme of forgotten Titan greenhouse, which they used to test newly created animals (or was it titan watchers that did it?) And Icecrown glacier was not much fun until 3.2. There wasn't much to do, it was just a zone where Lich King still rules, we oppened few pathways but there is just too much of them. When Argent tournament came, whole zone changed to daily palyground before we finally hit LK, then it was truly fun (for me at least)

I was surprised when you said Sholazar is not memorable. It was definetly one of the most memorable zones for me when i played the original. The beast mastery quests really made it a wotlk version of Nagrand for me.

I love the way Zul'Drak has this feeling like a 'ravaged atlantis' the questing isn't fast exp, but it's definitely immersive.

Dragonblight is fun for Calderra (or at least painless and necessary for blues) and the introduction questlines, but it's all Howling Fjord after that. Farshire and Thassarian chains are Alliance rites of passage.

keep pumpin those fun/not fun series outland edition next?

Aside from the fact that the infiltration questline and the Pa'troll quest alone are enough to deem Zul'Drak not fun, i think Scholazar is very cool. I agree it looks odd, among all the frozen wastelands of Icecrown, Wintergrasp and Borean Tundra, but it's nice to quest in a tropical looking zone for a change, plus it makes sense because it's a zone that, much like Un'goro, has been preserved by titan activity and the fact that, well, it has negative altitude. Quests are fun too (except maybe the 60 big game hunt).

Call me crazy, but what I loved about Scholazar basin was a music track playing in one of it´s specific parts. Path of the Lifewarden. It´s eerie and whimsical, and I love it.

Keep this Fun/Not Fun Series going I wanna see Zones from other Expansions,it's very interesting

I like both Dragonblight and Sholazar Basin, I always enjoyed questing here. There is also a lot of interesting and unique stories for Alliance/Horde in Dragonblight

I love this series, i was hoping to get tbc first tho 😂

Howling Fjor is such a pain to quest throught, i still can't undestand how anyone can claim it's a better starting point then Borean Thundra. Dragonblight is also awesome; Wrathgate, Naxxramas, Arthas story, the dragon shrines, the scarlet crusade ... It's the real intro to Northrend. To this day i still don't get the gushing over Grizzly Hills, it's another forest with furbolgs and trolls. There's 2-3 funny quests in there and thats it. I've never leveled throught it and always keep it for when i have flying.

I'm really enjoying this series. I've been playing since 2004, so it's really nice to go through all the old zones.

Most UNbased Nixxiom has ever been I think. Borean Tundra? Dragonblight? Sholazar? Not Fun? Did we even play the same zones. Icecrown and Storm Peaks and Howling Fjord are fun, but to put them above the previous three? I think his beard is absorbing nutrients from his brain somewhere.

Watching this video makes me realize that in retrospect, I did not like Northrend very much. Howling Fjord and Grizzly Hills were cool, but I think I'd put almost every other zone into "not fun" territory. Maybe it's just because I went alt crazy and leveled more characters in Wrath than any other xpac and got burnt out on all the zones by the end of it.

Borean Tundra was always my go to zone when lvling. also Dragonblight is super cool. :(

I will never forget trying to get Loque'nahak, days camping spawn spots. That’s the most fun, I think I’ve ever had in a game.

I would argue sholazar was the best zone in wotlk. It had a few plots going on and all of them were arguably top 5 most interesting minor quest hooks in wow. You have the weather being kept tropical by those 5 pillars made by the titans and an evil cult trying to destroy them. You had the scourge invasion and avalanche of snow where one pillar had already been rekt that you have to deal with. You have a werewolf vs weremurloc war going on where you can pick sides. And you have a Hemet nesingwary chain. Also the zone looked great, and the music was good. And the rivers heart is one of the coolest nature spots in wow. This zones way underrated.

I loooove Sholazar Basin! I go there as soon as I hit level 76 every time. I know that I will hit level 77 and a half by doing the quests there and get some pretty decent blue items from the end of the longer quest lines there, perfectly setting me up to start in stormpeaks or Icecrown getting me lots of emblems of heroism for when I hit 80. Love it, quests are good and fun, gives a refreshing green tint to northrend instead of the duality of white and black backgrounds you grow used to in almost anywhere but Sholazar and Grizzly hills.

A note on Crystal song Forest. Crystal song suffered due to Daloran existing in it. I think it was stated that they did not put many quests or things to do in the zone because it would of caused issues with every one being in daloran at the same time. Which sucks because Crystal song is gorgeous and its sucks that it was not utilized.

Every wrath zone was amazing. That expansion was absolute masterpiece. I’ll never forget going to Warsong hold day 1 as a kid on my laptop. Peak experience

Please keep making these

The music in Storm Peaks ❤

Had tons of fun in Wintergrasp during the battles and between battles farming crafting mats

All of it is fun!!! *sits down nostalgic and grumpy*

I remember Howling Fjord, Grizzly Hills, Zul'Drak and Icecrown being my favourite Zones

The musical score for Storm Peaks is horribly underrated.

I finally beat algalon on 10 man with my friends last week. I was the one doing stars, quite a heart race xD

I spent so much time mining in Sholazar Basin back in the day.

Sholazar Basin is super FUN! I really enjoyed it.

Glad to see another Zul'Drak enjoyer. I'll catch strays for this opinion, but it has the best zone music in the game.

Yeah, a lot of zones were fun in Northrend for me. Dragonblight and Storm peaks especially. Dragonblight -specifically on the Alliance side- where we fight back against the scourge at Wintergarde Keep, discover that Muradin Bronzebeard is actually alive, put the ghosts of Arthas' expedition to rest by showing them the truth, fighting thel'zan the duskbringer -who is the reason Kel-Thuzad was able to return btw- and getting help from Bolvar Fordragon. Storm Peaks because of the titan keeper questline which was basically just an elaborate plot of keeper Loken to lure Keeper Thorim into a trap.

Wintergreen would constantly dismount and kill me whenever I would accidentally touch the zone flying from somewhere else.

The one exception for Borean being not fun is Coldarra- I always do that one first, and then head to the Fjords.

What video is playing at 1:47?

Storm Peaks is one of my favorite zones of all time, certainly the best in Wrath. Second for me is the upper part of Zul'Drak and I wish that part was playable while skipping the scourge part. The story of the trolls sacrificing their gods in desperation always got to me.

For borean tundra I liked the Snowbold-Magnataur stuff a lot.

Zul'drak's problem is that you practically spend most of your time in vehicle quests.

I like that you don't necessarily tie XP gain to fun.

3:53 swear I heard Rizzly hills, I don’t know if nixxiom is aware of his own Rizz

I love Howling Fjord's music.

WotLK's has got to have the best OST. All zones give me nostalgia.

I always level up in Borean Tundra, so this my favourite leveling zone at start of WOTLK (as Alliance ofc). The only part of quests that I didn't even try is the D.E.H.T.A quests. I know that you're hostile wit hthem for few minutes after killing an animal. Scholazar also is pretty nice zone just for diversity, also a good place for farming leather. Dragonblight overall is also is good zone, many different places you can visit, different quests, and yeah that's the Warcraft 3 zone. The bad thing of it maybe is because of the big road to Wyrmrest Temple (I prefer flying in Dragonblight). Icecrown for me is the quest chain with Argent Crusade and Quel'Delar quest chain, oh and Knights of the Ebond Blade quest chain also, nothing more, for me Icecrown is grey, boring place full with undead, zone where you just go to get to dungeons & raids. Storm Peaks well, good place for farming saronite/titan, also I know that in K3 you can buy things for your bike, didn't do much quests there xD Zul'Drak has dark atmosphere, but I like it, questing is enjoyable, Zul'Drak arena

Left out the best part of Grizzly Hills! The quest line that was an Indiana Jones easter egg. Why does it always have to be snakes? Honestly agree over all on the list. Grizzly and Howling i really enjoyed. Zul Drak was fun. Shaolzar wasn't bad, and if memory serves had an important tank trinket?

I had like 4-5 level 80s back in the day and i for some reason never leveled in howling fjord.

I leveled only in the not-fun zones in this video xD (only zul dark is exception)

"Being on the boat, sailing between the two fjords(...)" I'm not saying one can't travel between two fjords using a boat, but that is not what is happening at the Howling Fjord. A fjord is not a cliffside, it is the actual body of water the boat is floating on between the landmasses.

i always like howling fjorde, but tbh borean tundra is a secret beauty, xp wise for sure, grizzly is pretty sexy

Wait you can start in Howling Fjord?

If I had to choose between the Borean Tundra and the Howling Fjord ? I would choose the Borean Tundra without hesitation. The area is certainly a large expanse of plains with sometimes strange scenery for a tundra and the quests sometimes seem long but the music, the atmosphere, it is one of the best in WOTLK in my eyes. In fact, it's mostly a question of nostalgia: I set foot in this extension starting with the Borean Tundra and I only discovered the Howling Fjord much later, while flying (yeah, I didn't not even experienced the arrival at the Fjord by boat) so my memories are in the Tundra. In addition, I don't like the Fjord quests which are often badly indicated (remember the harpoon quest) and getting around in the area is quite complicated (crossing the main river without a flying mount is long). As for the music, I find it as boring as that of Grizzly Hills, I don't like the instruments used. Finally, if the Tundra is not particularly beautiful or original, the Nexus is frankly pleasant to discover (well "Corrata" or something like that).

Its the dude from Super Planet Dolan!

I like borean tundra, as for grizzly hills, I love the look of the zone and the music, but didn't really like the quests

Back in the day my journey questing to 80 would consist off: Lvl68, Borean Tundra->Dragonblight->Zuldrak->Sholazar Basin->Storm Peaks=Ding Lvl80

I had an opposite preference on most of these lol. Guess I’m weird. I think efficiency plays a big part in a zone being “fun” for me.

I love love LOVE Sholazar.. maybe it's the huntard in me because of all the rare pet spawns there.

Just started playing wotlk classic, and ITS FUN, last time I played wow was BC when it was released, tried retail, but thats like a mobile game

Dragonblight by far is my favourite and encapsulates what my imagination of Northrend was like. The quests are interesting and there's a haunting atmosphere to the zone with a lot of strange sights. Ghosts, random Giants, Dragons, Nerubians, Scarlet Crusade, Scourge Attacks, The Forsaken setting up for the Wrathgate and all with a backdrop of snow and pine trees. On the flip side, I never found Grizzly Hills fun. Despite all its fanfare, I found it to be the least interesting of the ones I played. I think it was a little better as the Horde, but still I'd skip it if I levelled another character through Wrath

I gotta disagree with Sholazar but it's only cause the gorlocks were one of my favorite factions

Wintergrasp was my favorite pvp and good place to farm herbs quick

I more or less agree with everything except that I think Borean Tundra is a bit closer to fun when you play as Horde. Allianceside we always called it 'The Boring Tundra', mind you. I felt Sholazar Basin was just kind of weird. Like it had escaped from some sort of George of the Jungle expansion and was hiding out in Wrath. I didn't mind it, but it just felt like it didn't belong.

Grizzly Hills was inspired by the Olympian Mountains in Washington State As someone who lives near the Olympian mountains I will say, yes it is a Grizzly Hills IRL. Though the trees aren't as big.

Putting Zuldrak with its bugged quests (starting ghoul chain) and awful item drop rates (water elementals) as fun but sholazar as not fun is bonkers to me. This is the first person Ive heard who didnt enjoy Sholazar. Its a lush forest with a dense population of a large variety of creatures. Its also one of the few faction wars where both sides are loveable.

Grizzly hills might look good and have banging music but i absolutely hated questing there.

Borean Tundra and Dragonblight are amazing zones, Zul Drak however is not if you're going strictly by quests. Same with grizzly hills, those quests can really suck.

I love grizzly hills

Icecrown Glacier is saved by the Argent Tournament and other later content if you ask me. It was a not fun zone for me.

these videos: FUN

It's called Icecrown Glacier?

I loved Wintergrasp. It ended up being where I spent the most time in WOTLK. I was hoping that in BFA the Warfronts were going to be better more refined versions of Wintergrasp. Alas they were not and I haven't played Wow since.

Wrong about Sholzar & Dragonblight. Sholzar is gorgeous from the landscape to the music. I love Hemit also. Is was also formed by Titans so it was cool! Dragonblight had the COOLEST quests and storyline. Other than those two zones being deemed unfun, I can agree with the rest.

When did we start calling it Icecrown “glacier”?

Well I guess I’m part of the 10% that absolutely prefers Borean Tundra over Howling Fjord!

I always liked Borean more than Howling :D

But ya see, Dragonblight is great specifically because it's THE Northrend zone. Think about it. Borean Tundra has some nice set pieces, but overall the questing is boring. Howling Fjord is grandiose in scale because of the verticality, and the questing is amazing. Grizzly Hills is this cozy zone with a looming into-the-woods vibe. Zul'Drak is fun at times and outright monotonous otherwise, but the storylines are fun to follow. Sholazar Basin is definitely meant to break up the whole northern theme to bring you back to Kalimdor just a bit, and the final zones Icecrown and Storm Peaks are both astonishing finishers to the leveling continent each with their own significance. But this leaves Dragonblight, which essentially is the zone that has to fill in the pieces. And this zone has SO much going on, it's amazing. You've got that whole sequence with recruiting the Tanka, you have that questline with the scarlets where you have to kill the prisoners, you've got nerubians, you've got scourge in abundance, you've got a bunch of crazy Dragonblight shenanigans going on at arguably the most important set pieces in Northrend. This zone is the culmination of everything in Wrath coming together to form something timeless.

Love it

I would argue that Dragonblight is 100x better on alliance than on horde, stars rest is meh but the wintergarde keep quests under naxxrammas were fantastic

strong disagree on Dragonblight, that zone is a levelling diamond as Horde atleast. From one side you're a Horde hero saving and recruiting a whole tauren race, you found out what the blue dragons are doing and sabotage their efforts. On the other side, an amazing Forsaken questline, destroying a whole city of the scarlet crusade, kill and torture them. Being an assistant to a plague doctor and help him to create a new plague able to kill both living and undead. Then you get to the Wrathgate and not only the video but also like a huuuuge scenario of freeing Undercity where you fight alongisde Thrall (when he was still badass) and Sylvanas, that fucking wrecked chaos all battle long, your character was a fucking overpowered monster and after several enourmeous demon bosses, you get to fight Varimathras. AND even after all this, you still did quests and helped the Dragon Aspects finding out who they were and they were fucking dragons ( in all senses).

From the get-go, it looks like our tastes are a complete opposite hah. I dislike the DK starting zone, I love Dragonblight(favorite Wotlk zone) and I much prefer Borean Tundra over Howling Fjord. Just to add, I'm a Horde player, and I've never experienced the Alliance side of Wotlk, so the experience probably differs

Do cata next please

Pretty much spot on for me except I liked Dragonblight and don't like the troll zone. Also I started playing WoW just before ICC was released and I guess they fixed WG because I quite liked it.

Every single zone in WoTLK is fun an unique, I just wish Crystalsong had seen some more time.

My dude, we are polar opposites in everything except Icecrown

I'd swtich Zul'Drak and Sholazar Basin but other than that pretty much accurate ;)

I would say i only disagree on two parts. Sholazar Basin is my favorite zone in Northrend, followed by Grizzly Hills. Zul Drak is my least favorite. I hate Zul Drak for the same reason most people dont like Dragonblight. It's the same up and down. I do like the progression of the zone, but i never get any enjoyment from it.

Fjord Fun the same reason as in the video Tundra Not fun i also agree with the video Dragonbrigt Fun i completly disagree all bad things you mentioned are things I like here. Grizzlyhills Not Fun I hate this boring zone it's so annoying i always fall asleep playing through it. Zul Drak Fun Stormpeaks Fun Icecrown Fun Scholazar Fun

Man I didn't think anyone disliked sholazar basin. I think zul drak is probably my least favorite of the xpac.

Who the heck does Dragonblight before Grizzly Hills? Howling Fjord->Grizzly Hills, that's how it's done.

Love Sholozar =(

Howling Fjord is BiS. You can't change my mind

Zul drak is the least fun zone for me. the vehicle quests, the constant up and down of the ziggurat while wearing a costume that can fall off at any time... It's just bad.