I'm not gonna lie, I cried when I finished the game

This ending is quite possibly one of saddest endings for a hero in a video game. Yeah sure he beat the bad guy but he doesn't get to stick around to be celebrated in that time line. Instead he is sent back in time to his childhood years with the idea that he can now live out his life normally. Sadly Zelda doesn't really know our hero and how alone in the world he will be when he goes back. After going back his only friend that was able to come back with him is Navi but then Navi leaves our hero. Navi was only instructed to stay with our hero until he fulfilled his destiny by the Great Deku Tree. Normally fairies stay away from Hylians for whatever reason so when the exception to the rule is lost Navi must leave abandoning our hero. Next the hero warns the princess of what is to come but despite this he is still alone because after all he is some strange commoner who was not raised with Hylians. He can't go back with the Kokiri because he is a Hylian and won't be welcomed. Since he was sent back before the quest began he isn't friends with Gorons or Zoras of that time either. So all our hero is left with is befriending his horse once again to go in search of his fairy friend whom he will most likely never find. As a kid I played Majora's Mask first so I already knew Link would leave to look for someone. It messed me up so bad when I finished Ocarina of Time. I was yelling at my game that Link got such an unfair ending. lol I still love this game though, part of that may even be because the ending wasn't entirely happy.

It's not just a game. It is art.

As a kid I always used to think that Link went back to Zelda at the end in the courtyard not because he wanted to warn her about Ganon or some shit, but just simply because he wanted to see her again.

Gotta feel very sorry for Link here. He was a true hero who traveled in time to defeat a thief 6x his size, but after he completes his quest, he is sent back to a time before his quest even began, and now never will begin. Navi leaves him and everybody just sees him as some random insignificant kid. He tries to search for his friend, Navi but ultimately just digs himself into a hole by being forced to save the land of Termina, a land that means absolutely nothing to him.

Link turns around, doesn't look back, and leaves the master sword in it's place where it will spend generations sleeping waiting for the next hero... and then you hear bells ringing in the distance like you achieved something great... what an epic moment. That is tear-worthy stuff there.

The best game of all time.

Literally the best game ever made. No other game has as many perfect reviews or receives as much praise as Ocarina of Time. A timeless masterpiece.

It's a charm how the games with older graphics have more power and meaning than newer games. I still get more emotional and feel more alive watching this.

The final shot in this game is one of the most poignant and powerful things I’ve ever seen. It ends where it began.

Who knew that the very last moment of Link and Zelda staring at each other would hold so much meaning almost twenty years after this game came out. It makes me think of some of the best moments in my life.

This is sad. When zelda's lullaby is played for a few minutes it makes me think of people I've lost in my life or something.

Thank you Shigeru Miyamoto

Something I don't see anyone talking about but that gets me every single time is the part when King Zora and Mido are sitting next to each other, away from the party. They've both lost loved ones; even though Ruto and Saria are not really "dead" in the strictest sense of the word, they're also not really "alive" either, and they're not coming back. Of course, it was a necessary sacrifice, but it just adds a bit more bittersweetness to this ending (of which it already has a lot).

At the very end... I think I'd go visit the farm girl instead.

That freeze frame of young Link and Zelda will forever be sketched into my brain. Such an iconic ending.

"CURSE YOU, TSA!" -Ganondorf

I always interpreted the ending as the end of my childhood.

The part where Navi flies away and Link walks away from the Master Sword. That shit is beautiful, gives me the feels every time. The music, the imagery, the bells, it's all so perfect it gives me chills.

Well it's official. They did an worldwide poll from all the video game websites, and although other games had taken the number 1 spot in a few websites, Legend of Zelda OoT is overall the best game in the history of humanity!

When "Presented by Nintendo" show up in the end, I imagine a conductor finishing his concert and everybody applauding. Really, is just like these magical moments you'll remember until your death and what other companies can't do the same the hardest they try. In the end, Nintendo became the legend itself.

9:39 those bells, gets me everytime.

Now its been 17 years since this legendary video. On October 8th 2006

2:34 that's when I teared up. Zelda asking for the Ocarina represents the end of the adventure. Her expressions, even if the game doesn't have great graphics, show her sadness for what they caused and sympathy toward Link's struggles. With Zelda's Lullaby playing in the background, it makes for a really bittersweet scene...

This game is a masterpiece. A work of brilliance. The greatest game ever made. You must play The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time. And the ending makes me cry every time.

The ending with Navi flying away and Link walking away from the master sword with the bells still gets me every time.

When this froze at the end, you know the scene locks into gold and it's the point where you gotta either reset or put a new game in: time froze. My whole life flashed before my eyes. I would never be the same person. And I wasn't. I carried on, thank you, Ocarina of Time. One of the great influences of a 90's baby

When the credits start a little unexpectedly and starts to show you all the places with the music Nintendo knows exactly what it’s doing. “Yep, remember that one? And that one? Remember?” Trying so hard to get you to cry.

Thank you.....Transportation Security Administration

Ok,be strong...dont cry...dont.... T.T

I dont think any other game in any other time period or genre can compare to the level of emotional attachment and investment this game created for its players during its time. As the years go by graphics for games are only getting better, but will one ever move us as much as OoT did? This game will stand the test of time and should forever be titled the best game ever made.

my older brother who passed away taught me how to beat this game. Now every time i hear the music during the end , i can’t help but tear up. He loved games like this. I wish i could find a N64 again and play it.

8:54 I have no idea why I start crying at this part. Not because Navi leaving; probably because this is one of the first games I've ever played. And seeing the ending like this...it's nostalgia and it reminds me of how life was back then.

It took me 23 years to complete this game. I started playingin 1998, but gave up before getting to Ganondorf's castle. I dig my old N64 out from the basement, and finally completed it. Very happy with how it all ended. A great story.

When Zelda and Link say goodbye it's almost physically painful to watch 25 years later.

9:24 holy goosebumps. And those church bells. I just sat here smiling and remember how much I love this game.

This Link probably lived most sad life among all Links, he was just freaking child at the beginning but somehow got meddled in fighting monsters to save hyrule. And then he goes to the future with body of adult, but mind still young. He helps people who are in desolate situtations because he was missing in hyrule for 7 years. He achieves great things and finally defeats Ganon, but he is forced to go back to his original time without getting any reward or celebration. Nobody remembers what he did in the original time, no one knows the fact that they are alive and well is all thanks to Link, and his only friend Navi leaves him because Link's duty as hero was finished. He wanted to find Navi so he ventures into the woods, but because of skull kid being jerk, he got trapped in Termina and has to save this place or he will die with everyone else. He saves Termina and leaves, we don't know if he found Navi in the end but he lived his rest of life in sadness and regrets that nobody remembers all of his hard work he did to save them. People of hyrule never remembered Link as hero of time, but sad and lone swordsman. Even in death, he could not rest easy because he couldn't pass down his knowledge and skills to future. He only rests easy after teaching all of his fighting technique to his descendant, hero of twilight Link.

After somehow missing this game for the past 15+ years, I finally played it for the first time about a year ago, and all I can say is "wow". The art, music, story, characters, dunegons, environments, puzzles, and so much more are among the best that I've ever seen in a game, and I can't believe that it wasn't a part of my childhood. All I can say is that I'm glad my roommate was away when I finished the game.

16 years later and this is the greatest Zelda game of all time Thank you for the memorys

....what am I going to do with my life after this game is done??😨

the ending of this game made me depressed

Those bells man, I can still remember hearing those bells for the first time.

I just beat this today on the virtual console and although it took some getting use to, im impressed. It felt like a modern game with old school graphics or an old school game with a modern day presentation. Theres parts of the game where the graphics feel very realistic and cinematic especially for N64, plus i was suprised to see a few cutscene to gameplay transitions! It feels more realistic than twilight princess in a way... Quiet but immersive and you really feel like your playing a classic. I can only imagine how it felt playing when it first released.

Man... I remember so well.. Just staring at this ending. In the mind of a kid (I was probably around 12 years old) I had been on such a journey for so many months. No help.. no walkthroughs. It felt like ages since I first started the game. Growing up sucks. I never really experienced this feeling since then. Sure I enjoy games... but just feels different now. I cannot describe how important this game is for me. It always reminds me of a time when I didn't have to care about a lot of things. I was fully enveloped in this world. It just felt so big. I completely understand why this game is so important for the gaming industry. There simply was nothing as big and cinematic back then. Sure it's dated... and aged. But it still holds a place in a lot of hearts. This was what gaming was leading up to. It's a milestone. It's hard to top something like that, since games have mostly just become prettier and bigger, but not different. 3D is 3D. Unless someday we find a new way to play games. Something that will completely change games a a whole... we cannot go to 4D. But.. true virtual reality maybe? I dunno... i'm still in a cloud of nostalgia right now.

This is probably the best video game ending of all time.

Three weeks ago, a non-gamer friend of mine asked me if I could only ever choose one game to ask her to play with the intention of convincing her that games were not just silly hobbies. I chose Ocarina of Time; straight up, no hesitation, no doubt in my mind. She played it and I merely watched her play, only once or twice whenever she truly got stuck and didn't know where to go or what to do next. When the ending came and she saw Link had returned to his original time as a child and Navi left, right before the bells rang, she burst into tears. Full on bawling and said "Why is a game so good!? That was amazing!". I'm happy to report she's now playing Majora's Mask and I have Shadow of the Colossus, Mario Kart 64, Kingdom Hearts, Twilight Princess, and Fallout New Vegas on the list. I think I created a new gamer.

We came here to cry on purpose.

I know a lot of people really hated Navi, but it just broke my heart when she left :( and I couldn't stop wondering if Zelda remembered Link at the very end...

Is this the best song and ending in the whole universe and history of human kind? Yes.

Words cannot even describe how much I love this ending.

This ending never fails to make me cry.

9:23 i remember this part so well, I got goosebumps watching this as a kid, so epic

This game took me years to complete when I was a kid. There was no forums or anything where you could ask what to do to proceed online so I had to figure it out myself. I didn't know english, so some explanations by the characters may have been lost to me as well. Where I got stuck a long time: - In the great tree where you had to light a stick on fire to destroy the spider web. I was clueless and only got through it because I lighted a stick by mistake. - During the boss battle against the spider. It's not like it was difficult, but I was terrified of the spider, so I didn't dare to approach it. I avoided it and instead destroyed the eggs that it hatched. - In the cave temple as young link. This I got stuck on for an eternity, or it felt like it at least. But once I was just fooling around throwing bombs everywhere and I accidentally threw a bomb down the hole in the top bridge and the most wonderful sound ever was heard. I threw a bomb down the other hole and could proceed to the boss. - Outside the whale creature. Took me forever before I figured that I should put a small fish in front of the whale. Really fun temple as well. Those are the things that I remember. I probably got stuck as adult link as well, but not for as long

The bells at the end drew tears to my eyes when I first played it and especially when Zelda was playing the Zelda's lullaby on the Ocarina and the music at the credits was beautiful the credit scene was just beautiful showing off the land you just traveled and fought your way through as a kid and as an adult. Just beautiful :')

Great going, Zelda. You practically erased the Hero of Time from existence, and when Ganon returned, there was no one to save the kingdom and it fell to ruin. Yeah, you didn't think that through, did you?

A game couldn't have a more beautiful and majestic ending. The greatest ever. 💗

The part where Link puts the sword back in and walks away still gives me chills after more than 20 years. The music really makes it perfect. My favorite game ever!

As a teenager, I wasn't the sentimental type. My parents were, and I would get tired of how emotional they got over certain tropes in TV and movies. But what did I know about the world strongly enough to feel those emotions about life the way they did. As a teenager, when I beat this game, it was one of the first times I remember having an ending be a really emotionally draining experience. I didn't cry, but I was depressed and I shouldn't have been. I was the hero of time and pulled off something incredible, finally beating Ganon for the first time. Yet I had lost Zelda, lost my fairy and was stuck in child form while the future celebrated my victory without me. It was sad and the ending was beautiful. After that I still played and beat it and watched the ending a lot but never gave much thought to the ending. I kind of just got numb to it. Then sometime in my 20s I was friends with a girl on AIM (or aol instant messenger for those young'uns). I hadn't played the game in a long time. This girl was a tough cookie who liked to shoot guns and could kick ppl's asses and wasn't always comfortable with complex emotions. She liked video games and loved this game. She told me something interesting though when this game came up. She said that every time she beats this game and sees the ending, she cries. Every time. I was like really? She might have been 19, I was in my early/mid 20s (we never met, too far away, and if we did I don't think it would have worked out cause she had a temper). I was surprised because it had been so long since I remembered feeling anything watching the ending. I figured "ehhh, chicks, even the tough ones cry over things we men wouldn't, go figure." Years later I youtubed the ending and by then I appreciated art in media a little more, and essentially had become the sentimental type that I was not when I was a teen, and sure enough since then, the ending has had the same effect on me that it had on her. I get choked up every time. I realize now she had just recognized the beauty of the ending for what it was at an earlier age than I did.

My ps5 on a corner just getting dust since i just bought a Nintendo 64 just for this and playing it and replaying it over and over again...worth it every single time too...

God.. the transition from 3:15 through to the starting chords of 3:45... I hope that's what passing on to the other side sounds like.

Today i finished the game again. It was more than 10 years since i played it. And its still as beautiful as i remember it. The ending is just pure emotions. i really got tears in my eyes. One of my alltime favourite games.

the nostalgia is real

I played the ending with my 5 year old nephew, who watched me play the whole game over the course of a few weeks. After Navi flies away and young Link walks away from the Master Sword, he started to cry. What a beautiful, if bittersweet ending to the best game ever!

No joking...I cry everytime

Am I the only one that almost cried at this?

Ocarina of Time..... Forever!

There really is an art to creating video games, and this is one of the most beautifully crafted and well-planned ones to date. Everything just flows so well. I'm not sure if any game in the future can ever compare to this game's charm, and give people as much real emotion as this. And that's hard to argue against. This game is a masterpiece, and actually one of the larger parts of my life .

I hate knowing about what happens to this Link. Whether it's him possibly being dead throughout Majora's Mask, or knowing how he regrets not being able to pass on his skills and becoming a ghost/Stalfos it just seems so sad to me.

Awwwh the ending made me cry... Games like these are soo good

Holy crap, how does the scene where Navi flies away and the bells toll still bring tears to the eyes after all these years? Love that pan shot of the Master Sword at the end. Almost saying "You'll be back for this later"

Im crying. Fantastic game. Was such a huge part of my childhood. I am so grateful to have been exposed to Ocarina of Time at such a young age. I got it for christmas 1998. I was 8 years old. Took me two or three months to finish it. Watching this brought back so many great memories. The journey, the puzzles, the victories, the bittersweet ending... The adventure. Priceless and magical. I have never replayed it for the sake of not ruining the memory. It was the greatest adventure of my childhood and I will preserve it like that until the day I die. Thank you Shigeru Miyamoto for creating this masterpiece.

If there’s such a thing as magic, it’s in Ocarina of Time.

3:45 When this part starts it brings a nice and warm feeling.

Best game ending in video game history. The cinematic cameramovents the soundtrack. Its very good!

To me Zelda OOT has the best ending of any adventure video game especially with that final shot at the "The End" screen where Link and Zelda see each other again. I've always wondered was that actually a tease for the Master Quest veesion ?

15+ years later and the final 20 minutes of this game still leaves me in goosebumps

Man, that ending, for 1998, this was SERIOUS! I remember how happy I was when I beat this as a kid.

This will always be my favorite video game of all time, the first game i completed and fell in love with when i was little to now. and those bells at the end will always get me, the sounds of my journey completed will always make me sob up. cant wait to show this game to my kids if i ever have any....thank you.

Still the best ending of any Zelda game tbh.

if this game was remade for the wii u i would buy it in a heart beat.

This was one of the only times I really felt extremely happy and sad at the same time after completing a game. I've been playing a lot of games and no other ever came close to this :)

No matter how much or how fast time flies by, or even which console you’re playing this on... it still holds up! This masterpiece will never get old. It’s a nostalgic classic!

The real villain of OOT was not Ganondorf but in fact time itself. After so many years I finally realized that. Also I also barley realized that the way Zelda sends link back in time with the Ocarina is the same way Link spawns in the original Super Smash Bros

too depressing... an unknown, forgotten hero who will never get his wish

Beautiful. I played this game for the first time when I was thirteen. Now I'm almost 35, and I still play this piece of art at least once a year. The ending always gets me, I cry everytime. Best game ever.

Quite possibly the best ending to any game ever, I’ll die on this hill if I have to.

Best game of the year, any year. Playing this game was like a transition from childhood to teenage by feeling melancholy for the very first time as I feel that bittersweet bite looking back to those passed years and experiences. They are still there waiting for us to be felt once again like the first time, missing us as much we do miss them...

7:48 Did anyone else feel bad for Mido?

This game, the music, the story, the characters... the whole journey... and this epic ending... the dialogues... Speechless. I´m looking at this video crying in silence... So special moment in videogame history: OCARINA OF TIME. The Best game of all time. 1998-2019 Here.

10:04 I always wondered....When they see each other, are they now there knowing they've changed the future for the better, and its them meeting back up....Or are we being brought back to where Link and Zelda first meet, and where the adventure begins.....

the best game of all time. here it is folks.

i always found legend of zelda to have such a beautiful sound track.

It was at this moment that I knew the words to describe what I just had witnessed: “A masterpiece”

I wonder if people realized just how vague and ambiguous this ending really is, given all that's happened. Very few questions are really answered. Have the events in the past been slightly altered? Or have they been unchanged? We never see what Zelda's watching in that window, whether it's Ganondorf meeting with her father or if someone else is in his place. Ganondorf was sealed in the Sacred Realm, after all, so it's possible that the past was altered to make it seem like Ganondorf never existed. We also never learn much about how this affects the Sages, either. Do they become Sages in this timeline or just in the Dark Future Timeline? And what happens when Link meets with Zelda? We're left with a sepia-toned still image that serves as a nice little final note to this classic game. But what happens next? We're never really told. Most of it is pretty much left to the player's interpretation. The only clear-cut answer we're given to what happens is that Link returns to his own time, Navi goes off on her own, setting up the events for Majora's Mask, and Link goes off to meet with Zelda. That's it. Suffice it to say, it gives fans and theory nuts a lot to go off of, but it also works in its own way. Zelda told Link to "regain his lost time", so that means he's pretty much free to make his own future from that point on. And make his own future he shall.

So... do I turn off my N64 now or what? It's stuck on "The End" screen o.O

10:25 why after all these years and finishing the game dozens of times, i just NOW notice the triforce of courage in Link´s hand there?

9:23 Most beautiful moment in videogame's history.

Named Link "BITCH" during my playthrough, so when Ganondorf gets Gannon-banned, he shouts "CURSE YOU...BITCH!" while making a comical angry face and floating through a white void.

I finished this game again for the 1st time in about 20 years and there's a reason this game was big when it first came out, got critical acclaim, and is one of the best games ever made. It deserves all the praise it gets. It has aged beautifully as well.

the master sword and the bells ringing on the background, if your eyes didn't sweat on that moment you don't have any feelings