Having trouble deciding which Zelda-Like/isometric adventure RPG to play. So far I got:
Crystalis
Landstalker
Crusader Of Centy
Alundra
Light Crusader
Startropics

Which do you think is the best to play first?

I don't know brother, I'm only now enjoying NES Zelda now, but I appreciate you bumping up these higher on my backlog

I really love these kinds of games. At least in concept. Hope you enjoy. I really have to finish Ship of Harkinian these days, but I experienced a weird disconnect when I got to adult link.

For some reason I lost some of the immersion. Can't put it into words properly.

Crystalis:
One of the better A-RPGs on NES. More linear than Zelda though and for a game about swords you spent most of your fighting doing ranged attacks

>Landstalker
Piece of shit, avoid

>Crusader of Centy
Cute and easy, nice game

>Alundra
More advanced in terms of combat and puzzles

>Startopics
Not a "Zelda like" at all, there is basically no exploration and it's all about clearing dungeons through grid based gameplay. Great game

Haven't played Light Crusader yet

>>11817197
This is bait.

Light Crusader.
Just avoid exiting the dungeon, cuz when you do all doors and traps reset.

>>11817172 (OP)
I like beyond oasis but that feels more like Ys even if it plays more like Zelda

>>11817320
Legend of Oasis is even better, absolutely great game, but it's better to play Beyond first as Legend is kinda balanced in a way that it expects the player to already be familiar with the mechanics

>>11817172 (OP)
>Which do you think is the best to play first?
Anything that you want/think is interesting? Wanna ask what to eat next?

>>11817356
>Wanna ask what to eat next?
Not op but I'm looking for suggestions.

Zeliard

>>11817203
Why is landstalker a piece of shit?

>>11817172 (OP)
Recently played and enjoyed Golden Axe Warrior

>>11817647
Ignore that fucking retard. Landstalker is unironically one of the greatest 16-bit games of all time. He probably got filtered and couldn’t handle it

Literal Kayla and Wally posting

>>11817330
I remember about 10 years ago beating beyond oasis and going straight to this one and something feeling very....off. I think it was lacking that "Streets of Rage" punchy genesis combat and soundeffects. I saw a romhack recently that zooms the camera out a little bit and fixes the controls though on CDromance so I might check this game out again one day.

>>11817172 (OP)
Haven't played Light Crusader.
I'd say Crystalis is the best from the rest of the list.
Seconding these recs too:
>>11817332
>>11817797

>>11817647
The dungeons are full of puzzles and platforming involving different heights except there are no shadows. And if you fail your jump you often either get hit or fall back down a lower floor.
Combat is only serviceable at first, but gets annoying mid way through
And then there is shit like that time in a town where you have to progress by talking to everyone several times and not even walkthroughs knew exactly what it took to progress
Also pic related, a huge forest maze where you in order to progress you have to find paths that are obfuscated by other terrain

>>11818176
I didn't really have a problem with those things.Also that romhack gets rid of all sprite scaling effects which I find questionnable. I also don't think "fixing" sequence breaking is a good idea, sequence breaking in this game helped me a few times and never lead to an issue for me

>>11817172 (OP)
>Crystalis
This game is absolutely excellent and I highly recommend.

Also, Zelda is the most overrated series in history. It's like babby's first action RPG but also not really and RPG and the story is incredibly bland children's slop.

>>11818846
That's kinda why I like it.

>>11817172 (OP)
Drop everything and play the Quintet trilogy right now. Also Actraisers if you like side scrollers.

>>11819009
>quintet trilogy
I have a confession to make. I didn't like Soul Blazer or Illusion of Gaia at all. I got half-way through both of them and lost interest. The combat in both games are really shit but theres no good puzzles or adventure elements to supplement them. I think I got really pissed at the dungeon structure in Gaia too, just fucking tedious and boring. I heard Terranigma is good though but im afraid its going to be overhyped

>>11818846
I don't trust people who say Zelda is overrated because it's like saying Ferrari or Michael Jordan or the Beatles is overrated. Like, we get it, you want to stand out and be cool so you have to drag down things of obvious popularity and quality. I would say LTTP is not as good as LA but Zelda as a whole you aren't going to find much higher polish and quality in game design anywhere else.

>>11819379
>polish and quality in game design
Which Zelda are we talking about?

>>11820460
everything up to majoras mask is pretty up there my man. Maybe you dont like the formula but cant deny they got that nintendo stamp of fun game design that also pushes the boundaries and ambition every release. Even Zelda 1 is better than most other NES games because its so good within its own confines.