3. Lost Woods
The Lost Woods is a tradition that goes back to the very first Zelda, when you wander into a section of a crossroads of dead trees. You choose a direction to go and find youre at in the same place again. And then again. And again. And it keeps on repeating itself until you either fluke the right sequence, or think this is a bit weird and feel like youre in a micro Groundhog Day, which is even weirder as the game was released a full seven years before that film. Hmm. They're also in Link to the Past, but its their reappearance in Ocarina that they get really frustrating. You have to make your way through the woods, but one misstep and you find yourself warped back to the start again. The idea is to follow the funky music, which is fine if you can hear it, but if for whatever reason you need to play with the sound down, or youre deaf you soon feel like an American trying to navigate in London for the first time. My least favourite iteration of the Lost Woods is in Twilight Princess. They may call them the Sacred Grove, but you cant fool me. Not only do you have to trek your way through the Woods, youre constantly hassled by some puppet scarecrows who follow you and cluster round like those green-bibbed maniacs in the high street who want you to adopt a granny or something. You can whack them with your sword which keeps them off you for a bit (and the same goes for the puppets too, hoho) but theyre soon back in your face again and the only way you can get rid of them and escape the Sacred Grove is to chase the Skull Kid round for ages to give him the righteous kicking he deserves. And hes a teleporting git too.
Frustration Rating: 9.