I originally played this game in 2014-2015 and it kind of blows my mind that more time has passed between my first playthrough and my second than the time between the game's release circa 2010-2011 and my first playthrough. It's a fun love letter to older games, particularly 2D Zeldas. I think the game is mostly carried by the novelty of creating your own character and having a ridiculously large sword, but the underlying game is still solid. I think it would have been better with more quality of life features though like being able to scroll and zoom in on a map, a compass to show item locations, a checklist and tracker for items and quests, the ability to drop pins and markers, and less tedious level design. The amount of time sensitive events is ridiculous too. It's way too easy to miss things especially in a blind playthrough. I actually ended up getting the bad ending during my first playthrough because of this. Overall, it's probably my favorite 2D Zelda that isn't actually Zelda, although it's not like I've played very many of those.

Mega Man Zero 4 serves as the climactic finale to the Zero series, bringing satisfying closure to Zero's journey. This installment features refined gameplay from its predecessors, with smooth controls, challenging level design, and a compelling story exploring themes of sacrifice and heroism. While the core mechanics feel familiar, Zero 4 introduces the weather modification system, adding a fresh layer of challenge and tactical thinking. Despite some minor difficulty spikes and a few unremarkable bosses, it's an exceptional finale for fans of the series.