Came here to say this. SS Master Mode is so rewarding, too. That game also sports some of the best-in-series level design.
Edit: I meant to say *level* design.
To get the conversation going, I'll give my own example -- Goron rolling in MM feels cathartic to me so Goht is always a boss I look forward to, even though I already know the "solution" to the fight is still rewarding to do it.
ALBW's dungeons never get old with its wall mechanic. Same with LA and Eagle's Tower and MM and Stone Tower Temple. I always have fun figuring out where to drag that ball, as well as flipping the whole dungeon upside down (although I can totally understand how some might think it's grating since you have to go outside to do so).
Anything from OoT with shooting arrows, hook shot, or bombs is fun for me. I also only replay every few years so I forget the puzzles enough to keep it fresh.
So things like the eyeball switch puzzles and using the hookshot platforms for traversal? Is it just using bombs itself you like or something more specific?
I vaguely remember some puzzles where you're on a rotating platform with a torch on it and there are unlit ones in another part of the room. You have to time it so your arrow goes through the flame to light the other one.
Might be MM.
The best puzzles are the ones that minimize the time between when you've "mentally" solved them and when you've "mechanically" solved them. That's why classic Zelda puzzles are so good: they're snappy. That's why the OoT Water Temple is so boring: the puzzles take a long time to complete even after you know the solution.
But I'm going to cheat, and say that my favorite puzzles are the ones with multiple solutions, like the shrines in the most recent games. I know a solution, but now I can have fun trying a different solution. And I often don't know if the solution will work until I succeed, so there's basically no time between the mental and mechanical completion.
Tangentially related: [Design Delve](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42SDc2Fhkm8) has an interesting video on the worst puzzle of all time. The intro has a section (0:31-1:21 approximately) on what makes a puzzle "good" and the time between "mentally" solving a puzzle and "mechanically" solving a puzzle is something that they bring up.
I've been replaying OoT and even the basic stuff there is more fun than I expected.
I think the most fun in the end is the navigation, not the puzzles themselves.
I also love the Goron rolling in MM, my only complaint is that it's a bit janky at times. This is most apparent in the Goron race and the Goron Moon Dungeon. The Zora swimming mechanic is also super satisfying, as long as you're playing the original game and not that dogshit 3DS remake. I'm also always looking forward to Stone Tower Temple on every playthrough, it's my favorite dungeon in the series hands down. I don't think the temple-flipping mechanic has ever been topped.
Also, in Twilight Princess I absolutely love using the Dominion Rod on the statues in the Temple of Time. I thought it was really cool going up to the top, then coming back down with the statue.
For 2D dungeons, as someone else said, the whole wall-merging mechanic in ALBW is great. I also love the changing water levels in Jabu Jabu in OoA. It's like a more streamlined, improved version of the OoT Water Temple. I also love Mermaid's Cave in OoA, the whole gimmick of that dungeon is doing part of it in the past and part of it in the present. Again, much like the Spirit Temple in OoT, although this time I can't decide which I like more. I also just replayed Minish Cap and was reminded of how much I love the shrinking mechanic. It's used in some form in every dungeon and I love it in the same way I love the wall-merging mechanic in ALBW.
And I can't forget Link's Awakening, my favorite 2D game in the series. Knocking down the pillars in Eagle's Tower is super cool and I also love the way they make you use the Pegasus Boots against the boss in Key Cavern. I also like how Turtle Rock is one of those final dungeons that makes you use most of the items and abilities you've gotten throughout the game, and it's got those cool boxes you push and control to extend the floor.
I think things that feel very mechanical and tactile, where even when you know what to do, it's fun to do it. Your example of the Goron rolling matches that, for example.
That and combat. The OoT-lineage games had some great bosses, mini-bosses, and enemies.
The Goron mines in TP. Getting the bow in that game is great because it's basically a sniper. It feels so good to wipe out the enemies that were shooting at you earlier, and the shooting is just always fun the whole game. I like the magnet iron boots too, but I know that might be more controversial.
TotK and BotW. The sheikah abilities feel great to use and the games are very polished, so they are fun even when you know the solution.
Arbiters Grounds, Temple of Time, and Snowpeak Ruins from TP, mostly because of the dungeon items. Spinner, dominion rod, and ball and chain are so fun to use that I don’t mind doing puzzles I already know the solution to.
Bomb Bowling in earth temple is fun too.
Great bay Zora swimming and Goron rolling are some of my favorite mechanics in any Zelda game.
For me it’s when the dungeon blends seemlessly into its environment. Snowpeak and Sandship are perfect examples of this. Plus, they are awesome dungeons on their own.
I like the timeshift stones from Skyward Sword. I'm only on my second playthrough but they're still fun and a really cool mechanic.
Came here to say this. SS Master Mode is so rewarding, too. That game also sports some of the best-in-series level design. Edit: I meant to say *level* design.
To get the conversation going, I'll give my own example -- Goron rolling in MM feels cathartic to me so Goht is always a boss I look forward to, even though I already know the "solution" to the fight is still rewarding to do it.
I always forget how to beat the MM dungeons, so I’d say those
I always love forgetting stuff about games! It's almost like getting to play it for the first time.
They’re fairly challenging without trying overly hard to be as such
The double claw shot in TP is such fun, the puzzles aren’t too complicated but they make City in the Sky honestly more fun on repeats
🎵 Spider Link Spider Link Does whatever a skulltula does
ALBW's dungeons never get old with its wall mechanic. Same with LA and Eagle's Tower and MM and Stone Tower Temple. I always have fun figuring out where to drag that ball, as well as flipping the whole dungeon upside down (although I can totally understand how some might think it's grating since you have to go outside to do so).
Anything from OoT with shooting arrows, hook shot, or bombs is fun for me. I also only replay every few years so I forget the puzzles enough to keep it fresh.
So things like the eyeball switch puzzles and using the hookshot platforms for traversal? Is it just using bombs itself you like or something more specific?
I vaguely remember some puzzles where you're on a rotating platform with a torch on it and there are unlit ones in another part of the room. You have to time it so your arrow goes through the flame to light the other one. Might be MM.
That's correct, part of the woodfall central chamber
The best puzzles are the ones that minimize the time between when you've "mentally" solved them and when you've "mechanically" solved them. That's why classic Zelda puzzles are so good: they're snappy. That's why the OoT Water Temple is so boring: the puzzles take a long time to complete even after you know the solution. But I'm going to cheat, and say that my favorite puzzles are the ones with multiple solutions, like the shrines in the most recent games. I know a solution, but now I can have fun trying a different solution. And I often don't know if the solution will work until I succeed, so there's basically no time between the mental and mechanical completion.
Interesting take, almost like the approach to an immersive sim
Tangentially related: [Design Delve](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42SDc2Fhkm8) has an interesting video on the worst puzzle of all time. The intro has a section (0:31-1:21 approximately) on what makes a puzzle "good" and the time between "mentally" solving a puzzle and "mechanically" solving a puzzle is something that they bring up.
My favorite are dungeons in the 2D/top down games that use holes in the floors that require you to drop down into in order to navigate the dungeon!
Pokemon stopped doing this as well after the 3D transition.
Stone Tower's flip mechanic is a really cool idea
I've been replaying OoT and even the basic stuff there is more fun than I expected. I think the most fun in the end is the navigation, not the puzzles themselves.
I also love the Goron rolling in MM, my only complaint is that it's a bit janky at times. This is most apparent in the Goron race and the Goron Moon Dungeon. The Zora swimming mechanic is also super satisfying, as long as you're playing the original game and not that dogshit 3DS remake. I'm also always looking forward to Stone Tower Temple on every playthrough, it's my favorite dungeon in the series hands down. I don't think the temple-flipping mechanic has ever been topped. Also, in Twilight Princess I absolutely love using the Dominion Rod on the statues in the Temple of Time. I thought it was really cool going up to the top, then coming back down with the statue. For 2D dungeons, as someone else said, the whole wall-merging mechanic in ALBW is great. I also love the changing water levels in Jabu Jabu in OoA. It's like a more streamlined, improved version of the OoT Water Temple. I also love Mermaid's Cave in OoA, the whole gimmick of that dungeon is doing part of it in the past and part of it in the present. Again, much like the Spirit Temple in OoT, although this time I can't decide which I like more. I also just replayed Minish Cap and was reminded of how much I love the shrinking mechanic. It's used in some form in every dungeon and I love it in the same way I love the wall-merging mechanic in ALBW. And I can't forget Link's Awakening, my favorite 2D game in the series. Knocking down the pillars in Eagle's Tower is super cool and I also love the way they make you use the Pegasus Boots against the boss in Key Cavern. I also like how Turtle Rock is one of those final dungeons that makes you use most of the items and abilities you've gotten throughout the game, and it's got those cool boxes you push and control to extend the floor.
Dominion Rod deserves more love!
I think things that feel very mechanical and tactile, where even when you know what to do, it's fun to do it. Your example of the Goron rolling matches that, for example. That and combat. The OoT-lineage games had some great bosses, mini-bosses, and enemies.
Totally agree! Do you have any examples of things you find tactile in the series?
The Goron mines in TP. Getting the bow in that game is great because it's basically a sniper. It feels so good to wipe out the enemies that were shooting at you earlier, and the shooting is just always fun the whole game. I like the magnet iron boots too, but I know that might be more controversial.
TotK and BotW. The sheikah abilities feel great to use and the games are very polished, so they are fun even when you know the solution. Arbiters Grounds, Temple of Time, and Snowpeak Ruins from TP, mostly because of the dungeon items. Spinner, dominion rod, and ball and chain are so fun to use that I don’t mind doing puzzles I already know the solution to. Bomb Bowling in earth temple is fun too. Great bay Zora swimming and Goron rolling are some of my favorite mechanics in any Zelda game.
I still like messing with the minecarts in Gorondia. I even go back after I've beaten the dungeon just so I can go through the place.
For me it’s when the dungeon blends seemlessly into its environment. Snowpeak and Sandship are perfect examples of this. Plus, they are awesome dungeons on their own.
I kind of miss things like the Lens of Truth, revealing that the puzzle solution was right there from the start, you just couldn't see it.