No more games, no more pretense — this is our list of the top 25 Zelda items of all-time. Whether they were weapons or shields or utility items, these are the panel’s selections for the coolest or most useful inventory slots in the series. We’ll be counting down one by one until we reach the #1 pick on Jan. 31.
2) Hookshot – 8 votes, 588 points
Chris: BOING!
Why the f*** does the hookshot say BOING? I have no idea. After being introduced in Link to the Past, the hookshot really started to stand out in the 3D games. Using it in Ocarina of Time made you feel super cool — whether it was because of the dynamic camera angles or the longshot’s increased range, I couldn’t say. All I know is that being able to latch onto rooftops and posts to shoot across gaps never got old. It’s also the main ingredient in my favorite boss fight in Wind Waker, taking on Molgera with that fantastic background music.
Hell, even when the hookshot has made appearances in non-canon stuff, it’s still awesome. Remember the first time you discovered that Link could use it to recover by grabbing onto a ledge in Super Smash Bros.?
I’m surprised that the hookshot hasn’t been used more throughout the series, although you could argue that the clawshots or the grappling hook are within the same vein. Still, even as a precursor, I think it deserves its spot on our list. Apparently our panel agrees — only one person didn’t vote for it.
Joseph: It is awfully high on this list. I like the hookshot (and its upgrade, the clawshot) and consider it the superior mode of transportation around the Zelda games, but I wouldn’t put it number 2 overall, no matter how invincible it makes me.
Shaun: Oh yeah Joseph? Well I WOULD put it number 2 overall! And in fact, I did!…I think. Here’s why:
The hookshot is awesome. It’s Zelda ingenuity at its best. While there are tons of items in this series that are generic Jerry (sword, bow, shield), the hookshot is something new entirely, and is useful for both transportation, reaching places otherwise inaccessible, combat, puzzle solving, and item procurement.
It’s the versatility I love, with the functionality that is fun and practical. Plus, and this is true especially in the 3D games, it opens up an entirely new dimension of movement and exploration.
So why did I vote the hookshot over the double clawshot? Mainly for how iconic the old arrowhead ended chain is. I fell in love with it when I first used it in Link’s Awakening, and that love has only deepened over the years. I keep coming back to it, but in my Zelda movie, the hookshot provides the capability for the most compelling action scenes and set pieces, which speaks to my heart. I will always love you, hookshot, and I will burn the first entry of this series that excludes you.
Cary: Ahh, the highly useful not-quite-a-grapple-beam grappling device of the Zelda games. Took me some time to figure out that the hookshot could also be used as a weapon. (Even so, I hardly ever used it as such.) And who didn’t spend days upon days inside Ocarina of Time’s Water Temple in search of the upgraded Longshot? Well…I didn’t. I mean, I tried, but, as we already established with Zora’s Tunic, I H-A-T-E-D the damn Water Temple.
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Gray Areas 
Man I’ve always loved the hookshot. Its just fun and more versatile than the boomerang.