Is Zelda and RPG?

I love this debate and pretty much the nonsensicle bull shit that comes with it. You don't level up so it's not an RPG, so rainbow six vegas  2 is with it's leveling system? It's not turn based combat system so there is that I suppose um no the elder scrolls, fallout and tales of games don't have turn based. RPG means role-play game but you play yourself and your decisions make a difference a huge one so with this in mind the fallout, elder scrolls and mass effect series are the purest in the genre where your choices literally change the world around you. Final fantasy doesn't have this even today so console restrictions aren't an excuse. The worse is that final fantasy is now a linear side scrolling beat em up with turn based combat. Where Zelda is an open world adventure rpg. Any where lets check what makes an RPG

• Open ended and open world adventure 
• Dungeons and rewards for exploring
• a leveling system
• multiple weapons collection
• items and power upgrades

So lets look at this open ended open world check on that for Zelda, Hyrule is a vast area to discover with an huge open ended finish literally not playing the games means Ganon wins it breaks the fourth wall so much there is at least two games that come from you not finishing a game in the series even in Zelda links adventure you die you get this

You fucked it right up

No normal game over you have fucked Hyrule with your corpse. Ganons back and you can't do shit hows that for open ended! Now dungeons and rewards for exploring this is easy a third of Legend of Zelda has a secret reward that you have to find and not collectibles actual items that are useful or provide a use or can be traded. Dungeons really the zelda games define dungeons so yeah shut up. Ok the next is a bit harder to explain a levelling system but I think this is a moot point as Call of duty, Rainbow six Vegas 2 actually it's hard to find a game that doesn't have this implemented. Ok the arguement is that the character you play in Zelda doesn't level up ok the character you play in Pokemon doesn't level up either but that is classified as one of the best rpgs. Multiple weapons and items again this is zelda. It  defines that shit many sword and tools to find so yeah awesome stuff. Items and power upgrades ok this isn't done "traditionally" but it happens in the game alot with amount you can carry to actually improving your weapon by going from the kokiri blade to the giant sword that is four levels of swordy slashiness. Also what alot of Zelda being not an RPG people forget is that Zelda defined the RPG genre brought it to the people at home so you could go on the adventure as your self and it was simple like a MY first RPG the levelling system was done for you but you still had to gain the experience for you to level up, by defeating bosses and exploring. Being one of the first RPG and those that defined the genre it could argued those that don't conform to Zeldas definition isn't an RPG. But see that is the beauty of zelda not conforming  but defining the genre it has left it such an open ended genre that is why we now the get the epics like the elder scrolls and mass effect games. The ability not to define this type of game is what make it so special and that is what makes Zelda an RPG is what we have taking from it this feeling we have saved hyrule that the world is better because of what we done (or fucked it up).  The impact it has made on the gaming community isn't matched by any other game series including Mario and Sonic. Defined generations of gamer never changing a great formula and always working it also says something when the newer games are great games just not great zelda games because we know what a zelda game is and we know what makes it great.