Since its debut in 1986, the Legend of Zelda franchise has been a staple for Nintendo. With each release, Nintendo seems to push the boundaries of what a video game can be.
From its humble beginnings on the NES to the impressive technological achievements of its Nintendo Switch releases, we’re celebrating the best Zelda games over the past 30+ years.
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
After the controversy over Windwaker‘s art style, Nintendo opted for a more mature asthetic. The result was well received at launch, but unfortunately, Twilight Princess often feels like it’s on the outside looking in compared to its peers.
The highlight here is the dungeon design, which is some of the best in the franchise. Graphically, Twilight Princess impresses, particularly in the HD release on the Wii U.
The Legend of Zelda
This is where it all started. While it may lack refinement and polish compared to other games on our list, you have to give credit where credit is due.
The Legend of Zelda holds up surprisingly well today, with its old-school design and philosophy charming. Plus, it’s way harder than we remember it, adding a level of challenge not always present in modern Zelda games.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
What began as a love letter to one of the best Zelda games ever became a wonderful experience.
If you dismissed A Link Between Worlds as a rehash of Link to the Past, you missed out. Nintendo is on top of their game here, with the same SNES style gameplay you know and love with innovative and brilliant design.
Nintendo, if you’re listening, we’d love to see it re-released at some point in the future.
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The Legend of Zelda: The Windwaker
The GameCube debut for the Zelda franchise was controversial due to its cel-shaded art design. Longtime fans were turned off by its childish, cartoony look and feel.
Oh, how misguided we were.
Windwaker is a breathtaking adventure that has aged like fine wine. Its themes of discovery and potential, combined with the game’s art style, add a sense of wonder to the game, enhancing its legacy.
The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening
A cult classic with a devoted following, Link’s Awakening was remade for a new audience on Nintendo Switch. It remains as enjoyable as ever.
While most Zelda games take place in Hyrule, Link is instead stranded on Koholint Island. To escape, he must awaken a sleeping fish to allow him to escape.
The real star of the show is Koholint Island and its inhabitants. Nintendo took a huge risk in developing such an original experience, which paid off tremendously.
The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask
From one weird Zelda game to another, Majora’s Mask is the other cult classic that comes when talking about the best Zelda games.
After the success of the more traditional Ocarina of Time, Majora’s Mask features a unique gameplay hook: the world will end in three days, literally. Once the three days are up, the world ends, and you have to start over.
The surreal, dark tone of the game, combined with the unique gameplay hook, leads to an unforgettable experience. This and Link’s Awakening prove that when Nintendo takes a risk, it almost always results in a hit.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
If Super Mario 64 is the bar for 3D platforming, then Ocarina of Time is the bar for 3D action adventure games.
Never mind one of the best Zelda games, Ocarina of Time is still considered one of the greatest games of all time today.
While it hasn’t aged well visually, the gameplay and dungeon design is still a high point. Whether you’ve never played Ocarina of Time or experienced it countless times, revisiting the game is never a bad idea.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Launching alongside the Nintendo Switch helped make the console a day one success.
Breath of the Wild is a landmark achievement for Nintendo, representing a bold new direction for the franchise and game design in general. Its inspiration, lack of clear direction for players, and impressive freedom have inspired some of today’s best games.
Taking the first steps into the world of Hyrule, blinded by the rays of sunshine, is an experience I’ll never forget.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
While today’s Zelda games showcase what modern hardware can do, most fall short of matching the gameplay of A Link to the Past.
Dungeon design, the world of Hyrule, the iconic music, and combat have all been perfected, serving as a benchmark for the franchise’s future development just nostalgia, either; the game holds up today, earning its spot near the top of our list of the best Zelda games.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
How do you make one of the best Zelda games even better? You innovate in ways that weren’t thought possible. That’s what Nintendo did with Tears of the Kingdom, an open-world experience that needs to be seen to be believed.
Breath of the Wild‘s Hyrule is bigger and better than ever. Instead of reworking already perfected gameplay, the decision to innovate with a crafting system adds countless hours of content and enjoyment to the game.
Tears of the Kingdom is everything a sequel should be, and it’s hard to see how Nintendo can top this incredible achievement in the future.
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