Zelda Tier List – Best Legend of Zelda Games, Ranked

Realistically , they ’re each the best in their own way .

The Legend of Zelda series has been a longtime favorite for tons of TV game fans around the worldly concern . Each game bring home the bacon a stain - new story revolve around Link and Princess Zelda while adding a eddy that revolutionizes each incoming for the better . Now , the existent inquiry is which of the 19 mainline game is the best . With so many dissimilar opinions and possibilities , we ’re here to set the record straight ! The follow list includes all the main secret plan except for Tears of the Kingdom .

Top 19 Best Legend of Zelda Games, Ranked

19. The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes

free in 2015 , The Legend of Zelda : Tri Force Heroes is a multiplayer game designed for the Nintendo 3DS . The game ’s plot line takes lieu in Hytopia , a far - off kingdom govern by King Tuft . However , Princess Styla , the magnate ’s girl , gets cursed by a hag from the Drablands , leading King Tuft to summon heroes to track down the Wiccan . One of these heroes is Link , but due to the perilous nature of the Drablands , he must collaborate with other heroes to set about the mission . As a upshot , this plot requires you to play with others in monastic order to get through the level .

18. The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures

The Legend of Zelda : Four Swords Adventures is a alone addition to the popular Legend of Zelda TV game franchise . Released on multiple appointment across the ball in 2004 and 2005 , this biz was the second fresh Zelda game to be give up on the GameCube console table . What set Four Swords Adventures apart from other Zelda games is its multiplayer feature , allowing player to control four different Links at the same time . To enable multiplayer style , each player is take to apply a Game male child Advance and link cable to connect to the GameCube .

However , a one - histrion style is also available , and players can apply either a Game Boy Advance or a GameCube controller to take on the game . There are two path to play Four Swords Adventures , including the Hyrulean Adventure , which takes players through the main storyline , and the Shadow Battle , a gratis - for - all multiplayer . The game also features a unique anatomical structure where each expanse is part into different levels , and each storey is split into three stages . Players can play back each phase as many times as they want , allowing for greater geographic expedition of the game ’s world .

17. The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords

The Nintendo Game Boy Advance game , The Legend of Zelda : Four Swords , was released alongside A Link to the Past , a re - outlet of the classic Zelda plot . The secret plan start with Link and Zelda in the chancel of the Four Sword , a blade that had sealed away the malign Wind Mage , Vaati . Link draw the sword and inadvertently releases Vaati , who go to abduct Zelda . As a result of suck the sword , Link splits into four grinder , each wear a differently colored tunic . Together , they must work to deliver Zelda . The plot ’s objective is to dispatch various levels and bring in silver keys from fagot at the end of each grade . Once the submarine team collects all three silvery keys , Vaati ’s Palace appears , and Link ventures through the palace to kill Vaati , ultimately seal off him back into the Four Sword .

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16. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds

A Link Between Worlds is a Nintendo 3DS game that was relinquish on November 22 , 2013 . It is in the dash of A Link to the Past and takes vantage of the 3DS ’s capabilities to add newfangled gameplay factor . The game uses a top - down perspective and an art panache similar to A Link to the Past , but allows Link to become a flavourless image on a paries to locomote in a 2D space . The bangle on Link ’s wrist in the game ’s artwork ties into this ability . The plot also introduce new features like a hint system and the power to rent or buy an item . The 3DS Streetpass feature is also used to its full potential , permit participant to fight a Shadow Link for a bounty if they hap to cross way of life . As of March 31 , 2014 , the game has sold over two million written matter and was re - released as a Nintendo Selects title in Europe on October 16 , 2015 .

15. The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks

The Legend of Zelda : Spirit Tracks was resign in 2009 for the Nintendo DS and serves as the direct subsequence to The Legend of Zelda : Phantom Hourglass . The event of the plot are set a hundred years after its harbinger , and follow the story of Link , the Hero of Winds . In this game , Link is a untried boy in education to become an locomotive engineer , living in Aboda Village with his admirer Niko . The story begins when Link jaunt to Hyrule Castle to receive his Engineer Certificate from Princess Zelda , but terminate up getting involved in a dangerous quest . During the ceremony , Princess Zelda in secret hands Link a letter of the alphabet , inviting him to meet her by and by .

In their meeting , she asks for his assistant to sneak out of the castle so she can visit the Tower of life to inquire the miss Spirit Tracks . However , on their mode there , the tracks disappear , causing them to dash . presently after , they are met by Byrne and Chancellor Cole , who nobble Princess Zelda and tell apart her feeling from her trunk . Link is the only one who can see her meandering spirit , and together they embark on a journey to find Zelda ’s eubstance and defeat the revived Malladus . The game takes players on a thrilling escapade through the newfangled continent of New Hyrule , where they will receive various challenge and foeman along the way .

14. The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass

The Legend of Zelda : Phantom Hourglass was released for the Nintendo DS in 2007 . It is a unmediated sequel to The Wind Waker and share many similarities with its predecessor , such as cel - shaded graphic and a serial of island that can only be reached by sauceboat . However , Phantom Hourglass introduce several new features to the franchise . For instance , the biz can be controlled solely with the style , allowing players to tap or swipe on the covert to attack enemy or utilize items . The Nintendo DS microphone is also utilized to solve puzzles .

Unlike previous games , Phantom Hourglass does not feature Pieces of Heart and instead only has double-dyed Heart Containers . The ocean map is split into four neighborhood , and player can explore it by take in Sea Charts . The Temple of the Ocean King is a singular timed dungeon in which participant must slowly make for their mode through , unlock more floors as they come along through the plot . Finally , Linebeck ’s steamship give up players to plot a course through the immense sea , making notes on the sea chart along the way .

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13. The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons

The Legend of Zelda : Oracle of Seasons is part of the Oracle Series , a Seth of two games released by Capcom for the Game male child Color in 2001 . The game has sell almost 4 million copies and can be tie to the other game in the serial , The Legend of Zelda : Oracle of Ages , through the use of password . Once linked , players can fight Twinrova and Ganon to dispatch the games to their total extent . In Oracle of Seasons , the history centers around Onox , the General of Darkness , who has trapped Din , the Oracle of Seasons , in his castle . As a solvent , the seasons in the acres of Holodrum are thrown into pandemonium .

To save Din and mend order , Link must use the Rod of Seasons to check the seasons with the assistance of the Season Spirits . As Link progresses through the game , he gains Essences that give the Maku Tree strong point . When Link find the final Essence , the Maku Tree creates the Huge Maku Seed that Link uses to pass through Onox ’s Castle . After defeating Onox and make unnecessary Din , the seasons return to normal . Depending on which game players prefer to play first when link up the two games , Link either leaves on a boat or continues on to Labrynna in Oracle of Ages .

12. The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages

The Legend of Zelda : Oracle of Ages and The Legend of Zelda : Oracle of Seasons were the first two titles in the Zelda series not developed by Nintendo but by Flagship , a subordinate of Capcom . Although they were not developed by Nintendo , both games were published by Nintendo . Originally , The Oracle of Ages was intended to be part of a trilogy roll in the hay as the " Triforce Trilogy , " where each game would revolve around one of the three goddesses : Din , Nayru , and Farore . However , during growing , the third secret plan was dropped , result in The Oracle of Ages and The Oracle of Seasons . By using a unique countersign system that link the storylines of the two game , players can access a special ending that includes two extra secret boss battles .

The story of The Oracle of Ages begins with Link being sent by the Triforce to Labrynna , where he take on Impa , a servant of Princess Zelda . Impa lead Link to Nayru , the Oracle of Ages , who is singing . However , Veran , the sorceress of wickedness , reveals that she has been possess Impa and takes over Nayru ’s eubstance , channelize herself 400 years into the past to change the fortune of the nowadays . In his seeking to defeat Veran , Link journey through time and conflict through nine dissimilar dungeons , using the Harp of Ages to move between the past and present . With his ultimate finish of save the land of Labrynna and rescue Nayru , the Oracle of Ages , Link faces many challenges along the way .

11. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

The Legend of Zelda : Ocarina of Time is the fifth game in the acclaimed Legend of Zelda series , and was lead and create by Shigeru Miyamoto . Ocarina of Time is praised for its intuitive storyline and gameplay automobile mechanic , which include time traveling and the use of the titulary Ocarina instrument . The game was earlier released on Nintendo 64 and has since been re - exhaust on GameCube , Wii , Wii U , and 3DS .

The game ’s central automobile mechanic revolves around time travel , which the hero uses to kill Bos monsters and seal away Ganondorf , the King of Evil . The Ocarina of Time is also a significant gameplay element , allow the poor boy to teleport , change the metre of day and weather , and summon a sawbuck . This facial expression has popularise the ocarina pawn in gaming acculturation . Ocarina of Time is widely regarded as a classic and has receive legion perfect score from gaming magazines , cementing its status as one of the sterling video games of all metre .

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10. The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening

The Legend of Zelda : Link ’s waking up was a young adventure game released by Nintendo for the Game Boy about a year and a half after the launch of A Link to the Past . The game had a more playful tone than its predecessor , with characters make remark about the Game Boy ensure , even though they did n’t understand them . The game had various cameo appearances from Nintendo games , peculiarly the Mario series , featuring enemies such as the Goombas .

The game of Link ’s Awakening involved Link being stranded on Koholint Island and need to awaken the sleeping Wind Pisces by collect the Eight Instruments of the Sirens . The secret plan introduced young items , including the Roc ’s Feather , which allow Link to start in an overhead perspective Zelda secret plan . The plot also let in side - scroll sections and a mandatory Trading Sequence that became a staple of the serial . Lastly , this secret plan was the first Zelda title developed for a handheld equipment , and it was also the first to take place outside of the traditional Hyrule setting .

9. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

The Legend of Zelda : Skyward Sword , which is the 16th entry in The Legend of Zelda enfranchisement , is considered to be the earliest in the Timeline . The plot features 1:1 motion controls with the Nintendo Wii MotionPlus , allowing for precise control of Link ’s Sword and other scene of the biz . The game was released worldwide in November 2011 , and a special version bundle was made uncommitted in most regions , featuring a Gold Wii Remote Plus bearing the Zelda symbolisation and a soundtrack with a range of orchestrated songs from The Legend of Zelda 25th Anniversary Symphony Concert .

The game ’s floor is a prequel to many elements in Ocarina of Time , and it tells the tale of how the Goddess Hylia rescued her people from a swell evil by sending them to the sky . The tale follow Link , Zelda ’s childhood friend , as he journeys down to the surface to forbid Lord Ghirahim from using her to revive his headmaster , and it position the stage for many significant aspects of the Zelda macrocosm , include the Master Sword .

8. The Legend of Zelda

The Legend of Zelda , also know as The Hyrule Fantasy : Legend of Zelda in Japan , is a video game that is wide credit with perfecting the adventure game genre . Despite not being the first adventure game , it was the first of its sort to insert the concept of an open human race , commit players the freedom to explore and interact with the plot surround . ab initio released in Japan in 1986 , it quickly gained popularity and was later release worldwide in 1987 .

The plot ’s objective is to collect the eight piece of the Triforce of Wisdom , defeat Ganon , and deliver Princess Zelda . instrumentalist strike the role of the hero , Link , and must explore the first eight dungeons in the game to obtain the pieces of the Triforce of Wisdom . Only then can they jeopardize to the final dungeon , Level Nine : Death Mountain , to confront the evil wizard Ganon and economize Princess Zelda .

7. Zelda II: The Adventure of Link

Zelda II : The Adventure of Link was released for the Nintendo Entertainment System about a twelvemonth after the first outside installment of the series . This new adventure take the serial in a dissimilar focussing , innovate a side - scroll risky venture with many changes . Unlike the overhead perspective in The Legend of Zelda , this raw biz feature a side - scrolling linear perspective for all battle sequence , towns , cave , donjon , and temples . The game introduced jumping , intense steel conflict , and a heavy reliance on Link ’s shield . It also introduced the use of magic and certain spells .

It is widely regarded as the hardest Zelda game to engagement , due to its " biography system " and the frustrating experience of having to traverse across Hyrule and back into dungeons after running out of lives . as luck would have it , The Adventure of Link is useable on multiple other Nintendo console , let in the Game Boy Advance , the Nintendo GameCube ’s Collector ’s Edition disc , the Wii Virtual Console , and the Wii U Virtual Console . It is also included in the Nintendo Switch Online service , where players can get at a special version of the game that start out with Level Eight Attack , Life , and Magic .

6. The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap

The Legend of Zelda : The Minish Cap was the next hand-held adventure released by Nintendo almost two years after The Wind Waker . The biz utilise a modified interpretation of the Four Swords art style and an improved interface found in the Game Boy and Game Boy Color title . The game introduced a unexampled race , the Picori or Minish , which only tyke can see , and Link can interact with them throughout the plot . The primary goal of the game is to pile up the Four Elements and restore power to the Four Sword , allowing Link to split into mirror prototype of himself to struggle foe and lick puzzles .

The sound , including Link ’s vox , were taken from Ocarina of Time , though the plot resemble The Wind Waker more . The Minish Cap was initially released only for the Game Boy Advance , and after almost seven years , it was released on the 3DS and Wii U Virtual Console . The Minish Cap was also exhaust on the Nintendo Switch subscription service Switch Online ’s higher - tier Expansion Pack .

5. The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker

The Wind Waker is the first The Legend of Zelda game released for the Nintendo GameCube and the tenth installment in the serial . The game follow the history of Link , who place out to rescue his sister Aryll from the clutches of the Helmaroc King . To attain this , he joins forces with a mathematical group of pirates led by Tetra . However , Link is bewitch during the missionary station and thrown out of the Forsaken Fortress .

He then meets the King of Red Lions , a sentient boat , who tells him that to save his baby , he must confront Ganondorf , the truthful master of the fort . With the assistant of the Wind Waker , Link embarks on a quest to locate the Master Sword and find the bemused realm of Hyrule , where the might of the Triforce awaits . The journey takes Link and the King of Red Lions across the Great Sea , where they encounter numerous challenges and enemy . Part of what makes this game so interesting are the dissimilar raceway including the Rito , who are thought to be the evolution of the Zora .

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4. The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask

The Legend of Zelda : Majora ’s Mask is the sixth episode in The Legend of Zelda series and serves as a direct sequel to its predecessor , The Legend of Zelda : Ocarina of Time . It was first released in Japan in April 2000 and later in North America and Europe in the same yr . Majora ’s Mask features similar graphics to Ocarina of Time , include its case and foeman models .

The secret plan ’s tarradiddle begin with Link , now known as the Hero of Time , seek for his pouf fellow Navi in the Lost Woods . During his search , he is attacked by the mischievous Skull Kid , who steals his horse and the Ocarina of Time . Link follows Skull Kid into a mystic tree , where he is turned into a Deku Scrub and embarks on a journey to retrieve Majora ’s Mask and the Ocarina of Time .

Link ’s quest call for him to the strange land of Termina , where he discovers that Skull Kid is attempting to put down the earth by make the Moon to break up into it . Link has only three days to stop Skull Kid and his nefarious program . Along the manner , he meets the Happy Mask Salesman , who offers to help him work back into a Hylian if he can retrieve the steal items within the meter limit .

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3. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

Nintendo built on the success of the first two games in the series and perfected the " Zelda rule " to create the upcoming title for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System ( SNES ) . A Link to the yesteryear , released in Japan at the end of 1991 and internationally near the close of the next summer , rapidly became one of the highest - tell on game . The game returned to the overhead perspective established in the first plot and introduced a dual - earthly concern auto-mechanic where Link could move around between the Light World and the Dark World . This feature allowed players to unlock secrets and progression to young areas .

A Link to the Past hold in over twelve dungeon and two versions of each sphere of the Overworld , promote hours of adventure and more in - profundity puzzles to clear . The biz also had a substantial , tangible art expressive style , which was not potential in the previous installments due to declaration and colouring material limitation .

The game was a huge achiever and is still considered one of the proficient games for the SNES and one of the highest - rat secret plan of all time . almost ten year subsequently , it was released again for the Game Boy Advance with updated dungeons , characters , and sound effects for Link ’s actions .

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2. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

The Legend of Zelda : Twilight Princess is the 13th addition to The Legend of Zelda series . The plot was release in 2006 and is available on Wii and Nintendo GameCube . The art style of the game is distinguishable , concentrate on dark colors , with a taller , older Link , and character designs that verge on grotesque . Many people trust this style was a response to the negative reception of the bright cel - shaded graphics in The Wind Waker .

The biz ’s story consider place after the child end of Ocarina of Time , where Princess Zelda sent the Hero of Time back in clock time to prevent the outcome of the biz . This coevals ’s Link survive a peaceful life in Ordon Village but is forced to impart after tragedy strikes . He embarks on a journey to mend serenity to his village and uncovers the mysterious Twilight along the way .

1. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

The Legend of Zelda : Breath of the Wild is a game that takes place long after the events of Ocarina of Time and is the latest installment in The Legend of Zelda serial . This plot was simultaneously release on the Wii U and Nintendo Switch on March 3 , 2017 . The game follows Link , who awakens from a tenacious slumber to the call of an unfamiliar voice with no memory of his identity or whereabouts . The spokesperson instructs Link to make his way to a sure point on his function , and along the direction , he meets an enigmatic Old Man . The Old Man appears to roll in the hay more about Link and his past than he initially lets on . After fill in a serial publication of challenge set forth by the Old Man , Link embarks on a journeying to fix his memories , learn about the past times , confront Calamity Ganon in Hyrule Castle , and restore peace to Hyrule .

The biz brings on a monumental open world unlike any of the game in the serial before it . participant are able to explore the populace as they please and are not bound by specific objectives . In fact , some actor depart directly to Calamity Ganon and completed the secret plan in thirty moment just because it was allow . It also assist that player canadd modsto well their gameplay and visual experience .

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