We know, we know. Your favourite Legend of Zelda game probably isn’t on here. If we had to pick every game in the series that we liked we’d be here all day. As hard as the decision was, we finally settled on five of Nintendo’s best in the mainline Zelda timeline that aren’t Breath of the Wild. That means we don’t have to think about ‘Freshly-Picked Tingle’s Rosy Rupeeland’ any longer than we already have. Trust us, you don’t want to go in there.
See? We told you.
5. The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening
Alright, confession time. We never played the original Link’s Awakening on the GameBoy. To be fair, we weren’t even alive yet. We did play the 2019 remake for the Switch, which we’re guessing only launched to test the waters of a possible Link to the Past remake, a slightly older, more popular top-down entry in the franchise. And we all know how that went, right?
A Link to the Past remakes aside, Link’s Awakening was the first outing for the series on the GameBoy, taking Link away from the Hyrule we know and to the Island of Koholint. The story is as wild as it gets for a Zelda entry. Link is visited by an Owl, who impresses upon him the importance of awakening the Wind Fish, whose egg can be found at the top of Koholint Island’s tallest mountain. Why? Because that’s the only way for Link to leave and return home, duh.
If you still haven’t had a go on Link’s Awakening, we’d suggest making it a Switch endeavour, regardless of the original game’s charm factor. The Switch remake rebuilt the game from the ground up, overhauling graphics to a cel-shaded look that’ll stand the test of time. The quality-of-life updates were fine too, we guess.
4. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
For whatever reason, Nintendo decided that a dual release for Twilight Princess was the right idea. It… wasn’t. But that doesn’t matter. It was released on both the GameCube and the (at the time) brand-spanking new Wii as a launch title, making use of the oddly fun motion controls that weren’t always up to scratch. Still, those motion controls were a staple of the game, with each strike translating to a swing in-game. Hold up that left nunchuck and you’ve got yourself a shield to parry with.
After Wind Waker’s eccentrically cel-shaded textures, Nintendo went back to a more realistic look for Link and the world surrounding him, opting to go for a much darker theme. We mean that both in terms of the story and the game’s design. This Hyrule features a shadowy world of Twilight, with the titular Twilight Princess – Midna, accompanying Link into the descent of darkness. Oh, and Link can turn into a sassy wolf that wears an earring. Yup, that wasn’t a fever dream. Nintendo did that.
And of course, Nintendo managed to do it well. Twilight Princess features some of the most creative dungeons we’ve yet seen, with one of the more heart-breaking stories (and uplifting endings) in the Zelda franchise. It eventually earned itself an HD remaster that did away with the Wii’s motion controls on the Wii U, which arguably scared away more potential fans, rather than attracting new ones.
3. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Skyward Sword, we had the pleasure of playing both the original on the Wii back in 2011 and when it got the HD treatment in the form of a Switch release. As much as we loved the Wii version, we just couldn’t forgive its motion controls, no matter how good the story was. Eventually, we moved on to bigger and better things, forgetting about Skyward Sword’s existence entirely. That is until we needed something to play on the Switch. That’s where the Skyward Sword HD remaster comes in. The Switch version added improved graphics, faster gameplay, and the return of analogue controls.
First things first. Literally. Skyward Sword is canonically the game’s first appearance of Link, Zelda and what’s believed to be a powered-up Ganon in the form of Demise. This is the “reason” the rest of the timeline exists in the first place, with Demise forcing a curse on his challengers, tying the titular character to a life of reincarnation, i.e The Legend of Zelda.
While most of the fanbase seems to despise the game’s slow start, we loved it. We get a glimpse at life on Skyloft – a floating series of islands right above the ruins of Hyrule. After a series of hijinks that sets Link on a path to save Zelda (surprise surprise), he ventures forth to the lands below in search of the Princess.
If you haven’t given Skyward Sword a chance yet, this is probably the best time to try it out. We have reason to believe it’ll tie in heavily to the events of Tears of the Kingdom, though we have no way of confirming that. Yet. It would also explain why Skyward Sword was chosen as the last Legend of Zelda to be released.
2. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Ah, Ocarina of Time. Where would The Legend of Zelda be without you? We probably wouldn’t be looking forward to Tears of the Kingdom right now, nor would we have enough entries to make this list. It’s undeniably one of the most important entries to the franchise, enough to earn the rank of number two on this list.
Our first encounter with Ocarina was all the way back in 2003 when Wind Waker (we’ll get to that) launched with a special edition that included a playthrough of the game. It was the first 3D Zelda title, not only setting the narrative for future 3D Zelda’s but 3D games in general. You know how you lock on to enemies in pretty much any action game? You can thank Ocarina for that.
It also gave the fanbase a deeper dive into the lore of Hyrule and the curse that follows Link and Zelda. It brought us the origins of Ganondorf, a deeper history of the three Goddesses – who make an appearance as the dragons that scour the skies of Hyrule in Breath of the Wild. It’s got one of the series’ most intriguing stories, and can still be played through the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack. We suggest trying it out if you haven’t already. You won’t regret it.
1. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
And finally, we arrive at our favourite The Legend of Zelda of all time: Wind Waker. Whether it’s because this was our first ever title in the series back in 2003, or because the game’s cartoony style combines well with a surprisingly deep and dark story, we aren’t quite sure. Either way, it’s sat atop our list. And you can’t change our minds.
The Wind Waker didn’t have an appreciable beginning. For one, it was released on Nintendo’s second-worst-selling console; the GameCube. Its next crime was that it wasn’t the Zelda title the world had been hoping for. Back in 2000, when the Space Show was still going strong, Nintendo showed off a Legend of Zelda tech demo that appeared to be a sequel of sorts to Ocarina of Time, with Link facing off against a revitalised Ganondorf. Instead, we got Wind Waker, and we have been eternally grateful ever since.
The story follows a young Link (when doesn’t it? Oh, right), whose sister is whisked away against her will to Ganondorf, putting Link on a path to rescue her. He continues the legend of the Hero, along with Tetra (who happens to be rather important to the story) and the King of Red Lions – a talking boat that carries Link across a flooded Kingdom of Hyrule. No, we’re not joking. There’s more to it than that, but we won’t spoil it here.
Wind Waker’s colourful, energetic style wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea. It has since gained a sort of cult following, with an HD remaster making its way onto the worst-selling console in 2013; the Wii U. We know this may be too much to ask, but we’re hoping that the next time Nintendo re-releases Wind Waker, it’ll be on a console that sold more than 22 million units. The Switch is right there. Just sayin’.