Facebook
Reddit
Email
Want to roleplay as the chosen one? Want to save the princess and the world? Here are five Zelda games for the ultimate hero fantasy.
The Legend of Zelda is one of the most beloved series in all of gaming. The plot of most games in the series follows the same structure: explore Hyrule, save Princess Zelda, and defeat Ganon. But the presentation and worldbuilding in these games are what makes them shine. The series has helped shape the gaming landscape and has been a ‘console seller’ for Nintendo. The franchise released the first installment in February 1986 for NES consoles, with the first game being the creative vision of Japanese video game designers Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka.
There have been over 21 entries in the franchise with the latest being The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom released in September 2024 for Nintendo Switch consoles. Echoes of Wisdom is the first game in the series that is led by Princess Zelda herself. In this list, we’ll go over five essential games in the franchise that every gamer should play to get the best of the series.
NOTE: This article is subjective and reflects the writer’s opinion.
1. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is an action-adventure game by Nintendo for Wii U and Nintendo Switch consoles in 2017. This entry is set at the end of the Zelda timeline. It features an amnesiac Link who sets out to save Princess Zelda and stop Calamity Ganon from destroying Hyrule.
Players can complete the story of the game in a non-linear fashion as they explore the open world. The gameplay involves exploring while tackling quests and dungeons in any order, encouraging player agency and non-linear progression. The game has inspired several clones with similar gameplay like HoYoverse’s Genshin Impact and Ubisoft’s Immortal’s Fenyx Rising.
2. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom directly follows Breath of the Wild, which Nintendo released in May 2023 for Switch consoles. It is the last game in the Legend of Zelda timeline. The game plot starts out with Link and Princess Zelda exploring a cavern beneath Hyrule Castle from which a mysterious substance called gloom has been seeping out making people fall ill.
The gameplay is similar to Breath of the Wild, with refined graphics and an expanded map with sky and underground areas. The game also has a state-of-the-art physics system to simulate real world object interactions.
3. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
Nintendo released The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, the tenth main installment in the franchise, in December 2002 on GameCube consoles. The entry is placed between Ocarina of Time and Phantom Hourglass following the Adult Link timeline. The game’s story revolves around the protagonist as he sets out to save his sister from the sorcerer Ganon and acquire the relic called Triforce.
The gameplay consists of sailing across a vast ocean, solving puzzles, and clearing out dungeons as Link, the protagonist. Link can also control the wind to sail the seas with a magic baton called the Wind Waker. The game has a timeless cel-shaded art style and even has an HD port for Nintendo Wii U consoles.
4. The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask
Nintendo released The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask, the sixth main installment in the franchise, in April 2000 for Nintendo 64 consoles. The entry is a direct sequel to N64’s Ocarina of Time and is part of the Child Link Timeline. The game is set in an alternate world known as Termina. Players have to prevent the moon from destroying it in three days’ time.
The gameplay features various masks that transform Link into different forms and a perpetual three-day cycle. In a similar Zelda fashion, gameplay involves exploring several dungeons while defeating enemies and solving puzzles. The title got a stereoscopic 3D remake for Nintendo 3DS consoles along with its former installment The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.
5. The Legend of Zelda: The Twilight Princess
The franchise’s 13th main installment was released in December 2006 for Nintendo GameCube and Nintendo Wii consoles. The game is set a century after the events of Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask, in an alternate timeline from the Wind Waker.
Players control Link who is trapped in the Twilight Realm. The plot involves Link saving abducted children and confronting the Twilight Princess. Furthermore, the character can also transform into a wolf to solve puzzles and fight enemies. The game got an HD remaster with enhanced graphics in 2016 for Nintendo Wii U consoles.
These are the five best games that truly showcase the heroic adventures of Link. Players can check out other Legend of Zelda games on their respective consoles to understand the complete lore. With the launch of the highly anticipated Nintendo Switch 2 around the corner, fans can expect some announcements regarding The Legend of Zelda during the Nintendo Direct stream. Players can view the stream on April 2, 2025, at 10:00 AM US time.
Looking For More?
Thank you for reading the article. We provide the latest news and create guides for Baldur’s Gate 3, Starfield, ARK Survival Ascended, and more. Also, watch Deltia play games on Twitch or visit his YouTube channel!