Daily Debate: Which Game Would You Remove from the “Best Zelda Ever” List to Make Room for Echoes of Wisdom?

When our Best Zelda Ever (BZE) list started in 2017, there were 18 games ranked by the staff. As of the 2023 Edition of BZE, the list had grown to 23 games thanks to new releases over the years – Cadence of Hyrule (2019), Age of Calamity (released in late 2020 and first appearing on the BZE list in 2021), and Tears of the Kingdom (2023). However, two games that were added to the 2019 BZE list weren’t new by any means – Four Swords (2002) and Hyrule Warriors (2014). The dividing line between what qualifies for the BZE list can be a bit subjective, particularly with spinoffs and multiplayer games like these.

As we were preparing to release the 2024 BZE list, which will add yet another game to the fold with this year’s title of Echoes of Wisdom, I wondered what it would be like if we had a one-in-one-out policy. Which Zelda game would you remove in order to make room for a new one, such as Echoes of Wisdom, to be added to the BZE list?

Below are my thoughts on the pros and cons for the spinoff and multiplayer games beyond simply whether I like them or not. If a game is to be exiled to the realm of Link’s Crossbow Training or Tingle’s Rosy Rupeeland, it should have sound reasoning for being removed from future BZE lists.

(Note: If you view the official Zelda timeline by Nintendo as critical to the series, then you may view some of these games as deserving to forever remain on the BZE list. Personally, I do not.)

Four Swords

Pros: After being marooned on the Game Boy Advance (and criminally short appearances on the DSi and 3DS eShops), it has been added to Nintendo Switch Online (NSO) demonstrating that Nintendo still values it and making it far more accessible to fans with online multiplayer.

Cons: It is essentially a demo, which can be completed in just a few hours, that was paired with the Game Boy Advance port of A Link to the Past. The Anniversary Edition added a single player mode and new content; however, this isn’t the version added to NSO, and the Anniversary Edition is no longer available for download on the DSi or 3DS.

Tri Force Heroes

Pros: Many fans will state that it’s not half-bad when played in local multiplayer mode as it leads to a lot of laughs, outbursts, smiles, and memorable moments. Otherwise, it’s tough to argue for this game as the disdain is fairly widespread amongst the fanbase.

Cons: With the discontinuation of online play for the 3DS, the best way to enjoy the game is for three people each with a 3DS and a copy of the game to be in the same room, which can be hard to come by. The plot of the game is also disconnected from just about every other game in the series with a stand-alone, fashion-centric story.

Four Swords Adventures

Pros: It has a legitimate single-player mode that doesn’t bend the game or significantly alter the experience (in stark contrast to the other two multiplayer games above) if you aren’t able to play with friends.

Cons: This is the only game on the BZE list which is not playable on current generation (i.e., Switch) or last generation (i.e., Wii U or 3DS) hardware. It’s stuck on the GameCube with no sign of a second life. If you don’t already have the console and game, it can be difficult and expensive for new fans to track down.

Hyrule Warriors

Pros: The game received a Definitive Edition on the Switch, which makes it far more accessible to fans than the original version on Wii U or the Legends edition on 3DS, showing Nintendo’s continued faith in its value. The game also has one of the deeper plots in the series which celebrates the iconic games from the series in a multiverse fashion.

Cons: The Dynasty Warriors (or Musou) style gameplay is radically different from the rest of the series and can at times feel like nothing more than a Zelda-skin tacked onto to a one-versus-one-thousand game.

Age of Calamity

Pros: The game ties into the universe and characters of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, and it felt far more familiar than its Warriors predecessor. The game’s plot, generous cutscenes, and passionate voice acting make for an engaging experience.

Cons: The game was pitched as a prequel to Breath of the Wild to know what happened before the Calamity, but its plotline veers into the world of time travel and alternate timelines in a way that doesn’t fit with the existing canon. As a result, many fans were sorely disappointed and put off by the unmet expectations that it would fit right in with Breath of the Wild.

Cadence of Hyrule

Pros: The game celebrates the entire series with its nod to enemies, songs, bosses, and character races. Despite its obvious appreciation and respect for the series and masterpiece of a soundtrack, arguments for why it belongs are sparse beyond that it’s fun to play and listen to.

Cons: Similar to the Warriors games, this can feel like a rhythm game with a pasted on Zelda-skin. The plot doesn’t fit into the rest of the series, and it is a completely stand alone game with the story of Cadence and her appearance in the kingdom of Hyrule.

Conclusion

Personally, I would say goodbye to Four Swords if I had to remove a game to make room for Echoes of Wisdom. The other games are at least fully fledged games rather than a short demo. The other I would consider is Cadence of Hyrule despite how much I personally love the game. It’s a great fan appreciation game, but it stands out, in my opinion, as not truly belonging in ways that the other games do.

Which game would you remove in order to make room for Echoes of Wisdom? Would it be any of the games discussed above, and did the reasoning resonate with you? Let us know in the comments below.

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Sorted Under: Breath of the Wild, Cadence of Hyrule, Daily Debate, Echoes of Wisdom, Four Swords, Four Swords Adventures, Games, Hyrule Warriors, Hyrule Warriors Age of Calamity, Hyrule Warriors Legends, Original Content, Tears of the Kingdom, Tri Force Heroes
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