Majora's Cat
How about that
I decided to make a list of the main Zeldas from the best to worst. This is no easy task, since I have not played all of them. Using the knowledge I have gathered an my own personal experiences and research, here is my best-to-worst Zelda games list:
1. Twilight Princess
I know that many will argue. Seriously? TP as the number one Zelda? Surely I must be mad. I assure you I am 100% sane. Twilight Princess is what we wanted a Zelda game to be - a fresh, new Ocarina of Time with cooler dungeons and bosses. Isn't that exactly what TP delivered? In the beginning, right when it was released, people really respected TP. Only after a few years did its popularity die and it became so cruely criticized by Zelda fans. I thought the game was nearly perfect - a bevy of extra sidequests to keep you busy, detailed dungeons that had better designs than all previous ones in the Zelda franchise, better graphics and the addition of the Twilight Realm and Wolf Link. When written on paper, TP is a Zelda fan's dream. Remember what happened at E3 2004? Twilight Princess was showcased for the first time, and the crowd's reaction was perhaps the greatest moment in E3 history. This popularity stayed with the game until a little while after it was released, then it became an often-hated title in the Zelda franchise. What gives? People often complain about that magical feeling missing. That same magical feeling that was in the atmosphere when you played MM or OoT. HA! As if. Twilight Princess replaced that magical feeling with something better - sheer epicness. There was a new feeling to this game - it was atmospheric - it was amazing and new - it was EPIC. Many fans also neglect the fact that TP is he second highest-rated Zelda in history for GC and Wii. TP for GC is actually the 11th highest-rated game of all time, but still behind OoT which stands at number one in the majority of aggregate review websites. While TP may not have that legacy, that revolutionary feeling, that genius that OoT had, it sure improved upon just about everything else makng TP my personal best Zelda.
2. Ocarina of Time
Let's admit it - we all saw it coming - OoT in the top three. Let me get this out of the way - OoT is the greatest game of all time, period. No second thoughts, nothing. At the time it was released, OoT was a godsend. A game of the heavens. Whatever you wanted to call it - it was absolutely perfect in every imaginable way. You thought Super Mario 64 was good? OoT blew it out of the water. It did everything bigger and better than any game released before it. The dungeons were challenging, the bosses were amazing, the graphics were great, the gameplay was perfect and your final battle against the great Ganon was perhaps the best way to finish off the best game ever. OoT changed the gaming landscape as we know it, being the third time it's been done in the Zelda franchise. OoT is the one. The only. The legend.
3. Majora's Mask
Oh, I can't describe for you my love for MM. So many things to say, so many things that leave you speechless. This may be the most underappreciated Zelda ever. Only in these present days do people start worshipping MM at OoT's level. It literally took ten years for gamers to realize MM's brilliance. And thank heavens they did. Majora's Mask had everything - a darker story, cooler bosses and dungeons, a deep connection to the characters and most importantly: the masks. The several masks you could collect throughout the game gave you access so several races as well as some strange abilities that will earn you heart pieces. But the biggest payoff is at the very end when you receive the Fierce Deity Mask, the supreme power. You may feel as if it gives you a bit too much power when up against Majora, but it's worth it nonetheless. It's especially fun when you learn how to use the glitch, allowing you to use it outside boss arenas here. MM was also revered for its deep connection to the NPC's. You could actually feel for them, understand them if you completed the sidequests. The game has a dark tone with the three day time limit and the creepy moon slowly descending on Termina. MM is not to be missed, and I'm glad gamers are starting to like it more.
4. Wind Waker
I'll keep this brief. I loved WW's cel-shading, it makes it more appealing to younger audiences. I found that it made the game have a decidedly lighter tone. The dungeons were great, but I found the bosses to be ridiculously easy. The sea was extremely vast, making perhaps the largest Zelda game to date. The problem was that I felt a lot of that space was wasted. The open seas felt a bit too... shall I say... boring. I liked the general idea, but the real problem that arose was the size of the islands. Most of them were miniscule, making the huge world seem limited.
5. A Link to the Past
The original Zelda layed out the blueprints, and ALttP perfected the structure and created the backbone for all 2D Zeldas to come. I often found that ALttP deserved a bit more critical appraise. It scored lower than FFIII, Super Metroid, Chrono Trigger and Super Mario Kart. What? I played Super Metroid and Super Mario Kart before, and I can tell you straight-up that they are nothing compared to ALttP. The graphics were crisp and fresh, the gameplay was fine-tuned and smooth, the dungeons were tough, the bosses were tougher, and the game was a lengthy 20 hours. ALttP defined one generation of Zelda games and forever changed the gaming landscape. Of the three times the Zelda franchise has changed the game, ALttP was the second.
6. The Legend of Zelda
The legend began here. LoZ dropped you off in the middle of nowhere with no apparent goal. You look around, and you see a small cave out of the corner of your eye. Perhaps that is where I should be. You enter, curious to see what's inside. An old man gifts you with a sword, and your quest begins. LoZ was the most non-linear of them all. You had to find your way to each dungeonby chance in chronological order. No help, no clues. Just you. And so gaming's greatest franchise begins.
7. Link's Awakening
The boy garbed in green's first handheld episode, Link's Awakening was a smashing success. The game was light-hearted and happy, but never lost its Zelda charm. It would define the Zelda franchise to be a force to be reckoned with on the home console front as well as the portable front.
8. The Minish Cap
Perhaps the Zelda franchise's best handheld game, MC was the ideal handheld Zelda in so many ways. Featuring a Link who, with the help of a magical cap, could become bite-sized, MC was just perfectly lovable. The dungeons had great music - in my opinion, the best in any handheld or 2D Zelda until Spirit Tracks. The antagonist, Vaati, was a formidable foe - nearly as epic as Ganondorf. Vaati's boss music is among the best in Zelda history, and Vaati himself is one beast of a boss. Garnering multiple awards for the handheld division, I declare The Minish Cap to be the greatest "pocket" Zelda to date.
9. Oracle of Seasons/Ages
I have grouped these two games together because they are equally good. These revolutionary installments brought a special quality to the franchise - the game link cable. The password system allowed the games to "interact" with each other. Even without these functions, OoX stands out as some of the best handheld games ever created.
10. Spirit Tracks
ST just had to be in tenth place. The only reason I say this is because of two things. 1) The music in the game was incredible. From the heartwarming flute melodies to the two boss battle themes to the overworld and final boss songs, ST (in my opinion) has one of the best soundtracks in Zelda history, if not, then the best soundtrack. 2) The inclusion of the Spirit Flute and the Tower of Spirits. I very much liked the idea of blowing into a microphone to play a virtual instrument. It adds a realistic element to ST. As for the Tower of Spirits, the design was magnificent and the overall idea was polished and not as tiring or repetitive as most would think.
11. Adventure of Link
AoL is widely regarded as the hardest Zelda to date. I have played a little bit of it, and I must say the same. AoL is ridiculously hard, and just simply completing it is much harder than completing the rest of the Zelda games 100%. The side-scrolling gameplay was a welcome addition to AoL, but felt vastly different and was criticized a lot because of it.
12. Four Swords
Four Swords is great for a number of reasons. The first is that it came bundled with A Link to the Past. Secondly, it was a handheld game and was the first to feature a multiplayer mode. Hooray for innovation!
13. Phantom Hourglass
PH was a worthy addition into the franchise, creating a Wind Waker-esque Toon Link in a 2.5D world. The sailing mechanic was greatly improved upon, and the dungeons and bosses weren't bad either. It wasn't particularly memorable, but PH was enough to satisfy any gamer, Zelda fan or not.
14. Four Swords Adventures
We reach the end of the line. FSA is widely considered the worst Zelda for a few reasons. First off, the game was designed into levels. You progressed in an extremely linear fashion as you worked your way through short levels. You didn't get to keep the heart pieces you collected either. Even more, you would have to carry keys to the door. What?! Carry? Additionally, only one item was allowed to be used at a time. That means you won't be keeping your trusty boomerang throughout the whole game, my friends. Even with these shortcomings, FSA is still far better than the average game.
Hope you guys liked my list! Please comment on it and if you want, create your own!
1. Twilight Princess
I know that many will argue. Seriously? TP as the number one Zelda? Surely I must be mad. I assure you I am 100% sane. Twilight Princess is what we wanted a Zelda game to be - a fresh, new Ocarina of Time with cooler dungeons and bosses. Isn't that exactly what TP delivered? In the beginning, right when it was released, people really respected TP. Only after a few years did its popularity die and it became so cruely criticized by Zelda fans. I thought the game was nearly perfect - a bevy of extra sidequests to keep you busy, detailed dungeons that had better designs than all previous ones in the Zelda franchise, better graphics and the addition of the Twilight Realm and Wolf Link. When written on paper, TP is a Zelda fan's dream. Remember what happened at E3 2004? Twilight Princess was showcased for the first time, and the crowd's reaction was perhaps the greatest moment in E3 history. This popularity stayed with the game until a little while after it was released, then it became an often-hated title in the Zelda franchise. What gives? People often complain about that magical feeling missing. That same magical feeling that was in the atmosphere when you played MM or OoT. HA! As if. Twilight Princess replaced that magical feeling with something better - sheer epicness. There was a new feeling to this game - it was atmospheric - it was amazing and new - it was EPIC. Many fans also neglect the fact that TP is he second highest-rated Zelda in history for GC and Wii. TP for GC is actually the 11th highest-rated game of all time, but still behind OoT which stands at number one in the majority of aggregate review websites. While TP may not have that legacy, that revolutionary feeling, that genius that OoT had, it sure improved upon just about everything else makng TP my personal best Zelda.
2. Ocarina of Time
Let's admit it - we all saw it coming - OoT in the top three. Let me get this out of the way - OoT is the greatest game of all time, period. No second thoughts, nothing. At the time it was released, OoT was a godsend. A game of the heavens. Whatever you wanted to call it - it was absolutely perfect in every imaginable way. You thought Super Mario 64 was good? OoT blew it out of the water. It did everything bigger and better than any game released before it. The dungeons were challenging, the bosses were amazing, the graphics were great, the gameplay was perfect and your final battle against the great Ganon was perhaps the best way to finish off the best game ever. OoT changed the gaming landscape as we know it, being the third time it's been done in the Zelda franchise. OoT is the one. The only. The legend.
3. Majora's Mask
Oh, I can't describe for you my love for MM. So many things to say, so many things that leave you speechless. This may be the most underappreciated Zelda ever. Only in these present days do people start worshipping MM at OoT's level. It literally took ten years for gamers to realize MM's brilliance. And thank heavens they did. Majora's Mask had everything - a darker story, cooler bosses and dungeons, a deep connection to the characters and most importantly: the masks. The several masks you could collect throughout the game gave you access so several races as well as some strange abilities that will earn you heart pieces. But the biggest payoff is at the very end when you receive the Fierce Deity Mask, the supreme power. You may feel as if it gives you a bit too much power when up against Majora, but it's worth it nonetheless. It's especially fun when you learn how to use the glitch, allowing you to use it outside boss arenas here. MM was also revered for its deep connection to the NPC's. You could actually feel for them, understand them if you completed the sidequests. The game has a dark tone with the three day time limit and the creepy moon slowly descending on Termina. MM is not to be missed, and I'm glad gamers are starting to like it more.
4. Wind Waker
I'll keep this brief. I loved WW's cel-shading, it makes it more appealing to younger audiences. I found that it made the game have a decidedly lighter tone. The dungeons were great, but I found the bosses to be ridiculously easy. The sea was extremely vast, making perhaps the largest Zelda game to date. The problem was that I felt a lot of that space was wasted. The open seas felt a bit too... shall I say... boring. I liked the general idea, but the real problem that arose was the size of the islands. Most of them were miniscule, making the huge world seem limited.
5. A Link to the Past
The original Zelda layed out the blueprints, and ALttP perfected the structure and created the backbone for all 2D Zeldas to come. I often found that ALttP deserved a bit more critical appraise. It scored lower than FFIII, Super Metroid, Chrono Trigger and Super Mario Kart. What? I played Super Metroid and Super Mario Kart before, and I can tell you straight-up that they are nothing compared to ALttP. The graphics were crisp and fresh, the gameplay was fine-tuned and smooth, the dungeons were tough, the bosses were tougher, and the game was a lengthy 20 hours. ALttP defined one generation of Zelda games and forever changed the gaming landscape. Of the three times the Zelda franchise has changed the game, ALttP was the second.
6. The Legend of Zelda
The legend began here. LoZ dropped you off in the middle of nowhere with no apparent goal. You look around, and you see a small cave out of the corner of your eye. Perhaps that is where I should be. You enter, curious to see what's inside. An old man gifts you with a sword, and your quest begins. LoZ was the most non-linear of them all. You had to find your way to each dungeonby chance in chronological order. No help, no clues. Just you. And so gaming's greatest franchise begins.
7. Link's Awakening
The boy garbed in green's first handheld episode, Link's Awakening was a smashing success. The game was light-hearted and happy, but never lost its Zelda charm. It would define the Zelda franchise to be a force to be reckoned with on the home console front as well as the portable front.
8. The Minish Cap
Perhaps the Zelda franchise's best handheld game, MC was the ideal handheld Zelda in so many ways. Featuring a Link who, with the help of a magical cap, could become bite-sized, MC was just perfectly lovable. The dungeons had great music - in my opinion, the best in any handheld or 2D Zelda until Spirit Tracks. The antagonist, Vaati, was a formidable foe - nearly as epic as Ganondorf. Vaati's boss music is among the best in Zelda history, and Vaati himself is one beast of a boss. Garnering multiple awards for the handheld division, I declare The Minish Cap to be the greatest "pocket" Zelda to date.
9. Oracle of Seasons/Ages
I have grouped these two games together because they are equally good. These revolutionary installments brought a special quality to the franchise - the game link cable. The password system allowed the games to "interact" with each other. Even without these functions, OoX stands out as some of the best handheld games ever created.
10. Spirit Tracks
ST just had to be in tenth place. The only reason I say this is because of two things. 1) The music in the game was incredible. From the heartwarming flute melodies to the two boss battle themes to the overworld and final boss songs, ST (in my opinion) has one of the best soundtracks in Zelda history, if not, then the best soundtrack. 2) The inclusion of the Spirit Flute and the Tower of Spirits. I very much liked the idea of blowing into a microphone to play a virtual instrument. It adds a realistic element to ST. As for the Tower of Spirits, the design was magnificent and the overall idea was polished and not as tiring or repetitive as most would think.
11. Adventure of Link
AoL is widely regarded as the hardest Zelda to date. I have played a little bit of it, and I must say the same. AoL is ridiculously hard, and just simply completing it is much harder than completing the rest of the Zelda games 100%. The side-scrolling gameplay was a welcome addition to AoL, but felt vastly different and was criticized a lot because of it.
12. Four Swords
Four Swords is great for a number of reasons. The first is that it came bundled with A Link to the Past. Secondly, it was a handheld game and was the first to feature a multiplayer mode. Hooray for innovation!
13. Phantom Hourglass
PH was a worthy addition into the franchise, creating a Wind Waker-esque Toon Link in a 2.5D world. The sailing mechanic was greatly improved upon, and the dungeons and bosses weren't bad either. It wasn't particularly memorable, but PH was enough to satisfy any gamer, Zelda fan or not.
14. Four Swords Adventures
We reach the end of the line. FSA is widely considered the worst Zelda for a few reasons. First off, the game was designed into levels. You progressed in an extremely linear fashion as you worked your way through short levels. You didn't get to keep the heart pieces you collected either. Even more, you would have to carry keys to the door. What?! Carry? Additionally, only one item was allowed to be used at a time. That means you won't be keeping your trusty boomerang throughout the whole game, my friends. Even with these shortcomings, FSA is still far better than the average game.
Hope you guys liked my list! Please comment on it and if you want, create your own!
Last edited:
