Intro — A quick Hyrule hop
Okay, sword on, shield ready, weird ocarina noises practised — we’re ranking Zelda games. This list corrals mainline titles, remasters, and notable spin-offs into one giant treasure chest. Some entries are masterpieces, some are delightful oddballs, and a few are glorified accessories with impressive box art. Either way, there’s something here for every kind of adventurer.
36. Link’s Crossbow Training (Wii)
Basically a Wii zapper demo packaged as a mini-game collection. Short, silly, and more about aiming than saving kingdoms. Fun for a few rounds, then it turns into a collectible dust-gatherer on your shelf.
35. The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes (3DS)
Three-Link co-op chaos built around stacking and fashion. Cute costumes and moments of teamwork shine, but clunky communication and a weak single-player experience dampen the fun. Great with friends who don’t take teamwork too seriously.
34. Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (NES)
Love-or-hate classic that throws Zelda into side-scrolling RPG territory. Tough as nails, full of weird design choices, and now trendy again thanks to players who enjoy suffering for glory. If you like a challenge (and rewinds), give it another go.
33. The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Anniversary Edition (DSiWare)
A forgotten multiplayer nugget: four Links, some cooperative chaos, and a brief window where it was free. Charming if you can find it, legendary for the friends-you-had-to-have-back-then vibe.
32. Cadence of Hyrule: Crypt of the NecroDancer Featuring The Legend of Zelda (Switch eShop)
What if Zelda danced? Rhythm-based roguelike that somehow respects Zelda while remixing it into a musical puzzle box. Shorter than your typical epic, but wildly replayable and surprisingly Zelda-y.
31. Hyrule Warriors (Wii U)
Dynasty Warriors meets Hyrule. Big crowds, big combos, and a strangely affectionate spin on the series. Not a traditional Zelda, but a satisfying button-mashing diversion for action fans.
30. The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures (GameCube)
True multiplayer Zelda before online made things easy: link your GBAs, pass cables around, and laugh as the screen hops. Brilliant idea, awkward setup. Wonderful if you had the gear and friends who didn’t run away.
29. The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (DS)
Toon Link seasickness-free, now with touchscreen steering and puzzle-solving. A compact, stylus-friendly Zelda that keeps things breezy and clever — a solid handheld voyage with personality.
28. Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition (Switch)
The ultimate fan service Musou: tons of characters, ridiculous battles, and more content than you’ll have time for. Not subtle, but sometimes you just want to obliterate mobs in a copy of Hyrule.
27. The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks (DS)
Train Zelda! If rail-bound travel and inventively designed puzzles appeal to you, Spirit Tracks is secretly delightful. Microphone shenanigans and a strong soundtrack seal the deal for those willing to hop aboard.
26. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment (Switch 2)
Polished Musou action set in familiar Hyruleic chaos. Deep combat, fun gadgets, and a surprisingly meaty story for a hack-and-slasher. A spin-off that gets plenty of things right.
25. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity (Switch)
A Breath of the Wild-meets-Dynasty Warriors mashup that leans into spectacle and fan service. Framerate hiccups aside, it’s comfy lore-filling mayhem with a huge cast to toy with.
24. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD (Switch)
Wii swordplay reworked for modern controllers with sensible quality-of-life fixes. A divisive story and some odd design choices, but the HD polish and optional button controls won over many skeptics.
23. The Legend of Zelda (NES)
The original map-sploration wonder. Simple graphics, fiendish secrets, and a design that trusted players to poke everything with a stick. Historic, occasionally cruel, and still charming in its retro way.
22. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Wii)
Ambitious motion-controlled epic that aimed for cinematic swordplay. Not flawless, but full of clever ideas and important lore — plus it’s the origin story for the Zelda timeline, if you’re into that sort of thing.
21. The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons (GBC)
Weather-wrangling adventure with a combat focus and charming puzzle design. It’s punchy, inventive, and a great companion to Oracle of Ages if you love linked-quest shenanigans.
20. The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom (Switch)
A bold twist where Zelda takes centre stage in a top-down adventure. Feels like classic 2D Zelda vibes with modern touches — breezy, smart, and refreshingly brave for the series.
19. The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening (Switch)
The Switch remake that turned Game Boy melancholy into toybox charm. Cute, clever dungeons, a level creator, and everything you loved about Koholint Island — now with better performance and a lot of personality.
18. The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages (GBC)
Time-travel puzzles galore. Ages is heavier on brain-teasers than brawls, and it uses past/future swapping to make you feel smart when you finally crack a solution. Cozy, clever, and surprisingly deep.
17. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past & Four Swords (GBA)
Classic SNES goodness on the go, plus a neat multiplayer add-on. The GBA version preserves the magic and tacks on a multiplayer bite-sized quest — great for repeat playthroughs and nostalgia binges.
16. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD (Wii U)
Dark, atmospheric, and a little rough around the edges. The HD remaster tidies visuals and fixes a few annoyances, making Midna’s antics and the story’s mood stand out more than ever.
15. The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap (GBA)
Adorable shrinking shenanigans and clever world design. Ezlo’s hat-powered antics give you new ways to explore and the GBA era never looked (or sounded) better for a classic Zelda romp.
14. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Wii)
Wii-era presentation with motion flourishes and a grittier tone. Big dungeons and a strong cast make it a memorable ride, even if it doesn’t reinvent the wheel.
13. The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D (3DS)
Nightmarish, melancholy, and brilliant. The 3DS overhaul polishes rough edges and makes the three-day time loop even more manageable — still one of the series’ most daring and emotional trips.
12. The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening DX (GBC)
Game Boy color polish for an already-perfect portable story. Quirky characters, clever design, and an extra dungeon make this version a must for handheld aficionados.
11. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (GameCube)
The original, grittier version that many purists prefer. Bigger screen real estate and the canonical map layout make this the version to chase if you want the classic feel.
10. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds (3DS)
Smart, elegant, and respectful of its SNES predecessor while adding genius new mechanics like wall-merging. Short, sweet, and the kind of invention that makes you slap your forehead in admiration.
9. The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask (N64)
A haunting dreamworld where three-day loops and strange characters combine into something unforgettable. Not everyone’s jam, but those who love it consider it pure, weird magic.
8. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (Switch)
Expands Breath of the Wild’s playground into an even more astonishing sandbox. Full of discovery, invention, and those little moments you’ll want to tell random strangers about years from now.
7. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD (Wii U)
Toon-shaded sailing at its finest, buffed up with HD niceties. The sea breezes, island variety, and unforgettable soundtrack make this one a perennial fan favorite.
6. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D (3DS)
A respectful and polished revival of one of gaming’s landmarks. Textures, UI, and small quality-of-life upgrades make revisiting Hyrule a smoother, shinier ride than the original.
5. The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening (GB)
Game Boy masterpiece that proves epic adventures fit in tiny cartridges. Inventive mechanics, quirky characters, and pure portable magic — still a joy to play in any form.
4. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (GameCube)
Punchy, bright, and unexpectedly emotional. The original Wind Waker’s toon charm hides a thoughtful story and one of the series’ most memorable soundtracks.
3. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (SNES)
Cornerstone 2D Zelda: tight design, brilliant dungeons, and the parallel-world twist that set the bar for so many games to follow. Pure, timeless design excellence.
2. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Switch)
Open-world Zelda that reimagined exploration and rewarded curiosity like never before. A revolutionary breath of fresh air (pun absolutely intended) — and a playground you’ll happily get lost in for ages.
1. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64)
The OG 3D Zelda that taught games how to tell sweeping, emotional stories in a polygonal playground. It may feel dated in places, but its influence and pure sense of adventure are timeless.
Wrap-up
There you go: 36 Zelda-flavored entries, from tiny accessories to genre-defining epics. Whether you’re chasing nostalgia, tackling a tough classic, or building silly Zonai contraptions, Hyrule’s got something for you.
Best Zelda FAQ
Q: What was the first Zelda game?
A: The original The Legend of Zelda debuted in Japan in 1986 on the Famicom Disk System and later hit NES cartridges overseas. It’s the one that started the whole legend.
Q: How many Zelda games are there?
A: Count depends on rules, but including remasters and notable spin-offs this list covers around 28 main entries and a handful of important extras. Fans squabble over what qualifies as “mainline” — welcome to fandom!
Q: What’s the newest Zelda?
A: As of now, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment is a recent big release (a Switch 2 exclusive), while Echoes of Wisdom is the latest traditional Zelda adventure to arrive on modern consoles.
Q: Which Zelda should I play first?
A: A Link to the Past is a fantastic entry point for classic Zelda design. If you prefer modern open-world freedom, Breath of the Wild is also a brilliant starting place.
Q: What’s the toughest Zelda?
A: Zelda II: The Adventure of Link gets the crown for difficulty pretty often — old-school platforming, RPG elements, and a brutal learning curve.
Q: Which Zelda sold the most copies?
A: Breath of the Wild is the top seller, with millions of copies out in the wild thanks to its massive critical and commercial success.
Q: Wait, isn’t Zelda the green-clad hero?
A: Funny misunderstanding — Zelda is the princess. The green-tunic hero is Link. Very confusing for new players, we know.
Q: Why is she called Zelda?
A: Shigeru Miyamoto reportedly liked the sound of Zelda Fitzgerald’s name and borrowed it. Literary inspiration meets fantasy royalty.
Q: Why isn’t my favorite game listed?
A: We tried to include main games, remasters, and big spin-offs. Some obscure ports and side projects were skipped, but feel free to shout about your favorite — rankings are subjective and always up for debate.
Q: Can I change the rankings?
A: In some places, community ratings influence lists like this. If the site supports user ratings, vote away — your opinion might nudge the leaderboard over time.
