For any of you Zelda players on this forum, I've played all of the Zelda games, and have beaten most of them, and so I have a good idea of what my favorite and least favorite games are in the series. So I would like to share with you all my top 19 Zelda titles (top 20 once Breath Of The Wild 2 comes out).
1. Wind Waker - Wind Waker is actually my favorite video game of all time. This game has the best story of any game I've ever played as well. This Link is just an underdog who becomes a legend, Tetra is anything but another Zelda clone, and Ganondorf is at his best here in character development. The King Of Red Lions, or Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule, the King Of Hyrule, is also a great character. The ocean in this game is quite vast and has many secrets to uncover as well. I just loved exploring every island, mapping the entire thing, and getting all of the treasure charts and finding all of the treasure.
2. Ocarina Of Time - Playing this and Majora's Mask on the 3DS made me realize how much they both stood out compared to other Zelda titles and even most other 3D Zelda titles. This game is also even darker than Twilight Princess which is rated Teen, probably due to Twilight Princess's appearance in the game rather than the atmosphere at times like in Ocarina Of Time. I love the inclusion of the child and adult timelines, and how the story sets you up as the chosen one going on this serious quest to defeat the final villain. I know it's cliche but no other game I've played has done this and executed it as well as Ocarina Of Time did, which makes it all the more epic.
3. Majora's Mask - This game is the darkest Zelda game out there, and there's a bleak atmosphere throughout the third day and especially the final hours. There's also a lot of sidequests and it lets you get to know all of the Termina citizens as well, and even if they're just the same characters in Ocarina Of Time, just in an alternate universe where you have no real connection to, you can really relate to their backstories. The Anju & Kafei sidequest for example is the best sidequest I've ever experienced in a video game.
4. Twilight Princess - I feel like this is when Zelda becomes more cinematic, although that isn't a bad thing. The inclusion of Twilight and the Twilight Realm made this game aesthetically dark, and when you add in the dark shaded graphics, it works perfectly for this game. With that said, as opposed to Ocarina Of Time and Majora's Mask, which pull off dark themes near perfectly, Twilight Princess can try too hard to be dark at times. More positives include the overworld itself, which is just as vast as Wind Waker's except with far less water, as well as the combat system, with it being the best in this Zelda game than any other, and Midna and Zant are both awesome characters.
5. Skyward Sword - This game is cinematic just like Twilight Princess. Groose is the best Zelda character I've witnessed in the franchise, and Link and Zelda's relationship is the best here than any other Zelda title. I feel like the characters and their relationships are at its peak in this Zelda game in general, actually. I do feel like this is where the 3D Zelda games start to show decline in quality, however. For example, I feel like the overworld is lacking compared to ones like Twilight Princess, and the sky islands are less interesting than Wind Waker's islands. Nonetheless, this is still a solid Zelda game and I would recommend newcomers to Zelda play OOT, MM, WW, TP, and SS to get a complete Zelda experience.
6. Breath Of The Wild - Great video game, bad 3D Zelda title. I feel like they changed too much, like the overworld is far bigger than Wind Waker's and Twilight Princess' but the dungeons, or shrines, are far smaller here, and the dungeons that aren't shrines are fewer than Majora's Mask's dungeons. The items and equipment are also less interesting, with many of them breaking after a certain point as well. Still noticeably superior to the 2D Zelda titles.
7. Tears Of The Kingdom - Same as Breath Of The Wild, great video game, bad 3D Zelda title. Many of the positive aspects about Breath Of The Wild were improved upon in Tears Of The Kingdom, but many of the negative aspects were magnified, so it’s overall the inferior game. Also noticeably superior to the 2D Zelda titles.
8. A Link To The Past - A true classic and the best 2D Zelda game ever. This game is quite underrated, as I hardly see any praise for it these days, even compared to other 2D Zelda games. The difficulty, dungeons, and length are all the best in this game than any other Zelda game.
9. Minish Cap - I feel like this is a good game. I like how you have ties to the royal family in this game, and the Minish were a cool race in the Zelda universe. Elzo is a good sidekick character, but Vaati is not a good villain. I actually feel like the game could have been more interesting without Kinstone Pieces and Mysterious Shells, which I feel are both tedious side quests.
10. Link's Awakening - This is a good for its time. I actually like how it's another canon side story Zelda title like Majora's Mask, and I love the romance with Link and Marin because it's unlike anything you see in any other Zelda game. If you want to get into a 2D Zelda game, I strongly recommend the 2019 remake of this game.
11. Oracle Of Ages - I feel like this is almost objectively better than Oracle Of Seasons even though I like that game too. For one thing, Labrynna is not a rip off of the map in the original Legend Of Zelda game like Holodrum is. Another is that the story is superior, and Veran is a much better main villain than Onox is.
12. Oracle Of Seasons - Inferior to Ages in almost every way. One thing it has on Ages though is that Subrosia is a very interesting inclusion to the game, and I also like the Natzu terrains more than Nuun terrains.
13. Phantom Hourglass - The free roaming adventure of Wind Waker was scrapped in place of the gimmick loading screens between islands and stations in Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks, and the dungeons are also worse in these games than in Wind Waker. Phantom Hourglass is not a bad game though, Linebeck is a great character, and the islands themselves are bigger and more interesting than in Wind Waker.
14. Spirit Tracks - What could have made this game more interesting is rather than getting to explore an open world, you're restricted to trains and railroads. This game has the best incarnation of Zelda though, and traveling on a train itself in this game is actually more enjoyable than traveling from island to island in Phantom Hourglass. Like Phantom Hourglass, this isn't a bad game, either.
15. A Link Between Worlds - I feel like this either should have been an 3D remake of A Link To The Past, or just a game taking place hundreds of years after it with a different Hyrule rather than a spiritual successor. I also feel like this game is too short. I do like the use of items in this game though and completing the dungeons in whatever order you want to.
16. The Legend Of Zelda - This is getting into the territory of Zelda games I dislike. There's little to no real sidequests in this game, and while people who give this game praise say there's so much to explore, I could find better secrets in later Zelda titles than this one. Still noticeably better than Adventure Of Link.
17. The Adventure Of Link - I'll give this game credit where it's due because it's the only side scrolling Zelda game. However, the three lives system alone makes this inferior to and aged even worse than The Legend Of Zelda, even if it being the hardest Zelda game is also one of its strongest points.
18. Four Swords Adventures - This game feels like it's a rip off of A Link To The Past in some ways, with it being vastly inferior to it as well. The levels and gameplay are just not something you should see in a Zelda game, as well.
19. Four Swords - Definitely a fun game, it's too bad it has to be played with more than one player. There's no real story either other than beating Vaati yet again.
20. Triforce Heroes - This is the only game in the franchise where I think it's not only just a bad Zelda game, it's just a bad game in general. I don't have anything else to say other than this.
1. Wind Waker - Wind Waker is actually my favorite video game of all time. This game has the best story of any game I've ever played as well. This Link is just an underdog who becomes a legend, Tetra is anything but another Zelda clone, and Ganondorf is at his best here in character development. The King Of Red Lions, or Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule, the King Of Hyrule, is also a great character. The ocean in this game is quite vast and has many secrets to uncover as well. I just loved exploring every island, mapping the entire thing, and getting all of the treasure charts and finding all of the treasure.
2. Ocarina Of Time - Playing this and Majora's Mask on the 3DS made me realize how much they both stood out compared to other Zelda titles and even most other 3D Zelda titles. This game is also even darker than Twilight Princess which is rated Teen, probably due to Twilight Princess's appearance in the game rather than the atmosphere at times like in Ocarina Of Time. I love the inclusion of the child and adult timelines, and how the story sets you up as the chosen one going on this serious quest to defeat the final villain. I know it's cliche but no other game I've played has done this and executed it as well as Ocarina Of Time did, which makes it all the more epic.
3. Majora's Mask - This game is the darkest Zelda game out there, and there's a bleak atmosphere throughout the third day and especially the final hours. There's also a lot of sidequests and it lets you get to know all of the Termina citizens as well, and even if they're just the same characters in Ocarina Of Time, just in an alternate universe where you have no real connection to, you can really relate to their backstories. The Anju & Kafei sidequest for example is the best sidequest I've ever experienced in a video game.
4. Twilight Princess - I feel like this is when Zelda becomes more cinematic, although that isn't a bad thing. The inclusion of Twilight and the Twilight Realm made this game aesthetically dark, and when you add in the dark shaded graphics, it works perfectly for this game. With that said, as opposed to Ocarina Of Time and Majora's Mask, which pull off dark themes near perfectly, Twilight Princess can try too hard to be dark at times. More positives include the overworld itself, which is just as vast as Wind Waker's except with far less water, as well as the combat system, with it being the best in this Zelda game than any other, and Midna and Zant are both awesome characters.
5. Skyward Sword - This game is cinematic just like Twilight Princess. Groose is the best Zelda character I've witnessed in the franchise, and Link and Zelda's relationship is the best here than any other Zelda title. I feel like the characters and their relationships are at its peak in this Zelda game in general, actually. I do feel like this is where the 3D Zelda games start to show decline in quality, however. For example, I feel like the overworld is lacking compared to ones like Twilight Princess, and the sky islands are less interesting than Wind Waker's islands. Nonetheless, this is still a solid Zelda game and I would recommend newcomers to Zelda play OOT, MM, WW, TP, and SS to get a complete Zelda experience.
6. Breath Of The Wild - Great video game, bad 3D Zelda title. I feel like they changed too much, like the overworld is far bigger than Wind Waker's and Twilight Princess' but the dungeons, or shrines, are far smaller here, and the dungeons that aren't shrines are fewer than Majora's Mask's dungeons. The items and equipment are also less interesting, with many of them breaking after a certain point as well. Still noticeably superior to the 2D Zelda titles.
7. Tears Of The Kingdom - Same as Breath Of The Wild, great video game, bad 3D Zelda title. Many of the positive aspects about Breath Of The Wild were improved upon in Tears Of The Kingdom, but many of the negative aspects were magnified, so it’s overall the inferior game. Also noticeably superior to the 2D Zelda titles.
8. A Link To The Past - A true classic and the best 2D Zelda game ever. This game is quite underrated, as I hardly see any praise for it these days, even compared to other 2D Zelda games. The difficulty, dungeons, and length are all the best in this game than any other Zelda game.
9. Minish Cap - I feel like this is a good game. I like how you have ties to the royal family in this game, and the Minish were a cool race in the Zelda universe. Elzo is a good sidekick character, but Vaati is not a good villain. I actually feel like the game could have been more interesting without Kinstone Pieces and Mysterious Shells, which I feel are both tedious side quests.
10. Link's Awakening - This is a good for its time. I actually like how it's another canon side story Zelda title like Majora's Mask, and I love the romance with Link and Marin because it's unlike anything you see in any other Zelda game. If you want to get into a 2D Zelda game, I strongly recommend the 2019 remake of this game.
11. Oracle Of Ages - I feel like this is almost objectively better than Oracle Of Seasons even though I like that game too. For one thing, Labrynna is not a rip off of the map in the original Legend Of Zelda game like Holodrum is. Another is that the story is superior, and Veran is a much better main villain than Onox is.
12. Oracle Of Seasons - Inferior to Ages in almost every way. One thing it has on Ages though is that Subrosia is a very interesting inclusion to the game, and I also like the Natzu terrains more than Nuun terrains.
13. Phantom Hourglass - The free roaming adventure of Wind Waker was scrapped in place of the gimmick loading screens between islands and stations in Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks, and the dungeons are also worse in these games than in Wind Waker. Phantom Hourglass is not a bad game though, Linebeck is a great character, and the islands themselves are bigger and more interesting than in Wind Waker.
14. Spirit Tracks - What could have made this game more interesting is rather than getting to explore an open world, you're restricted to trains and railroads. This game has the best incarnation of Zelda though, and traveling on a train itself in this game is actually more enjoyable than traveling from island to island in Phantom Hourglass. Like Phantom Hourglass, this isn't a bad game, either.
15. A Link Between Worlds - I feel like this either should have been an 3D remake of A Link To The Past, or just a game taking place hundreds of years after it with a different Hyrule rather than a spiritual successor. I also feel like this game is too short. I do like the use of items in this game though and completing the dungeons in whatever order you want to.
16. The Legend Of Zelda - This is getting into the territory of Zelda games I dislike. There's little to no real sidequests in this game, and while people who give this game praise say there's so much to explore, I could find better secrets in later Zelda titles than this one. Still noticeably better than Adventure Of Link.
17. The Adventure Of Link - I'll give this game credit where it's due because it's the only side scrolling Zelda game. However, the three lives system alone makes this inferior to and aged even worse than The Legend Of Zelda, even if it being the hardest Zelda game is also one of its strongest points.
18. Four Swords Adventures - This game feels like it's a rip off of A Link To The Past in some ways, with it being vastly inferior to it as well. The levels and gameplay are just not something you should see in a Zelda game, as well.
19. Four Swords - Definitely a fun game, it's too bad it has to be played with more than one player. There's no real story either other than beating Vaati yet again.
20. Triforce Heroes - This is the only game in the franchise where I think it's not only just a bad Zelda game, it's just a bad game in general. I don't have anything else to say other than this.
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