With a remake of Ocarina of Time on the horizon, it is time to reminisce and to craft what is arguably the most upsetting and anger-infusing thing someone on the internet can craft: a biased, opinionated, and subjective list of what he considers to be the best games in The Legend of Zelda franchise.
So, without further ado, let’s begin this very short, albeit passionate ranking of the seven most popular Zelda games.
7. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
I know some of my fellow writers will probably send me to the bonfire for this one, but I’m a very “dark” Zelda fan, so The Wind Waker was never a game for me. Cel-shaded graphics, the ocean sailing (I hate water man, The Water Temple messed me up), and the post-N64 hangover made me go “meh” when WW came out.
Of course, once I got to play it, I encountered a very good Zelda game set in one of the gazillion timeline branches, all thanks to OoT. So, I still will include it in my top 7 Zelda lists because it is, objectively, a masterpiece. Just not my masterpiece.
6. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
The same thing could be said about A Link to the Past. On top of being a “dark” Zelda man, I’m also a 3D Zelda nerd. This means that, due to age or just bias, I initially missed many of the 2D Zeldas, including ALttP. Therefore, it is not a game that I come back to very often, whether it’s by playing it or while mentioning it in “best Zelda” discussions.
However, the introduction of the Master Sword, the Light and Dark World duality (something that would be very present in many future games), and even a very Ocarina-looking Flute make it a Zelda game to be reckoned with and a very important entry in gaming history in general.
5. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Oh yes, you might go get your torches and pitchforks, as the list is about to get very “hot takey” moving forward (it already was, I know). Breath of the Wild is considered one of, if not the best, game of all time by many. I consider it one of the best modern interpretations of Nintendo franchises in general. I’ve spent hundreds of hours during my multiple playthroughs of BotW and, to be honest, I never get tired of it.
Still, many might toss this and the next entry in the list aside, given that they don’t follow the Zelda formula (dungeons, Master Sword, dungeons, end). And, in part, after all these years, I tend to partially agree with this sentiment. But no matter what I do, I just can’t look back at this game without a smile on my face.
4. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
I’m one of those fellows who consider Tears of the Kingdom better than Breath of the Wild. We exist and deserve to be seen, damn it! And while many might consider this game bloated, there’s something that this game has that I missed: linearity. And yes, I might be contradicting myself here since this game is even more open than BotW, thanks to its mechanics (and man, I’m a ZERO with the Ultrahand).
Sure, it isn’t as linear as past games by a long shot, but the feeling of advancing the story through the missions and actually experiencing events as they happen, rather than reliving them or rediscovering them, is a much-needed breath of fresh air.
3. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Maybe the disappointment I felt with The Wind Waker made me yearn for a “traditional” Zelda game so much that I grabbed the very next thing Nintendo threw at me and just treasured it like it was the Holy Grail. But man, just thinking about Twilight Princess sends chills all through my body.
The dark, nostalgic, and borderline depressing atmosphere throughout the game is what sold it to me, but the very emotional moments sprinkled throughout Link’s journey (Midna’s Lament, you tearjerking thing) make TT my occasional favorite Zelda game.
2. The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask
I just can’t with this game. At this point, you might want to call me an emo boy, and you might probably be right. But no matter how many appointments I take, my soul is just configured in such a way that a game like Majora’s Mask simply fits right into it.
Majora’s Mask is a very confusing game at times, frustrating even, but ultimately, the epitome of grief, sorrow, and loss in video game form. I will blast Song of Healing in my car forever, and Termina will be in my heart until my last breath.
1. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
I had never cried over any video game announcement, ever. That is, of course, until Ocarina of Time Remake was revealed. The number of tears I shed that day was incalculable, and while the initial thrill moved me, so did the memories that came pouring down as if Child Link had just played the Song of Storms for the first time before visiting the Bottom of the Well.
OoT is the game of my life, and I probably owe many of the things I am and many of the paths I’ve taken to this game. And while I might occasionally place Majora’s Mask above it from time to time in an attempt to sound edgy, the truth is that Ocarina of Time is my favorite Zelda game. Period.
Editor’s Note: Alejandro is correct that Ocarina of Time is the best Zelda game. He is wrong about basically everything else on this list. Shame him.
