The Legend of Zeldafranchise is massive, with over 29 games spanning across nearly 40 years. Throughout the franchise’s lifetime, it has largely stuck to the same formula, combining puzzle-solving with adventures and sword-based combat across various dungeons, wastelands, and kingdoms. However,there have been times when theZeldafranchise changed thingsby leaning more towards certain mechanics, giving Link a brand-new ability, or simply deviating from the series' typically lighthearted tone.
There have been many different variations of the typicalZeldaformula over the decades. Many of them have been well-received by critics and players alike, though there has been the occasional blunder. With so many games to choose from, certain entries clearly stand out from the rest, which makes all of them incredibly memorable in one way or another.
10Link: The Faces Of Evil & Zelda: The Wand Of Gamelon
Released On The CD-i In 1993
Link: The Faces Of Evilis already rather unusual due to the fact that it actually has Link talk, when fans are so used to him being a silent protagonist.Wand Of Gamelon, on the other hand, was the very first game that allowed players to take the role of Zelda herself, though she relied on a sword and shield much like Link does. Both of these games released on the CDI to initially mixed reception, only for that reception to turn more negative as time passed.
The Faces of EvilandThe Wand of Gamelonare both considered non-canon to the series, and neither were developed by Nintendo.
Both of these games more closely resemble side-scrolling platformersrather than the typical top-down viewZeldatitles were known for, making the focus more on properly traversing through environments rather than puzzle solving or combat. Although the combat itself is nothing too remarkable, it stands out mainly due to the bizarre voice acting, writing, and art.
9Skyward Sword
Released On The Wii In 2011
While other games in theZeldafranchise briefly experimented with the Wii’s motion control capabilities,Skyward Swordwas the one to perfect it. Utilizing both the Wii Remote (with Wii MotionPlus) and Nunchuck,players are able to immerse themselves in the game’s combat, allowing them to feel as if they are Link themselves. Furthermore, players are able to launch ranged projectiles from their sword, allowing for a way to safely deal with enemies from a distance, which is especially vital if their shield is about to break.
2021’sSkyward Sword HDremasterintroduced button controls for playing on the Switch in handheld mode.
On top of the immersive combat,Skyward Swordalso provides players with a unique method of traversal. Before this game’s release, Link’s methods of travel were limited to walking, fast travel through magic, or riding around on a horse. Skyward Sword, however, allows players to take to the skies on a Loftwing, providing an incredible visual spectacle as they fly around the game’s large map.
8Twilight Princess
Released On The GameCube In 2006
As the firstLegend of Zeldagame to get the T ESRB rating,Twilight Princessimmediately stands out from many of the other entries in the franchise. Its muted color palette and higher death count than other Zelda games clearly contribute to its darker tone.
Other than the slight use of motion controls,Twilight Princess' gameplay is particularly notable due to Link’s new ability to transform into a wolf. Since Link can’t use his usual gear and weapons in this form, players need to rely on his enhanced senses to solve puzzles and complete quests, whilehis companion Midnacan help during combat with her magic. It ultimately provides players with unique challenges as they journey through the Twilight.
7Four Swords
Released On The Game Boy Advance In 2002
Released alongsideA Link To The Past’s GBA port,The Legend of Zelda: Four Swordsis the first multiplayerZeldagame in the franchise. The game allows for two to four players to play as clones of Link, traversing through dungeons to obtain the most rupees. All the while, they must work together to not only solve puzzles, but also fight against the powerful bosses that await at the end of each dungeon.
The game that followed soon after,Four Swords Adventures, has a similar premise, though it also allowed for single-player gameplay. What makes the combat in these games great is that the various Links can follow the leading Link in different formations, allowing for great use of strategy during both combat and puzzle-solving.
6Oracle Of Seasons
Released On The Game Boy Color In 2001
Time travel has been present in quite a fewZeldagames over the years, butOracle Of Seasonsstands out by actually allowing Link to control the seasons in the world around him. With the magical Rod of Seasons,Link is able to utilize the changing of the seasons to solve puzzles, such as switching to winter to bypass a large tree. Although players initially start out only being able to harness the powers of winter, the powers of the other seasons can be obtained after visiting certain temples throughout the game.
Another surprising element of this game is thatcertain choices will impact specific outcomes later on in the story. This ultimately allows for a lot of replayability that can change the course of Link’s adventure, creating unique experiences for different players.
5Tears Of The Kingdom
Released On The Switch In 2023
Much like its predecessorBreath Of The Wild,Tears Of The Kingdomoffers players the opportunity to explorea massive open world, allowing them to adventure anywhere they wish at their own pace, rather than going through a more linear narrative path like in previousZeldatitles.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Review - Building Excellence
Tears of the Kingdom takes Legend of Zelda into mostly familiar ground, but it remains an excellent, must-play title with plenty of innovation.
Link gets a wide variety of new abilities in this game, with the most notable being Ultrahand.This new ability allows Link to pick up and attach numerous items to create completely unique constructsto solve puzzles and traverse Hyrule. Many players have utilized this ability to make wild creations such as vehicles, catapults, mechs, and more, providing completely unique, out of the box methods of both traversal and puzzle solving that would not have been possible in any games that came before.
4Hyrule Warriors
Released On The Wii U And 3DS In 2014
First released in 2014,Hyrule Warriorstook the beloved world and characters from theZeldafranchise and combined them with the gameplay found in Koei Tecmo’sDynasty Warriorsseries. This creates a unique hack-and-slash game whereplayers get to take the role of Link to fight against massive hordes of enemies.
The game even has a campaign mode, exploring a narrative outside the officialZeldatimeline, as Ganondorf’s impending resurrection threatens the land of Hyrule. TheAge Of Calamitysequel even explores the events that occurred one hundred years beforeBreath Of The Wild, providing answers to many players' questions, even ifAge of Calamity’s endingand overall narrative are considered non-canon. Overall, both of these games prove that taking risks with theZeldafranchise can prove to be incredibly successful.
3Link’s Crossbow Training
Released On The Wii In 2007
A unique spin-off title,Link’s Crossbow Trainingis a shooting game taking place in theTwilight Princessuniverse at an unknown time. As a gamespecifically created with the Wii Zapper peripheral in mind, this game has players taking the role of Link to test and improve their shooting abilities through the use of various fun challenges.
Many of these challenges involve shooting stationary and moving targets, as well as defending encampments from hordes of enemies. It even has multiplayer, allowing each player to take their turn completing these various challenges to obtain the highest score and prove themselves as the very best. Overall, it is a relatively simple game that, while initially unremarkable, provides a fun challenge for players and is a risk that isn’t often seen from many game companies nowadays.
2Echoes Of Wisdom
Released On The Switch In 2024
The moment the first trailer forEchoes of Wisdomdropped, fans immediately were intrigued by the unique gameplay. Instead of going around slaying monsters with a sword,players instead focus on strategy and puzzle-solvingskills through the use of copying and creatingechoes of objects and enemiesto maneuver through environments. It provides a unique opportunity to challenge players to think carefully about potential solutions rather than rushing straight into danger with a weapon.
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom Review - The Zelda I Was Waiting For
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom combines the freedom of recent titles with the structure of classic games, and it’s absolutely worth playing.
Being the first game in the mainline series to let players take on the role of Zelda,Echoes Of Wisdomis truly a breath of fresh air for the franchise. Given how well it’s been received by critics and fans, here’s hoping that more games with similar premises will be made in the future.
1Majora’s Mask
Released On The N64 In 2000
When people mainly think of a uniqueZeldagame that stands out from the rest,Majora’s Maskis the one that instantly comes to mind, and it’s easy to see why. Compared to many of the otherZeldagames,the tone and atmosphere are noticeably darker, with the terrifying looming threat of the giant moon threatening to crash into Termina. Besides the creepy atmosphere, however, it’s the gameplay that truly stands out.
InMajora’s Mask,Link must constantly go through a time loopin order to complete various quests to ultimately stop the destruction of Termina, adding a sense of urgency and dread for players the longer they take. Furthermore, Link is able to acquire various masks that grant him new abilities, although the transformations do seem rather disturbing at first glance. It all culminates together to create a truly unforgettable, albeit disturbing experience that will stick with players long after they put the game down.
With such a wide variety of games spanning many decades, each one provides a completely unique experience for players. While most of the core mechanics often remain the same, the new ones that are introduced add fun challenges that encourage new ways to solve puzzles and deal with enemies. Truly,TheLegend of Zeldais full of many incredibly unique games thanks to the uniqueness of many of its entries.
The Legend of Zelda
The Legend of Zelda franchise follows the adventures of Link, an elf-like Hylian, and Princess Zelda as they protect the land of Hyrule from the evil warlord-turned-demon king Ganon. The series is known for its mix of action, adventure, and puzzle-solving elements, often revolving around the collection of the Triforce, a powerful relic left by the goddesses who created Hyrule. Each game features different incarnations of Link and Zelda, maintaining core elements while introducing new characters and settings.
