The lights are on
10. The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons/Oracle of Ages (Game Boy Color, 2001)Nintendo's Game Boy Color Zelda releases, the Oracle of Seasons and the Oracle of Ages, are refreshing entries in the series. Both games interact via two separate GBC systems and a link cable, the first Zelda releases to do so. They're difficult to find, but worth tracking down if you're up for some old school adventuring.
9. The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords (Game Boy Advance, 2002)In 2002, a Game Boy Advance port of The Legend of Zelda: A Link To the Past came to the United States, along with a new playable multiplayer game called Four Swords. In it, separate players control different-colored Link characters as they work together to complete an epic quest. The game was such a hit that Nintendo prepared a separate adventure for the GameCube, titled Four Swords Adventures. It's an acquired taste, but one many Zelda fans savor.
8. The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap (Game Boy Advance, 2005)Nintendo delivered another traditional Legend of Zelda adventure for the Game Boy Advance in 2005 with the release of The Minish Cap. In the game, Link changes size thanks to a magical cap called Ezlo. This charming dynamic enables players to experience things from a bug's point of view, opening up different challenges. An interesting idea, but simply genius and fun!
7. The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (Nintendo DS, 2007)The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass uses the same animation style as the Wind Waker, going for the traditional hand-drawn approach rather than the "mature" look. However, this suits the game well. The touch-screen controls (drawing out the path of your boomerang, etc.) are great, and the multiplayer component, supported by Nintendo's Wi-Fi Connection, is a nice touch.
6. The Legend of Zelda (NES, 1987)The Legend of Zelda got its start on the Nintendo Entertainment System, introducing the world to a trailblazing new adventure from gaming mastermind Shigeru Miyamoto. Players were first introduced to the heart system here, as well as the powerful Triforce artifact. It was a revolution, and like Super Mario Bros. may it be appreciated as a timeless classic!
5. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (Game Boy, 1993)Many fans were hungry for a portable Zelda adventure on the same level as the previous NES and SNES releases, and they got it in 1993 with Link's Awakening. This Game Boy Color-compatible game features a dynamic new quest, as Link awakens on an island (away from his home land of Hyrule) and takes on a new monstrous force. The game was well-received, and is worth tracking down if you have access to a Game Boy Color or Game Boy Advance system.
4. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (GameCube, 2003)Nintendo shook up the Zelda franchise tremendously with the release of The Wind Waker for the GameCube. It uses a cell shaded art style that some gamers couldn't stand (compared to the more "mature" Zelda look from Ocarina of Time). With that said, the game is amazing, with challenging dungeons and a nice sailing element. And despite the controversy over its visuals, the animations' are excellent -- except for the kid who's got a snot bubble hanging from his nose.
3. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Wii/GameCube, 2006)In 2006, gamers received their "mature" adventure with The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess for the Nintendo Wii. Utilizing motion controls, wolf transformations, awesome horseback riding sequences and spectacular graphics and sound, the game became an instant favorite amongst the Nintendo elite. A GameCube version helped mark the end of Nintendo's small but strong console.
2. The Legend of Zelda: A Link To the Past (SNES, 1992)A Link To the Past reintroduced the overhead adventure dynamic that the original Zelda is known for. The game changes between two types of worlds -- Light and Dark -- as Link continues on his quest to stop Ganondorf. The game became an instant hit on the SNES, and ranks highly on our recent Top 25 SNES Games of All Time article. You can download the game now for 800 points through the Wii's Virtual Console service.
1. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Nintendo 64, 1998)Ocarina of Time marked the 3-D debut for The Legend of Zelda series, and it was a magnificent step forward. Players control Link as he once again faces off against Ganondorf, while solving puzzles and slashing enemies. The graphics and gameplay are considered amongst the best for the Nintendo 64, and the game sold incredibly well as a result. Its follow-up, Majora's Mask, is highly recommended as well, although you need the Expansion Pack in order to play it on an N64 console.
Surprise Ocarina is #1
I'm glad to find that you liked Zelda: Twilight Princess more than the others because all I hear is how Twilight Princess was a letdown from other people, when really, I think it's the only good Wii game that I could play for hours.
Personally, i feel it is one of the best Wii games! I loved it.
i dont even like the legend of zelda
@Ben Deckert- It wasn't that we were thought it was a bad game, it was just too easy and short. It was the reason that Ocarina will always be known as one of the best games of all time, and Twilight Princess will never make it past one of the best games "for the Wii and Gamecube".
Oh, and cut out your personal bias and add Majoria's Mask to the list. Just because you didn't like doing things over again, doesn't mean it wasn't awesome.
Still loved Link to the Past the best as a personal note. Other than that great call on some of the portable classics.
Majora's Mask should be on there, and The Legend of Zelda 1 should be higher up for cultural relevance, but still a good list! LoZ is really (probably) the greatest franchise of all time.
Twilight Princess was not short. And this is coming from someone who has beaten it a lot of times.
Majora's Mask should be somewhere on this list.
I agree with BPrime, how can you call that short? Just because Ocarina of Time had more temples, and Twilight Princess had less doesn't mean anything. There were way more interesting parts to the game that had nothing to do with temples but were still part of the game that made it just as good, like getting Telma's wagon to the village safely, as well as collecting all the cats or something in that dusty old town. There were also the mirror pieces that you had to collect, too. There were even special hidden rooms to find, and I play the one room where you progressively fight harder battles every once in a while. It keeps me challenged and focused, and one more thing, I thought the battle with Ganon at the end of TP was way better; it actually feels like you're fighting 1 vs. 1 instead of a giant creature that you have to roll under every time he attacks. You had to actually trick Ganon as you would fight him, so in some ways, I would find TP superior in some fields that Ocarina of Time had faults in. But, I agree that Ocarina of Time is way better. The puzzle-solving as well as the different melodies, and the bosses were all amazing.
All you people are wrong. Legend of Zelda:Twilight Princess is a disgrace to mankind and never should have been made. Any game that features a wolf finding bugs is disgraceful and should be damned to the gates of hell. I was astounded when I saw the trailer. I regretted not killing myself after buying that worthless piece of trash. Let me sum up the game in this next sentene. You find bugs, find more bugs, find iron boots, find more freaking bugs, find medicine, and find owl statues. That is the entire game in one sentence. Every single thing about that game is terrible.
Lol, let me summarize the story of every Zelda game for you:
Start off peaceful, bad omen comes, you receive a basic sword and shield, you find stuff, go into a temple, gain something, beat the boss using the special weapon. Repeat about 10 times, then fight a boss with all of them. Happy ending. If you followed this stupid summary, it'd be the same as playing every Zelda game. You pretty much described all of the other games in your own post, if you replaced the word "bugs" with "insert noun here". Valiant, just because Twilight Princess tries to disturb this balance by making a larger free roaming world than OoT and Majora's Mask doesn't make it bad. In fact, it was great, you're just a sad little fanboy who frankly should leave the site considering the fact that you know nothing of actual gaming or reviewing of a game. You pretty much ruined the good series of comments on this page, so thanks.
Minish Cap needs to be higher. Phantom Hourglass and Twilight Princess need to be lower.
Oh, and Majora's Mask does need to be on the list.
Good job. Although, contrary to the opinion of many, Windwaker was actually my favorite Zelda game. Other than that, great.
No, I think the Minish cap is good where it is. And sorry for that one Kyl3dk05. It was a great game no doubt. Oh, and by the way Valiant, if you're going to make a fool of yourself, go ahead and take your business elsewhere.
@Ben Deckert- It's not my fault that you can't accept the fact that I disliked the game. The game set a degrading standard for the Legend of Zelda series in my opinion. Let's take the difficulty for example. Gannon the leader of the game, was way too easy. I found myself destroying him. He couldn't touch me. As a matter of fact, nothing presented a challenge in the game. Everything was one big cluster of annoyance. Let's take the dragon battle for example. When my eye's gazed upon the immaculate beast I thought to myself "This is going to be awesome". Then I had to scale these gigantic pillars in order to attack the dragon. Those pillars are not only pointless, but they have nothing to do with strategy. They do not make the battle harder, or difficult, but rather annoying. Now the beginning of the game was the worst part in my opinion. It takes you almost an hour to get your sword. You need to catch goats, find a basket, and do all this other nonsense that does not pertain to the game's storyline. Other Legend of Zelda titles go like this. You start the game, get your sword and start hacking away at your enemies. Is that how the other ones went Ben Deckert? Did they have you running around clueless and having you to resort to using GameFaqs or a stragety guide? Then you turn into a wolf. Now when I turned into a wolf for the first time, I was amazed. But then I had to tag along with Midna. Midna offers no advice and doesn't tell you anything when you are lost. She only foreshadow's what horrors were to come later on in the game. Let's take the the Wild Wild West town for example. You enter the town and you are confronted by at least 20 goblins. After that you have to find cats that has nothing to do with the storyline. What was the point of finding the cats? It that how you should be rewarded after fighting a great and fun battle? Now let me ask you this Ben Deckert. You are playing Halo. You enter a town and you enounter a fierce advesary. After your legendary battle, you are forced to find rats in order to continue the game. How would you feel hmm? Would you feel amazed, kinda upset, or would you just let the game regulate your thoughts of how a Legend of Zelda game really functions. Did you find bug's in Windwaker as a wolf form Ben Dekert? NO! Did you have to wait an hour to get your sword in Minish Cap Ben Dekert? NO!! Did you have to run around clueless of what to do with a idiot such as Midna ridding on your back in Orcarina of Time Ben Dekert? NO!!! You didn't have to do none of that crap. A true Legend of Zelda title presents you with a quest, not a scavenger hunt. A true Legend of Zelda title presents you with a challenge, not a walk in the park. A true Legend of Zelda title gives you a feeling of amazement, not disappointment. I don't have a clue how you review games because you obviously don't know a thing or two what true Legend of Zelda fans want and how your really supposed to review a game. Not a Damn clue Ben Dekert!!!
P.S Nice summary Ben Dekert!!! Yes you do use every single weapon such as the rotating disk to defeat Gannon in Twilight Princess! And yes you do encounter 10 temples in every single Legend of Zelda title. Remember not knowing is asumming.
Good list. I my opinion though Wind Waker should be higher and Majora's Mask should have been in the top 7 at least.
Wind Waker was possibly my favorite of them all, I just loved the art style and the creative nature of it