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What is the best Legend of Zelda game?

By YPB Team

From pixelated dungeon crawls to sprawling open worlds, this lineup spans four decades of Hyrule's evolution, with cult favorites standing beside undisputed classics. Which one claims the Triforce?

  1. Breath of the Wild — ranked #11
    Breath of the Wild
    The genre-redefining 2017 open-world entry that reinvented Zelda for the Switch era.
    1000pts
  2. Ocarina of Time — ranked #22
    Ocarina of Time
    The 1998 N64 landmark widely cited as one of the greatest video games ever made, bringing Zelda into 3D.
    1000pts
  3. The Wind Waker — ranked #33
    The Wind Waker
    The 2002 GameCube entry known for its cel-shaded art style and vast, sea-faring overworld.
    864pts
  4. Zelda II: The Adventure of Link — ranked #44
    Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
    The divisive 1987 side-scrolling sequel that swapped top-down exploration for RPG-style action platforming.
    864pts
  5. Spirit Tracks — ranked #55
    Spirit Tracks
    The 2009 DS follow-up to Phantom Hourglass, centered on train travel across a new Hyrule.
    720pts
  6. The Minish Cap — ranked #66
    The Minish Cap
    A 2004 Game Boy Advance adventure introducing the shrinking-cap mechanic and the Picori.
    719pts
  7. Tears of the Kingdom — ranked #77
    Tears of the Kingdom
    The 2023 direct sequel to Breath of the Wild, adding sky islands and elaborate building mechanics.
    652pts
  8. Oracle of Seasons — ranked #88
    Oracle of Seasons
    One half of the 2001 Game Boy Color linked-pair duology, focused on manipulating the seasons.
    652pts
  9. The Legend of Zelda — ranked #99
    The Legend of Zelda
    The 1986 NES original that introduced Hyrule, Link, and the series' trademark blend of exploration and puzzle-solving.
    487pts
  10. Oracle of Ages — ranked #1010
    Oracle of Ages
    The time-manipulation counterpart to Oracle of Seasons, designed to be played and linked together.
    487pts
  11. Phantom Hourglass — ranked #1111
    Phantom Hourglass
    A 2007 Nintendo DS sequel to Wind Waker built around stylus-based touchscreen controls.
    487pts
  12. Four Swords Adventures — ranked #1212
    Four Swords Adventures
    A 2004 GameCube cooperative multiplayer entry built around splitting Link into four playable clones.
    384pts
  13. Tri Force Heroes — ranked #1313
    Tri Force Heroes
    A 2015 3DS cooperative spin-off built entirely around three-player dungeon puzzles.
    384pts
  14. Twilight Princess — ranked #1414
    Twilight Princess
    The 2006 Wii/GameCube entry featuring a darker tone and Link's transformation into a wolf.
    384pts
  15. A Link to the Past — ranked #1515
    A Link to the Past
    The 1991 SNES classic that established the light/dark world structure copied by countless later entries.
    262pts
  16. Majora's Mask — ranked #1616
    Majora's Mask
    The dark, time-looping 2000 N64 sequel to Ocarina of Time, prized by fans for its atmosphere and design.
    262pts
  17. Link's Awakening — ranked #1717
    Link's Awakening
    A surreal 1993 Game Boy adventure set on a dream-island outside Hyrule, later remade for Switch.
    262pts
  18. A Link Between Worlds — ranked #1818
    A Link Between Worlds
    A 2013 3DS spiritual successor to A Link to the Past with a wall-merging mechanic.
    262pts
  19. Skyward Sword — ranked #1919
    Skyward Sword
    The 2011 Wii entry set before the rest of the timeline, built around motion-controlled swordplay.
    262pts
  20. Echoes of Wisdom — ranked #2020
    Echoes of Wisdom
    The 2024 entry starring Princess Zelda herself as the playable hero for the first time.
    115pts

#fantasy75#games262#adventure29#nintendo49

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