# What is the best Legend of Zelda game?

> 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?

*By YPB Team · Published September 10, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/what-is-the-best-legend-of-zelda-game*

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## Current results (no votes yet)

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

Tags: fantasy, games, adventure, nintendo