The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is both a reimagining of everything you know about the Legend of Zelda and the series' next natural step. It departs altogether from the overworld/dungeon/overworld model established in Link to the Past, instead of providing you with a modest range of skills that may be used in both apparent and obscure ways before releasing you into a vast, unpredictable world. It's enormous, guaranteeing that you may run off in any direction and find something intriguing, whether it's a new quest, a little village off the usual route, an interesting piece of scenery, or one of over 100 mini-dungeons that require you to find novel methods to employ your limited-yet-versatile toolkit.

It's all shrouded in sorrow, with its biggest landmarks lying in post-cataclysmic ruin while the hero strives to right prior wrongs. It's magnificent, in a word, and it signals a rebirth for The Legend of Zelda that has sent shockwaves across the industry.

Platform: Nintendo Switch

Release Date: 2017

Link to buy: amzn.to/3PBftVl

Making a sequel to one of the most famous games of all time is a risky move, but A Link Between Worlds is undoubtedly the finest 2D Zelda game ever produced. While the plot takes place in the familiar Hyrule (Light World) and Lorule (Dark World) of A Link to the Past, Link's current journey is far but a carbon copy, and effectively flips many of the conventional Zelda clichés. The option to rent series mainstays like the bow, boomerangs, and explosives from the delightful new character, Ravio, restores the original Zelda's true open-world vibe.

You may now freely roam the gorgeously detailed, stereoscopic 3D environment, hunting down dungeons in whatever sequence you choose, collecting heart pieces, and spinning assault spear-wielding Moblins. A Link Between Worlds is all killer, no filler; a game that lives up to its illustrious pedigree while forging its own path.

Platform: Nintendo 3DS

Release Date: 2013

Link to buy: amzn.to/3wKE2q9

Link to the Past, like other 16-bit Nintendo masterpieces such as Super Mario World and Super Metroid, was built magnificently on its NES predecessor and set the standard for all subsequent 2D entries in the series. The visuals, gameplay, and soundtrack were also excellent for the time and have aged well, introducing several concepts that are now staples of the franchise.

Nintendo also utilized the game to push storytelling into exciting new areas, beginning with an amazing introduction. Its vastness was astounding at the time, and it remains one of the largest and most diversified worlds in gaming. If you want to learn why older players adore Zelda, this is the game to start with. Even better, it's one of the iconic SNES titles included in the September 29th, 2017 Mini SNES release, assuming the pre-order stock is available.

Platform: SNES

Release Date: 1991

Link to buy: amzn.to/3GaDSNf

In its heyday in 1993, Link's Awakening was amazing for taking the densely packed gameplay of Link to the Past and compressing it down into a portable version for the GameBoy without sacrificing much in the translation. It's even more remarkable now that Nintendo re-released the title for the Switch in 2019, giving it a beautiful toy-like makeover. This means it's still as much fun - if not more so - as it was 25 years ago.

Link's Awakening, set in the dream realm of Koholint Island, depicts Nintendo at its oddest, with a scattering of Nintendo imagery. Only here will Link be able to jump on top of Goombas, win a plush Yoshi doll in a crane game, and converse with intelligent Chain Chomps, all while attempting to collect enough magical instruments to rouse the Wind Fish from its sleep. It's an adventure that belongs in the same canon as the series' more mainstream games.

Platform: Nintendo Switch

Release Date: 2019

Link to buy: amzn.to/3lAeCXh

Wind Waker is one of the series' most adored games, proving that a brilliant visual can always outperform realism. Set in a version of Hyrule long buried by a massive body of water, the last remnants of civilisation live on islands dotting the ocean. You'll cross the canals with the help of a magical talking boat, experience some of the series' finest dungeons, and discover the hidden connections between its plot and the Ocarina of Time.

Several late-game padding keeps it from ranking higher on this list, although most of it is alleviated by some useful improvements and tweaks in the Wii U's HD port. Wind Waker, on the other hand, was the greatest 3D Zelda game in the series' 14-year existence.

Platform: Wii U

Release Date: 2013

Link to buy: amzn.to/3wF9xBY

Majora's Mask was released in Japan just 18 months after Ocarina of Time (in 1998), and while it reused many assets from the N64 classic, it's certainly one of the oldest and most experimental Zelda games ever developed. Young Link is imprisoned in Clock Town, condemned to be crushed beneath an angry, demonic moon. To avert tragedy, he must continually live out the same three days, all while the town's people go about their normal lives.

You'll gradually solve puzzles and make lasting adjustments to your routine, bringing you closer to saving the planet from impending disaster. Majora's Mask was previously placed lower on this list, but the 2015 3DS update makes following its numerous side missions easier and offers helpful tips if needed, bringing out the full potential of the series' oddest game.

Platform: Nintendo 3DS

Release Date: 2015

Link to buy: amzn.to/3LHNX5o

Twilight Princess fulfills the promise made by Nintendo's early GameCube tech demos, and while it may not be as iconic or adored as the cartoony Wind Waker, it certainly belongs in the pantheon of great Zelda experiences. Transform into a wolf, use some of the series' most intriguing gadgets, and explore the dark side of a world that appears to be a Japanese animation take on Tim Burton's early work. The Wii U HD version solves many of the original's major flaws (no more necessary cow herding! ), resulting in a much more streamlined experience.

The link must go across Hyrule to discover the mystery behind the kingdom's descent into darkness. He'll have to seek the help of nice people, solve riddles, and battle his way through hazardous dungeons as he goes. He'll have to utilize his wolf talents and Midna's magic to bring light to the world in the dusk. Aside from his trusty sword and shield, Link will wield his bow and arrows by aiming with the Wii Remote, a battle on horseback, and employ a plethora of other new and classic things. The Wii Remote and Nunchuk controllers may be used to start sword swings, spin strikes, and shield shoves.

Platform: Wii U

Release Date: 2016

Link to buy: amzn.to/3NyvBoQ

The franchise was in urgent need of a reboot by the time Skyward Sword arrived, but even this Wii latecomer had a few surprises up its sleeve. Skyward Sword's motion controls, which allow you to physically wield the Master Sword due to the Wii Remote's MotionPlus adapter, give imaginative new approaches to old challenges.

The tale rewinds to the beginning of the saga, exposing the roots of many of the series' most well-worn cliches, and its luscious pastel colors belie a planet that is continuously on the verge of catastrophe. The journey was also just released on the Nintendo Switch, allowing gamers all across the world to immerse into the HD remake of Skyward Sword.

Platform: Wii, Nintendo Switch (HD remaster)

Release Date: 2011

Link to buy: amzn.to/3PG8hHg

A Link to the Past may have created the groundwork for the Zelda franchise, but Ocarina of Time refined it to perfection. It had a vast open 3D environment to explore, a third-person perspective, and a targeting mechanism for the first time in a Zelda game. Ocarina of Time served as the model for a 3D Zelda experience until Breath of the Wild arrived. It's astonishing how much Nintendo got right in their first excursion into 3D (plus the fantastic 3DS version fixed a few flaws).

The entry that separated the Zelda chronology, as revealed in the Hyrule Historia, is also known as Ocarina of Time. They now have two realities in which Link fought Ganon: the Child Era, in which Link returns to his native time, and the Adult Era, in which the Hero of Time vanishes. This might have remained at the top if it hadn't been for a recent Zelda entry completely shaking up the formula and clearing away the cobwebs that had collected on the Ocarina of Time template.

Platform: Nintendo 64 (N64)

Release Date: 1998

Link to buy: amzn.to/3GaE673

The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords (GBA) and The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures are both included on the list (GC). These were two independent games that allowed up to four pals to battle around Hyrule as four Links dressed in different colors.

That initial Four Swords encounter, which was originally featured in the GBA port of Link to the Past, was only available in multiplayer form until an improved port included a single-player option and was made available on DSiWare for a limited period in 2011. (and later very briefly on 3DS in 2014). The GameCube sequel was a complete retail release in its own right, catering to single players. This allowed each player to freely explore a dungeon without interfering with their fellow adventurers, resulting in an incredible multi-screen asymmetric multiplayer experience long before the Wii U was even a glimmer in Nintendo's eye.

Platform: Wii, Nintendo Switch (HD remaster)
Release Date: 2004
Link to buy: amzn.to/3wBDlAB