Every 3D Zelda Game Ranked

There are a few black sheep entries in the series that have received a lot of criticism over the years, “Skyward Sword” being one of the biggest. Much of it is understandable. The Sky as an Overworld feels empty compared to other fantasy action adventure games, even past “Zeldas.” The companion, Fi, holds the player’s hand a bit too much and the Surface areas get some dull backtracking later in the game. The motion controls were also a bit gimmicky for many players who would’ve preferred a traditional control scheme. All that being said, there’s still a lot to love here. “Skyward Sword” has some of the franchise’s strongest dungeons. And the full live orchestra, a first in the series, makes the soundtrack all the more impactful and impressive. The story and characterization are also great, particularly in this version of Zelda. Even if its control scheme is still a little awkward, the HD remaster on Switch is clearly the best way to play, as it made some nice quality of life changes. Even though it sits at the bottom, “Skyward Sword” is still a worthy adventure to embark on.

In response to some fans being upset about “Wind Waker’s” cartoon vibes, Nintendo made the next 3D installment much more mature, both visually and thematically. The plot concerns a mysterious tribe that invades Hyrule, spreading darkness and kidnapping children in the process. Since “Twilight Princess” launched on GameCube and Wii, the motion controls in the latter version weren’t as big a focus as they were in “Skyward Sword.” Along for Link’s fight is Midna, arguably the best companion in the series, who delights with her macabre sense of humor in every scene. Another addition is Wolf Link, which, while an interesting change of pace, isn’t quite as fun to control as his human form. And other than Wolf Link and the darker tone, the game is still structurally very similar to past games. That’s not necessarily a negative as the game still featured fantastic dungeons, but the formula was starting to show its age here. That dark tone that initially set it apart now feels like a product of the era, with much less of the franchise’s whimsy that’s found in other games. Again the HD remaster is the best version, though it made minimal changes.

We know there are still some fans who hate Toon Link’s design and see “Twilight Princess” as a major fix in that regard. Couldn’t be us, though. “Wind Waker” continues to age gracefully more than two decades later, and that’s thanks to Nintendo’s decision to go the cel-shaded route. Not only is the game still gorgeous, regardless of the HD remaster, but this Link design is also much more expressive than any other. Beyond the art style though, “Wind Waker” takes the traditional formula and makes it its own. Sailing to each island on the Great Sea and delving in to uncover their secrets added a nice layer of discovery. And we love the way that it plays with the history set up by “Ocarina of Time.” It’s another banger of a soundtrack, too, from the lonesome ‘Grandma’s Theme’ to the spirited, now iconic ‘Dragon Roost Island.’ Of course, it also has its shortcomings. There are fewer dungeons, and while they are good, we wouldn’t put most of them among the best. Sailing can be a bit slow if you need to backtrack past islands you’ve already been to, especially during the late-game Triforce Quest. Thankfully, the HD remaster helped to fix those last two grievances.

Honestly, ranking “Tears of the Kingdom” is a little tricky. We believe it is objectively more fun to play than its predecessor, but it is far less impactful. Picking up a few years after “Breath of the Wild,” it sees Zelda and Link confront the powerful Demon King, Ganondorf, just in vastly different time periods. It’s hard not to miss incredible mechanics like Revali’s Gale or unlimited remote bombs. On the other hand, the amount of tools you’re given to build different vehicles and weapons is astounding. There’s so much possibility for your imagination to run wild that players have bent and broken Hyrule to their will. That’s not to mention the powers of Recall and Ascend, each of which also made interacting with the world more engaging. Then there are the dungeons, which were a significant improvement over the Divine Beasts. Unfortunately, the story and characters aren’t as strong. While Ganondorf made for a better villain, the memories of the Champions and Hyrule’s fall are more interesting and personal than the kingdom’s founding, which also muddled the franchise’s lore. The Sky Islands and the Depths were solid expansions, but rewards and enemies in both got repetitive unless you were a diehard resource collector. Still, an undeniably fantastic game.

It hurts my heart not having my favorite at the top. But we’re trying to be objective, and there’s a lot about “Majora’s Mask” that takes some getting used to. The “Ocarina” sequel takes Link to a strange new land that will be destroyed by a strange new villain in three days. The time loop, and the fact that Link is turned into a Deku Scrub immediately, were early hurdles that could test your patience. There are also only four main dungeons and a ton of reused character models, courtesy of the game’s short development period. But if you can get past those negatives, you’ll find one of the most fulfilling journeys Link has ever gone on. There may only be four dungeons, but the other half of the game is filled with rewarding side quests and deeply rich NPCs. Those dungeons are also unique in that they play off the abilities of Link’s different transformations. Speaking of which, the Deku, Goron, and Zora forms all find ways to make traversal, puzzles, and combat fresh. Like “Twilight Princess,” it features much darker emotional themes than many other entries. But while that game is mostly serious, “Majora’s Mask” is unapologetically weird, and all the better for it.

I will never forget taking off from work on March 3rd, 2017, picking up the Switch, and spending the next 12 hours in a completely reimagined Hyrule. And if the love behind “Breath of the Wild” is any indicator, it’s a fond memory a lot of us share. “Zelda” had often been at the forefront for defining the action adventure experience. After the criticism of “Skyward Sword,” Nintendo set about redefining what that meant. It was hard to remember a time where we felt this free in a video game. To go in any direction, to uncover the immense possibilities of its playground, to stumble upon something that felt like you were the first to see. It’s no wonder that it instantly began influencing how developers built open worlds. We’ve already mentioned the Divine Beasts weren’t the best, but that honestly mattered little when we had more than a hundred bite-sized Shrines to track down. Even its biggest contention among fans, weapon durability, quickly became a non-issue for us since there are so many weapons in the game to begin with, and it keeps you on your toes, not relying on the same strategy. Plus, from its art style to its score, it’s absolutely gorgeous.

Yeah, big shocker. But there’s a good reason why “Ocarina of Time” always tops these lists. Actually, there’s quite a few, though we doubt we’ll be saying anything you haven’t heard before. It set the standard not just for a 3D “Zelda,” being the first, but for all 3D action adventure games in general. The lock-on system, the puzzles, the boss fights, the music; there wasn’t a single thing it did that isn’t considered groundbreaking today. That being said, it has more than just historical significance going for it. Despite being released more than 25 years ago, it has aged surprisingly well from a gameplay standpoint, even if some of its mechanics are naturally simplistic. Its themes of destiny and lost childhood are timeless and capture the heart of any player, whether it be your first or your one hundredth playthrough, whether you’re playing on original hardware or the stellar 3DS remake. Even aspects of the game that are seen as negatives, like Navi the fairy or the Water Temple, do nothing to detract from the overall experience. “Ocarina of Time” is a once-in-a-lifetime type of game, an important piece of gaming history and a phenomenally fun adventure to get lost in.

What’s your favorite 3D entry in the series? Let us know in the comments, and be sure to subscribe to MojoPlays for more great gaming videos every day!