Top 5 BEST Zelda Games (Showdown)

A lot of my experiences with Legend of Zelda games came long after their initial releases as I skipped the N64 and GameCube era, but they were always entries I watched with extreme jealousy at not being able to experience first-hand. Thankfully, Nintendo saw fit to port some of the older titles and I immediately jumped at the chance to finally try out Wind Waker on my Wii U. Honestly, it was one of the ONLY games I played on my Wii U. The cartoonish art style makes the game feel timeless and Link’s expressive face conveys far more emotion than his more realistic counterparts ever could. The world of Wind Waker felt bigger than ever before and the ability to just set sail and explore the world and uncover its secrets never grew old. The dungeons, while not the best out of the entire series, still managed to give those “Ah-ha” moments when I solved them on my own and it’s an entry I wish would be ported to the Switch sooner rather than later for me to experience again a decade after my first playthrough.

The bottom pick was honestly the hardest for me to decide on. I wanted to include a top-down entry, and while I have a lot of love for “Minish Cap” and “A Link to the Past,” the latter’s spiritual sequel beats them both in the ‘pure fun’ category. To me, it was the perfect evolution of the SNES classic for the modern day. Lorule was an engaging alternative to the Dark World, and Ravio’s item rental system gave you a lot of choice in how you fought enemies as well as your dungeon order, many of which were great. I also never grew tired of using the signature painting mechanic, which opened new ways for traversal and exploration. And dear Lord, the music. The 3DS may not have the sound capabilities of home consoles, but Nintendo worked wonders. Some of my favorite renditions of famous “Zelda” tunes can be heard right here.

Link’s Awakening might be the oddest Legend of Zelda game I’ve ever played, and considering Majora’s Mask is included in that list, that’s saying something. The HD remake that released a couple years ago was my first experience guiding Link around Koholint Island and as I explored every nook and cranny of the island, things only got weirder in the best ways. I already vaguely knew the story of Link’s Awakening so the narrative wasn’t as surprising as it was 30 years ago, but finding all of the Easter Eggs and references to other Nintendo properties was nonetheless exciting and always brought a smile to my face. The top-down perspective reminded me of A Link to The Past and immediately sent me back to the old school days of Link’s adventures. The shiny, almost toy-like look might have been a little jarring at first, but I quickly came to love this style and hope it’s revisited in future remakes Nintendo might be planning. Just always be sure to pay the shopkeeper.

If anyone ever asks me which game in the series to start with, I always say “Ocarina of Time.” Not only did it set the foundation that many of its successors would use, but many 3D games in general. And, despite getting a 3DS remake, it has aged remarkably well. Regardless of its well-earned reputation, it undoubtedly holds a special place in every “Zelda” fan’s heart, mine included. I loved venturing into every corner of its at-the-time massive world and conquering every obstacle that came my way. As a kid, I’d travel across it just to visit different shops and chat with kooky NPCs. Everything about it, from the fantastically designed dungeons to the catchy music, even to Navi’s annoyances, is iconic. And for good reason.

Yeah, yeah recency bias and all that, but I can say with complete honesty, I am thoroughly enjoying my time with Tears of the Kingdom more than Breath of the Wild. That’s nothing against the game’s predecessor in which I also spent many days exploring the ruins of Hyrule, but there’s something about being given the tools to create your own paths and weapons of mass destruction that makes Tears of the Kingdom far more engaging and kept me coming back and thinking about the game at all hours of the day. While like in Breath of the Wild, combat is my least favorite part - my opinions are my own - exploring the world both above and below Hyrule was enthralling for me and Link’s new abilities let me complete the many Shrines in nearly any way I could think of and let my imagination run wild. While I’m only about halfway through by my own estimations, Tears of the Kingdom isn’t an experience I’m looking to rush through and uncover its mysteries at my own pace.

At least we can agree on this one. Some may cry ‘recency bias,’ but I always felt “Breath of the Wild” would rank this high on my list. And since “Tears” is a better version of that experience, I’m sticking with it. In nearly every category, the sequel improved on its predecessor. The Zonai builds made it endlessly more creative, which is saying a lot considering what players were able to do in the first game. The introduction of sky islands and the Depths, both of which are a blast to explore, more than doubled the original map’s size. Open world games tend to bombard you with objectives. And while there is SO MUCH to do in “Tears,” you’re never overwhelmed. It lets you play how you want, with multiple alternate solutions to any given problem or puzzle. It doesn’t have the same initial “wow” factor as the first one, but it’s got plenty more than that.

Widely regarded as one of the greatest games of all time, I didn’t get to experience The Ocarina of Time until its 3D remaster on the 3DS and the wait was more than worth it. Not only did I finally get to experience one of the best games in the series, I got to experience the best possible version of it. Significant quality of life improvements to not only the controls but also the dungeons (especially the dreaded water temple) as well as its graphical overhaul (this is how I imagine everyone remembers the game looking 15 years earlier) had me playing until the battery in my 3DS died and then continuing to play tethered to the wall. It's a testament to Nintendo that after 15 years only minor adjustments were made to the original and it’s the version I wish Nintendo had made available on the Switch.

For a long time, “The Wind Waker” was my favorite “Zelda.” It was released when I was 12 years old, the same age as Link in-game. While most entries focus on a grand quest, it really captured that longing for adventure coursing through my body at the time, leading to a unique type of nostalgia I don’t have with a lot of other games. Beforehand, I would have argued that its cel shaded style made a remaster unnecessary. But the Wii U’s HD rendition remains one of the most gorgeous games I’ve ever laid my eyes on. Everything I loved was still there, just with colorful visuals that popped more than I would’ve thought possible. Additionally, it has my favorite soundtrack of the entire franchise. It also made all the right quality-of-life changes, resulting in an experience I will never stop asking to have on Switch.

The very first Legend of Zelda game I ever played, I received A Link to the Past for Christmas in 1993 and was confused by the simple gold colored box as most of the games I played had bombastic movie poster style box art, but once I started, it was unlike anything else I’d ever played up to that point. A Link to the Past introduced me to an entirely new style of gameplay and puzzle solving during a time when I was used to playing mostly side scrollers, A Link to the Past felt so open like I could go in any direction and be rewarded for fighting my way to the next area. While not challenging by today’s standards, A Link to the Past was Dark Souls for little 8-year-old me and gave me a sense of satisfaction in defeating a boss I’d been stuck on for oftentimes days that many games even today haven’t managed to recreate.

Nothing is perfect. But for me, “Majora’s Mask” gets pretty damn close. While it uses the same engine as “Ocarina,” I believe it surpasses it while still feeling like a wholly original experience. I can’t believe this is still the only game that lets Link transform; the Deku, Goron, and Zora forms control completely differently and are all extremely fun. The land of Termina is, by far, the most interesting place Link has ever visited. All around you are deep characters with a multitude of flaws and desires. Chief among them is the Skull Kid, a villain whose realistic pain of abandonment makes him far more engrossing than a pig monster trying to conquer the world for power alone. I could spend hours gushing on how amazing it is, but you should really just play it for yourself.

“The Legend of Zelda” is an all-time great series, and everyone will have their favorites. Whose list do you prefer? Be sure to let us know in the comments what your Top 5 is, as well as what Showdowns you want to see us do next.