The best Zelda games, ranked from best to worst

The Legend of Zelda series is one of the most iconic video game franchises of all time. Ever since its debut on NES in 1986, Nintendo has consistently delivered awe-inspiring experiences that often define entire console generations. More than a handful of Link’s adventures are among the greatest games ever created.

That makes ranking The Legend of Zelda series a challenging endeavor, as it was for all the Mario games. We did just that, though — from the 8-bit era all the way to the high-definition open-world game Breath of the Wild (and its sequel Tears of the Kingdom). Our journey through the history of The Legend of Zelda starts now.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

92% 4.5/5 Platforms Wii U, Nintendo Switch Genre Role-playing (RPG), Adventure Developer Nintendo Publisher Nintendo Release March 03, 2017 <div data-cloudcity="" data-type=«button» data-pid=«tL9wg7Gbbq» data-limit=«2» data-cta_pattern="$%price %merchant" id=«dtcc-tL9wg7Gbbq»> The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild took a ton of risks. Gone were the traditional dungeons, replaced with 120 small-scale puzzle shrines and a handful of slightly larger-scale Divine Beasts. With that came the switch to weapons that degraded with use, changing a big part of the core identity of Zelda in the process. Breath of the Wild ushered Zelda into the modern era, turning Hyrule into a truly open world, a sprawling, lavish piece of land that held a treasure trove of secrets. These twists in the formula ultimately paid off. Breath of the Wild maintained the series’s almost indescribable sense of wonder while pushing the franchise in a startling, wondrous new direction emphasizing the freedom of exploration. It’s not only the best Zelda game (and Switch game), it’s arguably the greatest game ever made. Nintendo is also working on a direct sequel to Breath of the Wild that we can’t wait for. Related