Top 5: Zelda Games

Apr 04, 2016

The Legend Of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds was just released on Nintendo 3DS and it was one of my favorite games of the year. It's so good in fact it managed to sneak onto our Top 5 Zelda Games. Did your favorite Zelda game make the list? Keep reading to find out!

The Legend Of Zelda...Which is the best?Courtesy of Nintendo

#5) A Link Between Worlds (3DS)

Nintendo was seemingly stepping into their comfort zone, maybe taking it easy by announcing The Legend Of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds. It was a direct sequel to one of the most respected Zelda adventures ever. But instead Nintendo flipped the script and for the first time in years, truly made some steps towards evolving Zelda's gameplay, opening up the way players traversed the world by getting rid of the usual dungeon progression the series had always had in the past. Allowing players to tackle dungeons in any order. In doing this, Nintendo crafted one of the best games the series has delivered. Check out our review of The Legend Of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds for more on this gem.

The Legend Of Zelda: A Link Between WorldsCourtesy of Nintendo

#4) Skyward Sword (Wii)

Twilight Princess was the first Zelda game on Wii, throwing Link's fans head first into the world of motion gaming but it was Skyward Sword that truly showed off the benefit and precision of 1-1 motion control. Players weren't blindly waggling the wiimote anymore. Skyward Sword featured great sword play, with enemies and bosses requiring you to use well timed and angled strikes. It's the true show piece of motion controls on Wii since Wii Sports. It's also beautiful, and features a fully orchastrated soundtrack. Oh, and a really great origin story to boot. If you have a Wii, don't miss The Legend Of Zelda: Skyward Sword. You can read our review of it here!

The Legend Of Zelda: Skyward SwordCourtesy of Nintendo

#3) Ocarina Of Time (N64)

It's impossible to talk about the best games of all time and not bring up Ocarina Of Time. Link's bold attempt to stop the evil Ganondorf from finding the Tri-Force, which grants it's holder with wishes is among the best adventures available to play. It was the first 3D Zelda game and like they did with Super Mario 64, Nintendo once again proved a second time they knew how to design great 3D gameplay by giving players a lock-on ability. This allowed Link to keep an eye on enemies while he dodged, rolled and slashed away with his trusty blade. Never missing a beat. Lock-on may seem like nothing now, but on the N64 controller, with only one analog stick, it was a revelation. Our review of the 3DS release of The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time can be read here.

The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of TimeCourtesy of Nintendo

#2) Wind Waker (Gamecube, WiiU)

When Wind Waker was first announced, a lot of fans were not happy with its cartoon visual styling. Nintendo had teased a year earlier with some video of a more mature, serious looking game for Links first outing on Nintendo's new more powerful hardware, the Gamecube. But what was ultimately revealed to be the next game was cell-shaded, bright and youthful with characters so playfully animated the folks at Disney would be impressed. This game is jaw-dropping. Players spend a lot of time sailing the open seas as they navigate between islands, competing dungeons, gaining the strength needed to face Ganondorf. This Zelda adventure is one that will remembered fondly for years to come. Read our The Legend Of Zelda: Wind Waker HD review.

The Legend Of Zelda: Wind WakerCourtesy of Nintendo

#1) A Link To The Past (Snes, Gameboy Advance, Virtual Console)

The holy grail of the 16-bit era on a console with so many games that have stood the test of time. The Legend Of Zelda: A Link To The Past is one of those games you can go back to over and over again over the years, enjoying it equally if not more each time. It features an almost pitch perfect combination of exploration, puzzles and action making for one of the most balanced and well rounded adventure games out there. A Link To The Past's 2D sprites showcase beautiful art which to this day looks great and it's also brought to life with some of the most iconic music found in the series. Mark my words, The Legend Of Zelda: A Link To The Past has been talked about for almost 25 years now and will still be talked about in another 25 years.