Zelda Games Tier List

The Legend of Zelda franchise is filled with mainline games, remakes, and spin-offs that have fans either jumping for joy or reeling in disappointment. I'll go over the 37 titles in the franchise and explain which Legend of Zelda games are the cream of the crop in this Legend of Zelda Tier list.

Legend of Zelda Games Tier List - All Zelda Games, Ranked

This tier list ranks all of the games from S to D. Some I'm sure you'll agree with while others may be controversial if you didn't grow up with them, disliked the mechanics, or maybe never even tried them out. Despite the differences, I hope this Legend of Zelda Tier List helps you decide which Legend of Zelda title to pick up next.

7 Best Legend of Zelda Games

Any of these seven games is a surefire way to get a friend into the Legend of Zelda franchise. If you're looking to start a new adventure as Link, check out these games first.

7 - Breath of the Wild

Alongside Tears of the Kingdom, Breath of the Wild is the Zelda game with the largest map. With this size comes hours upon hours of exploration, quests, finding Koroks, and pretty much anything else you could imagine. It gives players a lot of room for creativity resulting in the community coming together online to showcase things like wacky ways to solve puzzles and methods of sending Link flying through the sky. It ushered in a new wave of Zelda fans and in doing so truly earned its place as one of the best Zelda games of all time.

6 - Spirit Tracks

Link has used a variety of transportation methods in his games—horseback, riding giant birds, taking boats, and just plain walking around on foot. Spirit Tracks goes outside of the box by making Link a Train Engineer who chugs around the world on a locomotive. There is some discourse in the community about the slowness of having to take the train, but I find that dealing with enemy trains, animals, and more on the tracks helps to balance it out. Additionally, the game's dungeons have some pretty enjoyable mechanics. In particular, players can use Zelda's spirit to inhabit Phantom Knights in the dungeon to solve puzzles, distract enemies, and more. These mechanics make Spirit Tracks enjoyable enough to push it into sixth place.

5 - Wind Waker

While Phantom Hourglass lets you navigate Linebeck's ship, Wind Waker is the only Legend of Zelda title that puts you in charge of your own boat. By doing so, it gives you the freedom to fully explore the world as much as you desire. You can sail across the sea in circles, zigzag between islands, or traverse the waves however else you choose. This exploration is improved further in the HD version due to the inclusion of the Swift Sail, which allows players to move faster and in opposition to the wind. At the same time, the story is given a more meaningful start through the abduction and necessary rescue of Link's younger sister. Lastly, its cartoonish style makes it more friendly for gamers of all ages, reinforcing its place as the fifth-best Zelda game of all time.

4 - The Legend of Zelda

Every gamer has heard the phrase "It's dangerous to go alone! Take this." at least once in their life. The widespread usage of this phrase combined with how long the Legend of Zelda franchise has continued to thrive says a lot about the importance of the original title. Its 2D art style and iconic soundtrack are well-loved to this day, and its story continues to serve as the foundation of the Legend of Zelda universe. The game's beloved tale, iconic sounds, and the nostalgia that surrounds it are all it needs to rest safely in spot number four.

3 - Ocarina of Time (N64)

The N64 version of Ocarina of Time is in a tie with Majora's Mask for the second-place position. Ocarina of Time is very popular in part due to the fanbase playing the original version during their childhood (myself included), but this nostalgia isn't the only reason the game deserves the third-place position. The game's cutscenes have a lot of life to them, like the moment in the intro scene where the fairy bumps into the fence on their way to wake Link. While the graphics of the game are rougher than the modern entries, every area feels large and full of life and is accompanied by its own melodic soundtrack.

2 - Majora's Mask (N64)

Majora's Mask and Ocarina of Time are pretty much tied for second place in my book. This refers specifically to the originals, as they have an eeriness and difficulty to them that I feel the 3DS versions did not. Majora's Mask gives you the chance to enjoy a variety of different abilities by putting on masks and obtaining their powers. Several of these masks will allow you to take the form of different species in the game, giving you a new way to play rather than remaining the same Link for the entire game. It's hard to get bored when exploring the game's many avenues and learning to use all of Link's abilities to your advantage. For this reason, the original Majora's Mask deserves the second-place spot on our list.

1 - Twilight Princess

If you know me, it's no secret that I believe Twilight Princess is the best Legend of Zelda game ever made. Its visuals are the perfect blend of dark and moody aesthetics and bright and lively visuals that make the world of Hyrule feel alive and under duress. Additionally, its characters are well thought-out, there are tons of side quests and content to complete, and the story itself is mesmerizing. It also contains the Malo Mart, which has one of the best musical themes in the Legend of Zelda universe. This is the first game I'd mention to anyone wanting to try a new Legend of Zelda title.

Do you want to play a new Zelda game, but desire a challenge? Check out our Top 10 Hardest Zelda Games, ranked by difficulty here on Pro Game Guides.