Every Mainline Zelda Game Ranked From Worst To Best

In most "Legend of Zelda" games, Link is a solo, stalwart hero who stands alone as he delves dungeons, fights the forces of darkness, and smashes pots for cash. But what happens when Link teams up with another hero or two? The worst "Zelda" game in the franchise, "The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes," that's what.

Now just to be clear, "Tri Force Heroes" isn't a bad game; it just lacks the hallmarks of the best "Zelda" titles. The game tries something different with a campy story about a land of fashion gurus. In "Tri Force Heroes," instead of saving a kingdom from an evil wizard or giant demon pig, Link must play dress-up to rescue a princess cursed with a gaudy leotard. Most outlets, including GameSpot, felt the story tied itself in a knot trying to justify its gimmicks.

"Tri Force Heroes" relies on two features: costumes and multiplayer. Different outfits provide unique abilities, and while most reviewers liked the clothes, they weren't as forgiving with the co-op. To implement multiplayer, "Tri Force Heroes" splits the world into a patchwork of levels, forcing players to cooperate to solve puzzles. That focus on teamwork unfortunately sucks the life out of single-player mode. While solo, players have to juggle Link's soul between three otherwise-immobile dolls to trudge through areas designed for three active heroes.

When you play "The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes" with friends, the game has its moments. When played alone, it is a fashion disaster.

You can't expect perfection when starting out. No matter how good an initial game is, it will be undercooked in some areas. Regardless, a first attempt usually deserves to be witnessed, not because it is a great product but because it is a proof of concept that formed the groundwork of future endeavors.

As pointed out by GameSkinny, the first "Legend of Zelda" game introduced many of the basic mechanics that are synonymous with the "Zelda" franchise. The game emphasizes exploration and lets players go anywhere at any time, but it might be too open-ended. Critics have pointed out that "The Legend of Zelda" offers little in the way of direction and clues, and what few clues it provides are absurdly cryptic.

Sure, "The Legend of Zelda" makes every discovery feel like an accomplishment, but that's because it hides secrets without any indication they exist. You won't know if a bush covers a secret passage unless you channel your inner pyromaniac and burn everything in sight — or read a guide. Many internet personalities, such as SomecallmeJohnny, recommend playing "The Legend of Zelda" with a walkthrough on hand. Otherwise, you might overlook essential secrets and items, including the only weapon that can kill the final boss.

"The Legend of Zelda" is the kind of game you should play for the experience and to see how much the franchise has grown. If you want to check out the game's story, though, just read its instruction manual.

Second time isn't always the charm. Sometimes, a company gets things right the first time — or at least does it better.

Before "The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes," there was "The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures." Thanks to the magic of link cables, players can gather around a Gamecube and witness action that seamlessly transfers from the TV to Game Boy Advance screens. This system allows players to wander off without breaking the flow of gameplay while also communicating to solve puzzles cooperatively. However, "Four Swords Adventures" has one more devious trick up its sleeve: Participants are free to backstab each other for pleasure and profit. Betraying your fellow Links is half the fun.

Unfortunately, while "Four Swords Adventures" is the best multiplayer "Zelda" experience out there, critics have found that it comes at the cost of a decent solo experience. When playing alone, the turncoat chaos that gives "Four Swords Adventures" its charm is absent. Plus, regardless of mode, each "Four Swords Adventures" level is insular. Items are restricted to specific areas, so the game doesn't feature any building sense of power or progression, let alone a compelling and overarching story.

"The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures" is at its best when four players are huddled around a TV, cooperating with each other one second and throwing allies off cliffs the next. Of course, unless each participant packs their own GBA and link cable, that's not happening — and the game's single-player experience is no replacement.

Many gamers would love to pretend they have the sword skills of fictional heroes, so it was inevitable a studio would develop a game with screen-accurate motion-controlled sword swings. Unfortunately, as "The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword" demonstrates, that kind of attention to detail can result in tunnel vision.

"Skyward Sword" leans heavily on motion controls to great effect. Sites like Eurogamer and Den of Geek praised how the Wii translates hand motions into on-screen sword movements, as well as how the game links this mechanic to combat. Enemies easily parry errant and sloppy attacks, transforming each duel into a puzzle. "Skyward Sword" doesn't slouch on presentation, either. Stellar graphics, along with the characterizations of Link and Zelda, as well as newcomer Groose, elevate the game's origin story narrative.

While "Skyward Sword" compliments its swordplay with fantastic dungeons and bosses (audiences have particularly praised the Ancient Cistern and Koloktos), the same can't be said for general progression. "Skyward Sword" is one of the most linear entries in the franchise and forces egregious amounts of backtracking. Moreover, Link's companion Fi is a sore spot among many gamers. She is supposed to be an emotionless AI character that lives in a sword (don't ask), and that's exactly how she comes across — in the most aggravating way possible.

"The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword" soars above the clouds when it focuses on swordplay action, but whenever the game tries to justify its story length, it comes crashing down to Earth.

Nintendo cornered the handheld gaming market fairly early with the Game Boy and its library of quality, pocket-sized titles. Even though the Game Boy doesn't have the specs to take on Nintendo's house-bound consoles, many of its games, including "The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening," punch above their weight class.

"Link's Awakening" should feel similar to anyone who played "A Link to the Past." More importantly, outlets like Nintendo Life claim the handheld title manages to feel like a continuation of "A Link to the Past" in a good way. The main loop of entering dungeons, finding items, and defeating bosses is intact, and the story helps the game feel bigger than it actually is.

While most "Zelda" games have clear-cut heroes and villains, "Link's Awakening" delivers a morally-gray twist partway through. Link's main mission is to leave Koholint Island by waking the Wind Fish, but Koholint is the Wind Fish's dream. That means when it wakes up, the island and its inhabitants will fade away. The game never truly capitalizes on this concept, but the knowledge sticks in gamers' minds.

However, for all its strengths, "Link's Awakening" is restricted by platform hardware. The Game Boy only has two buttons to work with, which results in a ton of item-swapping to solve basic puzzles. This becomes especially tedious in later dungeons. Even so, "The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening" provides an adventure far greater than the scale of its platform.

Once upon a time, the video game industry was obsessed with creating dark and mature games that exuded a gritty and realistic tone. The "Legend of Zelda" franchise weathered this storm rather well, but not without a few marks.

"The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess" is the only mainline "Zelda" game to earn a "T" rating. The title's target demographic is gamers who grew up with "Ocarina of Time" since, according to IGN, "Twilight Princess" is a "spiritual sequel." Luckily, "Twilight Princess" is far from a rehash. The game features a larger world and longer story, as well as new abilities in the form of sword techniques and the power to turn into a wolf. However, the main draw of "Twilight Princess" is its story. Much like its graphics, the game's narrative is dark, and many critics agree that Link's companion Midna is the morally grey, snarky heart of the story.

Unfortunately, the strengths of "Twilight Princess" also weigh it down. The game's graphics rely on bloom to a blinding degree, and "Twilight Princess" also forces players to plod through a lengthy introductory tutorial section. Furthermore, the title's newcomer villain, Zant, is cast aside for yet another final battle with Ganondorf.

Still, "The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess" is fondly remembered for its unique flavor and flaws. After all, it's not every day a world full of fairies and fish people tries its hand at mature storytelling.

Great graphical fidelity can make a video game look good for a time, but a great art style makes a game look timeless. To see this rule in action, search no further than "The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker."

While "Wind Waker" didn't impress audiences when it was announced, the game's unique, cartoony style eventually won them over. IGN once declared that "Wind Waker" to be "the most beautiful cel-shaded videogame," and that claim isn't without merit. Of course, the game isn't just a pretty moving painting. The narrative and characters of "Wind Waker" are as charming as the graphics, and its soundscape and music library are positively reviewed to this day. Songs such as "Dragon Roost Island" and the "Molgera Battle" theme constantly earworm their way into audience favorite lists.

However, the game isn't all smooth sailing. Many critics claim "Wind Waker" is too easy, thanks in part to contextual combat actions that let Link flip and roll around the battlefield. Plus, since the game world is mostly vast ocean, traveling primarily consists of sailing plain swaths of water with the occasional island distraction. But, those complaints pale in comparison to the endgame in which players have to dredge for eight Triforce pieces — and shell out a small fortune to decode maps necessary for this treasure hunt.

"The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker" is a beloved classic with a few flaws that are quickly washed away. Plus, Zelda herself gets to participate in the final fight, which is a step up from her usual role.

After "Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link" didn't impress audiences, the company went back to the drawing board and brainstormed a game that focused on what gamers praised in the original. The result is the definitive 2D adventure experience.

While "The Legend of Zelda" created the skeleton of the franchise's formula, "The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past" fleshed it out. The game essentially invented, as IGN put it, the "overworld exploration, item acquisition, and storyline progression" gameplay loop the series is known for. Then again, the first "Zelda" game doesn't really have much a story to speak of, so "A Link to the Past" also shoved the franchise headfirst into the world of dense storytelling.

Since "A Link to the Past" was Nintendo's first "Zelda" title on the Super Nintendo, the game demonstrates what extra console horsepower and extra controller buttons can do for the franchise. Moreover, not only does "A Link to the Past" look and handle beautifully, it maintains a sufficient pace throughout, and the game doesn't railroad players down a linear path. Also, fans can thank "A Link to the Past" for introducing franchise staples such as alternate worlds and the iconic Dead Man's Volley.

Most gamers are hard-pressed to find any obvious flaws with "The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past." The closest the game gets to one is that it doesn't tickle the exploration and nostalgia bones quite as well as some other "Zelda" games.

The mark of a good video game isn't just its quality, but also its legacy. Was there ever any doubt "The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time" wouldn't nab the top spot?

No matter how you slice it, "Ocarina of Time" is the definitive 3D "Zelda" title. Outlets like IGN have attributed part of the game's success to translating the classic "Zelda" formula to 3D, not to mention improving it. The Nintendo 64's controller opened up so much button real estate, making item usage a breeze with its four C buttons. However, the biggest control game changer is the Z button, which lets players lock onto enemies and gel with the context-sensitive A button to add a new dimension to combat.

The true beauty of "Ocarina of Time" lies deep within its presentation. The N64's graphical power elevates the game's atmosphere above previous "Zelda" titles, and while the story is fairly standard, many critics claim the characters make up for it. Ganondorf, for instance, left such an impact that he is recognized as a king among video game villainy. Moreover, the game's music is so catchy and iconic that it has become entrenched in the pop culture zeitgeist. Nintendo loves to reference "Ocarina of Time" tunes, sometimes cleverly sneaking them into other games.

Because of the quality and history of "The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time," it is, beyond a shadow of a doubt, the best "Zelda" game. The only objective problem with it game is its Water Temple. For some reason, the franchise just has trouble with water-themed dungeons.