Summary
Across the long history of theLegend of Zeldafranchise, there has been a large variety of games that cross into different genres, different dimensions, and across time itself, making it feel as if anything could happen in this legendary franchise that has helped define the video game industry.
However, some of theLegend of Zeldagames manage to focus on their storylines within that universe with a particular level of success. From the beginning when Link was simply running around a 2D dungeon to the most recent explosive adventures in grand open-world settings, theLegend of Zeldafranchise has always put a high emphasis on quality storytelling.
7Breath Of The Wild
One of the great things about theLegend of Zeldafranchise is that almost every game could bea great jumping-on point for new fans. With decades worth of history throughout the adventures of Hyrule and the various Links, the idea of forming it all into a cohesive history of canon seemed like too abstract an idea for all but the most die-hardZeldafans.
However, that all changed when the grand open-world adventureBreath of the Wildwas released. Hugely divisive among fans of the franchise for the storytelling, which is particularly dark and filled with lore and references to the other games in the franchise,Breath of the Wildis a beloved game still. The world-building is excellent, and it does a reasonable job of tying much of the franchise together, but it isn’t one of the very top in the franchise’s history despite the ambition it held.
6Skyward Sword
WhileSkyward Swordis another title that remains extremely divided among theLegend of Zeldafandom, the story is one aspect that most can agree upon. Besides the two newest entries and their open worlds,Skyward Swordis the most far-reaching, ambitious, and cinematic game the franchise has had, and it isa greatZeldagame for beginners.
Making bold moves and delving deeper into Zelda and Link as an actual couple, somewhere many entries barely dare to hint at,Skyward Swordtold a grand, sweeping story in a bold new fashion that stuck with manyLegend of Zeldafans long after they finished playing. Many complain about other aspects of the gameplay and visuals, but there are few fans who don’t loveSkyward Sword’sversion of the hero’s tale.
5The Minish Cap
The Minish Capis an unusual game in theLegend of Zeldafranchise. Released as a portable entry, though a mainline one in the history of the franchise,The Minish Captook bold steps in setting itself before almost any otherZeldagame in the overarching timeline of the franchise. It also ignored several major elements that appear in most other games within the franchise, such as Ganondorf as the primary antagonist.
The story, instead, of the ancient Picori and their myths about a great Hero of Man, whom Link must emulateby shrinking down in sizeto stop the evil sorcerer Vaati, is a great backdrop for a grand story.The Minish Cap, besides mixing the best features ofFour Swordsand earlier non-handheld games in the franchise, has achieved cult status amongZeldafans as one of the most beautifully built versions of Hyrule with a lot of intriguing lore added to the franchise’s history.
4Link’s Awakening
One of the boldest early entries in the franchise,Link’s Awakeningwas originally intended as a port forA Link To The Past, but it developed over time into an original adventure set after the events of that game.Link’s Awakeningwas the first handheld title in the franchise’s history, and it took place entirely inside a dream, not even setting itself in Hyrule.
RELATED:Hardest Legend Of Zelda Games, Ranked
Link’s Awakeningdeserves praise for the boldness of the story, which involved Link washing ashore on an island he doesn’t recognize. Link is tasked with finding eight magical instruments, so he can awaken the Wind Fish, a great sleeping creature that controls the dream world where Link has found himself.Link’s Awakeningtells a beautiful tale, and it has been well-remembered for such a dated entry in the franchise.
3Majora’s Mask
Another bold story told within the greater franchise ofThe Legend of Zelda,Majora’s Maskis considered by many fans to have some of the very best lore and world-building in a narrative sense of any game in history.Majora’s Maskhada whole world of NPCs feeling truly terrifiedabout the dark times and events they were living in, making for a much more realistic and heart-breaking adventure that felt high-stakes throughout.
Not to mention that it tackled the idea of a time loop in a way that is tricky to pull off successfully.Majora’s Maskremains a standard-bearer forZeldagames in both storytelling and bold narrative stroke terms.
2The Wind Waker
Though it features some of the more adorable and colorful art styles seen in anyZeldaentry,which inspired many other games,The Wind Wakerhas remained a favorite of manyZeldafans over the years for other reasons. One of these is the narrative style, providing a stark contrast to the art with some shockingly dark ideas and characters that appear throughout the flooded world.
The connections toOcarina of Time, the beautiful setting that worked from both a narrative and gameplay perspective, and the simplicity of the story made for a wonderful tale inThe Wind Waker. With updated graphical versions having been released since the original, more and moreZeldafans have rediscovered a true love for the complexities of this wonderful entry.
1Ocarina Of Time
Ocarina of Timeis one of the oldest entries in the mainZeldafranchise, but it remains one of the very best. Many gamers still love returning to these olderZeldagames, in particularOcarina, because it is quite simply one of the best games of all time. While otherZeldagames needed to set themselves apart from the tropes of the franchise to tell a fantastical and original story,Ocarina of Timemanages to tell something complex and original while feeling familiar and championing the very tropes that make the franchise so special and beloved.
Zeldafans of all ages and calibers can find something to truly love aboutOcarina of Time. The story itself, about Link going after the Triforce and being trapped in time for seven years while Ganon takes over Hyrule, was excellent, even if itdidn’t help with forming a fullZeldagame timeline. But the real charm is in the deeper lore told by other characters in the game, which made it feel so much more real, and changed howZeldagames, and video games in general, were handled forever narratively.
