Best Of
10 Best Zelda Games to Play
Find ten Zelda games for creative puzzles, classic dungeons and open-world exploration, with edition guidance and official trailers.
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The best Zelda game for you depends on what you want from Hyrule: a carefully arranged dungeon, an unusual mystery, or a landscape that lets you solve problems your own way. These ten picks cover several generations without pretending they all play alike. Each entry identifies the edition being discussed, so a Wii U remaster is not confused with a Switch release. The Switch 2 editions of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom represent those adventures once each.
For more options, explore our open-world games guide.
10. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD
Skyward Sword HD suits players who want Zelda built around a continuing story and deliberate dungeon puzzles. Its floating hometown and trips to the surface create a more directed adventure than the open-ended Switch games. Sword combat is central, with motion controls and a button-control option offering different ways to handle Link’s blade. Choose this Switch remaster if you enjoy learning how a dungeon fits together. Expect a guided journey rather than unlimited freedom to pick your next destination.
Official trailer — Nintendo of America. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD – Launch Trailer.
9. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
A Link Between Worlds gives a familiar overhead perspective an inventive twist: Link can flatten himself into a painting and move across walls. That changes how you read rooms, reach ledges, and connect parts of the landscape. Renting equipment also loosens the usual relationship between finding a tool and entering its associated dungeon. This Nintendo 3DS game is especially appealing if you want compact spaces full of puzzles. It remains a 3DS recommendation, not a claim of a current Switch port.
Official trailer — Nintendo of America. Nintendo 3DS – The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds Launch Trailer.
8. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD
Twilight Princess HD leans into ominous forests, large dungeons, and a more somber version of Hyrule. Link’s wolf transformation supplies a different way to investigate the world, while Midna gives the journey a memorable companion. The appeal is its sustained adventure structure: arrive somewhere unfamiliar, understand its problem, and work through a substantial dungeon. This entry refers to the Wii U remaster. Pick it if you have suitable hardware and prefer traditional Zelda progression to a freely ordered open world.
Official trailer — Nintendo UK. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD – Launch Trailer (Wii U).
7. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD
The Wind Waker HD turns travel into part of the adventure. Sailing between islands gives Hyrule a spacious rhythm, while its expressive animation keeps conversations and discoveries lively. Islands can hold a dungeon, a useful diversion, or simply something strange on the horizon. The Wii U remaster makes a strong choice for players who enjoy exploration between major story beats. Its cartoon styling should not be mistaken for a lack of depth; this is a full dungeon-based Zelda adventure with a distinctive sense of place.
Official trailer — Nintendo UK. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD – Launch Trailer (Wii U).
6. The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D
Majora’s Mask 3D asks you to understand a town and its inhabitants within a repeating three-day cycle. Progress comes from learning schedules, helping people, and finding ways to carry your knowledge into another attempt. That structure gives even small encounters unusual weight. This 3DS remake is a good fit if you want Zelda at its strangest and most intimate. The clock changes the mood substantially, so players who prefer to explore without an approaching deadline may be happier with another choice.
Official trailer — Nintendo of America. Nintendo 3DS – The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D – Announcement Trailer.
5. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D
Ocarina of Time 3D remains an approachable way to explore the adventure that established much of Zelda’s 3D vocabulary. Its changing Hyrule, item-based dungeons, and musical interactions connect into a clear journey from childhood toward a larger conflict. The 3DS edition is the version discussed here. It is worth choosing for its dungeon structure and historical importance, while remembering that later games handle movement and exploration differently. An announced remake should be considered separately from this already released edition.
Official trailer — Nintendo of America. Nintendo 3DS – The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D Remake Trailer.
4. The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening
Link’s Awakening replaces sprawling Hyrule with Koholint Island, a smaller place whose odd residents and tightly connected paths make exploration feel personal. The Switch remake pairs its miniature visual style with familiar item puzzles and dungeon progression. It is a particularly useful starting point if a huge open world sounds exhausting. You can make meaningful progress by understanding one corner of the island, then using a new ability to see how it connects to somewhere you have already visited.
Official trailer — Nintendo of America. The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening – Nintendo Switch Trailer – Nintendo E3 2019.
3. The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
Echoes of Wisdom puts Zelda at the center of an adventure about creating solutions. Learning echoes of objects and creatures gives you a flexible set of tools for crossing obstacles and handling enemies. The fun lies in deciding which idea fits a situation, then discovering that another arrangement can work too. Choose it if you like the compact perspective of classic Zelda but want more experimentation. Its problem solving offers a different appeal from controlling Link through a conventional sword-led campaign.
Official trailer — Nintendo of America. The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom – Launch Trailer – Nintendo Switch.
2. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
Breath of the Wild makes curiosity the engine of its adventure. Mountains, weather, cooking, weapons, and physics interact often enough that planning a journey can become as interesting as reaching the marker. The Nintendo Switch 2 Edition is the edition highlighted here; the original Switch version remains the same underlying adventure. This is a strong starting point for players who want to find their own route through Hyrule. Be ready to improvise when equipment breaks or an ambitious climb meets bad weather.
Official overview of both Zelda Nintendo Switch 2 Editions; includes Breath of the Wild. The Legend of Zelda games – Nintendo Switch 2 Editions & ZELDA NOTES – Overview Trailer.
1. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
Tears of the Kingdom builds on open-world Zelda by letting Link assemble tools and vehicles from the materials around him. Its sky islands, surface, and underground regions give those experiments room to matter. The Nintendo Switch 2 Edition is our featured edition, rather than a separate ranked game alongside the Switch original. Choose it when building an improbable solution sounds as enjoyable as discovering a destination. Familiarity with Breath of the Wild adds context, but the main draw is what you can make possible yourself.
Official trailer for the original game; the featured Switch 2 Edition enhances the same adventure. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – Official Trailer #3.
Which Game Should You Start With?
Start with Link’s Awakening for a compact introduction, Echoes of Wisdom for creative puzzles, or Breath of the Wild for open exploration. Tears of the Kingdom is the strongest fit for players who want building and experimentation. Check the named hardware before buying the older Wii U and 3DS selections.
