Best Zelda Games Of All Time

Best Zelda Game
Image: Nintendo Life

We’ve now updated this reader-ranked Zelda list with the latest entry, Tears of the Kingdom.

Remember, this list is dynamic and governed in real-time by each game’s User Rating on our games database. Therefore, it is subject to change even after publication!

In order to rate any of the games on the list below out of 10, logged-in Nintendo Life users can simply tap the ‘star’, assign the game a personal rating, and influence the order below. Enjoy!


What are the best Zelda games? Following decades of adventures across Nintendo consoles, ranking The Legend of Zelda series is one heck of an undertaking. Bar a couple of exceptions, each entry is pretty much a classic, and even the ‘lesser’ ones are really rather good. The majority are among the very best games on the consoles that parented them, so assembling them in order is no small task.

Thankfully, we’ve been able to enlist some very fine people to aid us in the task of ranking every Zelda game ever: you lovely Nintendo Life readers, of course! The reader-ranked list below is governed by each game’s User Rating in our database, and is therefore subject to change after publication, even as you’re reading this. It’s an ever-evolving, ‘definitive’ Zelda ranking that we’ll keep updated with new entries as they release.

When it comes to different versions of the same game, after some debate we’ve decided to throw everything in for the most part — HD remasters, 3DS remakes, GBA ports, the works! We have excluded a few things (the GameCube compilations, BOTW on Wii U, and the non-Switch versions of Hyrule Warriors, for example), but we think it’s interesting to see within the overall ranking how the remasters and remakes fare against one another.

And no, we haven’t included the Philips CD-i ones (or the DS Tingle curios), but we have included some significant spin-offs, such as Cadence of Hyrule and Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity.

Don’t think spin-offs, remakes, or remasters should be included? We’ve got a solution for you: mentally remove the offending games from the list and — voilà — a svelte, sparkling ranking without any of those blithering pretenders to the Hylian throne.

So, let’s grab the Master Sword and our Hylian Shield and head out on an adventure. Here is the Legend of Zelda series, as ranked by you, from worst to best…

Link's Crossbow Training (Wii)

Link's Crossbow Training (Wii)

Publisher: Nintendo / Developer: Nintendo EAD

Release Date: 19th Nov 2007 (USA) / 7th Dec 2007 (UK/EU)
The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes (3DS)

The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes (3DS)

Publisher: Nintendo / Developer: Nintendo

Release Date: 23rd Oct 2015 (USA) / 23rd Oct 2015 (UK/EU)
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (NES)

Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (NES)

Publisher: Nintendo / Developer: Nintendo EAD

Release Date: 1st Dec 1988 (USA) / 26th Sep 1988 (UK/EU)
The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Anniversary Edition (DSiWare)

The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Anniversary Edition (DSiWare)

Publisher: Nintendo / Developer: Grezzo

Release Date: 28th Sep 2011 (USA) / 28th Sep 2011 (UK/EU)
Cadence of Hyrule: Crypt of the NecroDancer Featuring The Legend of Zelda (Switch eShop)

Cadence of Hyrule: Crypt of the NecroDancer Featuring The Legend of Zelda (Switch eShop)

Publisher: Nintendo / Developer: Brace Yourself Games

Release Date: 13th Jun 2019 (USA) / 13th Jun 2019 (UK/EU)
The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures (GCN)

The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures (GCN)

Publisher: Nintendo / Developer: Nintendo EAD

Release Date: 7th Jun 2004 (USA) / 7th Jan 2005 (UK/EU)

Best Zelda Game
Image: Nintendo Life

We’ve now updated this reader-ranked Zelda list with the latest entry, Tears of the Kingdom.

Remember, this list is dynamic and governed in real-time by each game’s User Rating on our games database. Therefore, it is subject to change even after publication!

In order to rate any of the games on the list below out of 10, logged-in Nintendo Life users can simply tap the ‘star’, assign the game a personal rating, and influence the order below. Enjoy!


What are the best Zelda games? Following decades of adventures across Nintendo consoles, ranking The Legend of Zelda series is one heck of an undertaking. Bar a couple of exceptions, each entry is pretty much a classic, and even the ‘lesser’ ones are really rather good. The majority are among the very best games on the consoles that parented them, so assembling them in order is no small task.

Thankfully, we’ve been able to enlist some very fine people to aid us in the task of ranking every Zelda game ever: you lovely Nintendo Life readers, of course! The reader-ranked list below is governed by each game’s User Rating in our database, and is therefore subject to change after publication, even as you’re reading this. It’s an ever-evolving, ‘definitive’ Zelda ranking that we’ll keep updated with new entries as they release.

When it comes to different versions of the same game, after some debate we’ve decided to throw everything in for the most part — HD remasters, 3DS remakes, GBA ports, the works! We have excluded a few things (the GameCube compilations, BOTW on Wii U, and the non-Switch versions of Hyrule Warriors, for example), but we think it’s interesting to see within the overall ranking how the remasters and remakes fare against one another.

And no, we haven’t included the Philips CD-i ones (or the DS Tingle curios), but we have included some significant spin-offs, such as Cadence of Hyrule and Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity.

Don’t think spin-offs, remakes, or remasters should be included? We’ve got a solution for you: mentally remove the offending games from the list and — voilà — a svelte, sparkling ranking without any of those blithering pretenders to the Hylian throne.

So, let’s grab the Master Sword and our Hylian Shield and head out on an adventure. Here is the Legend of Zelda series, as ranked by you, from worst to best…

Link's Crossbow Training (Wii)

Link's Crossbow Training (Wii)

Publisher: Nintendo / Developer: Nintendo EAD

Release Date: 19th Nov 2007 (USA) / 7th Dec 2007 (UK/EU)
The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes (3DS)

The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes (3DS)

Publisher: Nintendo / Developer: Nintendo

Release Date: 23rd Oct 2015 (USA) / 23rd Oct 2015 (UK/EU)
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (NES)

Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (NES)

Publisher: Nintendo / Developer: Nintendo EAD

Release Date: 1st Dec 1988 (USA) / 26th Sep 1988 (UK/EU)
The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Anniversary Edition (DSiWare)

The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Anniversary Edition (DSiWare)

Publisher: Nintendo / Developer: Grezzo

Release Date: 28th Sep 2011 (USA) / 28th Sep 2011 (UK/EU)
Cadence of Hyrule: Crypt of the NecroDancer Featuring The Legend of Zelda (Switch eShop)

Cadence of Hyrule: Crypt of the NecroDancer Featuring The Legend of Zelda (Switch eShop)

Publisher: Nintendo / Developer: Brace Yourself Games

Release Date: 13th Jun 2019 (USA) / 13th Jun 2019 (UK/EU)
The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures (GCN)

The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures (GCN)

Publisher: Nintendo / Developer: Nintendo EAD

Release Date: 7th Jun 2004 (USA) / 7th Jan 2005 (UK/EU)

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