Few gaming franchises inspire as much passionate debate as The Legend of Zelda. With nearly forty years of mainline entries spanning multiple console generations and at least three distinct eras of design philosophy, ranking the series means weighing 8-bit dungeon crawlers against open-world masterpieces — games that were genre-defining for their time against games that simply hold up better today.
This ranking covers the mainline Zelda games, from the original 1986 NES title through the most recent Switch entries. As with any ranking like this, it’s one perspective among many — the spread of opinions across the Zelda fanbase is part of what makes the series so enduring.
Quick Ranking Overview
| Rank | Game | Platform | Year |
| 1 | The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo 64 | 1998 |
| 2 | The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild | Switch / Wii U | 2017 |
| 3 | The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom | Switch | 2023 |
| 4 | The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past | SNES | 1991 |
| 5 | The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask | Nintendo 64 | 2000 |
| 6 | The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker | GameCube | 2002 |
| 7 | The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening | Game Boy / Switch remake | 1993 / 2019 |
| 8 | The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess | Wii / GameCube | 2006 |
| 9 | The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds | 3DS | 2013 |
| 10 | The Legend of Zelda (original) | NES | 1986 |
| 11 | The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword | Wii / Switch remaster | 2011 / 2021 |
| 12 | The Legend of Zelda II: The Adventure of Link | NES | 1987 |
1. Ocarina of Time (1998)
Ocarina of Time tends to top these lists for a reason that goes beyond nostalgia: it didn’t just adapt Zelda to 3D, it essentially established the template for 3D action-adventure games that countless titles across multiple genres would follow for the next two decades. Z-targeting, context-sensitive actions, the day-night cycle affecting the world, horseback travel across an open landscape — these weren’t just new Zelda features, they were new ideas for the medium.
What keeps it at the top for many isn’t just historical importance, though. Hyrule Field, the Temple of Time, the transition between child and adult Link — the game’s structure and atmosphere remain genuinely effective even now. It’s the rare “most influential” pick that’s also frequently picked as simply the best to play.
2. Breath of the Wild (2017)
If Ocarina of Time defined 3D Zelda, Breath of the Wild redefined what an open-world game could be — and arguably reset expectations for the entire genre in the years since. The Great Plateau introduction sequence is often cited as one of the best tutorial areas ever designed: it teaches every core system organically while making the player feel like they’re discovering it themselves.
The physics-based puzzle systems, the chemistry engine (where fire, wind, electricity, and metal objects all interact predictably), and the sheer density of things to discover across Hyrule combine into a game where almost any approach to a problem is valid. For many players, this is the Zelda game that made the older entries feel comparatively restrictive — though that same open-endedness is also why some longtime fans rank it lower, missing the more structured dungeon design of earlier games.
3. Tears of the Kingdom (2023)
Tears of the Kingdom takes Breath of the Wild’s open world and adds an entirely new layer of player creativity through the Fuse and Ultrahand abilities — letting players build vehicles, weapons, and contraptions from scavenged parts. The addition of the Sky Islands and the Depths effectively triples the explorable space compared to its predecessor.
Ranking it just below Breath of the Wild comes down to familiarity rather than quality — reusing the same Hyrule map means some of the sense of pure discovery that made BotW special is inherently reduced on a second pass through similar terrain, even with the new vertical and underground layers. On pure mechanical depth and player freedom, though, it’s arguably the series’ high point.
4. A Link to the Past (1991)
The SNES classic is frequently cited as the high point of 2D Zelda, and for good reason: the Light World/Dark World structure doubled the game’s content elegantly, the dungeon design struck a near-perfect balance between challenge and fairness, and the top-down action established conventions — item progression gating new areas, a large overworld connecting dungeons — that 2D Zelda games would follow for decades.
Its influence is still visible in modern indie action-adventure games that cite it directly as inspiration, which says something about how well its core design has aged.
5. Majora’s Mask (2000)
Majora’s Mask is the series’ most unusual entry — a three-day time loop where Link relives the same 72 hours repeatedly, learning NPC schedules and using that knowledge to solve increasingly complex problems. The tone is also notably darker than other Zelda games, built around the looming threat of a moon crashing into Termina.
It ranks just below A Link to the Past and the top two for some because its structure — constantly resetting time, replanning routes — can feel restrictive compared to the freedom of other entries. But for players who connect with its mood and ambitious design, it’s often considered the most creative game in the series.
6. The Wind Waker (2002)
The Wind Waker’s cel-shaded art style was divisive at launch but has aged remarkably well — visually, it’s one of the most distinctive games Nintendo has ever made, and its expressive character animation remains a high point for the series. Sailing the Great Sea, while sometimes criticized for being slow in the original release (later addressed in the HD remaster’s faster sail), creates a genuine sense of discovering a vast, interconnected world.
Its dungeon count is lower than some other entries, which is the main argument for ranking it outside the top tier — but the atmosphere, character writing (Tetra, the King of Red Lions, Ganondorf’s portrayal), and tone make it one of the most fondly remembered entries even among players who acknowledge its structural shortcomings.
7. Link’s Awakening (1993 / 2019 remake)
Originally a Game Boy game built around surprisingly ambitious dungeon and overworld design for the hardware, Link’s Awakening’s 2019 Switch remake gave it a beautiful diorama-style visual overhaul that highlighted just how clever the original’s compact world design was. Its self-contained, slightly surreal story (the entire game takes place on a dream island) gives it a unique identity within the series.
8. Twilight Princess (2006)
Twilight Princess leaned into a darker, more “realistic” art direction and larger-scale dungeons than its predecessors, with the wolf transformation mechanic adding a genuinely new gameplay layer. Its dungeons are often cited among the series’ best individually — but the game’s pacing, particularly its opening hours, is frequently mentioned as a weak point that holds it back from ranking higher.
9. A Link Between Worlds (2013)
A spiritual successor to A Link to the Past on the 3DS, A Link Between Worlds introduced an item-rental system that let players approach dungeons in almost any order — a structural innovation that influenced the design philosophy later seen in Breath of the Wild. Its dungeon design is consistently strong, even if its overall scope is more modest than mainline console entries.
10. The Legend of Zelda (1986)
The original NES game remains historically essential — it established the overworld-plus-dungeons structure, the concept of optional exploration and secrets, and item-based progression that the entire series (and much of the action-adventure genre) builds on. Played today, its lack of direction and steep difficulty curve make it a harder recommendation purely as a game, but its influence on everything that followed is undeniable.
11. Skyward Sword (2011 / 2021 remaster)
Skyward Sword’s motion-control combat was ambitious for the Wii but proved divisive, and the Switch remaster (with traditional button controls as an option) addressed some but not all of the criticism. Its dungeon design is strong — often cited as some of the series’ most creative — but pacing issues, including repeated visits to the same overworld areas and an unusually talkative companion character, are the most common reasons it ranks lower on lists like this.
12. Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (1987)
The NES sequel took a dramatically different approach — side-scrolling action sequences combined with an overworld map — that the series never fully returned to. Its difficulty, particularly around experience-based leveling and steep platforming sections, makes it the entry most frequently cited as the hardest to recommend, though it retains a dedicated group of defenders who appreciate its unique approach.
What Makes a Zelda Game Rank Highly?
Looking at where games land on lists like this, a few recurring factors tend to separate the top tier from the rest:
- Dungeon design: Memorable, well-paced dungeons with satisfying item-based puzzles consistently correlate with higher rankings (A Link to the Past, Ocarina of Time, A Link Between Worlds)
- World structure: Whether linear-with-secrets or fully open, a world that rewards exploration tends to rank above one that feels like a series of corridors
- Innovation relative to its time: Games that introduced mechanics later adopted across the series (or the wider genre) tend to be remembered more fondly than games that refined existing ideas without adding new ones
- Pacing: Even highly regarded entries (Twilight Princess, Skyward Sword) are frequently marked down specifically for slow openings or repetitive sections
Frequently Asked Questions
What is generally considered the best Zelda game?
Ocarina of Time and Breath of the Wild are the two games most frequently cited as the best in the series, though which one takes the top spot varies significantly by individual ranking — Ocarina of Time is often favored for its historical influence and tight pacing, while Breath of the Wild is favored for its open-ended design and player freedom.
What is the worst mainline Zelda game?
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link is the entry most commonly ranked last, primarily due to its steep difficulty and significant departure from the series’ usual structure — though it retains a dedicated fanbase who appreciate its unique side-scrolling approach.
Should I play Zelda games in release order?
Most Zelda games have minimal direct story connections, so release order isn’t required to understand individual games. However, playing in roughly chronological release order does let you see how mechanics evolved — and starting with a more modern, accessible entry (like A Link Between Worlds, Link’s Awakening, or Breath of the Wild) is often recommended for new players before going back to older titles with steeper learning curves.
Is Breath of the Wild or Tears of the Kingdom better?
Both are highly ranked, with Tears of the Kingdom generally seen as expanding on Breath of the Wild’s foundation with deeper crafting and building systems and additional explorable areas (Sky Islands, the Depths). Some rankings favor Tears of the Kingdom for its added depth, while others favor Breath of the Wild for the sense of discovering Hyrule for the first time, which is harder to replicate on a returning map.
Final Thoughts
Few series have a back catalog this consistently strong across nearly four decades — even the games near the bottom of a list like this have passionate defenders, and for good reason. Whether the top spot goes to Ocarina of Time’s genre-defining 3D template or Breath of the Wild’s open-world reinvention often comes down to whether a player values historical significance and tight pacing or sheer player freedom — and that’s a debate the Zelda community will likely never fully settle, which is part of the fun.
