Why every Zelda game is the best AND worst in the series

They can't all be legendary. Or can they?

Words: GamesRadar Staff on July 1, 2011

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philipshaw - July 1, 2011 11:16 a.m.

Great feature,wind waker is my fav zelda game followed by OoT and LTTP
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NeoTechni - July 1, 2011 10:08 a.m.

The tingle tuner was better than the cel shading. Tetra is her favorite character, yet she is unaware Tetra = Zelda?
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NeoTechni - July 1, 2011 10:04 a.m.

The tingle tuner was neat, far better than the cel shading.
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sinwar - July 1, 2011 7 a.m.

I agree with why Link to the Past is the best and worst since its SO AWESOME but it I was introduced with it and no other Zelda game can reach its awesomeness
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DecoyOctorok - July 1, 2011 5:02 a.m.

Wind Waker is, without a doubt, my all time favorite Zelda. I absolutely love the warm and sunny Caribbean vibe combined with high seas adventure. It also has my favorite incarnations of Ganon and Zelda.
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ReasonableFanboy - July 1, 2011 4:41 a.m.

I haven't played many Zeldas (something I'm ashamed of), but I started with Link's Awakening. I was too young to figure out any of the puzzles though, so I dropped it and resumed at WindWaker, which is just amazing and one of my favorite games ever. Phantom Hourglass was fun but forgettable, and Crossbow Training is a big troll.
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FVDub - July 1, 2011 4:30 a.m.

These features are awesome, I hope more game series get the best/worst treatment. A Metroid one would be great! Also, Wind Waker FTW.
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Darkhawk - July 1, 2011 4:25 a.m.

I'm disappointed you didn't take a harder tack dealing with OoT or LttP. Obviously, no one would ever actually dare to call these the worst ever, but why not at least point out some failings? i.e. Water Temple P.S. OoT had a (Game Genie) crossover too: The Starfox Arwing!
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VGFreak122590 - July 1, 2011 4:05 a.m.

Four Swords Adventures was the only Zelda you could play with friends? What about the original Four Swords? Or the multiplayer from Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks?
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garnsr - July 1, 2011 3:57 a.m.

No mention of the wolf in Twilight Princess being similar to Okami, a game that came out around the same time and had a lot of the originality that Zelda seems to have lost through the years? I've played all the console Zeldas, and the first two are the only ones that I really enjoyed. After that I think there was too much legend built into the series, and the games never quite grabbed me on their own terms. I have a strange love/hate relationship with Zelda.
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Not Snake - July 1, 2011 3:47 a.m.

Why the CDI Zelda games are the best in the series: They have done the impossible and given an entire fanbase something to agree on whole-heartedly. That point is of course that they are the worst games in the series. Not that they actually count.
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MonocledYaoGuai - July 1, 2011 3:17 a.m.

Whoops, I meant the Scarecrow tells you how to slow down time. My mistake.
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smashpro1 - July 1, 2011 3:16 a.m.

Fuck, I hated that flute thing in Spirit Tracks. Because I can't play a certain right, I can't progress through the game!
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Andyjoe - July 1, 2011 3:14 a.m.

You forgot the original Four Swords that came included with A Link To The Past on the Gameboy Advance.
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MonocledYaoGuai - July 1, 2011 3:12 a.m.

Having played and 100%'ed every Zelda (except for the CD-i ones, but I don't think that's too important), so I mostly agree with what you guys are saying. However, I think Zelda 2 is the best 2D Zelda. Yes, that mishmash of ideas is better than the tired and true Zelda formula. It's so unique, and quite challenging, which I really can't say for any of the other Zelda. It's also nice to see the love for Wind Waker. I still know some people who go "BAWW LINK IS CARTOONY A BLOO BLOO BLOO". Personally, I don't find the ocean to be a detriment at all. I just love that feeling of finding some unexplored island or just relaxing and shooting cannon balls at seagulls in the kick ass King of Red Lions. Very cool article, but one more thing. I never find the time limit to be a problem in Majora's Mask as you could just reverse time back to the first day, but then again not a lot of people know that (somehow, the Scarecrow practically spells it out for you). But whatever, it's still my favorite 3D Zelda.
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Genericide - July 1, 2011 3:03 a.m.

I have played all but a couple Zelda games and agree with the majority of this list, but I have 3 points I'd like to bring up: 1. When you say there's nothing bad you can think of Link to the Past, I might suggest that some of the dungeon design is a bit archaic/frustrating. I was coincidentally was just this morning playing this game in the dark world forest dungeon, which has those bloody hands that take you back to the entrance spawning continuously in just about every room. Rooms that are filled with hard to kill enemies and lots of pits. Argh. 2. Speaking of frustration, I was surprised that in your assessment of Zelda 2 you didn't mention the thing that I hated the most and even kept me from finishing it: the difficulty. That game gets horrendously difficult at times, but what bugs me is it's often for the wrong reasons. The heinous 'lives' were probably the worst, and I can think of absolutely no benefit whatsoever to adding lives to an open world game. Especially one littered with near bullet hell moments and instant death pits. Other games like Mega Man did things like this, but stages in those games were several minutes long, whereas Zelda 2 sends you back to the starting point of the bloody game when you arbitrarily lose 3 lives. From a design standpoint I find this inexcusable because it completely ruined the game for me yet adds nothing I can think of to the gameplay. 3. I object to your entry on Link: The Faces of Evil! That shouldn't be on this list because it's not a Zelda game. It never happened. :D
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Spybreak8 - July 1, 2011 3 a.m.

A Link to the Past was where it all began. Ocarina of Time was like the Atomic Bomb. Minish Cap was really good and unique. Played a little bit of Majora's Mask on a rom, hated it. Liked Phantom Hourglass but the one temple, always having to use touch controls and sailing everywhere ruined it. Spirit Tracks also has it's problems but is better than Z:PH.
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nadrewod - July 1, 2011 2:58 a.m.

The bird in the colorful Link's Awakening photo looks just like Noctowl, except with shorter eyebrows.
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koubo - July 1, 2011 2:53 a.m.

I think you hit it right on the dot with A Link to the Past. Since it is the first one I played, I find it really hard to even play the first two Zelda games. I still haven't beaten either of them, in fact. I love LttP a ton, though. It's a game I play at least once a year. My favorite is Oracle of Ages, though. I really loved the puzzles in that game, and since my brother picked up Seasons around the time I got Ages, I was able to enjoy the connectivity the games shared. Since then I have acquired my own copy of Seasons and play through the both of them every couple of years. I still haven't played Majora's Mask yet. I not sure why, but now that I know it has the first appearance of Tingle, I may need to play it soon.
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Nap1400 - July 1, 2011 2:45 a.m.

Shouldn't you guys have saved this for AFTER Skyward Sword comes out? Anyway, I'm not exactly fond of ALTTP, but maybe that's partly because I still can't find the first dungeon item. I...still don't have a favorite. Both OoT and TP seemed too easy to me, and I still have yet to play the WW. The 2D Zeldas seem to be too confusing for them to be my favorite. But still, I love the franchise, and can't wait to see what else they will do with it.
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