The best Zelda games, ranked from best to worst

The Legend of Zelda series is one of the most iconic video game franchises of all time. Ever since its debut on NES in 1986, Nintendo has consistently delivered awe-inspiring experiences that often define entire console generations. More than a handful of Link’s adventures are among the greatest games ever created.

That makes ranking The Legend of Zelda series a challenging endeavor, as it was for all the Mario games. We did just that, though — from the 8-bit era all the way to the high-definition open-world game Breath of the Wild (and its sequel Tears of the Kingdom). Our journey through the history of The Legend of Zelda starts now.

With a catalog as extensive as The Legend of Zelda, any franchise would have a few misses. Since our list includes everything in the series, choose from the best and leave the others.