The Legend of Zelda

It's here, the ultimate Zelda overview!


The Legend of Zelda (NES): This was the first of the Zelda games, the first of many to come and of course, like all of the other Zelda's it was fantastic. It was the first game that gamers could really play that was non-linear. They were not lead by the nose to the next objective and could tool around in the overworld for ages. This was the game that started it all. It featured Link, the boy in green, Ganondorf, the power hungry King of Evil and Zelda, the princess in peril, all of which would go on to become the staples in the series. The game featured ingenious puzzles, epic story and a lifetime of fun.

The Adventure of Link (NES): The only game in the series that didn't have the world Zelda in it, this game was different from the original in that it it was mostly a side-scrolling perspective. There were some things added to the rest of the series from this game (sword abilities) and some discarded (Xp and skill points) It was also the first game to feature Shadow Link.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (SNES) A return to form from the series, the gameplay revolved around the original, but with the new POWUH of the SNES, the game was able to be much bigger than the original. This game would be re-released several times because it was one of the best Zelda's ever.

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (Game Boy) This was a a bit different to the normal theme of Zelda. It saw Link having to collect sirens to awaken the Wind Fish that would transport him back to Hyrule. Link's first game on the Game Boy proved to be a memorable one.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64) The game with the most critical acclaim EVER! This was the best game for the N64 and just about every other console. It featured the best story and cinematics in a Zelda game and included many ingenious temples and themes like Lock-On, position sensitive jumping and assigning items to buttons. It was also the first game to ever let us play a musical instrument. Without Ocarina, many of the great games of today would not exist.

The Legend of Zelda Majora's Mask (N64) The fantastic sequel to OOT, this game put Link in an alternate version of Hyrule called Termina, where the moon was about to crash into in 72 hours! luckily, Link had the Ocarina of Time, which allowed him to return to the beginning of the 3 day cycle. It was up to the Hero of Time to once again defeat the Skull Kid who was misusing the Majora's Mask to make the moon crash in the first place.

The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons/ Oracle of Ages (Game Boy Colour)  These games were released separately, but both were were radically different. In Ages, Link had to defeat Veran, the Sorceress of Shadow by recovering the eight essence of time, while in Seasons, the boy in green was up against the power-hungry Onox who could only be defeated once Link had collected the eight essence of Nature.

The Legend of Zelda : A Link to the Past/ Four Swords (Game Boy Advance): This was a remake of the original Link to the Past, but this time, four players could link up their Game Boy's and take on the dungeon in some four player action. Cool, huh?

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (Gamecube): The game which most Zelda fans were terrified of until they played it. Many fans hated the cell shaded style of the Wind Waker and the fact that there was no more land of Hyrule, but and Ocean with 49 islands. Many fans craved a realistic style of Zelda like Ocarina, but when they have it a chance, found out it was one of the best Zelda's ever. This was the first game to feature the now famous Toon Link. While this game was able to be played by kids, it was still a hardcore Zelda game nontheless.

The Legend of Zelda Four Swords Adventure (Gamecube): This was pretty much the same as the other Link to the pasts, but this time you could hook up your GBA's to the Gamecube and let fly. With better graphics and four Link's this was another successful remake.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Gamecube, Wii) Probably the best Zelda game released ever, returning to the 3D realm of Zelda games without the cell shaded style, this was the game that diehard Zelda fans were waiting for. With great graphics, dark story, even more polished gameplay than the Wind Waker, a Wolf form and some of the best Zelda temple's ever designed, Twilight Princess was truly amazing. I'm still playing it!

The Legend of Zelda Phantom Hourglass (DS) This was the first Zelda on the DS, but, as usual, the new console only provided even greater ideas for the series. This saw Toon Link teaming up with Captain Linebeck to sail the seas and rescue Zelda (Tetra) from the haunted  Ghost Ship. With new an interesting idea's this was one of the most innovative Zelda games ever.

The Legend of Zelda Spirit Tracks (DS) The sequel to Phantom Hourglass, set 100 years later brings us a new story of Link and Zelda. The Hero of Time trades the boat he was so fond of for a nice train on a quest to restore the Spirit Tracks to the land to stop the Evil Demon King from rising. All this time, trying to recover the body of Zelda, whose Spirit comes along with him for the adventure. Featuring better temples and even more innovation, Spirit Tracks somehow manages to be even better than Phantom Hourglass.

The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time 3D (3DS) A remake of the greatest game of all time, Ocarina returns with just as much greatness as the original with even more content than before and spectacular graphics. If you havn't got or aren't thinking of getting this game then there is something very wrong with you.

The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword (Wii) Although it's not released yet, Skyward Sword promises to be a leap forward with 1:1 swordplay and new ingenious settings, puzzles and combat. Finger's crossed.