The Legend of Zelda: 10 Most Underrated Games

The Legend of Zelda is one of Nintendo's most popular video game franchises, making appearances on every console released by the company. While some Zelda games are grouped with the greatest video games of all time, like Ocarina of Time and Breath of the Wild, others are underrated by both the video game industry, and even the series' most loyal fans.

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By  Blaise Santi

From forgotten spin-off titles to mainline entries on obsolete consoles, these ten Zelda games deserve a lot more respect from fans who may overlook them in favor of more popular titles. They might not be the most definitive Zelda experiences, but they're definitely better than most gamers give them credit for.

10 Oracle Of Ages & Oracle Of Seasons

When Zelda Followed Pokemon's Footsteps

Back in the early 2000s, it was clear Nintendo wanted to capitalize on their success with Pokemon by releasing two Zelda games simultaneously: Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons. The top-down GameBoy Color titles differ from Pokemon in one key way: the games' storylines are interconnected, meaning players have to complete them both for the full narrative.

Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons can be played in any order to unlock the connected ending, though some fans were alienated by the differences between them, with Ages centered on puzzle-solving while Seasons prioritized combat. Thankfully, players can replay these classic GameBoy titles on the Nintendo Switch Online library, which is the best way to enjoy its throwback graphics.

9 Skyward Sword

Motion Controls Didn't Win Over Zelda Fans At First

There was a lot of anticipation for the release of Skyward Sword in 2011, from its promise of taking place at the very beginning of the heavily-debated Legend of Zelda timeline, to its integration of the Wii's motion controls to allow players to swing the Master Sword themselves. However, its initial release proved divisive, with a lot of vitriol directed towards its controls and glitches.

Thankfully, the game has since been re-released in HD on the Nintendo Switch, complete with re-worked controls that can allow Zelda fans to appreciate all the game has to offer. While it's not as polished of a game as later entries, every fan who doubted it upon release deserves a chance to replay it with a more familiar control scheme.

8 Phantom Hourglass

Wind Waker Fans Owe It To Themselves To Continue The Story

The Legend of Zelda made its Nintendo DS debut in 2007 with Phantom Hourglass, a direct sequel to Wind Waker in which Link must save Tetra from a mysterious ghostly pirate ship. It's a return to form for the franchise, with a top-down perspective and controls involving the DS's touchscreen and microphone capabilities, allowing for quite a unique Zelda play experience.

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By  Ewan Lewis

Though the game was certainly popular upon release, it's easy to forget about it given the lack of support for the now-obsolete DS system and its library of games. Some were also critical of the game for its more casual gameplay compared to other entries in the series, which makes this an underrated title, especially for those who prefer a more relaxing gaming atmosphere.

7 Link's Awakening

A GameBoy Zelda Game Got A Switch Upgrade

One wouldn't be blamed for avoiding Link's Awakening. As the first Zelda game on a handheld console, it broke a lot of new ground for the franchise, but was perhaps constrained by the limitations of the GameBoy. However, Nintendo has given the game much-needed upgrades, first in 1998 for the GameBoy Color, and recently in 2019 for the Nintendo Switch.

As far as the Switch version goes, the game introduces a new art style for the franchise, one that seems to be the basis for the upcoming original title Echoes of Wisdom. This new version of the game also includes many features that the original game didn't have, from customizable dungeons to amiibo compatibility. Simply put, this game should not be overlooked, especially now.

6 Spirit Tracks

The DS Title With Some Original Ideas

In 2009, Nintendo followed up Phantom Hourglass with another DS title: Spirit Tracks. Although its place on the timeline is separate from Wind Waker and its sequel, Spirit Tracks makes use of the same aesthetic, following Link teaming up with Zelda's ghost in order to stop the rise of the demon king Malladus.

While the game shares many similarities with Phantom Hourglass, it has some of the more unique gameplay features of the franchise thus far. Players can traverse the land via train, drawing themselves routes on the DS's touchscreen, and can direct Guardians possessed by Zelda to solve puzzles in dungeons. Hopefully, audiences come around on this underrated Zelda story.

5 Hyrule Warriors: Age Of Calamity

Rewinding The Clock Of Breath Of The Wild

2014's Hyrule Warriors was one of the best-selling games on Wii U, and has seen ports for both 3DS and Nintendo Switch. While that game was the culmination of the entire franchise, its follow-up for Switch took a different approach. In Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, players control characters from Breath of the Wild, fighting in the war against Calamity Ganon predating the story.

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Although it was criticized upon release for issues of performance, it's still a worthwhile action RPG, especially for those who loved Breath of the Wild or even the original Hyrule Warriors. However, while its non-canon storyline disappointed some who were hoping for a true prequel to Breath of the Wild, that thankfully doesn't take priority over the fun hack-and-slash combat.

4 The Minish Cap

An Unexpected Origin Story For The Franchise

The Minish Cap takes place before the events of The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords and Four Swords Adventures, diving into the backstory of Vaati and even Link's iconic green hat. The game's story centers on Link being shrunk to the size of the mysterious Minish people, allowing him to explore hidden parts of Hyrule from a completely new vantage point.

The Minish Cap integrates a lot of classic top-down Zelda gameplay alongside its new features, enough to satisfy long-time and new fans of the series. Some complained about its low difficulty, but much like Phantom Hourglass, that might be a plus to some casual fans. It's only a shame Nintendo hasn't explored the Minish in any recent Zelda titles.

3 A Link Between Worlds

A Fan-Favorite Hyrule Was Reimagined On 3DS

It's no secret that A Link to the Past is widely-regarded as one of the greatest Zelda games, despite releasing in 1991 for the SNES. Nintendo attempted to recapture that game's magic in A Link Between Worlds for the 3DS, a direct sequel taking place on the same map. After Zelda is kidnapped, Link becomes able to merge into walls to traverse dungeons and even worlds.

Although some fans may have missed this game when it first came out, it's an original take on the Zelda franchise, and shares a lot in common stylistically with A Link to the Past. Its story is just as engaging, with characters like Ravio, Yuga, and Princess Hilda among some of the most interesting Zelda characters in recent years.

2 Zelda II: The Adventure Of Link

The Bold Sequel That Inspired Future Generations

One of the most underrated Zelda games had a tough act to follow. Released in 1987 for the NES, Zelda II: The Adventure of Link took a big swing by completely changing up the franchise's gameplay. As a sidescrolling RPG, players have a lot of freedom to explore Hyrule in order to rescue Princess Zelda from her eternal slumber.

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By  Tristan Jurkovich

Notably, many fans despised The Adventure of Link not just for shaking up the franchise's formula, but for its brutal difficulty. A lot of publications consider it to have aged extremely well, though some Zelda fans still don't rate it highly. If anything, it'd be fascinating to see Nintendo revisit this gameplay style for a future Zelda game, as it may warm newcomers up to this different entry.

1 The Wind Waker

It Alienated Some, But Is One Of The Finest Zelda Games

It might seem ridiculous to call The Wind Waker underrated, considering it's easily one of the most iconic and well-designed Zelda games ever made. However, its aesthetic was the subject of controversy upon release, with fans of the franchise wanting something more adult, which they later got with Twilight Princess. Overall, The Wind Waker was a grower for many Zelda fans.

A lot of fans also criticized the game's semi-open world, due to much of it being a vast open sea with only a few islands to explore. Obviously, the franchise had a long way to go to get to the expansiveness of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, but The Wind Waker proved that above all else, Zelda games prioritized charm, which this game certainly is abundant with.

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