The Legend of Zelda series began in 1986 with the first game that introduced the world to the swordsman Link on his adventure to stop the evil Ganon and rescue Princess Zelda. While the series easily took to 3D with Ocarina of Time and continued with that graphical style, many of the best titles in the series are 2D.
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PostsThese titles continue to be beloved by fans because of their classic 2D graphics and early Zelda charm. Whether you want to take a trip down memory lane or try out some of Zelda’s best 2D offerings, these titles don’t disappoint, even many years later.
7 Zelda 2: The Adventure Of Link
Set a number of years after the original The Legend of Zelda, Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link, follows a teenage Link on his quest to awaken Princess Zelda, though, notably, a different one from the first game. Unlike any other Zelda game, Zelda 2 has an experience points system, allowing you to increase either your hearts, sword, or magic.
Its gameplay is also vastly different from its predecessor, with the majority of it being a sidescroller. Interestingly, Ganon isn’t the main villain of this title, and your final confrontation is with Dark Link - a difficult encounter where Link proves his bravery to earn the Triforce of Courage. Though the game is notoriously challenging, Zelda 2’s unique adventure makes it stand out within the 2D Zeldas and the series as a whole.
6 The Legend Of Zelda
To stop Ganon from obtaining the Triforce of Wisdom, Princess Zelda separates it into eight parts, which Link has to traverse Hyrule to collect. Though The Legend of Zelda has minimal story and characters compared to what we know Zelda games as today, its open-ended exploration made it a predecessor to the open-world games to come, including Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom.
Exploring Hyrule and uncovering secrets is especially rewarding because the game lets you take the reins and figure things out for yourself. It’s the game that started it all, and its influence is seen throughout the series, but it still stands in its own right.
5 Oracle Of Seasons
When the Oracle of Seasons, Din, is trapped in a crystal by the evil Onox, Holodrum’s seasons are thrown into chaos. To save Din, Link must collect the eight Essences scattered throughout Holodrum and Subrosia so that he can enter Onox’s castle.
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PostsThis title in the Oracle duology emphasizes combat, with more difficult regular enemies and challenging bosses, including Link’s final confrontation with Onox. The land of Subrosia is also a highlight, as it’s inhabited by the cute Subrosians, such as the popular Rosa. If you would like a higher level of difficulty when playing a 2D Zelda, Oracle of Seasons is one of the best to play.
4 Oracle Of Ages
At the beginning of Oracle of Ages, Link helps Impa by bringing her to a blue-haired songstress named Nayru. Unfortunately, Link’s helpfulness backfires, as Veran is hiding inside Impa. Nayru becomes possessed by Veran, who is able to use her position as the Oracle of Ages to disrupt time.
Link can use the Harp of Ages to travel between the past and the present to thwart Veran’s plan to complete the Black Tower. Oracle of Ages’ use of time travel is handled very well, playing into Oracles’ heavy focus on puzzle-oriented gameplay.
For example, on Crescent Island, where your actions in the past will help you to retrieve your stolen items in the present. If you prefer dungeons that challenge you to think, you’ll prefer this title in Oracles duology as it boasts some of Zelda’s most expertly designed puzzles.
3 The Minish Cap
When evil sorcerer Vaati opens a chest containing the world’s monsters and breaks the Picori Blade, Link goes on a journey to repair the blade by gathering the Four Elements found in dungeons across Hyrule.
The Minish Cap’s world is a pleasure to explore, featuring some of the Game Boy Advance’s most gorgeous pixel art. The Minish are an adorable species and are memorable despite only appearing in this title. The game’s dungeons each make excellent use of the items you find in them, with some even being new to the series when it launched. You can also spend lots of hours trading Kinstones or collecting Figurines in the Figurine Gallery if you want to aim for 100 percent completion.
2 A Link To The Past
The third entry in The Legend of Zelda series, A Link to the Past, established the format of how a lot of Zelda games are made. It has a heavier focus on linearity, having more of a narrative than the first two entries. In the game, the evil Agahnim plans to help Ganon escape from the Dark World, and Link must stop him as a descendant of the Knights of Hyrule.
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PostsThroughout the game, Link can travel between the Light World and Dark World through portals, making exploration even more enticing. It captures the essence of Zelda with its classic story, challenging dungeons, and satisfying gameplay progression.
1 Link’s Awakening
At the beginning of Link’s Awakening, Link is shipwrecked and washes up on Koholint Island, where he is found by Marin. The island is plagued by Nightmares, which Link must defeat to wake the Wind Fish and find his way home.
Koholint is one of the series’s most memorable locations, thanks in part to places like Mabe and Animal Village, which are filled with vibrant characters. The game also has some of the series’ best dungeons, such as the Eagle’s Tower, where you use a lot of the items you’ve gathered so far, as well as a huge iron ball, to destroy the dungeon’s pillars.
Even though Link saves the day like he always does, the ending is bittersweet, leaving you with a sense of melancholy as you say goodbye to Koholint Island.
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