Every Zelda Game Ranked
How do the Zelda games stack up? Here is every main-series game ranked by its critic score: the Metacritic average for its original release. The NES, Super NES and early Game Boy games came out before Metacritic existed, so they use their GameRankings average instead (marked GR). Scores of remakes and re-releases are listed alongside.
Quick answers
- Highest rated Zelda game: Ocarina of Time, with a Metacritic score of 99. Guinness World Records has listed it as the highest-rated video game ever.
- Lowest rated: Tri Force Heroes (73) and Zelda II (78 on GameRankings).
- Best of the remakes: the 2026 Ocarina of Time remake (96).
| # | Game | Score | Other versions (Metacritic) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ocarina of Time 1998 · Nintendo 64 | 99 | 3DS 94, Switch 2 remake 96 |
| 2 | Breath of the Wild 2017 · Switch | 97 | Wii U 96, Switch 2 Edition 95 |
| 3 | The Wind Waker 2002 · GameCube | 96 | Wii U HD 90 |
| 4 | Twilight Princess 2006 · GameCube | 96 | Wii 95, Wii U HD 86 |
| 5 | Tears of the Kingdom 2023 · Switch | 96 | Switch 2 Edition 95 |
| 6 | Majora's Mask 2000 · Nintendo 64 | 95 | 3DS 89 |
| 7 | A Link to the Past 1991 · Super NES | 93GR | GBA 95 (Metacritic, with Four Swords) |
| 8 | Skyward Sword 2011 · Wii | 93 | Switch HD 81 |
| 9 | Oracle of Ages 2001 · Game Boy Color | 92GR | — |
| 10 | Oracle of Seasons 2001 · Game Boy Color | 91GR | — |
| 11 | A Link Between Worlds 2013 · 3DS | 91 | — |
| 12 | Link's Awakening 1993 · Game Boy | 90GR | Game Boy Color DX 91 (GR), Switch 87 |
| 13 | Phantom Hourglass 2007 · Nintendo DS | 90 | — |
| 14 | The Minish Cap 2004 · Game Boy Advance | 89 | — |
| 15 | Spirit Tracks 2009 · Nintendo DS | 87 | — |
| 16 | Four Swords Adventures 2004 · GameCube | 86 | — |
| 17 | Echoes of Wisdom 2024 · Switch | 85 | — |
| 18 | The Legend of Zelda 1986 · NES | 84GR | GBA 84 (Metacritic) |
| 19 | Zelda II: The Adventure of Link 1987 · NES | 78GR | GBA 73 (Metacritic) |
| 20 | Tri Force Heroes 2015 · 3DS | 73 | — |
Scores as listed in Wikipedia's Zelda series review table in November 2026. Critic scores are only one opinion: if you are deciding what to play, see which Zelda game to play first, or browse every Zelda game in release order.