The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is going to let us explore Hyrule like never before on May 12, 2023. Nintendo may be building upon the foundations it established in Zelda: Breath of the Wild for this long-awaited sequel to one of the best Switch games, but the publisher is really celebrating 37 years of adventuring alongside Link and his friends. That's why Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is set to be truly Big in 2023 – and why we wanted to do something to celebrate.
As we countdown to Tears of the Kingdom, we are exploring the history and legacy of The Legend of Zelda. From its humble Famicom beginnings in 1986 to its bold 3D reinvention in Ocarina Of Time and the generation-defining Breath Of The Wild. Whether your first steps into Hyrule were through the 8-bit era or the expansive open world kingdoms we've explored in more recent installments, we've all had a shared experience. There's always a Link, a Zelda, and a great evil to overcome. That's what we'll be celebrating here with you in the weeks to come.
In this special series, GamesRadar+ has joined forces with its friends at Retro Gamer to dive into every The Legend of Zelda game, exploring what makes each of them so special and beloved to this day. Zelda creators will also take you behind the scenes and share their insights into the development process of some of the most iconic games in the series. If you're a fan, we're sure you'll enjoy the trip through time. If you're a newcomer, we hope this gives you a newfound appreciation of the series ahead of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
Countdown to Tears of the Kingdom
The Ultimate Guide to The Legend of Zelda games
Best Zelda Games: After 37 years, there is no shortage of games to try in The Legend of Zelda series, from the 8-bit quests which inspired our imaginations to the open world adventures which encourage experimentation and exploration. But some of Link's trips through Hyrule are better than others, which is why we've worked to rank the 10 best Zelda games which we believe you should play today.
Games like Zelda: Struggling to deal with the wait for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom? We don't blame you, it's a nightmare. So instead of staring at a countdown timer for the next few weeks, why not jump into some of these games like Zelda. We've highlighted some of our favorite story-driven RPGs which are full of beautiful worlds to explore and a spirit of adventure that you won't forget.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom guide
Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom pre-order: Tears of the Kingdom looks set to be a celebration of The Legend of Zelda series, and so it's no surprise to see Nintendo offering up some fantastic collector's items for those of you who are willing to put down a pre-order on the new release. Here's everything you need to know about the different versions of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom going on sale in May.
Legend of Zelda Nintendo Switch OLED pre-order: Nintendo is releasing a limited edition The Legend of Zelda Switch OLED console in celebration of Tears of the Kingdom – it's a thing of beauty. It's also proving difficult to find, with pre-order allocations quickly running dry. Thankfully, we are tracking all of the major retailers closely so that we can let you know when more stock is available.
How 'Adventure Mario' evolved into The Legend Of Zelda
The anatomy of Link: For over three decades now, Link has served as the silent protector of Hyrule and its people. But what makes Zelda's protagonist one of the best heroes in video games? That's exactly what we're exploring here, as we look at how the Hero of Hyrule has been able to so confidently stand the test of time, and act as a vessel for us to become the sort of legendary adventurer that we've always wanted to be.
The history of Zelda: While GamesRadar+ will take you on a deep dive into every major entry to the franchise as part of this celebration of The Legend of Zelda ahead of Tears of the Kingdom release on May 12, we thought it would be worthwhile to give you the insight and context you need to properly understand the fascinating, complex, and generations-spanning history of The Legend of Zelda.
Why the first Legend of Zelda game is a masterpiece that has enthralled us for almost 40 years
Remembering Zelda 2: The Adventures of Link, a sequel that dared to be different: How would Nintendo follow the success of the original The Legend of Zelda? With a divisive sequel, one which is still considered the black sheep of the Zelda family to this day. But as we explore in our Zelda 2: The Adventures of Link retrospective, this side-scrolling adventure has more to it than meets the eye.
Revisiting one of the series' most underrated gems: Link's Awakening is a triumph. It was always going to be challenging for Nintendo to scale The Legend of Zelda's action down to the small screen of the Game Boy, particularly after the success A Link to the Past has in expanded the reach of the franchise, but this more contained adventure was undoubtedly a delightful experience, one which you can revisit in our The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening retrospective.
The making of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
How Zelda: Ocarina of Time gave us a timeless legacy: If you haven't played Ocarina of Time, there's a good chance you've heard about it. Often cited by developers as one of the most important games ever made (and by players as one of the best full stop), Link's debut N64 adventure is legend. In our The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time retrospective, we explore how Nintendo utilized burgeoning technology and a 3D camera perspective to deliver a timeless classic.
Inside the surrealist sequel that was never supposed to exist: How could Nintendo achieve the impossible and follow up one of the best N64 games? With a truly weird and wonderful sequel, that's how. Our The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask retrospective takes you inside the surrealist sequel that was never supposed to exist, from tracking the game's evolution from the failure of the 64DD to the creation of the dark time-loop structure that helped define this adventure's legacy.
How Capcom's first field trip into the world of Zelda left a lasting influence: Did you know that some of the best games in the Zelda franchise weren't made by Nintendo at all? Considered today to be two of the best Game Boy Color games, Capcom delivered two truly fantastic (and unique) adventures in Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons. If you want to learn why, you'll want to read our The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages and Seasons retrospective.
The making of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
Why Zelda: Four Swords Adventures is an oft-overlooked GameCube standout: If you grew up in the early aughts, there's a good chance that you have fond memories of the Game Boy Advance and its connectivity with the GameCube. Arguably, no game made better use of this functionality than Four Swords Adventures. Learn all about this wonderful – and utterly essential – Zelda multiplayer spin-off in our The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures retrospective.
Zelda: The Minish Cap was smaller in scale but massive in heart and ambition: With Oracle of Ages and Seasons quickly earning cult-classic status among handheld owners, Capcom and Flagship set out to deliver another successful entry for Game Boy Advance – and it ended up designing one of the best in the entire series. As you'll learn in our The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap retrospective, what this colorful adventure lacked in size it more than made up for in heart.
Why Zelda: Phantom Hourglass is one of the most unique games of them all: Our The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass retrospective tracks all the ways this direct (and unlikely) sequel to The Wind Waker dared to be different on the DS in 2007, with the traditional Zelda rulebook receiving a welcomed rewrite to make use of the platform's most innovative features. Phantom Hourglass isn't an essential adventure for franchise fans, but it is one of the most interesting out there.
How Zelda: Twilight Princess moved the franchise into the future
How Zelda: Spirit Tracks carried the Phantom Hourglass torch to the next station: While it's considered today to be one of the best DS games, Phantom Hourglass is considered something of a sleeper hit – just like Phantom Hourglass before it. That's a shame, because this is one of the most unique entries to the franchise, and one of the only to really attempt to give Zelda a more active role in the adventure. Learn more in this The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks carried the Phantom Hourglass retrospective.
How Zelda: A Link Between Worlds shook things up in the shadow of a 16-bit classic: One of the best things about A Link Between Worlds is how smartly it paid deference to the past before striding into the future. Few expected a sequel to SNES classic A Link to the Past to ever really work, and yet here it is: one of the best 3DS games out there. Nintendo once again achieved the impossible with this innovative adventure, something you can better understand with our The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds retrospective.
How Zelda: Skyward Sword held its own in a year dominated by Dark Souls and Skyrim
Zelda: Skyward Sword HD review: Nintendo delivered a capable remaster of Skyward Sword for the Nintendo Switch in 2021, which is the perfect way to experience the adventure for returning players and newcomers alike. With a standardized control setting, enhanced visuals, and fantastic boss and dungeon design, this is a must-play for anybody looking for a Zelda more focused than Breath of the Wild or Tears of the Kingdom. Read more in our The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD review.
Why Zelda: Tri Force Heroes is the weirdest, most wonderful tribute to Four Swords: The multiplayer effort that's underpinned by Four Swords and Spirit Tracks is off the wall in all the right ways here in Tri Force Heroes. This fascinating outlier in the Zelda franchise is a good time for those looking for a fun cooperative adventure, although it does stop short of being a true classic, as we explore in this The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes retrospective.
