The Legend of Zelda Series

One of Nintendo's biggest and most popular series, The Legend of Zelda is a fantasy action/adventure set in the kingdom of Hyrule. As the legendary hero, Link, you have to wander the land, fight monstrous creatures, explore maze-like dungeons and solve puzzles in order to rescue Princess Zelda from the evil Ganondorf.

The legend itself is a puzzle. You are not always playing as the same "Link", but as a lineage of characters called Link who acquire the Legendary Hero name, which is tied to the Triforce and the Master Sword. To this day, fans are still trying to unravel the legend.

Games in The Legend of Zelda series

The Legend of Zelda

1986 - Famicom Disk System / 1987 - NES

The evil Ganon has conquered Hyrule, imprisoned Princess Zelda and is searching for the Triforce of Power. A brave boy named Link must travel into the dungeons and find the pieces of the Triforce.

Zelda II: Adventure of Link

1987 - Famicom Disk System / 1988 - NES

Link discovers that an ancient Princess Zelda is trapped by a spell in a permanent sleep. He must find the the Triforce of Courage by crossing North Hyrule and unlocking the barrier surrounding the Great Temple.

Zelda

1989 - Game & Watch Multi Screen

Dragons are laying waste to Hyrule, so Link travels to the Dragon Tower, where he must fight the monsters and face the dragons.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

1991 - Super Famicom / SNES

Link rescues Princess Zelda from the wizard Aganhim, starting a quest to retrieve the Master Sword. Link must travel between Hyrule and the Dark World to bring an end to the plan to free Ganon.

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening

1993 - Game Boy / 1998 - Game Boy Color

Following a storm, Link washes up on Koholint Island, where he will remain trapped until he collects the Instruments of the Sirens and awakens the Wind Fish.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

1998 - Nintendo 64

A prequel story to the entire series. The Gerudo thief Ganondorf is searching Hyrule for the Triforce. A young Kokiri boy named Link is sent to stop him in an adventure that will send him seven years into the future.

The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask

2000 - Nintendo 64

A Skull Kid wearing a mask of pure evil, Majora's Mask, will destroy the land of Termina in three days by dragging the moon into Clock Town. Link must relive the same three days over and over as he tries to wake the four Giants of Termina.

The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons / Oracle of Ages

2001 - Game Boy Color

General Onox kidnaps Din, the Oracle of Seasons, throwing the land of Holodrum into chaos. In Labrynna, the witch Veran possesses Nayru, the Oracle of Ages, and begins to take over the land. Link must defeat the evil in each game if he is to face the final challenge.

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker

2002 - GameCube

On the Great Sea, a boy named Link is celebrating his coming-of-age by donning the clothes of the legendary hero. When the Helmaroc King kidnaps his sister and takes her to Ganondorf's fortress, he joins up with Tetra and the King of Red Lions in the fight to rescue her.

The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures

2004 - GameCube

Four player multiplayer adventure. Link draws the Four Sword and splits into four Links who have to work together to solve the puzzles and defeat the evil Vaati.

The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap

2004 - Game Boy Advance

Prequel to the Four Swords story. A wizard named Vaati turns Zelda to stone, and so a young smith's apprentice named Link finds a talking green cap named Ezlo. Link will have to travel to the miniature world of the Minish people to defeat Vaati and rescue Zelda.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

2006 - GameCube / Wii

Zant, a wizard from the Twilight Realm, is merging his world with Hyrule in order to take over. Farmhand Link must work with a mysterious imp named Midna and transform into a wolf to fight the encroaching twilight.

The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass

2007 - Nintendo DS

While hunting a ghost ship, Tetra is turned to stone and Link is thrown into the sea. He washes up on an island where he joins the crew of Captain Linebeck in order to track down the ship and fight the monstrous Bellum that has caused the evils of the sea to appear.

The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks

2009 - Nintendo DS

Set 100 years after Phantom Hourglass, a trainee train engineer named Link is roped into a royal conspiracy when Zelda's assistants Cole and Byrne are attempting to free the demon Malladus by removing the Spirit Tracks..

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

Future Release- Wii

A new Zelda title that uses the Wii MotionPlus for advanced fighting mechanics. The game was announced at E3 2009 and revealed for the first time at E3 2010. The game combines an adult link with a cel-shaded art style.

Games in the Tingle series

Freshly-Picked: Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland

2006 - Nintendo DS

An average, middle-aged man named Tingle is transformed by Old Man Rupee so his very life will end if he runs out of Rupees. Now Tingle must barter his way through Hyrule to earn enough Rupees to reach the fabled Rupeeland.

Tingle's Balloon Fight DS

2007 - Nintendo DS

Tingle takes to the skies in this take on NES classic Balloon Fight. Defeat the enemy balloon fighters by popping their balloons. A special edition release for Club Nintendo members in Japan.

Too Good To Be True: Tingle Pack

2009 - Nintendo DS (DSi Ware)

A pack of Tingle-themed utilities for the Nintendo DS, including a calculator, timer, dancing Tingle, plus coin-flipping and fortune-telling minigames.

Colour-Changing Tingle's Balloon Trip of Love

2009 - Nintendo DS

Tingle is sucked inside a book said to make readers more successful in love. He ends up in a storybook land inspired by The Wizard of Oz, where he must become popular with the women he meets if he is to ever return home.

Other Legend of Zelda spinoff games

Link's Crossbow Training

2007 - Wii

A shooting gallery game set during the events of Twilight Princess, and packaged with the Wii Zapper. Clear each mission for a high score.

Licensed games in The Legend of Zelda series

The Legend of Zelda (Game Watch)

1989 - Nelsonic Game Watch

A wristwatch and simple LCD game based on the dungeons of The Legend of Zelda. Fight your way through the monsters and defeat Aquamentus to retrieve parts of the Triforce.

Link: Faces of Evil

1993 - Philips CD-i

Link must destroy Ganon, rescue princess Zelda and become the hero of Koridai, or else he will die. An early CD based side-scrolling adventure with animated cutscenes.

Zelda: Wand of Gamelon

1993 - Philips CD-i

The king and Link have been captured by Ganon, so Zelda has to fight through the kingdom of Gamelon to rescue them. Released alongside Link: Faces of Evil.

Zelda's Adventure

1994 - Philips CD-i

Zelda is sent on a quest to collect the Celestial Signs from the seven Shrines of the Underworld in order to bring peace to Tolemac. Features voice acting and live-action cut scenes.