Summary
There are few video game franchises with such an incredible level of longevity as theLegend of Zeldaseries. While there are a number of other franchises that have managed to stand the test of time and keep releasing entries almost as long as these games, none have constantly adapted and changed and managed to stay at the very forefront of the gaming industry for as long asThe Legend of Zelda.
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Gamers have always eagerly awaited another entry in theLegend of Zeldafranchise, and record numbers have been achieved upon release by games in five different decades. WhileTears of the Kingdomcontinues the franchise’s legacy of being on top of the world of gaming, there are some games in the franchise that have managed to puzzle gamers even more over the years.
7A Link Between Worlds
An obvious choice for aLegend of Zeldagame with fascinating puzzles isA Link Between Worlds. This entry in the franchise, one beloved by fans, is known for being the entry in which Link was able to move in and out of walls, making himself two-dimensional at times.
While being something different and quite unique for the franchise, this ability also added a lot of interesting solutions for puzzles. Players were able tosolve puzzles in fascinating spatial ways, making for something completely different, and more challenging, than many of the other games in the franchise, both before and after.
6Spirit Tracks
A game that manyLegend of Zeldafans refer to as underrated,Spirit Trackswas the follow-up toWind WakerandPhantom Hourglass, set in the same version of Hyrule but many years later. Released for the Nintendo DS, there were a variety of great puzzles provided for players which were surprisingly challenging for the franchise.
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Often throughoutSpirit Tracks, players would have to make notes of different kinds on the second screen of their DS device to be able to solve puzzles later. This was an added challenge, a great use of the Nintendo DS capabilities, and made for a much more challenging puzzle system which felt unique in comparison to any other entry.Spirit Tracksdoesn’t get enough credit for being an extremely fun Zelda game, with some particularly head-scratching puzzle work in one ofthe best handheld Zelda games.
5Majora’s Mask
Whether players and fans of theLegend of Zeldafranchise are looking for unique puzzles or insanely difficult and irritating ones, they can all be found inMajora’s Mask. Generally thought of as less of a jumping-on point, and more of a game for the hard-core fans in many respects, this somewhat darker entry in the franchise was filled with tricky puzzles.
Majora’s Maskchronicled Link’s battle to stop the moon from crashing into the world of Termina, which is parallel to Hyrule. The brutality of some puzzles was a turn-off for manyZeldafans, butmany others continue to revisitMajora’s Masktodayfor the extra difficulty this provided over many other entries in the franchise.
4Skyward Sword
Another entry in the franchise which may remain controversial in many aspects today, and never quite managed to receive universal acclaim from fans and critics like some more recent editions of theLegend of Zeldafranchise,Skyward Swordnevertheless contains some great 3D puzzles that fans shouldn’t skip out on.
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Including challenging but interesting moments like the Isle of Songs, players were able to get through many of the most challenging puzzles inSkyward Swordwhile still feeling like they actually posed a challenge. This unfortunately wasn’t the case with some of the other best puzzles in the franchise,which players continue to this day to struggle with.
3Oracle Of Ages
Another game that includes some of the most genuinely difficult puzzles in the entireLegend of Zeldafranchise,Oracle of Ageswas another hand-held release in the franchisepaired withOracle of Seasonswhich managed to do something wonderfully unique with the concept of puzzles.
Instead of merely adding puzzles into dungeons to make them more difficult for Link to traverse,Oracle of Agesweaved puzzles together that lasted the whole way through each one, essentially making entire dungeons into individual, brutal puzzles. This strategy has never been repeated, or at least not to anything like the same intriguing degree, as it was inOracle of Ages.
2Twilight Princess
Fans of theLegend of Zeldafranchise remember a variety of things from each entry they play. Whether an entry has especially memorable graphics, a great combat system,or an incredible narrative in its story, there is always something that sticks in the mind. One of the major things that players remember fromTwilight Princessis the fun and challenging puzzles that keep popping up.
From the memorable ice block puzzle to the two stone guardians before gaining the Master Sword, there are a variety of memorable, head-scratching moments inTwilight Princess. While this entry in the franchise remains somewhat divisive among fans, those who play the games with a hankering for some challenge in the puzzle system will want to check this one out.
1Breath of the Wild
One of the most recent entries in the franchise,Breath of the Wildis generally considered by fans of the franchise to be a more accessible form ofZeldagame than much of what came before. This meant that the difficulty in both combat and puzzle terms was much lower than it had been in previous games, making the whole thing feelmore friendly and playable by anyone.
However, the ease of access and lack of challenge in some puzzles didn’t extend all the way through them, and aside from difficulty,Breath of the Wildwins points simply for having some of the most innovative puzzles across the various shrines in the game. These puzzles put together a lot of elements from differentZeldagames and had fans falling in love with new styles never seen before in the franchise as well.
