Patient Gamers

#1 for me. That gold cartridge really stood out amidst my collection of other NES games, for more reasons than one. Naturally, I needed a guide to get through my first playthrough, but I kept coming back to it and eventually had the whole game damn near memorized.

Officially it was ALttP (#4, GB[C?]); technically it's the same game as #3 but with slight changes. But in my heart I'll always feel the most fondness for OoT (#5,N64).

Other notes:

• I hated #6; the 'gimmick' is still "time" and it's implemented in a much more unforgiving way. This is a complete shame; as I think this game could've told a much better story without the 'gimmick' being so tough.
• #8 is half identical to #3 & #4; and half identical to #10
• I don't care for #12 or #13 either; I really hated the direction(s) the stories went in both cases and the gameplay 'gimmicks' once again interfered with the nature of the game mechanics that I do enjoy.
• Several Major Zelda games are completely missing from this list; including the titles featured on the Nintendo DS family of system(s) (NDS/DSi/3DS)

Those missing titles are:

• Spirit Tracks [NDS/DSi]
• A Link Between Worlds [3DS]
• Phantom Hourglass [NDS/DSi]
• Oracle of Ages [GBA] (This is the other half of the Oracle set)
• Wind Waker HD [WiiU]

Where is Phantom Hourglass? I loved that game!

#5, I was a wee lad and I was in the n64 isle at walmart looking for a game to buy with dad. Bought it on a whim because the box art looked interesting. Now Zelda is one of my favourite series and I've played most of them. Thanks Dad :)

Number 1. The original. I was so happy when BOTW gave the the open exploration based feel from that very first game again. The other 3d games we just so linear and hand holding in comparison.

5 for me. I remember being a young kid and not really understanding much about the game worked, and spending hours just wandering around Kokiri Forest and Hyrule.

The 3DS port of Ocarina of Time. Was pretty magical at the time having a handheld that could do 3D graphics as well as it could. Paired with being an excellent game with lots of charm and atmosphere already made it a great experience. Pretty cool with the 3D screen too, made it feel that much more immersive.

#1!

I remember going to the bookstore and looking at a Nintendo Power magazine. The postcards they had in there for you to mail in and subscribe always had art or photos on them. And one of them had a small blurry photo of one of the dungeons in Zelda.

I yanked that postcard out and took it home with me to study the dungeon with a magnifying glass so I could beat it 😂

Very much a #1. Gold cartridge and all.

I loved #10. With a full crew of four with GBA SP's and cables that game was a rocking time for you and your buddies. The ability for that game to cause swearing, shoulder punching, and evil strategic voting at the end of each level was absolutely wonderful.

#1. Had to go to a distant friend's house to play it because no one else had a Nintendo yet.

God I'm old...

4, since Gameboy was the first system we were allowed to play in our home. Stole my sister's copy to play it and got in to a fight when I stole from the store under her save file.

I also remember burning through an insane number of AA batteries when I was attempting a less-than-smart solution to one of the room puzzles in Eagle's Tower.

Cut my teeth on 1, spent so many hours playing it and trying to find new secrets. Then absolutely feel in love with 3. I've played almost all of the others, but 3 will forever be my pick, especially with randomizer.

#4, Link's Awakening.

Number 1, but it was really Ocarina of Time that defined my childhood

Mine's not on here! My first Zelda was Spirit Tracks, and from there, Zelda 2

1! Although I was very young so 3 was the first one I ever actually completed (and is still one of the greatest games ever made, imo)

Link to the Past, for GB Advanced. I could never finish it.

1. My friend('s step-father?) owned it, and I'd play it at her house any time I was over. I loved that shiny gold cartridge with the little green man and his shooty sword.

OoT for me. My wild nostalgia still makes me rank it as the best Zelda game.

None, link between worlds Havent finished it 7 years later

12 on the wii with my cousin Later owned botw for wii u

2. It was a weird learning experience for a kid that couldn't read English and had never played anything with rpg'ish elements.

I think i just wanted to play the first one because of the theme song. Somehow expected that the second one would have it too.

#1! I used to play it with my mom, way back before I was old enough to actually make any progress. Mom made giant, beautiful hand-drawn maps of the overworld and all of the dungeons for both quests on large sheets of graph paper, and one of my biggest regrets from childhood is not keeping those maps safe.

The original LoZ is still one of my favorite games of all time, and I still spend a few hours every year or so playing through it again.

Phantom Hourglass. I was maybe 7 years old, and an extended family member got me a limited edition Nintendo DS with the triforce on it and a golden color to it.

I don't have the original any more, but I now have the same model DS and play it from time to time. The music from PH is instant nostalgia for me.

#10 and actually with the GBA cables and friends to do multiplayer. (#11) Minish Cap as well, but my first owned Zelda was Four Swords Adventure.

I'm OG; I can still remember coming home and tearing it out of the box and throwing it on without having read the pamphlet (which they actually included then) and wandering around for hours having no clue what I was supposed to be doing. It was great!

Cadence of Hyrule

It's not on this list, as it's a spinoff/crossover (Zelda + Crypt of the Necrodancer). Haven't played another Zelda-related game.

#3. A class mate of my sister lent it to us and we didn't put it down for at least 1-2 months.

Although I can say my favorite game is Oracle of Seasons.

Gotta be 9 yall

I had never played a Zelda game (or even any nintendo game except wii sports and mario kart wii) 3 years ago. Decided to try ocarina of time 3d on an emulator and got hooked. I still need to play majora's mask and skyward sword of the 3D games and I have a few 2d Zeldas left but overall it has been a great experience and awesome journey, and I have also branched out and played all metroid and 3d Mario games and consider myself a Nintendo fan now.

Edit: this post has actually inspired me to boot up a link to the past and give it another chance and I realised part of why I didn't get into it originally was the input lag that can rather easily be mitigated in retroarch. Having a great time

Link to the Past, which is also my favorite besides the Oracle games.

Unrelated, but what Zelda should i play, I've retired on link to the past, and minish cap

I played Legend of Zelda on the 8-bit Nintendo (#1) with some roommates in college. I tried playing Ocarina of Time on the 3DS (don't see a number for it), but I didn't like the platform enough to continue using it and I wasn't used to the type of game Zelda is. I haven't tried any since, but not because of a lack of respect for the franchise. I just missed the party and don't know where to jump in. Plus, there are so many games out there to choose from.

#1, which I rented from my local video rental store back when video rental was all small, locally owned businesses - until I was eventually gifted a cart of my own for my birthday. I tried to find it not that long ago when I stopped to visit my parents. I found my original 8-bit NES and all of my games except Zelda. I suspect my niece, who had been living in my old room for a number of years, may have found it on the top shelf of the closet and realizing its value either sold it or gave it to her boyfriend.

I was around for 1, didn't play any until 5, and have only played 5 and 6.

7, then 9 and 12. My parents bought me ages and my sister seasons. I remember waiting on her to finish her playthrough so I could swap over to seasons. After twilight princess I made the switch over to PC and caught up on missed games with emulators starting with the original. Played everything including TOTK

1

I'm old 😒

#3, and it's still my favorite.

Either 7 or it's twin, ages. Honestly not sure which I played first but I spent SOOOOOOO much time on them as a kid

3, through an emulator. And about the others, I only played 12 and 13.

#4 here. Still remember it was the only video game I ever say my dad play. Even that, he only played for one day lol