Summary
The Legend of Zeldaremains as one of the most popular and beloved series to emerge from Nintendo, taking players on journeys through vast kingdoms, pitting them against intimidating monsters, and encouraging them to save princesses. First released in 1986, the series has enjoyed years of success, offering new and fantastic adventures that remain faithful to the formula laid out in the debut game while also implementing some new additions to prevent the titles from becoming stale.
Normally given E for Everyone ratings, one would think that the games inThe Legend of Zeldaseries would be pretty accessible in terms of difficulty, but this is not always the case. There are severalZeldatitles that can prove to be quite challenging, even for those who have been playing them for years. For those looking for morebeginner-friendlyZeldaexperiences, however, there are quite a few options to choose from.
One of thedarkerZeldagamesis also one of the easiest. In this title, another dimension known as the Twilight Realm is slowly overtaking the Kingdom of Hyrule, and the fate of the land once more falls to Link. This time, he has a few new tools available to him, such as his wolf form that is bestowed upon him in the Twilight Realm. He also has a new companion, Midna, to offer help and a few snide remarks throughout the journey.
Despite the overall darker themes,Twilight Princessis not an overly difficult game. In fact, it is actually quite simple when compared to other titles in the series. Players will be able to navigate dungeons with ease, defeat bosses without breaking too much of a sweat, and the puzzles aren’t quite the brain-teasers fans ofThe Legend of Zeldamight be expecting. Even when playing the Wii version and using motion controls, the combat remains beginner-friendly.
Skyward Swordwas anotherZeldatitle released for the Wii. It started on a floating island above the clouds before Link would make his inevitable plunge into the old, abandoned kingdom below and battle with forces of evil to save the land and his best friend, Zelda. It is the first game in the timeline, detailing the inception of the Master Sword and featuring the very first incarnation of Link chronologically.
The game madefull use of the Wii’s motion controls. Whichever angle players would slash with the Wii mote was rather accurately portrayed on-screen, making gamers feel as though they were Link themselves. The game also registered the movements of the nunchuk, which was used to bring up a shield. This makes it sound like the game could be difficult to get to grips with, but any player vaguely familiar with the Wii would find that the intuitive controls actually work to make combat a breeze.
Phantom HourglassmarkedZelda’s return to handheld consoles after earlier titles such asMinish Cap. Here, Toon Link makes his return. Set after the events ofWind Waker, in which Link and Tetra return, the title sees them sailing the seas in their boat until they encounter a ghost ship. Their peaceful sea-faring adventure devolves into another onerous one for Link as he must track down the ship and save his friend.
Making use of both DS’s screens,Phantom Hourglassmight seem intimidating to play at first, but the controls are very easy to quickly get to grips with, and players will find this game won’t challenge them too much. The most tricky parts ofPhantom Hourglassare the mini-games, but with most things in gaming, practice eventually makes perfect.
The modernZeldatitles,Breath of the WildandTears of the Kingdom, have completely shaken up theLegend of Zeldaformula, exchanging the more linear style of gameplay for an open-world experience. Players are now free to roam the map and go wherever they please, completing side missions, defeating optional bosses, andtaking the time to craftrather than just going from point to point without much in the way of optional content.
For old-school fans, the change can be a little daunting, but to those new to theZeldafranchise, they are probably used to open-world games thanks to how common they are in the industry. As such, most players can probably dive intoTears of the Kingdomwith no problems. Couple that with the plethora of online guides, tips, and forums players can use while playing the game, they will probably findTears of the Kingdomone of themost beginner-friendlyZeldagamesavailable.
Ocarina of Timeis one of the most popular and beloved titles in theLegend of Zeldaseries, and as such, it was no surprise that it received a remake in 2011. The story documents Link’s fight against Ganondorf’s reign over Hyrule, following him as he utilizestime travel mechanicsin order to gain access to different areas and unlock new abilities.
As mostZeldafans would have playedOcarina of Timepreviously, they would likely already have knowledge of its3Dcounterpart and would know where to go and be familiar with tactics that make combat easier. Still, even those delving intoZeldafor the first time shouldn’t find too much of a struggle here, with the game featuring a linear plot and mostly straightforward bosses.
The first appearance of Toon Link was somewhat divisive to start with, as fans didn’t know what to think of the cartoonish approach toZelda.In time, it found its audience, as fans grew to love this cutesy outing across the seas, which followed Link as he sought to rescue his kidnapped sister.
Players would travel from island to island, gaining new items and delving into new dungeons, but never once would they feel as though they were swimming out of their depth.The combat controls were refinedto make the game feel that much more simple, and the numerous tools at Link’s disposal allowed him to defeat enemies in a variety of ways. New fans will findWind Wakerto be one of the best entry points in theZeldaseries, especially if they are looking for a relatively stress-free experience.
AnotherZeldatitle to be released for the 3DS,A Link Between Worldsserves as somewhat of a reimagining of an olderZeldatitle from the 90s,A Link to the Past. Though it largely remains similar to this classic title of yore, there are some divergences in terms of the story and the dungeons, but it takes place in the same world that old players will recognize.
But what mostly sets these two titles apart is the difficulty, asA Link Between Worldsis a much more streamlined and friendly experience, making it a great game forZeldanewbies. The puzzles don’t provide too much of a challenge, and the combat encounters (including the boss fights) aren’t overly difficult either.A Link Between Worldsis one of the best options forZeldafans looking for a story-focused experience.
One of the fewZeldagames to behandled by another major game studiowasThe Minish Cap, which Capcom was responsible for developing. Fans of Capcom are likely aware of the many challenging games in the developer’s library, such asContraor classicResident Eviltitles, both of which are infamous for frustrating players and forcing them to look up guides for help.
Perhaps it was because they were handling another studio’s IP, butThe Minish Capwas surprisingly easy. Most of the game would be a breeze for players to get through, and it would only be when they reached the last boss that they would find much of a challenge. It’s arguably the easiestZeldagame available for gamers to check out, making it a great entry point in the series for those looking for a relaxing experience.
