TheLegend of Zeldaseries is one of the most popular and iconic video game series of all time. The first game came out all the way back in 1986for the NES, and since then, there have been over 40 different titles with the Zelda name attached to them. Throughout the years, Zelda games have taken many different forms, and have often been praised for experimenting with a variety of art styles and gameplay mechanics.

Because of this, not every game has gelled with every fan. A few of the Zelda games have received divided opinions within the video game community. Nintendo decided to make dramatic choices with some games in particular. Although critically, most of the mainline Zeldas have gotten great reviews, these choices have caused fans to either passionately love, or passionately hate, these games.

7The Windwaker

An Art Style That Divided A Generation

Although most fans of the franchise now look back onThe Legend of Zelda: The Windwakerfondly, at the time of its release, it was an incredibly divisive game. The reasoning behind this was that many people did not like the new cell-shaded art style and the youthful, cartoonish look of Link.

The reason many Zelda fans were disappointed was because, when the Nintendo GameCube was first announced back in the year 2000, fans saw a video demo that had the intention of showing off the graphical capabilities of the system. In this demo was footage of a mature-looking Link fighting Gannondorf, in an art syle that appeared similar toOcarina of Time.Many people were expecting a dark, gritty Zelda game, and instead were given a cartoon world with cute-looking characters. However, the game was reviewed very well and was loved by many. In many ways, the art style has meant that the game has aged much better than even some of the newer titles.

A Side Scrolling Zelda Game?

Zelda II: The Adventure of Linkwas polarizing because it was so different from its predecessor, and remains extremely different from any other game in the franchise. Many gamers have expressed their dislike for this entry, as a side-scrolling Zelda game does not feel authentic to the franchise.

However, most reviews ofZelda II: The Adventure of Linkat the time were positive. Many people look back at it now as an important entry in the franchise that inspired many future games. For example, there were many RPG elements. Link could gain experience points and use them to upgrade his magic, life, and attack. Many look back toZelda IIas the inspiration for RPG-heavyZeldagames such asBreath of the WildandTears of the Kingdom.

A Bizarre Story With Chain Chomps And Goombas

The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakeningwas the first handheld Zelda game, and was largely enjoyed by the community. However, it was one of the very fewZeldagames not to take place in Hyrule, and it did not feature theTriforceor even Zelda herself. A Zelda game without Zelda in it felt strange to many fans. Consequently, the story of this game is loved by some and hated by others.

Also, the game borrowed characters from the Mario series, such as Chain Chomps, Goombas, and Cheep Cheeps. It also featured short side scrolling sections that were clear Mario clones. Many fans felt that borrowing parts of Mario games cheapenedZeldaas a franchise and caused it to lose its identity. Others, however, enjoyed seeing the crossover between two worlds they loved. It was popular enough to have a remake on GameBoy Color, and then more recently on Nintendo Switch.

4Twilight Princess

A Dark And Mature Zelda Game

After the commotion people made about not having a dark and grittyZeldagame whenWindwakerwas released, Nintendo made another game for the GameCube that leaned into a mature interpretation of a Zelda world.The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princesswas Link going through his early 2000s emo phase. It was dark, edgy, and fulfilled many teenagers' werewolf fantasies.

Many people complained that, despite it seeming more adult, it was actually a little too easy and had several sections that were slow-paced. However, the game did receive praise forthe character of Midna,a compelling character with a moving story. Also, the ability to change into a wolf was a new and refreshing mechanic that mixed things up in an exciting way. Not long after the GameCube release, the game made its way onto Wii as a launch title.

3Skyward Sword

A Wii Game With Motion Controls

Not long after the polarizingTwilight Princess,Nintendo released anotherZeldagame that divided fans.The Legend of Zelda: Syward Swordwas a beautiful game with an incredible soundtrack. The game was an origin story for the franchise, and the plot was generally liked by fans.

The aspect that many people did not like was the motion controls. This was the case for many games that were released for theNintendo Wii, as people found the motion controls clunky and imprecise. Later, a version of the game was released for the Nintendo Switch in which players were able to turn off the motion controls. However, this version was polarizing as it was released as a full-priced game despite its age.

2Breath of the Wild

Skyrim Meets Zelda

There is no doubt thatBreath of the Wildwas a massive achievement, particularly because it was originally developed for the Wii U. The game is detailed with a large map and an incredible physics engine. Eiji Aonuma reinterpreted what a Zelda game, is and made a game that was much closer to an RPG, likeSkyrimorThe Witcher,than an adventure game.

For the most part, this new style ofZeldagame was well recieved by reviewers and fans. On the other hand, there was a large portion of the fan base that felt it strayed a little too far from what aZeldagame is. The lack of dungeons and the non-linear nature of the game left many people feeling their Zelda itch hadn’t quite been scratched.

1Majora’s Mask

The Groundhog Day Of Zelda Games

The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Maskcame out less than two years after it’s predecessor,Ocarina of Time,and was a dark twist on a familiar world. Some aspects of the game bordered on horror, and the world was strange, dark and creepy. At the time of its release, the game saw a great deal of critical success and was praised for its level design and unique art direction. However, it did not sell anywhere near as many copies asOcarina of Time, and is very much seen as aZeldatitle with a cult following.

The main mechanic that divided people was the three-day cycle. The idea was that Link had three days to stop the moon from crashing into the earth. The player uses time travel to keep repeating the same three days over and over, but changing things each time that will affect the next playthrough. Despite how intricate and clever this mechanic was, many people actually found it frustrating. The ticking clock gave several players a level of anxiety kept them from enjoying the game.